Advent: Solution for Dangerous Monotony,

Dangerous Monotony?

Constantly repeated sounds can lull us into sleep. The repetitive lapping of waves on the shore, steady raindrops falling on the roof and other such sounds tend to dull our awareness. On deeper level the world about us, doesn't put us to sleep, rather more dangerously, it makes us forget the important truths of life. Eventually we find ourselves on the outer edge of our Christian faith. That is why we need Advent. It reminds us forcibly that the things of this world are passing away, while at our doorstep is the stream of eternal life bearing riches and happiness beyond imagining.


In the first reading the prophet Isaiah, despite the blaring boasts of secular powers sounding from the mountain strongholds, he sees that in the long run, only God will prevail. In the second reading, Paul sees Isaiah's vision approaching completion. And in the Gospel, Jesus shouts a warning: " ...as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the son of man - at an unexpected hour!  Therefore, the choice is ours; are we ready to take notice of times and follow the way of Christ or will we let ourselves be lulled by the monotonous sounds of the world?

The Antidote of Fear is not Courage but Trust...

Insight of the Day...

“Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, all things pass away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who has God finds he lacks nothing; God alone suffices.”

AND THE HERO LIES WITHIN !

'Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous?
 

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's no thing enlightened about shrinking so
that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone.
 

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other
people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others. Be the light you are meant to be and light up others on the way, and remember; allow yourself to be lighted too!

Sts. Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

           

The name Michael comes from the Hebrew phrase mi-ke-el meaning, “Who is like unto God?”  “Who is like unto God?” was the cry of the great Archangel when he smote the rebel Lucifer in the conflict of the heavenly hosts. From that hour he has been known as Michael, Captain of the armies of God, the archetype of divine fortitude, the champion of every faithful soul in strife with the powers of evil. Ever since its foundation by Jesus Christ, the Church has venerated Saint Michael as her special patron and protector. He is also the patron of grocers, mariners, policemen, radiologists and the sick.

            Gabriel as coming from the Hebrew root word geber, meaning, “man,” plus el which is the shortened formed of elohim or God. So Gabriel can mean: “man of God.” But the same Hebrew root word can also form the word gibbor, which means, “mighty.” And again Gabriel can also mean: “God has shown Himself mighty.” He was the angel who announced to Zechariah and to Mary the coming birth of St, John the Baptist and Jesus respectively. He said top Mary, “Hail, full of grace,” which we pray always everyday. He is the patron saint of messengers, postal employees and radio and television workers.

            The name Raphael comes from the Hebrew verb rāphà, which means: “to heal.” Combined with the divine el, it becomes: “God heals.” He is one of the three angels mentioned by name in Scripture and one of the seven that stands before God’s throne. He was the lead character in the deutero-canonical book of Tobit in which he travelled with and guarded Tobiah and cured a man’s blindness and hence his connection with travelers, young people, blindness, healing and healers. Traditionally, he is considered the force behind the healing power of the sheep pool mentioned in John 5:1-4. He is the patron saint of the blind, nurses, physicians and travelers.

            This feast of the Three Archangels is not only a reminder of their role as messengers of God but of us too as messengers and missionaries of His good news and message of the Kingdom and His salvation. We are called to bring this good news of God’s salvation and kingdom to others like they did.

People of Alleluia

       Every Easter Sunday the Glory to God and Alleluia is being sung; Alleluia is a Hebrew word which means “Thanks be to God” or “Praise God’. As God’s children, we keep on thanking God our Father for His wonderful works of mercy and love; the bell is rung, we feel excited and we clap our hands because we are celebrating not a very ordinary celebration but the most important in the Church’s liturgical year as it celebrates Christ’s triumph over sin and death. The Church is built on the foundation of the resurrection of Jesus. The Church proclaims through the Exultet (Easter proclamation) that on this day, Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave. This resurrection gives us hope that someday, just like Him, we too will rise from the dead and enter the Kingdom. That’s why we sing Alleluia to the Lord.

         The celebration of Easter reminds us also that we have the same mission as Mary Magdalene, Peter, and the other disciples of Jesus. Easter calls for a renewal of our faith so as to be sensitive to the abiding presence of Jesus in our midst. To bring about Jesus’ Resurrection is to allow freedom, justice, peace, and reconciliation to become manifest in our relationships with all our brothers and sisters.

Happy Easter to ALL.

Common distorted images of God

There are common distorted images of God carried from our upbringing when we were still children:

1. God is stern, angry, cruel, erratic and revengeful. When a child is naughty, obstinate, and disobedient and make childish misdeeds, parents use God to strike fear on the child.
2. God is easily hurt and offended. When a child has done something ‘bad’ parents usually say to project their own feelings. You hurt Jesus! You offend God!
3. God is the withholder of love. If the child does not act according to the desire of the parents, he is threatened with the loss of God’s love. God is presented as someone who loves us based on the way we perform our duties.
4. God is a policeman and an accountant of our failures. God is presented as being occupied with hostile snooping and recording merits and demerits.
5. God is a temper and a tester. God is often depicted as one who delights in sacrifice, who exacts from us countless sufferings and chastises us when we reject His will.