FORMED BY THE SPIRIT

The twelve apostles that our Lord gathered to himself were very individualistic. They were very much like the hydrogen and phosphates and sulphur in a laboratory. In fact we have in the laboratory all the chemicals that enter into the constitution of a baby.

Why can we not make a baby?

Because we lack the vivifying, unifying power which is the ‘soul’. So the apostles, disparate, disconnected, disjointed, could not form this body of Christ. It could be formed only by Christ and His Spirit in them. And as through the physical body of our Lord, it was God who taught, it was God who covered, it was God who sanctified.

Through The Year With Fulton Sheen

LIBERATION

Mary could teach us about ‘liberation’. Liberation is not only from something, but for something. There was another woman who lived at the same time as the Blessed Mother who believed in the wrong kind of liberation, and that was Herodias.  

She believed first of all in liberation from a husband, so she could have as many men as she wanted, Secondly, she did not believe in moral training for her children, for she taught her daughter to be a temptress. Thirdly, she hated religion, because she beheaded John the Baptist.

Now, that’s not the kind of ‘liberation’ that our Blessed Mother stood for.

Through the Year with Fulton Sheen

A Child's Kisses The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight, and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." He was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. He yelled at her, "Don't you know when you give someone a present, there's supposed to be something inside it?" The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it's not empty, I blew kisses into the box. All for you, Daddy." The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness. An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the man kept that gold box by his bed for many years, and whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

GOD  IS  NEVER  WRONG

A king who did not believe in the goodness of God, had a slave who, in all circumstances, said: My king, do not be discouraged, because everything God does is perfect, no mistakes! One day they went hunting and along the way a wild animal attacked the king. His slave managed to kill the animal, but could not prevent his majesty losing a finger.

Furious and without showing his gratitude for being saved, the nobleman said "Is God good? If He was good, I would not have been attacked and lost my finger." The slave replied: "My king, despite all these things, I can only tell you that God is good, and he knows "why" of all these things. What God does is perfect. He is never wrong!" Outraged by the response, the king ordered the arrest of his slave.

Later, he left for another hunt and was captured by savages who made human sacrifices. On the altar, ready to sacrifice the nobleman, the savages found that the victim was missing one of his fingers, so he was released. According to them, he was not complete to be offered to the gods.

Upon his return to the palace, he authorized the release of his slave that he received very affectionately. "My dear, God was really good to me! I was almost killed by the wild men, but for lack of a single finger, I was let go! But I have a question: if God is so good, why did he allow me to put you in jail?"

"My King, if I had gone with you in this hunt, I would have been sacrificed for you, because I have no missing finger, therefore, remember everything God does is perfect. He is never wrong."

Often we complain about life, and negative things that happen to us, forgetting that nothing is random and that everything has a purpose. Every morning, offer your day to God, don't be in a rush. Ask God to inspire your thoughts, guide your actions, and ease your feelings. And do not be afraid. God is never wrong!

You know why this message is for you? I do not know, but God knows, because he never makes mistakes....... The path of God and his word is perfect, without impurities. He is the way of all those who trust in Him.

A  KISS  TOO  LATE … A  TRIBUTE  TO  MY  DEAR  DAD 

Dear Dad, though long years have passed, I can still recall your walking back home from work; tired, looking too old for your fifty five odd years. Then you seemed to have had trouble with your breathing, trudging uphill to reach home.

You had rendered yourself into a cog wheel in the huge grinding machine of life. Always the same routine, day in day out, year after year. I can still picture you arriving home. You stop, and press the door bell.

On entering home, my younger brother and sister used to rush to you, to greet you; throwing their arms around your neck and welcoming you with kisses. THEY, used to shower you with kisses.

Then the sudden change, the miracle takes place; you become a new person, a different man from the one I had seen minutes before walking up the pensive hill.  The cog-wheel becomes alive; you are transformed into a new creature, full of life and smiles.

How often I wished to imitate my younger siblings; to embrace you and give you kisses. But, I was growing up, Dad, I thought you would realise; I was becoming a young man … and I started feeling aloof through shyness or, I don’t know … maybe,  that’s the way, I used to think, ‘men’ behave.

Today, I cry and pity myself for not behaving as I always wished to. Too late now, you are not with us anymore. Today I am a father, myself, I know what it means to be a Dad, how it feels to be greeted warmly and lovingly by your children.

With these thoughts in my mind, I re-live my childhood days; remembering your sleepless nights, Dad, your concern when I was sick or ill in bed, the endless hours to help me out with my studies, your round the clock work to make ends meet. I still recall your heroic gesture of love; bringing back home in the evening your packed lunch of some sandwiches. Yes, you would bring them back, not because you were not hungry, no, but to share them with your children six. No money could buy food in war-time days.

I can still hear, and appreciate your golden tenor voice singing to Mum, her favourite Irish song, ‘The Rose of Tralee’. I refresh these memories listening to John MacCormack singing, and still can’t distinguish between John and Patrick.

I thank you, Dad, for on your departing from this life, you left behind a treasure chest; you left behind you a priceless treasure, that no money can buy.  You instilled into our hearts the love for God and neighbours. Thank you Dad, for you have invested wisely, in wealth that no moth, no rust and no age can destroy.

I still long for you, I miss you badly. Only one regret I harbour still; the fact that I may not be the man you dreamt that I should be, certainly, not as good as you were . The last time I saw you, Dad, was when, after a short illness, you were called by your Lover on St.Valentine’s Day. Lovers have a curious way of contacting each other and making appointments.

I remember on your last Monday you asked me: ‘What feast is next Wednesday?’ I automatically answered: ‘Why, Dad, it’s St.Valentine’s Day, it’s lovers day.’ I was not curious to know why he had asked the question. But on the following Wednesday I knew the answer, just as I had feared.

You breathed your last on that Wednesday. Your ruddy face was still smiling, I approached your forehead covered in white hairs and … gave you … a kiss. That reminded me of  St.Augustine on his coversion when he confessed: “Late have I found Thee.” Likewise I said: “Dad, late have I kissed you, Dad.”

You know, Dad, I always loved you, maybe I never showed it, and I used to suffer much whenever I used to see you in a pensive and sad mood. I always loved you, still love you and keep loving you till the day we meet  … then I shall declare it: ”Dad, I love you.”

Do ask God Almighty to keep blessing us. Hope to meet you soon.

SWEET  MEMORIES

Rummaging through an old bookcase I came across a small notebook covered in deep green cloth. The cover itself triggered old memories, but on opening this notebook I felt transported in the years to some thirty or forty odd years, when I was still in my prime. This green notebook was my personal ‘Prayer Book’. In it I used to write down all Spiritual Thoughts that came to my head, Favourite Prayers and Quotations. These were the Prayers I used to recite every single day.  I would like to share them with you.

“Most merciful Father, I beseech Thee, through the merits of the Passion and death of Your Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, quicken Your Holy Spirit abiding in us to enlighten us and make us one with the Blessed Trinity.” Amen                                                                               This was one of the first Prayers I composed, years back.   

“The child in the womb of God means, peace in the midst of storms, security amid the trials of life, light in the darkness, hope in the face of death.”
“”O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth. When I look at the heavens, the work of Thy fingers; the stars, the moon, which Thou hast created. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth.”                     Psalm 8: 1, 3, 4.

“Father, I abandon myself to you, do with me as you will. Whatever you may do with me, I thank you. I am prepared for everything, I accept everything, provided your will is fulfilled in me, and in all creatures.                                               I ask for nothing more, my God, I place my soul in your hands, I give it to you, my God, with all the love of my heart, because I love you. And so I need to give myself , to place myself in your hands without reserve, in boundless confidence, because you are my Father.”                                                                                    Charles de Foucauld

“All highest, glorious God, cast your light into the darkness of my heart. Give me right faith, firm hope, perfect charity and profound humility with wisdom and perception, O Lord, so that I may do what is truly your holy Will.”

Prayer for Generosity
Lord, teach me to be generous, to serve you as you deserve, to give and not to count the costs, to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labour and not ask for reward, except to know, that I am doing your holy will.                                                                                                     Ignatius of  Loyola

“Lord Jesus,Christ, have mercy on me.”    Constant Interior Prayer.

“Jesus, lift up my anxieties, mould my mind and character, according to your will, make me see things as you do.”

The Devil Tries His Hand!

SOME of the best known miracles of St. Anthony took place in France. At St. Junien in Limoges Anthony was once preaching on an improvised platform in the town square. But before he began his sermon, Anthony paused for a moment to warn his audience, "Whilst I am speaking to you, the devil will cause this platform to collapse. But no one will be injured."

The sermon had hardly begun when Anthony's prediction was fulfilled. With a splintering crash the platform collapsed. Undaunted by his rather embarrassing tumble, Anthony picked himself up, brushed the dirt off his habit, and went on with his sermon. Satan would have to do a great deal more than this to prevent a zealous Franciscan like Anthony of Padua from preaching the word.

Even Without Her Asking!

A CERTAIN woman of Limoges had planned to hear St. Anthony preach. In her rush to finish the housework she failed to notice what time it was. A neighbor passed by and told her to hurry. Quite foolishly, the woman rushed out of the house, leaving her infant son playing on the floor near the fireplace on which stood a pot of boiling water.

When the sermon was over and the mother had come home, she stopped at the door in utter horror. Her little one was inside the steaming caldron. Her terror turned to joy when she came closer. The baby was standing in the water, laughing and having a grand time. He was not the least bit harmed. Then the careless mother knew that the safety of her child had been assured through the intercession of St. Anthony. The mother's desire to hear the word of God had saved her from being punished as she might have deserved.