OUT OF CONTROL (PART II)

 

A pregnant woman who has carried her pregnancy to term doesn't have any control over the baby but been delivered, she will have to either deliver the baby alive or dead. The decision not to have a baby could only have been made earlier. 

REASONS WHY WE FEEL GOD'S WRATH

The question has often arisen: why does God permit evil? If he is truly the God of all flesh for whom nothing is impossible, why would he for any reason, allow his own chosen nation and race, his consecrated people suffer the yoke of domination from the devil and marginalization from the seemingly ungodly. The prophet Jeremiah was amongst the few prophets who lived within a most tumultuous Israelite nation. His was at the peak of Israelite’s adamance and rebellion against Yahweh. Babylon had defeated the Assyrian empire. Despite this, Israel remained unrepentant. The continuous exhortations of the prophets fell on deaf ears. One would think, Yahweh could have made use of other means to bring back his people, but at the tail end of this cycle of sin, Yahweh declares that Babylon shall become the instrument of his wrath against his own people.

USE YOUR CONTROL (PART 1)

And the tongue is like a fire. It is a world of wrong, occupying its place in our bodies and spreading evil through our whole being. It sets on fire the entire course of our existence with the fire that comes to it from hell itself.

James 3:6 GNT

CHRISTIANITY AND THE STATE: THE INVOLVEMENT

When we speak of Christianity in this parlance, we limit our scope to the Catholic church. Having traced the history of Christianity, and presented in an adumbrated fashion, what we may call the state and its functions to humanity, it is apposite that we turn our efforts to an examination of how the social teachings of the church expects that the church is to engage in the affairs of a legitimate state. The interrogation here is: to what extent is the church supposed to peer into matters that strictly concerns the state?

I JUST BELIEVE COLOR GIVES LIFE

 

As I grew up, I always thought I had a best color

I’d say blue today

Yellow another age

Pink was major at some point

Then I thought it was too girly

And I started liking black and grey

And then I saw my mum on Orange and woah

Orange reminds me of the sunset

So mature yet so beautiful. It’s not boring

I started liking orange

To Brown skin girl

Now I tell myself it’s Purple

But I know I just love colors

 

I love blue because of the skies, the seas…

 

CONQUERING ACEDIA: PRAYING WHEN PRAYER SEEMS DIFFICULT.

OUTLINE 

The Concept of Acedia
Different Forms of Acedia
Acedia as Spiritual Sloth
Melancholy 
Humility 
Progressive Growth to Contemplation
The saints and Acedia
St. Teresa of Jesus
St. Therese of the Child Jesus
St. Teresa of Calcutta 
Conquering Acedia
Fervency
Spiritual Direction
Group prayer (Community)
Openness to the Spirit
Conclusion

The Concept of Acedia

The Idea of Acedia in Christendom is an age-old experience. The term Acedia is sometimes used to imply a spiritual sloth or in fact a deadly sin. However, in more contemporary times, some spiritual writers equate it with spiritual dryness. Thus, the term will be discussed to reflect both meanings separately. Basically, in this reflection, it covers the scope of spiritual repugnance or difficulty in prayer. 
There is, obviously, no need to emphasize, afresh, the importance of prayer. St. Francis teaches that, “with the strongest commitment, we cultivate 'the Spirit of holy prayer and devotion to which all temporal things must contribute'” and according to Saint John Chrysostom, “it is simply impossible to lead, without the aid of prayer, a virtuous life… it is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.”
Acedia, then, in this context, simply means a condition in which we find it difficult to pray be it by our own fault, conditions beyond our control or by the making of the Divine. 

THE OPPOSITE OF GOD

Most of us are likely exposed to the concept of opposites as portrayed in the use and structure of grammar in various languages. We could agree that the opposite of hot is cold, opposite of long is short, possibly the opposite of an angel (of Yahweh) is a demon( there are actually a variety of opposites in this category), but have you ever thought; "What/ who is the opposite of God?". Most of us might likely think it's the devil ( Satan/ Lucifer). Now for something to oppose another, it must contrast it on equal grounds. For example Light and darkness.  When there's no light in a place, there's darkness and when light comes it extinguishes darkness. Light and darkness, even if brought together, can not work together. If the light is not bright enough, darkness engulfs it and if it is bright enough it extinguishes darkness. They are just opposites. So for something  or someone to qualify as the opposite of God, it must have the following qualities:  

First Saturday in Ordinary Time. - Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?

 

A king passing along his country side saw a wretched pauper in rags, the wise king discerning that the pauper was skilled in some art which could be useful in the Palace but because of the limitations of his present conditions could not carry out his skill, invited the pauper to come to the Palace so he could help him in some way, but on getting to the Palace gate on the appointed day, the gatekeeper (who is also a worker in the Palace) drove the pauper away because he deemed him to have no business in the Palace. When the king learns of it, what do you think he will do to the gatekeeper?

THREE REASONS WHY HUMAN RIGHTS ARE IMPORTANT IN THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH.

 

INTRODUCTION

In the briefing paper which was the result of a research carried out by the Center for Reproductive Rights in October 2011, while trying to defend the position that women have a right to decide what happens to their body as regards abortion, stated that “International law guarantees women the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.[1]” While we seek to present some of the very many reasons why human rights are so vital in the church’s teachings, it is also important we understand that not only the church, but also the secular society, upholds the right of every human person. Although, this latter sometimes tends towards a dangerous humanism, the point remains that every human possesses an indispensable and fundamental right to life, association, religion, expression and so on.

WHEN THE CHIPS ARE DOWN

 

Reflecting on the origins and spread of various Marian devotions such as the Franciscan crown and the Rosary as well as on her many apparitions, one recurrent theme was underlined, that is, Mary comes to the rescue whenever the chips are down, be it the chips of an individual or of the entire world. The underlying message is, also, the same, which is that true devotion to Mary is not just good for but is essential to our growth and witness as Christians.

THE HUMAN FACE OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD

 Quite ambitiously, we are moved to propagate the philosophy which holds that the human flesh is by nature evil. Probably because a good ratio of the temptations that threaten our flight to God besiege that constituent of our make up. Both ecclesial preachers and philosophical minds have held this view, in which they condemned the capacity of the flesh to achieve any good in itself due to its proneness to fall. Nevertheless, both from the point of healthy theological speculations, and sound philosophical ethics, this position has become moribund. In Jean Paul Sartre’s atheistic humanism, the flesh dethrones the mind, so that subsequently, he would replace the mind with a human existence that is actively engaged in the world, what he calls the existential subject. Sartre opens up for us certain true remarks of our humanism, but he also makes some conclusions that does not resolve our human dilemmas.

CONTRACEPTION vs NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING: An Applied Ethical point of view.

 

Man, by nature is utilitarian- always drawn to the pleasurable, and withdrawn from the distasteful. This explains why he is always in search of both apriori and aposteriori arguments which may suit his views. The research which faces us, namely; the difference, if any exists, between natural family planning and contraception, is one which admits of no middle ground. Nevertheless, before we can stand in a position to state what the matter is, we need to investigate what each means in its very nature. 

WHAT MAKES LIFE MEANINGFUL?

 What is it that really makes life meaningful? I think that something must be added to the question to save it from genericity. A revision of the question will be : what is it that makes life meaningful for me? Here, I appeal to the theory of Subjectivity, for it is the case that whatever makes life meaningful must affect the individual individually. What makes life meaningful for person A may be different from what makes life meaningful for person B and C. Hence, each individual will have to decipher or identify what makes life meaningful for him or her. So, what is it that makes life meaningful for you.

“HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE” Advent Reflection

“Hail Mary, Full of grace,” this is the Angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary which preceded the annunciation of both the conception of the Word in her womb and the birth of the God-man. This greeting is twofold: first, Gabriel greets Mary – a sign of reverence; second, he affirms her state of grace. Indeed, the latter caused the former: the state of grace caused the angel’s reverence.

Zechariah: A model for Christmas preparations.

 

A Priest is a mediator between God and the people. He speaks with God and delivers the message to the people. In Biblical days, Priests were revered as privileged souls who possessed insights into the divine mysteries and communicated them to people by leading them in religious worship.

Pretending to be what you already are.

 

After we closed from work yesterday afternoon, as usual my cab guy came to pick me and take me back to my apartment.

Along the way, he told me that he needs a little help from me. I said i'm listening and he explained that he didn't buy the usual GRA daily ticket for cab operators that afternoon and that i shouldn't be offended but in case the task force stops him when we pass through the GRA gate, i should pretend that I am a lawyer so they will let him go.

THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN; A DAILY STRUGGLE

 

Right from the dawn of creation, from the very moment man strayed away from God by his disobedience, he has been like a fish out of water. He had always sought to find rest, succor, peace and joy which he enjoyed prior to his fall. This struggle is to retrace his source and sustainer. Often times, in contrary to our desires and expectations, instead of solace and comfort that our hearts yearn for, we are met with the very opposite, and so we get disappointed and distressed, at times tempted to question the essence of our being and the value of our existence here on earth. We are confronted by our three principal enemies: the flesh, the world and the evil one.

Today Salvation has come to this house

 33rd Tuesday in Ordinary Time.

Today Salvation has come to this house

( Luke 19: 1- 10)

A certain man was very notorious for stealing fashionable shoes from his home town and reselling in other communities where they were quite expensive to make a living. When caught sometimes he was given several punishments but it didn’t stop him from going back to his source of livelihood (stealing shoes). One day, the villagers decided to give him an indelible mark of shame as his punishment,  they bound his hands and foot and with a hot metal imprinted the letters “S T" ( Shoe Thief) on his forehead.

SAY YES TO HUMILITY AND SAVE HUMANITY (2 Chronicles 7:14 & Luke 1:38) (Phase 1)

 

It is well established in our hearts how important the virtue of humility is, how it is highly needed in the society and how it is valued by God. We know that we need it, but we do not expect it to be acquired so easily. We need God’s grace and sincere disposition for us to have it.

Humility and humanity are two different words but similar in nature.  The words “humility” and “human” have one root word  ‘Humus’ which is the Latin word for earth (a rich and nutrient filled soil). Humility is derived from ‘Humilitas’ a Latin word which means ‘one who is grounded or near to the earth’

Disposition to God's Will

St Elizabeth Ann Seton said, "the first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; thirdly, to do it because he wills it." The catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that ultimately, we are created to do this Will, because it is for Him and Him alone that we are made and thus, all our actions should find its end in Him or better put in his Will.