The Death and the Resurrection

What is Truth? Truth is what sets us free. Facing truth is never easy, let alone walk with truth. And the Lord Jesus is the personification of Truth itself   His teaching continues living in us; during times of darkness, it shines forth like a beacon to lead and to guide. In our sufferings and pains, He reaches out to embrace and comfort, because He had gone through the greatest of sufferings for our sake. 

This Good Friday, as thousands gather  in homage, repentance and  deep gratitude for the great love of God,  there arose within us  a  renewal of  faith reuniting and growing  once more as reconciled parts of Christ's body -  each striving to remain true to his memory and great teachings ...love one another as you love yourself. Yet, can we do that at all, we who are all born with the "I" and the "Me" first?? We love ourselves so much, that sometimes, there is no more room for anybody else, except ourselves. As we knee and venerate the cross.., .it is the image of our sins  and burdens piling on the heavy cross,  that brought forth the remorse and the asking of forgiveness. No matter how hard  the heart is, the conscience cries a little on Good Friday and there is this spontaneous whisper of "  I am sorry Lord , forgive me", ringing out from our hearts. 

Thank you Father for the empty cross, because  that fact proclaims  the  Lord's victory over death -that neither  the cross nor the tomb could hold Him. He had arisen and the morn of Sunday will herald in the joy of his resurrection and Easter.  The  Peace of Christ be upon you folks. Happy Easter!

Holy Thursday @ St Anne's Port Klang

Holy Thursday..it was the day, the Lord instituted the holy Eucharist;  the day,  the Lord washed the feet of his disciples as a sign of his  love , as a sign that he accepts them as part of his priesthood, one body with Him, cleansed and worthy to walk in his footsteps.And tonight at St Anne's that meaningful ceremony was brought to life. Those who had their feet washed by  Parish Priest, Father Lawrence, would have been immensely moved by the significance and virtue of that act. It is the memory of Jesus carrying out the act, and it is the words of Jesus -echoing . " If I then, your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." John 13:13-14..

Father Lawrence  was eloquent in his proclamation that there is no other High Priest except the Lord Jesus...those ordained and called to "priesthood" from then till now and afterwards-were there to serve as part of His Body, His church- not as their own entity. Reflections -did He not say-"I am the vine and you are the branches?" and he who abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart  from me, you can do nothing. John 15:5

I have walked through Spring, Summer and now Autumn. I have looked at the picture of " The Last Supper" , a hundred and one time, I have read John 13 so often ...and yet it did not sink in until tonight...that scene from the Last Supper, it is a picture of  God sitting with man ..... God sharing himself   with man....his body, his spirit....and in so doing,  the Lord Jesus, had brought God   down to us, as our Father..., no longer far away and out of reach. We do not need to search for Him any more, He is already in our midst.  Simply and beautifully expressed ...the significance of this beautiful truth kept Yours Truly in digestive and reflective mood, long after mass was over .A thunder bolt of clarity , which left her slightly overwhelmed . Tonight, when YT looked through John 13 again, it has become more meaningful........humbleness ....equality...serving each other and others...an act of love. Truly, the verses of the Bible are living  and continues to teach and reveal more meanings as time goes on and when the time is ripe for our eyes to see more. 

Music Ministry

You have given me the talent  to sing,

Hands to play the organ, 

the piano and the guitar

And I thank you Lord, the grace of these gifts

and the calling to your choir group 

and the music ministry.

There are so many ways to serve

you Lord

And I am just so grateful, you included

me in your call!

Compassion

 Father David spoke   about showing compassion to all, during his early morning  homily. The listening ears heard but it was his-Father David's  heartfelt  act of anointing  the husband of our lovely sister Rosie, that was so illustrative of the word compassion and care! This golden parishioner  will be going in for his  knee surgery  on Good Friday, and will miss his Good Friday devotions , prayers and worship. No doubt, he was feeling anxious as well. But after the anointment, what struck this blogger most,,, was the look of deep  appreciation on the face of this very young Autumn man and it spoke volumes, especially when an intense  prayer  was sent up  that he returns strong and healed! A message and a giving  of love and care and that was what this golden parishioner  must have felt this morning-the glow on his face, says it all .

We wish you speedy recovery young Autumner and our prayers are with you!!

Palm Sunday with Christ

Walking with Jesus into Jerusalem! That was strangely poignant! Palms  were held high and so were the spirits of people holding those palms! The anticipation, the waiting, the curiosity...necks were craning to see what goes on with the priests standing at the foyer of Wisma Lourdes... what goes on in front?? 

The procession from the grounds  of Wisma Lourdes into the church building was significantly symbolic of victory and triumphal ..taking   sufferings, pain and death, by the ears and subduing them with courage ......and then arising out  of the tomb in glory to rejoin the Father.. Reconciliation was accomplished.! An awesome image of hell defeated and running .back to where it belonged. with its tails curled between its legs! And that image has everything to do with Palm Sunday!

The blessings of the palms was a sign of victory. To those who do not believe, those were just sprinkles of water, but to this blogger, it is a share of Christ's strength and faith in his mission and His love for mankind  and it gives her  courage and uplifts her spirits, to walk on ahead. This Holy Week gives us an opportunity to reflect and visualize on the events leading to the ultimate sacrifice and then the  glory of the resurrection.Be blessed brethren, the grace of Christ be upon you!!

Till we meet again soon!

Steven Raj with Henry
After the thank you speech,
time to dig in and we
are all veg today!!

Till we meet again for Rosary in May  folks!

BEC Coordinator Steven Raj,  was full of thanks and appreciation to those who  came for the weekly Friday -Way of the Cross -session, and of course those who opened their houses to let Christ in, during this time of prayers and reflections!! Thank you Mr. & Mrs. Eric Pinto for your kind hospitality!!

Was it only last week that we
met? Wah! So much to share!

Hello! Mrs Eric Pinto, making
coffee?? So many
packet drinks!!No need lah!

Sweet , sweet smile of youth!

Filial Piety of the highest order!

Photo from the Internet

This picture came to me in an email and boy, was I moved to bits!!

This picture shows   62 year old Ting Tsu Chi  of Taiwan  carrying his frail mother into the Chi Mei Hospital  and it had gone viral. Who would not be moved and touched by such filial piety! . He gave up an opportunity for promotion and took early retirement so that he could look after his ageing parents.His father had passed on in 2006. Now, his mother had a stroke and had broken her leg and he reckons , a cloth sling carrier would give her less pain.

What tenderness and compassion in his expression! What could be more illustrative, than this picture   "'When I was small, you carry me; When you grow old, I carry you'' ( quoted by a Taiwanese newspaper) Just for the record, he refused to be interviewed, saying what he is doing is entirely his own business. He is right of course!

How many among us could do that in today's world?? 

Get a Divorce!!

Get a divorce folks! Get a divorce from HELL and all the big N of existence! Strange isn't it, that all we want, is to make it out of the maze and reach the other side safely and in good spirit and yet, we are courted and greeted by Mr. Negative, Mr. Do No Good  dressed in the clothes of "good for you packages", everywhere we turn. He sure does not want us to reach Heaven's doorway, that easily. He sure enjoys the weeping and wailing which prevails in his kingdom. He dangles mirages of sweets and carrots at every corner, to cast his noose over your necks and lead you as his slaves -deeper and deeper into  the dark, dark tunnel, where the heat and the fire of the furnace awaits and then the shroud is lifted from your sight but alas! it is too late! You have been doomed! At journey's end, there are only two doorways which welcomes you ......UP...the grace of heavenly joy OR DOWN the fires of damnation . You have been given the Will to decide your destination, you are given the right to Choose your final resting place. Folks the choice is entirely yours. Life does not require you to be too Goody, Goody, only live  with a Conscience and Act with Clarity , wisdom and Love of God and you will do fine!

The end begins with the journey and that journey will lead you to your  destination. Look towards the Positive and the Light Folks, and their glow shall lead you in the direction where God awaits!

Yours Truly, wishes each and every traveller the best of the very best!!!

Serving behind the scene

I always wonder
Why  the pews 
and the floor
of  the church building were
always so clean
No mud and no dust!
why everything looks so
spick and span
And despite the crowds
why the air smelt so fresh...
but we know now, don't we? 
The pictures shows it all-
God's workers are hard at work
behind the scene , and that's why!

Something New I learnt today

Solemn but graciously serene and befitting the purpose of the season! I do not know about you people but purple is such a deep and  enriching colour and there is meaning and a beautiful reason why we should veil the holy images, and I for one feel, what our eyes cannot see, adds to the fervour and strength of our faith in the  God Almighty, He, whom no living mortal has ever  seen. A wonderful time to focus on the omnipresence , of the Lord God, His divine aura without the influence of images and doesn't it add to the holiness of the altar and the occasion ??? Cool and inviting!!