A Checklist on Love...

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

(1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

 How much of a loving person are you? An exercise based on this reading helps us to find that out easily. The text, taken from the New International Bible, version reads: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) Now let us read the passage again putting “JESUS” and “HE” wherever we find “LOVE” and “IT.” You can see that it read smoothly. You can still agree with every line of the passage. Next read the passage again, this time substituting your name, “NN”, and the pronoun “I”. Do you still agree with every line in the passage? How do you score yourself on a scale of 1 to 10? That shows how loving a person you are.

Learning to win life...

        Looking at daily missal readings of this week, we are left with our mouths open by the immense and great teaching we are given on how to win life.  
        Nice things do not happen always. Like the day which shines or rains at times, there are unwholesome matters that come unpredictably in our way. Good memories are ever there for sure, but bad moments also come in our lives. the days, the sun, the moon, the week, the earth will never stop their rotation or motion just because we are in bad or in good moods, health or not, happy or sad, life goes on and we need to hear these words to keep head high: (1 Samuel 16, 1)...the lord said to Samuel, " how long will you grieve over Saul?...Fill your horn with oil and set out..."
        When we are born, we all cry as a sign of welcome to the world - the world is a war zone; a battle field; life is a journey of battle. But to win life, we should understand that our power is minute to tangle the enemies of life, we need extra power from God because the battle is His: (1 Samuel 17.32-33, 47) David said, " The Lord, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me form the hand of Goliath...For the battle is the Lord's..."

Greatest mistake we make in life..."childish requests"

"Appoint a king over us like other nations have...1 Sam. 8, 5".

            Parents have probably heard something similar from a child when a neighbour buys the latest toy for his little kids: "can't we get one of those too?' An American writer once wrote to the effect that if you let people do what they want, they end up imitating each other. We see it in teenage fashions where peer pressure almost dictates a uniform. Adults too fall to the same mistake when they do things because others do, or because others have. Israel was governed by judges up to this point but now they want a king, not because a king is good, or will bring unity, or lead them better, or make them fear God, or make them better in progress, BUT because other nations have; want to be like everyone else.

              Our conscience at times requires some singularity of behaviour on our part. Everyone knows how difficult that is when faced with a lot of contrary pressure from friends and neighbours. Though theoretically most of us are free to think and act as we ought to right, we are battered on the other side by a strong desire to fit in, to not stand out. Ideally in our own lives we would allow what God asks of us in our particular situations and with our specific capabilities to dictate what we do. Instead of looking over our shoulder to see what the trends are, we look within to know what God asks of us in the present moment of our life. Neither singularity nor conformity is primary but what conscience tells us.

Defeating - Ignorance, misunderstanding and pain

Jesus came preaching that He might defeat all ignorance. He came teaching that He might defeat all misunderstandings. He came healing that He might show His power over pain. We, too, must proclaim all certainties; we too, must be ready to explain our faith; we too, must turn the ideal into deeds.

Goodbye 2015 - Welcome 2016...

Goodbye 2015 - Welcome 2016...

Curiosity...2016 a leap year....?

A leap year has 366 days, as opposed to a common year, which has 365. Nearly every 4 years is a Leap Year, and we add a Leap Day, an extra – or intercalary – day on February 29. According to an old legend, or possibly history, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men on leap year!...

A story - evaluate yourself...
A woman accustomed to luxury dies and goes to heaven. An angel is sent to accompany her to the house that will be hers for all eternity. They pass by some huge houses and beautiful mansions. The woman is elated; surely one of these will be her home. To her surprise, the angel leads her past the mansions ‘til they end up in a narrow side street. The houses are small and old. As they stop before a small hut, the angel tells her, “That is your house.” The woman protests, “There must be a mistake. That cannot be for me. I cannot live in a small hut.” The angel replies, “I am sorry. That is the only house we could build for you with the materials you sent up here.”

 

Wisdom is vindicated by her works (Mt. 11, 19)

Wisdom is vindicated by her works (Mt. 11, 19)

After twenty centuries perhaps, we can hazard a guess at what the wisdom is; it is possibly that all of us could learn to be more tolerant of varying approaches...it's like decision, despite years of trying, that we simply do not like Brussels sprouts. Certain likes may be part of wisdom that age and experience bring, but it may still not be valid for everyone else. Given the diversity of human personalities and upbringing, we could use more tolerance for various methods of operating. The real wisdom may be to see more room for diversity.

 

The cow urine: cures cancer and gives long life...

The price of cow urine purified exceeded six times that of milk. It is the result of a campaign launched by a number of Hindu holy men that guarantee the miraculous powers of the liquid. According to them the urine is good for "Long life and cure many diseases, including cancer and diabetes."

Rosan Gaudel, breeder and producer (so far) of milk, says that: "It's hard to believe but true. The price is six times greater than the traditional product. Many Hindus of the area have started to drink it, and not only the sick even healthy ones, convinced that it can protect them from future diseases. "

Yogi Naraharinath, Hindu leader, confirms: "purify urine removing all forms of waste, so that we can sell in the market. The demand for salt is an effective remedy. My followers are happy to be able to drink, and for respect for the sacred cows and for the healing powers. "

The octogenarian Nanimaya Poudel said: "I drink a glass of urine each day. In our religion the cow is a symbol of the goddess Laxmi, which brings well-being and wealth".

By: AsiaNews