"Mine, mine"......
Do you know that each and everyone of us, at the end of the journey of life, will come face to face with either one or the other of the two faces: either the Merciful Face of Christ or the miserable face of Satan?  We may journey down a thousand times ten thousand roads but we will end at either one of those faces. And one of them, either the Merciful Face of Christ or the miserable face of Satan, will say "Mine, mine."........ whose shall we be? ........  Every minute of  our life is an extra moment of grace given to us to use wisely .......May we be Christ's

Waiting.......

Why and how have we come to loose the art of waiting? how many times do you check your watch if the Bus is late for a minute? how do you rage when the traffic light seemed to be 'red' forever? why are we in hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry through life that will end very soon and then you will want to turn back the clock even for a minute if that could be possible?
Let's look at nature: the seed is sown and the sower goes about his business. The seed takes time to sprout, grow and bear fruits.....the expectant mother waits 9  months to deliver her baby... the elephant 36 months to deliver its infant.... the hen has to sit on its eggs for 21 days....and the list goes on and on. So why have we suddenly become impatient? the 'Boss' cannot wait for the computer to start and the poor secretary becomes the victim..........
Let's begin to take time and enjoy the moments not necessarily in doing anything great or small but in doing nothing... just being
Even though we sing "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount wings like eagles;they shall run and not be wearied they shall walk and not faint; teach me Lord, teach me Lord to wait.......(Is 40:31. ) yet the Father waits unconditionally for us to return 'home'. He ceaselessly looks out for the return for the prodigal child to come back home......and runs to embrace and call for a celebration ......
Jesus also waits in the Tabernacle for you to come and visit, He yearns that you come and sit at his feet while the angels adore Him, He longs to listen to your sighs, share in your burdens, reassure you of His care and love; He invites you to come and be with Him, He waits in the Tabernacle, day and night,as a prisoner of love only for you. He invites you to come and find rest in Him fo He is meek and humble of heart. Remember, humility is not a sign of weakness.

 

The worst thing in the world
Sin is not the worst thing in the world. The worst thing in the world is the denial of sin. If I am blind and deny that there is any such thing as light, shall I ever see? If I am deaf and deny that there is any such thing as harmony, will I ever hear? If I deny that there is any such thing as sin, how shall I ever be forgiven? The denial of sin is the unforgivable sin, for it makes redemption impossible as it reduces the death of Jesus on the Cross to nothing. Our sins may be grave but when we bring them to the Blood of Christ, sometimes have a good side. For we are washed in that blood and we rejoice and thank the Lord, for if we had never sinned, we never could call Jesus "Saviour".
'Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son ............
For God sent his Son into the world
not to condemn the world,
but so that through him the world might be saved.......... ' (Jn. 3:16 - 21)

Be not afraid!
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Theresa of Avila and it's good to recall what this holy woman said 500 years ago but very true today:

'Let nothing disturb thee,
Nothing affright thee, 
All things are passing;
 God never changeth;
Patience endurance attaineth to all things;
Who God possesseth in nothing is wanting
Alone God sufficeth.

"What is in me?"  is the necessary and sometimes painful question that must be asked. I cannot change others, the world around me, the weather or the position of my stars. But I can change myself. In somber reflection and prayer, I can trace my discomfort to its attitudinal roots. I can look clearly at what is in me and this is the area of my attitudes which I can control and change.
I can choose to be an actor and not a reactor. By being an actor I don't let the other decide how I'm going to act even under unpleasant circumstances. .. if the horse is crazy the rider or the owner should not be crazy........
As fully human persons, we need to be our own persons; we need not bend to every wind that blows. We need not be at the mercy of all the pettiness, the meanness, the impatience and anger of others.
Unfortunately, most of us feel like a floating boat at the mercy of the winds and waves. We have no sails when the winds rage and the waves churn and we say things like: "He made me so mad, ......you really ge to me, this weather really depresses me.... the very sight of him saddens me"
Note all these things are doing something to me and to my emotions. I have nothing to say about my anger, depression, sadness or whatever. I am content to blame it on others, circumstances and bad luck. But as Shakespeare puts it in Julius Caesar, know that: "The fault, dear Brutus, is not with our stars, but with ourselves..... "  We can rise above the dust of daily battle that chokes and blinds so many of us, and this is precisely what is asked of us/me in the process of growth as a person.
I need to know myself to change myself and not the other(s)....

Seasons
Living in the Northern Hemisphere gives the opportunity to witness apparent changes in the seasons. In Autumn most of the trees become bear, some very sturdy and some very fragile....yet they all have the same story to tell. Take time to look at the trees that lined your street or the park or in your yard and watch the changes that are taking place.
Our lives also have its correspondence in nature... as a baby fragile... needing care; as we grow into adulthood very strong and full of life.... like a tree with leaves producing flowers and fruits.... some 30, 40 or 60.... "like a tree planted by the rivers of water that brings forth fruit in its season.....(Ps. 1) We reach the autumn of our lives..... loosing sight, teeth, hearing........and we stand bare .. like the tree in Autumn. But is the tree dead? No....Autumn is a period for the roots to go deeper and since there are no leaves, all its energy is stored up  for a harsh winter and to produce new buds .
Where are you now?... Do you feel bare?... it's normal as even healthy trees are pruned like the vine and the rose so that they can produce better grapes and Roses.
Jesus as the True Vine..... "every branch in me that does not bear fruit is cut away and every branch that bears fruit is pruned that it may bear more fruit.... Abide in me and I in you... as the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide... no more can you except you abide in me....for without me you can do nothing... (John 15: 1-8) Pruning may be painful... but it has  a good purpose. The bear autumn tree will have to go through a winter, that may be harsh, leading to Spring/Summer. Even though in a way it may appear dead but there is life silently present. ...
Do you at times feel abandoned by God?.
God is silently  present .....like the seed planted grows silently unseen by the naked eye.... despite where you are at the moment.... which ever cycle you are in..... whether you know it or not... God's love for you is unending..... Just as He recreates the world every day, season after season so is His love continuously being poured out to renew us...... Take time and examine your body..... there is no one like you in the whole universe....as no two trees are the same and no two leaves from the same branch are the same....not even two rose petals are same or two snow flakes are same..... you are unique, you are special and the Lord your God and Creator loves you in each season/cycle of your life....... even sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything etc.
Listen:
"Even in your old age, I shall be still the same, 
when your hair is gray I shall still support you. 
I have already done so, I have carried you, 
I shall still support and deliver you ..... (Is.46:4)
All He requires of us is to trust Him totally for He is Able to carry us through...........