THE DESIDERATA by Max Ehrmann

Re-collecting memories and events of years gone by… of 2012 soon coming to a close; and, looking forward to 2013 that lies ahead, a lovely poem which was a favorite in my high school and college years came to mind. Life is beautiful. Life is precious. Life is worth living.

The wisdom shared in this poem is worth considering, anew…

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THE DESIDERATA

(by Max Ehrmann)

Go placidly amidst the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul. With all its shams, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

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Max Ehrmann was an attorney turned philosopher-poet who live in Terre Haute, Ind. He spent his life wrestling with the realities of making a living and following his personal calling to a life of poetry, literature, and thought. He wrote A Prayer, which became a message of hope for thousands, but he is best known for Desiderata, which he wrote for himself, "because it counsels those virtues I felt myself most in need of." Max included this work as part of a personal Christmas greeting in 1933, and Desiderata's power and appeal have continued to reach out to and significantly affect readers ever since. He died in 1945.

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI CHRISTMAS 2012

“Veritas de terra orta est!” – “Truth has sprung out of the earth” (Ps 85:12).

Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, a happy Christmas to you and your families!
In this Year of Faith, I express my Christmas greetings and good wishes in these words taken from one of the Psalms: “Truth has sprung out of the earth”. Actually, in the text of the Psalm, these words are in the future: “Kindness and truth shall meet; / justice and peace shall kiss. / Truth shall spring out of the earth, /and justice shall look down from heaven. / The Lord himself will give his benefits; / our land shall yield its increase. / Justice shall walk before him, / and salvation, along the way of his steps” (Ps 85:11-14).

Today these prophetic words have been fulfilled! In Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, kindness and truth do indeed meet; justice and peace have kissed; truth has sprung out of the earth and justice has looked down from heaven. Saint Augustine explains with admirable brevity: “What is truth? The Son of God. What is the earth? The flesh. Ask whence Christ has been born, and you will see that truth has sprung out of the earth … truth has been born of the Virgin Mary” (En. in Ps. 84:13). And in a Christmas sermon he says that “in this yearly feast we celebrate that day when the prophecy was fulfilled: ‘truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven’. The Truth, which is in the bosom of the Father has sprung out of the earth, to be in the womb of a mother too. The Truth which rules the whole world has sprung out of the earth, to be held in the arms of a woman ... The Truth which heaven cannot contain has sprung out of the earth, to be laid in a manger. For whose benefit did so lofty a God become so lowly? Certainly not for his own, but for our great benefit, if we believe” (Sermones, 185, 1).

“If we believe”. Here we see the power of faith! God has done everything; he has done the impossible: he was made flesh. His all-powerful love has accomplished something which surpasses all human understanding: the Infinite has become a child, has entered the human family. And yet, this same God cannot enter my heart unless I open the door to him. Porta fidei! The door of faith! We could be frightened by this, our inverse omnipotence. This human ability to be closed to God can make us fearful. But see the reality which chases away this gloomy thought, the hope that conquers fear: truth has sprung up! God is born! “The earth has yielded its fruits” (Ps 67:7). Yes, there is a good earth, a healthy earth, an earth freed of all selfishness and all lack of openness. In this world there is a good soil which God has prepared, that he might come to dwell among us. A dwelling place for his presence in the world. This good earth exists, and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up! Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in the most difficult situations. Truth has sprung up, bringing kindness, justice and peace.

Yes, may peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenceless and reaps innocent victims. Once again I appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict.

May peace spring up in the Land where the Redeemer was born, and may he grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end to long years of conflict and division, and to embark resolutely on the path of negotiation.
In the countries of North Africa, which are experiencing a major transition in pursuit of a new future – and especially the beloved land of Egypt, blessed by the childhood of Jesus – may citizens work together to build societies founded on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person.

May peace spring up on the vast continent of Asia. May the Child Jesus look graciously on the many peoples who dwell in those lands and, in a special way, upon all those who believe in him. May the King of Peace turn his gaze to the new leaders of the People’s Republic of China for the high task which awaits them. I express my hope that, in fulfilling this task, they will esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each, in such a way that they can help to build a fraternal society for the benefit of that noble People and of the whole world.

May the Birth of Christ favour the return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians. May the Redeemer bring help and comfort to the refugees from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and grant peace to Kenya, where brutal attacks have struck the civilian population and places of worship.

May the Child Jesus bless the great numbers of the faithful who celebrate him in Latin America. May he increase their human and Christian virtues, sustain all those forced to leave behind their families and their land, and confirm government leaders in their commitment to development and fighting crime.

Dear brothers and sisters! Kindness and truth, justice and peace have met; they have become incarnate in the child born of Mary in Bethlehem. That child is the Son of God; he is God appearing in history. His birth is a flowering of new life for all humanity. May every land become a good earth which receives and brings forth kindness and truth, justice and peace. Happy Christmas to all of you!

Source: The Vatican Radio

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2012-Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle

This year we celebrate the Christmas Season within the Year of Faith declared by Pope Benedict XVI. What can the Year of Faith contribute to the Christmas spirit? Faith is a living and sustained relationship with God. It is the Triune God who initiates this relationship by coming to us. Faith becomes complete in our response to God in trust and love, transforming our relationship with other people, society and creation.

In a real sense, Christmas is all about faith. To remove faith from Christmas is to empty it of its meaning. It is a season born of faith and a privileged time to renew our faith. On the one hand, Christmas vividly recalls the coming of the Savior Jesus Christ, incarnate by the power of the Holy Spirit. He comes as one like us except in sin, because as the Savior he cannot participate in humanity’s rejection of God. He opens the door for us to enter God’s life. His obedience and fidelity is the door to God. He is the way.  On the other hand, every Christmas season invites us to receive Jesus as the true Son of God become flesh, to accept him as our Savior and to enter the door to life in the Holy Spirit. Faith in God leads us to solidarity with our neighbors, especially the poor whom Jesus loves. Faith makes us sharers in Jesus’ saving mission and heralds of true freedom from all that enslaves us.

I pray that all Christians may appreciate more the precious gift of faith during this Christmas season. As we behold the Christ Child, humble and poor, let us thank God for his great love for us and let us respond with all the love we could give. Only pure divine love can save us! I wish all you and your loved ones a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year!

+ LUIS ANTONIO G. CARDINAL TAGLE

Archbishop of Manila

(Source: Veritas846.ph)

Everyday Gifts...

Preparing spiritually for the Christ-Child's birth, in this Year of Faith, special gifts to ask for and to offer to the Lord comes to fore.
May Christmas and each new day bring us these gifts ---

Honesty and freedom...
to get to know ourselves well and that which God dreams for us in this life.

Joy and wonder...
the kind that we get from God's daily 'surprises' in people, in life's events, and in nature.

Confidence and strength...
that comes from faith-experiences that our God is with us all the way of life's journeys.

Courage and energy...
to pursue and explore our dreams,
to use our God-given talents and gifts for our good and others' as well.

Tolerance, perspective and insight...
to see and accept others as they are, with the gentle openness to learn from them... and, still maintain values we uphold.

Happiness and peace...
the kind that comes from knowing we are loved, cared for and appreciated.

Faith, hope and love...
that which endures, nourishes, and sustains the day-to-day life situations and events:
life's routine, challenging, trying, taxing with its joys and rewards, gifts and blessings, etc.

The Christmas Story re-told...

The Christmas Story refreshingly re-told by the children of St Paul's Church in Auckland, New Zealand...
it's lovely! Enjoy this ;-)

Contraception is Corruption!

A CBCP Pastoral Letter on the latest decision on the Reproductive Health Bill

Source: CBCP News

Seeking Light and Guidance on the RH Bill Issue
“What then should we do?” (Lk. 3, 10)

 As we begin the nine-day Misa de Gallo today, our thoughts turn to John the Baptist, the one who points to Jesus, the Christ Child. People came to him to ask, “What then should we do?” because their hearts were filled with expectation for the Messiah. (Lk. 3,15) They needed reason to hope. St. John the Baptist told them to share what they had, to act with justice, and shun extortion.

 Today, our question as a people of God, regarding the controversial RH bill, may be the same. What then should we do?

On behalf of the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, I reiterate the collective discernment of the Philippine bishops that the RH Bill if passed into law can harm our nation. Contraception corrupts the soul. The RH Bill is being gift wrapped to look like a gift for maternal health care. It is not so. It will lead to greater crimes against women.

The poor are being promised a better life through the RH Bill. It will not be so. The poor can rise from their misery through more accessible education, better hospitals and lesser government corruption. Money for contraceptives can be better used for education and authentic health care.
 The youth are being made to believe that sex before marriage is acceptable provided you know how to avoid pregnancy. Is this moral? Those who corrupt the minds of children will invoke divine wrath on themselves.

The Reproductive Health Bill, if passed into law in its present form, will put the moral fibre of our nation at risk. As we your bishops have said in the past, a contraceptive mentality is the mother of an abortion mentality. The wide and free accessibility of contraceptives, even to the youth, will result in the destruction of family life and in greater violence against women.

What then should we do?
We congratulate the one hundred four (104) congressmen and women who voted NO to the RH Bill. You have voted courageously, despite all pressures, to stand up for what is right and true. The Church will remember you as the heroes of our nation, those who have said no to corruption and who care for the true welfare of the people, especially the poor. May you continue to be steadfast and not waiver in your stand against moral corruption.

What then should we do?
We plead with the sixty four (64) congressmen who have not voted, to be enlightened and stand up for the Truth. As St. John the Baptist directed the people to justice, we call on you also to seek justice for the Filipino people. The Church teaches us to follow our conscience, the inner sanctuary where we are alone with God (Gaudium et Spes #16), but such conscience must be formed and informed according to the universal values that are common to all human persons. The truth is that to be pro-child, pro-mother and pro-poor, we must resist all threats against them. This is justice. Stand up for it; defend it; do not be swayed by worldly pressures, and be the champion of the people who voted for you. God knows and sees what you are doing.

What then should we do?
We admonish the Filipino Catholic faithful to sharewith those who have less this Christmas, but also share in praying that our congressmen and women will be faithful to their call to serve the true interests of the Filipino people. This means upholding life, saying no to contraception which is corruption, and being faithful to the Christ Child who was pro-woman, pro-child and pro-poor.

From the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, Dagupan City, December 15, 2012
For the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines currently out of the country,

+SOCRATES B. VILLEGAS, D.D.
Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan &
Vice-President, CBCP

The Heart and the Word of God

“To properly receive and assimilate the Word of God as it is preached and taught to us, we must first open our hearts to the Word and embrace the Truth. 

The heart indicates that the first act by which one comes to faith is God's gift and the action of grace which acts and transforms the person deep within.......the heart, the authentic sacred space within the person, is opened by grace that allows the eyes to see below the surface and to understand, that what has been proclaimed, is the word of God."

- Pope Benedict XVI

On the Year Of Faith

My Heart's Thanksgiving

"What am I. Lord, that you should love me

and hold me as your dearest love of all?"

So much overwhelmed by God's graciousness and love, this song composed by a Jesuit priest well describes the deep thanksgiving welling up from within... Do listen. It's a lovely song!

Whispers of the Heart...

 "Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the Word of our God stands forever."  (Isaiah 40:7) 

Touch me, Lord.

Cleanse me.

Heal me.

Transform me.

Save me...

          Be my Strength. 

          Be my Light.

          Be my Hope.

          Sustain me...

Clothed me with your great Love.

Envelop me with your Presence.

Send me...

          Your will and your Word, O Lord, 

           they are  my delight,

           the joy of my heart forever. (cf. Jer. 15:16)

          Amen.

Candle lighting for Life!

Our Lady of Guadalupe

  In solidarity with all who advocate for life, a Vigil for Life was held on the eve of the Feast of our Lady of Guadalupe, at the grotto beside the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

An hour-long procession was held at 5:00pm followed by a Ceremonial Lighting of Candles:
287 candles representing the 287 members of the House of Representatives,
23 bigger candles representing the 23 members of the Senate, and
one big candle, which symbolizes the Office of the President.
The purpose of the candle lighting  is for the enlightenment and conversion of all that the candles represent.

 Let us join prayers that LIFE be respected and upheld by all, especially by those who are in positions of leadership and authority. May all be enlightened to Choose Life... to stand up for the Truth.

Our Lady of Guadalupe,
intercede and pray for us!

Simply Grateful!

May the blessings 

you have so generously showered upon us 

today, Lord,

be likewise generously shared 

and bear spiritual fruits in abundance 

 this season of Advent-waiting...

and, always.

 

Dear God, thank you for everything today! ♥

Eucharistic Adoration: Jesus invites and calls!

A lovely sharing-invite of a long-time and faithful adorer at our Perpetual Adoration Chapel in Athlone, Ireland some couple of years back. In most of our PDDM Adoration Chapels as in other Perpetual Adoration Chapels throughout the world, Jesus indeed continues to invite to an audience with him even for just a few minutes, a quarter of an hour, a half-hour, an hour-long... depending on how much time we could spare!

Jesus, in the Blessed Sacrament, invites. He calls. He patiently waits for our response.
Would anyone care to heed his call?

Here ye then!
AN INVITE to anyone interested!!! 

If the Pope Benedict or Pope John Paul or Mandela or Gandhi or Obama invited me for a chat and even asked me to stay an hour, just the two of us and if he also asked me to call for my very own one hour meeting every week I would feel very important indeed. But guess what! Twenty four years ago Jesus Christ himself invited me to a weekly hour-long audience and even said I could call any other time I liked for as long as I like but he particularly wanted me, (imagine! Me! Just an ordinary ould sinner) to sign up for my very own hour every week for the rest of my life. It occurred to me that He must be hard up for company but over the years I have come to realise that He is hard up for the company of those he loves in spite of their imperfections and that includes every living person especially you and I.

Here’s the deal; I join the team of perpetual Adorers in the Liturgical Centre for an hour a week. This team is part of similar teams throughout the world so now I am part of probably the greatest organisation in the world where there are thousands of my team mates in communication with Jesus Christ Himself at all times. If I write a petition for a dead friend or relative in the book, immediately the prayers of the entire world-wide team are working for him or her. Also through the Communion of Saints all Adorers who have gone to their eternal reward are still part of the team and should I write in a petition for anybody living, all the team past and present are on the ball helping. It could be YOU.

Mary Immaculate...

Immaculate Conception 

c.1626

On the solemn feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (December 8) we recall the infallible statement given by Pope Pius IX in 1854: “The most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin.”

A place closely linked with the Immaculate Conception is Lourdes. In 1858, Mary identified herself as the “Immaculate Conception” to a young girl named Bernadette Soubirous. It was most unlikely that a girl from an impoverished family without access to the “media” of the day would have been familiar with such a theological expression, still less that she could have made it up. In spite of the unbelieving civil and church authorities, Bernadette won through. The doctrine was infallibly declared a doctrine of faith four years previously in 1854. Lourdes, then, became a place of pilgrimage where millions of people go to find healing in body and soul.

What we celebrate today is that Mary, from the very first moment of her existence, was free from any taint of original sin. She was free from that tendency to evil with which we are all born into this world. Not only was she immaculate in her conception, but she remained faithful and immaculate to God to the end of her earthly life.

On this solemn feast, let us thank God for the gift of our Blessed Mother Mary. We ourselves have been far from immaculately conceived and are aware of both the sins we have committed: the tendencies, desires and cravings which drive us away from God and bring us into conflict with our brothers and sisters. Let us pray to our Mother Mary to be with us. May she closely guide us and protect us in our faith journey. Finally, we ask her to help us respond as generously to God’s call as she did and to be as faithful a disciple of her Son as she was. 

“Mary Immaculate, thank you for your generous response to God’s call that was instrumental to our salvation. Pray for us all who have recourse to thee. Amen.”

an Advent video... Prepare the way for Christ!

 

Busted Halo's two-minute video giving 'tips' on how we can meaningfully celebrate Advent... 

Watch and, ... let us prepare well to welcome Christ this Christmas!

...mirror of God's goodness

"By this everyone will know 
that you are my disciples, 
if you love one another.” 
- John 13:35 (NIV)

Went out for an errand to a drugstore. While waiting, I took the chance to ask for directions to a place I still have to go... Warm smiles were on the faces of the assisting clerks as one kindly gave the direction. However, still yet not too confident of the directions received, a clerk sensing my uncertainty gently whispered: Sister, I will show you where it is. I am coming with you.

I was so touched by this concrete experience of God's goodness mirrored by an-other. I feel grateful. I am happy. God touches in ways we least expect. We just have to open our eyes to see and perceive his Presence concretely manifest in all, in everything.

Choices... mercy and gratitude...

Each new day most often starts well.
People and situations, then, present choices:
to be patient or give in to impatience;
to be generous or to limit one's giving;
to be positive or give in to negativism;
to be honestly 'true' or show a 'masked-made' self... etc...

At day's end, before the Creator- God, the lips silently confess:
My flesh and my heart may fail, but you, O God, is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
(cf. Psalm 73:26)

Dear God, thank you for your presence throughout the day.
Thank you for your sustaining grace. Amen.