The need for healing & desiring renewal

The need for healing - The feelings and experiences we felt when we were growing up.. in a way, they make us. Whatever feelings we’ve felt of hurt, rejection, insecurity... they do stick, even till our adult ages.

And that’s the unfortunate part – we can grow up and develop more skills, even successes in our lives. But we need to also be aware of any false facades that we have developed - or protective walls, where inside, the old us… remains – or gets buried.

An example, just the other day – an “old” feeling just popped up out of the blue. Reacting to the conversations and things happening around me, I realised I was feeling something that had stuck, from somewhere along the way, long ago. A very particular nostalgic unhappy feeling of not being "involved". That caused me a few minutes of fretting.

See how we are sometimes like dirt balls rolling along accumulating dirt along the way, while along the way, we forget about the stuff deeper inside?

But we also know that with Jesus’s death (as we focus on it this LENT) for us, brings us life – washes us clean – redeems us from sin and death.

How then can we move on into the “New Life” that Jesus so talks about? When he says we are a new creation in Christ in 1 Corinthians 5:17.

Read: http://www.gnmagazine.org/bsc/09/newcreation.htm

We need to desire. Seek. Ask. Search.

God gives those who are hungry. Are you hungry? Or Thirsty?

Like last week’s Mass (we had a wonderful youth mass last Saturday at OLPS)… Fr. Sigurd, a visiting priest from Norway, gave the homily – related to Living Water. He also shared how he became a priest – a wonderful sharing.

So let’s “fast” now.. by praying more... doing all the things you wanted to do for God (your Lenten sacrifices) – and at the end of this, we will be renewed.

I encourage all – that since you know God's eternal plan for us (for life, not death), it should inspire us to purify our hearts and motives. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," said Jesus (Matthew 5:8) [Remember our Session 3 on More Love through Purity?],
and James wrote, "But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy" (James 3:17).

Be fruitful...!

On being crucified with Christ....

Today's Verse: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18 / KJV

Being “crucified”. What does it mean?

Living by faith. What does it mean?

I believe it is a constant search. Funny how I believed in it so fervently once… when I first got into the Charismatic renewal. And as if to add jest to the whole “journey in Christ”, I am finding myself, drawn back to the root of things – again – like going back one circle. Asking the first question ever – once again – what is Christianity all about?

For all the people I’ve seen in ministry, I believe those who really have effect for God’s kingdom, impacting the world, touching lives, are those who can say – I’ve been crucified with Christ, I no longer live but Christ lives in me…

Sometimes, we do many wonderful things that people can also praise us for. But that alone doesn’t show us the Power of Christ within us. The truth, the crunch – is whether are we able to say, “I’ve been crucified with Christ?” – aka to share in the suffering of Christ. Yes, very Catholic indeed!

This is the Lenten season – I almost forgot! – and I remember something that I wanted to give up for Lent. My late nights. I believe God is beginning a new journey in me – softening my hardened and bitter heart once again to be truly delightful in all of His ways – to no longer question His purposes, about why we suffer – but to bear all things – to have long-suffering – the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

There are 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit. We’ve heard about it here and there… but it is only now that I am beginning to realize about “some” of the fruit in greater detail – e.g. Long-suffering aka PATIENCE. I always believed I am patient as a person. But when it comes to spiritual patience – perseverance – I am lacking in the willpower. Lack the drive to Hope in the Lord. Lack the desire to Trust fully in God. Read about Patience: http://searchwarp.com/swa291552.htm

Suddenly, I am filled with a feeling of real need. For God. Because deep down inside, I know that the REALITY of life is that NOTHING in the world can satisfy you.

It’s hard to accept – you may accept it at face value at first, but when the “trials” begin you’ll wonder – about the whole notion of it all – and start doubting about the whole “Christianity” thing – are we silly fools dedicated to old beliefs that first is last, and last is first? “Double-Speak” as Orwell calls it: http://www.orwelltoday.com/dblspkthennow.shtml

How do we Christians stand up in the world? It is only by living through our trials, our distresses, with an objective mind – weighing all evidences that point to God, and also against God (we do realize there are spiritual forces of evil who would gladly guide people away from God). Not forgetting, we must also allow us to hear God, let Him speak to us through prayer, people, etc…, and to have a humility of heart that would allow God to show us His Truth – only then would we find – the answers we are searching for in our lives.

When we have lived through those times, we then emerge from the valley onto Higher Ground – and we see – the beauty of it all. We see God… and look down upon the path we have walked and thank God that He has always been there with us. Peace transcends all understanding.

Peace be with you.

Midweek Rants - "Inochi No Namae"

I was reflecting again today – as usual, Sam’s mid-week rants… and decided to post my reflections on our blog instead of blasting everyone with emails.

Well, this entry’s title says “Inochi no namae” – in Japanese which translates “The Name of Life”. It’s an award winning theme song for the movie Spirited Away. Hear it!

Anyway, on the "Name" of Life – I was just thinking – in the Christian context – would be Jesus. Jesus said, I am the way, the life and the truth. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6). And I thought.. what is the Name of Life? Probably, simply, “Jesus”.

Do you remember? We actually say it in the Creed: We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father [and the Son], who with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nicene.htm

Yes... I know this is so “Christian-centric” and it probably wouldn’t make sense to somebody who does not believe in Christianity or Jesus. But at least, we have to admit, that for the Christian, the whole matter of "Life" is very much a spiritual thing. Isn’t it?

Anyway, the main reason for this post – was to talk about last week’s session topic. We had a topic “More Love through Purification”. It only sank in for me today, upon reflecting on the idea of “What is Purification?”

Last Sat, Leo Caballes, our lovely bro from the Philippines, gave a session for us on “More Love through Purification” – Part 3 of Nancy Kellar’s Growth Seminar. He shared with us that Purification is related to “suffering” – our trials are there to help purify us.

Today, I had a simple analogy – you know, we do things like “detoxification” for our bodies. For "Life" people would say, for better health.... For example, we drink lots of water and exercise. Or have those funny green juices that contains "chlorophyll" that is supposed to help you detox.

Spiritually we can do the same thing – We detoxify for our bodies to be healthy – so we have the term “purification” that refers to the detoxification for our souls, so that our Spirits are "freed up" to worship God joyfully.

Psalm 23:1 pops into my mind – “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..” – If the Lord is our shepherd and we are like sheep, I thought – “What is a healthy sheep?” The answer would simply be, one which is happy, healthy physically, at peace to be with the Shepherd, secure, growing well and which is not sickly.

So, we also might thus ask – am I a healthy sheep?

And so it occurred to me today that we may not be all healthy. We can accumulate many “spiritual toxins” inside without even knowing. Though the bible says it all. "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice" (Ephesians 4:31).

And so we are led to reflect on what are the “Spiritual Toxins” that we have accumulated in our souls?

Purification is like a process, a journey, of life, growth and “detoxifying” that helps us to become like healthy sheep – gaining our spiritually nourishment through the Mass, through a community, having a affirming inner relationship with our Lord, Jesus, feeling glad to walk alongside with God and not trying to run away from Him or doubt Him… Accepting our identity as a child of God… Being a person of peace; Like an olive tree growing in the house and care of the Lord.

THAT is spiritual health.

So to be “spiritually” healthy, we would need to desire God-things, not the things of the world - such as to... :
No longer be subject to anger, lust, passions, pleasures, lying, bad habits, etc.,
Want to have a closer relationship with God,
Want peace - quietness, confidence, assurance with trust forever,
Want to be pleasing to God, whatever the cost,
want God to run your life, instead of you continue to make mistakes,
Want to be doing God's will, not your own

And so at this very moment, I’m just feeling really grateful, that the bible encourages us! For the faint-hearted in the race of LIFE, sometimes, we need a push. So here, we are encouraged to be Holy:

• Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Cor 7:1
• But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7
• Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8
• Our Savior Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Titus 2:12-14
• But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:4
  
  Read more verses at www.hallvworthington.com/perfection.html

God Bless,
Sam


'Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them. Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God.' Matthew 5:7-8.