Healthy Relationship...

As with the chopsticks, a relationship must be held neither too loose nor too tight but just right. There is no fixed rule as to who should be below or above. One is not enough to serve its purpose. You have to stay together for a purpose and for a mission. So do not chop each other but stick to each other because God has brought you together.

Our Roles - Lesson from John the Baptist.

            Conflict in any relationship arises from several factors. In work-related relationships in particular, role ambiguity occurs when someone is uncertain about what is expected of him/her. Relationship-related stress can actually be minimized, if not altogether avoided, if roles and competence are clearly defined. Having such would allow all parties in any relationship to know what to expect from each other.

            John the Baptist for his part had a clearly defined task. This entailed knowing fully well when and where his role begins and ends. One day upon seeing Jesus he testified about Jesus to the crowd, saying”…the reason why I came baptizing with water was that He might be made known to Israel” (Jn 1:23). Earlier in this same incident when asked of his identity John categorically stated that he is not the Messiah (Jn 1:15) and appropriated to himself the role of “a voice crying in the wilderness” (Jn 1:17) to herald the coming of the real redeemer of the world. Indeed when roles are clearly made conflicts of expectations and their resulting stress are fairly put at bay and prevented.

            Best wishes for the year 2017, full of JOY and Role completion.  

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.