Hello seedlings..
Yes I am back from a long time in Malaysia. Hope the people in Bangkok are having fun!
Anyway, just an idea.. Have been reading Acts recently because after Easter, mass readings are all from Acts. I just thought it would be pretty cool to have drama productions on bible stories or with underlying Christian message. It's just one of the creative ways of evangelising that can be pushed further in our community. Im not super psyched up for this but I think it's worth looking into.
This might be an idea that dies away or one that is fruitful. So if any of you guys have feedback or more bright sparks we can always talk about it. :)
Maybe we can learn the smooth moves from Avalon Testify to Love song.. hehe ;p
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Let all mortal flesh keep silence.
Hello! How come nobody blogging anything!?
Nevermind. I blog almost all the time anyway.. and I don't have exams, yet.
----
Today at mass, the Communion Hymn was a very olde Greek hymn, called Let all mortal flesh keep silence.
Let all mortal flesh keep silence
and with fear and trembling stand,
ponder nothing earthly-minded:
for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God on earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.
So the story goes, things have not been going well recently, alot of confusion, questions, head/heart aches, and in general alot of restlessness.
Many evenings before retiring to bed, I found myself praying for a peaceful heart, to be able to tide over this period smoothly and comfortably and quickly enough to get back on my own feet and roam the world again.
Today at mass, this song provided me the opportunity, it was like saying to me, Be still! and know that I am here, keep your mind away from your earthly troubles! For when I have called your name, you are mine.
So often, when we have our little problems or when we end up in a knot we just wail WHy God! why!! And we so often seek things like peace and solace and graces from Him in order to tide us through. So often, we forget that the power and strength to overcome all these, is within us.
We already have encountered God in our personal and special ways, thats why we are here, in His Church. And by worshipping Him, I know that by His time, He will lead me away from my troubles.
So for now, things may seem alright, but I know that things will be eventually better, someday.
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood.
Lord of Lords in human vesture
in the Body and the Blood.
He will give to all the faithful
His own Self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of Heaven
spreads it vanguard on the way,
as the Light of Light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
At his feet the six-winged Seraph;
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Lord most high.
Nevermind. I blog almost all the time anyway.. and I don't have exams, yet.
----
Today at mass, the Communion Hymn was a very olde Greek hymn, called Let all mortal flesh keep silence.
Let all mortal flesh keep silence
and with fear and trembling stand,
ponder nothing earthly-minded:
for with blessing in his hand,
Christ our God on earth descendeth,
our full homage to demand.
So the story goes, things have not been going well recently, alot of confusion, questions, head/heart aches, and in general alot of restlessness.
Many evenings before retiring to bed, I found myself praying for a peaceful heart, to be able to tide over this period smoothly and comfortably and quickly enough to get back on my own feet and roam the world again.
Today at mass, this song provided me the opportunity, it was like saying to me, Be still! and know that I am here, keep your mind away from your earthly troubles! For when I have called your name, you are mine.
So often, when we have our little problems or when we end up in a knot we just wail WHy God! why!! And we so often seek things like peace and solace and graces from Him in order to tide us through. So often, we forget that the power and strength to overcome all these, is within us.
We already have encountered God in our personal and special ways, thats why we are here, in His Church. And by worshipping Him, I know that by His time, He will lead me away from my troubles.
So for now, things may seem alright, but I know that things will be eventually better, someday.
King of kings, yet born of Mary,
as of old on earth he stood.
Lord of Lords in human vesture
in the Body and the Blood.
He will give to all the faithful
His own Self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of Heaven
spreads it vanguard on the way,
as the Light of Light descendeth
from the realms of endless day,
that the powers of hell may vanish
as the darkness clears away.
At his feet the six-winged Seraph;
Cherubim with sleepless eye,
veil their faces to the Presence,
as with ceaseless voice they cry,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Lord most high.
Monday, April 23, 2007
You know you gotta help me out.
Hello everyone!
Hadn't read the blogs in a long time cus i was in Devon doing my mapping project for 1 week, and in some places of England, internet is more difficult to get then catching a leprechaun. It was quite good, other then the last 2 days where I found myself ravaged by the effects of being totally knackered, and also emotionally lopsidded becus of certain events that left me very drained and not a very happy geologist.
---
I went for mass today, after missing mass last week because i was in Brixham, and I couldn't get to church because my transportation to my mapping and study location leaves at silly o'clock, and I don't return until sunset usually.
Then again, thinking back of the entire lent, I probably missed countless masses over the weeks of so called reflection.
The thing is, I struggled within myself to justify me missing mass because I spent many a weekend not in Manchester, and instead, am in some farm in the countryside approximately at least a 20 min drive from any kind of civilisation, don't even talk about church. I found it hard to reconcile my justification with my desire and passion, which was the country, nature, and rocks.
I found so slowly yet drastically being drawn into this abhoral vortex for the love of green, space, and soil, addicted and humbled by the vastness of a simple being in the eloquent rolling hills.
I could not see why I wanted to go for mass instead. Yet, I could not even believe myself trying to justify missing mass.
This sordid affair began shortly after Ash Wednesday.
Today, I went for mass. I went for it not because it was an obligation, but because there I was in this vastness experienced, I realised that I was in my very own way, worshiping the very same God that has created my experience, the beauty of this space, the very creation of nature, and the epitome of beauty. I cannot but feel sad that I felt this way knowing the doctrinal variation my new found beliefs posed.
Yet as human and at the same time divine as the celebration of the Holy Eucharist can be, I realised how much it meant to me to recognise the man in Christ that I did once fall madly head over heels with.
With the advent of events human and as uncontrolled as what I have experienced in the past week, I still feel the inevitable hunger for the loving graces of God.
I am but a feeble man, with nothing to offer, only my arms in upward supplication for His graces, and my tongue held in offering to sing His praises in eternity.
You know you gotta help me out.
Hadn't read the blogs in a long time cus i was in Devon doing my mapping project for 1 week, and in some places of England, internet is more difficult to get then catching a leprechaun. It was quite good, other then the last 2 days where I found myself ravaged by the effects of being totally knackered, and also emotionally lopsidded becus of certain events that left me very drained and not a very happy geologist.
---
I went for mass today, after missing mass last week because i was in Brixham, and I couldn't get to church because my transportation to my mapping and study location leaves at silly o'clock, and I don't return until sunset usually.
Then again, thinking back of the entire lent, I probably missed countless masses over the weeks of so called reflection.
The thing is, I struggled within myself to justify me missing mass because I spent many a weekend not in Manchester, and instead, am in some farm in the countryside approximately at least a 20 min drive from any kind of civilisation, don't even talk about church. I found it hard to reconcile my justification with my desire and passion, which was the country, nature, and rocks.
I found so slowly yet drastically being drawn into this abhoral vortex for the love of green, space, and soil, addicted and humbled by the vastness of a simple being in the eloquent rolling hills.
I could not see why I wanted to go for mass instead. Yet, I could not even believe myself trying to justify missing mass.
This sordid affair began shortly after Ash Wednesday.
Today, I went for mass. I went for it not because it was an obligation, but because there I was in this vastness experienced, I realised that I was in my very own way, worshiping the very same God that has created my experience, the beauty of this space, the very creation of nature, and the epitome of beauty. I cannot but feel sad that I felt this way knowing the doctrinal variation my new found beliefs posed.
Yet as human and at the same time divine as the celebration of the Holy Eucharist can be, I realised how much it meant to me to recognise the man in Christ that I did once fall madly head over heels with.
With the advent of events human and as uncontrolled as what I have experienced in the past week, I still feel the inevitable hunger for the loving graces of God.
I am but a feeble man, with nothing to offer, only my arms in upward supplication for His graces, and my tongue held in offering to sing His praises in eternity.
You know you gotta help me out.
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Four Wives
Harlow, been busy studying.... but just wanna tell ya guys a story....
Once upon a time, there was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He loved his 2nd wife, too. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.
One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!" Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!"
The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave."
The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.
"The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!"
We all have 4 wives in our lives. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material wealth and sensual pleasure. It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than wait until we're on our death bed to lament.
Hope this story inspires all of us in our journey of life. Reminding us yet again of what is truly important in our lives and to take stock of how each of us are leading our lives. You can either allow the situations of life to put you into perspective or you can put the situations in your life into perspective. Hope it makes sense. Pray.....
josh
Once upon a time, there was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He loved his 2nd wife, too. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now, the merchant's 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.
One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, "Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I'll be alone. How lonely I'll be!" Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.
The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is so good over here! I'm going to remarry when you die!"
The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife, "I always turned to you for help and you've always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?"
"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave."
The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.
Then a voice called out : "I'll leave with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go.
"The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, "I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!"
We all have 4 wives in our lives. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material wealth and sensual pleasure. It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than wait until we're on our death bed to lament.
Hope this story inspires all of us in our journey of life. Reminding us yet again of what is truly important in our lives and to take stock of how each of us are leading our lives. You can either allow the situations of life to put you into perspective or you can put the situations in your life into perspective. Hope it makes sense. Pray.....
josh
Monday, April 16, 2007
Life of faith and life of hope
Stressed over exams! cos i dun have time to finish what i need to study...hai sorry for not updating hee.... anyway since its overdue i have two short sharings hee...
Been struggling with my self-righteousness and my pride, esp when i talk to people in trying to challenge them. I am reminded today again during mass that affirmation was also very important in our 'fraternal corrections'. i realise i am very stingy with my words of encouragement and affirmations but very generous with reprimanding people in small of big ways...hai it is yet another call to peel off another layer of myself and so in my dying Christ may live in me.... I guess its that hope that we are called to bring so in words of affirmations and encouragements we bring hope to others...I pray that i may be humble in my words not to be a hypocrite but to be a Christian!
Second sharing its abt weaknesses.... You know i think the greatest struggle for one is the ability to accept ones weaknesses. We all have weaknesses but how many of us can accept them? I fear judgement from others and i am unable to accept my weakness and more so accept that the community still loves me for who i am. Very often, i struggle with the fact that i am imperfect ad that in community my imperfections become more evident and how i think that others cannot love me... But i know that to begin with, i cannot love myself.
Maybe when we have affirmation sessions, we shdn't jus say the good of others but also the weaknesses of others and also the acknowledgement that we are able to love and accept him or her for her weaknesses. I think that for me will be the greatest affirmation! The knowledge of being accepted! But i know i have to begin with loving me first.....Pray on my brothers and sisters! cut off from Jesus and we can do nothing.....
P.S: for any prayer intentions just email to the link on the blog and it will be lifted up during the intercessory every 1st and 3rd thurs of the month @830 in church. Join us pls!!!!!! we need support! hee
Been struggling with my self-righteousness and my pride, esp when i talk to people in trying to challenge them. I am reminded today again during mass that affirmation was also very important in our 'fraternal corrections'. i realise i am very stingy with my words of encouragement and affirmations but very generous with reprimanding people in small of big ways...hai it is yet another call to peel off another layer of myself and so in my dying Christ may live in me.... I guess its that hope that we are called to bring so in words of affirmations and encouragements we bring hope to others...I pray that i may be humble in my words not to be a hypocrite but to be a Christian!
Second sharing its abt weaknesses.... You know i think the greatest struggle for one is the ability to accept ones weaknesses. We all have weaknesses but how many of us can accept them? I fear judgement from others and i am unable to accept my weakness and more so accept that the community still loves me for who i am. Very often, i struggle with the fact that i am imperfect ad that in community my imperfections become more evident and how i think that others cannot love me... But i know that to begin with, i cannot love myself.
Maybe when we have affirmation sessions, we shdn't jus say the good of others but also the weaknesses of others and also the acknowledgement that we are able to love and accept him or her for her weaknesses. I think that for me will be the greatest affirmation! The knowledge of being accepted! But i know i have to begin with loving me first.....Pray on my brothers and sisters! cut off from Jesus and we can do nothing.....
P.S: for any prayer intentions just email to the link on the blog and it will be lifted up during the intercessory every 1st and 3rd thurs of the month @830 in church. Join us pls!!!!!! we need support! hee
Sunday, April 8, 2007
New!!
'He is risen'
http://www.heqigallery.com/index.htm
Alright, Melt reminded me to blog in this.
Today's Easter mass was really nice, children leading the way. All the lectors, wardens, psalmists became shorter and sweeter. And the homily was really simple. The whole point of easter is not about holidays, bunnies or eggs. It's about Jesus. It was a little toned down for the children, like watching a 'Hi-5!' show, but I think it's really impiortant even as 'adults' to come back to one simple reason for everything. Jesus. Name above all names.
The best part of the mass was when the children swarmed to the front after Father said they were distributing chocolates. Hehe.
Anyway, I read Catholic News and as usual, I head straight for my Father Rolheiser Column. His topic wsa on 'Overcoming Hypersensitivity'. It was a good article and I think people in our community are like this. Being humans, we are sensitive even when we put up front that we are not. Everyone bruises easily. Simply by not saying Hi or just the tone of your voice can reflect just how much you value a person or your conversation with him or her.
He speaks of a petty soul and a generous soul. One day you feel like Jesus, the next day you feel like Judas. It's confusing isn't it? The challenge he puts across is to overcome our hypersensitivity and see it as something to be converted from so that we can be resilient to absorb the bumps and bruises of verday living.
Quoting from Daniel Barrigan (dunno who this is), "If Jesus came back today he would go into every counselling office in the world and drive out both the doctors and their clients with the words, ' Take up your couch and walk! You don't have to be this sensitive!'".
In my life, I am seeking to be resilient in the little insults, negativities, insensitivities I face in my family, with my friends, in my work and sometimes even in my relationship. Becoming tougher does not necessarily mean becoming cynical and less compassionate. I think it's just another way for placing less focus on yourself and looking at the bigger picture in life. Life is new everyday when we choose to let our resentment flow away from us and appreciate the freshness of the air, the morning sunshine, the love shown to us in the smallest of ways.
Guess everyone in community is living more individual lives, which to me is inevitable since we are of an age that is making serious decisions with family, friends, career. But my hope is that we may take sometime to offer a listening ear to others, a warm smile to those who have been away. For us still buried in our graves, pray for the strength to rise again into the newness of life.
Alleluia!
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