As We Pray

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, as we await your second coming, guide us, nurture and strengthen our faith in You Lord. Thank you for your presence and guidance until today.

Lord have mercy on us and hear our prayer.
Amen.

A picture says a thousand words

God is

Most highest, most good, most potent, most omnipotent;
most merciful, yet most just;
most hidden, yet most present;
most beautiful, yet most strong;
stable, yet incomprehensible;
unchangeable, yet all-changing;
never new, never old;
all renewing...ever working, ever at rest;
still gathering, yet nothing lacking;
supporting, filling and over-spreading;
creating, nourishing, and maturing;
seeking, yet having all things.....

(St. Augustine, Conf. I:IV, 4)

It's a choice

Once, there was a boy who wanted to buy an ice-cream. He had money in his hand. He knew where the ice-cream shop is. Yet, he could not get any ice-cream. He was so disappointed and sad. It was not the reason that the ice-cream man did not want to sell. But it was because the machine was broken down at the point of time. That is the reason that he could not get any ice-cream. He felt very sad that he set down and cried. He had money and was at the right place and right time yet he could not get any ice-cream.

At one point of our lives, we are in this kind of situation. We are like the boy in above story, we have everything but we could not get what we want or we did not even get what we deserve to get. We tried very hard but at the end of the day an outcome is very disappointing. We did not do anything wrong to be placed in this situation. When we are in this situation, some of us respond the situation negatively. They feel unsatisfied with everything. They mourn over what has happened over and over again. They put all the blames on people around them. They carry the hatred and unbearable feelings inside their heart. For some, they bear all these troubles and disappointments by themselves. They struggle through it until the end. The beautiful thing about them is they do not look for someone to blame everything although it is horribly painful. They are alone when they walk this road for no one can understand the circumstances. Yet, while they are struggling to overcome these obstacles, they still keep the hope. The hope that one day they would be in the place where they truly are supposed to be in.

It is a choice that one can choose how to react this kind of situation. One can choose to give up and react harshly. Yet, one can choose to deal with the situation with all the energy that one has and overcome it joyfully.

Nearer to Him??

Don't ever give up!

A story from my friend,

One fine evening, I decided to quit. I decided to quit my job, my relationship and my spirituality.
I wanted to quit my life.

In despair, I went into the woods to have one last conservation with God.
'God', I asked, 'Can you give me one good reason not to quit?'
His answer surprised me. 'Look around', He said. 'Do you see the fern and the bamboo?'
'Yes', I replied.
'When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them.
I gave them light. I gave them water.

The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor.
Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.
In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful.
And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. He said.
'In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed.
But I would not quit.
In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.' He said.
Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant...But just 6
months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive.
I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.'

He asked me. 'Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots'.
'I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you.'
'Don't compare yourself to others.'
He said. 'The bamboo had a different Purpose than the fern.
Yet they both make the forest beautiful.'
'Your time will come', God said to me.
'You will rise high'
'How high should I rise?'
I asked.
'How high will the bamboo rise?' He asked in return.
'As high as it can?' I questioned.
'Yes.' He said, 'Give me glory by rising as high as you can.'
I left the forest and brought back this story.
I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you.
Never, Never, Never Give up.
Because God never give up on you!

Church of the Trinitarian God

Once upon a time, a man was looking for a place which he can joyfully live for the rest of his life. He searched for the place in many towns and cities. After searching for two years, he still found none. He was really upset and restless. His feet were getting heavier then usual. He was left with a ray of hope that one day he would find the place.

Later, he came to a little town called “Heaven”. There he found a huge house and a sign board in front of the house which writes “Welcome everyone! This is Heaven. You can stay here as long as you want and it is free.” He was very happy and he ran to the house door and pressed a doorbell straight away. Tin-Tong! Tin-Tong! A guy opened the door and said “Welcome my friend. Please, help yourself at home.” The man was so excited and said “Really? Actually, I have been searching this place all my life. Yes! Yes, I want to stay here. Thanks you very much, sir.” The man replied “You can addressed me as Bush, no need to call me sir.”

The next morning, he was introduced to many other people who were staying there. Bush told him that this place is the most special and joyful place in the whole world. Everyone here is very special. He continued by saying “In order to maintain the place, everyone has to follow the rules of the house. You are to eat, sleep and do your “toilet business” at the appointed time. For we believe discipline brings happiness.”

They had to participate in the house work and were asked to attend programs like fellowship, exercise and classes which teach them how to live a happy life. Each one of them was given a time table and there were many things they needed to accomplish. He was given a time table as well. For the first few days, he was comfortable with all the rules. Yet, he became very busy because of the work that sometimes he did not even have enough time to talk with others. He could only talk with them when he went to a gathering called “cell group.” Later, he started to feel uncomfortable. Although everything seemed fine but yet he felt that something was missing. He was not happy anymore and decided to leave the house.

So he hit the road again. He walked and walked until he saw disabled people especially those with Down syndrome, blind, deaf and mute going into a big house. That scene caught his attention and his curiosity led him to find out what they were up to. He slowly walked into the house. He noticed that people inside the house were busy talking and laughing. Everyone was trying his or her best to understand the person that they were communicating with. The man saw a deaf man and a blind man communicating. He saw a blind woman communicating with a deaf woman. A deaf man and a mute boy. A mute and a disabled boy. It was so complicating yet most of them seem to understand one another. But he could not understand.

While he was thinking, he heard a voice saying, “Hello! Young man.” An old blind man greeted him. He replied “Hello!” He could not wait any longer, he started to ask questions. The old man suggested him to stay there for a week and he agreed with it. On that night, he could not sleep. Something inside him was really disturbing him so he decided to go and see the old man. After he entered into the old man’s room, he saw the old man with another two old men. The old blind man said, “I knew you would come and look for me tonight. Alright, I will tell you the story of this house. Come, sit beside me.” So he sat beside him. The old man told him their story.

He said “In a little town, three strange men became friends. They were really strange: one was blind, one was deaf and one was mute. They enjoyed one another’s company so much that they agreed to stay together as long as they live. While they lived together, they realised that they could not understand what they were telling one another. Although they decided to learn sign language the problem was not really solved. There were many accidents. For example, when the blind man asked the deaf man to bring a cup of water, he would bring a cup of coffee. There were times that they decided to give up and live separately. But they could not do it. Later they found a new language. That language helped them to stay together even though they were strange. The language brought happiness, joy, care, patient, peace and understanding. That new language completed them. Later people were attracted in the way they lived and came to live among them. In the end, the house became bigger and bigger, and of course noisier.

The man curiously asked, “What is that language?” “Love, it is the language of love,” he replied. They were silent for a few minutes. Then the man realised that this was the place that he had been searching for. He decided to spend the rest of his life there with these strange people.