Did anyone read the last book of the Chronicles of Narnia? I remember vaguely, somewhere in the last few chapters, CS Lewis mentioned that when they entered the new world, everything seemed the same just much brighter and fuller in colour. As if their whole lives the were looking through a veil.
I was reminded of this because this morning I was heading to my brother's room to study at his table. His room faces the East where the sun rises. His windows (those with the tainted sunex thingy) were closed. From inside the room, it seemed like the sky was dull and it looked as if it would rain in the afternoon. Anws, I opened the windows n man, was I blinded! It was super duper bright outside la! Those are some powerfully tainted sunex..Oh and plus after I opened those windows, there were sunbirds singing! (Felt like a fairy tale..I should have started singing and then those birds could help me with my housework haha!)
Then it came to my mind that if i took this as an analogy,life could seem so dull and sad here on earth if our mind was wrapped with worries, unhappiness and sin. If only that veil of darkness could be taken away, we could have such a different approach to life.
I guess that's what He was trying to point out to me, caz during my exam periods I am totally drapped with this veil of darkness haha!You should understand what I mean if you saw me.. I am filled with frustration, worries, not forgetting how grouchy I can get =p
I was ever told by frens "how can you let exams get to you like that? Is it worth causing everyone around you to be miserable as you are just over that dumb exam?" Well, easy for her to say, wait till its her exam haha! But true true I get her point, its not worth. I've been trying to be less miserable...if you saw me last year during an exam period..I dun think you would want to see me at all haha! This year, I'm not that grouchy..just looking stressed =p
To everyone out there who feels like they got a dark (dun mention heavy) veil over you, I challenge you to take a more optimistic approach to life together with me =) Stop looking at the problem and work on the solution WITH JOY (not frustration, anger, complains and all those curses haha!)
Love,
Fran
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Be Careful!
Another nice story that I wana share =) from Our Daily Bread, Reflections for the New Year (20 Jan)
Several Years ago my wife Carolyn and I were hiking on Mount Rainier in Washington when we came to a swollen, glacial stream. Someone had flattened one side of a log and dropped it across the river to form a crude bridge, but there was no handrail and the log was slippery.
The prospect of walking on the wet log was frightening, and Carolyn didn't want to cross. But she found the courage, and slowly, carefully she inched her way to the other side.
On the way back we had to walk on the same log, and she did so with the same care. "Are you afraid?" I asked. "Of course!" she replied, "That's what keeps me safe." Again, fully aware of the danger, she made her way to safety.
Much of life poses moral danger for us. We should never assume in any situation that we're incapable of falling. "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" 1 Corinthians 10:12. Given the opportunity and circumstances, any of us are capable of falling into any sin. To believe otherwise is sheer folly.
We must watch and pray and arm ourselves for every occasion by putting our total trust in God (Ephesians 6:13). "God is faithful" (1Corinthians 10:13), and He will give us the strength to keep from falling.
Fran =p
Several Years ago my wife Carolyn and I were hiking on Mount Rainier in Washington when we came to a swollen, glacial stream. Someone had flattened one side of a log and dropped it across the river to form a crude bridge, but there was no handrail and the log was slippery.
The prospect of walking on the wet log was frightening, and Carolyn didn't want to cross. But she found the courage, and slowly, carefully she inched her way to the other side.
On the way back we had to walk on the same log, and she did so with the same care. "Are you afraid?" I asked. "Of course!" she replied, "That's what keeps me safe." Again, fully aware of the danger, she made her way to safety.
Much of life poses moral danger for us. We should never assume in any situation that we're incapable of falling. "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" 1 Corinthians 10:12. Given the opportunity and circumstances, any of us are capable of falling into any sin. To believe otherwise is sheer folly.
We must watch and pray and arm ourselves for every occasion by putting our total trust in God (Ephesians 6:13). "God is faithful" (1Corinthians 10:13), and He will give us the strength to keep from falling.
Fran =p
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Why Go to Church?
Taken from Our Daily Bread Reflections for the New Year
In a letter to the editor of a British newspaper, a man complained that he saw no sense in going to church every Sunday. "I have been attending services quite regularly for the past 30 years" he wrote, "and during that time...I have listened to no less than 3000 sermons. But to my consternation, I discover I cannot remember a single one of them. I wonder if a minister's time might be more profitable spent on something else."
That letter sparked many responses. One, however, was the clincher: "I have been married for 30 years. During that time I have eaten 32 850 meals - mostly of my wife;s cooking. Suddenly I have discovered that I canoot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet, I received nourishment from every one of them. I have the distinct impression that without them I would have starved to death long ago."
The Bible assumes the importance of going to church, and the only admonition to do so appears in the context of the danger of forsaking the practice (Hebrews 10:25). We need help to keep our faith and hope from wavering (v.23), and to love and do good works (v.24). Just as physical food keeps us alive and strong, so alsot he spiritual nourishment of teaching and fellowship are necessary for our survival.
Hebrews 10:24-25
Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works. Do not absent yourself from your own assemblies, as some do, but encourage each other; the more so as you see the Day drawing near.
-Fran- =)Just tot this was very interesting n wanted to share it!=)
In a letter to the editor of a British newspaper, a man complained that he saw no sense in going to church every Sunday. "I have been attending services quite regularly for the past 30 years" he wrote, "and during that time...I have listened to no less than 3000 sermons. But to my consternation, I discover I cannot remember a single one of them. I wonder if a minister's time might be more profitable spent on something else."
That letter sparked many responses. One, however, was the clincher: "I have been married for 30 years. During that time I have eaten 32 850 meals - mostly of my wife;s cooking. Suddenly I have discovered that I canoot remember the menu of a single meal. And yet, I received nourishment from every one of them. I have the distinct impression that without them I would have starved to death long ago."
The Bible assumes the importance of going to church, and the only admonition to do so appears in the context of the danger of forsaking the practice (Hebrews 10:25). We need help to keep our faith and hope from wavering (v.23), and to love and do good works (v.24). Just as physical food keeps us alive and strong, so alsot he spiritual nourishment of teaching and fellowship are necessary for our survival.
Hebrews 10:24-25
Let us be concerned for each other, to stir a response in love and good works. Do not absent yourself from your own assemblies, as some do, but encourage each other; the more so as you see the Day drawing near.
-Fran- =)Just tot this was very interesting n wanted to share it!=)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Dance of Guidance
I received a beautiful email on guidance. Here it is =)
G U I D A N C E
***************
Dancing With God
When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.
God bless
Ben
G U I D A N C E
***************
Dancing With God
When I meditated on the word Guidance, I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.
I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.
When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.
The movement doesn't flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.
When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music.
One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing Lightly in one direction or another.
It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.
The dance takes surrender, willingness, and attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other.
My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G": I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i". "God, "u" and "i" dance." God, you, and I dance.
As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust that I would get guidance about my life.
Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings and mercies are upon you on this day and everyday. May you abide in God, as God abides in you.
Dance together with God, trusting God to lead and to guide you through each season of your life.
God bless
Ben
The Breath of Life
Just something interesting that I read. (:
Catholics believe the things of creation are a testament to God’s word. Any physical thing I do — the scratching of my pen across this paper — is God speaking to me.
One gateway to this sense of the sacredness of physical things is our breathing. We are sometimes conscious of our heartbeats but rarely of our breathing. Just as we breathe, unaware, so God works in human lives. Without conscious thought we inhale and exhale. From the slap after birth that got us started until the last dying breath, all is done for us.
Life is God’s gift.
We so often think that God lives “up there” or “out there,” overlooking the presence of God “in here.” We may seek God by seeing, hearing, feeling, and especially breathing.
Genesis tells us,“Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.”
Breathing, an intimate and holy physical action, is a perfect symbol of God’s presence — quietly at work, always here, keeping us alive. God’s place within me is like that rising breath. The power that lies in breathing is a constant reminder that God is always quietly present.
Like all else, breathing is a gift that requires thanksgiving. Without it, I die physically; without God’s tender loving breath, I die spiritually.
Passage after passage in the Bible suggests that attention to breathing is one of the best ways to listen to God. Samuel responded to the whisper of his name in the night, saying, “Here am I.” God’s grace is in the breath that formed us as living souls and created our own breath, through which we can learn to feel God’s presence. “Breathe on me, oh breath of God,” a 19th century hymnist wrote.
St. Ignatius of Loyola wrote, “For it is not knowing a great deal that satiates and satisfies the soul, but feeling and savoring things intimately.” God breathes quietly these days, at times so softly it is hard to hear above the noise of our world. We have to be utterly quiet in order to hear the still, small voice of the All in All.
One of the most difficult things to learn in the spiritual search is this need for doing nothing, of merely being. We are all made in God's image — our true selves exist deep within and require only the gentlest uncovering.
The atmosphere is charged with God's presence. Inhale God as you inhale the air.
Breathing expresses the presence of God, and we must seek God in silence, in the everyday, in the way our breathing goes on moment by moment, hour by hour, decade by decade.
In our busy lives, it seems impossible to follow the directive, "Be still and know that I am God."
Cheers, angele
Thursday, January 08, 2009
What has shit got to do with anything? from an Environmental Engineer's perspective
Hi everyone! I’m here to share a Franciscan moment I had the other day. A Franciscan moment means something like a light bulb moment which suddenly occurs to you and which is relevant to our faith =)
I am an environmental engineer and part of what I learn is dealing with shit. Not the shit that comes from your boss, or work, or demanding and mean people you serve, I do mean the shit that comes from your backside, literally. I know some of you might be turned off at this point, it’s true not many people are enamoured about shit, can’t blame you but if you’re interested to hear what I have to say, read on! haha =p
Ever wonder where all that shit flushed down the toilet goes? There are a few ways to deal with wastewater.
1. The most heck care way is just to dump it into the river or sea. In which case it’ll kill all the fish there, stink the place to hell, and generally make everyone in the surrounding area sick and depressed.
2. The next way is to filter out whatever shit you can from the water with primitive means, leave it to dry a bit and then burn all of it in a fire. In which case, most of the time the air gets quite polluted and you become a contributor to global warming.
3. The last way is to send it to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In the treatment process at a WWTP, the wastewater is poured into a large basin where bacteria are allowed to consume most of the shit. After a few days, the sludge (this term refers to the bacteria and remaining waste left) will collect at the bottom of the tank and can be removed.
The sludge is then put into a digester where the shit is allowed to digest further to produce methane gas (which is a good fuel for burning). After the digestion is finished, what is left is a lump of black stuff, which can then be used to make fertilizer for your plants and crops. Tada!
What occurred to me and I want to share with you today is this. Sometimes, life can be quite shitty. Your school, your work, your relationships, your social life, and many other things can be very tough and get you down. But while life may seem unfair, there are a few ways you can deal with it.
1. The most heck care way is not to do anything about your problems. Just dump them by the roadside and hope someone else will come along to clear your rubbish for you. More likely, your problems will kill your relationships, grow stinker each day, and make your life more miserable than ever.
2. The next way is to try and siam your problems and take the quick way out. Try and filter through them as fast as possible, if an opportunity comes to pass the problem on to someone else, do it. If you see a quick fix method use it, don’t worry that it contributes to a bigger problem elsewhere, that’s for other people to deal with.
3. Lastly, you could look through your problems and sort them out in a careful and meticulous way, and send them to a ‘what would Jesus do’ facility (WWJD). In the treatment process at a WWJD, the shitty problems are poured into the lap of God in prayer. ‘Come to me all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11:28.
Your guardian angel helps you sort out the various problems and carries them to God. One by one the problems are consumed by the love of God. ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ John 16:33.
After a few days, the whirlpool of feelings of guilt, despair, anger and loneliness settle to the bottom of your heart and can be removed. ‘Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my saviour and my God.’ Psalm 42:11
They can then be put into a thought digester, where you reflect on what went wrong in your life, what caused you to feel so shitty, how God was with you all those times; the things you learnt through those shitty circumstances, what you gained from them and how they helped you improve yourself, how can you proceed on from here and tackle your problems with trust in God. Suddenly when the digestion is complete, a shining gold mass remains, purified and ready to be a fertilizer in other people’s lives. Tada! ‘But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.’ Job 23:10
Moral of the Story: Not all shit needs to remain as shit, consult with God and He will be able to transform it into nourishment for you =)
This reflection is dedicated to God and Fran, both of whom inspired it out of nowhere haha! Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this piece as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
Love,
Ben
I am an environmental engineer and part of what I learn is dealing with shit. Not the shit that comes from your boss, or work, or demanding and mean people you serve, I do mean the shit that comes from your backside, literally. I know some of you might be turned off at this point, it’s true not many people are enamoured about shit, can’t blame you but if you’re interested to hear what I have to say, read on! haha =p
Ever wonder where all that shit flushed down the toilet goes? There are a few ways to deal with wastewater.
1. The most heck care way is just to dump it into the river or sea. In which case it’ll kill all the fish there, stink the place to hell, and generally make everyone in the surrounding area sick and depressed.
2. The next way is to filter out whatever shit you can from the water with primitive means, leave it to dry a bit and then burn all of it in a fire. In which case, most of the time the air gets quite polluted and you become a contributor to global warming.
3. The last way is to send it to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In the treatment process at a WWTP, the wastewater is poured into a large basin where bacteria are allowed to consume most of the shit. After a few days, the sludge (this term refers to the bacteria and remaining waste left) will collect at the bottom of the tank and can be removed.
The sludge is then put into a digester where the shit is allowed to digest further to produce methane gas (which is a good fuel for burning). After the digestion is finished, what is left is a lump of black stuff, which can then be used to make fertilizer for your plants and crops. Tada!
What occurred to me and I want to share with you today is this. Sometimes, life can be quite shitty. Your school, your work, your relationships, your social life, and many other things can be very tough and get you down. But while life may seem unfair, there are a few ways you can deal with it.
1. The most heck care way is not to do anything about your problems. Just dump them by the roadside and hope someone else will come along to clear your rubbish for you. More likely, your problems will kill your relationships, grow stinker each day, and make your life more miserable than ever.
2. The next way is to try and siam your problems and take the quick way out. Try and filter through them as fast as possible, if an opportunity comes to pass the problem on to someone else, do it. If you see a quick fix method use it, don’t worry that it contributes to a bigger problem elsewhere, that’s for other people to deal with.
3. Lastly, you could look through your problems and sort them out in a careful and meticulous way, and send them to a ‘what would Jesus do’ facility (WWJD). In the treatment process at a WWJD, the shitty problems are poured into the lap of God in prayer. ‘Come to me all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest.’ Matthew 11:28.
Your guardian angel helps you sort out the various problems and carries them to God. One by one the problems are consumed by the love of God. ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’ John 16:33.
After a few days, the whirlpool of feelings of guilt, despair, anger and loneliness settle to the bottom of your heart and can be removed. ‘Why am I so sad? Why am I so troubled? I will put my hope in God, and once again I will praise him, my saviour and my God.’ Psalm 42:11
They can then be put into a thought digester, where you reflect on what went wrong in your life, what caused you to feel so shitty, how God was with you all those times; the things you learnt through those shitty circumstances, what you gained from them and how they helped you improve yourself, how can you proceed on from here and tackle your problems with trust in God. Suddenly when the digestion is complete, a shining gold mass remains, purified and ready to be a fertilizer in other people’s lives. Tada! ‘But He knows the way I take; when He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.’ Job 23:10
Moral of the Story: Not all shit needs to remain as shit, consult with God and He will be able to transform it into nourishment for you =)
This reflection is dedicated to God and Fran, both of whom inspired it out of nowhere haha! Hope you’ve enjoyed reading this piece as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.
Love,
Ben
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Epiphany! & Day of Recollection for catechists
Something occurred to me while reflecting on Sunday’s readings on the feast of the Epiphany. Ever wondered how gift-giving got its roots during Christmas? I’m guessing it probably started cos of the 3 Magi haha. But guess what? The biggest gift at Christmas was actually given by God, His only Son Jesus. ‘God became Man’ and the everlasting effect of that present is eternal life for all of us.
Essentially that was Fr Erbin’s message for all of us at an inspiring ‘Day of Recollection’ for the QoP and St Mike’s catechists, ‘God became Man’.
As volunteer workers in church, we encounter difficulties all the time. We face rejections and disappointments; we have to put up with unresponsiveness, inactivity or lack of appreciation from the people we serve; sometimes we also start questioning whether what we’re doing is the right thing for us. As doubts and fears increase in us, our hopes slowly disappoint.
How true this is for me. Many times after class, I always have nagging worries assailing me.
‘Did I talk too much today?’ ‘How come some of the kids looked so sian when we did the activities?’ ‘I think I’m such a failure and so unqualified to teach’ ‘I feel like I have to live up to so many people’s expectations, my students, my facilitators, my big boss JC’ ‘Ah, it’s so tiring being a teacher and preparing for classes, I just want to give it up.’ Adapted from Chronicles of the Agonies of a Catechist by Ben =)
But there is a hope that does not disappoint. Our faith is unique because ‘God became Man’ for us, and this is a hope and a promise that can never be broken. ‘Man will live forever more, because of Christmas day’. There’s the reason for our hope. God has already come to us and showed us the way to eternal happiness. The big HOPE comes from God, not from the circumstances in the world around us.
Have you fallen in love before? Isn’t it a wonderful feeling? God became Man cos he fell in love with us since the very first day he created us, and he’s never stopped loving us. All of us must have fallen in love with God at some point in our lives too. Or we won’t be still in church, and helping others to love God too.
Sometimes when troubles come, and our hopes look dim, it’s time for us to reignite the flames of love. ‘Fan the gift of faith into a flame’ as St Paul would say. Rediscover the first love that we had for God, remember the feeling that we had when we first fell in love. Be intimate with God; pray and dialogue with him and we can revive the hope in us. Let our hearts of stone become flesh once more. When we have done that, we are ready to be catechists again.
Our job as catechists is to ‘Awaken the Heart of a young person to Jesus’. We need to be witnesses, more than just teachers. Jesus was a great teacher some may say, but his unconditional love was witnessed in the end through dying on the cross for us. Before anyone listens to what we have to say, they like to see how we act first. Therefore, our love for God must inflame us like the seraphim. When our kids see that, they will also want to follow and love God of their own accord.
This is not only true for catechists but for every baptized catholic on Earth. When we work on our love for God, we’ll always influence those around us to love Him too. There would be less wars, less hatred, more love, more peace in the world.
At the altar of the mass, the love of Jesus transforms the bread and wine into his body and blood. At the altar of marriage, the love of Jesus transforms the man and woman into one body. At the ‘altar’ of the catechist’s classroom, the love of Jesus transforms hearts of stone into hearts of love.
Blessed Saviour, source of all life,
We are beginning a new calendar year,
And it offers me a chance to begin anew with those I teach.
My New Year’s resolution is
To be a more enthusiastic catechist.
But how can I carry through?
What can I possibly say or do
To make the time worthwhile
For the children you have placed in my care?
Warm me up, please,
With the fire of your presence.
Touch my reluctant heart
And be with me as I try
To touch the hearts of your ‘little ones’
With my own joy and enthusiasm.
With you, dear savior
I can do all things.
Without you I can do nothing.
Come along with me to every class
And be our ‘unseen guest’,
The one who lights the way
For the children and me
With great joy and enthusiasm.
Amen.
Taken from ‘A Prayerbook for Catechists’
Hope this is fruitful read for you =p
Love,
Ben
Essentially that was Fr Erbin’s message for all of us at an inspiring ‘Day of Recollection’ for the QoP and St Mike’s catechists, ‘God became Man’.
As volunteer workers in church, we encounter difficulties all the time. We face rejections and disappointments; we have to put up with unresponsiveness, inactivity or lack of appreciation from the people we serve; sometimes we also start questioning whether what we’re doing is the right thing for us. As doubts and fears increase in us, our hopes slowly disappoint.
How true this is for me. Many times after class, I always have nagging worries assailing me.
‘Did I talk too much today?’ ‘How come some of the kids looked so sian when we did the activities?’ ‘I think I’m such a failure and so unqualified to teach’ ‘I feel like I have to live up to so many people’s expectations, my students, my facilitators, my big boss JC’ ‘Ah, it’s so tiring being a teacher and preparing for classes, I just want to give it up.’ Adapted from Chronicles of the Agonies of a Catechist by Ben =)
But there is a hope that does not disappoint. Our faith is unique because ‘God became Man’ for us, and this is a hope and a promise that can never be broken. ‘Man will live forever more, because of Christmas day’. There’s the reason for our hope. God has already come to us and showed us the way to eternal happiness. The big HOPE comes from God, not from the circumstances in the world around us.
Have you fallen in love before? Isn’t it a wonderful feeling? God became Man cos he fell in love with us since the very first day he created us, and he’s never stopped loving us. All of us must have fallen in love with God at some point in our lives too. Or we won’t be still in church, and helping others to love God too.
Sometimes when troubles come, and our hopes look dim, it’s time for us to reignite the flames of love. ‘Fan the gift of faith into a flame’ as St Paul would say. Rediscover the first love that we had for God, remember the feeling that we had when we first fell in love. Be intimate with God; pray and dialogue with him and we can revive the hope in us. Let our hearts of stone become flesh once more. When we have done that, we are ready to be catechists again.
Our job as catechists is to ‘Awaken the Heart of a young person to Jesus’. We need to be witnesses, more than just teachers. Jesus was a great teacher some may say, but his unconditional love was witnessed in the end through dying on the cross for us. Before anyone listens to what we have to say, they like to see how we act first. Therefore, our love for God must inflame us like the seraphim. When our kids see that, they will also want to follow and love God of their own accord.
This is not only true for catechists but for every baptized catholic on Earth. When we work on our love for God, we’ll always influence those around us to love Him too. There would be less wars, less hatred, more love, more peace in the world.
At the altar of the mass, the love of Jesus transforms the bread and wine into his body and blood. At the altar of marriage, the love of Jesus transforms the man and woman into one body. At the ‘altar’ of the catechist’s classroom, the love of Jesus transforms hearts of stone into hearts of love.
Blessed Saviour, source of all life,
We are beginning a new calendar year,
And it offers me a chance to begin anew with those I teach.
My New Year’s resolution is
To be a more enthusiastic catechist.
But how can I carry through?
What can I possibly say or do
To make the time worthwhile
For the children you have placed in my care?
Warm me up, please,
With the fire of your presence.
Touch my reluctant heart
And be with me as I try
To touch the hearts of your ‘little ones’
With my own joy and enthusiasm.
With you, dear savior
I can do all things.
Without you I can do nothing.
Come along with me to every class
And be our ‘unseen guest’,
The one who lights the way
For the children and me
With great joy and enthusiasm.
Amen.
Taken from ‘A Prayerbook for Catechists’
Hope this is fruitful read for you =p
Love,
Ben
Friday, January 02, 2009
Things I learnt over the New Year
Just wana share with everyone 2 valuable things I learnt =)
I attended Mass at olps on New Year and the Bishop was reading the Pope's msg to us. What I got from it was that to bring peace to the World, let us do it by helping the poor develop..or something along those lines =p Not just those financially poor, those poor in character, poor in faith...
The other thing I learnt was from the visitors and my Dad on New Year's Eve...To work as if it was a service to God. I used to imagine how dreadful work could be..seeing sick pple, dying pple, annoying pple...all those paper work, politics n all...how could one ever even think of staying a second over time at such a horrid place called work! So now I c...now I understand. To truly care for every person I would meet..that would make my day's work a joyous miracle. I hope I would be able to do that when i start work next time. As for now...I gotta study hard for all those pple I need to care for in the future =p
Fran
I attended Mass at olps on New Year and the Bishop was reading the Pope's msg to us. What I got from it was that to bring peace to the World, let us do it by helping the poor develop..or something along those lines =p Not just those financially poor, those poor in character, poor in faith...
The other thing I learnt was from the visitors and my Dad on New Year's Eve...To work as if it was a service to God. I used to imagine how dreadful work could be..seeing sick pple, dying pple, annoying pple...all those paper work, politics n all...how could one ever even think of staying a second over time at such a horrid place called work! So now I c...now I understand. To truly care for every person I would meet..that would make my day's work a joyous miracle. I hope I would be able to do that when i start work next time. As for now...I gotta study hard for all those pple I need to care for in the future =p
Fran
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