Sharing is Caring

"Sharing is Caring" This quote might sound familiar to you. We can share things in many ways. Sometimes we can share it verbally or non-verbal. Both ways seem fine for me. Writing is one of the non-verbal communication for me to convey a message to the audience that I'm dealing with. Now, writing has become part of my life, is just like someone who like to keep a diary of their own, in which each of the events in his or her life can be recorded through words. A friend of mine once ask me this, why do you like to write? Don't you feel bored when you write? I guess his meaning was I need to crack my head and think something to write, and I will get exhausted soon! Well, this is hobby my friend. I like to write and I like to share. I strongly believe that writing can share some of the experiences that you and I might face in life. 

Writing is never tired! yes, sometimes I might run out of topic even if I feel like writing something. I guess that is part of the obstacle that I face as a blog writer. I doesn't mean that everyone might experience the same situation like me, but it might applicable for some writers who are just like me. 

If you have been reading and following my blog, I guess you know that lately I will share more on my belief. The belief that I'm having now. The belief that I can express it in words. The belief that I can share and express it through words. Awesome right? Often, the power of words can bring you a great imagination. 

To further analyst on writing a blog and a diary, one might differentiate it by saying blog is a public thing, which everyone can read, comments or even quote you for saying something. Well, sometimes we must be careful on what we are writing and saying, of course, I don't share anything private about me and sensitive issue for that matter. I'll share something in general. 

Writing is never tired for me. However, Writing has given me an opportunity to share! To share something in general, to share something people are discussing or we known it as a hot topic issue, because I recognize the fact that "Sharing is Caring".

Most beautiful communication in the world

In this 21st century, we are busy chasing after wealth, career, different material things in our life. No doubt, we are material being. Material might be the greatest satisfaction for us, as a human being. But, do we ever consider our spiritual needs? You might look as big as a giant, but deep in your soul might be staving, which you can't see. Now, I wonder how many of you leave some space per day for prayer? Even a minute will do! To be frank, sometimes I fail to do that as well. Nevertheless, prayer is still important as part of my daily routine. Just like food, we need food to provide us energy to carry out our daily routine. Prayer and meditation to God, our creator is also our spiritual needs, which most of us might be longing to seek and find him. A beautiful statement mentioned by St. Augustine : ' You have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.'' We call this longing for God--Religion. We can understand religion generally to mean a relationship to what is divine. A religious person acknowledges something divine as the power that created him and the world, on which he is dependent and to which he is ordered. He wants to please and honor the Divinity by his way of life. It is natural for man to seek God. All of our striving for truth and happiness is ultimately a search for the one who supports us absolutely, satisfies us absolutely, and employs us absolutely in his service. A person is not completely himself until he has found God. They [men] should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for "In him we live and move and have our being." (Acts17: 27-28a)

So, what is the most important things that we one can satisfied our spiritual needs? The answer is just simple: Prayer! The church teach us that prayer is turning the heart toward God. When a person prays, he enters into a living relationship with God. Well, sometimes we have to acknowledge our human weaknesses. When we pray, we might feel that we are talking to ourselves. The reason behind it is simple : because we do not acknowledge God is there with us. Often, we think that we are speaking in the air, because we cannot see God. We do not know who are we talking to! Often, we prefer two ways communication instead of one way communication. We want immediate answer, we prefer immediate respond. I guess, this might be the reason of our human weaknesses that cause us not to pray, and find that prayer is bored! Consider this statement by Soren Kierkegaard saying " Praying does not mean listening to yourself speak; praying means calming down and being still and waiting until you hear God." What a beautiful statement, right? any clue or hints that you get from this statement?

Prayer is the great gate leading into faith. Someone who prays no longer lives on his own, for himself, and by his own strength. He knows there is a God to whom he can talk. People who pray entrust themselves more and more to God. Even now they seek union with the one whom they will encounter one day face to face. Therefore, the effort to pray daily is part of Christian life and prayer is a gift one obtains through prayer.

In this busy world, we tend to forget about God, we run away from him and hide. Whether or not we avoid thinking about God or sometimes we might deny him, he is always there for us. He seeks us before we seek him; he yearns for us, he calls us. You speak with your conscience and suddenly notice that you are speaking with God. You feel lonely, have no one to talk with, and then sense that God is always available to talk. You are in danger and experience that a cry for help is answered by God. Praying is as human breathing, eating and loving. Praying purifies. Praying makes it possible to resist temptations. Praying strengthen us in our weakness. Praying remove fear, increase energy, and gives a second wind. Praying makes one happy. 

At this point of time, you might be asking when should a person pray? From the earliest times, Christians have prayed at least in the morning, at meals, and in the evening. Someone who does not pray regularly will soon not pray at all.  Anyone who loves another person and all day long never gives that person a sign of his love does not really love him. So it is with God, too. Anyone who truly seeks him will keep sending him signals of his longing for his company and friendship. Now, we should get up in the morning and give the day to God, asking for his blessing and to be there in all your meetings and needs. Thank him, especially at mealtimes. At the end of the day, place everything into his hands, ask him for forgiveness, and pray for peace for yourself and others. A great day full of signs of life that reach God. 

To learn from Mary how to pray means to join her in prayer : Let it be done unto me according to your word". (LK 1:38).

Prayer is ultimately self-giving in response to God's love. If we say YES as Mary did, God has the opportunity to lead His life in our life. 

So, start your day with prayer today. Let God lead us in our life because prayer is the most beautiful communication with God. 

Come all you Sinners

Sin, that make us break away from God. Literally, sin damage our relationship with God. Yesterday, Gospel reading (John 8:1-11) tell us about the woman who was caught in adultery. This incident tells us a great deal about Jesus attitude to the sinner. The scribes and Pharisees wanted to entrap Jesus with the religious and civil authorities. That is why they brought a woman caught in adultery before Jesus. Jesus turned the challenge toward his accusers. In effect he said : Go ahead and stone her! But let the man who is without sin be the first to cast a stone. The Lord leaves the matter to their own consciences. When the adulterous woman is left alone with Jesus, he both expresses mercy and he strongly exhorts her to not sin again. The scribes wishes to condemn, Jesus wishes to forgive and to restore the sinner to health. His challenge involved a choice either go back to your former way of sin or death or to reach out to the new way of life and happiness with Him. Jesus gave her pardon and a new start on life. Gods grace enables us to confront our sin of what it is unfaithfulness to God, and to thankful spirit of Gods mercy and forgiveness. Do you know the the joy of repentance and a clean conscience?

Gospel Reading (John 8:1-11)

1 but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple; all the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.

5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?"

6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her."

8 And once more he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.

9 But when they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the eldest, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.

10 Jesus looked up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"

11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and do not sin again."

Tradition holds that the woman was Mary Magdalene. Tradition also holds that Mary Magdalene became a close follower of the Lord and that this was the Mary who was the first to experience the Resurrection. She was also the first, in a long line of sinners, to come before the Lord in guilt and in shame, feeling the weight of sin, knowing that punishment was deserved, yet hoping to receive a share in His compassion. 

Throughout this season of Lent, there are many who will approach the Sacrament of Penance during these remaining days of lent. Some comes to church regularly, lead a good christian lives, but recognize that they are full of little sins, venial sins, that are holding them back. Others might have been away from the Lord for a long time. Full of guilt, full of shame, they seek restoration. They seek redemption. ALL ARE WELCOMED BACK. All receive the compassion of the Lord. All are told, 'Neither do I condemn you, Go now and sin no more'. Imagine now, Christ is calling us. Christ is calling us to go back to His holy church. 

Let us refer back to the gospel reading. The women who was caught in adultery. Let us put ourselves in her situation. She also must have been ashamed. People were laughing at her. They treated her like dirt. Perhaps she herself thought she was dirt. If they didn't kill her, what type of life would she have left. Who would marry her? Who would give her a place to stay? Who would have mercy on her? She might as well die.

The better-than-thous of her society, shouted that she had to die. The Law of Moses demanded it. What would this Jesus say about that? They were certain that they had him. His hands were tied. This, the Kindest Man to ever live, would have to oppose the Law or agree that she should die.

And through the clamour, she looked up, and saw the Lord looking at her. Compassion for her flowed through him. Nobody cared about her before. The man or men who used her sexually, didn't care that she was going to die, The leaders of the people didn't care about her. Her own family probably disowned her. But Jesus CARED! Then there was a silence. He knelt down and began writing on the ground. Silence. The silence must have been overpowering,. Finally he spoke. 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone'. And the sheer dynamism of this voice, the kindness and compassion of his voice, forced her accusers to return to the holes from which they had climbed out.  Certainly these men were going to kill her. Women have been killed for far less. Even in our modern times, women are treated throughout the world as chattel, their lives completely dependent on the will of their fathers, brothers, or husbands. Horrible things continue to happen to women in the name of religion.

Now, look at the way that our Lord's answer upheld justice without forgoing clemency. He was not caught in the snare his enemies had laid for him; it is they themselves who were caught in. He didn't say the women should not be stoned, for then it would look as though he were opposing the law. But he had no intention of saying 'let her be stoned', because he came not to destroy those he found but to seek those who were lost. 

What is this Lord? Are you giving approval to immorality? Not at all! Take note of what follows: 'Go and sin no more'. You see that the Lord indeed pass sentence, but it is sin He condemns, not people. 

One who approved of immorality would have said; 'Neither will I condemn you. Go and live as you please; you can be sure that I will acquit you. However, how much you sin, I will release you from all penalty, and from the tortures of hell and the underworld'. This is what human often think, BUT, Our Lord didn't say that. 

He said: "Neither will I condemn you; you need have no fear of the past, but BEWARE of what you do in the future. Neither will I condemn you: I have blotted out what you have done; now observe what I have commanded, in order to obtain what I have promised". 

We pray today for the conversion of sinners, beginning with ourselves. The time is right for the harvest. This is the time of year, the last weeks of Lent, when many people will be reconsidering their lives, thinking that they can be better, infinitely better than they have been, Pray for the conversion of sinners, starting with ourselves, and extending our prayers to all who are full of guilt, full of shame, afraid to change, and wondering is there any hope of forgiveness for them. 

Jesus died on the cross for us, to bring salvation for us. 

Holiday Report

3 weeks holidays, perhaps some of my friends might have 4 weeks holidays due to my exams ended quite late for this semester. Holidays, what will comes in your mind first? You might have a list of activities that you plan to do throughout the holiday seasons. But, not for me!

Throughout this holidays season, besides working (as mention in the previous articles that I went to Sibu), the only activity that I had in my mind is SLEEP! some of you mind think that is such as waste that I didn't fully utilize my holidays to have fun. By scrolling through my facebook, a lot of posting that associated with the word FUN seems appealing to me. However, what pop-up in my mind still remain.

Besides sleeping, of course, reading is my leisure. I start reading some books which categorize themselves as the book of self-enrichment, and some religious books as well. I start to realize that when we read the books that we like during the holidays, it can really expand our minds in different ways. Of course, it will not be good for those people who hate books a lot since their early age of Pre-school!

Nothing much about my holidays for this season. What about you?

Student's Arena

On a particular evening, a friend of mine send me a message and sharing her stories with me. Basically the topic is more on the problems that she faced when she is back to university. She shared with me something that bother her so much, that is the relationship between her and her course-mates.

I will not share the entire things that she has spoken to me, but partly some of the essential part that makes me really think about it. After the sharing, what makes me really think about is the RELATIONSHIP that students have between their course-mates.

I am certainly bless that the course-mates surrounded me, they are just kind and good (Mostly). Of course, we cannot expect people to have perfections in each of every aspects because no one are prefect on earth.  But her situations is totally opposite compare to mine. She has a course-mates who don't really like to share notes with her, and talking bad about her in front of other people. That is the worse part that she couldn't take and tolerate.

Well, I am sure that all of us will face such problem. Regardless of whether you are in the study's arena or working life. Sure that we will meet few people like this in our life, some sort of backstabbing. This is the reality of life. Mainly, different people come from different background and they have their own thinking and characters. Sometimes, we just cannot expect everyone to be nice and perfect in our life.

BE STRONG!

We just have to make sure that we ourselves should not contain such attitude in us, so that you can be a special and unique person, but not perfect! Haha!

Have a blessed day!