This is what i got from a book i am reading, Prayer and Common Sense by Thomas H. Green, S.J. "The men i admired so much(and they were admirable) were trying too hard- trying to scale the mountain by their own intense effort. That is why they appeared so impressive. But in the end human nature rebelled. The effort to "do it for God" quickly and totally, was too much too fast. The timetable and projects were theirs, not the Lord's.
Its a reminder for me now that in all i all its really his work not mine. Haha gots lots to share! God is really amazing! but i got a test tmr got to do work. Hee will share more soon.
PS: Pls feel free to ask for my login username and password to edit the blog layout, haha i am real bad at this.
josh
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Spiritual Oprah
Nope, that's not a spelling error in the title. I wasn't intending to type 'Opera' in the sense of genre of music, but really, the Oprah Winfrey talkshow. Okay I admit to watching it, and it's actually damn interesting - not always about ditsy stuff.
Anway, today's episode featured this family (Catholic) who had lost a 14-year-old son in a plane crash. The mother was talking about her process of grieving, and how she was determined not to be angry and bitter at God. And how in that it had really helped the family get through in the healing process.
One thing she said really struck me. She said that in times of struggle, she found it important to remember that 'We are not human beings in a spiritual experience; We are spiritual beings in a human experience.'
Powerful isn't it.
I think it really applies to me in many ways. Today I went for the Penitential Service at IHM. The short powerpoint presentation they showed made me reflect on how my Lent had been, and I realised that I've been struggling how not to be indifferent to this season. Stuff at school and my final sem research paper have been convenient excuses to not take a deeper step into my faith this season. 
But really, I was stuck in the mindset that I was fully human and in that sense, was given the "permission" to slack off. It's really a challenge to acknowledge my identity as a child of God, a "spiritual being" who has to deal with "human experiences" everyday, yet has the opportunity to always turn back to Jesus at the end of it.
Melt.
My job here solely was to edit the template and try to work out a tag board and links to the other blogs..but looking at the javascript just now made me realise how rusty i am. So, i'll try to do it later...or perhaps get another person to do it.
But reading your post, prompted me to make some reflections of my own. And as much as i belong to another cell group, i will be thick-skinned enough to make this small 'intrusion'. :)
Our inadequacy constantly prompts us to make wild judgments about ourselves and others. It is important to note that inferiority goes hand in hand with a certain self-righteousness- we feel indignant about things that happen simply because we attach that particular thing to our self worth. In this case, it is nomination? In another, it could be affirmation. Yet in another it could be something else. But point is, simply, let nothing or no one be the measure of who you are. This is not nihilistic or buddhistic in perspective. This is simply, christian. Our measure, as our worth, must be that from God. We are who we are because He is Who Is.
Also, let us understand the heart of the matter in leadership, is really whether the leader's heart is in the matter. There is nothing more obstructive than someone with such gifted qualities without either the passion or gumption.
This note is not a reply, but a sharing to all who might in one way or another have similar feelings. "with power comes great responsibility". This is true. But be careful to equate responsibility with power, such that one without a certain responsibility is powerless? If i am not nominated, am i powerless to bring about change?
In secular organisations, it could be true. But not in community.
Difference is made not just by the handing of appointments or ranks, but in the subtle day to day exchanges, the quotidiary decisions, the quiet reflections and alacrity to be the smallest and humblest.
This is the christian paradox that is really one's life purpose to internalize. "to live you must die".
Jonathan Pillai's speech must have made a momentous impact on all. I was thrown aback as well. On one hand, we see how far we need go to be in authentic community. On another, we see how far we have come. So juggling vision and gratefulness, between beating ourselves up and becoming over lackadaisical, is really the delicate responsibility each of us have as members of the same body. And let me reiterate, its you, you and you who have to shoulder such encumbrance. How do you shoulder it? With honesty, with prayer, with humility and with grace.
God bless
Marcus
But reading your post, prompted me to make some reflections of my own. And as much as i belong to another cell group, i will be thick-skinned enough to make this small 'intrusion'. :)
Our inadequacy constantly prompts us to make wild judgments about ourselves and others. It is important to note that inferiority goes hand in hand with a certain self-righteousness- we feel indignant about things that happen simply because we attach that particular thing to our self worth. In this case, it is nomination? In another, it could be affirmation. Yet in another it could be something else. But point is, simply, let nothing or no one be the measure of who you are. This is not nihilistic or buddhistic in perspective. This is simply, christian. Our measure, as our worth, must be that from God. We are who we are because He is Who Is.
Also, let us understand the heart of the matter in leadership, is really whether the leader's heart is in the matter. There is nothing more obstructive than someone with such gifted qualities without either the passion or gumption.
This note is not a reply, but a sharing to all who might in one way or another have similar feelings. "with power comes great responsibility". This is true. But be careful to equate responsibility with power, such that one without a certain responsibility is powerless? If i am not nominated, am i powerless to bring about change?
In secular organisations, it could be true. But not in community.
Difference is made not just by the handing of appointments or ranks, but in the subtle day to day exchanges, the quotidiary decisions, the quiet reflections and alacrity to be the smallest and humblest.
This is the christian paradox that is really one's life purpose to internalize. "to live you must die".
Jonathan Pillai's speech must have made a momentous impact on all. I was thrown aback as well. On one hand, we see how far we need go to be in authentic community. On another, we see how far we have come. So juggling vision and gratefulness, between beating ourselves up and becoming over lackadaisical, is really the delicate responsibility each of us have as members of the same body. And let me reiterate, its you, you and you who have to shoulder such encumbrance. How do you shoulder it? With honesty, with prayer, with humility and with grace.
God bless
Marcus
Exciting times!!!!!
People, haha i am like writing to myself or something cos havent really like annouce to everybody the existance of this blog but in any case....
This is really an exciting time in our community! Don't ya think so? i mean like all the changes and how our lifes and being converted in the mist of all this. Haha maybe we dun realise it but its quite visible how we are more in touched with ourselves and with people from community thru this.
Yup i speak for myself too! Indeed Jesus in short is simple wonderful! Cos the more i reflect about it, the more i see God's hands in all this and how he will continue to rise us up from our damps and how our Biggest Faults will also be our Biggest Strength!
I guess i was quite disappointed when i wasn't nominated(very personnal) and many thoughts came to my mind. Thoughts of unworthiness and self worth, thoughts of leaving cos i felt like after all i have done.... in any case these are examples of thots i had and the struggles i faced, but these are not important the important thing is that God has taught me what it means to love, cos i guess i have loved in the wrong way. I love with the expectation of a return. But the love that Jesus calls us to is a selfless love, a love without expectation or return. He has also reminded me of what my calling in community is.
It is not to prove anything but to love and serve. Is what is required of a member of this community any less than of a core team? the ans is NO! no matter which of this body of community we are serving, we are still part of this body, and it is our calling to give where and when we can. Hee and for a start, is to look less on ourselves and gaze more on Jesus. Cos only then we stop looking at out unworthiness our faults and failings but to remember why and what we are called to do! So hang in there my brothers and sisters and cling on to JESUS!
This is really an exciting time in our community! Don't ya think so? i mean like all the changes and how our lifes and being converted in the mist of all this. Haha maybe we dun realise it but its quite visible how we are more in touched with ourselves and with people from community thru this.
Yup i speak for myself too! Indeed Jesus in short is simple wonderful! Cos the more i reflect about it, the more i see God's hands in all this and how he will continue to rise us up from our damps and how our Biggest Faults will also be our Biggest Strength!
I guess i was quite disappointed when i wasn't nominated(very personnal) and many thoughts came to my mind. Thoughts of unworthiness and self worth, thoughts of leaving cos i felt like after all i have done.... in any case these are examples of thots i had and the struggles i faced, but these are not important the important thing is that God has taught me what it means to love, cos i guess i have loved in the wrong way. I love with the expectation of a return. But the love that Jesus calls us to is a selfless love, a love without expectation or return. He has also reminded me of what my calling in community is.
It is not to prove anything but to love and serve. Is what is required of a member of this community any less than of a core team? the ans is NO! no matter which of this body of community we are serving, we are still part of this body, and it is our calling to give where and when we can. Hee and for a start, is to look less on ourselves and gaze more on Jesus. Cos only then we stop looking at out unworthiness our faults and failings but to remember why and what we are called to do! So hang in there my brothers and sisters and cling on to JESUS!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
better late than never
Hi friends,
haha this is a bold step for me to start this blog cos i never usually read emails or check them first so yup this is it. This is where we can have our constipated sharings in our daily lifes hee.
And haha this is by no means presurrized by the other two self groups! haha okok i guess we are.... Hope that this will be a source of support for us as a cell!
haha this is a bold step for me to start this blog cos i never usually read emails or check them first so yup this is it. This is where we can have our constipated sharings in our daily lifes hee.
And haha this is by no means presurrized by the other two self groups! haha okok i guess we are.... Hope that this will be a source of support for us as a cell!
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