Just for this Moment
Just for this moment, we are one...
Just for this moment,
my heart is your heart,
my mind is your mind,
my soul is your soul.
Just for this moment, we are one...
Just for this moment,
my worries have vanished
my body is well,
my heart is at peace.
Just for this moment, we are one...
And I open my eyes,
and smile.
Technorati Tags: Hope
A reflection on the Scripture readings for Sunday, April 1, 2007, Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion. This Sunday's readings, as well as those for the rest of Holy week are packed with meaning and rich with wisdom. As I meditated on the readings for this Sunday, my heart concentrated on a "side story," that of Peter denying Jesus three times.
“This man too was with him.” But he denied it saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” “You too are one of them”; but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.” About an hour later, still another insisted, “Assuredly, this man too was with him, for he also is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.” Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
What do you think about when you read this? Poor Peter, lacking courage. That won't happen to me... What would we do if we were in that situation? Would we have the faith and courage to admit we know Jesus? Well, we don't have too work so hard at imagining. How do we react when we face injustices at work, in our community, and in the world? How do we react when others are attacked and injured emotionally? How do we react in the face of poverty, war, sickness, and loneliness? Do we act as if we know Jesus? Or do we act as if saying woman, I don't know what you are talking about." I find this humbling, because I do deny I know Jesus many times a month, not so much by what I do, but by what I fail to do.
It is a long journey. I'm glad God is merciful and that he continues to strengthen us as we journey in our path. Some day most people will be able to say, "He must know Jesus, he must be one of them." We will be recognized by our words and our actions.
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
Scripture reflection on the readings for Sunday, March 4, 2007, second Sunday of Lent. In Luke we read about Jesus going up the mountain with Peter, John, and James. While he was praying, Jesus was transfigured. His faced changed and his clothes became dazzling white. Seeing Jesus in his glory made an impact on them. This is a preview or a tiny taste of what it will be like in heaven. Then, all of us would be transfigured and united. I imagine that the radiant light emanating from all of us out of immense love will all come together as one intensely radiant light. The light of love, the love of God.
Can you imagine experiencing this bit of heaven on Earth? I think some saints and mystics have received a taste of this in their meditations and prayers. An that is exactly the means..., prayer. Last Wednesday we had the penance service in our church and went to confession. What is the answer to sinning less? Living in a life of constant prayer. Living in loving and intense prayer will not only help us sin less, but also radiate the light of Christ to others, and experience the light of Christ in our hearts.
Does it feel overwhelming to live a life or prayer and holiness? We only need to do it for this day..., just for this moment.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation.” Ps. 27, 1
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
Cast your burden on the Lord,
Only lean upon his Word;
You will soon have cause to bless
His eternal faithfulness.
He sustains you by his hand,
He enables you to stand;
Those who Jesus once has loved
From his grace are never moved.
Hymn by Anon
Technorati Tags: Catholic Spiritiality
If
By RUDYARD KIPLING
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run --
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!
Technorati Tags: Accomplish goals and realize dreams
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. I have been looking forward to it so much. I have been very busy lately. We need these different Church seasons to help us reconnect, recommit, and re-engage in our journey of faith. My family and I went to 5:30PM mass. It was a beautiful mass. When it came time to receive our ashes I stood in line like everyone else, feeling peaceful. Then the person put the ashes on my forehead saying "remember that you came from ashes, and to ashes you will return." I was immediately overwhelmed with emotion. This act seemed to have happened in slow motion. The finger on my forehead felt heavy. I felt such love in my heart. I sat down, while tears streamed down from my eyes.
Where did this come from? What does it mean? Is there a deep symbolism for it? What does it say about me and my life? Nothing. It is simply love. I took a step in our journey of Lent. Jesus held my hand and also took a step with me. And so we begin, in Divine love.
Technorati Tags: puppy
Scriptural reflection on the scripture readings for Sunday, January 21, 2007. These readings are so interesting today. We have two men reading from a scroll, thousand of years apart. One man, Ezra, reads as the people celebrate a new beginning. After many years in exile, a group of devout Jews are set free and able to return to their land for the difficult task of rebuilding their city and their community. Another man, Jesus, also reads from a scroll. A new life and a new beginning emerging. One where captives will be set free, and the blind will see, a life where the oppressed will go free and the poor will receive good tidings. Many of these actions were ones associated with God. So here you have Jesus the man, in his hometown, proclaiming, in so many words, that he is also the Son of God. Through him, all these divine actions will take place. And once again, the people will be set free, from a spiritual exile.
Thousands of years later, we too read these words. Because of Christ's death and resurrection, in Him and through Him, we are also children of God. Through us, the divine hand of God could also work, to heal, to bring good tidings to the poor, and to free the oppress. May we open our hearts and our soul to God working through us. We will continue to fulfill the scriptures and will be creating many years acceptable to the Lord.
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
This meditation is loosely inspired by the Scripture readings for Sunday, January 7, 2007, Solemnity of the Epiphany.
Dear Lord, I have been traveling for so long to see the Divine light in my heart. It seems that my whole life has been a journey. I traveled through the scorching heat of the day, and the bitter cold of night. I traveled through ups and downs, through moments of closeness, as well as those of loneliness and dryness. I heard the calling in my heart. I was so young I can’t tell you when. I saw the light, the beautiful star in the distance, and I could do nothing other than walk and travel to pay homage to the God that will be born in my heart, to adore him.
Sometimes, I feel far from him. Sometimes the burden is too heavy and my journey so tiresome. Would you…? Could I surrender this heavy box of gold? May I give it to you? This treasure of gold is a gift fit for a king like you. It symbolizes power, kingship, purity, and incorruptibility. Would you like this beautiful gift? You see, for me it also symbolizes my hunger for power, my desire for success, my worries about wealth. I can’t carry this box and seek the Divine light. Would you take it?
I’m so excited to journey to see the Divine light! Liberation from killings, death, and war. Liberation from poverty and sickness. I seek immeasurable joy during the day and peace at night. I want to bask in Divine brightness, I want to revel in God’s glory. But, Jesus, I’m tired and I’m weak. Can I give you a gift? May I surrender this heavy box? It contains Frankincense. This is a gift fit for a Priest like you. The pure white smoke, the holy incense, loved by our God, carries our prayers and supplications to heaven. Would you take this heavy burden from me, Son of God, so I may continue my journey toward the shinning star? You see, Frankincense also represents my appearances, my pressures to be Church, my obligations, my bitter fights to protect my definition of faith. It gets heavy over time. I give this to you. So I may continue my journey…
Thanks for easing my burden, I can see the beautiful star shinning brighter than ever! I can feel the warmth in my soul stronger than before. I will persevere, I know. Sometimes the gifts I carry don’t let me see the light as well, and I stumble and fall. I look forward to adoring the God of light and peace, to offering him all of my gifts, to dwell in his presence for eternity. He reveals an all encompassing love to all nations. But dear Lord, the journey has been so long. I do have one more gift for you, because I no longer have the energy to carry so much. Would you take this heavy box of myrrh? May I surrender this heavy burden? Myrrh is a precious ointment used for healing, a medicinal balm to ease pain and suffering. You are the perfect healer, the savior and healer of our souls. What better gift for you, the Messiah? Please know myrrh is also used for embalming in case of death, which frightens me. You don’t suppose that you Christ Savior would have a need for this? Would you face suffering and death? I do thank you.
The light is bright and more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. I have arrived. I am here to adore thee, my God, my King, my Priest, my Savior. I’m here to be liberated from sin, injustices, and misery. I am here to pay homage to my beloved. My eyes are filled with tears. I’m so honored to bring you these gifts, dear God.. Oh no…, I had to give my gifts along the way in order to make it to you. Now I have nothing else to give you. Except me, all of me. I hope it suffices… I can do nothing but prostrate myself for you and completely surrender the one thing I have left…, would you accept me?
“They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.”
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
Well, I just finished writing down my resolutions for 2007 and I'm about to start typing the resolutions my kids made today. We help each other with our intentions throughout the year. I though it would be appropriate to repeat my post from this time last year:
I love making New Year resolutions! Then again, I would be a strange life coach if I didn't have fun imagining a better life and making resolutions to realize those dreams. Do you enjoy making goals to improve your life? Only 33% of all Americans set goals for their lives. Few of the New Year resolutions are ever achieved. Here are a few simple tips to ensure your New Year resolutions stick...
1. Write your resolutions down. Only 3% of the people that make goals ever write them down.
2. Keep the number of goals low. Try to make between four to seven goals. Out of these, only have one or two truly transformational goals.
3. Share your goals with loved ones that can encourage and challenge you.
4. Keep your resolutions balanced: spiritual, vocational, emotional (love/friendship), and physical (incl. home & money). Some people make all the goals in one area, mostly physical, but life is more than that and they can't concentrate so much energy in one area.
5. Think about how you may monitor your progress. How would you know that you are achieving what you want to achieve? This is one of the most important things to help with self-discipline, but only 1% of the people who make goals, monitor their progress. You usually improve what you measure.
6. Write your resolutions in confident, present-tense, and positive ways. Avoid things like "stop eating chocolate" or it will backfire and you will obsess about chocolate.
7. Finally, know the difference between transformational goals or event goals. Event goals are things like clean and organize the garage, go on retreat, sign up to volunteer at the hospital. Transformational goals are things like changing career or jobs, improving your health, losing weight, or increasing your happiness. First, these take a lot of energy so you want to have one or two of these. Second, they require more thought to understand what the drivers are and how do they fit with the rest of your life.
Happy and blessed 2007!
Technorati Tags: Accomplish goals and realize dreams
When a priest leads, he can make such a transformative difference. Priests have many roles. They celebrate, they administer, they guide, but one of them is to lead. To help their congregation live with a compelling and powerful vision of who they can be as a community, as a body, to help them commit to that vision, and to align everything towards that. Sometimes the pressures for time and perhaps their own skills, prevent them from realizing their leadership potential. But when they do, they can really transform a community.
The Hispanic community of my church had a part time priest that could only give the church a day a week. He did what he could and was able to establish deep relationships with some families and to encourage and guide us through mass and confession. The Hispanic ministry functioned with the hep of a handful of us and a wonderful sister. A couple of months ago we received a new priest from Mexico. He is able to give us 3-4 days a week.
He met with us, the few volunteers, to learn more about who we are and what we do. He listened to the needs of the community. Instead of immediately start planning activities and creating lists of to dos, he did something differently. He started to give of himself to the core and to educate. We started to get together every Saturday morning for 2-3 hours. He covered with us pastoral letters on evangelization and on communities. He covered the Sacrosanctum Concilium from Vatican II and we discussed the importance and sacredness of liturgy. Although he prepared and lead the discussions, we had real discussions and learned about each other and the Church. Little by little the core group has increased in size and it's now 15 people, many of them couples. You can feel the fire of the Holy Spirit beginning to stir in our hearts as a group. Yesterday we finished our meeting with a potluck with all our families and kids, while the priest entertained us playing guitar and singing fun "party" songs.
Before you know it, wonderful ministries will emerge, not because "Father said so," but because as a people we will be moved to act with faith. How wonderful when a priest leads! May God bless priests and leaders everywhere!
Technorati Tags: Servant-Leadership
Have you noticed that the frequency of my posts have diminished from a high of daily, to several a week, to now a few a month? Most of my time and energy has been directed elsewhere. Over the last several months I have been thinking about the possibility of realizing one of my dreams, to start my own business. After 20 years of corporate and government experience, I resigned and began my business exactly three months ago. I started a management consulting firm that helps organizations, particularly their Information Technology group and Service Providers, work with a clear vision and realize that vision. More specifically I facilitate strategy development sessions to help them have a strategy that is clear and actionable. I help them improve their governance so that they can effectively make the decisions that are needed to actually realize their vision. I also help them grow their leadership capability through coaching, team building, conflict management, and diversity training so that they can sustain that momentum. These are the topics I love the most and am the most passionate about.
This also helps me more closely align my life with my personal mission statement. My purpose is to help unleash people's divine potential to live happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives. There is a lot of sadness and anguish in the workplace. There is a lot of people, staff and supervisors, that are lost. There are companies with great ideas, but they can't realize them or their business value. If my work can help them be moved by a compelling vision, if they are better able to relate what they do with a cause greater than themselves, if organizations can actually decide on the things that matter most, and if I can help leaders lead and create a better future, then I'll be living my purpose. This sense of service and purpose really fulfills me and fills me with "passionate peace." Because consulting allows you to work anywhere and at any time (or all the time...), I'm planning to book half day, and then one day a week to do nothing but pastoral coaching and theological work at church, which today I fit in when possible.
Tomorrow's readings talk about Christ the King. Through Him we are able to enjoy the promise of everlasting life in the Kingdom of God, and that kingdom begins here on earth, right now. We are the kingdom and the kingdom is only realized when we live the will of God in our lives daily. When, in the presence of God, we use our gifts and talents to make the world a better place. This is my way of living my journey, at least for now. Follow through and make real your dreams!
So, my dear friends of this blogging community, this is where I have been. I miss all of you dearly and think of you during my prayer time and during the day, as you have been a supportive part of my life. Please feel free to visit the website of my new business or my new business blog.
"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined." Thoreau
Scripture reflection for the readings for Sunday, October 29, 2006. In today's Gospel reading from Mark, a blind man keeps calling out to Jesus and asking him to have pity on him and heal him. Others nearby just ask him to be silent. Then Jesus hears him and calls him. People then said to him, "Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you." He then ran to Jesus, who asks him "what do you want me to do?" The man says he wants to see and Jesus says, "go on your way, your faith has saved you."
You can reflect on this reading in many different ways. An obvious one is that the blind recognized and believed in Jesus while those with sight doubted. But my mind went elsewhere. Last night I read in Jules' blog "Mazed with Grace" the following quote from Marianne Williamsom, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure." That got me thinking. To what degree are we blind to our strengths, to our talents, and to the wonderful divine potential within us? With God's gifts we are powerful beyond measure, can face anything, and can make such an amazing impact on people. But we are blind to it, and to some degree we are afraid to not be blind. Once we know, we will have an obligation to do something with it. When we timidly ask, others tell us to be silent.
Jesus is calling us. Calling us to get up and run to him. Calling us to see who we truly are and to see how we can be God's hands and God's voice here on earth. We may need a friend to nudge us like someone nudged the blind man. "Take courage, get up, Jesus is calling you!" When we run to him, he will heal us of our blindness, we will experience the joy of authenticity, and the ecstasy of living as channels of God's grace.
Jesus, have pity on me, and heal me from my blindness! God bless!
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
You may not have seen this, but my mother added this in the comments section of the "God Unites us All" post:
"God unites us all! When we are one in God, miracles can happen that is why I'm requesting prayers. Two weeks ago my 44 years old neighbor got sick with pain while conducting a meeting at the hospital where he works. He was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Before they could do anything, it advanced to the bladder and lungs. He has 4 children, a girl 18, a boy 12 and two beautiful twin girls 6. I feel humble at the immensity of his faith and strength. He says he needs to fight because his children need him. God can unite us all in prayer to support this man that still has so much to do. Thank you!"
Posted by: Carmen | October 18, 2006 at 11:00 PM
Dear God, please bless this father, and if it is your will, help him heal so that he can be thee for his children. Please give the family the strength they need.
Technorati Tags: Prayer
A Scriptural reflection for the readings of Sunday, October 22, 2006. The call to serve. Can you imagine how happy we would be if we lived and worked with Jesus' spirit of service? I'm not talking about thinking of this every now and then as I do. But to always be conscious of the Christ within us who moves our heart to selflessly love and serve. Can you imagine how many of the ills of the world, wars, terrorism, poverty, hunger,violence would vanish if all of us, rich and poor, working class and elite would live our lives moved by this spirit of service?
"Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10: 43-45) The Son of God. Here to serve! Yet, when we work we are more concerned about our ego and issues of power, greed, and position than about using our gifts for the benefit of society. Earlier this year I heard a person in my parish talk about his work. He is 79 and has a large Christmas Tree farm with thousands and thousands of trees. Apparently they take a lot of work, trimming and pruning. Every morning, he would stand in front of the trees and say this prayer by heart:
"Glorious Saint Joseph, model of all who pass their life in labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my own inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to use and develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation and patience, without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties.
Help me to work, above all, with purity of intention and with detachment from self, having always before my eyes the hour of death and the accounting which I must render of time lost, talents wasted, good omitted, and vain complacency in success, which is so fatal to the work of God. All for Jesus, all for Mary, all after your example, O Patriarch Joseph! This shall be my watchword in life and in death. Amen" (Prayer to Saint Joseph for the Spirit of Work)
He inspired me with his daily offering. I now have this prayer at my desk and say it every day before work. I hope it can help me work with a spirit of service. We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly, we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God...
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
A Scripture reflection for the readings for Sunday, October 15, 2006. What an absolutely gorgeous reading we had today from the Book of Wisdom. So deep, so powerful, and yet, so poetic. Solomon sings the praises of wisdom. "Beyond health and comeliness I loved her, and I chose to have her rather than the light, because the splendor of her never yields to sleep. Yet all good things together came to me in her company, and countless riches at her hands." We have heard that life is nothing but cumulative effect of all the choices we make. The same could be said about our spiritual life. How do we know that we even have a choice to make? How do we know the vision that could be realized with the right decision? How do we weigh the benefits and risks of our decisions? How do we know what God's will is for us? Wisdom, wisdom, and wisdom. The consequences to some decisions will be tough. We will need courage and prudence, and other gifts to carry things out. But wisdom helps us see through the fog and choose in a way that pleases God.
In the Gospel reading the good rich man asks Jesus, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Isn't this the question we ask with every decision? How do I love you the most? How do I follow your will? When we love our dear God with all our heart, when we pray for the Holy Spirit to guide us, when we live in the presence of God every day of our lives, then we are in the company of wisdom. May all our decisions be guided by Divine love and wisdom.
Technorati Tags: Gospel Reflection, Scripture Reflection
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