Elya Good News
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OUR TRUE STARS
Around mid-July, that is the first Sunday on or after July 13, we celebrate the
feast of the Fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils, our bright luminaries, 0ur
true Stars of the faith. The beautiful Troparion of the day proclaims it so
beautifully:
"O Christ our God, You are infinitely glorified. For you established our Holy
Fathers as radiant stars on earth. Through them you led us to the true faith. O
most merciful One, glory to You!"
Two things to notice in this Troparion:
First, the Saints have been established by God "as radiant stars."
Second, they enlighten our way and guide us to the true faith.
These holy Fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils have set for us a rule of
faith. We are not free, individually and by our own authority, to believe or not to
believe what the Church teaches us through an Ecumenical Council. Of course,
we are born free. Freedom is the most precious gift of God. Freedom makes us
different from other creatures. Animals have no choice. They follow their instinct.
They do not decide freely; but they follow their drives, their glands and their
hormones. Human beings have a choice. When they are faced with a choice,
they can say yes or they can say no. We have no choice about the way we feel.
However we have a choice to follow our feelings or to channel them toward the
good and the beautiful. A person is free to be Christian or not to be Christian, to
be Catholic or not to be Catholic. However, once we decide to be Catholic, we are
not free anymore to believe or not to believe what the Catholic Church teaches,
to obey or not to obey what the Church commands. Of course we are free to
disobey; but, then, we are disobedient. Our Lord Jesus tells us in the Gospel of
the day: "Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the Law,
not the smallest part of the letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true."
He also told His Apostles: "The one who listens to you listens to me and the one
who despises you despises me."
More than once I heard some people tell me about controversial issues such as
divorce and remarriage outside the Church, about abortion, cohabitation,
homosexuality, free sex and other abuses: "Look, Father, this is your opinion and
I respect it; but I beg to differ." I beg your pardon! In important matters of faith
and morals, the Church teaches authoritatively, that is with the authority given
her by her divine Master. It is sad to say that, at the 21st Century, that is 2000
years after Christ, the Church's teachings are being challenged and disobeyed in
the name of freedom. However, the Church holds the way to salvation. We are
free to stay in the boat of Peter and his companions or to jump out into the
Titanic. It is really sad that "the light came into the world, but men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were wicked." (John 3:19)
As true believers, we thank God for our Holy Fathers of the first Six Ecumenical
Councils (celebrated today), as well as of all the other Councils that followed,
including Vatican II, the most recent Ecumenical Council held in 1961-64. Let us
proclaim our faith and our hope joyfully with love. Let us shout out the good news
that the Saints are our Stars. Let us proclaim everywhere that we are proud of
our Catholic and Apostolic traditions. About 30 of our Melkite Bishops from the
Near East and from around the World met as recently as June 18-22, 2007, at
their Annual Synod, in the Patriarchal Summer Residence in Ain-Traz, Lebanon,
presided by our venerable Patriarch Gregorios III. The Synod of Bishops is like a
“mini-council.” We affirmed in it our unity, our apostolicity, our catholicity and our
thriving to holiness.
SUMMER
We hear from time to time someone asking: "When does the church resume its
activities?"
Answer: The church shall not "resume its activity in September". Thank God! and
thank to our faithful parishioners who are keeping the flame going, we never stop
being alive and well. We never stop breathing. If we did, then we wouldn't be able
to resume anything. Our parishes do not close for the Summer. Some activities
slow down. Other activities are adjourned, in order to refresh our energy to start
with a new vigor. The steady and faithful attendance at the Sunday Liturgies, the
devoted celebration of the Paraclesis Prayer in preparation to the feast of
Dormition on August 15 are an outstanding proof that "God does not take a
vacation" and the summer heat does not fanyour spiritual fervor.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PHONE vs. BIBLE
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, We don't have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill in full.
Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities?
And no dropped calls
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT
In W.W. II there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who
dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to
collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace.
There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you
would like to participate: Each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM
Central) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute
praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a
Godly nation.
If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.
Someone said if Christians really understood the full extent of the power we have
available through prayer, we would be speechless. Our prayers are the most
powerful asset we have. Together, we "CAN" make a difference!
Thank You and God Bless America!
*****************************************************
THE CHURCH'S MISSION
In this time and age, more and more people consider the church as a service
station instead of a family. They stop at a church. "Fill it up. Please!" They treat
the church also like a vending machine. Put your money, push a button, get you
candy, your cold drink or your pack of cigarettes...
A machine is not able to give us love, self-respect, a feeling of a family...
We are preaching
We are teaching
Are we reaching ?
33333333333333333
The Three Classes
three classes were recognized in the Byzantine world: the clergy, the laity and
the government. (Cf. The synapty or initial petition at the beginning of the Divine
Liturgy:
= (1) The clergy – “For our bishop (… ) the reverend priests, the deacons in
Christ, all the clergy and (2) the people
= (3) For our public servants, … etc.
Other examples: the well known Troparion of the Holy Cross, the prayer of the
second Antiphone, the Ambon prayer.
+_+_+_+_+
CONSERVATISM
My computer is so old the spellchecker substitutes "thou" for "you".
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christmas, a call to Renewal
To make Christ alive in us at Christmas, we must make our hearts clean from sin.
“Unless we die to our sin we can not experience the fullness of this Feast.
There is a story that Francis of Assisi asked the Lord what he could give Him for
Christmas. The Lord replied "Your sins Francis, your sins" Astounded Francis
said "My sins Lord?" "Yes" responded the Lord "then you will truly have given
me everything". What a wonderful teaching from the life of the saint who gave us
our first Nativity scene! What a wonderful thing it is if we, through the sacrament
of penance(confession), were to give the Lord even our sins for Christmas.
(From a message in the internet by Fr. Fred Barr on 12-22-98 entitled “The
Mystery of Christmas”)
THREE LEVELS OF MENTAL INSIGHT
Sight, my friends, is one of the greatest gifts of God.
Yet, much greater than the physical sight, is mental awareness. Mental
awareness is what makes us human. We may have physical sight, which we
share with the animal world around us. But, if we were not aware of the
intellectual dimension, life would not mean much to us. Animals have senses/
they know; but they don’t know that they know. This is called reflection.
However, when our Lord said: “I am the light of the world,” did He mean the
physical light? Certainly not. Although he was the one who said let there be light
and there was light. Does He mean the intellectual light? May be yes to a certain
extent. He is the Logos, the Word, the Intelligence of God. But there is much
more to life than physical dimension and mental dimension; and this is what
Christ came for: In order to show us the spiritual dimension of our human reality.
God created us on his image and likeness. What we share with the animals does
not make us on the image of God. Jesus did not come only to give us physical
sight or even mental awareness. He came to open our minds to the rich spiritual
dimensions of our higher reality.
There are three levels of mental insight. They correspond three of the six gifts of
the Holy Spirit as mentioned in Isaiah, chapter 11, verses 2 & 3: Knowledge,
understanding and wisdom. Don’t you hear sometimes: “I know, but I don’t
understand”? Knowledge is the lowest of the gifts. St. Paul writes: “Knowledge
puffs up. Love builds up.” (I Corinthians 8:1). Some other times, we know and
we understand; but we do not have the wisdom to put in practice with love what
we have learned. Again, St. Paul writes: “If I have the gift of prophecy and
comprehend (that is understand) all mysteries and all knowledge ... but do not
have love, I am nothing.” (I Corinthians 13:2)
These three gifts, knowledge, understanding & wisdom, are asked for three times
in our daily office for those who take the benefit of reciting it faithfully, in Orthros
(Matins), in Vespers (evening prayer) and in Compline (night prayer). We pray:
“Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes. (Knowledge) Blessed are
You, O Master, make me understand Your statutes. (Understanding) Blessed
are You, O Holy One, enlighten me with Your statutes.” (Wisdom, as
synonymous with light and love) This is the ideal of spiritual life, my friends, to
live in the light of God.
In the seventies, the members of the department of Religious Education decided
to pray every day for each other the conclusive prayer of the First Hour:
“O Christ, true Light who enlighten and sanctify every human being in the world:
mark us with the light of your countenance that we may see the unapproachable
radiance. Let our life be straight along the way of your commandments, through
the prayers of Your Mother all pure and of all Your saints. Amen.”
Your Children Are Not Yours
“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself.
They come through you, but not from you.
And, though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in
your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with
His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.”
(Kahlil Gebran)
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CHARITY
Story of the woman who was told that Christ was coming to be her guest on
Christmas Eve. Very busy preparing for Him the best food and keeping the
house very attractive, she was interrupted by an old lady knocking at her door
asking for charity. She was rudely dispatched. Then a homeless middle aged
man came by, and he was refused to enter. Then a young mother and her little
child came by; and the lady had no time to see them. She was too busy to
prepare for her divine guest. But she waited in vain. The divine guest had come
three times and had been refused.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
CHILDREN
Our Lord told us, "Unless you return and become like the children, you will not
enter the kingdom of heaven." The children are beautiful! They come pure as
crystal from the hands of God. They love with no strings attached; and their love
never hurts.
I once heard someone saying: "The three most beautiful things in my country are:
the taste of salt, the smell of bread and the love of children." Do you know
something? Even the devil was beautiful, he was a "good boy" when he was a
child. Don't forget, he was an angel. Then he grew up and he refused to obey.
Then St. Michael indignantly shouted at him: "Mee-Ka-El" (Who is like God?) And
Satan, previously called Lucifer (the carrier of light), became "Nucifer" (the carrier
of darkness).
Please, let us make sure to tell our children today about the love of Jesus. Jesus
alone can keep and protect the innocence of children, the strength of adults and
the wisdom of old age.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS
I would like to remind you of a fact which is often forgotten when we come to
celebrate a feast in church; namely: our prayers and religious symbols are not
mere remembrances of past events, but a reenactment of these events. In some
way, we make these events present as we remember them. In some way, we do
not only represent them; but we make them present. Does this sound like magic?
This is the magic of God's love. When He said: "Do this in memory of me." He did
not ask us simply to remember Him in the breaking of the bread, as some think of
our Eucharistic Liturgy; but to make Him present again at the words of the priest
and the invocation of the Holy Spirit. When we say, "Today is the
beginning.........," we do not remember a fact that happened two thousand years
ago; but we make the fact effective to us, now. And this is as much real as our
faith is. As we celebrate our salvation, we do not only remember that we were
saved; we enjoy and thank God for our salvation.
We can say that we realize what we symbolize. And there again, we realize, that is
we make real. When we wake up after a good sleep, we realize that we had a
beautiful dream; this is good enough. But if we wake up and work to realize our
dream, that is to make it real; this certainly is much better.
***********************
CHANCE
RUBBA SUDFAH KAYRUN MIN MIIYAAD. “Sometimes a thing happening by
accident is better than a planned event.” There are no accidents, but divine &
loving Providence. “To those who love God and who are loved by God,
everything turns into good turns into good,” (Read Romans 9:28) We should not
say, “happening by chance,” but “by divine and loving Providence.” W
*************
ADVENTURE
Encourage people to take decisions
“Paralysis of analysis”
The best is to take a good decision, after due deliberation
Less good is to take a bad decision
The worst is to take no decision.
“It is better to love and lose than not to love at all.”
The person who does nothing makes no mistake. However, all his or her life is a
big mistake.
“You cannot travel across the oceans unless you lose sight of the shores.”
000+_+_0+0_+_+_000
AGE
“Count your age by friends not years
Count your life by friends not years.”
BE YOURSELF!
Be yourself! (From an old radio show)
“Be what you are, and not what you are not!
For those such as they are are the happiest lot!”
!!!!!!!!!!!
WAKE UP AND LIVE - MAKE A DIFFERENCE - THE SECRET OF LIVING IS
THE ART OF GIVING
As we approach the year 2000 and prepare to enter into the third millennium
more than ever each Christian must affirm one's existence, live one's faith and
make a difference in our society. What is the use of our faith if it is not coupled
with action? (James 2:17...) And what is the use of our life if no good comes from
it? "If no good is hoped of you, it makes no difference if you live or die." (Arabic
verse)
“A bell is no bell till you ring it.”
A song is no song till you sing it.”
And love in your heart is not there to stay.
Love is no love till you give it away.” (Author unknown)
***********
BISHOP
ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH'S Letter to the Smyrneans:
"Follow your bishop, everyone of you, as obediently as Jesus Christ followed the
Father. Obey your clergy too, as you would the Apostles; give your deacons the
same reverence as you would to a command from God. Make sure that no step
affecting the church is ever taken by anyone without the bishop's sanction. The
sole Eucharist you should consider valid is one that is celebrated by the bishop
himself or by some person authorized by him. Where the bishop is to be seen,
there let all his people be; just as wherever Jesus Christ is present, we have the
catholic Church.
You have only to acknowledge God and the bishop, and all is well; for a man who
honors his bishop is himself honored by God; but to go behind the bishop's back
is to be a servant of the devil."
Letter to the Magnesians: Let the bishop preside in the place of God, and his
clergy in the place of the Apostolic conclave, and let my special friends the
deacons be entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father
from all eternity and in these last days has been made manifest....
Allow no thing whatever to exist among you that could give rise to any division;
maintain absolute unity with your bishop and leaders, as an example to others
and a lesson in the avoidance of corruption
Farewell. See that there is a godly unity among you, and a spirit that is above all
divisions; for this is Jesus Christ.
Letter to the Phladelphians: As children of the light of truth, see that you hold
aloof from all discussion and misguided teaching; and where your bishop is, there
follow him like sheep. Every man who belongs to God and Jesus Christ stands by
his bishop."
++++++++++++++++++++
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Anything we do advances or hinders the Kingdom of God... What we do does not
affect us alone, but many many people even unknown to us.
Modern physicists have noticed how a tiny different input may change the course
of a big natural output. This may be taken lightly, or it may be considered
seriously and cal us to more responsibility in what we do. It may be called: the
Butterfly Effect. A butterfly stirring the air today in China may alter the course of a
hurricane in Florida, four months from now.
A word we say, a gesture we do, may have an long lasting effect on people whom
we never met, but who indirectly may be affected by it.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Around mid-July, that is the first Sunday on or after July 13, we celebrate the
feast of the Fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils, our bright luminaries, 0ur
true Stars of the faith. The beautiful Troparion of the day proclaims it so
beautifully:
"O Christ our God, You are infinitely glorified. For you established our Holy
Fathers as radiant stars on earth. Through them you led us to the true faith. O
most merciful One, glory to You!"
Two things to notice in this Troparion:
First, the Saints have been established by God "as radiant stars."
Second, they enlighten our way and guide us to the true faith.
These holy Fathers of the first six Ecumenical Councils have set for us a rule of
faith. We are not free, individually and by our own authority, to believe or not to
believe what the Church teaches us through an Ecumenical Council. Of course,
we are born free. Freedom is the most precious gift of God. Freedom makes us
different from other creatures. Animals have no choice. They follow their instinct.
They do not decide freely; but they follow their drives, their glands and their
hormones. Human beings have a choice. When they are faced with a choice,
they can say yes or they can say no. We have no choice about the way we feel.
However we have a choice to follow our feelings or to channel them toward the
good and the beautiful. A person is free to be Christian or not to be Christian, to
be Catholic or not to be Catholic. However, once we decide to be Catholic, we are
not free anymore to believe or not to believe what the Catholic Church teaches,
to obey or not to obey what the Church commands. Of course we are free to
disobey; but, then, we are disobedient. Our Lord Jesus tells us in the Gospel of
the day: "Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the Law,
not the smallest part of the letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true."
He also told His Apostles: "The one who listens to you listens to me and the one
who despises you despises me."
More than once I heard some people tell me about controversial issues such as
divorce and remarriage outside the Church, about abortion, cohabitation,
homosexuality, free sex and other abuses: "Look, Father, this is your opinion and
I respect it; but I beg to differ." I beg your pardon! In important matters of faith
and morals, the Church teaches authoritatively, that is with the authority given
her by her divine Master. It is sad to say that, at the 21st Century, that is 2000
years after Christ, the Church's teachings are being challenged and disobeyed in
the name of freedom. However, the Church holds the way to salvation. We are
free to stay in the boat of Peter and his companions or to jump out into the
Titanic. It is really sad that "the light came into the world, but men loved darkness
rather than light, because their deeds were wicked." (John 3:19)
As true believers, we thank God for our Holy Fathers of the first Six Ecumenical
Councils (celebrated today), as well as of all the other Councils that followed,
including Vatican II, the most recent Ecumenical Council held in 1961-64. Let us
proclaim our faith and our hope joyfully with love. Let us shout out the good news
that the Saints are our Stars. Let us proclaim everywhere that we are proud of
our Catholic and Apostolic traditions. About 30 of our Melkite Bishops from the
Near East and from around the World met as recently as June 18-22, 2007, at
their Annual Synod, in the Patriarchal Summer Residence in Ain-Traz, Lebanon,
presided by our venerable Patriarch Gregorios III. The Synod of Bishops is like a
“mini-council.” We affirmed in it our unity, our apostolicity, our catholicity and our
thriving to holiness.
SUMMER
We hear from time to time someone asking: "When does the church resume its
activities?"
Answer: The church shall not "resume its activity in September". Thank God! and
thank to our faithful parishioners who are keeping the flame going, we never stop
being alive and well. We never stop breathing. If we did, then we wouldn't be able
to resume anything. Our parishes do not close for the Summer. Some activities
slow down. Other activities are adjourned, in order to refresh our energy to start
with a new vigor. The steady and faithful attendance at the Sunday Liturgies, the
devoted celebration of the Paraclesis Prayer in preparation to the feast of
Dormition on August 15 are an outstanding proof that "God does not take a
vacation" and the summer heat does not fanyour spiritual fervor.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
PHONE vs. BIBLE
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phone, We don't have to worry about our Bible being
disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill in full.
Makes you stop and think 'where are my priorities?
And no dropped calls
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT
In W.W. II there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who
dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour for one minute to
collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and peace.
There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you
would like to participate: Each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (8:00 PM
Central) (6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you are doing and spend one minute
praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a
Godly nation.
If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.
Someone said if Christians really understood the full extent of the power we have
available through prayer, we would be speechless. Our prayers are the most
powerful asset we have. Together, we "CAN" make a difference!
Thank You and God Bless America!
*****************************************************
THE CHURCH'S MISSION
In this time and age, more and more people consider the church as a service
station instead of a family. They stop at a church. "Fill it up. Please!" They treat
the church also like a vending machine. Put your money, push a button, get you
candy, your cold drink or your pack of cigarettes...
A machine is not able to give us love, self-respect, a feeling of a family...
We are preaching
We are teaching
Are we reaching ?
33333333333333333
The Three Classes
three classes were recognized in the Byzantine world: the clergy, the laity and
the government. (Cf. The synapty or initial petition at the beginning of the Divine
Liturgy:
= (1) The clergy – “For our bishop (… ) the reverend priests, the deacons in
Christ, all the clergy and (2) the people
= (3) For our public servants, … etc.
Other examples: the well known Troparion of the Holy Cross, the prayer of the
second Antiphone, the Ambon prayer.
+_+_+_+_+
CONSERVATISM
My computer is so old the spellchecker substitutes "thou" for "you".
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Christmas, a call to Renewal
To make Christ alive in us at Christmas, we must make our hearts clean from sin.
“Unless we die to our sin we can not experience the fullness of this Feast.
There is a story that Francis of Assisi asked the Lord what he could give Him for
Christmas. The Lord replied "Your sins Francis, your sins" Astounded Francis
said "My sins Lord?" "Yes" responded the Lord "then you will truly have given
me everything". What a wonderful teaching from the life of the saint who gave us
our first Nativity scene! What a wonderful thing it is if we, through the sacrament
of penance(confession), were to give the Lord even our sins for Christmas.
(From a message in the internet by Fr. Fred Barr on 12-22-98 entitled “The
Mystery of Christmas”)
THREE LEVELS OF MENTAL INSIGHT
Sight, my friends, is one of the greatest gifts of God.
Yet, much greater than the physical sight, is mental awareness. Mental
awareness is what makes us human. We may have physical sight, which we
share with the animal world around us. But, if we were not aware of the
intellectual dimension, life would not mean much to us. Animals have senses/
they know; but they don’t know that they know. This is called reflection.
However, when our Lord said: “I am the light of the world,” did He mean the
physical light? Certainly not. Although he was the one who said let there be light
and there was light. Does He mean the intellectual light? May be yes to a certain
extent. He is the Logos, the Word, the Intelligence of God. But there is much
more to life than physical dimension and mental dimension; and this is what
Christ came for: In order to show us the spiritual dimension of our human reality.
God created us on his image and likeness. What we share with the animals does
not make us on the image of God. Jesus did not come only to give us physical
sight or even mental awareness. He came to open our minds to the rich spiritual
dimensions of our higher reality.
There are three levels of mental insight. They correspond three of the six gifts of
the Holy Spirit as mentioned in Isaiah, chapter 11, verses 2 & 3: Knowledge,
understanding and wisdom. Don’t you hear sometimes: “I know, but I don’t
understand”? Knowledge is the lowest of the gifts. St. Paul writes: “Knowledge
puffs up. Love builds up.” (I Corinthians 8:1). Some other times, we know and
we understand; but we do not have the wisdom to put in practice with love what
we have learned. Again, St. Paul writes: “If I have the gift of prophecy and
comprehend (that is understand) all mysteries and all knowledge ... but do not
have love, I am nothing.” (I Corinthians 13:2)
These three gifts, knowledge, understanding & wisdom, are asked for three times
in our daily office for those who take the benefit of reciting it faithfully, in Orthros
(Matins), in Vespers (evening prayer) and in Compline (night prayer). We pray:
“Blessed are you, O Lord, teach me your statutes. (Knowledge) Blessed are
You, O Master, make me understand Your statutes. (Understanding) Blessed
are You, O Holy One, enlighten me with Your statutes.” (Wisdom, as
synonymous with light and love) This is the ideal of spiritual life, my friends, to
live in the light of God.
In the seventies, the members of the department of Religious Education decided
to pray every day for each other the conclusive prayer of the First Hour:
“O Christ, true Light who enlighten and sanctify every human being in the world:
mark us with the light of your countenance that we may see the unapproachable
radiance. Let our life be straight along the way of your commandments, through
the prayers of Your Mother all pure and of all Your saints. Amen.”
Your Children Are Not Yours
“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of life’s longing for itself.
They come through you, but not from you.
And, though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love, but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in
your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward, nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with
His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.”
(Kahlil Gebran)
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CHARITY
Story of the woman who was told that Christ was coming to be her guest on
Christmas Eve. Very busy preparing for Him the best food and keeping the
house very attractive, she was interrupted by an old lady knocking at her door
asking for charity. She was rudely dispatched. Then a homeless middle aged
man came by, and he was refused to enter. Then a young mother and her little
child came by; and the lady had no time to see them. She was too busy to
prepare for her divine guest. But she waited in vain. The divine guest had come
three times and had been refused.
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CHILDREN
Our Lord told us, "Unless you return and become like the children, you will not
enter the kingdom of heaven." The children are beautiful! They come pure as
crystal from the hands of God. They love with no strings attached; and their love
never hurts.
I once heard someone saying: "The three most beautiful things in my country are:
the taste of salt, the smell of bread and the love of children." Do you know
something? Even the devil was beautiful, he was a "good boy" when he was a
child. Don't forget, he was an angel. Then he grew up and he refused to obey.
Then St. Michael indignantly shouted at him: "Mee-Ka-El" (Who is like God?) And
Satan, previously called Lucifer (the carrier of light), became "Nucifer" (the carrier
of darkness).
Please, let us make sure to tell our children today about the love of Jesus. Jesus
alone can keep and protect the innocence of children, the strength of adults and
the wisdom of old age.
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RELIGIOUS CELEBRATIONS
I would like to remind you of a fact which is often forgotten when we come to
celebrate a feast in church; namely: our prayers and religious symbols are not
mere remembrances of past events, but a reenactment of these events. In some
way, we make these events present as we remember them. In some way, we do
not only represent them; but we make them present. Does this sound like magic?
This is the magic of God's love. When He said: "Do this in memory of me." He did
not ask us simply to remember Him in the breaking of the bread, as some think of
our Eucharistic Liturgy; but to make Him present again at the words of the priest
and the invocation of the Holy Spirit. When we say, "Today is the
beginning.........," we do not remember a fact that happened two thousand years
ago; but we make the fact effective to us, now. And this is as much real as our
faith is. As we celebrate our salvation, we do not only remember that we were
saved; we enjoy and thank God for our salvation.
We can say that we realize what we symbolize. And there again, we realize, that is
we make real. When we wake up after a good sleep, we realize that we had a
beautiful dream; this is good enough. But if we wake up and work to realize our
dream, that is to make it real; this certainly is much better.
***********************
CHANCE
RUBBA SUDFAH KAYRUN MIN MIIYAAD. “Sometimes a thing happening by
accident is better than a planned event.” There are no accidents, but divine &
loving Providence. “To those who love God and who are loved by God,
everything turns into good turns into good,” (Read Romans 9:28) We should not
say, “happening by chance,” but “by divine and loving Providence.” W
*************
ADVENTURE
Encourage people to take decisions
“Paralysis of analysis”
The best is to take a good decision, after due deliberation
Less good is to take a bad decision
The worst is to take no decision.
“It is better to love and lose than not to love at all.”
The person who does nothing makes no mistake. However, all his or her life is a
big mistake.
“You cannot travel across the oceans unless you lose sight of the shores.”
000+_+_0+0_+_+_000
AGE
“Count your age by friends not years
Count your life by friends not years.”
BE YOURSELF!
Be yourself! (From an old radio show)
“Be what you are, and not what you are not!
For those such as they are are the happiest lot!”
!!!!!!!!!!!
WAKE UP AND LIVE - MAKE A DIFFERENCE - THE SECRET OF LIVING IS
THE ART OF GIVING
As we approach the year 2000 and prepare to enter into the third millennium
more than ever each Christian must affirm one's existence, live one's faith and
make a difference in our society. What is the use of our faith if it is not coupled
with action? (James 2:17...) And what is the use of our life if no good comes from
it? "If no good is hoped of you, it makes no difference if you live or die." (Arabic
verse)
“A bell is no bell till you ring it.”
A song is no song till you sing it.”
And love in your heart is not there to stay.
Love is no love till you give it away.” (Author unknown)
***********
BISHOP
ST. IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH'S Letter to the Smyrneans:
"Follow your bishop, everyone of you, as obediently as Jesus Christ followed the
Father. Obey your clergy too, as you would the Apostles; give your deacons the
same reverence as you would to a command from God. Make sure that no step
affecting the church is ever taken by anyone without the bishop's sanction. The
sole Eucharist you should consider valid is one that is celebrated by the bishop
himself or by some person authorized by him. Where the bishop is to be seen,
there let all his people be; just as wherever Jesus Christ is present, we have the
catholic Church.
You have only to acknowledge God and the bishop, and all is well; for a man who
honors his bishop is himself honored by God; but to go behind the bishop's back
is to be a servant of the devil."
Letter to the Magnesians: Let the bishop preside in the place of God, and his
clergy in the place of the Apostolic conclave, and let my special friends the
deacons be entrusted with the service of Jesus Christ, who was with the Father
from all eternity and in these last days has been made manifest....
Allow no thing whatever to exist among you that could give rise to any division;
maintain absolute unity with your bishop and leaders, as an example to others
and a lesson in the avoidance of corruption
Farewell. See that there is a godly unity among you, and a spirit that is above all
divisions; for this is Jesus Christ.
Letter to the Phladelphians: As children of the light of truth, see that you hold
aloof from all discussion and misguided teaching; and where your bishop is, there
follow him like sheep. Every man who belongs to God and Jesus Christ stands by
his bishop."
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THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
Anything we do advances or hinders the Kingdom of God... What we do does not
affect us alone, but many many people even unknown to us.
Modern physicists have noticed how a tiny different input may change the course
of a big natural output. This may be taken lightly, or it may be considered
seriously and cal us to more responsibility in what we do. It may be called: the
Butterfly Effect. A butterfly stirring the air today in China may alter the course of a
hurricane in Florida, four months from now.
A word we say, a gesture we do, may have an long lasting effect on people whom
we never met, but who indirectly may be affected by it.
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