Monday, October 27, 2008

Taking the Plunge: Trusting in God

I don’t know about you, but I am not a big fan of surprises. There is something about them that makes me rather uneasy, especially when they are completely unexpected. Even good surprises make me nervous. I just don’t know how to react to them, I mean, what if I receive a gift from someone that they have spent a lot of time thinking about and I don’t like it?

Well it looks like I am following the wrong religion then doesn’t it? For as hard as it may be for us to understand, God is absolutely full of surprises. Some of you may be able to name a surprise. On Christmas morning you got the present you most wanted, even though you didn’t think Santa (or Mum and Dad) would bring it. Your exam results were much better than you expected. Some surprises may be harder to understand. Others of you may have lost a relative or friend. Your exam results, as hard as you have tried, were not as good as people expected you would do. God is behind all of them though.

My biggest surprise is actually having a faith, let alone following it though Catholicism, within three years of thinking about it. I was watching the funeral of Pope John Paul II on UK television when I saw all those people crying and mourning his death. He had spent his whole life serving God and dealing with all sorts of surprises. He grew up in a world full of war and fighting in which he saw millions of his own people die. When the other cardinals chose him to be the Pope in 1978, nobody saw him as a possible leader, least of all he. He was a minor archbishop from Eastern Europe with lots of problems at home. Yet he became an earthly Father to so many people, millions of whom travelled all the way to Rome just to see his lifeless body.
I stopped asking questions for a while and went about my life as I had been, but with an itch. I started going to a church and learning about God. Then the surprises began to happen. I tried to go to Oxford University with my girlfriend. She got in, and I didn’t. ‘Why can’t I go?’ I asked God rather angrily in prayer.

St. Peter's Square
Taken from FreeFoto.Com
The summer after my exams came and I went to Rome to see the sights. I lay in St Peter’s Square and I suddenly felt strange. I believe it was God telling me I had to become a Catholic. Now that was a surprise and a half! I really didn’t want to, but in a weird way it made sense. I was about to go to York University and I had a chance to start many parts of my life afresh. So I decided to give God a chance and it has left me…here. I didn’t want to go to my first ever campus mass at university; I was scared I would sit or kneel when I was supposed to do something else! But I went and I met a group of friends who have never stopped helping me, even when they do not realise it. God began surprising me in all sorts of ways. By the end of my first year, I had become involved in Social Justice campaigns, travelled to Rome and Lourdes and, most special of all, been received into the Church that seemed to love me so much.

I still feel uneasy about surprises, but I now know I have to use them in whatever way God want me to. I am writing this in a room in Konstanz, Germany, where I am an exchange student for six months. I do not know why God has let me come here, but I know I will find out soon. God will continue to surprise you, I know he will. It is a bit like climbing the ladder to the high dive and hovering on the edge of the board. If you’re not sure, just close your eyes and jump- he will guide you and do the rest!!!

Contributed By Roy Scivyer, Konstanz 2008 :)

posted by Titans of God at 3:57 pm 1 Comments

The Little Flower


Name: St. Therese of the Child Jesus a.k.a. St. Therese of Lisieux
Birth Place: Normandy, France
Parents: Louis and Zelie Martin
Siblings: 4 other sisters
Religious Order: Carmelite Nun
Born: 1873
Died: September 30, 1897
Writings By The Little Flower: Story of a Soul, The Letters of St. Therese
Proclaimed a saint by Pope Pius XI in 1925

THERESE OF LISIEUX (1873-1897) was born Therese Martin in Normandy, France. She entered the Carmel of Lisieux at the age of fifteen. At that time the notion that God's anger on account of sin must be appeased by voluntary self-offering was prevalent in the Church. Instead within nine years Therese achieved holiness through her grasp of the central Gospel truth of God's merciful saving love for everyone without exception. Her short autobiography was written at the request of others and revealed her strong desire that all should know this truth and respond in trust no matter what their condition, sinner or saint. Her teaching has rescued convicted criminals, alcoholics and other addicts from despair as well as pointing out the simple way of trust to countless Christians.

St Therese showed her love to Jesus by walking the way of perfection in the small things of everyday life: "Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love."

She is the patron saint of missionaries and in 1997 was declared a Doctor (that is, an official teacher) of the Church. She is one of the most popular and best loved of all the saints. Her feast day is 1 October

For more information on St. Therese of the Child Jesus, you can refer to Carmelites 20-40.



Story of a Soul can be found at our Katong Catholic Bookstore. It cost about $37 but the book is worth the money.

Extracts from the book which I found very inspiring:

"There is in the Community a Sister who has the faculty of displeasing me in everything, in her ways, her words, her character, everything seems very disagreeable to me. And still, she is a holy religious who must be very pleasing to God. Not wishing to give in to the natural antipathy I was experiencing, I told myself that charity must not consist in feelings but in works; then I set myself to doing for this Sister what I would do for the person I loved the most. Each time I met her I prayed to God for her, offering Him all her virtues and merits. I felt this was pleasing to Jesus, for there is no artist who doesn't love to receive praise for his works, and Jesus, the Artist of souls, is happy when we do not stop at the exterior, but, penetrating into the inner sanctuary where He chooses to dwell, we admire its beauty. I wasn't content simply with praying very much for this Sister who gave me so many struggles, but I took care to render her all the services possible, and when I was tempted to answer her back in a disagreeable manner, I was content with giving her my most friendly smile, and changing the subject of the conversation, for the Imitation says: "It is better to leave each one in his own opinion than to enter into arguments."


Frequently, when I was at recreation (I mean during the work periods) and had the occasion to work with this Sister, I used to run away like a deserter whenever my struggles became too violent. As she was absolutely unaware of my feelings for her, never did she suspect the motives for my conduct and she remained convinced that her character was very pleasing to me. One day at recreation, she asked in almost these words: "Would you tell me, Sister Therese of the Child Jesus, what attracts you so much to me; every time you look at me, I see you smile?" Ah! what attracted me was Jesus hidden in the depths of her soul; Jesus who makes sweet what is most bitter. I answered that I was smiling because I was happy to see her (it is understood that I did not add that this was from a spirtual standpoint)."
Idle Time


A Bible Tip

"They learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not" 1 Timothy 5:13


A Timely Tip

It has often been said that an idle person is one of the devil’s best tools. FBI records in the United States show that this statement is true. Teenage crime is at an all-time high. Disrespect for authority, getting into trouble, and major crimes have increased tremendously; and much of this is because young people have too much free time on their hands.

Even Christian people always seem to be looking for excitement. They dislike the quiet, orderly, everyday living. They feel that something exciting should be happening all the time. And if it does not happen, they become discontented.

In America, life is rushed, active, and filled with lots of pleasure. We want something going on all the time. If there is no real excitement, there seems to be boredom. Boredom leads to idle hands and minds. Idle hands and minds lead to mischief. Mischief often leads to crime. The story seems to be the same from one coast to another, and colour and creed seem to make no difference.

If you are God’s child, that is, if you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus, confessed your sin, and believed in Him, these things should challenge, rather than disturb you. They should challenge you to be a different kind of person. They should challenge you to be busy for God, but not so busy that you cannot do any one job effectively. You should be busy winning people to Christ, studying the scriptures, praying for people, doing what you can to help those whose minds and hands are idle.

The devil often takes advantage of our idle time, so we need to fill our time with thoughts of God and be ready to work for Christ, so that Satan cannot come in to conquer us and control our idle hours.


A Final Tip

Satan always likes to find
Uses for my idle mind.


Additional Reading: Hebrews 6:9-12


Devotion is taken from "Devotions For Early Teens" By Ruth I. Johnson




**************************

A Sharing Christian


A Bible Tip

"He that giveth, let him do it simply…he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness" Romans 12:8


A Timely Tip

Sharen and Karen were twins, but most people never thought of them as even coming from the same family. They were as different as day and night.

Each girl had a saving account at the bank, and they each received an allowance for lunches and other incidentals.

One evening as they were sitting in their room. Karen asked. “How much is in your savings?”

”Not very much, I guess. I had more, but –“ Sharen didn’t finish.

”You shouldn’t have spent all your money. I’ve got three dollars and seventy cents,” boasted Karen.

She was about to brag to her mother how much more money she had than her sister. But then she remembered the many times Sharen had used her money for different things.

On Mother’s Day Sharen had bought a beautiful plant. The florist had delivered it too. The day grandfather had been rushed to the hospital, she had sent out one of the biggest plants in the store.

Karen also remembered the many times they had been downtown and she had “forgotten” to take money along. Sharen had shared hers, but Karen had never paid it back. And then, just yesterday, when Jimmy had lost his Sunday school money, Sharen had stopped his crying by giving him some of her tithe.

Karen thought for a minute and then went to find her mother. “Mother,” she said, “how did Sharen become so kind? She’s always sharing her things with somebody, and she doesn’t seem to mind.”

”Maybe it is because she asked the Lord Jesus to make her a sharing Christian,“ said Mother.

And Karen had to agree.


A Final Tip

I’ll share what He has given me,
For more like Him I want to be.


Additional Reading: Proverbs 22:1-9


Devotion is taken from "Devotions For Early Teens" By Ruth I. Johnson




**************************

1) Parents Teacher Meeting
Date: 16 May 2008 Friday
Time: 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Venue: RCIA Room (Priest's House 2nd Floor)

2) Confirmation Mass
Date: 25 May 2008 Sunday
Meeting Time: 4.00pm @ RCIA Room

3) Confirmation 2 Camp
Date: 30 May - 01 June 2008 Friday till Sunday
Meeting Time: 30 May 2008 6.30pm @ Main Entrance Staircase
Venue: Immaculate Heart of Mary Retreat House

Going to a Catholic School

Little Zachary was doing very badly in math. His parents had tried everything... Tutors, Mentors, flash cards, Special learning centers. In short, everything they could think of to help his math.

Finally, in a last ditch effort, they took Zachary down and enrolled him in the local Catholic school. After the first day, little Zachary came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't even kiss his mother Hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Zachary was hard at work. His mother was amazed. She called him down to dinner.

To her shock, the minute he was done, he marched back to his room without a word, and in no time, he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day, while the mother tried to understand what made all the difference.

Finally, little Zachary brought home his report card. He quietly laid it on the table, went up to his room and hit the books. With great trepidation, his Mom looked at it and to her great surprise, little Zachary got an 'A' in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity. She went to his room and said, 'Son, what> was it? Was it the nuns?' Little Zachary looked at her and shook his head, no. 'Well, then,' she replied, was it the books, the discipline, the structure, the Uniforms? 'WHAT WAS IT ALREADY?'

Little Zachary looked at her and said, 'Well, on the first day of school when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around.'



Quote of the Day

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Amos 3:3

God's Love Letters!




free web counter
free web counter