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Saturday, November 1, 2014

All Saints Day November 1

EACH OF US CAN BE SAINTS!

(A biblical reflection on the SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS – 1 November 2014

Gospel Reading: Matthew 5:1-12

First Reading: Revelation 7:2-4,9-14; Psalms: Psalm 24:1-6; Second Reading: 1John 3:1-3

The Scripture Text
Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down His disciples came to Him. And He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
“Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:1-12 RSV)

In its wisdom, the Church has established feast days that allow us to come together as family and celebrate who we are as the people of God. All Saints Day is one of these special days – a day when we remember those who have gone before us in faith.

The “saints” we celebrate today are not just the martyrs and exceptionally holy people recognized by the Church as canonized saints. Today we celebrate the “holy ones” described in the New Testament as those who believe in Jesus and follow Him. For example, Saint Paul referred to the Christians in Corinth as “those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Likewise, he called the Ephesians “the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). In other words, we are celebrating our own high calling and destiny! We all are invited to belong to the “144.000” mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Rev 7:4). This is not a limiting number, but a symbol of the fullness of all the people gathered into God’s Kingdom.

For thousands of years, countless people have spent their lives in love, service, and intercession. Numbered among them is the elderly woman in our Christian community who spends hours praying for others, the parish volunteer who gives free time to teach children about Jesus, and the religious sister who has given her life for the care of the sick and infirm. The list goes on and on.

In His “Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus taught the way to sainthood: total trust in God, meekness, hungering for righteousness, being merciful, seeking peace. We can live heaven on earth as we follow in Jesus’ footsteps day after day. The way is hard at times because it means setting aside our own desires. But whenever Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, He gives us His power and leads us to His victory. Each of us can be saints!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, at my baptism You filled me with the Holy Spirit. By this Spirit, help me to devote my life to living the Beatitudes. I praise you for calling me to share Your life forever. Amen.

Jakarta, 31 October 2014

A Christian Pilgrim

achristianpilgrim | November 1, 2014 at 12:06 am | Tags: ALL SAINTS DAY | Categories: BIBLICAL REFLECTIONS 2014, SAINTS WE LOVE | URL: http://wp.me/p1055h-2zV

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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:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Carol Glatz | October 31, 2014 at 12:07 pm | Categories: CNS, Vatican | URL: http://wp.me/peBMy-89K

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Thursday, October 30

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Wednesday October 29

Monday, October 27, 2014

Steep Your Soul: The Guardians of Apricot Lane Farms | Super Soul Sunday...

The Good Shepherd -through these dogs- teaches us a lesson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvOHVfWAbpc

October 27 Monday Pslam 94:19

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

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

Friday, October 24, 2014

Friday - October 24

Saturday, October 18, 2014

October 18 Saturday Feast of Saint Luke- apostle

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Wednesday October 15

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

October 14 Tuesday Thought for the day