Creating beauty

 I had a revelation last evening during my cell group meeting. We were doing the examen of consciousness and we took three questions on board for 15 minutes: What was I grateful for today and yesterday, what I was not grateful for and what is God speaking into my future? 

I was grateful for where I have been placed, the mission fields of family, knowing I am exactly I should be. There were so many signs of affirmation that flooded my consciousness last night that I was immensely thankful for the thing I was not so grateful for is the impact on my health. I have difficulty getting sufficient rest, my energy levels are low, I look haggard and old, not to mention the physical aches and pains that remind me of the unfair demands I have placed on my body, and I yearn simply for a night of good rest, and to wake up refreshed and bright eyed. 

At the same time I acknowledge that all this, the physical challenges are part of the whole package. D once said that in order to experience the thrill of riding the waves, one has to be out in the water paddling on a surfboard 90 per cent of the time. What came to me was that 90 per cent of paddling was gruelling work that had to impact the body somehow , and not always in a positive manner. 

So what did my future hold? God wants me to work at creating beauty in the world. The beauty of the created world has always spoken to me of God. I find Him especially in gardens where trees not only give shade but bear fruit; where flowers of every hue bloom and delicious scents are given off. Gardening is hard work as I have found out these last few weekends where I have been trying to work on my neglected garden. Some of my plants have needed to be relocated to thrive, while others needed fertilizing to be encouraged to flower. Essentially more constant TLC is needed as well as post-gardening self care.

Apart from working on my physical garden in creating beauty which gives me joy a great satisfaction, and refreshes my spirit, the beauty I am to bring to the world is bigger than my neighbourhood and involves my gift of writing. It is no coincidence that I just watched episode one of YWAM’s Fragrance of Faith* documentary series which shares the stories of people who have stepped out in faith and obedience, and did whatever they felt the Lord tell them to do, despite the hardships.  Do watch it for it is truly awe  inspiring. It was also, for me, a huge confirmation of what I discovered, or should I say, rediscovered, last night. 

The call to create beauty in this world is not just mine, but one for every believer of Christ. How I do it will be a little different from how you do it, but nevertheless it is something we each will do if we believe in Him and in so doing, we will spread this fragrance of faith to the ends of the earth, if I may so humbly borrow the title of YWAM’s series. 

* https://ywam.org/news/fragrance-of-faith-documentary-series-on-ywam/

Celebrating Divine Mercy

Great in mercy, rich in mercy

This is God’s mercy, Divine Mercy

Let us celebrate this feast

With a meal fit for the King

Our hearts filled with gratitude

Brimming with joy and smiles 

I am alive today purely because of Him

My spirit sings, my soul finds peace

My whole being resounds in His love

Without Him I would be alone

I would wither and fade away

With Him I prosper and bear fruit

Remember His mercy, beg for it

Then bottle it up in your heart

A precious elixir of life, for life.

Thursday of the Easter Octave

 In today’s Gospel, Luke recounts how the disciples meet Jesus again and they are dumbfounded due to the great joy they feel when they realise it is the resurrected Lord standing in their midst. 

I actually relate to them for I received two bits of news today that allow me to see the Risen Lord standing in our midst. Three weeks ago, A, one of my fellow instructors passed out at the studio and needed to be rushed to the hospital to have an emergency delivery. Today we were told she and the baby have been discharged from the hospital. Her situation was quite grim so it is indeed fantastic news. 

The other piece of news was from the Blessed Sacrament Church RCIA coordinator, S, who shared that all those who have been journeying for the year towards baptism will be baptized this coming Sunday. This will be the second time I will be a sponsor for an adult becoming a Catholic and I am so thrilled about it. I look forward to celebrating this Sunday which fittingly is Divine Mercy Sunday with much rejoicing. 

And I am reminded of the beautiful promise found in  the book of Lamentations which we just completed, chapter 3:22-23: 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end; 

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

Remembering Just

So caught up with Holy Week I actually forgot the day
You left us all five years ago, but you have been on my mind
I dreamt of you just last week while Momo did this week
We miss you dearly, we miss those Sunday chats after mass  
I still remember that last breakfast, that last goodbye 
The good news is we will meet again sooner rather than later.

Easter Monday reflections

It feels a little strange not to pen a daily reflection seeing as I have done it for the last 48 days. P didn’t think I could do it, neither did I actually, but it was a desire to honour the trust of S who had challenged me to do it. It was also my Lenten gift to the Father, and to myself, really - to prove to myself that I could do it. I have missed blogging on a regular basis so this Lenten project was my restart button.

Yesterday afternoon S shared about desire, how this Lenten season gave him insight into his decisions in life, whether his decisions was truly desires placed in his heart by God, or were they influenced by his own intellect, others’ opinions or his past experiences. He also shared about Saint Therese of Lisieux how she had impossible desires that actually came to fruition with a creative twist of the Divine. I found this powerful statement taken online from her autobiography: “God would never inspire me with desires which cannot be realized; so in spite of my littleness, I can hope to be a saint.”

I am reminded of Matthew 19:26, With God, all things are possible, and I am slightly awed that God has helped me bring this small desire of mine to life. I hope He is pleased with my offering. I am, for it has given me a deeper intimacy with His Word, a greater sensitivity to how to live it out in my life and a crystalline awareness  of my own shortcomings and sinfulness, with a boost to my self-confidence witnessing through my writing.

I look forward to this season of renewal, of living in the joy of the resurrected Christ. I am going to enjoy the next 50 days of Easter. May you enjoy them, too. Happy Easter! 

Easter Sunday

Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning Amen. Alleluia.  Sequence

May the blessings, the joy of Easter be yours forever and a day.  

He is risen! Alleluia! 

Praises be to God on high.

Yet early to the tomb she went* 

Found it empty and panicked

Coming back the men stumbled in

Found the rolled up burial cloths

Believing the body was gone

Not understanding the Word

What resurrection from death meant 

Three days to eternity

Grief blinds us often to the Truth

As does pride and other sins

Receive the promise of new life

Forgiveness of sins through His name**

Believe in eternal life

Salvation is ours, rejoice

Dance for joy, sing alleluia! 

* John 20:1-9

** Acts 10:43

Holy Saturday

...We were indeed buried with him through baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live in newness of life.  Romans 6:3-4

The Easter Vigil held on Holy Saturday celebrates the turning point of death into the resurrection of new life of Jesus Christ, and all His followers. It was traditionally a night where those who desired baptism would be baptized for as Saint Paul points out in his letter to the Romans it is through baptism that we are joined to Jesus in a special way that allows us to share in His resurrected life.  As those of us who are baptized renew our baptismal vows, let us celebrate this unity with Jesus with joy.

The spiritual grace of baptism cannot be underestimated for it holds the potential for every baptized Christian to die to sin and to live for God in Jesus Christ. Our original sin has been washed away and we have become new creations, temples of the Holy Spirit. What glorious good news! We should celebrate the liberation of Easter in our lives by living cheerfully and exuberantly, out from the shadows of sin. 

Our hearts should sing out the story of God’s salvific love every day for eternal happiness is within our grasp. In fact, we are fortunate enough to experience slices of heaven here on earth if we orientate our hearts and minds to Jesus and strive to live out our baptismal office of priest, prophet and king to the fullest extent. 

As we wait in the darkness, let us lift our eyes to the heavens. Come, let us adore Him, let us praise and glorify Him, let us bear witness to His awesomeness and might in our lives, and let us serve Him with great love.

Good Friday

 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.  Hebrews 4:15

Not only did Jesus come to redeem us thereby opening the door to eternal life, but He also came to teach us by His example how we should act as beloved children of God. Despite the trials and tribulations of life, there is a way of grace, a way to meet adversity and loss that earns us the merit of being without sin. 

We must be confident that God, our Father, is always on our side and we can approach the throne of grace to receive His mercy and timely assistance. Jesus in His humanity always received assistance when He most needed it , whether it was during His 40 days in the arid wilderness, or during His Passion, most notably in the garden of Gethsemane. 

Other times, He was led by His heart that was so closely linked to His Father’s He never put a foot wrong. Like a true son He relied completely on His Father, acknowledging His Father’s authority in all matters. He shows us it is possible to be like Him in every way. 

This Friday is good because this is the day all humanity gained access to the kingdom of God and eternal life. Let us treasure this gift well and show our gratitude by following in His footsteps as closely as we can. 

Thank you, Lord, for suffering on the cross, for dying for our sins, for choosing to love us, to love me, who did nothing to merit the sacrifice of your life. Give me the grace to be worthy of your love in any way I can, that is within my capacity, all the days of my life.

Holy Thursday

If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.   John 13:14-15

Jesus was very clear to his disciples what they must do if they were His followers. When Jesus lived, the dusty roads necessitated the washing of feet before reclining at the table to eat, a task carried out by the lowliest of servants. This prime example of servant leadership demonstrates the correct attitude of heart which is that of great humility and service. 

No task was too menial or onerous for Jesus, no person was ever accorded anything but great respect and full assistance when they sought help. Jesus laid hands on and healed the outcasts and the desperate, He fed thousands, He befriended and sat with despised tax collectors and prostitutes, and He even reached out to the Gentiles, bringing healing.  

If we are His disciples, then we, too, must engage in a life of ministry, working tirelessly to be salt and light where we see it is needed, especially to those on the fringes of society, or those who really need our help. 

Today let us ask for eyes to see who among us will benefit from some help, then simply lend assistance, be His hands and feet. Every act of service brings us closer to the heart of our Master and Lord - a good thing.