Pope Francis

Sunday 31 May 2015

Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (16)

This Holy Year will bring to the fore the richness of Jesus’ mission echoed in the words of the prophet: to bring a word and gesture of consolation to the poor, to proclaim liberty to those bound by new forms of slavery in modern society, to restore sight to those who can see no more because they are caught up in themselves, to restore dignity to all those from whom it has been robbed.

Pope Francis

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html 

Saturday 30 May 2015

Some ways you can practice meditation on your own, whenever you choose: (1) walk and meditate

Combining a walk with meditation is an efficient and healthy way to relax. You can use this technique anywhere you're walking — in a tranquil forest, on a city sidewalk or at the mall. When you use this method, slow down the pace of walking so that you can focus on each movement of your legs or feet. Don't focus on a particular destination. Concentrate on your legs and feet, repeating action words in your mind such as lifting, moving and placing as you lift each foot, move your leg forward and place your foot on the ground.

When you're worried


Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (15)

How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich!

Let us not fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism!

Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead.

We cannot escape the Lord’s words to us, and they will serve as the criteria upon which we will be judged: whether we have fed the hungry and given drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger and clothed the naked, or spent time with the sick and those in prison. Moreover, we will be asked if we have helped others to escape the doubt that causes them to fall into despair and which is often a source of loneliness; if we have helped to overcome the ignorance in which millions of people live, especially children deprived of the necessary means to free them from the bonds of poverty; if we have been close to the lonely and afflicted; if we have forgiven those who have offended us and have rejected all forms of anger and hate that lead to violence; if we have had the kind of patience God shows, who is so patient with us. In each of these “little ones,” Christ himself is present. His flesh becomes visible in the flesh of the tortured, the crushed, the scourged, the malnourished, and the exiled… to be acknowledged, touched, and cared for by us. Let us not forget the words of Saint John of the Cross: “as we prepare to leave this life, we will be judged on the basis of love”.


Pope Francis

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html  

Friday 29 May 2015

The Best Indian Catholic Posts - Pray for those who have "I" trouble

Beata Maria Josefina de Jesus Crucificado, Escritos Vários, p. 45

O silêncio
conduz a alma a olhar como num espelho
a vida vivida,
esculpe na vontade
com caracteres indeléveis
os melhores propósitos.
O tempo do silêncio é o mais precioso,
porque nele trabalham Deus com a Sua Graça

O silêncio
A paz que aí se saboreia é tão amável,
que o silêncio se torna
o mais poderoso íman

Senhor,
que procure o silêncio e a solidão
para acolher de coração aberto
a Tua vontade de Amor.


(http://orar.carmelitas.pt/)

humility, gentleness, patience, love

Ephesians 4:2

Thursday 28 May 2015

Take what you need: love, hope, forgiveness...

What a great idea!

4 - O pecado da soberba é um mal tão abominável que qualquer outro posto em comparação é muito pequeno

Que a memória dos teus pecados esteja sempre impressa no teu espírito. Sobretudo, convence-te de que o pecado da soberba é um mal tão abominável que qualquer outro posto em comparação é muito pequeno. O pecado da soberba foi o pecado que fez prevaricar os anjos no céu e os precipitou nos abismos. O pecado da soberba foi o pecado que corrompeu todo o género humano, e que fez cair sobre a terra aquela infinita multidão de males, que durarão enquanto durar o mundo.

Baseado no livro “A Prática da Humildade”, de Gioacchino Pecci (Papa Leão XIII), Paulus Editora, 2014, pag 14

Wednesday 27 May 2015

Smiling is an act of humility

"Smiling is an act of humility; it means I accept myself and my way of being, remaining where I am with a holy peace." An article published in Italy by Carlo de Marchi, Vicar of Opus Dei for Central-South Italy.

“You can't proclaim the Gospel with a funeral face." Pope Francis' provocative words are not merely a joke, and the idea that Christians shouldn't appear sad to others isn't something new. Nietzsche said: “They need to sing a better song to me, if they want me to believe in their Saviour. His disciples need to look like people who are saved."
But how can we smile when worries, work, small setbacks and great suffering are so frequent in life?
The first smile is the most important one: “May the Lord smile upon you," the Bible says. And also, “The joy of the Lord is your strength." God's smile comes first. The joy with which the Creator contemplates each of his creatures should be the solid foundation of our serenity and peace.
But isn't it irreverent to think of God, the Lord of the Universe, as smiling? “God's love for us must be the greater the more we can make him laugh," says a character in Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles. “I never thought of God as humorous," someone replies. And the first person quickly responds: “The creator of the platypus, the camel, the ostrich, and man? Oh, come now!"
The second smile is that with which I look at myself. Without overlooking my humanity, my limitations, which aren't necessarily defects and shouldn't be taken too seriously. My Creator loves me as I am, because if he wanted me to be different, he would have made me different.
“I think it's very important to be able to see the funny side of life and its joyful dimension and not to take everything too tragically," Benedict XVI once remarked. “I'd also say it's necessary for my ministry. A writer once said that angels can fly because they don't take themselves too seriously. Maybe we could also fly a bit if we didn't think we were so important."
Smiling is an act of humility; it means I accept myself and my way of being, remaining where I am with a holy peace. Without taking myself too seriously, because, as G.K. Chesterton said, “seriousness is not a virtue. It would be a heresy, but a much more sensible heresy, to say that seriousness is a vice. It is really a natural trend or lapse into taking one's self gravely, because it is the easiest thing to do. It is much easier to write a good Times leading article than a good joke in Punch. For solemnity flows out of men naturally, but laughter is a leap. It is easy to be heavy: hard to be light. Satan fell by the force of gravity."
The third smile is the consequence of the two previous ones. It is the smile with which I welcome other people, especially those with whom I live and work. Showing them affection, without giving too much importance to possible mistakes or frictions. When receiving the Nobel Prize, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, with a joyful smile, surprised the audience with this suggestion of hers: “Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family."
“The clothing, the smile and the way of walking reveal a person's heart," says the book of Wisdom.
A smile can truly be the sign that enables others to recognize a Christian.

(http://opusdei.org.in/en-in/article/a-smile-and-joy/)

3 - Contempla o teu nada

Pensa com frequência na tua fraqueza, na tua cegueira, na tua vileza, na tua dureza de coração, na tua inconstância, na tua desordem dos sentidos, na tua insensibilidade para com Deus, no teu apego às criaturas e em tantas outras viciosas inclinações que nascem da tua natureza corrompida. Que isto te sirva para contemplares o teu nada, e seres aos teus olhos a menor e a mais vil das criaturas.

Baseado no livro “A Prática da Humildade”, de Gioacchino Pecci (Papa Leão XIII), Paulus Editora, 2014, pag 13

Tuesday 26 May 2015

faith, hope, family, Love

scrabble art. faith, love,hope.family.home.   contact scrabblecreations@gmail.com

India - 450-year-old Goa Church gets special postal cover


India:  A special commemorative postal cover was launched on May 24 to commemorate the completion of 450 years of Holy Spirit Church in Margao in the western Indian state of Goa.

Retired high court justice Eurico Santana Da Silva launched the postal cover on the occasion of the annual feast celebration in the presence of the Goa postmaster general Charles Lobo, Margao deanery in-charge Fr Carmo Martins, parish priest Fr Avinash Rebelo and other priests. A symbolic dove and white balloons were released on the occasion.

Lobo expressed his delight in releasing this special postal cover that will now be featured in the philately exhibitions all over the world.

Remarking that this special postal cover will be available for sale next Sunday at the church as well as at the Margao post office, the postmaster general termed it a rare collector's item since it bore a special pictorial cancellation stamp of a dove instead of the usual date and place cancellation stamp.

In his welcome address, Fr Rebello narrated the history of the parish church that was built by the Jesuits in the 16th century and is now the largest parish church in Goa with approximately 15,000 Catholics and 3,500 families.

The parish priest urged his parishioners to actively participate in the various programmes such as inter-religious dialogues, social, cultural and sports that have been planned to celebrate the multi-centennial anniversary of the church structure.

(http://www.ucanindia.in/news/450yearold-goa-church-gets-special-postal-cover/29041/daily)

2 - Concebe um profundo sentimento do teu nada

Concebe um profundo sentimento do teu nada e fá-lo crescer constantemente no teu coração.
Recebeste alguns dons do Criador? Porque te envaideces como se fossem teus quando na realidade apenas os recebeste do Criador a título de empréstimo?
Não há no mundo coisa mais vã e ridícula do que quereres ser apreciado por algo que apenas recebeste emprestado.

Baseado no livro “A Prática da Humildade”, de Gioacchino Pecci (Papa Leão XIII), Paulus Editora, 2014, pag 12

Monday 25 May 2015

Passado e futuro, pecado e santidade

"Cada santo tem um passado e cada pecador tem um futuro" (Oscar Wilde)

1 - Não tens nada de que te possas vangloriar

Abre os olhos da alma e considera que não tens nada de que te possas vangloriar. De teu só tens o pecado, a debilidade e a miséria. Quanto aos dons da Graça que estão em ti, apenas os recebeste de Deus. Só a Ele deves dar glória.

Baseado no livro “A Prática da Humildade”, de Gioacchino Pecci (Papa Leão XIII), Paulus Editora, 2014, pag 11

India weather - Right now

National Weather

  • Delhi Now

  • 44.8oC

  • Max 43.5oC
    Min 28oC
  • Mumbai Now

  • 34.8oC

  • Max 34.8oC
    Min 29.6oC
  • Chennai Now

  • 33.3oC

  • Max 41.6oC
    Min 30.9oC
  • Kolkata Now

  • 35.8oC

  • Max 37.1oC
    Min 29.5oC
  • Nagpur Now

  • 45.6oC

  • Max 44.9oC
    Min 27.3oC

Dios es Amor

Dios es amor...

Amor, alegria, paz, paciência, benignidade, bondade, fidelidade, mansidão, autodomínio

"O mundo tem necessidade de homens e mulheres que não estejam fechados, mas repletos de Espírito Santo.

Para além de falta de liberdade, o fechamento ao Espírito Santo é também pecado. Há muitas maneiras de fechar-se ao Espírito Santo: no egoísmo do próprio benefício, no legalismo rígido – como a atitude dos doutores da lei que Jesus chama de hipócritas –, na falta de memória daquilo que Jesus ensinou, no viver a existência cristã não como serviço mas como interesse pessoal, e assim por diante.

O mundo necessita da coragem, da esperança, da fé e da perseverança dos discípulos de Cristo. O mundo precisa dos frutos do Espírito Santo: «amor, alegria, paz, paciência, benignidade, bondade, fidelidade, mansidão, autodomínio» (Gal 5, 22). O dom do Espírito Santo foi concedido em abundância à Igreja e a cada um de nós, para podermos viver com fé genuína e caridade operosa, para podermos espalhar as sementes da reconciliação e da paz.

Fortalecidos pelo Espírito e seus múltiplos dons, tornamo-nos capazes de lutar, sem abdicações, contra o pecado e a corrupção e dedicar-nos, com paciente perseverança, às obras da justiça e da paz."

Papa Francisco, Homilia na Solenidade de Pentecostes, 24/05/2015 

India weather - HOT days ahead

More HOT HOT days ahead for most of India


A low-level N-S trough (Heat induced) seen from Bihar to N-E Andhra coast, S Odisha coast ... http://ow.ly/i/aYc7A 
Due to this http://ow.ly/i/aYc7A , strong, dry and hot Westerlies will persist over most of Andhra, upto N,N-central Tamilnadu.
More HOT and HOT days to come for N,W,central,East,S-E India... http://ow.ly/i/aYcfb 

Chennai - 12pm, Nungambakkam has touched 40.5 C and may reach 43 C today !

Chennai - 12pm, At surface,low-levels the westerlies is pretty strong now and this'll hinder the Sea breeze onset.

(http://indianweatherman.blogspot.in/2015/05/more-hot-hot-days-ahead-for-most-of.html)

The Best Indian Catholic Posts - Do I possess riches or do riches possess me? Do I use things or do things use me?

"We are living in a world, which keeps calling us to possess more and more. We are bombarded from every side with advertisements inviting us to be owners of land, property, houses, and electronic and other goods. While we must use things and plan properly for own future and the future of our children, we need to be careful that we do not become so obsessed with the future that we forget to live in the present."

(http://errolsj.blogspot.in/2015/05/monday-may-25-2015-do-i-possess-riches.html)

Sunday 24 May 2015

To be filled with the Spirit

We must die to self and and empty ourselves of anything that might stand in the way of the Holy Spirit being able to work in and through us. Pray to be able to remove any and all things that need to be removed.

Eliminar do nosso espírito toda a presunção

Nunca nos convenceremos o suficiente da importância que tem a prática da humildade e o cuidado em eliminar do nosso espírito toda a presunção, toda a vaidade e todo o orgulho.

Nosso Senhor viveu a humildade até ao extremo de se tornar a vergonha do mundo, ensinando-nos com o seu exemplo o único caminho  que conduz ao Céu.

Baseado no livro “ A Prática da Humildade”, de Gioacchino Pecci (Papa Leão XIII), Paulus Editora, 2014, pags 9 e 10

Fragilidade

«A fragilidade persegue o sonho de um mundo onde o vencedor é aquele que dá e que recebe amor».

Ermes Ronchi, in "Tu és Beleza"


(http://www.seguirjesus.blogspot.in/)

Saturday 23 May 2015

The Best Indian Catholic Posts - Oscar Romero

The beatification of the slain Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, in his own city today, moves him one step closer to receiving the title long ago bestowed by the acclamation of his people: “San Romero de los Americas”. The honouring of the man comes 35 years after he was gunned down as he celebrated Mass in the chapel of a hospital, having preached a sermon the day before in which he called upon Salvadorean soldiers, as Christians, to stop carrying out the Government’s repression of the people, and spoken out continuously about the abuse of human rights and the plight of the poor.

Pope Francis: Archbishop Romero - live the violence of love that makes each one of us overcome selfishness and so that there be no more such cruel inequality between us

Pope Francis has sent a letter to the Archbishop of San Salvador, Msgr. José Luis Escobar Alas, on the occasion of the beatification of Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero Galdámez.
In the letter, the Holy Father recalled Archbishop Romero's words as he wrote of the necessary to live “the violence of love, that left Christ nailed to the Cross, that makes each one of us overcome selfishness and so that there be no more such cruel inequality between us.”
In so doing, those who invoke him as intercessor and protector will 'find in him the strength and courage to build the Kingdom of God, to commit to a more equal and dignified social order.'


Oscar Romero beatification draws huge El Salvador crowds

Oscar Romero - the Roman Catholic archbishop murdered during the 1980-92 civil war - has been beatified at a ceremony in El Salvador attended by huge crowds.
At least 250,000 people have filled the streets of the capital San Salvador for the ceremony.
It is the last step before Archbishop Romero is declared a saint.
He was shot dead by a sniper as he celebrated Mass in a hospital chapel on 24 March 1980.
Giant TV screens have been placed across the capital so that those away from the stage can watch the ceremony.
When the US-backed Salvadorean army was using death squads and torture to stop leftist revolutionaries from seizing power, he was not afraid to speak out in his weekly sermons, she says.
"The law of God which says thou shalt not kill must come before any human order to kill. It is high time you recovered your conscience," he said in his last homily in 1980, calling on the National Guard and police to stop the violence.
"I implore you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God: Stop the repression."
That was a sermon that cost him his life. A day later, while giving mass, he was hit through the heart by a single bullet.

The Best Indian Catholic Posts - Pentecost

When we respond to hate and violence with kindness and gentleness, we are doing the same marvelous deeds that the first disciples did. When we respond to greed and selfishness with moderation and selflessness, we are manifesting the working of the Spirit in our lives.

The Spirit that Jesus sent us from his Father is a Spirit of reconciliation, a Spirit that prevents us from holding grudges or nurturing vengeance.

And with the Spirit come the gifts that can transform the world.

El Salvador celebrates Oscar Romero but divisions remain

The market-sellers outside San Salvador's cathedral have been doing a roaring trade in recent days.
A dollar for a poster of a smiling Oscar Romero or how about a baseball cap with his face on it? A driver winds down his window and stops outside a stall to hand over some cash for a t-shirt and then goes on his way.
People are getting ready for a day of celebration.
At least 250,000 people are expected to descend on the small capital of San Salvador on Saturday as they witness the beatification of one of the region's biggest heroes.
Archbishop Oscar Romero was not just a churchman. He took a stand during El Salvador's darkest moments.
When the US-backed Salvadorean army was using death squads and torture to stop leftist revolutionaries from seizing power, he was not afraid to speak out in his weekly sermons.
"The law of God which says thou shalt not kill must come before any human order to kill. It is high time you recovered your conscience," he said in his last homily in March 1980, calling on the National Guard and police to stop the violence.
"I implore you, I beg you, I order you in the name of God: Stop the repression."
That was a sermon that cost him his life. A day later, while giving mass, he was hit through the heart by a single bullet, killed by a right-wing death squad.
With him died hopes of peace. In the months after Oscar Romero's assassination, the violence intensified and more than a decade of civil war followed. The conflict left around 80,000 people dead.
Flying in to El Salvador, you land at the international airport named after Archbishop Romero. Your passport is stamped with his little portrait too. Small details that show he has a big following here.
But he was not a figure loved by all. For some, he was more guerrilla than a man of God.
"He wasn't political but he lived in a very conflictive political time. Everything was politicised," says Father Jesus Delgado, Oscar Romero's friend and personal assistant.
"There was a line in the middle and the ones who supported the government were good and the ones who were against the government were bad - it was that simple."
But he also faced opposition within the Church. Oscar Romero's path to sainthood had been stalled for years.
Several conservative Latin American cardinals in the Vatican blocked his beatification for years because they were concerned his death was prompted more by his politics than by his preaching.
"We cannot overlook that many of his most vocal opponents were in the church," says Professor Michael Lee, a theologian at Fordham University.
"It was not just a matter of faith and politics as two separate things but the political dimension of faith itself."
Some linked Father Romero to Liberation Theology. It was a movement that grew out of the region's poverty and inequality with the belief that the Church could play a role in bringing about social change.
Some radical priests became involved in revolutionary movements but friends of Oscar Romero say he was not one of them.
In the unstable political context of El Salvador though, there was a lot of mistrust.
It took decades for that mentality to change. Not until Pope Francis became the first Latin American pontiff was his beatification unblocked.
The Pope declared him a martyr who had died because of hatred of his faith, ending the decades-long debate.
"Francis becoming Pope represents a whole sea change because the Latin American church is now in charge of the universal church," says Dr Austen Ivereigh, author of a biography of Pope Francis.
"That's why this has huge symbolic significance, the unblocking of the cause of Romero. It really does signal the arrival of the Latin American church in Rome." 
Romero's younger brother has said that he remembers his brother as a "committed" man.
For Oscar Romero's supporters in El Salvador, this about turn has been a long time coming.
"Romero was their hero and that he is recognised as a saint of the church gives them huge affirmation and encouragement and inspiration," says Julian Filochowski, who is the chair of the Oscar Romero Trust in the UK.
"He's like Martin Luther King. It puts him in that same orbit as great iconic figures."
In a country where religion is all important, he also divides opinions.
The Catholic Church is undoubtedly powerful but more than a third of people here now identify themselves as evangelical. Several I spoke to said they did not recognise him as a saintly figure.
Flying the flag for the Romero family on Saturday is Gaspar Romero, the Archbishop's youngest brother who says he remembers his sibling as a hard-working and committed man.
"He was always very humble and dedicated to his studies," he says. "He was committed to protecting the poor, if he was alive today he would be doing the same work."
And it is work that many feel is more relevant than ever - El Salvador is fast becoming one of the most violent places in the world.
Many feel the country is in a worse place than it ever was during civil conflict. This time though, there is no Oscar Romero to make a stand. 

Mgr Oscar Romero béatifié ce samedi au Salvador

Jour de fête au Salvador ce samedi: le cardinal Angelo Amato, préfet de la Congrégation pour les causes des saints, et l’envoyé spécial du pape François, présidera la messe de béatification de Mgr Oscar Romero, l’archevêque de San Salvador assassiné en pleine messe il y a trente-cinq ans. Sur la place « Salvador del Mundo », lieu emblématique de la capitale salvadorienne, quelques 250 000 personnes sont attendues. Le gouvernement a décrété une journée de congé national et les deux principaux gangs du pays, les maras MS 23 et le barrio 18 ont déclaré une trêve après 3 mois d’affrontements. pour l'occasion.

Lors de la célébration, seront présentés aux fidèles des objets personnels de Mgr Romero, dont sa chemise ensanglantée; chemise qu'il portait le jour de sa mort, le 24 mars 1980, lorsqu'il tomba sous les balles de miliciens d'extrême-droite.

Figure emblématique d’une Église persécutée parce que défenseure des pauvres, Mgr Romero dénonçait avec force les injustices sociales, les assassinats et les violences commises impunément par les escadrons de la mort.

Outre le cardinal Amato, venu de Rome, les organisateurs attendent des cardinaux du Honduras, du Nicaragua, de Panama et de Cuba. Ils espèrent également la venue de deux cardinaux nord-américains ainsi que celle d'une centaine d'évêques de tous les coins du monde, de la Pologne à la Nouvelle Guinée.

L'Esprit-Saint

Seigneur, donne nous l'Esprit-Saint afin que nous puissions discerner en tout temps ce que nous devons faire. Donne-nous la grâce de ne pas avoir peur.

Pape François

Friday 22 May 2015

Meditação diária de Falar com Deus - excertos de Os Frutos do Espírito Santo

Os mais importantes frutos sobrenaturais do Espírito Santo: caridade, alegria, paz, paciência, benignidade, bondade, longanimidade, mansidão, fé, modéstia, continência e castidade.

Em primeiro lugar figura o amor, a caridade, que é a primeira manifestação da nossa união com Cristo. É o fruto que nos faz experimentar que Deus está mais perto, e que visa aliviar o fardo dos outros. A caridade delicada e operativa com os que convivem ou trabalham conosco é a primeira manifestação da ação do Espírito Santo na alma.

A caridade está cheia de paciência; e a paciência é, em muitas ocasiões, o suporte do amor. O cristão deve ver em tudo a mão amorosa de Deus, que se serve dos sofrimentos e das dores para purificar aqueles que mais ama e fazê-los santos. Por isso, não perde a paz diante da doença, dos contratempos, dos defeitos alheios, das calúnias... ou mesmo dos seus fracassos espirituais.

Esperamos de ânimo sereno, sem amargura, e durante o tempo que Deus queira, as dilações queridas ou permitidas por Ele.

Ao primeiro e principal fruto do Espírito Santo segue-se necessariamente a alegria, uma alegria que caracteriza o cristão e que permanece por cima da dor e do fracasso.

O amor e a alegria deixam na alma a paz de Deus. Existe a falsa paz da desordem, como a que reina numa família em que os pais cedem sempre aos caprichos dos filhos. A paz, fruto do Espírito Santo, é ausência de agitação. Esta paz pressupõe uma luta constante contra as tendências desordenadas das paixões.

A bondade é uma disposição estável da vontade que nos inclina a querer toda a espécie de bens para os outros, sem excetuar ninguém: amigos e inimigos, parentes e desconhecidos, vizinhos e gente distante. A alma sente-se amada por Deus e isto impede-a de ter ciúmes e invejas, levando-a a ver nos outros filhos de Deus, a quem Ele ama e por quem Jesus morreu.

Não basta querer o bem para os outros na teoria. A caridade verdadeira é amor eficaz que se traduz em atos. A benignidade é a disposição do coração que nos inclina a fazer o bem aos outros. Na nossa vida, manifesta-se nos mil pormenores de serviço que procuramos ter com aqueles com quem nos relacionamos todos os dias. A benignidade incita-nos a levar paz e alegria aos lugares por onde passamos e a ter uma disposição constante de indulgência e de afabilidade.

A mansidão está intimamente ligada à bondade e à benignidade, e é como que o seu acabamento e perfeição. Opõe-se às estéreis manifestações da ira, que no fundo são sinais de fraqueza. Aquele que possui este fruto do Espírito Santo não se impacienta nem alimenta sentimentos de rancor para com as pessoas que o tenham ofendido ou injuriado, ainda que sinta – e às vezes muito vivamente, pela maior finura de sentimentos que adquire pelo trato com Deus – as asperezas dos outros, os desaires, as humilhações. Sabe que Deus se serve de tudo isso para purificar as almas.

À mansidão segue-se a fidelidade. Fiel é a pessoa que cumpre os seus deveres, mesmo os mais pequenos, e em quem os outros podem depositar a sua confiança. Ser fiel é uma forma de viver a justiça e a caridade. A fidelidade é o resumo de todos os frutos que se referem às nossas relações com o próximo.

Os três últimos frutos dizem respeito à virtude da temperança, a qual, sob o influxo dos dons do Espírito Santo, produz frutos de modéstia, continência e castidade.

Pessoa modesta é aquela que sabe comportar-se de modo equilibrado e justo em cada situação, e que aprecia os seus talentos sem os exagerar nem diminuir, porque sabe que são uma dádiva de Deus para serem postos a serviço dos outros. Este fruto do Espírito Santo reflete-se no porte exterior da pessoa, no seu modo de falar e de vestir, de tratar as pessoas e de comportar-se socialmente. A modéstia é atraente porque reflete simplicidade e ordem interior.

Os dois últimos frutos são a continência e a castidade. Como que por instinto, a alma está extremamente vigilante, a fim de evitar tudo o que possa ameaçar-lhe a pureza interior e exterior, tão grata a Deus. São frutos que embelezam a vida cristã, que a preparam para entender as coisas que se referem a Deus, e que podem obter-se mesmo no meio de grandes tentações, se se foge da ocasião e se luta com decisão, sabendo que a graça do Senhor nunca há de faltar.

(http://www.hablarcondios.org/pt/meditacaodiaria.asp)

Angels

It is common doctrine that each and every man, baptised or not, has his guardian angel. The angel’s mission begins with the conception of a man and continues up to the moment of his death. St John Chrysostom affirms that all the guardian angels will gather together at the universal judgement in order to bear witness themselves to the ministry that they exercised through God’s command for the salvation of each man (St John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea, vol III, p238).

This trust and veneration of our first brothers in the Faith for the angels is particularly highlighted in the account of the freeing of St Peter from prison: An angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell, and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying ‘Get up quickly'. And the chains fell from off his hands. And the angel said to him, ‘Dress yourself and put on your sandals’ And he did so. And he said to him, ‘Wrap your mantle around you and follow me' (Acts 12:7-11)

21/5/2015 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): There are times when God is silent

There are times when God is silent, a silence which cannot be understood unless we gaze upon Christ crucified.

Pope Francis ()

Thursday 21 May 2015

A 9-Step Daily Prayer That Reveals Hidden Inner Truths - How to dig deep by praying the Examen

Saint Ignatius of Loyola created the Examen to be a very short (“quarter of an hour”) prayer that can be prayed at any time that is most convenient. In the Examen, we review our recent past to find God and God’s blessings in daily life. We also look back to find moments in the day when things didn’t go so well—when we were hurt by something that happened to us, or when we sinned or made a mistake. We give praise and thanksgiving for the blessed moments. We ask forgiveness and healing for the difficult and painful moments. Having reflected on this past day, we then turn to the day yet to come and ask God to show us the potential challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. We try to anticipate which moments might go one way or the other for us: toward God’s plan or away from it. We ask for insight into what graces we might need to live this next day well: patience, wisdom, fortitude, self-knowledge, peace, optimism. We ask God for that grace, and we trust that he wants us to succeed in our day even more than we do.

That’s the basic idea behind the Ignatian Examen. Ignatius would say that this should be the most important moment of our day. Why? Because this moment affects every other moment.

If you are like me, at any given moment there are little truths about your life that lie beneath the surface of your consciousness—things you have not yet recognized or acknowledged. For me, these hidden truths are usually, but not always, a painful reality that I have trouble accepting. Sometimes there are felicitous happenings in my life that I simply haven’t slowed down enough to notice and name. This Examen tries to dig deeply into our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and motivations to try to uncover a hidden truth or two.

One thing to bear in mind before you begin is that sometimes the really important hidden inner truth is difficult to bring to the level of consciousness and will resist any attempt to do so. Sometimes it’s just hard for us to admit an inner truth that is having its way with us. In these cases, your psyche will try a diversion tactic to keep you off the trail; it may reveal a less threatening inner truth to keep you occupied for the duration of the Examen. Therefore, I recommend that you not be satisfied with the first couple of inner truths that surface. Keep digging for a few minutes before you settle on the one you think is most important, which may well be the third or fourth one that comes to mind.

1. I begin in my usual way.*

2. I spend a few moments in gratitude, thanking God for one or two of the blessings, big and small, that I’ve received today: the good mood I woke up in, a kind word from a friend, my undeserved good health, an easy commute to work, another day with my wonderful spouse.

3. I ask God to reveal to me any hidden truths about any of the important relationships in my life. For example, “I didn’t realize it, but . . .”

• I’m angry with ____.
• I’m attracted to ____.
• I’m getting along better with ____.
• I’m not so angry with ____. I seem to have forgiven her and not noticed!
• I’m afraid of ____’s outbursts.
• I’m trying to impress ____.

4. If a large and striking revelation occurs to me, one that makes me go, “Wow, I hadn’t noticed that before” or “Well, I guess it’s time to admit the truth of that,” then I remain on that one hidden truth for the rest of the Examen. If nothing big shows up when I muse over my relationships, then I move on to my subconscious thoughts, feelings, and attitudes about recent events in my life, about any attachments I’m clinging to, and about my own relationship with myself. For example, “I didn’t realize it, but . . .”

• I’m sad about ____ moving away.
• I’m not as anxious about that daunting task at the office.
• I’m worried about our finances.
• I’m spending more and more time on useless web browsing.
• I’m clinging too tightly to owning ____, when perhaps God or my life circumstances call me to let it go.
• I’m getting older and am not admitting it to myself.
• I’m not as bad at ___ as I think I am.
• Despite my pessimism, things are turning out OK.

5. When I have settled on the most important inner truth, I let go of all of the others and simply have a conversation with God about this one reality in my life. I summarize it in one simple statement such as one of the examples above, and I make that statement over and over again to God, letting its reality and existence sink in and not hide again.

6. I note what emotions I am feeling as I make this statement to God. What is the strongest emotion that I feel as I name this truth to God? I now add this to my statement. For example, “Lord, I feel ____ as I admit that ____.” I let myself steep in that emotion for a while and I keep presenting to God both the truth and its accompanying emotion.

7. I get really quiet now and try to detect if God is trying to say or do something about this reality. How does God feel about this truth? How does God feel about how I feel? If I feel called to do so, I listen for God’s message to me or I await his touch on my heart. I ask God, “What is it you would have me do about this? How should this truth affect who I am?” I listen for what might be an answer from God.

8. If I feel called to do so, I make a commitment to God about this. I ask God for help to be faithful to my commitment.

9. I end in my usual way.*

* I recommend that you slowly develop unique and personal rituals for beginning and ending your Examen. Some people begin the Examen with a recitation of a formulaic prayer such as the Our Father, with the singing of a simple song such as “Amazing Grace,” or with the repetition of a favorite line from Scripture. Others bow to their prayer spot as a way of declaring this a sacred space. Catholics usually begin with the sign of the cross. Many find it helpful to begin by taking some slow, deep breaths. All of these examples could also be rituals for ending one’s Examen. The idea is to have a simple, short, prayerful way to enter this experience and a similarly helpful way to close it and get back to the day’s tasks.

This Examen is excerpted from Reimagining the Ignatian Examen: Fresh Ways to Pray from Your Day by Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ. Used with permission of Loyola Press.

---

Mark E. Thibodeaux, SJ, serves as novice director for Jesuits in formation and is an acknowledged expert on the topic of prayer and discernment. He is a well-known speaker and author, whose many books include Armchair Mystic and God’s Voice Within. He lives in Grand Coteau, Louisiana.



Wednesday 20 May 2015

Igreja ao ar livre

Pretty Place - Google Search

Girl scores high in exam, working in five houses

Bengaluru: Shalini has scored 84 percent in her 12th grade exam in Karnataka. Nothing unusual, except that the 17-year-old girl wrote the exam after working as a help in five houses.
In addition to studying for her exams, Shalini cleaned houses to add to her family’s income.
“I used to clean clothes, clean utensils and put rangolis (decorative motifs on the floor),” she told NDTV in fluent English. Her ambition is to become the first engineer in her family.
Shalini’s father Armugam was disabled in an accident and does not work anymore. Her mother Vijaya, the main bread earner, has to juggle her cleaning jobs with hospital duties. Shalini’s younger brother Surya has been diagnosed with blood cancer and is in hospital.
Shalini had no choice but to continue working while preparing for her exams.
Asked how she managed to get any studying done, the teenager says: “I woke up at 4:30 am, went to a house to put Rangoli, that was till 5:30, then I mopped and cleaned at another house till 7:30, then went to another house to wash clothes and clean utensils till 9, then I studied, had breakfast, went to another house to wash clothes, then another house to clean utensils, then studied at night.”

(http://mattersindia.com/girl-scores-high-in-exam-working-in-five-houses/)

19/5/2015 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_es): Dios siempre nos perdona

Dios siempre nos espera, siempre nos comprende, siempre nos perdona.

Papa Francisco ()

19/5/2015 Papa Francisco (@Pontifex_pt): Deus perdoa-nos sempre

Deus sempre espera por nós, sempre nos entende, sempre nos perdoa.

Papa Francisco )

19/5/2015 Pape François (@Pontifex_fr): Dieu nous pardonne toujours

Dieu nous attend toujours, nous comprend toujours, nous pardonne toujours.

Pape François (

19/5/2015 Papa Francesco ‏(@Pontifex_it): Dio sempre ci perdona

Dio sempre ci aspetta, sempre ci capisce, sempre ci perdona.

Papa Francesco (@Pontifex_it)

Tuesday 19 May 2015

Sunday 17 May 2015

Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (14)

The Lord Jesus shows us the steps of the pilgrimage to attain our goal: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back” (Lk 6:37-38). The Lord asks us above all not to judge and not to condemn. If anyone wishes to avoid God’s judgement, he should not make himself the judge of his brother or sister. Human beings, whenever they judge, look no farther than the surface, whereas the Father looks into the very depths of the soul. How much harm words do when they are motivated by feelings of jealousy and envy! To speak ill of others puts them in a bad light, undermines their reputation and leaves them prey to the whims of gossip. To refrain from judgement and condemnation means, in a positive sense, to know how to accept the good in every person and to spare him any suffering that might be caused by our partial judgment, our presumption to know everything about him. But this is still not sufficient to express mercy. Jesus asks us also to forgive and to give. To be instruments of mercy because it was we who first received mercy from God. To be generous with others, knowing that God showers his goodness upon us with immense generosity.
Merciful like the Father, therefore, is the “motto” of this Holy Year. In mercy, we find proof of how God loves us. He gives his entire self, always, freely, asking nothing in return. He comes to our aid whenever we call upon him. What a beautiful thing that the Church begins her daily prayer with the words, “O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me” (Ps 70:2)! The assistance we ask for is already the first step of God’s mercy toward us. He comes to assist us in our weakness. And his help consists in helping us accept his presence and closeness to us. Day after day, touched by his compassion, we also can become compassionate towards others.

Pope Francis

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html   

Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (13)

In order to be capable of mercy, therefore, we must first of all dispose ourselves to listen to the Word of God. This means rediscovering the value of silence in order to meditate on the Word that comes to us. In this way, it will be possible to contemplate God’s mercy and adopt it as our lifestyle.

Pope Francis

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html   

The Best Indian Catholic Posts - Pray for those who lose temper

If you don't believe in miracles

If you don't believe in miracles, perhaps you've forgotten you are one.

16/5/2015 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): It is better to have a Church that is wounded but out in the streets

It is better to have a Church that is wounded but out in the streets than a Church that is sick because it is closed in on itself.

Pope Francis ()

Saturday 16 May 2015

Sé Cathedral of Santa Catarina, Archdiocese of Goa

 The Sé Cathedral of Santa Catarina, known as Se Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the seat of the Patriarch of the East Indies. Located in Old Goa, India, the largest church in India[citation needed] is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. It is one of the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa and is one of the largest churches in Asia



The Sé Cathedral of Santa Catarina, known as Se Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the seat of the Patriarch of the East Indies. Located in Old Goa, India, the largest church in India[citation needed] is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. It is one of the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa and is one of the largest churches in Asia.

Creative translation - 12.5.2015 - Impatience

Impatience, the worst of all sins.
Impatience with God, lack of Faith .
Impatience with myself, lack of Hope.
Impatience with my neighbor, lack of Love.
The latter is the largest (albeit perhaps not the worst) of all impatience.

Pope Francis with Syro-Malankara Catholic Church

Pape François - Pope Francis - Papa Francesco - Papa Francisco - Catholicos ortodoxo siro-malankar de la india


Meu Deus, como é fácil agarrar-me a esta terra

Meu Deus,
como é fácil agarrar-me a esta terra,
àquilo que vejo, que tenho entre as mãos.
O mundo não me ensina
a orientar o olhar para Ti,
desvia-me,
absorve-me,
esgota-me…
quem mo ensinará?
a participação nos Sacramentos,
a oração diária,
o amor aos irmãos.
A realidade não é o que vejo,
pois tudo passa.
A realidade és Tu, Senhor,
que vives para sempre.


(http://orar.carmelitas.pt/)

As quatro condições de São Tomás de Aquino para que uma oração seja sempre atendida

1. A pessoa tem de rezar por si mesma;
2. Tem que pedir coisas necessárias para a sua Salvação;
3. Que o faça com humildade;
4. Que o faça com perseverança.


Friday 15 May 2015

Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (12)

"It is absolutely essential for the Church and for the credibility of her message that she herself live and testify to mercy. Her language and her gestures must transmit mercy, so as to touch the hearts of all people and inspire them once more to find the road that leads to the Father."

Pope Francis

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html   

Thursday 14 May 2015

The Best Indian Catholic Posts - "Yoga is not just a work out; it is a work in"

“All kinds of yoga are being popularised in Western countries these days, and some of them do present yoga through a Hindu religious lens,” he said. “Most, however, have just reduced yoga to acrobatics. But yoga is not just a work out – it is a work in.”

(http://kripafoundation.blogspot.in/2015/04/twists-of-faith-in-mumbai-fr-joe.html)

Wednesday 13 May 2015

India - Christian Medical College team camps in Nepal

This will be the first team that the institution plans to send to Nepal. More teams will follow depending on the need. A five-member team of two doctors and three nurses from Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore has arrived in Nepal to camp at one of the worst-affected districts of Dhading.

(http://www.ucanindia.in/news/christian-medical-college-team-camps-in-nepal/28889/daily)

12/5/2015 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Why is it so difficult to tolerate the faults of others?

Why is it so difficult to tolerate the faults of others? Have we forgotten that Jesus bore our sins?

Pope Francis ()

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Impaciência, o pior de todos os pecados

Impaciência com Deus, falta de Fé.
Impaciência comigo próprio, falta de Esperança.
Impaciência com o meu próximo, falta de Amor. Esta última é a maior (embora talvez não seja a pior) de todas as impaciências.

Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (11)

First, Saint John Paul II highlighted the fact that we had forgotten the theme of mercy in today’s cultural milieu: “The present-day mentality, more perhaps than that of people in the past, seems opposed to a God of mercy, and in fact tends to exclude from life and to remove from the human heart the very idea of mercy. The word and the concept of ‘mercy’ seem to cause uneasiness in man, who, thanks to the enormous development of science and technology, never before known in history, has become the master of the earth and has subdued and dominated it. This dominion over the earth, sometimes understood in a one-sided and superficial way, seems to have no room for mercy… And this is why, in the situation of the Church and the world today, many individuals and groups guided by a lively sense of faith are turning, I would say almost spontaneously, to the mercy of God”.

Furthermore, Saint John Paul II pushed for a more urgent proclamation and witness to mercy in the contemporary world: “It is dictated by love for man, for all that is human and which, according to the intuitions of many of our contemporaries, is threatened by an immense danger. The mystery of Christ… obliges me to proclaim mercy as God’s merciful love, revealed in that same mystery of Christ. It likewise obliges me to have recourse to that mercy and to beg for it at this difficult, critical phase of the history of the Church and of the world”. This teaching is more pertinent than ever and deserves to be taken up once again in this Holy Year. Let us listen to his words once more: “The Church lives an authentic life when she professes and proclaims mercy – the most stupendous attribute of the Creator and of the Redeemer – and when she brings people close to the sources of the Saviour’s mercy, of which she is the trustee and dispenser”.

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html  

Monday 11 May 2015

India - Solidarity movement to organize retreat for bishops

Indore — The Universal Solidarity Movement (USM), which is committed to promote peace and harmony, plans to organize a retreat for bishops.
USM national coordinator Fr. Varghese Alengaden says the retreat is only for bishops because of the great influence they have in their dioceses and the impact they can make both within the Church and in society. Those who are open to new ways will enrich themselves much from this leadership retreat, he claimed.
“Surely this is not a traditional retreat. It is fully based on the life and teachings of Christ. It is an opportunity to explore new possibilities,” Father Alengaden added.
The retreat is scheduled for August 18-25 at Indore, the commercial capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.
Fr. Jacob Peenickaparampbil, a member of Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, will join Fr Alengaden as the retreat preachers. The two priests have conducted many retreats and seminars for several groups of priests and religious across the country.
The central theme of the retreat is ‘what would Jesus do if he were present today?’ The first two days will be spent for an exclusive pilgrimage with Christ with the help of the famous film ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ by Franco Zeffirelli.

Sunday 10 May 2015

Cardinal Cleemis echoes Church’s service to Nepal quake victims

Vatican City — Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), issued an appeal on behalf of the Catholic Church of India to help the quake victims in Nepal. The Cardinal has expressed solidarity and support for quake victims and made an plea to the bishops, priests, and men and women religious to encourage the community of the faithful, public institutions and people of good will to make voluntary contributions to this humanitarian emergency, reported Vatican Radio .
For several days, Caritas India has been on the ground, involved in rescue and recovery. The Indian Catholic Church was among the first to express its solidarity to the people of Nepal, offering prayers and condolences to all those who lost loved ones and property to the quake.
More than ten days after the quake, many people are still living out in the open, not even a tent over their heads. Drinking water is also in short supply and there is rising concern about the impact of possible epidemics on the most vulnerable, especially children.

God turns broken things into...

Only Him can change our life! ;.)  My own design. Check my blog for more and be blessed!  #christian #quotes #beriacharles #beriablogs

9/5/2015 Pope Francis (@Pontifex): Let us learn to live with kindness, to love everyone

Let us learn to live with kindness, to love everyone, even when they do not love us.

Pope Francis ()

Saturday 9 May 2015

Indian Jesuit to address Caritas summit on inequalities

New Delhi: A leading Jesuit activist from India is among those invited to help the worldwide Caritas organization in its search for a “poor Church for the poor.”
Fr Cedric Prakash will address more than 400 Caritas delegates, Vatican representatives, NGOs and religious leaders, who are expected in Rome for the May 12-17 General Assembly of the Catholic Church’s major social wing.
The quadrennial assembly will begin with a special Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica. The delegates then move to Rome’s Domus Mariae for the assembly where speakers such as Cardinal Peter Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and theologian Dominican Father Gustavo Gutierrez will address them.
Caritas Internationalis President, Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga, will open the event which focuses on the theme: “One Human Family, Caring for Creation.”
Fr Prakash, who directs Prashant (tranquility), a center for human rights, justice and peace in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, will talk on how to reduce inequalities and achieve a really sustainable development during a two-hour session at 3 pm on May 13.
During the six days the assembly will study how growing inequalities are posing a challenge to the human family and the effects of climate change on development.


Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (10)

Mercy is the very foundation of the Church’s life. All of her pastoral activity should be caught up in the tenderness she makes present to believers; nothing in her preaching and in her witness to the world can be lacking in mercy. The Church’s very credibility is seen in how she shows merciful and compassionate love. Perhaps we have long since forgotten how to show and live the way of mercy. The temptation, on the one hand, to focus exclusively on justice made us forget that this is only the first, albeit necessary and indispensable step. But the Church needs to go beyond and strive for a higher and more important goal. On the other hand, sad to say, we must admit that the practice of mercy is waning in the wider culture. In some cases the word seems to have dropped out of use. However, without a witness to mercy, life becomes fruitless and sterile, as if sequestered in a barren desert. The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instils in us the courage to look to the future with hope. 

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html  

Thursday 7 May 2015

JESUS' COMMANDMENT OF LOVE

"First Reading: Acts 10: 25-26,34-35,44-48
Second Reading: 1 John 4: 7-10
Gospel Reading: John 15: 9-17

Today's second reading is from the first letter of St. John. This passage contains what is probably the most important statement ever made about God: that God is LOVE in its fullness.

In this passage Jesus expresses His love for His disciples. In return, their love for Him should be expressed by keeping His commandment. Jesus is not speaking of the ten commandments which God gave to Moses. In the Gospels we have certain guidelines for keeping His commandment.

It could mean the following:
1. Do not return evil for evil. Nothing is achieved by revenge and retaliation.
2. Do not judge others. Leave the judgement to God.
3. Do not worry about food and drink and cloths as if these are the most important things in life. Our first concern should be to live as Christ wants us.
4. Do not look back once you have decided to follow Jesus.
5. Let you light shine before people.
6. Love you enemies. Not just your friends and cronies.
7. Give and you will receive in abundance.
8. Forgive every one who sins against you.
9. Take this bread and eat it. Take this cup and drink from it. Eucharist is the primary nourishment to live as followers of Christ.
10. Finally, Love one another as I have loved you.
If we follow these dos and don'ts then probably we will be able to fulfill the commandment of love.

"Hungry for Love , He looks at you.
Thirsty for kindness, He begs you.
Naked for Loyalty, He hopes in you.
Homeless for shelter in your heart, He asks you. Will you be that one to Him?"
Bl. Mother Teresa of Calcutta."

(http://lordsday-joymaveli.blogspot.in/)

Wednesday 6 May 2015

Misericordiae Vultus en - GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (9)

In the parables devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who never gives up until he has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with compassion and mercy.

We are called to show mercy because mercy has first been shown to us. Pardoning offences becomes the clearest expression of merciful love, and for us Christians it is an imperative from which we cannot excuse ourselves. At times how hard it seems to forgive! And yet pardon is the instrument placed into our fragile hands to attain serenity of heart. To let go of anger, wrath, violence, and revenge are necessary conditions to living joyfully.

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7): the beatitude to which we should particularly aspire in this Holy Year.

As we can see in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible and tangible. Love, after all, can never be just an abstraction. By its very nature, it indicates something concrete: intentions, attitudes, and behaviours that are shown in daily living. The mercy of God is his loving concern for each one of us. He feels responsible; that is, he desires our wellbeing and he wants to see us happy, full of joy, and peaceful. This is the path which the merciful love of Christians must also travel. As the Father loves, so do his children. Just as he is merciful, so we are called to be merciful to each other.

http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_bolla_20150411_misericordiae-vultus.html