The Building of a Civilization of Love

The third area of commitment that comes with love is that of daily life with its multiple relationships. I am particularly referring to family, studies, work and free time. Dear young friends, cultivate your talents, not only to obtain a social position, but also to help others to “grow”. Develop your capacities, not only in order to become more “competitive” and “productive”, but to be “witnesses of charity”. In addition to your professional training, also make an effort to acquire religious knowledge that will help you to carry out your mission in a responsible way. In particular, I invite you to carefully study the social doctrine of the Church so that its principles may inspire and guide your action in the world. May the Holy Spirit make you creative in charity, persevering in your commitments, and brave in your initiatives, so that you will be able to offer your contribution to the building up of the “civilisation of love”. The horizon of love is truly boundless: it is the whole world!

- Pope Benedict XVI, WYD 2007 MESSAGE, Growing in love each day


3:12. Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect: but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus.
3:13. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: Forgetting the things that are behind and stretching forth myself to those that are before,
3:14. I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.


-St. Paul to Philippians

Thursday, May 31, 2007

A reminder




Pray for us Holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

VISITATION OF MARY

I missed posting on Pentecost (Birthday of the Church), and stories of the impressive saints; saint Rita and Saint Philomena on their feast day few days ago. I am glad to post something about the Blessed Mother in her month.

Today is the feast of the Visitation of Mary. May everyone get a special visit from her!




VISITATION OF MARY

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 2006 (CNA)

The Visitation of Mary is
one of the many Marian feast days on the liturgical calendar. The feast of the
Visitation recalls when a pregnant Mary visits her cousin, Elizabeth, who is
also pregnant. At the sight of Mary, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb “jumped with
gladness”, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth then spoke
the words that Catholics now recite in the Hail Mary: “You are blessed among all
woman, and blessed is the child you will bear.” Soon after, Elizabeth gave birth
to her son, John



Pentecost



And stories of St. Philomena and St. Rita.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Atheist gives $22.5 million for Catholic Fund

You can read the whole article here.

May 23 (Bloomberg) -- Philanthropist and retired hedge-fund manager Robert W.
Wilson said he is giving $22.5 million to the Archdiocese of New York to fund a
scholarship program for needy inner-city students attending Roman Catholic
schools.
Wilson, 80, said in a phone interview today that although he is an
atheist, he has no problem donating money to a fund linked to Catholic schools.
``Let's face it, without the Roman Catholic Church, there would be no
Western civilization,'' Wilson said. ``Shunning religious organizations would be
abhorrent. Keep in mind, I'm helping to pay tuition. The money isn't going
directly to the schools.''
Wilson's donation is the largest the archdiocese
has ever received. The money will be used to fund the Cardinal's Scholarship
Program, which was started in 2005 to give disadvantaged students attending the
archdiocese's inner-city schools partial or full tuition grants, Jacqueline
LoFaro, the archdiocese's associate superintendent of schools, said in a phone
interview today.
``It was a chance for a very modest amount of money to get
kids out of a lousy school system and into a good school system,'' Wilson said.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Perfect Joy

In the following video, St. Francis of Assisi says: "Blessed is he who does good to others and desires not that others do good to him". When I read things first, I felt revolted that he said that a person can desired not that people do good to him. It sound uncharitable because if we love people and we would like them to be good or to see their goodness, we should somehow be frustated if they are not good, even to us. Not out of selfsheness, but because we would like them to be good and charitable people.

I tought seriously about St. Francis words because they seem to speak to me. Sometimes we are precisely frustated by others' ungoodness and we try to show it thinking that they will notice that their attitude is not charitable and that they will try to correct it and be good. But here St. Francis propose a different attitude. Instead of expecting others to be good. How about not even questioning their state of goodness. It may sound like not caring, but when I looked at it, it is actually the best way we escape the temptation of being judgemental. It is not a surprise that it is the same Francis who said that we should "preach the Gospel (and somehow, only) use words if necessary". What he tried to say was. We should live according to the Gospel, and if someone whould question us about why we live this particular way, then we should use words and explain why. This way we can preach the Gospel without sounding judgmental or even being judgmental.

So we should not care too much about expecting others to be good to us, because after all, how do we know if they are not being good to us. Sometimes they may be, and we may not noticed it. But some other time they may really be bad to us. In both case we can find perfect Joy when we worry only about what comes out of our hearts. And we make sure what ever comes of it is love and is for the good of others, however it may look like. Like St. Augustine said: "Love and do what you want...". And since if we really love, we can not want a bad thing, then we will only do good things.




At the end St. Francis teaches as how to descover or recover perfect innocence which gives us perfect Joy. And this is the good news, the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. This is how we can find, share, and enjoy his peace even in middle of sufferings or other unlikely situation. A christian can always Joyfull not matter what he has experienced or he is experiencing. Somehow, we can be Joyfull even when we are not Happy.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Just Stop and Think!

That is the actual title of this short video.

A beautiful reflection on the Creator and the Creation. Beauty and Love.





Just to complete the message, I think it was yesterday when I heard Fr. Groeshel on EWTN saying that different kind of people should be able to pray. "Even an atheist", he said, can address a message "to Whom it May Concern".

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Sharing Faith: So that our joy may be complete.

"We are writing you this that our joy may be complete" (1 Jn 1:4). The
revelation of the Gospel of life is given to us as a good to be shared with all
people: so that all men and women may have fellowship with us and with the
Trinity (cf. 1 Jn 1:3). Our own joy would not be complete if we failed to share
this Gospel with others but kept it only for ourselves.

The Gospel of life is not for believers alone: it is for everyone. The
issue of life and its defence and promotion is not a concern of Christians
alone. Although faith provides special light and strength, this question arises
in every human conscience which seeks the truth and which cares about the future
of humanity. Life certainly has a sacred and religious value, but in no way is
that value a concern only of believers. The value at stake is one which every
human being can grasp by the light of reason; thus it necessarily concerns
everyone." (Gospel of Life 101).


However, most often we seem to find good reasons not to share our Faith. At least I know that I have negleted it until recently. My reasons were similar to the following:




Actually I was trying to share my faith in a different way. I have discovered that, may be for melancholic people like me, the following quotes are most appropriate. We can somehow share our faith even though we are not perfect and we are sinners. Slowly, with Gods' help, we can learn how to apply them in our daily lives:


"Once and for all, a short rule is laid down for you: Love, and do what you
will. If you keep silence, do it out of love. If you cry out, do it out of love.
If you refrain from punishing, do it out of love.
Let the root of love be
within. From such a root nothing but good can come. " St. Augustine.

"Preach the Gospel, if necessary use words." attributed to St. Francis


These quotes can of course be misunderstood and/or misapplied. But the best way to understand them, is to check the lives of the saints who said them. It is obviously the best answer/attitude they found for the "eight reasons" of the guys in the video clip. As Fr. Corapi would say: " Learn your Faith". Yes, I am increasingly taking him seriously. After all we can't share what we don't have. Sometimes we don't really realise the consequences of negleting to learn our Faith. They can range from missing an opportunity to learn how to love and be virtuous, to being converted into a different system of belief (only to come back after we have learned our Faith, like it just happened to the president of Evangelical Society who just returned Home Rome (Roman Catholicism) - causing chock waves in the Sola System (Evangelical world) - ), or to falling into even really grave sin out of ignorace/despair (Lubben's testimony)

I have discovered that by learning more about our Faith, reading saints and converts stories, we can confirm ourselves in Faith and built more confidence in sharing it while we know that we are not perfect. St. John (was probably melancholic according to 4Marks Temperaments) also while telling us that he is sharing with us so that his joy may be full (1John 1:4), he also reminds us that he is a sinner and that he would be lying if he says that he is not a sinner. (1 Jhn 1:9), nevertheless, he feels that he have to share what he has witnessed (1 Jhn 1:1)

We will console Thee, O Lord.

Few hours ago, I came from the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. A tradition I decided to practice more regularly for the past few months. Today I think I was blessed with more clarity about how we christians are supposed to be co-redemptors (completing with our suffering what is lacking in Christ's affliction for the sake of others -Colossians 1:24). As we started to say the "promises of consolation to Christ" during the Holy Hour, I decided to use a different reply because - at this particular time for me - It sounded prideful of me to say that I can consol God. Instead I used the reply of the Jesus prayer: "Have mercy on us poor sinners". However, as others keept repeating "we will console you O Lord!", It occured to me how elevated in dignity we humans are considering that God count on us to consol him!

I felt a little sadned that instead of listening to my prayer God is actually expecting me to consol him. But I lost the battle over the honor I am being given in love to be active and to transmit love instead of just receiving. It requires exercises of opening our hearts so we can receive all the love that we can if we are to give it to others, to Christ. After all, this prayer also seem to remind the words of judgement. But it is good to do the will of God out of love instead of out of fear of judgement. Here are the Promises of Consolation to Christ said during the Holy Hour.

As mother Teresa said, we can find Jesus in two places: In our neighbours and in the consecrated bread and wine. So we can console him by trying to be more loving to those around us, even when we may need consolation ourselves. On the judgment day he will remind us that everytime we negleted anyone, we were doing it to him.

For anyone who may have doubt like this priest about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist click this link:


Lanciano, Italy -- 8th century A.D. A priest has doubts about the Real Presence; however, when he consecrates the Host it transforms into flesh and blood. This miracle has undergone extensive scientific examination and can only be explained as a miracle. The flesh is actually cardiac tissue which contains arterioles, veins, and nerve fibers. The blood type as in all other approved Eucharistic miracles is type AB! Histological micrographs are shown.


Or Here is a youtube video. The Lord try to confirm his people in Faith. In this tabernacle, just like it is shown on the Sacred Heart picture, the Sacred Heart is in flame and it is bleeding.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Salvation Outside the Church!

Salvation is linked to Love, because Sin is anything that goes against Love. This explains in part why I draw fromt the Church while meditating on Love. But also, you may have noticed that this blog is very catholic. You are probably wondering whether I am not forgetting or being unfair to non-catholics or non-christians who also, since there are human, do love.
I am not using catholicism simply because I am catholic, but also because it is hard or impossible for me to try to illustrate this 'civilization' without using catholicism. I hope I could explain it better. I guess I will be explaining at any given occasion.

For now. Here is an article which explains how we, catholic see God, Love, Christ, and the Church and Salvation . It concludes like this:

Catholics do not say, and never have said, that they are the sole
possessors of revelation. Indeed, the Church does not “possess” revelation at
all. Revelation possesses her; and that revelation, who is Christ, has, she
teaches, committed Himself fully to her. “God,” said the great Protestant writer
George MacDonald, “is easy to please, but hard to satisfy.” On the one hand, God
is delighted when the most miserable sinner takes the smallest serious step
toward the love of God and neighbor. On the other hand, He will not be
completely happy until every last person He came to save is completely perfected
in the image of Christ and overflowing with perfect love for God and neighbor.
This same pattern is supremely evident in the Catholic Church’s understanding of
her relationship with her members, whether in full or very imperfect communion.
For the Church is happy to recognize even the smallest commonalities she may
share, not only with other Christians, but even with non-Christian religious
traditions and the great philosophical traditions of paganism. The Church can
even find things to affirm in virtuous atheists. But at the same time, the
Church is acutely aware that there is a real difference between imperfect and
perfect unity and so she, too—easy to please, but hard to satisfy—labors toward
that day when all the members of the Body of Christ will be perfected in faith,
hope, and love.
Till that day, we know where the Church is; we do not know
where she is not.

Faith of Abraham!

The Hospitality of Abraham Icon while expressing his hospitality to the three men who visited him, it also express the sacrifice of Abraham. With this sacrifice Abraham was blessed to be the Father of all believers. I was pondering what does it mean to be a 'believer'. What does it mean to have reel Faith? And what is its basis not true Love?

The sacrifice of Abraham was really great, that was a strong Faith. He believed in the God who didn't have a name yet - Israelites had not yet existed, and they had not yet asked his name-. To me it seems that Abraham did believe what christians to day believe that God is Love. After all it would be foolishness to sacrifice your most beloved unless you know that you are sacrificing him to Love itself. I think this is where the confidence and trust of Abraham came from. He knew God would not abandon him or his son. Even though he may have not known what happens after death, he new that the Creator is Love itself and would take care even where human understanding can not reach. This is to me the only way the sacrifice of Abraham can make sens. And surely enough God who is love intervened to return the love to Abraham by giving him back his son.

Abraham could not have worked toward the unknown land by Faith alone if he did not know that God is Love itself, and that whatever was going to happen was going to happen out of love of/from God and that would be most glorious and worth it if it was really a sacrifice out of love. So I think this is the reel meaning Faith. St. Paul confirmed this when he said that faith without charity is dead. True Faith is shown by the way of living which is filled with charity.

Anyone who decide to 'believe' in the God of Abraham, in a sens, he takes the same Abraham journey to the unknown. He walks more and more "by faith not by sight". It is a life which seems to approch more and more into eternity, into the house of Love. And the words of Jesus gets more and more accomplished:

If any one love me, he
will keep my word. And my Father will love him and we will come to him and will
make our abode with him. John XIV 14:23

Jesus commandements was to love God above all and to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. Even though this commandement was not formulated yet, Abraham surely lived it. And this is illustrated most when he received a visit from the three 'men' that he called 'Lord'. While the situation is surely confusing, it surely shows how much devotion Abraham had for Love. One can say that he always did the Will of Love.

When Jesus told us that he always does the will of the Father, and that him and the father are One, I think he was slowly formulating a new revelation of God to us: the Trinity. Jesus sacrificed himself and called all who are baptised in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit to do the same. Why? Because, like him, now they are of the house of Love. They participate in the life of the Trinity. This how a christian can be a co-redemptor like Mary:
"In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is the Church." Colossians 1:24

So our sacrifices whether perfect or way less, can be useful to us and to others when we offer them up to God.

When we truly love, we can make mistakes because we are not perfect, but Love can help us fix those same mistakes and do even more virtuous deeds.

Love is still a mystery. Even though some christians think that one have to be christians in order to be saved. The Catholic Church believes that salvation is possible to some non-christians. How? Mark Shea reminds us of an important fact:
It is worth noting that the description of judgment in the parable of the Sheep
and the Goats says nothing about having figured out correct doctrine. It
is all about people responding as best they can to the light they have.
Indeed, the mark of the saved sheep in that parable is surprise. By Jesus'
account, none of his followers among the "nations" (those outside the visible
covenant community) had the slightest idea they were serving him: "Then the
righteous will answer him and say, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed
you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome
you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit
you?'" (Matthew 25:37-39).
It is interesting to note those judgement words (Matthew 25:32-46). As Mark Shea, I can conclude that: "We know where the Church is. We do not know where it is not."

Watch Bella!

That's a new film reported to be very inspiring to anyone specially young people. According to this article:


Bella, which is produced by Metanoia Films, tells the story of a young single
waitress in New York City who becomes pregnant, loses her job, and struggles
with the decision of whether or not to keep her child. In the meantime, she
encounters a mysteriously compassionate Latino chef, who has suffered a tragedy
in his past, and is perhaps the only person in her life who really cares about
her. During the course of the film, a decision is reached that will change both
of their lives.

So you should plan to watch it, and recommend it to others to enlighten or confirm them (or yourself if needed) in the pro-life cause. To strengthen the culture of life and of pure love; there is not insanity reported in the movie:
“Bella is not only an artistic triumph, but a moral and spiritual one as well,”
he stated. The film is ideal for anyone who is an adolescent or older since it
does not contain violence, sex or blasphemy.
According to the same CNS, this movie has itself and interesting story:

Mexican actor gives up fame to make movies that touch lives OTTAWA (CNS)

-- If the story of the rich young man from the Gospel of Matthew had a sequel updated for modern times, it might resemble the life of actor Eduardo Verastegui, a
Catholic who stars in the film "Bella." In the Gospel account, Jesus tells the
young man to sell all he has and follow him, but the man goes away sorrowful. In
the modern-day sequel, Verastegui sells all he has and is prepared to give up
his budding acting career to follow Jesus. Verastegui had reached the zenith of
Mexican celebrity as a soap star and singer who had toured at least 13 countries
to sold-out crowds. His resume includes music videos and films. But while
studying English in Los Angeles, he found himself drawn to a deeper faith in
Jesus through the example of his Catholic teacher, and began to see all the
reasons he had wanted to be an actor -- fame, money and pleasure -- as empty and
vain. In 2004 he met movie producer Leo Severino while attending daily Mass. Not
long after, Verastegui and Severino co-founded Metanoia Films to produce movies
that could change lives and hearts. "Bella," released in 2006, is Metanoia's
first film. It won the coveted People's Choice Award at last fall's Toronto Film
Festival.

Monday, May 14, 2007

God is serious in his love for us

Different 'shocking' messages given by the Holy Father to the world from Brazil can be summed up in one short message: God is serious! God seriously loves us, and will punish any evil that harms us!

An other B16 strike was at a center of drug addicts rehabilitation centre where the Holy Father asked drug dealers to seriously reflect on what they do.

On May 12 the Holy Father met the young people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse in Brazil. As reported on different web sites, he had kind words for the 'kids' but he was also tough on the drug dealers:

3. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). These are divine words which penetrate to the depths of our souls and shake us at our deepest roots.

At some stage in people's lives, Jesus comes and gently knocks at the hearts of those properly disposed. Perhaps for you, he did this through a friend or a priest, or, who knows, perhaps he arranged a series of coincidences which enabled you to realize that you are loved by God. Through the institution which has welcomed you, the Lord has given you this opportunity for physical and spiritual recovery, so vital for you and your families. In turn, society expects you to spread this precious gift of health among your friends and all the members of the community.

You must be Ambassadors of hope! Brazil's statistics concerning drug abuse and other forms of chemical dependency are very high. The same is true of Latin America in general. I therefore urge the drug-dealers to reflect on the grave harm they are inflicting on countless young people and on adults from every level of society: God will call you to account for your deeds. Human dignity cannot be trampled upon in this way. The harm done will receive the same censure that Jesus reserved for those who gave scandal to the "little ones", the favourites of God (cf. Matthew 18:7-10).

Friday, May 11, 2007

Young people of Brazil receive a rich message from their Holy Father

We, young people are very important for the future of humanity in all aspects. Pope JPII was particularly loved for gaining more youth to this realisation and especially to get them to work seriously for the cause of humanity. Young catholics thank him for that. One of his last words was addressed to thousands of young people who gathered in st. Peter Square praying for him: "I have searched for you, now you have come for me and I thank you!".
About all of the videos you view on the side bar were actually posted by young people in their 20s. And more and more are blogging about life, love, and the Church.
In his trip to Brazil, our new Pope Benedict XVI did not forget about us. Here is part of the message to the youth of Brazil:

For this reason, my dear friends, I am certain
that today the same impressions I received in Germany will be renewed here. In
1991, during his visit to Mato Grosso, the Servant of God Pope John Paul II, of
venerable memory, said that "youth are the first protagonists of the third
millennium … they are the ones who will be charged with the destiny of this new
phase in human history" (16 October 1991). Today, I feel moved to make the same
observation regarding all of you.....

You have a crucial question -- a question that appears in this Gospel -- to put to him. It is the same question posed by the young man who ran to see Jesus: What good deed must I do, to have eternal life? I would like to take a deeper look at this question with you. It has to do with life. A life which -- in all of you -- is exuberant and beautiful. What are you to do with it? How can you live it to the full?.....

Jesus alone can give us the answer, because he alone can guarantee us eternal life. He alone, therefore, can show us the meaning of this present life and give it fullness...

These years of your life are the years which will prepare you for your future. Your "tomorrow" depends much on how you are living the "today" of your youth. Stretching out in front of you, my dear young friends, is a life that all of us hope will be long; yet it is only one life, it is unique: do not let it pass it vain; do not squander it. Live it with enthusiasm and with joy, but most of all, with a sense of responsibility......

You can be the builders of a new society if you seek to put into practice a conduct inspired by universal moral values, but also a personal commitment to a vitally important human and spiritual formation. Men and women who are ill-prepared for the real challenges presented by a correct interpretation of the Christian life in their own surroundings will easily fall prey to all the assaults of materialism and secularism, which are more and more active at all levels. Be men and women who are free and responsible; make the family a centre that radiates peace and joy; be promoters of life, from its beginning to its natural end; protect the elderly, since they deserve respect and admiration for the good they have done. The Pope also expects young people to seek to sanctify their work, carrying it out with technical skill and diligence, so as to contribute to the progress of all their brothers and sisters, and to shed the light of the Word upon all human activities (cf. Lumen Gentium, 36). But above all, the Pope wants them to set about building a more just and fraternal society, fulfilling their duties towards the State: respecting its laws; not allowing themselves to be swept along by hatred and violence; seeking to be an example of Christian conduct in their professional and social milieu, distinguishing themselves by the integrity of their social and professional relationships. They should remember that excessive ambition for wealth and power leads to corruption of oneself and others; there are no valid motives that would justify attempting to impose one's own worldly aspirations -- economic or political -- through fraud and deceit......

Above all, have great respect for the institution of the sacrament of Matrimony. There cannot be true domestic happiness unless, at the same time, there is fidelity between spouses. Marriage is an institution of natural law, which has been raised by Christ to the dignity of a sacrament; it is a great gift that God has given to mankind: respect it and honour it. At the same time, God calls you to respect one another when you fall in love and become engaged, since conjugal life, reserved by divine ordinance to married couples, will bring happiness and peace only to the extent that you are able to build your future hopes upon chastity, both within and outside marriage. I repeat here to all of you that "eros tends to rise . . . towards the Divine, to lead us beyond ourselves; yet for this very reason it calls for a path of ascent, renunciation, purification and healing" (Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est , 5). To put it briefly, it requires a spirit of sacrifice and renunciation for the sake of a greater good, namely the love of God above all things. Seek to resist forcefully the snares of evil that are found in many contexts, driving you towards a dissolute and paradoxically paradoxically empty life, causing you to lose the precious gift of your freedom and your true happiness. True love "increasingly seeks the happiness of the other, is concerned more and more with the beloved, bestows itself and wants to 'be there for' the other" (ibid., 7) and therefore will always grow in faithfulness, indissolubility and fruitfulness......


The following are videos comments in English (BBC) and the local language below.

I have also added a video in portugese (I think) for those who understand it.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Pope in defense of life in Latin America

The pope arrived in Brazil yesterday for a conferance of Bishops of Latin America and the Caribean. Different comments are being reported already about the abortion battle that has intensified in recent months.

Here are few comments about questions asked in flight by journalists:

Going on to consider the proliferation of religious sects in Latin America, the Holy Father said "they are a sign that people thirst for God. The Church must respond to this need with a highly concrete plan and in the awareness that, apart from announcing the Christian message, it is important to help people achieve just living conditions."
Replying to a question concerning the Mexican parliament, which has just approved a law in favor of abortion, the Pope highlighted "the need for Christian politicians to remain coherent to their principles." The Church, he said, "announces the Gospel of life; life is a gift and not a threat."
For his part, Holy See Press office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi S.J. made it clear that "the Mexican bishops have not excommunicated those politicians, and neither has Benedict XVI." However, he added, "legislation in favor of abortion is not compatible with participation in the Eucharist." Upon being asked whether this meant that the politicians were effectively excommunicated, Fr. Lombardi said "no, they exclude themselves from communion."
In his replies to journalists, Benedict XVI had declared that "such excommunication is laid down in the Code, it is not arbitrary, it is simply written in the Code of Canon Law. The death of an innocent, of an unborn child, is inconceivable. It is not arbitrary, and the Church express appreciation for life and for the individuality of life from the first moment of conception."

His declaration on excommunication of pro-abortion politician were later clarified by the Vatican to prevent people from assuming a wrong message.
From a different article, we read:

The fact that Catholics represent a majority in Brazil, he went on, "means that
they must make a particular contribution to the common good of the nation. The
word solidarity will acquire its full meaning when the living forces of society,
each in its own sphere, commit themselves seriously to building a future of
peace and hope for all."
"I am well aware that the soul of this people, as
of all Latin America, safeguards values that are radically Christian, which will
never be eradicated. I am certain that at Aparecida, during the bishops' general
conference, this identity will be reinforced through the promotion of respect
for life from the moment of conception until natural death as an integral
requirement of human nature. It will also make the promotion of the human person
the axis of solidarity, especially towards the poor and abandoned.
"The
Church," he added, "seeks only to stress the moral values present in each
situation and to form the conscience of citizens so that they may make informed
and free decisions. She will not fail to insist on the need to take action to
ensure that the family, the basic cell of society, is strengthened, and likewise
young people, whose formation is a decisive factor for the future of any nation.
Last but not least, she will defend and promote the values present at every
level of society, especially among indigenous peoples."


What does the Church means by the Gospel of Life? Jean Paul the Great left a wonderful document which should not only convince your mind, but your heart as well. The document has the same name: Gospel of Life. Click on the link in the side bar in 'Must Read' documents.

I should conclude by noting that the Pope meet a support of Brazilian president who will not support legalized abortion.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

"Love destroys the lover if he cannot obtain what he loves"

Does this quote ring a bell? If you lived it, you have probably wondered what is this thing we fill in our heart and does not want to let us alone and at peace unless we go with its will. For me, I am still thinking about it, and slowly I am making sens of the icon that led me to discover the article from which the quote is from.

Beside I had learned that God is Love. Of course how else can he be a jalous God? able to do anything except supporting an other god beside Him? You can check more of this divine madness in the side bar...

I discovered this quote when I was trying to find a better description of Rublev icon's Hospitality of Abraham. I tracked it down and find it on a blog in an article entitled: "Seeing with the Heart". A very interesting article, I think I will come back to it some day. For now, I don't have much time, but I would like to share two interesting paragraphs I noticed:

Antoine de Saint-Exupery reveals to us in the character of the fox a secret: "One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes." Anyone who has ever been in love, anyone who has ever went through trials and sufferings with hope, anyone who has compassion for the poor knows that he cannot be a materialist. Matter is not all that there is. There is something deeper, more important than what we see, what we touch. The eyes alone cannot see that which is truly important. It must be helped by the heart. The heart can penetrate through the accidents of being into its very core, its form. Only with the heart can one see that there is dignity in the unborn, hope in the suffering, and beauty in a world that seems to be so ugly. In love, the heart can perceive value. In love, motivated and caused by love, the heart can direct a person to give himself to another. This love is nothing else than the loving gaze of God who never puts His gaze away from us; our hearts beat because of the loving gaze of God. (p.1)...

... Christ was beaten, humiliated, and considered a blasphemer: the Word of God was accused of blasphemy. Even when God had become man, man would not give Him his heart. A kiss maybe, but not his heart. Even his friend betrayed him. Yet, Christ never stopped gazing: Beaten and denied, "the Lord turned and looked at Peter" (Lk. 22:61). "But the law of love is not concerned with what will be, what ought to be, what can be. Love does not reflect; it is unreasonable and knows no moderation. Love refuses to be consoled when its goal proves impossible, despises all hindrances to the attainment of its object. Love destroys the lover if he cannot obtain what he loves; love follows its own promptings, and does not think of right and wrong. Love inflames desire which impels it toward things that are forbidden" (Peter Chrysologus, Sermon 147). "Love inflames desire which impels it toward things that are forbidden"-- God to become man? God to die? What foolishness! What a stumbling block! How can man bow down to such a God? Love indeed is too risky. And it transcends reason. It cannot be abstracted, but received and given. God did not spare His Son because He loves us; His love can bear "all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things" (1 Cor. 13:7). God never fails. He allowed a soldier to "thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out" (John 19:34). This is the model of a circumcised heart. (p.2).......

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

The Four Temperaments

I learned first about temperaments when I joined the schoenstatt movement. I then forgot about them for a while until recently when I discovered the 4marks.com web site.
It is said that there are generarly four temperaments:
  1. Choleric
  2. Sanguine
  3. Melancholic
  4. Phlegmatic

It is also said that each individual has a mixture of mostly two of the four. Well, I am not a psychologist, or an other kind of expert in the matter, but I would like to intruduce them to you. 4marks.com does a good job of detail description with examples. Plus you can to a test and discover your own temperaments.

In schoenstatt we were introduced to them so we can know ourselves better, develop virtues and fight vices. Again 4marks does an other great job of listing a number of virtues and vices associated with each temperaments or combination. So learn about yourselves and compare with your friends if you can, and have great relationships.

If you happen to be my friend pay attention here: My temperament combination is: Melancholic (92%), and Phlegmatic (8%); one of those mysterious boxes out there! So, please forgive me for whenever I displayed the vices associated with this combination around you, be assured that I am fighting them. Of course they are discrepancies in %s as I noticed that the test wasn't detailed enough for me. Oups! sorry for my criticism! I said I am fighting that!

Monday, May 7, 2007

Conduite des disciples de Jesus

Le mouvement des focolare produit chaque mois une meditation approfondi sure un verset biblique. Voici la "Parole de Vie" pour le moi de Mai.

"A ceci tous vous reconnaîtront pour mes disciples : à l'amour que vous aurez les uns pour les autres" (Jn 13, 35)

Et les commentaires de Chiarra Lubich:


À la fin de son dernier repas avant de quitter ce monde, Jésus fait part à ses
amis de ses dernières volontés. Dans ce moment solennel, ses paroles prennent
alors valeur de testament : « Comme je vous ai aimés, aimez-vous les
uns les autres ». Ce sera, au long des siècles, la caractéristique des
disciples de Jésus, ce qui permettra de les identifier : à ceci tous les
reconnaîtront !Dès le début, la première communauté de croyants jouissait à
Jérusalem de l’estime et de la sympathie de tout le peuple, justement grâce à
son unité, si bien que chaque jour de nouveaux membres se joignaient à
elle.Quelques années plus tard, Tertullien, un des premiers écrivains chrétiens,
rapportera ce que l'on disait des chrétiens : « Voyez comme ils
s'aiment, voyez comme ils sont prêts à mourir les uns pour les autres ».
C'était l'accomplissement des paroles de Jésus :

« A ceci tous vous
reconnaîtront pour mes disciples : à l'amour que vous aurez les uns pour
les autres. »

L'amour réciproque est donc « la tenue des chrétiens
anonymes, celles des jeunes et des plus âgés, celle des hommes et des femmes,
celle des familles, des adultes ou des enfants, des malades ou des bien
portants, celle que tous peuvent endosser pour crier sans cesse et en tout lieu
le nom de celui auquel ils croient et qu’ils désirent aimer ».L'unité qui
naît de l'amour réciproque entre les disciples de Jésus reflète et rend presque
visible ce Dieu qu'il nous a révélé comme étant l'Amour : l'Église est
icône de la Trinité.Cette manière de vivre demeure aujourd’hui le chemin
pour annoncer l'Évangile. Quand une société est étourdie par trop de paroles,
elle cherche souvent des témoins plutôt que des maîtres, elle veut des modèles
plutôt que des discours. Elle adhère plus facilement si elle voit un Évangile
devenu vie, capable de créer des rapports nouveaux, empreints de fraternité et
d'amour.

« A ceci tous vous reconnaîtront pour mes disciples : à
l'amour que vous aurez les uns pour les autres. »

Comment vivre cette Parole
de vie ? En ravivant entre nous l'amour réciproque, et en formant partout
des « cellules vivantes ».« Si le feu que Jésus a apporté sur
terre prenait en divers points d'une ville – a écrit Chiara Lubich – et si, avec
le concours de ses habitants, ce feu résistait à l'indifférence du monde, en peu
de temps la ville serait embrasée de l'amour de Dieu. Le feu que Jésus a apporté
sur terre, c'est Dieu lui-même. Il est charité : un amour qui unit non
seulement à Dieu, mais aussi les uns aux autres. []Lorsque deux ou trois, unis
au nom du Christ, se révèlent leur désir de l'amour de Dieu, lorsqu'ils font de
l'unité entre eux, dans le Christ, leur idéal, ils représentent une puissance
d'action divine dans le monde.Or, dans toutes les villes, de telles personnes
peuvent se rencontrer. Dans les familles : mari et femme, fils et père,
belle-fille et belle-mère. Dans les paroisses, les associations, les groupes,
les écoles, les entreprises, partout.Il n'est pas indispensable qu'elles soient
déjà saintes, sinon Jésus l'aurait précisé. Il suffit qu'elles soient unies en
son nom et qu'elles ne manquent jamais à cette unité. Bien entendu elles ne
resteront pas longtemps deux ou trois, car la charité est communicative et se
répand d'elle-même.Chacun des foyers ainsi allumés par Dieu sur terre s'étendra
nécessairement. La providence de Dieu distribuera alors ces flammes, ces
hommes-flammes, où elle voudra, afin que le monde soit réconforté à la chaleur
de l'amour de Dieu et qu'il retrouve l'espérance ».

Friday, May 4, 2007

Pope and Ex Iranian President

Pope Benedict XVI and Ex-Iranian President Mohammad Khatami





Reuters Photo







Eux.Tv commented:

Khatami is regarded as one of the most senior Muslim figures to have met the
pontiff since his controversial remarks on Islam last year. In a speech in
Germany last September, Benedict infuriated Muslims across the world by
appearing to equate their religion with violence. Benedict has since sought to
make amends and pleased many Muslims last December with a highly-symbolic visit
to Istanbul's Blue Mosque.

From an other CWN article we read:

Khatami had originally planned to visit the Vatican in October 2006, but he
postponed his visit because of the angry reaction among Islamic leaders to the
Pope's lecture at Regensburg in September. Prior to his meeting with the Pontiff
today, Khatami told reporters that the tensions between Christians and Muslims
remain "very deep."

In speaking with the Iranian leader, the Pope called
attention to the severe difficulties that Christians face in the Islamic
countries of the Middle East, and specifically in Iran. The Vatican statement
did not mention Khatami's response to the Pope on that point.

The Pope
and the Iranian ex-president spent some time discussing the prospects for
international peacemaking efforts in the Middle East, and the initiatives under
discussion at this week's meetings in Sharm al Sheikh, Egypt.

Videos in different languages

For anyone who speak Kirundi, Kinyarwanda, Kiswahili, Lingala, or any other african language:
Welcome. I won't be writing too much in those language, but videos in those language will be indicated to google so they can reach you. If you don't see it when you visit this page, reflesh couple times and you should be able to enjoy few songs from Makoma, Kidumu, and other gospel, raggae, or other good songs from Africa, india, etc.

Thanks for people who provide those songs to youtube.

God bless

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Marriage

I wonderful video to highlight the origins of a family where the civilization of love is supposed to be initiated for every individual.

Catholics and all mankind are expected to believe that marriage must be for ever. It is an eternal covenant at the origin of humanity. Genesis tells us that in the Beginning man was alone in the universe before the creation of the woman. Jean Paul II letf us with a clear detailed explanation of the mystery of marriage. His wonderfull collection of lectures called Theology of the Body explains everything about manhoood and womanhood. As the title implies, it gives us a clear explanation of why our own bodies and the engineering behind them are a message to us from God. Be sure to read it, you won't regreat it:
Why does the Church teaches that contraception, abortion, homosexuality, divorce, cloning, are wrong? It is all wonderfully explained. By reading it, one can not be not touched by the beauty and creativity of Love behind our own creation and our existance. We were created by love and to love. And anything less than that is intorerrable; it is a sin against Love, a sin agains the loving God who made us.


The Origin of Love



Hmm. It can be a serious problem for a person like me to decide on which should be the first post, on my first blog. So looking at the name, and thinking about what inspired me in the first place to create the blog, I think I should start with a small word about the Catholic Church.

The more I discover my catholic faith, the more I discover that it is itsself at the core of this civilization. I am not saying that people never loved before the Church come to be, or that people who never new about it never knew love. I am referring to the founder of the Church.

Jesus once said that before Abraham was, He is. And we christians take from this statement to nourish our faith in divinity of Jesus Christ. So it is true; all mankind from the beginning knew love. That is because, the Creator God himself is God. This is my faith. This is the faith of the Church. And this notion is best understood by a meditation about the Blessed Trinity. If God is Love, he was Love and loved even before He created anything.

I have heard that God is a community of three divine persons who love each other so much that they are one God. They are actually different in their personalities and yet one in their divine nature, and loving is natural activity as Love is in their essence. This explains the reality well know to us that love can not truly be present without at least three persons. Yes three, not two:). Christians would count at least two persons and God. The third necessary person can be seen as some kind of witness who testify for each of the two lovers. The person who can be the 'advisor', the 'councelor', the 'witness', etc, for each person to always give more and more strength to the relationship.

So, I am discovering that anything that happens in life, and question can be answered by a simple meditation on the above picture created by Andre Rubrev. It explains everything in the human civilization, the History of Salvation, and this Civilization of Love I will be talking about on this blog.

Love is from God and in humanity it starts from marriage! More insight on this article were the icon was taken from.