Sunday, October 25, 2009

Int tallab? (Are you a beggar?)


One of the very first posts I wrote on this blog was about a similar miracle. Then, however, it was two blind beggars whom Jesus healed. (You can read it by clicking >HERE<)

This event as narrated by St.Mark is pretty similar but - if we listen - the Word of God will impact us differently each time it is announced to us.

When this Gospel was being proclaimed today I kept thinking – “int tallab?” (Are you a beggar?). I was listening but i kept “hearing” the words “int tallab? …int tallab?”

This man was a beggar.
And he was sitting on the side of the road: outcast.

He was a REAL beggar!
He was one who would beg no matter how much people told him to be quiet!
And then I was thinking "are you a beggar?"
And IF you were a beggar, what would you beg for?

This man was begging God and people were trying to silence him but he kept at it – refusing to stop before God answered.

…IF I were a beggar would I be like him?
…would I be that good at it:
Patient? Humble? Determined? Tusting enough?

And IF I were to beg God for something – what would I beg Him for?
- if I begged would I continue despite voices that try to silence me?

Look around you and you’ll see:
There are voices all around us - sometimes even within us - trying to silence what is good and holy! (…worse still these voices often times actually promote the very opposite!)

> you believe in God? Come on its 2009!!
> you pray?!
Are you like 5 years old?
> what you actually go to Mass?!?!
Get a life!?

Not to mention other things which are not exactly about God:

> Sex within marriage only? Are you ok?
…and who needs Marriage anyway? – just cohabitate!
(odd thing is that people with same-sex attraction actually WANT “marriage”!)

So all around us - sometimes within us too - are voices which try to silence us but a real beggar would keep begging!
When this beggar was being scolded and told to be quiet he only got louder! Repeating his cry – shouting it out so that Jesus would answer him:
Jesus,
Son of David,
have mercy on me!
Sometimes we give up.
Sometimes we think it is all in vain – but this beggar did not!

He kept shouting till Jesus answered Him.

…and I kept thinking – would I do that?
Would I be that kind of beggar?

His begging DID pay!
He got healed! His sight was restored!

That man begged for sight because he was blind
- he did not need sight of faith for he had that:
his begging reflected his faith and it healed him!

I have eye-sight but do I need God to restore my faith?
Would I beg Him as this man did – beg Him till He answers?

If I beg, God will stop, call me and say:
“What do you want Me to do for you?”

Maybe I should consider the Apostles’ prayer:
“Lord increase our faith!”
(Luke 17:5)

You remember at the start it said that this man sat on the roadside? Did you notice that by the end of the reading this man was no longer sitting there? He was following Jesus!

And if at the start he was an outcast – sitting on the roadside - he was certainly no longer that by the end of the Gospel! God Himself called Him and, given that he answered this call and proceeded to follow Jesus, he was certainly a friend now: of Jesus!

Lord increase our Faith!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Mission Sunday.



Mother Teresa used to say: "Charity begins at home" and indeed it does BUT if charity begins at home then it just might continue elsewhere - wherever we are with whomever we are at whichever time.

It is today Mission Sunday and one way of doing charity "elsewhere" would be by praying for the people living in situations of poverty, abuse or war. The next step would be to waste less and give more - if i have internet then SURELY i can give/donate something ...the ocean is made of many many many drops of water: every little given bit counts and contributes to a better world ;-)

...we all know some organisation which works with the poor and begs for donations so that it can help make the lives of these people better.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Make me a channel of Your Peace (St.Francis)


The Year of the Priest,
800 years since St.Francis founded the Franciscans,
and the Feast of St.Francis:

this is certainly one HUGE feast! :-)

-----


Look Francis My church is falling to ruins!
Go and rebuild My House!

...these were the words spoken to St.Francis whilst he was praying in the Chapel of St.Damien. Lol at first Francis took them literally - rebuilding the little chapel with his own hands (and God let him because it was a task which made him strong and increased his love for Jesus) but this rebuilding was kind of just the foundation stone ;-)

St.Paul said the WE are the Church of God, that we are "living stones" ...and when, after rebuilding the church it was empty, then St.Francis knew what God meant ...he was to rebuild the people of God ;-) ...and he set out doing just that. Francis, despite ilness and hardships, set out to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus with a heart full of joy and zeal - rebuilding the real Church of God.

Like Francis - especially this year - NOW - we are called to rebuild God's Church! ...to pray for ourselves and our brothers and sisters: Lord in increase our Faith! ...to work to rebuild this Church: with our deeds! ...to proclaim the joy of Jesus humbly but full of zeal - just as St.Francis. May God strengthen us and each one to do so. :-)

These below are two grrrrreat songs: both the prayer of St.Francis. The first is in Italian and i just love it, the second is in English and though a different style, just as lovely. :-)







Thursday, October 1, 2009

Hail Mary full of Grace! (Luke 1:28)



Mary is our Mother - Jesus gave Mary to us while He was on the cross - dying because of His love for us, dying so that we may live. She was given to us so because she leads us to Jesus and so that that we may love her and ask for her prayers. She is Jesus' Mother and besides Jesus as Queen in heaven - surely her wishes are the King's Command!

When we pray to Mary we ask her to pray for us to Jesus and she willingly does - for all she wants is that one day we too will be with her in heaven: that would give her and Jesus SO MUCH joy!


Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my mother; to you do I come, before you I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy please hear and answer me.

Amen.



If you're pro-life you GOT TO do this!

If you're pro-life you GOT TO do this!
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