tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82822994849242040622012-01-03T08:32:22.781+01:00Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comBlogger1991100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-19574456857662952222012-01-03T08:20:00.004+01:002012-01-03T08:32:22.794+01:00

Year 2011 closes and Year 2012 opens. Here are some of the latest learnings gathered in this transition time:1. Assessing the events of last year, including the many disasters and catastrophes that happened here in the Philippines and abroad, I can only say: Life hurts, life heals. It sometimes strains my eyes to see how God writes straight with crooked lines but he does really. I guess it’s

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-13714191209161588392011-11-16T01:00:00.004+01:002011-11-16T06:06:03.137+01:00

Sr. M. Josephine Sumobay, faithful disciple of Jesus Divine Master, left this earth for the heavenly abode last November 12, 2011. Here is the eulogy I delivered during her funeral rites last November 14.Dear Sr. M JosephineSince I learned of your progressive decline through the text message sent by Sr. Gabriella last Nov. 6 while I was waiting for my return flight from Taiwan to Manila, you have

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-89427951237648214132011-09-21T11:23:00.000+02:002011-09-21T11:23:23.046+02:00

Today is the liturgical feast of St. Matthew, the tax collector turned apostle of our Lord Jesus.It is inspiring to behold how the Incarnate Word of God – Jesus our Master – is able to effect change and transformation in the lives of people. Putting together the Gospel readings of last Saturday, September 16 (cf Lk 8:4-15) and last Sunday, September 17 (cf Mt 20: 1-16a), I came up with this

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-11761453543384097912011-06-06T03:56:00.004+02:002011-06-06T04:10:26.956+02:00

“In my beginning is my end,” so goes the first line of T.S. Eliot’s East Coker, the second part of his Four Quartets.“In my end is my beginning.” You’re right: this is the last line of the same piece.It’s the poem that comes to mind as I listen to and contemplate Jesus’ words in this concluding phase of the Easter season while we await the celebration of Pentecost.Jesus says to his disciples: “I

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-65089371167674899902011-04-24T08:49:00.007+02:002011-04-24T16:00:32.419+02:00

This stunning photo was taken by my friend, Fr. Tony Milner during his Holy Week Retreat at Castel Gandolfo. In his FB album he entitled it "Jacob's Ladder..."Indeed there are times when it is difficult for us to see the "connection" between our life here and the one after this, especially when there is no one who could at least indicate some "signs" linking the two...Could this be one of the

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-74706897551546302912011-04-21T12:20:00.010+02:002011-04-22T08:43:07.884+02:00

Nature continues to undergo transformation as spring decisively enters in.The city of Rome is in full "movimento" as well not only because of the pilgrims and tourists flocking the city during Holy Week but also due to the full blast preparation for the big event of the beatification of Pope John Paul II come 1st of May. Shall we have a repeat of his funeral event in April 2005 attended by around

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-51162241475534062932011-02-21T08:52:00.000+01:002011-02-21T08:52:02.467+01:00

Please watch this video clip and see if you could help out these budding musicians from the Philippines. Thanks a lot!

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-9415737521523326112011-02-10T10:02:00.004+01:002011-02-10T10:29:33.836+01:00

Today is the liturgical feast of St. Scholastica, traditionally known as the twin sister of St. Benedict of Norcia (Umbria, Italy). There is a beautiful anecdote recounted by no less than Pope Gregory the Great narrating how St. Scholastica overpowered her brother St. Benedict by virtue of her loving prayerful intercession. Read full story here.St. Scholastica is also the patron Saint of my

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-62713667355436893932011-01-26T10:17:00.003+01:002011-01-26T10:28:05.651+01:00

Remembering a Jesuit friend who’ll soon be celebrating his 90th birthday (in heaven, I hope – he transferred “residence” in 2007), I was reminded of one of his favorite readings while still on earth: Pierre Teilhard de Chardin’s Divine Milieu. Perhaps it was he who inspired me to take up this book and read it attentively.Let me share with you some of the lines which serve as food for my soul at

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-75223301179135938682010-12-26T08:52:00.005+01:002010-12-26T09:19:49.935+01:00

As my Christmas greeting to all, I'd like to share this lovely video link of the phenomenal 18-year old Filipina Charice Pempengco, singing at Rockefeller, with David Foster at the piano. This is to remind us that yes, Christmas is for children, but also for grown-ups too... listen closely to the words. Speaking of Christmas, it is beautiful to know that Christmas is being celebrated still in

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-15065266891204258492010-12-13T11:57:00.003+01:002010-12-13T12:05:40.542+01:00

“Rejoice!” is the message of the Third Sunday of Advent, that’s why it is called Gaudete Sunday. How do you rejoice when you suffer? Take to heart this lesson from the Letter of St. James which is actually the Second Reading of the liturgy.Here are some excerpts from Pope Benedict’s short commentary on this reading during his Angelus address yesterday. (See this site for complete version)Pope

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-59089230869559407062010-12-08T15:37:00.006+01:002010-12-08T15:48:10.216+01:00

On this day of Mary's Immaculate Conception, one of the most delightful messages I received aside from the beautiful readings on the liturgy is this creative retelling of God's non-ending call to repentance and salvation narrated by a little girl.Enjoy this and learn how to love as God loves!

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-76266194104743715272010-12-03T09:28:00.011+01:002010-12-03T10:45:21.337+01:00

Sharing with a priest friend my latest discovery of the fourth paragraph of Newman's Lead, Kindly Light, I came to know that it was not really by Newman (as I suspected) but a later addition done by Edward H. Bickersteth Jr. More research on this later. Interestingly, the webpage that I read mentioned another musical composition of this prayer-poem, interpreted by the famous Libera boys choir

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-28665683322985988832010-11-29T21:55:00.005+01:002010-11-30T08:14:59.276+01:00

With the Church’s liturgy yesterday, November 28 – the First Sunday of Advent - we are ushered into a new Liturgical Year and so enter into the preparation period for Christmas.Advent is a time of waiting, but what kind of waiting? Not a distracted, impatient waiting but an attentive, hopeful and joyful one. While it is true that the Gospel reading (Mt 24:37-44) talks of deluge and destruction

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-76698499835183568462010-11-23T18:35:00.012+01:002010-11-24T09:10:13.942+01:00

Pearls are the persons I’ve met these last 12 days as I guided the pilgrimage of my brother Victor’s group - members and guests of the Music Ministry of the Presentation Parish, Stockton, CA, USA.Silver were the moments spent together sensing the presence of “Mystery” as the choir sang on the Saturday evening Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica (Nov. 13), in the evening Mass at Regina Pacis, Rome,

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-21848898773820536862010-08-09T10:14:00.010+02:002010-08-09T10:47:53.551+02:00

One of the most significant visits I had this year was in the atomic bombing sites of Nagasaki and Hiroshima – two major cities of Japan. 65 years ago, to “force” the unconditional surrender of the Japanese nation aligned to the axis power (Nazi Germany), the Americans, together with the Allied forces (UK, Russia, China) decided to go ahead with the bombing of the two cities.On August 6, 1945, at

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-11928290104934700302010-04-04T11:09:00.006+02:002010-04-04T11:33:56.594+02:00

A blessed and happy Easter to all!It's a rainy Easter day over here in Rome, but our spirits are somehow aloft because of the great spiritual feast that we are celebrating. And also because even if these days, the Catholic Church, especially in the person of Pope Benedict XVI, is terribly attacked from all fronts, we all stay the course and "run the race" to the finish line, as St. Paul would put

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-61995557032720191042010-03-28T09:17:00.003+02:002010-03-28T09:22:54.110+02:00

Today, March 28, is Passion Sunday, the beginning of the Holy Week celebration this year 2010. The “passion” here refers to the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. But it could also refer to his “passion for God and passion for all of us” that is, his great love for his Father and for all of us, his sisters and brothers, under the same paternity of God.As we enter into the celebration

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-40761961398962124192010-02-24T18:04:00.003+01:002010-02-24T18:08:48.669+01:00

PATIENCE, hard thing! the hard thing but to pray,But bid for, Patience is! Patience who asksWants war, wants wounds; weary his times, his tasks;To do without, take tosses, and obey.Rare patience roots in these, and, these away,Nowhere. Natural heart’s ivy, Patience masksOur ruins of wrecked past purpose. There she basksPurple eyes and seas of liquid leaves all day. We hear our hearts grate on

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-42351791319075935492010-02-19T08:23:00.004+01:002010-02-19T11:03:19.451+01:00

I began my journey towards easter last Ash Wednesday giving in to my curiosity about the etymology of words “lent” and “easter”. These English words for the liturgical season that we started to celebrate are so different from the words used here in Europe and elsewhere: “quaresima” (orig. latin = referring to “40 days”) and “pasqua” (orig. Hebrew referring to “Pesach”, then latinized to "Pasche")

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-70216086009950344732010-02-14T16:49:00.002+01:002010-02-14T16:55:00.637+01:00

I have been struggling to make sense of today's Gospel reading from St. Luke ( cf Lk 6:17-27) more popularly known as the "blessing and the woes", parallel to St. Matthew's Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12). My “struggle” is to read it in the perspective of real people today: like the Haitians after the devastating earthquake suffered a month ago leaving a third of the population practically without

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-50650451465193930052010-01-24T11:07:00.008+01:002010-01-24T15:15:00.843+01:00

Entering into the liturgical “ordinary time,” we are invited to accompany Jesus at the start of his public ministry through St. Luke’s gospel. In fact, the reading today begins with the introduction of this great gospel account. From this foreword, we skip 3 chapters and proceed to chapter 4 to join Jesus in his first official public appearance in his hometown. Here he stands before his people in

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-66584289173757469182010-01-03T11:03:00.005+01:002010-01-03T11:32:21.340+01:00

In the beginning of this New Year 2010, as I thanked the Lord for the blessing of my natural and religious families, I also remembered the blessing of friends who have accompanied me in this past year, and friends I have "re-connected with" through the help of modern technology.I believe that the invaluable gift of friendship which we receive and give is connected to our faith in the mystery of

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-3239513935924085502009-11-16T15:58:00.004+01:002009-11-16T16:06:48.145+01:00

I watched the movie Dreamer last night. It’s about the story of a horse trainer Ben Crane and his horse “Sonia” – short for Soñador (Spanish for “dreamer”). A story of entangled broken dreams for greatness both of men and horses, it’s very “hollywoodian” in its effort to turn the tables around: how the innocence and impudence of Ben's daughter Cale Crane played by my favorite Dakota Fanning, wins

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-565361888719866942009-11-13T15:38:00.004+01:002009-11-13T15:48:47.058+01:00

We praise and thank the Lord for the safe release of Fr. Michael Sinnott, 79-year old Irish missionary of the Society of St. Columban kidnapped a month ago in Pagadian City, Southern Philippines. He was released by his captors (still unknown) yesterday. In these video clips gathered from a Philippine news channel, some details of his release are given. The first clip shows the early moments of

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-49144974213433859202009-11-02T08:16:00.003+01:002009-11-02T08:26:26.693+01:00

Today, November 2, the liturgy gives space to the commemoration of the dead. In Italian, the dead are "defunti", from the Latin word defunctus, in its past participle form de + fungi = "finish functioning" or "cease to perform," as in "defunct organization". This is a helpful way of looking at life in the sense of "mission" or "vocation". We are born to "complete a mission" here on earth. Once it

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-54416717613638919382009-10-31T15:42:00.004+01:002009-10-31T20:45:47.910+01:00

This Sunday is a very special one -- All Saints' Day. In the gospel reading of today that is, Mt 5:1-12, our Lord Jesus gives the formula for sanctity which in this context also means, true and lasting happiness (beatitudes!): poverty of spirit (humility), acceptance of suffering, meekness, search for justice, being compassionate, being pure of heart, peace-making, long-suffering in face of

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-51841550319216887502009-10-27T10:47:00.003+01:002009-10-27T11:12:22.220+01:00

Ages ago, as a child, I used to recite this as my night prayer:"Now I lay me down to sleepI pray the Lord my soul to keep.If I shall die before I wake,I pray the Lord my soul to take.There are four corners at my bedThere are four angels at my head.Matthew, Mark, Luke and Johnbless the bed that I lie on."Lately, one of my sisters forwarded me a prayer-poem which gives me an insight how "far we

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-36454823670507099662009-08-05T15:40:00.005+02:002009-08-05T16:08:22.996+02:00

Our "little flock" of Filipinos here in Rome had the chance of "being-with" the millions of Filipinos mourning the demise of our late President Cory Aquino back in our home country.In the Eucharist that we celebrated together this morning in the Church of Sta. Anna in Vatican City, I came to discover that Cory also composed a Prayer for a Happy Death and I would like to share it here.Almighty God

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-56247726394356859702009-08-01T09:04:00.006+02:002009-08-01T09:42:30.867+02:00

While listening to Vatican Radio's morning news today I learned of the demise of former Philippine President Cory Aquino. She ended her painful struggle with colon cancer early this morning and entered into eternal light.Cory will be dearly and deeply remembered by many of us who prayed and fought for freedom during the world famous Philippine People Power Revolution of February 1986 toppling the

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-81849788721348241592009-07-30T16:13:00.005+02:002009-07-31T15:23:34.583+02:00

For one reason or another, the word that keeps coming back to me is "patience."With so many things "suspended, blurred or nebulous," the biggest challenge to me now is to exercise "wisdom waiting" and to repeat this poem of G. Manley Hopkins often:Patience, hard thing! The hard thing but to pray,But bid for, Patience is! Patience who asks Wants war, wants wounds; weary his times, his tasks; To do

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-49371145190523636782009-07-29T09:52:00.003+02:002009-07-29T10:12:20.841+02:00

As I do some research on the theme of “Sacred and Liturgical Art” I took hold of John Paul II’s Letter to Artists (April 1999). Towards the end of this Letter, John Paul makes an appeal to Christian artists “to use your creative intuition to enter into the heart of the mystery of the Incarnate God and at the same time into the mystery of man.” Indeed, it is a lofty vocation for the artists not

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-36284749786913929592009-07-22T21:25:00.004+02:002009-07-22T22:01:49.633+02:00

Today's world news highlighted the total solar eclipse that was seen all over Asia and which will not happen again till the next 150 years, according to scientists. The best views appeared in China and India though the event was also experienced in Southeast Asia. The photo I copied here was actually taken in Varanasi, India today.The evening news here in Italy mentioned the death of 2 women

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-35430146967065952322009-06-19T16:50:00.006+02:002009-06-19T17:17:18.961+02:00

Today, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, is also the day offered for the Sanctification of Priests. This year, it has an added significance since Pope Benedict XVI also decreed it as the opening of the Year of the Priest. I created a group in Facebook to highlight this Year and to invite everyone to offer prayers for priests. You can join the group by clicking here. I believe that we all

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-91931151083287424712009-06-08T16:14:00.002+02:002009-06-08T16:17:27.885+02:00

Pope Benedict XVI made a brief but very beautiful commentary on the mystery of the Holy Trinity during his Angelus message yesterday June 7. See this:“We contemplate the Holy Trinity just as Jesus revealed it to us. He showed us that God is love 'not in the unity of a single person, but in the Trinity of a single substance’. Thus He is Creator and merciful Father; only-begotten Son, eternal

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-31310594018013773712009-05-29T08:58:00.005+02:002009-05-29T09:23:21.236+02:00

I haven't posted anything for quite awhile. I thought this inspirational which I received today is worth sharing. Read on...An Atheist Professor of Philosophy speaks to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD, the ALMIGHTY. He asks one of his New Christian Students to stand and . . .Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?Student : Yes, sir.Professor : So you Believe in GOD ?

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-58424559868427489722009-05-12T13:47:00.002+02:002009-05-12T13:50:35.700+02:00

In my prayer yesterday, images of Pope Benedict XVI’s visit at Yad Vashem (Temple of Memorial to the Victims of the Holacaust) came back to me. And I asked myself, “what is the significance of all this?” At one level, I felt full of admiration for the Pope, for his courage and humility, to rise up to the challenge of the moment and accept this painful part of history and the role played by his

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-90746488451356462142009-05-05T18:06:00.004+02:002009-05-05T18:13:25.314+02:00

Pope Benedict XVI appeals to the whole Catholic community to pray for him during his coming pilgrimage to the Holy Land and nearby territories from May 8-15. He says, "I go as a pilgrim of peace. As you are well aware, for more than sixty years, this region - the land of our Lord's birth, death and Resurrection; a sacred place for the world's three great monotheistic religions - has been plagued

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-77552966629094632692009-04-25T08:54:00.003+02:002009-04-25T08:58:53.625+02:00

The church celebrates today the Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, the writer of the first Gospel. Of Hebrew origin but probably born outside of Palestine, Mark (whose complete name is John Mark) is the son of a widow named Mary (Acts 12:12), a rich woman who put her riches at the disposal of Jesus whenever he was in Jerusalem (see this Italian site for other details). Jesus and his apostles had

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-89596491004413764892009-04-14T09:17:00.004+02:002009-04-14T09:27:50.989+02:00

Did you know that the etymology of the English word “maudlin” which means tearfully or effusively sentimental comes from the figure of the penitent Mary Magdalene? See this dictionary on line.Unfortunately, poor Mary Magdalene has been wrongly identified as the weeping sinner portrayed at the end of Chapter 7 of Luke’s Gospel. I think we need to correct this erroneous identification of Mary

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-29987891619534419712009-04-12T16:24:00.002+02:002009-04-12T16:28:03.191+02:00

This Holy Week has been a truly dramatic experience here in Italy as our hearts go out to the victims of the earthquake which hit the region of Abruzzo last Holy Monday. The tremors were also strongly felt here in Rome where I live and even as I lay awake those wee hours of the morning, I started to pray for the people who would be greatly affected by the catastrophe.And who could ever imagine

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-34277396698650424832009-02-20T11:00:00.004+01:002009-02-20T11:06:47.814+01:00

Someone sent me this delightful story. As the story goes, a child was asked to do a book report on the whole Bible and this came out:The Children's Bible in a Nutshell In the beginning, which occurred near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that. Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-24027262165933570052009-01-06T10:16:00.006+01:002009-01-06T10:37:27.550+01:00

Here in Italy, we celebrate today the Epiphany of the Lord. It calls to mind the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, symbolized by his manifestation to the Magi or Wise Men from the East. Our Christian brothers and sisters of the Eastern church celebrate this as their Christmas. Actually they also refer to this feast as "Holy Lights" because they baptize on this day, and baptism brings about

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-67779816629194586722008-12-28T15:47:00.010+01:002008-12-29T20:54:05.207+01:00

The last time I went to St. Peter's Basilica for my confession (Nov. 30, 2008) I noticed the guys working on the crib at one corner and remembered how only a few months back, I saw them putting it away!2008 is indeed going...going... and in three-days' time, will be gone! The usual question that comes to mind at the end of every year is, "have I grown and if yes, how-- how much?"As I continued my

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-41165322081064018022008-12-21T15:54:00.004+01:002008-12-21T16:11:41.278+01:00

Consider this unusual Annunciation painting by Henry Ossawa Tanner, renowned Afro-American painter of biblical themes. Does it not capture well the emotion of surprise and trepidation which Mary felt as the Gospel narrative says so (cf Lk 1:26-38)?I tend to think that at times, we get so used to this reading that we miss to see how difficult it must have been for Mary to understand what the

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-92042696306179770692008-12-15T15:53:00.005+01:002008-12-15T16:08:19.834+01:00

Yesterday, Gaudete Sunday, the Advent Sunday of Joy, I had been wonderfully filled with both spiritual and “secular” joy, thanks to a friend from the Venerable English College here in Rome.I was invited to their 2-part Advent presentation: the first featured Advent and Christmas musical pieces in prayer setting sung by their Schola Cantorum; the second, an entertainment package entitled “A

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-10683824749557217342008-11-29T18:41:00.003+01:002008-11-29T18:47:35.762+01:00

I can’t believe we’re in the beginning of another Liturgical Year, but surely we are. Tomorrow, 30 November, is the First Sunday of Advent. As I prepare to enter this season of preparation for Christmas, the Italian word “attendere” continues to resound inside me. It means “to wait.” I did a little word play of the same in French (attend) and got the same meaning. It’s interesting though to

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-72736316141938386512008-10-21T21:26:00.004+02:002008-10-21T21:45:08.179+02:00

One of the main highlights of the ongoing Synod of Bishops in the Vatican is the presence of the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, together with other ecumenical figures. I’d like to share here some excerpts of the Patriarch’s reflection during the celebration of vespers in the Sistine Chapel last Saturday, October 18. He spoke on the theme of using one's spiritual senses to

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-56587294262160624332008-10-11T12:04:00.003+02:002008-10-11T12:11:19.964+02:00

The Word of God this Sunday, Mt 22:1-14, talks about God’s continuous invitation to Jews and pagans alike to participate in the banquet of love prepared for his Son. This reminded me of one of the most significant things (if not the most significant) that happened to me in my pilgrimage to Jerusalem last September.During that pilgrimage, actually a gift for my Silver Jubilee of Religious

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-80626074929196157492008-09-02T16:39:00.002+02:002008-09-02T16:48:03.980+02:00

I heard a very interesting commentary about the Gospel last Sunday (cf. Mt 16:21-27). It goes: human life is usually divided into 2 stages: the first stage is the time for finding out what is the cross assigned to us (God’s will); the second is the time for carrying it.It made me recall the novel Peter Camenzind, one of Herman Hesse’s famous works, which I had to chance to read this summer.It is

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-88497930858368971512008-08-25T18:35:00.005+02:002008-08-25T18:45:13.611+02:00

There is one classic writing which comes to mind as I continue to practice the “meitian spirituality.” I’m referring to the book Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade, sj (d. 1751). Let me share an excerpt, taken from Section IV. This is a very good antidote for inquisitive and obsessive persons like me. Its simple theme is "Perfection consists in doing the will of God, not

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-2236409287251719592008-08-22T18:41:00.005+02:002008-08-22T18:48:50.717+02:00

In my Chinese lesson today, I learned that the Chinese word for “everyday” is “meitian.” It just struck me that the same syllable “mei” has also the meaning of “beautiful” (among many other meanings). At any rate, the word stuck and I was even able to “build a spirituality” around the term.“Meitian,” that is, "everyday,” is a beautiful day. It is a carrier of possibilities, of promises, as this

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-63450916984498166192008-08-20T08:29:00.004+02:002008-08-20T08:33:06.191+02:00

Today is the feast of my patron saint, St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153), Abbot and Doctor of the Church. Born in Dijon, France, he was one of the early heroes of the Cistercian Order of Monks. His magnetic personality and preaching attracted hundreds to monastic life including many of his relatives. It was said that his words were so sweet that he came to be known as the Melifluous ("full of

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-58446199340688652422008-08-15T09:11:00.005+02:002008-08-15T09:31:28.423+02:00

Today's Solemnity of Mary's Assumption inspires me to once more sing with Dante Alighieri parts of Canto 33 of his Paradiso. The poem keeps alive the spirit of prayer and hope that no matter how difficult things may appear, there is always One who knows us best and who is there to lead us to where we, earthly pilgrims, are meant to be one day. May this help us "connect with our lovely and loving

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-46805409139817674202008-07-15T05:11:00.004+02:002008-12-09T00:12:18.766+01:00

As I return from my vacation, I'm full of gratitude for all the persons I've met and the places I've seen . The whole month that I was away, I savoured God's nearness, love and care. I pray that those who are preparing to leave for their summer break will have the same experience. Let us remember especially all those who are joining the great event of the World Youth Day in Sydney this week. Let

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-4352837339879982092008-06-09T08:38:00.002+02:002008-06-09T08:43:20.047+02:00

For our "bread of the day" I suggest an excerpt from St. Ephrem, a monk from Syriaknown also as God's harp. "Lord, shed upon our darkened soulsthe brilliant light of your wisdomso that we may be enlightenedand serve you with renewed purity.Sunrise marks the hour for men to begin their toil,but in our souls, Lord,prepare a dwelling for the day that will never end,through our unremitting zeal for

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-39968273782824460912008-05-28T08:54:00.004+02:002008-12-09T00:12:18.829+01:00

The Office of Readings today gives some of the most beautiful lines from the famous Confessions of St. Augustine. I'd like to share it here to enliven our faith in that eternal Beauty and Love always in "search of us" distracted creatures. O eternal Truth, true Love, and beloved Eternity, you are my God, and for you I sigh day and night. As I first began to know you, you lifted me up and showed

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-70309861744632290322008-05-18T20:57:00.003+02:002008-12-09T00:12:18.975+01:00

Up till now, I consider Rublev’s Icon of the Trinity, as the image/prayer that captures the essence of this divine mystery. Let me re-direct you to this very insightful reflection on the icon and what it says of the Trinity.In the end, I guess that what the Trinitarian mystery wants to tell us is that we are “in-relation” and no matter how difficult, how dramatic it is to remain “here” – in this

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-59700576823962088422008-05-15T16:22:00.006+02:002008-12-09T00:12:19.228+01:00

O Divine Love,sacred Link,uniting the Father and the Son,almighty Spirit,faithful Comforter of the afflicted:penetrate the depth of my heart and will with the brightness of thy light.Send upon this desert,which is my soul,the sparkling dew of thy grace,and make fruitful that which has long been barren.Let the fiery darts of thy lovereach the sanctuary of my soul and,entering therein,set it on

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-79493139170096349292008-04-29T12:09:00.004+02:002008-12-09T00:12:19.344+01:00

Today is the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, mystic and Doctor of the Church, Patron Saint of Europe. At 16 she became a Dominican tertiary. She never learned to write and she had no formal education, dictating her letters and other writings to secretaries. The best known of her writings is The Dialogue, a series of theological treatises on doctrine written with a combination of logical

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-2510940667130775542008-04-24T08:12:00.002+02:002008-12-09T00:12:19.475+01:00

Click here if you want to see a model of how to pray passionately!

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-13518271404830507792008-04-21T09:29:00.004+02:002008-12-09T00:12:19.663+01:00

While looking for possible paintings of the biblico-liturgical theme of yesterday's gospel (Jn 14,1-12) -- Jesus, the Way, the Truth and the Life --I chanced on this painting by the Christian Artist Spencer Williams. With his permission, I'm posting his painting here. I don't know if my reflection on it would be in harmony at all with the inspiration that the Artist had in creating this art

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-84325669423128705432008-03-30T17:36:00.004+02:002008-12-09T00:12:19.786+01:00

St. Thomas Didymuspoem by Denise LevertovIn the hot street at noon I saw hima small mangray but vivid, standing forthbeyond the crowd's buzzingholding in desperate grip his shaking teeth gnashing son,and thought him my brother.I heard him cry out, weeping and speakthose words,Lord, I believe, help thoumine unbelief,and knew himmy twin:a man whose entire beinghad knotted itselfinto the one tight

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-30718590361956280302008-03-28T08:49:00.005+01:002008-12-09T00:12:19.934+01:00

Continuing my contemplation on the Emmaus story, I am helped to enter more deeply into its mystery through the poem The Servant Girl at Emmaus by Denise Levertov. It's actually a literary description and at the same time a commentary on Diego Velazquez’s Supper at Emmaus which I bring to a close-up here.Levertov enters Emmaus through the servant girl’s eyes:She listens, listens, holdingher

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-24140215910508792772008-03-27T16:53:00.004+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.189+01:00

While searching for paintings of the Emmaus story (see Lk 24:13-35) in the internet, I chanced on a very different artistic rendering of this Easter narrative, by the Spanish painter Diego Velazquez.In the painting, we almost fail to notice the figure of Christ and the disciples in the background. Instead it is the servant girl at the foreground, amid pots and pans, who catches our attention. Yet

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-70610432964937068272008-03-22T20:38:00.004+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.282+01:00

“Women desirousdesiring their DeadSaviour to anoint…But alas, he isno more!Desire transformedliberating all desire!”This is my Easter “haiku” as I contemplate Mary Magdalene and the other women friends of Jesus who, very early after the Sabbath, went out with the intention of touching their dead Master and anointing him, in order to complete the burial rites he merited. (Mt 28:1-6)Love moved

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-70999764300367548502008-03-14T08:18:00.004+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.303+01:00

Archbishop Rahho of Mosul is dead. Yesterday, AsiaNews reported: Archbishop Faraj Rahho was kidnapped last February 29 after the Stations of the Cross. His kidnappers gave word of his death, indicating to the mediators where they could recover the body of the 67-year-old prelate. (...) Leaders of the Chaldean Church, including Bishop Shlemon Warduni, brought the body to the hospital in Mosul to

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-59813150465582327802008-03-07T08:54:00.003+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.398+01:00

Today is the liturgical memorial of two Christian martyrs, Sts. Perpetua and Felicity. Vibia Perpetua, a well-to-do young woman and mother, and Felicity, a slave who gave birth to a child three days before suffering a martyr's death, were catechumens. Despite threats of persecution and death, the two, together with three companions, Revocatus, Secundulus and Saturninus, refused to renounce their

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-16554750385252904482008-03-02T09:31:00.003+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.538+01:00

PDDM Hong Kong has “adopted me” as a member of their community since year 2000. Thanks to the modern means of communication, we are able to practice “communion of goods” time and again.Today, laetare Sunday – the Third Sunday of Lent – my sisters graced me with this very special news which helps me make my life review. It’s about Prof. Randy Pausch’s “last lecture,” watched by over a million

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-71063493826272638552008-02-29T09:14:00.006+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.634+01:00

Via Crucis or Way of the Cross is one of the practices highlighted in Christian communities every Friday during the Season of Lent. This is a way of participating more closely in the mystery of our Lord’s passion and death which is recalled every Good Friday of the Holy Week.In the forthcoming celebration of the World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney, this coming July, the Via Crucis will also be a

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-9332837459766231122008-02-25T08:37:00.004+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.757+01:00

At the beginning of a new week, I'm taking this re-paraphrased words from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans (12:1-2) as guide. Let me offer it to you too as an inspiration."So here’s what I want you to do: take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-57633715407074383442008-02-23T08:23:00.002+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.830+01:00

Our priest celebrant today provided me with an insight regarding the celebrated Parable of the Prodigal Son (see Lk 15:11-32), which according to him is also present in Hindi literature.In real life, our understanding of love is limited to “merited love”: we love those who merit our love. The parable challenges us to go beyond that and ask for the “supplement” of love which is called “mercy” –

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-89347568117983400802008-02-19T09:33:00.004+01:002008-12-09T00:12:20.998+01:00

Bello is the italian word for beautiful.In last Sunday’s Gospel on the Transfiguration (cf Mt 17:1-9) we heard St. Peter saying “Kyrie, kalon estin hymas ode einai” (original Greek). The Italian translation rightly puts it - “Signore, è bello per noi stare qui!” (Lord, it is beautiful for us to be here!).What was he referring to? I imagine that it was to the unique and moving experience of seeing

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-80374101479825186522008-02-11T09:31:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:21.175+01:00

My Father was not a religious man in the conventional sense of the word. He went to church only on two feastdays: his birthday and the feast of the patron saint - St. Thomas de Villanueva. I guess that was why he organized all baptism and confirmation of his children around the second date. Nonetheless, he was a religious man in the biblical sense of never refusing to give something to the poor.

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-60203929437921433122008-02-07T15:43:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:21.518+01:00

Yesterday, we Roman Catholic Christians started our 40-day Lenten journey in preparation for Easter (March 23 this year). It’s a call to follow Jesus our Lord in a deeper and more intimate way as he confronts the forces of evil culminating in his own death on the cross and the triumph of his self-sacrificing love in the resurrection. The Lenten period begins with the rite of imposition of ashes,

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-77444750191130634442008-02-02T16:58:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:21.913+01:00

I am re-reading a book from which I had my first “theology lessons” as an adolescent ages ago. It’s called Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn. Since its first publication in 1974, it has been re-printed several times and it still sells. The edition I have now, thanks to a Friend who sent it to me as a Christmas gift, carries 3 extra pages which are new to me. These pages reveal a bit of the

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-10109775824890688822008-01-25T08:03:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:21.991+01:00

Who knows what really happened to St. Paul on the way to Damascus? Ages ago, I read a commentary which hypothesized that Paul was overwhelmed by his anger with the “Christian sect” and with Jesus, for that matter. It was this obsession that fired him inside out. Hence the “missionary journey” to Damascus to seek out and imprison the followers of “the way” (cf Acts 9:1-20). But ironically, this

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-69756062403497604362008-01-19T21:10:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:22.115+01:00

So many things are going on here in Rome this time, but I guess there are two things “catching” international curiosity: one, the “intolerant” (to say the least) attitude of some professors and students in La Sapienza University in Rome to the point of refusing the visit of Pope Benedict XVI last Thursday, and the Pope’s response of “va bene...(okay, visit cancelled!); two, the ongoing 35th

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-61551528980805000512008-01-17T08:13:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:22.263+01:00

This is my prayer today for myself and for all my friends:A Blessing for Equilibrium by John O'Donahuefrom ‘Benedictus – A Book of Blessings’Like the joy of the sea coming home to shore,may the music of laughter break through your soul.As the wind wants to make everything dance,may your gravity be lightened by grace.Like the freedom of the monastery bell,may clarity of mind make your eyes

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-64071677880095630522008-01-15T18:34:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:22.380+01:00

I just finished reading a very interesting article in the double issue of The Tablet (Dec. 22/29, 2007) regarding the risks taken by artists while creating their works and developing their careers. The author, M.S. Roberts, comments extensively on the work of British sculptor Andy Goldsworthy whose works are characterized by ultimate risks – “laying his creations open to the ravages of weather

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-4132167730000868802008-01-11T08:37:00.000+01:002008-01-11T08:41:54.026+01:00

To prepare ourselves for the liturgy of Sunday, I'd like to share this reflection which I just received from Sr. M. Necitas Derama, our PDDM sister based in Hong Kong.This coming Sunday, the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord gives me 3 thoughts very much related to what I am going through these months: kindled spiritual awareness, obedience anchored in God, opened vistas of

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-86358997866312767612008-01-07T15:40:00.000+01:002008-01-07T15:58:26.996+01:00

While in some parts of the world, Christmas is just starting (cf Orthodox Christians), we of the Roman Catholic tradition have started putting away our decors and have returned to life’s normal pace. In itself, our liturgical calendar says that Christmas season ends with the Baptism of the Lord (13th of January this year). But the truth is that with the celebration of the Epiphany, all feasts go

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-65914769947911886142007-12-30T21:13:00.000+01:002008-12-09T00:12:22.452+01:00

If the Solemnity of Christmas exalts God’s coming down from heaven to dwell among us, today’s Feast of the Holy Family honors the human context in which our Lord Jesus was born. It lauds Joseph and Mary, two normal persons who, in their attentiveness to God’s word and in their intelligent discernment, were able to cooperate totally in fulfilling God’s design.The Gospel proposed today, Mt 2:13-15,

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-38274156649310998752007-12-19T11:16:00.000+01:002007-12-19T11:23:57.117+01:00

I attended the conference of Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP last night at the Centro Pro Unione here in Rome. His topic was The Challenge of Reciting the Creed Today. I braved the winter cold not so much because of my interest on the topic but to find out if Radcliffe was an engaging speaker as much as he is an excellent writer. With some of my friends, we have agreed that good authors are rarely

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-84908291418675263702007-12-16T09:53:00.000+01:002007-12-16T10:01:22.644+01:00

Pope Benedict’s new encyclical, Spe Salvi, is a very stimulating read, not only because of its easy, engaging style but more because of the relevant questions it poses. For instance, the Pope makes us reflect, “What may we hope? And what may we not hope?” In numbers 22-30 of the document, he confronts head-on the promises of modernity – specifically the issues of progress and science.He tries to

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-45264411924451101102007-12-14T09:54:00.000+01:002007-12-14T10:00:30.667+01:00

Today is the liturgical memorial of St. John of the Cross, an “ideal saint” for the Advent season of waiting for the longed-for Messiah. For one like me, who at times, prefers the “dark night” rather than the glare of the noonday sun, St. John of the Cross serves as a teacher: how much can one learn from “dark nights” that is, from suffering, from the purifying fire of life’s ordeals!I hope you

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-83582525267887036532007-12-13T18:18:00.000+01:002007-12-13T18:23:53.608+01:00

This is my personal resolution during this season of Advent as I ask the Lord to purify my heart and make me ready for the coming of his Son. I received this piece through one of my sisters from Ireland and I thought it’s worthwhile sharing it here.Dance With GodWhen I meditated on the word Guidance,I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot

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This Advent reflection was prepared by Sr. M. Necitas, a PDDM sister in Hongkong who assists overseas workers in the growth of their spirituality through the liturgy."Advent of the Heart" - I try to relish the inner dynamics of God's heart as he makes his journey of "fetching us back home" in the mystery of his Incarnation. It is a journey of love and an advent of the heart, his and ours. Every

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Let me share here a beautiful poem on the Annunciation by Denise Levertov. May this help us enter into the mystery of Mary's courage and serve as a preparation for the coming Solemnity of the Immaculate (Dec. 8).We know the scene: the room, variously furnished,almost always a lectern, a book; alwaysthe tall lily.Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings, the angelic ambassador, standing or

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Pope Benedict XVI just published his second encyclical. This time it's about Hope, Spe Salvi. I'm halfway through it and I'm thinking of sharing my reflections on it later.Meanwhile, here's one concrete sign of hope in modern Ireland. Read on http://www.westmeathindependent.ie/story.asp?stID=1128

Gemmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13408278004640812336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8282299484924204062.post-7657760597957591842007-12-02T15:59:00.000+01:002007-12-02T16:03:57.483+01:00

Today, December 2, the First Sunday of Advent, the Church begins a new Liturgical Year.Advent literally means “coming” but in church language (and tradition) it has more than a “futuristic” nuance. It rather brings together three moments – the past, the present and the future. How could that be possible? It’s because this “coming” is not so much as time-framed as it appears. It is rather

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I'll be gone again for awhile but before I leave, I want to share this beautiful message which came to me by mail today. The Art of Wellness by Dr. Dráuzio Varella1. If you don’t want to be ill, share your feelings. Emotions and feelings that are hidden, repressed, end in illnesses as: gastritis, ulcer, lumbar and spinal pains. With time, the repression of feelings degenerates into cancer. Then,

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When we had our community Bible sharing last evening, one of my sisters commented on the First Reading for next Sunday (see 2 Maccabees 7:1-2,9-14) underlining her admiration for all the 7 sons who accepted their death willingly rather than transgress the law of God.I remembered her sharing as I read this feature from Zenit.org today. It concerns the letter of Bartolomé Blanco Márquez, written to

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Perhaps it’s because we are in the month dedicated to the departed, or perhaps it was the contemplation of the autumn leaves falling day by day, leaving the trees around me in its desolate and dreadful state that the subtheme of death continued to haunt me during my last retreat. All this made me affirm also my need to grieve as I have indeed experienced significant deaths this year. Two of them,

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As Christ’s disciples we are invited to always count our blessings and that is what I try to do everyday even if at times, everything seems murky and I couldn’t find meaning in what I am doing.Yesterday, I had the blessing of discovering a website which talks about a symbol of life – the labyrinth. It is actually a medieval symbol of life’s journey that I was inspired to embrace since my last

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I was unable to resist the temptation to pass by the bookshop of the Gregorian University after meeting a friend who’s now teaching in this renowned University. By this “happy fault,” I chanced on a very interesting book – Women who Hear Voices by Sidney Callahan. The author is a committed Catholic and trained psychologist who explores the relationship of the human mind and religious experience,

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Blessed Timothy Giaccardo, born “Giuseppe Giaccardo” to a devout family in North Italy (Narzole) on 13 June 1896 was the first member of the Pauline Family to be raised to the altars. He returned to the Father’s house on January 24, 1948, at only 52 years old. He was proclaimed "blessed" by Pope John Paul II on October 22, 1990.Blessed James Alberione, while still a diocesan priest, picked him

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Today is the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist, a special friend of St. Paul. In fact, the First Reading outlines this (see 2 Tim 4:1-11). Luke was a missionary with St. Paul in the first Christian century (hence the Gospel choice of Lk 10:1-9). This missionary activity must be the main experience which informed him extensively about the life of our Lord and formed him thoroughly on the Christian

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Some people cling to life on this earth at all costs. That’s why insurance companies thrive greatly. Our saint today, St. Ignatius of Antioch, pleaded with his Christian friends not to stand in the way of his death, actually his martyrdom, which for him meant, “birth to real life.”Ignatius was the second bishop of Antioch, the place where the followers of Jesus were called Christians for the

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Today’s saint is one of my favorites: St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690), a French Visitation nun given the vision and mission to promote the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She was prepared for this mission even in and through her personal history. A website on saints writes: “Her early years were marked by sickness and a painful home situation. She confesses, 'the heaviest of my

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