Seeing through tainted Glass
Entering the Chapel today, I found it dark, tried to put on the light only to realize that I have rather turned it off so I switched it on, yet the Chapel was still dark. Oops, I entered with my dark glasses on....... Hmm that set me thinking.....it can be easy to blame the other person due to wrong attitude, misjudge a person because of being biased, get into unnecessary argument due to impatience......... the list can be endless causing much harm. Need to work on self and not on the other..... removing the log in my own eye before trying to remove the splinter in my brother's eye?......... becoming more understanding, kind, loving, compassionate............? your guess will certainly be as good as mine for our small world will become a better place as we all strive to incorporate the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi:-
Lord, make me a channel of your peace
where there is hatred, let me sow your love,
where there is injury, pardon,
where there is discord, union,
where there is doubt, faith,
where there is darkness, light,
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not
so much seek to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life!
Wednesday, 25 September 2019
Friday, 20 September 2019
The Hidden Presence of God
Hidden God, we adore You..... is God really hidden from man? ,,,,, this is a mystery that needs a reflection..... God made man in his own image and likeness so that means God lives in man as his creation ,,,,, Man is therefore supposed to be a reflection of God's presence in the world since God lives in him....How ?.... exhibiting the nature of God. Spiritual things need to be spiritually discerned and this is the reason why God seems to be hidden even though He is present, man has failed to make his creator visible.....by making giant steps in the physical at the expense of the mystical/ spiritual..... moving far away from his commandments which are love guides to live in union with God.... man seems to have lost the conscience of sin.......separation from God.
One area where God is truly present and yet hidden is the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament. God is present in the species of Bread and Wine totally in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, yet hidden from the naked eye. Only with eyes of faith we can look beyond the Bread we eat to see our Saviour and our Lord, look beyond the Cup we drink to see His Blood poured out for us.
Another area is in the Word.... that was in the beginning was with God and was God...... that became incarnated and became Man.... the Light of the world giving sight to the blind..... the Word spoken and written..... sharper than two-edged sword, a curse and a blessing..... the Word giving life to those who accept it or death to those who reject it.....the Word that is the Truth.......the Life and the Way.....the Word that sets the captive free...... heals and comforts...... the litany goes on!
Look beyond nature and see the Master Artist/Creator, each blade of leaf is unique... no two rain drops or snow flakes are the same...... the birds of the air..... not one escape His attention for His eye is on the sparrow, the fish in the sea ....... the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and the grandeur of all creation cannot be compared to Man....... The Psalmist cry out ' What is Man, oh what is man that you are mindful of him...mortal man that you care for him? yet you have made him a little lower than God and crown him with glory and honour........ and have put all things under his feet.......(Psalm 8)'
Man can only find his true existence in God and St. Augustine in his Confession concluded: 'God, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they come to rest in you'.
Hidden God, we adore You..... is God really hidden from man? ,,,,, this is a mystery that needs a reflection..... God made man in his own image and likeness so that means God lives in man as his creation ,,,,, Man is therefore supposed to be a reflection of God's presence in the world since God lives in him....How ?.... exhibiting the nature of God. Spiritual things need to be spiritually discerned and this is the reason why God seems to be hidden even though He is present, man has failed to make his creator visible.....by making giant steps in the physical at the expense of the mystical/ spiritual..... moving far away from his commandments which are love guides to live in union with God.... man seems to have lost the conscience of sin.......separation from God.
One area where God is truly present and yet hidden is the Holy Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament. God is present in the species of Bread and Wine totally in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, yet hidden from the naked eye. Only with eyes of faith we can look beyond the Bread we eat to see our Saviour and our Lord, look beyond the Cup we drink to see His Blood poured out for us.
Another area is in the Word.... that was in the beginning was with God and was God...... that became incarnated and became Man.... the Light of the world giving sight to the blind..... the Word spoken and written..... sharper than two-edged sword, a curse and a blessing..... the Word giving life to those who accept it or death to those who reject it.....the Word that is the Truth.......the Life and the Way.....the Word that sets the captive free...... heals and comforts...... the litany goes on!
Look beyond nature and see the Master Artist/Creator, each blade of leaf is unique... no two rain drops or snow flakes are the same...... the birds of the air..... not one escape His attention for His eye is on the sparrow, the fish in the sea ....... the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and the grandeur of all creation cannot be compared to Man....... The Psalmist cry out ' What is Man, oh what is man that you are mindful of him...mortal man that you care for him? yet you have made him a little lower than God and crown him with glory and honour........ and have put all things under his feet.......(Psalm 8)'
Man can only find his true existence in God and St. Augustine in his Confession concluded: 'God, you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they come to rest in you'.
Sunday, 8 September 2019
The Cross
I woke and realized it was a dream,
and no ordinary dream it was.
A huge Cross stood into the heavens,
around it were people each carrying a tiny cross.
A light shone from the Heavens, and I heard a
voice:
" Lift up your cross to the Huge Cross"
No one in the crowd stirred,
everyone stood still, each deep in thought.
With a smile, I tried to lift up my tiny cross,
I realized that it was heavy and made of silver.
For three years, I pondered about the dream.
Then the Lord gave me an insight and I no more
worry.
The Huge Cross is Christ on Calvary,
It was there that the Lamb paid the Price;
a heavy Price by a Perfect Sacrifice.
It was not an easy ordeal,
for He suffered shame and humiliation;
He was mocked and scourged,
Pain, Horror, Anguished, mere words cannot describe it.
The more I think of it, the more I feel His pain.
In anguish, He cried to His Father,
It was not a cry of defeat.
Rather, it was a cry of Victory!
His cry rings out into the Heavens!
it echoes down into the earth below.
Graves were opened, and death was conquered!
Victory, Victory, Victory!
There is Life beyond the Cross!
As I stand beneath the Cross, I see clearly God's Love.
I have been saved only through the Cross of Jesus.
For God so loves me, that He gave His Son
to give me new life through His death on the Cross!
Hail!, all hail the Risen Christ!
Hail Him who has overcome the world!
Hail Him in His New Glorifies Body!
Glory to the Father, who is Faithful in all His Promises,
Even to Raising His Son Jesus from the Dead!
Glory and Honor to the Healing Cross!
Author: Honey-Rose Aku Gbologah
Looking back and pondering on the Scripture: " I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). There is no easier way. The only way is the Cross. If we are the first to go through this way, we may be excused if we are tempted to consider it an impossibility. But we have a cloud of witnesses that have gone this way before us. There is no shorter way to go to Heaven than the Cross.
If Jesus is the light of the world, then we need to follow Him. "I am the light of the world; who ever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Wednesday, 6 January 2016
Love Journal Revisited
Love Journal Revisited
God's love for humanity is evident these past weeks more than ever, because all around us love is in the air, we can feel it, touch it, taste it and share it.....we are very excited .....because it is Christmas ........True Christmas is a celebration of the Word of God that became flesh and is a a great season to recall God's love as revealed in the Word..... Jh 3:16 'God so love the world, (you/me) that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life'. ....God loves us first, he is the initiator of love and as a result of his love, he gave his total self..... his very self as a helpless baby........ oh here is true love, not that we love God but that he first loves us..... He is love and wherever love is true, there is God .....God is present in and all around you whether you or they know or acknowledge this truth or not
The greatest single statement about God in the Holy Bible is: God is love .....And this keeps popping out of the pages throughout the Holy Scriptures being read during this season; take note of them and store them in your heart......1 Jh.4:7 ff 'Beloved lets love one another because love is of God ......Whoever is without love does not know God for God is love..........In this is love; not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins .......Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another................'
Think at all the people in your life or .. look around you ....all the people you've seen ... their lives, what they do,....... God is present in each one of them....... how can God's love be revealed through me ......through them?........ God is Love, is not an abstract or a passive statement....it reveals.to us what God does, ... what God does is an activity not a quality , God creates, saves and judges lovingly and gives abundantly .. Are there ways I can engage in God more actively.... more lovingly and openly...........? Love can be expressed in many ways.......love is made real in what we do, say or how we treat other people.
In this is love ...not that we love God.......but he first loved us ..... therefore.feeling inadequate ?.....remember love is God's saving action ........, how can I respond?......By his grace.......
The season is not over yet, it continues and we need to be excited about the Word of God.... Jesus......by letting the Word become alive in our hearts, ... study/believe in the Word .......and dare to enter into the great mystery of God's love.......
God's love for humanity is evident these past weeks more than ever, because all around us love is in the air, we can feel it, touch it, taste it and share it.....we are very excited .....because it is Christmas ........True Christmas is a celebration of the Word of God that became flesh and is a a great season to recall God's love as revealed in the Word..... Jh 3:16 'God so love the world, (you/me) that he gave his only Son that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life'. ....God loves us first, he is the initiator of love and as a result of his love, he gave his total self..... his very self as a helpless baby........ oh here is true love, not that we love God but that he first loves us..... He is love and wherever love is true, there is God .....God is present in and all around you whether you or they know or acknowledge this truth or not
The greatest single statement about God in the Holy Bible is: God is love .....And this keeps popping out of the pages throughout the Holy Scriptures being read during this season; take note of them and store them in your heart......1 Jh.4:7 ff 'Beloved lets love one another because love is of God ......Whoever is without love does not know God for God is love..........In this is love; not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins .......Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another................'
Think at all the people in your life or .. look around you ....all the people you've seen ... their lives, what they do,....... God is present in each one of them....... how can God's love be revealed through me ......through them?........ God is Love, is not an abstract or a passive statement....it reveals.to us what God does, ... what God does is an activity not a quality , God creates, saves and judges lovingly and gives abundantly .. Are there ways I can engage in God more actively.... more lovingly and openly...........? Love can be expressed in many ways.......love is made real in what we do, say or how we treat other people.
In this is love ...not that we love God.......but he first loved us ..... therefore.feeling inadequate ?.....remember love is God's saving action ........, how can I respond?......By his grace.......
The season is not over yet, it continues and we need to be excited about the Word of God.... Jesus......by letting the Word become alive in our hearts, ... study/believe in the Word .......and dare to enter into the great mystery of God's love.......
Friday, 25 December 2015
The Perfect Gift at Christmas
Today is the beginning of the Christmas season. There is joy in the air and the whole world is filled with wonder and excitement. The world celebrates the birth of Christ.....God entered the world in the middle of the night as a helpless baby without might and power.....the creator came to dwell among his own creation...... The invisible became visible.... the unseen came to be seen, touched and behold.....God became poor for our sakes and the mighty one came weak.. Emmanuel, God among us came to share in our humanity that those will accept him will share in his divinity and be given the power to be called the children of God
The mystery of Christmas is not power or might. God came as a beggar asking for love, the lover seeks love from his beloved. He is the light in the darkness to enlighten and give sight to the blind....
Through the birth of Jesus, the totality of man and the totality of God has been brought to a new unity...... God who sustains all things is present here and now .......and has given us the very best gift...... himself.... his total self ....to become dependent on humanity ...... Jesus took the risk of being accepted, loved, rejected, ignored, mistreated and eventually killed..... O what selfless love poured and being poured out to heal and reconcile broken humanity.
What then can humanity offer in return for His unconditional, merciful love? Today many people will give and or receive gifts from each other,.... but what can you and I give to Jesus? it is His birthday.... God is self sufficient and does not need anything to make him whole so what on earth can be pleasing to Him (knowing that even all the silver and gold belong to Him).
A gift of total self....... a humble, broken heart, he will not reject...... Just offer him your heart, broken, contrite, hard as stone, and he will make it pliable and habitable......He is the beggar knocking and waiting to be let in. Today if you will only open your heart inviting Him to come and be Lord of your life, he will come with the Father and the Holy Spirit.to make his abode in your heart Why the heart? it's the seat of emotions - thoughts, fear, hate, love ........ and by offering one's heart, you offer total self, which is the best birthday present to the Lord this Christmas.
This is a period of grace, let's open our hearts in the celebration of the Incarnation of the Word......the Eternal Word of God who became flesh.........Let this Christmas be a celebration of faith....Allow Christ's love lead you enter the mystery of his merciful love.....By His grace, we can be able to make/renew the deepest commitment we can ever make........all of self...... to be given to Jesus!
A very Blessed Christmas!
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Christmas and why we need it
The season of Advent is a period of joyful waiting and or expectation preparing to celebrate Christmas. There can be no real Christmas without a meaningful Advent, The first Advent was the period before the coming of the Messiah. Right from the very beginning. the fall of man, God took the initiative to redeem fallen man. (Gen. 3:15) Over the centuries God began to select and prepare a people for his own and a plan of his redeeming love. Even though man was not faithful, a remnant kept the faith and held unto the proclamations of the prophets that God kept sending for his own name's sake. And these kept their hope alive by holding unto God's words.until He who is to come, came at the appointed time in the history of humanity. and they rejoiced in God's faithfulness.in fulfilling his promise to redeem the fallen nature of man.
Today Advent reminds us of God's unfailing merciful love and a call to turn and or return to God. It's a period of grace calling for reconciliation, repentance and acknowledging our failings against our loving and merciful God and Jesus who became man to save us from our sins for where will humanity be if Jesus did not come.
Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mother, was God's own choice to be the mother of Jesus, but her 'Fiat", her Ýes' to God's request at the Annunciation (Lk.1:28 ff) made it possible for God's plan to be accomplished The period of Advent also brings Mary into the light of loving appreciation of her role in the birth of Jesus. It's a period to grow in admiration and love for her, learning from her humility and blind faith in God. Our Salvation history will be incomplete without her total giving of herself to accept God's will. For we find the deepest meaning of our lives when we say yes to God's plan. Her Immaculate Heart formed the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so Mary is closely united to Jesus and through Jesus has become our Mother
Just as we need the period of Advent in preparation for Christmas what then is the true spirit of Christmas, and what do we really celebrate at Christmas? Simply, Christmas is the incarnation of the Word... the Word that was in the beginning was with God and was God, through whom and with whom and by whom and for whom all was created.... ( Jn.1:11-3) that Word became flesh, God became man....God stoop down to man ........God's merciful love made manifest to man....... Yes this happened over 2000 years ago and that is the reason we need to recall this act of love again and again so as not to forget or loose sight of what God has done,,,,,,,for you, me, and entire humanity.....The most precious gift at Christmas is the gift of the birth of Jesus ,,,,,, God became man........ wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger.......The story of Christmas is God's love story between God and humanity...... solely initiated by God and man can choose to receive it with grateful hearts or reject it...... We need to celebrate Christmas in a spirit adoration, awe and love by receiving this precious gift of God...... opening our hearts to receive Jesus, who knocks at each door to be let in. ...There was no room in the Inn then, what about today, is there a room for him to be born in your heart?......a little space for him in your life?......At his birth the Angels sang : "Glory to God in the highest and peace to those on whom his favour rests"*( Lk 2:14)
Humanity, today needs the Peace of God more than ever...... in our homes, ......in our families....... among people and nations. True peace can only be found in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Let our yearnings for true peace, hasten his coming as we join the. echo of the ages who cried:
O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
King of David
Rising Sun
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come Lord Jesus
A very Blessed Christmas, let's receive true Peace, love and joy from the giver and initiator ot these in our hearts and share it with others, freely you receive, freely you give so that others will come to experience the Lord's merciful love.
The season of Advent is a period of joyful waiting and or expectation preparing to celebrate Christmas. There can be no real Christmas without a meaningful Advent, The first Advent was the period before the coming of the Messiah. Right from the very beginning. the fall of man, God took the initiative to redeem fallen man. (Gen. 3:15) Over the centuries God began to select and prepare a people for his own and a plan of his redeeming love. Even though man was not faithful, a remnant kept the faith and held unto the proclamations of the prophets that God kept sending for his own name's sake. And these kept their hope alive by holding unto God's words.until He who is to come, came at the appointed time in the history of humanity. and they rejoiced in God's faithfulness.in fulfilling his promise to redeem the fallen nature of man.
Today Advent reminds us of God's unfailing merciful love and a call to turn and or return to God. It's a period of grace calling for reconciliation, repentance and acknowledging our failings against our loving and merciful God and Jesus who became man to save us from our sins for where will humanity be if Jesus did not come.
Mary, the Blessed Virgin Mother, was God's own choice to be the mother of Jesus, but her 'Fiat", her Ýes' to God's request at the Annunciation (Lk.1:28 ff) made it possible for God's plan to be accomplished The period of Advent also brings Mary into the light of loving appreciation of her role in the birth of Jesus. It's a period to grow in admiration and love for her, learning from her humility and blind faith in God. Our Salvation history will be incomplete without her total giving of herself to accept God's will. For we find the deepest meaning of our lives when we say yes to God's plan. Her Immaculate Heart formed the Sacred Heart of Jesus, so Mary is closely united to Jesus and through Jesus has become our Mother
Just as we need the period of Advent in preparation for Christmas what then is the true spirit of Christmas, and what do we really celebrate at Christmas? Simply, Christmas is the incarnation of the Word... the Word that was in the beginning was with God and was God, through whom and with whom and by whom and for whom all was created.... ( Jn.1:11-3) that Word became flesh, God became man....God stoop down to man ........God's merciful love made manifest to man....... Yes this happened over 2000 years ago and that is the reason we need to recall this act of love again and again so as not to forget or loose sight of what God has done,,,,,,,for you, me, and entire humanity.....The most precious gift at Christmas is the gift of the birth of Jesus ,,,,,, God became man........ wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger.......The story of Christmas is God's love story between God and humanity...... solely initiated by God and man can choose to receive it with grateful hearts or reject it...... We need to celebrate Christmas in a spirit adoration, awe and love by receiving this precious gift of God...... opening our hearts to receive Jesus, who knocks at each door to be let in. ...There was no room in the Inn then, what about today, is there a room for him to be born in your heart?......a little space for him in your life?......At his birth the Angels sang : "Glory to God in the highest and peace to those on whom his favour rests"*( Lk 2:14)
Humanity, today needs the Peace of God more than ever...... in our homes, ......in our families....... among people and nations. True peace can only be found in Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Let our yearnings for true peace, hasten his coming as we join the. echo of the ages who cried:
O Wisdom
Lord and Ruler
Root of Jesse
King of David
Rising Sun
King of the Nations
Emmanuel
Come Lord Jesus
A very Blessed Christmas, let's receive true Peace, love and joy from the giver and initiator ot these in our hearts and share it with others, freely you receive, freely you give so that others will come to experience the Lord's merciful love.
Thursday, 15 October 2015
Learning from Saints
Today is the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, even though she lived over 600 years ago, yet her words still ring loud and clear.....
"Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing frighten you
All things pass away
God never changes
Patience obtain all things
Who possesses God lacks nothing
God alone suffice" ( St Theresa of Avila)
Brave and beautiful words, even though very familiar, read often many times over the years, yet these words can jump out of the pages because each one can identify with them at some point during this life journey .... Who is there without some trouble? is there anyone not afraid of something?......... Nothing remains the same but in the midst of the heat do we remember this simple truth?........Rather, don't we become impatient?...
....
St. Theresa was only echoing the Words of Jesus: ...... "Let not your hearts be troubled........ Do not be afraid......Heaven and earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away........ the Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want............"
On this feast day of St Theresa of Avila, let us be reminded and or encouraged that who possesses God lacks nothing for God alone is ENOUGH! ........
Today is the feast of St. Theresa of Avila, even though she lived over 600 years ago, yet her words still ring loud and clear.....
"Let nothing trouble you
Let nothing frighten you
All things pass away
God never changes
Patience obtain all things
Who possesses God lacks nothing
God alone suffice" ( St Theresa of Avila)
Brave and beautiful words, even though very familiar, read often many times over the years, yet these words can jump out of the pages because each one can identify with them at some point during this life journey .... Who is there without some trouble? is there anyone not afraid of something?......... Nothing remains the same but in the midst of the heat do we remember this simple truth?........Rather, don't we become impatient?...
....
St. Theresa was only echoing the Words of Jesus: ...... "Let not your hearts be troubled........ Do not be afraid......Heaven and earth shall pass away but my Words shall not pass away........ the Lord is my Shepherd, there is nothing I shall want............"
On this feast day of St Theresa of Avila, let us be reminded and or encouraged that who possesses God lacks nothing for God alone is ENOUGH! ........
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