Dream speak

In today's gospel, it was a dream that restored one man's faith and led him to make a life-changing and faith-filled decision. A dream where an angel of God delivered a message of hope.

In what must've been a bewildering and dark time for Joseph - Mary, his betrothed was with child, a sure sign of her unfaithfulness - he remained ever faithful to God and thus was able to hear Him speak.

Incredible, unimaginable news brought via a special mode of communication.

That a child, Immanuel, God-with-us, was to be born as a gift to the world. And he, Joseph, to be father, protector and guardian to this akan datang* baby, to tend to this child who would grow up to be the salvation of the world.

The infancy narrative is a story re-told every year for over the last 2000 years that it's easy to take its beauty and significance for granted.

So easy to let the commercialism of the season take centrestage and lose the sense of wonder at the miracle of love being birthed right in front of our eyes.

With all the running around I've been doing these last few weeks, I haven't had much time to reflect this Advent. To give proper homage to the ultimate gift that God is bestowing.

So it's nice to have a lazy Sunday to rest and ruminate. (Am done with all my usual Christmas festivities and just looking forward to taking off on Christmas afternoon for Phuket with Mum.)

What's reflection-worthy to me today is how even as we sleep, the Spirit of God is at work within us. That through our dreams, in those unconscious moments, He can speak to us.

I recently watched the movie Stepmom again and the dying mother was assuring her son that she would live on inside his heart and while this was not as good as her being there, there was a special place where they could meet - in his dreams.

Likewise, we are sometimes given the opportunity to meet Jesus and listen to Him in our dreams.

So don't be too quick to dismiss dreams as flights of fancy or unconscious yearnings/unfulfilled desires within us.

Sometimes, they can be messages of hope that transcribe into concrete events that change lives radically.



* coming soon

Rosebuds

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

I couldn't agree more with Robert Herrick for Old Time just flew by this year and I can't quite believe 2007 is almost at a close.

There have been so many rosebuds that came into full flower this year that my life has been one fragrance fest. after another. I have been enveloped in bouquets of velvety soft petals of the sweetest perfume.

Gifts from the Father that I hope have benefitted those around me as well.

Of course there have been times I've been bogged down by petty worries and just swept along the frenzied pace of life in Singapore, but this has also been a year where I have learnt to create sacred spaces to get to know the most important man in life, someone I have grown to depend on for strength, comfort, advice, affirmation and just your basic but essential TLC.

The year 2007 is most significant for He revealed a promise He made to me two years ago and this revelation was the mother of all a-ha moments.

I give thanks for it every day and I hope I never lose the awe I feel over this simple gift.

The Japanese celebrate each spring with hanami, flower viewing, for they pretty much have the same idea as Herrick.

The brief lives of the beautiful cheery blossoms reflect the transience of life which in itself has a beauty that is ephemeral and thus must be celebrated as it is experienced.

Just as all the good things in life are celebrated, so must the not-so-good things like loss and suffering, unalterable facts of life.

For without the bitter, how can we experience the sweet?

Therefore the trick is not to be soured by bad experiences, but to allow each new day to bring fresh possibilities of healing and pain-wrought wisdom, untried opportunities to live and love.

Through thick and thin, good and bad, luxuriate in each and every experience.

So don't forget to smell the rosebuds as you gather them. In deep appreciation and gratitude.

Immortality

S. recently lent me her copy of Khaled Hosseini's latest novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns. I looked forward to reading it for I love his earlier work, The Kite Runner, which is soon to be released as a movie.

I didn't get down to reading it until last week but the moment I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. Hosseini is a story-teller of the first water. Go. Buy. Read.

It is a heartrending tale of friendship and the ultimate sacrifice of love between two women.

Mariam is a harami (bastard) child of a rich but weak father and an unstable mother and has experienced nothing but rejection and abuse her entire life until her husband Rasheed takes a second wife, Laila.

Initially adversaries, the women bond when Laila defends Mariam against Rasheed's cruelty.

From this sprouts a kinship between the two women until Mariam saves Laila from death by killing Rasheed and thereby signs her own death warrant.

Mariam goes to her execution with" abundant peace" for despite her unpropitious start in life and its consequent hardships, she became a woman "who had loved and been loved back" and a "person of consequence at last".

"This was a legitimate end to a life of illegitimate beginnings."

Many of us yearn for immortality, to leave our mark on this world. Such ambition is ill-placed if we seek to build an edifice to the personage of I, me and myself.

That we are born into this world is already a sign that we are loved and matter very much to Someone.

If we realize the import of this and reciprocate by seeking to be made in His image and likeness; by loving all around us, giving in little ways every day, acting from a grateful heart, being the person each of us is called to be, then we will have succeeded in making a difference in the world.

Just as Mariam lives on in the heart of Laila, shining "with the bursting radiance of a thousand suns", we will live on in the hearts of those who love us.

Given the season of Advent we are in, it is worthwhile meditating on the words of Blessed Teresa and endeavouring to put them into practice:

"At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by 'I was hungry and you gave me to eat, I was naked and you clothed me, I was homeless and you took me in.' Hungry not only for bread - but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing - but naked for human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want of a room of bricks - but homeless because of rejection."

Staying connected

I attended the Praise@Work Conference yesterday at the CJC auditorium together with over 500 people.

To be able to meet and listen to so many people from different walks of life who have a close connection to Jesus, a living relationship, and who actively practise following in His footsteps was awesome and amazing.

Bo Sanchez who opened the conference invigorated with his rousing speech and gave new heart to fusing spirituality into work and keeping the connection strong.

He elaborated on five points which he practises daily:

1) My work is my praise.
2) My work is my pulpit.
3) My work is part of my purpose.
4) My work is my passion.
5) My work is my provision.



What I found most valuable was the last point where he challenged everyone to live simply in order to "be as rich as we can for others".

Everything we have comes from the Almighty and we are all called to share what we have with others. Only by being good stewards and exercising thrift can we give and share more.

Love for our neighbour translates not just into money, but time, which in today's world has become an extremely precious commodity.

Despite the busy lives we all lead and the expensive baubles that speak to us, if we make the decision that we are builders of the kingdom, Christ's disciples, then a life of simplicity is key.

Quite difficult, living in material-conscious Singapore, but not impossible as I have discovered these last few years.

Bo also challenged each of us to look at work in the broader sense and recognize that we can continue to do God's work no matter how old we are or what state of life we are in.

There's no such thing as "too old" or "I am not capable enough". There's only "if You say I should do this, then show me how and I will".

So how do I stay connected in everything I do (and not just what I do for a living)?

A question my SD once told me to start the day with is a great one: "Lord, show me how to love."