With the gift of listening

comes 

the gift 

of 

HEALING!

Catherine de Hueck

THANKS FOR BEING THERE FOR ME,
I AM TRULY GRATEFUL!

"When we keep listeing attentively to the voice calling us "BELOVED,"

it beomes possible to live our brokenness...as an opportunity

to purify and deepen that BLESSINGS that rest upon us..." H. Nouwen

"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!

GRATITUDE AND ITS PRACTICE - A REAL LIFE CHALLENGE 

"GRATITUDE as a DISCIPLINE  involves a CONSCIOUS CHOICE.

I CAN CHOOSE TO BE GRATEFUL

even when my emotions and feelings

are steeped in hurt and resentment.

It is amazing how many occassions

present themselves in which we can choose 

gratitude instead of complaint:

I can choose TO BE GRATEFUL when I am criticized,

even when my heart responds in bitterness.

I can choose TO SPEAK OF GOODNESS AND BEAUTY

even when my inner eye still looks for someone

to accuse or something to call ugly.

I can choose TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES THAT FORGIVE

AND TO LOOK AT FACES THAT SMILE,

even when I still hear words of revenge and see grimaces of hatred."

HENRI NOUWEN, The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Story of Homecoming

"Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly; 

teach and admonish another in all wisdom; 

and with gratitude in your hearts 

sing psalms, hymns, and spiriutal songs to God. 

Whatever you do, in words or in deed,

 do everything in the name of Jesus."

Col. 3: 17

 WHO IS OUR GENUINE FRIEND?

Have been reflecting about friends and friendship lately.  I guess, I have come to the point of my developmental years that I am so concerned about what Erick Erickson called "Intimacy Stage," which may be a stage close to late adulthood?  Wow, may be not that far yet, although getting close.  But surely, I have been around and have been to many places and have met some many people that have befriended me and that i have befriended. 

Whether the friendship has been mutually recognized and lived out, I could not tell for sure.  What I know well, is that there is always something pure and powerful about friendship that I have desired to appropriate or write about, much more, that I have longed to embrace, even though I have found, been awed, humbled and transformed by these number of personal friendships. 

I thought, I would like to mention and share the special quotations that have deeply resonated with me and that have come very close to my ideal notion of friendship.  Hopefully, in writing them down, I would have the imagination and the inspiration to express this reality closer to what some theologians have already articulated about and what the mystics have deeply experienced in their lives. That is, God has continually been inviting us to be closer and has always been drawing us to that ultimate level of Intimacy and Oneness with God and with the whole of creation.  

PROFOUND QUOTATIONS ON FRIENDSHIP

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... 

It has no survival value; 
rather it is one of those things 
that give value to survival. 

~ C.S. Lewis

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have,

and one of the best things you can be. 
Douglas Pagels

I went out to find a friend,
But could not find one there,
Then I went out to be a friend,
And there were friends everywhere!

Anonymous

DEEPER PERSONAL FRIENDSHIP PERSPECTIVES  

'Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. 

Don't walk behind me, I may not lead. 

Walk beside me and be my friend.' 

Albert Camus

  'A real friend is one who walks in 

when the rest of the world walks out.' 

Charles Colton 

 "A friend 

is someone who can take both the chaff and the wheat; 

and 

with the breath of kindness remove the chaff."

G. Campbell Morgan 

" If one falls down, his friend can help him up. 

But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

 Many people today know the painful loneliness of having no truly best friends". 

Eccl. 4:10

"Greater love has no one than this, 

that he lay down his life for his friends" 

John 15:13

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. 

Instead, I have called you friends, 

for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" 

John 15:15.

             "The friend who can be silent with us 

in a moment of despair or confusion,

who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement,

who can tolerate not knowing...not healing...not curing

...that is the friend who cares."

 - Henri Nouwen -

A Friend is a Present you give Yourself!

 - Anonymous -

It is my prayer that we may all deeply experience this Loving Mystery that always draw us closer to God in our daily lives.  May God, who continually mold us in his image and likeness, always leave us in awe and wonder as we show more transparency in our relationships with God and with one another!