Signs of the Times

hey guys, let's from time to time see how it is in the world to be able to situate ourselves better...
thus from time to time i'll be posting links here that will show some news about what's happening in other parts of OUR world.the text of links i'm putting up will most always reflect the article's title. hope this gets us thinking and hope fully feel responsible enough to do some positive little contribution to spread the light

first to check out: Gordon Brown is wrong

Grace Something

i received the following txt message from one of the more decent persons i know yesterday, here it is verbatim:

"Read this nice story:A man experienced being robbed by thieves.. In his diary, he wrote 'let me be thankful first, because they took my purse and not my life;second although they took my all, it was not much especially my faith; and third, because 8 was I who was robbed, not I who robbed'"

surprisingly, it elicited quite a reaction from me... i guess maybe because i'm trying reflections during this season of lent for the first time.now, we can be forgiven for assuming that the person who was robbed was a Christian. And quite a mature Christian at that, for his reaction to his experience and THAT realization connected with my current favorite quote from GK Chesterton: "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." and somehow THAT set me off to thinking for a bit and set me to reply to my texter with:

"Nice. But you know why[it's been said that] Christianity has been found hard[difficult] and left untried? Because a truly outandout Christian would 'never' be robbed if he was conscious. He would give his brothers[/sisters] everything just to [hopefully]prevent them from sinning against God. Maimagine mo? Hirap 'no? Grabe challenge sa Kristiyano. Ahehe..."

That came out from me! almost unimaginable because my natural reaction to being robbed would be to beat the daylights out of whoever dared do that to me. Which would be the right thing to do, accdg to some circles i go around in. but as my inspiration for this blog states:" Think things through". hopefully i'll always have the courage and honesty to do that^_^. and even more importantly, may i always have the grace to do that and have reflections like these =). Cause honestly, that reply of mine was not 'me'.that was grace speaking. God bless us all in this season of Lent and may we accept the challenge to reflect on what is truly important and what our priorities should be in that regard.

Grace a prayer shared

To be conscious about something is to be aware of it. Dear Lord help me to remember that You gave me life. Thank you for the gift of life. Teach me to slow down, to be still and enjoy the pleasures created for me.
To be aware of the beauty that surrounds me. The marvel of mountains, the calmness of lakes, the fragility of a flower petal. I need to remember that all these things come from you.

Grace Advent

Came upon this:

The season of Advent sometimes seems in danger of being eclipsed by Christmas. A consumer culture teaches us that we should never have to wait, but that anything can be had at any time. Advent goes against the grain with its messages of preparation, attention and waiting, a reminder that now is not everything, an assurance that now is not the only time.

From the celebration of Saint Nicholas on 6 December to 'Little Chistmas' on 6 January, a wealth of customs helps us to train ourselves in these virtues, but some of the practices that have developed - and our habits - can distract us. Advent is a time to be present to ourselves, the better to notice God's presence among us.

Part of our prayer this Advent might be asking for the grace to live with the things that don't balance out as we would like, an acceptance of the blessings that have come our way. The graces of wisdom and insight are evident in the stories of Advent and Christmas. Isaiah, John the Baptist, Joseph, Mary and the Magi all bring their words to us, that we may learn who we are, both here and now, and as people who are called to journey on in hope.

This Advent, be present.

Piaras Jackson SJ
Editor, Sacred Space

you can check out the site here: http://www.sacredspace.ie/latestspace/

so as Fr. Piaras hopefully exhorts.. let us be present during the season of advent[and hopefully appreciate Christmas even more]. Pretty late post,hehe, but better late than never.

Bojol

S6301000, originally uploaded by j3dinikz.

this is a tespost from flicker and a test photo for me, too.. i'll be posting more pics from now on.. ^_^

Overheard

We are long past the point of talking about wether an unbeliever should be punished for being irreverent,it is now thought irreverent,to be a believer.

-r.zacharias