vmalpan.blogspot.com: 2009-08-02

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Friends 2

Count your lives by smiles not tears! Count your age by friends not years!

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Friday, August 7, 2009

" In the rhythm of life we sometimes find ourselves out of tune. But as long as there are friends to provide the melody, the music plays on." Anonymous. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Just listening to the music of these words can open up a world of difference to one and all of us. So be it!

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Feast of the Lord's Transfiguration

Are we conscious

of the transfigured body

of the Lord

in our daily events

and interactions? Daniel 7:9-10,13-14 2 Peter 1:16-19 Mark 9:2-10

There is a mysterious story in 2 Kings that can help us understand what is going on in the transfiguration. Israel was at war with Aram, and Elisha the man of God was using his prophetic powers to reveal the strategic plans of the Aramean army to the Israelites. At first the King of Aram thought that one of his officers was playing the spy but when he learnt the truth he dispatched troops to go and capture Elisha who was residing in Dothan. The Aramean troops moved in under cover of darkness and surrounded the city. In the morning Elisha’s servant was the first to discover that they were trapped in and feared for his master’s safety. He ran to Elisha and said, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” The prophet answered, “Don't be afraid. Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” But who would believe that, when the surrounding mountainside was covered with advancing enemy troops? So Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha (2 Kings 6:8-23). This vision was all that Elisha’s disciple needed to reassure him. At the end of the day, not only was the prophet of God safe but the invading army was totally humiliated.

The Transfiguration of Jesus happened at a stage in his public ministry when he was pretty much in the same situation as Elisha. His foes were closing in on him and his disciples led by Peter were feeling very much like the servant of Elisha, afraid and anxious for their master’s safety. Just before the Transfiguration Jesus had asked his disciples whom the people and they themselves thought he was. Peter gave the correct answer the he was Christ the son of the living God. Jesus congratulated him and then proceeded to forewarn them and prepare them for his unavoidable suffering, death and resurrection. But Peter was not ready for this. He protested visibly; he took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!” Jesus sharply corrected him, telling him that he was seeing things from a purely human point of view (Matthew 16:13-23). He needed, like Elisha’s servant, a vision from God’s point of view, to see that in spite of the death sentence hanging over the head of Jesus, God was still with him, God was still in control of events, God would see to it that in the end he triumphed over his foes as Elisha did. What Peter and his fellow disciples needed was for God to open their eyes and them give them a glimpse of God’s abiding presence with their master Jesus. The transfiguration was that experience.

The Transfiguration experience was, therefore, God’s way of delivering the disciples from a crisis of faith. The cause of their crisis of faith was the way in which they saw people and things around them. God helped them out of it by enlightening their vision so that, at least for a moment, they could see from God’s own perspective. Seen from below, in ordinary human light, people and things around us may look drab, commonplace and sometimes repulsive. But seen from above, in the light of divinity, the same people and things take on a more honourable, resplendent and lovable appearance. This glimpse into the true nature and divine aspect of persons and things can be called a transfiguration experience. It is the kind of experience which makes us say with Jacob, “Surely the Lord is in this place, [person, or situation] and I did not know it!” (Genesis 28:16). Where can one get this Transfiguration experience? Everywhere. Our Sunday worship is a good starting point. Outside the church, right from the church parking lot, we tend to see one another as competitors. On the road we see other road users as obstacles impeding our speedy arrival to our destinations. In the work place we see others as rivals vying with us for the ladder of success. But at Mass we have the singular experience of looking one another in the eye and calling them “brothers and sisters.” This is indeed a Transfiguration. The challenge for us is to live in the light of this awareness until we come together again next Sunday to renew our faith vision.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! vmalpan@gmail.com

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Bible prayer, Guided meditation, Bible meditation

Bible prayer, Guided meditation, Bible meditation Kindly clique on the blue line above and then clique on the mp3 you want and listen, pray!

What do you mean by "Adult Faith"?

"The phrase 'an adult faith' in recent decades has become a diffuse slogan...It's often used to mean someone who no longer listens to the Church and her pastors, but who chooses autonomously what to believe and not to believe - a 'do-it-yourself' faith. This is then presented as the 'courage' to express oneself against the Magisterium of the Church. Courage is hardly needed for that, because one can always be sure of public applause. What takes real courage is adhering to the faith of the Church, even when it contradicts the 'scheme' of the contemporary world." - Pope Benedict XVI

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COLUMN : Faith Beyond the In-Crowd

By Archbishop Timothy Dolan ( the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of New York.)

It's the kind of remark that gets the acid flowing in your stomach, or at least makes you bite your tongue. It's a remark I hear a lot today. And it goes something like this: "I was raised a Catholic"; or, "I used to be a Catholic"; or, "I come from a Catholic family, and my mom is still a good one." Now, to give them the benefit of the doubt, sometimes those making such remarks are very sincere, and then I appreciate their sentiments. Sometimes they are really saying, "Catholicism was a big part of my formative years, and I'm glad it was. I thank God that I have a grounding in the Catholic faith, and that it's in my family genes. Unfortunately, I've drifted some, and I don't take it with the seriousness it deserves. Maybe I'll get back...

"When they mean that, I can only smile and open my arms. "Come on back," I'll reply. "We miss you, we need you. The Church is your family, and that means we'll always open up when you come a-knocking. I'm praying for you."However, realism forces me to admit that, most of the time, those who make such familiar remarks usually do not have such warm and grateful sentiments about the Church.No, unfortunately, when I hear personalities on the TV or radio, Hollywood stars, newspaper columnists or famous authors remark, "I used to be Catholic," or, "I was raised Catholic," they then continue, "But, I'm beyond that now. Thank God I'm now enlightened and liberated from those silly, irrational, superstitious shackles, and now I'm a 'free-thinker', a mature, adult individual." They might then smirk and remark that they are "recovering Catholics" who are trying to "get over" such a dark, oppressive part of their childhood.

I'm afraid there are a lot of them these days. Recent scholarly religious studies show that one of the largest groups in American society today identifies itself as "ex-Catholics." While there is also a glimmer of good news in such studies that most people "raised" Catholic faithfully remain so, and that some of those who do leave, in fact, do come back, there's still no denying that it's a chilling statistic to read.It's a pastoral challenge that's familiar even to Pope Benedict XVI. I was there on June 28, at the Basilica of St. Paul in Rome, on the eve of the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, as the Holy Father closed the "Year of St. Paul." He eloquently reflected on the letter to the Ephesians, when St. Paul urged us not to be like children "tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching arising from human trickery."Pope Benedict went on to observe that genuine spiritual renewal requires "non-conformism...an unwillingness to submit oneself to the scheme of the current epoch." While recalling St. Paul's insistence upon an "adult faith," the Holy Father realistically cautioned against using that phrase to justify dissent or "liberation" from Church teaching. He observed: "The phrase 'an adult faith' in recent decades has become a diffuse slogan...It's often used to mean someone who no longer listens to the Church and her pastors, but who chooses autonomously what to believe and not to believe—a 'do-it-yourself' faith. This is then presented as the 'courage' to express oneself against the Magisterium of the Church."The Holy Father shrewdly concluded that, "courage is hardly needed for that, because one can always be sure of public applause. What takes real courage is adhering to the faith of the Church, even when it contradicts the 'scheme' of the contemporary world.

"Yep, it hardly takes courage to brag that you "used to be a Catholic, but have now 'grown up' and are enlightened." Big deal. Join the crowd. The audience will applaud. The critics will rave about your book. The talk shows will invite you on as a star. You can snicker about the Church and get laughs and cheers.I wonder, though, if the really enlightened, mature, liberated, brave, prophetic folks are those who are humbly, joyfully and gratefully confident in their Catholic faith, who are well aware of the Church's struggles and imperfections, but still eager to live it sincerely, and pass it on to their kids and those they love.Our faith in Jesus Christ and His Church is part of our very birthright, our identity, our spiritual DNA. It's not some childish baggage that is discarded when we become "mature," or "grown-up." There's nothing more "adult," "enlightened" or "freeing" than our Catholic faith, no matter what the "in-crowd" preens about.As one woman recently remarked to me, "I guess you could call me a 'practicing Catholic,' because I've been at it a long time, but have yet to perfect it. But I'm not giving it up!" Now, that's an "adult faith." - Courtesy: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Jawbone of an Ass and St John Maria Vianney

A Very Happy Feast of St. John Maria Vianney and prayerful wishes to all the Parish Priests all over the world.

An anecdote from the life of John Maria Vianney

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When Brother John Vianney was called by the Rector of the Major Seminary to inform him of the report he received from the professors regarding whether he could be promoted to the sacrament of Priesthood, the Rector was very nervous and perplexed in communicating the message. But he had no other choice. He said: " John Vianney, the professors do not find you fit for sacred ordination to priesthood. Some of them have called you an ass knowing nothing of theology. How can we promote you to the reception of the sacrament of priesthood."

Brother Vianney was not perplexed at all. He replied: "Father Rector, in the book of Judges, Chapter 15, we have the narration of how God made use of Samson to kill thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass to save the people of Israel. If with the useless jawbone of an ass God could do that wonderful deed, how much more can he accomplish with the whole of an ass like me."

On hearing this answer from John Vianney, his Rector indeed felt very light and joyful and he had no difficulty whatsoever in promoting him to the Sacred Ordination to priesthood.

-------------------------- Saint John Baptist Maria Vianney , 1786-1859, French parish priest, popularly known as the Curé d'Ars, born in Dardilly, near Lyons. He came of poor, peasant stock and received scant education until, as a youth, he struggled through the seminary. As a young curé he was sent to the little village of Ars. Vianney found that the people there had lost their faith, and he vowed to make the community "the property of God." He beautified the church, lived like the poorest of the poor, and fasted and prayed for the people. His skill as a confessor drew people from outside his parish, and neighboring priests complained and sought to have him removed. Vianney himself signed their petitions. He began an orphanage for girls that served as a model throughout France. Many miracles were attributed to him during his lifetime, and in his last years thousands from all over France came annually to meet him and be consoled.

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Monday, August 3, 2009

ILAH Experience

ILAH - Experience & Life in a Family or Community (Intimacy, Loneliness, Alienation and Hostility) Family or Community is not so much a place, as it is a way, a journey, a pilgrimage… Jn 15:1-15;

1Cor 13:4-7;

Gal 5:22-23;

Ps: 23,103; 111; 102; 69; 70; 109

The Four Words:

a) Intimacy,

b) Loneliness,

c) Alienation and

d) Hostility

can summarize our (my) experience of Being Friends in the Lord in Families/Communities… These experiences are spiritual experiences which are open to me only because I am an embodied spirit… INTIMACY : an inward state of being positively affected by an experience. It may be an interpersonal relationship of being accepted, loved, encouraged, care-fronted, forgiven etc… The relationship can be between God and my own person, between other human persons and my own person… Intimacy seems to me to be a moment of being with another and enjoying it… Solitude = being alone but in a positive way… [I am alone with the ALONE]

LONELINESS: being conscious of being alone in an uncomfortable/painful way… loneliness seems like a moment of being separated from others when I would like to be with them. Can we really believe that loneliness is good, even necessary?

ALIENATION: State of being separated from the other/s… It may be an active experience (I alienate myself from the other); it may be a passive experience (the other alienates me in some way: I am alienated)

HOSTILITY: Experience of enmity, unfriendliness and resistance… Hostility seems like moments of being against others and some way enjoying it, or of experiencing others being against me and not enjoying it( active and passive).

I have to recognize that my life has moments of intimacy and moments of loneliness. I have experienced moments of hostility and alienation. Loneliness and intimacy seem like unavoidable moments of life for normal people. Hostility and alienation seem like unproductive human experiences, even though we may experience them often in our lives.

The realization that my life has revelatory moments of intimacy and moments of loneliness and moments of alienation and moments of hostility leads me to the discovery of what it means to be human. My experience of finding God concrete is linked with entering fully and vulnerably into such moments of loneliness and intimacy, alienation and hostility.

All these experiences can be creative and growth producing provided we take them to the Lord in prayer, surrender them to Him and allow ourselves to be touched and healed by the Lord.

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vmalpan@gmail.com