ALL THAT WE LOVE BECOME A PART OF US

What we once enjoyed we can never lose -

ALL THAT WE LOVE 

BECOME A PART OF US!

-Helen Keller-



I cannot cause light!

"You are the light of the world....
Your light must shine before others
so that they may see your good acts
and give praise to your Abba in heaven."
Matthew 5:14-16

"I cannot cause light.

The most I can do is

to put myself

in the path of its beam."

-Anne Dillard-

"A ROOT SHALL COME FROM THE STUMP OF JESSE AND A BRANCH SHALL GROW OUT FROM ITS ROOTS"

"A root shall come from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of its roots,

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of the knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord."  - Isaiah 11:1-3

CHRIST'S COMING 

IN THE MIDST OF OUR BROKEN WORLD

AS WE CELEBRATE THE ADVENT SEASON

I am reminded of powerful words of the late Henri Nouwen 

from"Gracias! A Latin American Journal" that have always helped me focus my attention 

on the what is really the heart of the liturgical season.

"I keep expecting loud and impressive events

to convince me and others of God saving power...

Our temptation is to be distracted by them...

When I have no eyes for the small signs

of God's presence - the smile of a baby,

the carefree play of children, the words

of encouragement and gestures of love

offered by friends - I will always

remain tempted to despair.

The small child of Bethlehem, the unknown

man of Nazareth, the rejected preacher,

the naked man on the cross,

he asks for my attention.

The work of our salvation takes place

in a world that continues to shout,

scream, and overwhelm us with

its claims and promises."

AS WE MOVE ON TO THE ADVENT WEEKS,

MAY OUR EYES AND MINDS BE SHIELDED 

FROM THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF EMPTY PROMISES AROUND US.

RATHER, MAY OUR HEARTS BE FOCUSED 

ON THE PROMISE OF GENUINE HOPE AND LIFE 

 FROM A LOVING AND COMPASSIONATE GOD,

 WHO CHOSE TO BE BORN IN THE POOR STABLE OF BETHLEHEM

AND WHO CHOSE TO DWELL AND LIVE WITH US 

IN OUR BROKEN WORLD!

LET US OPEN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS

AND BE PREPARED FOR HIS COMING!

HOPE

HOPE is the thing with feathers 
that perches in the soul and sings the tune without words

and never stops at all!

-Emily Dickenson- 

May we never lose hope 
despite the pains, difficulties and struggles
that we might encountered in our lives!
Let us always trust in our abiding stronghold,
in our God-Who-Is-Always-With-Us...

GOD'S SEEMING ABSENCE AS GOD'S PROFOUND PRESENCE

"Dark Night of the Soul" is a profound feeling of God's seeming silence
and distance to everything that craves for deeper union with God

I have experienced the "Absence of God" so  profoundly

and that this "negation" has gradually became 
God's New Presence in my Life! 
May God be Praised!

EVER PRESENT GOD, 
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME 
THAT YOU ARE THE GOD OF DARKNESS AS WELL.
EVEN IN MY DARKEST MOMENTS, YOU ARE THERE,
SEIZING ME AND LOVING ME.
I PRAY THAT I MAY ALWAYS FIND YOU
IN THOSE MOMENTS 
WHEN I AM UNMOVED TOTHE BEAUTY OF CREATION, WHEN I AM FROZEN TO THE LOVE OF COMMUNITY, WHEN I AM OBLIVIOUS OF YOUR ABIDING PRESENCE. AMEN.

You made the night your cloak,
you covered yourself in a canopy of storm clouds.
Psalm 18:11

You are the Light of my Life

"Yes, You are the Light of my life;

You shine through my darkness.

Yes, with you I can do all things;

and my spirit soars like an eagle.

Your way lead to wholeness,

O LOVING PRESENCE;

Your Word in me is Life;

How tenderly You live in my heart!"

Psalm 18

-Nan Merril, Psalms for the Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness

GOD'S GRACE DURING OUR DEEPEST NEEDS

GOD'S GRACE IN TIME OF OUR DEEPEST NEED

"There are so many ways that we feel God's tender touch in our lives,

but it is in time of loss that we discover the deepest meaning

of His tenderness" - Roy Lessin

In whatever difficult circumstances we may have found ourselves on our life's journey, it is my prayer that we may always find our own meaningful consolations and that we may come out in deeper hope and trust in God!