What I now know

Everyone has a story to tell, for this Blogger, all the stories for 2011, had been told....and new stories begin for 2012. 

There are many " What I Now Know" experiences ,which could filled a book ...matters of religion, family, friends, own expectations ...even dreams.. walking.real footsteps into all those domains and passages...were so utterly different from what one expects or visualizes.

Actioning and being a part of  all those activities and real life scenarios, were such a  world of difference from the theoretical  and the imaginary . Yours Truly, had always dreamt of retirement,- when she could do just what she wanted, sleep as much as she wanted, watch all her favorite TV programmes, enjoy the peace and quiet , bake, read, write. travel......ooh...the joy of resting those aching bones....but now she knows..that is really not what she wanted... the total shift away from active work, that is........working and being part of the rat race still gives her pleasure..she is just too full of life......she cannot allow her brains to shut down and dwell only on memories and the past..she is very much a part of the active vibrant force; she just needed a little flexibility and looks forward to drawing a consistent and growing  income again in 2012. Yours Truly, looks forward to renewed energy and opportunities..:....Reserved .first class seat on the plane to  contentment and  attainment..... plenty of inner peace and calm.....Activate- "You are what you think, you are."

 Now, she knows why, the Lord emphasizes so much on peace...without that vital element...you will forever be that jumping popcorn, popping up and down...perhaps getting burnt in the process. Peace within is real happiness and worthy attainment.Whatever one does, one must be satisfied with the process and the outcome....and that will lead to  harmony with  peace and contentment.

The last six months had been good;   she met some great people, she received plenty of goodness.....she also woke up to the reality of life's living......nothing comes free..you have to slog and work real hard for what you want.....she explored and begun some new  chapters which  will carry on into fruitful achievements in 2012. Certainly  a new beginning will dawn for Marie in 2012.  A new horizon will emerge.AND..She holds on fast to her God....Lead on Lord....Marie's trust and faith -unto Thee .

Merry Christmas!!

It's Christmas Eve and Blogger here, just could not resist a post. The Church building looks elegantly simple, nice, real nice...actually, quite extraordinary!Christmas always does something to her...there is this special feeling of joy.... bubbling up, leaving her quite breathless! Remember  once upon a time???....whenever a festival draws near, how excited we children become. We would be jumping and hugging ourselves with glee...in anticipation  of goodies coming our way...favorite food, new clothings  xtrraaa.......Crazy...... though she is very much a Autumner now,.....whenever Christmas comes......she still feel very  springy . almost in drunken state.  Only, it wasn't the new clothes, or food she looks forward to- rather...family togetherness,  love, continuance of good times;   renewal of ties, God 's presence ...Bet you too, look forward to the same happy things, people.... and  the good Lord smiles indulgently upon us! .

MERRY CHRISTMAS PEOPLE!!!

Night of Joy-BEC Bandar Puteri Klang

OMGOSH! It is raining Santas and Santarinas! And  would you believe it? Two lovely angels holding gift baskets!  And they came with a Christmas gift  for  Marie and her household !  Gorgeously sweet! And what do we have here?  A  her-alder of good news! A  guitarist  as well???, and a brilliant one at that too! Hoh! A host of carolers ...can't believe her eyes, were there fifty of them???   If you could have heard their lovely voices soaring into the stillness of the night, it was astonishingly joyous!  That could only be the spirit of Christmas, heralding in the joy of of the season!!


 

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned

Good food has to be shared......  

Confession is not only about letting go of burdens, it is also  about receiving  God's grace.. That wisdom came from the priest who heard her confession...this night.....Father Joachim Tan.  

This Writer reflected on that and dear me...true, very true lah! When you confess of your  sins , the darkness and pain which had been gnawing and eating at your within, dislodge  and disperses...flushed out of your system......you are admitting of your faults, and that pave the way to change and self improvement .........forgiveness clears the way to receive God's grace. Once, the Father's tenderness and care moves in, wellness enfolds....

The light shines brightest in the darkest of the night. 

Come Buy my wares-Senior Citizen Ministry SCM)

SERVING OUR PARISH SENIOR COMMUNITY

Committee Members of the Senior Citizen Ministry of our Lady of Lourdes, Klang, are working very hard to raise funds to subsidize  the future activities and events of the Seniors Community. You know what it is, People, when you are  retired and old, and personal funds are limited, subsidizing is the word. This is the benefit, we give to members of our golden community, so that they could continue to be seen, heard and be their own person..

To be active, we require funds. To be vibrant, we need committed, participating members, who will unitedly work to bring up the SCM, more importantly, ourselves as senior members of the community! People!  we need your support! The SCM is selling an interesting range of cookies, colourful coconut candies, wine, fruit cakes for the Christmas and New Year season at very affordable rates. Tickets for a New Year 2012 Fellowship are on going - sold at a subsided rate of RM5/-ONLY  per senior citizen, so if you are not a member yet, hasten to register. Membership open to those 50 years of age and above.  Committee members of  SCM will be at the entrance of the church (OLL) with their range of goodies, dinner tickets  and accepting membership registration every weekend masses.

Come People with your support and God Bless!

Day Of Pray and Reconciliation

Saturday, 10th December 2001

9-00-5.00pm-Venue- The Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes

Theme: " Come to me all who labour, and are overburdened and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28)

Speaker: Rev. Father Surain  -Message of Advent 

Serving

Part of the attendees

It was an awesome morning , a morning of devout and spirit filled praise and worship -a day of  spring cleaning  of the within, in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. It was a day, when the meaning and wisdom of Advent was expounded and parallel drawn to our own  daily living, the beauty and wisdom of waiting.  There is a time and a season for everything and nature has to be allowed to take its full course, for the beauty of purpose to emerge. God's plans cannot be fast forwarded, if the fullness of its signification and purpose is to be realized. to its true worth and potential . Father Surain gave a very earthly  analogy of the butterfly emerging from the cocoon, through the fast forward innovation of man. It did not go thorough its required time of  process  and  the result? though, the cocoon did burst forth and  emerged as a butterfly, it could not fly............ And why did God send his Son to mankind in the form of a helpless little  BABY and NOT as a powerful  warrior, one who could  save mankind  with just a powerful wave of hand and that's that, salvation was given..... No , the message was  one of LOVE  Care and Deliverance and very much  trust and faith....   Exousia  -"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs  is the kingdom of God".... Matt.5:3.

Advent is a lesson  on the purpose and virtue of  waiting....the process to maturity, the  divine manifestations  which started off with the Blessed Virgin Mary placing her entire trust in God and agreeing to be the Mother of our Saviour    The Infant Jesus in his tender and innocent state is a picture of the message to which He was to deliver...the Kingdom of God is opened to   those who are childlike in their trust and belief -possessing of the innocence of  children...  ..The Lord's journey as a child to a matured man is  an indication-  the necessary  need for the completion of the process....developing, growing , nurturing and the maturity- required of the divine purpose, for which  He had come.. ...." Advent .....a period of faith, trust and anticipation, and yes-expectation ,  for the    promise of Christmas come true-Emmanuel...God with us....Indeed.!

Tea break 

It was unfortunate, this writer could  only stay  for half a day, a real pity indeed , but if the morning's session was any indication ; the effectiveness of the purpose,   to which this day of  prayer and reconciliation, was organised....I believe, it had borne its fruits and  all who came,  went away, blessed and  filled with fresh understanding -the meaning,  the  purpose, the peace and joy of Advent..

People! May You welcome in the Messiah with a sanctified and worthy heart!

Beautiful sights -Morning mass celebrations -Our Lady of Lourdes Klang

Two very beautiful sights. Yesterday, it was the sight of two altar boys each reverently holding a lighted candle and standing on each side of the parish priest while he read the gospel reading... that was really meaningful. Light to light, demonstrating that the   message is light itself , could anything be lovelier?? It  was the  feast of the  immaculate conception. God's powers be praised and blessed!  He has made the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of  the Redeemer and  His Word lived among us....


And today, another early morning inspiration to start off the day,  a simple ceremony, welcoming in two altar boys, committed to serve at the altar of the Lord. Simple, genuine  and so beautiful. It was the way, the- manner it was done, no splashes of colours, or beating of the drums....  just humbleness, reverence and honour ....from the heart....Focus were on the two new altar boys and their acceptance into altar service. There was this look of innocence on the faces of the young lads, which were refreshing and endearing.   


When you have walked,  as far down the passage of time,  as this Writer has.... spent - considerable time finding her way out of  muddy roads, into smoother ones,  pricked by thorns , healed by the living grace, and taken enough salt to last a life time...you will appreciate such purity and sincerity and I tell you people..these are the beautiful images which will stand out and remain  in our memories to smile and gushed about.

Facts of Living

We love those who do not love us, we cry for those who do not value us, we devote our whole lives  to provide, protect and  care for those who do not understand nor cherish us, we trust those who  deceive us, we give loyalty to those who thought nothing of hurting  us,  we seek and crave attention  from those who neither  see nor hear us,    we try to  please those who do not appreciate us.... ....such is the cruel realities of life..no one is spared that pain and sufferings at some point of their lives. It is a no wonder, our living gets so choked up in the aura of distress and darkness that clarity and peace eludes us...

Jeremiah 31:25, I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. .

The Lord Jesus says:  :Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.. Matt 11:28

Reconciliation

Scripture says that the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to his disciples and greeted them with peace. He breathe on them  and said-" Receive the Holy Spirit If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained." John: 20:22-23

AND AGAIN

And I tell you, you are Peter and on this rock, I will build my church and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Matthew 16:18-19

"As the Father sent me, so have I sent you" John 20-21..its certainly appears that Priests, as appointed shepherds of God's earthly pastures has the grace to absolve  sins in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ , continuing on his mission of " saving lives",  on this very sorry planet of ours.

This  is the season of Advent when we prepare for the coming of Salvation ; the keys to the Kingdom of God....and yes, we do need to sanctify and purify ourselves, so that we are made worthy to be in His presence and welcome Him into our lives. But dear God, You know the magnitude , the depth we have fallen and it is really not so easy to confess our sins, to another person  even though He is your appointed Shepherd here on earth and yet, we do need to be freed of all the toxins that had  defiled us. 

Confessions  are really not easy to pour forth... some come and  rattle off ....from a pre-prepared text...some .for the sake of appearance, but of course, we have the luckier ones  who are able to see their faults clearer and so, they are able to make heartful confessions ...BUT others, who makes up a huge chunk of us sinners, have  alot of issues and baggages and really, they are not so easily dislodged...nor could they be released in that short few minutes.  Before  the actual process of confessing could begin, those who really needed  the release, have to examine self, acknowledge their shortcomings... let go of  their bitterness, their anger, their unhappiness first, for  confessions  to be  meaningful. Otherwise, it would only be a flow of anger and bitterness and that's probably one of the reasons, why many refrain from going for confessions. There has first to be contrite, awareness of faults and wrong doings ,  forgiveness of self  and others, and then, only then, will they be able to heart-fully  confess of their sins , that they be dissolved and absolved.

This Writer remembers her first confession.....she made sure, she did not go to her own parish priest because she was full of anxiety...what to do, what to say..., you know...the various  steps  and when it was her turn...she was tongue tied...just like when a speaker faces a crowd and suddenly all went blank...and all she could managed was, "Father, I have sinned. I know I have sinned,  but I can't remember the specifics. I ask for forgiveness" Now what confession is that? So it will be the same for the majority of the people who finds the process of "telling it out a little difficult", especially if there is a time constrain. And that's one of the reasons,  why healing and wellness business is so thriving and  sunrise . And that's one of the reasons, why Holy Hour and Healing used to be so popular with some of us. They help you towards the process of healing and release. 

Have a good confession people, everyone, without exception  has issues. 

Strength from morning worship

Morning masses are the powers which  uplifts  and keeps our energy elevated throughout the day. Even if crisis does crop up every now and then, our connection and  trust in God  keeps clarity in place and our footsteps steady. Evil and sufferings abounds in this universe, sometimes, coming from people closest to you ; in fact they could turn out to be the worst of the worst. People, I am sure, you must  have read enough of such misplaced trust in the media. They seemed to be  ringing of such cases on a daily basis and it is a little daunting, if not frightening, the possibility that we are not safe, with people, we should be safe with. They who should be protecting us are the ones who are causing us pain.I would like to ask, "would you believe it,"  but that would be stupid, because, there are  enough reported cases, to render that frightening  fact -true. What a universe we live in,  eh people?. 

This writer has faced many crisis in her own life and though she  received many  optimistic words of encouragement, ultimately, it  is religion, it is God  who  keeps her from losing her strength and the will to see another sunrise.  This writer maintain that when crisis does strike, people could only comfort you so much. They will do their best to soothe you,  they may even hug you, cry with you and tell you, they feel your pain; REALLY??   Dog Poo! How many times, we ourselves, have comforted others, cry with them, but at the end of the day or rather, when it is time to go,  we leave people's troubles with them. Their troubles stay attached to them , and while they tossed and turn the whole night, knives piercing their  hearts, we go back home and sleep like a log of wood. People! isn't that true? No one, and I repeat, no one can  ever  feel your  pain, and agony whether sickness or other emotions, because that pain and sufferings is not a part of  them. They are very much a part of you, the person in pain.. Therefore,  Look out for yourself ; look after yourself well  (then you would not need to receive comfort, but have the strength and capacity  to provide comfort to others in need) Better to give than take in this circumstance eh folks? And  be very, very connected with the Divine above, because when crisis and trouble strikes, the only one who is timelessly with you, the only one who could feel with you , reach out and heal you is that awesome someone above, I reverently call God. Listen up people ; add that little salt into your daily living.

Learning Curve-OLL

Never knew, this Blogger would say this, but  wonders of wonders, catechetics  ( is that the correct spelling????) is actually getting quite interesting and a source of rich knowledge and information.  Can't say the same for the longer mass hours though, but then again, we have begun to built the longer hours into our weekend  routine, and she guess before long, it will become norm. .  We are also called to think and feel with the church and if shepherds are vigilantly  passionate about preserving God's  green pasture -ever  beautiful and in great shape,...., sooner or later the enthusiasm will rub off on the parishioners as well. One thing for sure, whatever the rumblings, ...it certainly won't be about  the Eucharistic celebrations, nor the  homilies  and the way, they were being dished out.....We are indeed blessed. 

Fierce or Gentle God??

A fierce God, or a Gentle God,, comforting and approachable, a forgiving Father figure, welcoming home the prodigal son. Which do you prefer? 

While it is true that military style- holding the rotan,   would keep us  properly checked and in order, mindful of our Ps and Qs   ready to act out our obligations as expected of us ,  toeing the line, etc..this blogger would go for the embracing God anytime...for then it means that she would not be afraid of  pouring out her heart and sharing whatever joy or distress, with someone who loves her.... For then, it  means, she is never alone and she could  lean on the strength of her God.without fear.. 

If  God is brought down to our level, walking in our company , would the sense of Godliness and reverence be lost?? ; Would the special feeling of awe and homage  loses its essence..? would  God  become an ordinary person ?? And again where  then,  would religion be? Where then would God be??On the surface, there may appear to be an issue,, but  Gentle though God is, we will still know Him as God and   will honour  and  love Him ,  all the more. ..... . We are a  part of Him.  Religion, God, it  will always be part of existence, that is the vital link   that completes the picture.. No, we will not lose our God , because God being God will always be sacred ....He will always be almighty, supreme and above us and because He is God and omnipresent, He also has the power to to be with us at our level.., wherever we are.

Sure,  many may  claim they do not believe in God  anymore or God has no part in their lives, yet despite their reluctance to acknowledge God by that name, humans are becoming more aware of the need for  peace and happiness in today's dysfunctional world and they go searching for those benefits. So tell me, isn't that an act of  searching  for the presence of God??Can there be peace and happiness without God ??? The more chaotic , the darker, the more illusive the universe becomes, the more the need for  a loving and comforting God , but does that mean, we are allowed to  swim in our sinfulness and do as we pleased???  Think Again., people!  Surely you know what is required of you!