Friday, October 31, 2014

Friday October 31 From Pope Francis

Pope Francis’ top 10 secrets for living a holier life

by Carol Glatz
VATICAN CITY -- As children (and grown-ups) are getting ready for Halloween tonight, Pope Francis has spent the past week getting people ready for the feast of All Saints, celebrated Nov. 1.
FRESCO BY MELOZZO OF FORLI SEEN IN VATICAN MUSEUMS
A fresco of an angel by Melozzo of Forli is seen in the Vatican Museums in 2010. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
While the saints are meant to be role models for today's men and women, the pope likes to remind people that holiness is not something completely out of reach -- it's not some "rare privilege for the few," but an inheritance everyone receives at baptism.
The pope has said, "Saints aren't superheroes nor were they born perfect. They are like us, each one of us," but when they experienced the life-changing encounter with God, they never left his side.
So are you ready to be a saint!?
We've compiled some of Pope Francis' Top 10 Secrets of Success for living a holy life in the slideshow below:
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Carol Glatz | October 31, 2014 at 12:07 pm | Categories: CNS, Vatican | URL: http://wp.me/peBMy-89K

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Sunday October 26 WE MUST LOVE OURSELVES FIRST (A biblical reflection on the 30th ORDINARY SUNDAY, 26 October 2014)

WE MUST LOVE OURSELVES FIRST
(A biblical reflection on the 30th ORDINARY SUNDAY, 26 October 2014)
Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:34-40
First Reading: Exodus 22:21-27; Psalms: Psalm 18:2-4,47,51; Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:5-10
KASIHILAH TUHAN ALLAHMU DST.The Scripture Text
But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, to test Him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:34-40 RSV)

Jesus asks us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. Too many people cannot even start on that programme because basically they do not love themselves. You cannot love another if you do not first love yourself: you will project all your own self-hatred and guilt on to the other. There are three reasons why I should love myself ...... the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God the Father has loved me into being. I was first thought in the beautiful mind of God before ever I was spoken into life. God, who loved me before I arrived, still loves me and always will. This loving God has gifted me with my unique composition of talents, and God wants to see me grow and develop these talents so that His glory may be reflected in my life. The catechism defined the purpose of life as “to know, love and serve God here in this life: and to see and enjoy Him in the next.” Perhaps it would have been better if it read: “to know that I am loved by God.”
The second reason why I should love myself is that God the Son loves me. “I came down from heaven to save You,” He says. “I have lived for you, suffered and died for you. I rose again for you. I substituted myself for you and bore the spits and blows, mocking and rejection for you. Look at my cross and know how much I love you.”
The third reason is the Holy Spirit. In the gift of God’s Spirit the spark of God’s love has been lit in my heart. If I let the wind of the Spirit fan this spark it will become a passionate fire of love which will burn away all vestiges of hatred and negativity.
If I love myself for these three divine reasons, it will follow that I will love others for the same reasons. (1) I will share in the love of the Father for all His children. (2) I will share in the love of Jesus Christ who deliberately sought out those whom others despised and whose self-esteem was low. His pity was immense, His compassion was wide and His understanding was divine. When I know how much I am loved by Jesus I will want others to know that love in their lives too. (3) The Spirit’s love in me will want to tear down any barriers or blockages which are preventing growth. Whenever my sinful eyes focus on how unloveable the other person is, then I must beg the Holy Spirit to overcome my sin and to grant me divine eyes to see with understanding.
Love of God and love of others cannot be separated. They spring from the one source ...... God’s love for us, known and appreciated. “Let us love one another since love comes from God and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.” (1 John 3:7)
Prayer: Come, Holy Spirit, and breathe on me! Empower me to live the law of love! Apart from You, I am powerless, but with You, I can fulfil the command to love. Make me realize that I cannot love others if I do not love myself first. Open my heart to the passionate love of the Father and help me to come to Him everyday as His child and good disciple of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Note: Adapted from Fr. Silvester O’Flynn OFMCap., THE GOOD NEWS OF MATTHEW’S YEAR, Dublin, Ireland: Cathedral Books/The Columba Press, 1989/1992 (reprinting), pages 254-255.
Jakarta, 24 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim

achristianpilgrim | October 25, 2014 at 10:41 pm | Tags: GOD THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST,

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Monday, October 6, 2014

Monday October 6,

IGNORANCE OF SCRIPTURE IS IGNORANCE OF CHRIST

StJerome_Ignorance
Jakarta, 6 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim

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THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD


THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD
(A biblical reflection on the 27th ORDINARY SUNDAY, 5 October 2014)
Wine-1
Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:33-43
First Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalms: Psalm 80:9,12-16,19-20; Second Reading: Philippians 4:6-9
The Scripture Text
“Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to Him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.” (Matthew 21:33-43 RSV)

VineBranchGrapesAdapting the image of a vineyard that the prophet Isaiah used (Isaiah 5:1-7), Jesus aimed a parable directly at the religious leaders who had been hounding Him since the start of His ministry. Jesus made it clear that these enemies of His were guiding God’s people (“the vineyard”) for their own benefit rather than leading them to God (the “householder”). He told them that as a consequence, the people were not bearing the kind of fruit they were created to bear. And what’s worse, these leaders were closing the people off from God’s Son, Jesus.
We might use this biblical image of the vineyard to reflect on the way that misguided attitudes can take possession of our minds and hinder our ability to bring forth the fruit of love, justice, and mercy that our Father is looking for from us. The landowner’s expectations of a fruitful harvest were dashed because his vineyard was occupied by hostile tenants. Similarly, if we give room to “hostile tenants” like selfishness, anxiety, or resentment, we’ll find it harder to maintain the freedom and light hearts that should be the hallmark of the children of God.
PERUMPAMAAN - WICKED HUSBANDMENHave we (you and I) perhaps picked up some of the moral relativism or sexual permissiveness that are rife in our “modern” culture? Has the barrage of daily, nonstop news made us feel hopeless or even numb to the suffering in the world? No wonder it can feel next to impossible to hold on to our faith!
The good news is that God has spared no expense to free us from these negative influences. Every day, Jesus wants to expel these usurpers from our minds and establish His Kingdom within us. But He won’t do it alone. He calls us to place our faith in His victory over sin and death. He calls us to trust in Him and obey His commandments. Surrendering ourselves to Jesus is not an unhealthy loss of control but a regaining of control. Why? Because as God’s love permeates our lives, our minds are filled with all that is true, honorable, upright and pure, good and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). And when our minds are filled with God’s goodness, we will bear loads of fruit for His Kingdom.
Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, I yield to You and ask You to drive out all that is opposed to Your Kingdom. I want to bear the fruit for which You have made me. Amen.
Jakarta, 3 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim


POPE FRANCIS ON ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI


st-francis
Jakarta, 4 October 2014
A Christian Plgrim


FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI – 4 OCTOBER 2014


francis of assisi 2
Jakarta, 4 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim

Leave a commentPosted by on October 4, 2014 in SAINTS WE LOVE

LORD, MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE – TRANSITUS OF OUR SERAPHIC FATHER – 3 OCTOBER


peace-prayer (1)
Jakarta, 3 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim


MEMORIAL OF THE GUARDIAN ANGELS – 2 OCTOBER


GuardianAngelWatchingOverThem
Jakarta, 2 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim

Leave a commentPosted by on October 2, 2014 in ALL ABOUT ANGELS

FEAST OF ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX – 1 OCTOBER


st-therese-quote-love-this-pic
Jakarta, 1 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrimage

Leave a commentPosted by on October 1, 2014 in QUOTABLE QUOTES


Sunday, October 5, 2014

October 5 Sunday

THE VINEYARD OF THE LORD


(A biblical reflection on the 27th ORDINARY SUNDAY, 5 October 2014)
 
Gospel Reading: Matthew 21:33-43
First Reading: Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalms: Psalm 80:9,12-16,19-20; Second Reading: Philippians 4:6-9
The Scripture Text
“Hear another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a wine press in it, and built a tower, and let it out to tenants, and went into another country. When the season of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants, to get his fruit; and the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first; and they did the same to them. Afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to Him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death, and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”
Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures: ‘The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it.” (Matthew 21:33-43 RSV)


Adapting the image of a vineyard that the prophet Isaiah used (Isaiah 5:1-7), Jesus aimed a parable directly at the religious leaders who had been hounding Him since the start of His ministry. Jesus made it clear that these enemies of His were guiding God’s people (“the vineyard”) for their own benefit rather than leading them to God (the “householder”). He told them that as a consequence, the people were not bearing the kind of fruit they were created to bear. And what’s worse, these leaders were closing the people off from God’s Son, Jesus.
We might use this biblical image of the vineyard to reflect on the way that misguided attitudes can take possession of our minds and hinder our ability to bring forth the fruit of love, justice, and mercy that our Father is looking for from us. The landowner’s expectations of a fruitful harvest were dashed because his vineyard was occupied by hostile tenants. Similarly, if we give room to “hostile tenants” like selfishness, anxiety, or resentment, we’ll find it harder to maintain the freedom and light hearts that should be the hallmark of the children of God.
Have we
 (you and I) perhaps picked up some of the moral relativism or sexual permissiveness that are rife in our “modern” culture? Has the barrage of daily, nonstop news made us feel hopeless or even numb to the suffering in the world? No wonder it can feel next to impossible to hold on to our faith!
The good news is that God has spared no expense to free us from these negative influences. Every day, Jesus wants to expel these usurpers from our minds and establish His Kingdom within us. But He won’t do it alone. He calls us to place our faith in His victory over sin and death. He calls us to trust in Him and obey His commandments. Surrendering ourselves to Jesus is not an unhealthy loss of control but a regaining of control. Why? Because as God’s love permeates our lives, our minds are filled with all that is true, honorable, upright and pure, good and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). And when our minds are filled with God’s goodness, we will bear loads of fruit for His Kingdom.
Short Prayer: Lord Jesus, I yield to You and ask You to drive out all that is opposed to Your Kingdom. I want to bear the fruit for which You have made me. Amen.
Jakarta, 3 October 2014

A Christian Pilgrim

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Feast of Saint Francis October 4

FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI – 4 OCTOBER 2014

FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI – 4 OCTOBER 2014

francis of assisi 2
Jakarta, 4 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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LORD, MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE – TRANSITUS OF OUR SERAPHIC FATHER – 3 OCTOBER


peace-prayer (1)
Jakarta, 3 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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MEMORIAL OF THE GUARDIAN ANGELS – 2 OCTOBER


GuardianAngelWatchingOverThem
Jakarta, 2 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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FEAST OF ST. THERESE OF LISIEUX – 1 OCTOBER


st-therese-quote-love-this-pic
Jakarta, 1 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrimage
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MEMORIAL OF ST. JEROME, PRIEST & DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH – 30 SEPTEMBER


Card-_121-St-Jerome-front
Jakarta, 30 September 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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FEAST OF SAINTS MICHAEL, GABRIEL AND RAPHAEL, ARCHANGELS – 29 SEPTEMBER


Three Archangels
Jakarta, 29 September 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD (ISAIAH 59:2)


sin-separates-us-from-god-it-is-rather-your-iniquities-that-have-separated-you-from-your-god-it-is-your-sins-that-have-made-him-hide-his-face-from-you-so-that-he-does-not-hear-you-bible-quote
Jakarta, 29 September 2014
A Christian Pilgrim
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Jakarta, 4 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim

 

LORD, MAKE ME AN INSTRUMENT OF YOUR PEACE – TRANSITUS OF OUR SERAPHIC FATHER – 3 OCTOBER


peace-prayer (1)
Jakarta, 3 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrim


 



Jakarta, 1 October 2014
A Christian Pilgrimage