The winds of change is sweeping across the Catholic Churches of Malaysia, starting October 2011. . A new Roman missal -changes in words and expressions... change from the present modern version back to the original practice for Eucharistic celebrations - and that change has begun...and will be gradually blended in for ease of transition- and also to enable parishioners get used to the new terms and expressions, without undue confusion. Nothing revolutionary, just a reversal (back) to the original form, what was already in existence... words,terms, practice...-closer to the Latin version, deemed more accurate translation. .
The Lord's Prayer- . To this writer, there is no change to the Lord's prayer. This was and still is the version, she uses when she recite the Lord's prayer. She remembers standing hidden in some obscure corner near the church building , once upon decades ago, watching the celebration of mass...and when voices rose in homage, call for the Father's love and forgiveness, His providence and care, the spirit of a little girl flowed spontaneously into the reverence of the prayer....and the feelings and joy of belonging to a Loving Father was forged and bonded. That prayer has stayed steadfastly with her, throughout time, immensely fruitful - sparkling the loving presence of the Father into her sphere , bringing to focus His Spirit and his ever watchful eyes upon her.. As far as this Writer is concerned...no changes there....The response..."your spirit"? Just for a bit of healthy, fun reflection and debating-.....and this calls for an open mind.... In the original response -"and with you" .......the "you" obviously refers to the flesh, body and human mass ...embedded with emotions and feelings..." but then, no human mass can survive without the living spirit.. "you" is therefore both the human mass of a person and spirit, which is the Being-the Spirit. . In the opinion of this writer, 'You" - is a complete term in itself.
So should we response with -" your spirit" stressing on the spirit alone without the body? Can we detach the body away from the spirit? It would be logical ( as in this case, it appears to be), if the spirit, the living Being becomes the focal point of the Human composition - the emphasis - then shifts from the human mass to prominence of spirit and soul first. Our spirit and soul are being called to- first connect,- be re-conciliatory with God above. This consciousness of His presence in our lives-. established desired ties. . The God conscious spirit, the breath of our existence, will then lead and guide the conscious movements, actions and directions of the human body housing our spirit and soul., so that we would be able to live more meaningful, fruitful and useful lives. Perhaps it is a call to more awareness -to the fact that we are spirit first , our existence here on this earth is just temporary...- that one-day, after we have lived out our purpose, our spirits will have to discard the body and to return home to the Creator, to the higher realm. Hence the importance place on the " your spirit" here.
So should we response with -" your spirit" stressing on the spirit alone without the body? Can we detach the body away from the spirit? It would be logical ( as in this case, it appears to be), if the spirit, the living Being becomes the focal point of the Human composition - the emphasis - then shifts from the human mass to prominence of spirit and soul first. Our spirit and soul are being called to- first connect,- be re-conciliatory with God above. This consciousness of His presence in our lives-. established desired ties. . The God conscious spirit, the breath of our existence, will then lead and guide the conscious movements, actions and directions of the human body housing our spirit and soul., so that we would be able to live more meaningful, fruitful and useful lives. Perhaps it is a call to more awareness -to the fact that we are spirit first , our existence here on this earth is just temporary...- that one-day, after we have lived out our purpose, our spirits will have to discard the body and to return home to the Creator, to the higher realm. Hence the importance place on the " your spirit" here.
Whatever it is, every change has its purpose, and we people of faith will heed the call to change and transformation . We are after all a Universal church , with universal standards and practices of prayer and worship and we will do whatever it takes to be closer to the Spirit of God. .
This parishioner welcomes Father Michael Chuah- visiting priest and soon to be resident priest of the parish to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Klang..
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