BBC Thought for the day 24/12/2010
Pope Benedict XVI
Recalling with great fondness my four-day visit to the United Kingdom last September, I am glad to have the opportunity to greet you once again, and indeed to greet listeners everywhere as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Our thoughts turn back to a moment in history when God's chosen people, the children of Israel, were living in intense expectation.
They were waiting for the Messiah that God had promised to send, and they pictured him as a great leader who would rescue them from foreign domination and restore their freedom.
God is always faithful to his promises, but he often surprises us in the way he fulfils them.
The child that was born in Bethlehem did indeed bring liberation, but not only for the people of that time and place - he was to be the Saviour of all people throughout the world and throughout history.
And it was not a political liberation that he brought, achieved through military means: rather, Christ destroyed death for ever and restored life by means of his shameful death on the Cross.
And while he was born in poverty and obscurity, far from the centres of earthly power, he was none other than the Son of God.
Out of love for us he took upon himself our human condition, our fragility, our vulnerability, and he opened up for us the path that leads to the fullness of life, to a share in the life of God himself.
As we ponder this great mystery in our hearts this Christmas, let us give thanks to God for his goodness to us, and let us joyfully proclaim to those around us the good news that God offers us freedom from whatever weighs us down; he gives us hope, he brings us life.
Dear friends from Scotland, England, Wales and indeed every part of the English-speaking world, I want you to know that I keep all of you very much in my prayers during this Holy season.
I pray for your families, for your children, for those who are sick, and for those who are going through any form of hardship at this time.
I pray especially for the elderly and for those who are approaching the end of their days.
I ask Christ, the light of the nations, to dispel whatever darkness there may be in your lives and to grant to every one of you the grace of a peaceful and joyful Christmas.
May God bless all of you.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Sunday, December 05, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Morning in America | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Morning in America | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Chris Davis writes
Chris Davis writes
Morning in America
From the photograher Dean Shaddock:
This was captured as I collected my things from airport security (Detroit Metro Concourse A). I think of it as something like a Rorschach test. Is an elderly Catholic nun being frisked by a Muslim security agent the celebration of blind justice? Or is it simply an admission of absurdity?
--------
Update: So, 3+ years after I posted this image, Drudge Report appears to have ripped it off without attribution. www.flickr.com/photos/cjd/5180735394/
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
You went away. It should make me feel better. But I don't know how I'm going to get through"- The Odd Passenger hattip Black Seal. thanks m8!
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Oh the tangled web of spying!
Paul Keating, back in the day, prevented disclosure of the wealthy mole, who passed high-level intelligence to the Soviet Union for more than 15 years, forcing the United States to limit the information it shared with Australia. The traitor - who was never identified - started selling information to the KGB in the late 1970s.
But the 1950/60's were also a time of compromise: in 2006, Les Haylen's files were revealed to show that he took a woman who was high on ASIO's list of spy suspects, Lydia Janovski (Mokras), on a tour of parliament in December 1959.
Now, the elderly Lydia Mokras has been interviewed and features in a new spy documentary as discussed by Mark Colvin on ABC radio.
Interestingly Mark Colvin has his own part in the story
Personally, I also knew a wonderful woman in the '80's who was part of the post-Petrov affair.
Australia is a small place, everybody knows somebody, and spies are everywhere!
Paul Keating, back in the day, prevented disclosure of the wealthy mole, who passed high-level intelligence to the Soviet Union for more than 15 years, forcing the United States to limit the information it shared with Australia. The traitor - who was never identified - started selling information to the KGB in the late 1970s.
But the 1950/60's were also a time of compromise: in 2006, Les Haylen's files were revealed to show that he took a woman who was high on ASIO's list of spy suspects, Lydia Janovski (Mokras), on a tour of parliament in December 1959.
Now, the elderly Lydia Mokras has been interviewed and features in a new spy documentary as discussed by Mark Colvin on ABC radio.
Interestingly Mark Colvin has his own part in the story
Personally, I also knew a wonderful woman in the '80's who was part of the post-Petrov affair.
Australia is a small place, everybody knows somebody, and spies are everywhere!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
A Franciscan from Slovakia living in Assisi and attempting to live the life of St Francis.
Found at Dom's
Gentle reader , compare and contrast the war of generation y.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
''So, when is the last leaf falling?'' aka Guess Who's Meditating?
- Lee Kuan Yew, the man who made Singapore in his own stern and unsentimental image, nearing his 87th birthday and contemplating age, infirmity and loss.
{snip}
I'm reaching 87, trying to keep fit, presenting a vigorous figure, and it's an effort, and is it worth the effort?'' he said. ''I laugh at myself trying to keep a bold front. It's become my habit. I just carry on.''
His most difficult moments come at the end of each day, he said, as he sits by the bedside of his wife, Kwa Geok Choo, 89, who has been unable to move or speak for more than two years. She had been by his side, a confidante and counselor, since they were law students in London.
{snip}
At night, hearing the sounds of his wife's discomfort in the next room, he said, he calms himself with 20 minutes of meditation, reciting a mantra he was taught by a Christian friend: ''Ma-Ra-Na-Tha.''
The words mean ''Come to me O Lord Jesus,'' he said, and although he is not a believer, he finds the sounds soothing.
''The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all kinds of thoughts,'' he said. ''A certain tranquility settles over you. The day's pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there's less problem sleeping.''
______________________________
Q: “Tell me about meditation?”
Mr Lee: “Well, I started it about two, three years ago when Ng Kok Song, the Chief Investment Officer of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, I knew he was doing meditation. His wife had died but he was completely serene. So, I said, how do you achieve this? He said I meditate everyday and so did my wife and when she was dying of cancer, she was totally serene because she meditated everyday and he gave me a video of her in her last few weeks completely composed completely relaxed and she and him had been meditating for years. Well, I said to him, you teach me. He is a devout Christian. He was taught by a man called Laurence Freeman, a Catholic. His guru was John Main, a devout Catholic. When I was in London, Ng Kok Song introduced me to Laurence Freeman. In fact, he is coming on Saturday to visit Singapore, and we will do a meditation session. The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all kinds of thoughts. It is most difficult to stay focused on the mantra. The discipline is to have a mantra which you keep repeating in your innermost heart, no need to voice it over and over again throughout the whole period of meditation. The mantra they recommended was a religious one. Ma Ra Na Ta, four syllables. Come To Me Oh Lord Jesus. So I said Okay, I am not a Catholic but I will try. He said you can take any other mantra, Buddhist Om Mi Tuo Fo, and keep repeating it. To me Ma Ran Na Ta is more soothing. So I used Ma Ra Na Ta. You must be disciplined. I find it helps me go to sleep after that. A certain tranquility settles over you. The day’s pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there’s less problem sleeping. I miss it sometimes when I am tired, or have gone out to a dinner and had wine. Then I cannot concentrate. Otherwise I stick to it.”
from here and here and here.
- Lee Kuan Yew, the man who made Singapore in his own stern and unsentimental image, nearing his 87th birthday and contemplating age, infirmity and loss.
{snip}
I'm reaching 87, trying to keep fit, presenting a vigorous figure, and it's an effort, and is it worth the effort?'' he said. ''I laugh at myself trying to keep a bold front. It's become my habit. I just carry on.''
His most difficult moments come at the end of each day, he said, as he sits by the bedside of his wife, Kwa Geok Choo, 89, who has been unable to move or speak for more than two years. She had been by his side, a confidante and counselor, since they were law students in London.
{snip}
At night, hearing the sounds of his wife's discomfort in the next room, he said, he calms himself with 20 minutes of meditation, reciting a mantra he was taught by a Christian friend: ''Ma-Ra-Na-Tha.''
The words mean ''Come to me O Lord Jesus,'' he said, and although he is not a believer, he finds the sounds soothing.
''The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all kinds of thoughts,'' he said. ''A certain tranquility settles over you. The day's pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there's less problem sleeping.''
______________________________
Q: “Tell me about meditation?”
Mr Lee: “Well, I started it about two, three years ago when Ng Kok Song, the Chief Investment Officer of the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, I knew he was doing meditation. His wife had died but he was completely serene. So, I said, how do you achieve this? He said I meditate everyday and so did my wife and when she was dying of cancer, she was totally serene because she meditated everyday and he gave me a video of her in her last few weeks completely composed completely relaxed and she and him had been meditating for years. Well, I said to him, you teach me. He is a devout Christian. He was taught by a man called Laurence Freeman, a Catholic. His guru was John Main, a devout Catholic. When I was in London, Ng Kok Song introduced me to Laurence Freeman. In fact, he is coming on Saturday to visit Singapore, and we will do a meditation session. The problem is to keep the monkey mind from running off into all kinds of thoughts. It is most difficult to stay focused on the mantra. The discipline is to have a mantra which you keep repeating in your innermost heart, no need to voice it over and over again throughout the whole period of meditation. The mantra they recommended was a religious one. Ma Ra Na Ta, four syllables. Come To Me Oh Lord Jesus. So I said Okay, I am not a Catholic but I will try. He said you can take any other mantra, Buddhist Om Mi Tuo Fo, and keep repeating it. To me Ma Ran Na Ta is more soothing. So I used Ma Ra Na Ta. You must be disciplined. I find it helps me go to sleep after that. A certain tranquility settles over you. The day’s pressures and worries are pushed out. Then there’s less problem sleeping. I miss it sometimes when I am tired, or have gone out to a dinner and had wine. Then I cannot concentrate. Otherwise I stick to it.”
from here and here and here.
Friday, August 27, 2010
August in Canberra has been a cold wet month, winter drags on. But tree buds and blossoms abound. A new spring approaches, probably with the worst hayfever season for yonks. Long hours of work continue but are very rewarding.
Washing feet, speech exercises, cleaning houses, cooking, nursing all make for diverse days. Empowering people who have little in health yet can still make my heart bound and leap for joy, with their words of thanks, smiles or handshakes.
Yet its been a year of almost fortnightly deaths, age and illness kill.
A friend has emailed with news of declining chemotherapy and the desire to embrace the final journey. Included in the email a few lines from Boris Pasternak. I found the complete version:
It is not seemly to be famous:
Celebrity does not exalt;
There is no need to hoard your writings
And to preserve them in a vault.
To give your all-this is creation,
And not-to deafen and eclipse.
How shameful, when you have no meaning,
To be on everybody's lips!
Try not to live as a pretender,
But so to manage your affairs
That you are loved by wide expanses,
And hear the call of future years.
Leave blanks in life, not in your papers,
And do not ever hesitate
To pencil out whole chunks, whole chapters
Of your existence, of your fate.
Into obscurity retiring
Try your development to hide,
As autumn mist on early mornings
Conceals the dreaming countryside.
Another, step by step, will follow
The living imprint of your feet;
But you yourself must not distinguish
Your victory from your defeat.
And never for a single moment
Betray your credo or pretend,
But be alive-this only matters-
Alive and burning to the end.
I remember a young dude at McDonalds drive thru in January, 2006, telling me about his dying teenage sister telling him that pain is bearable because it let her know that she was still alive. May we all burn brightly to the end.
Washing feet, speech exercises, cleaning houses, cooking, nursing all make for diverse days. Empowering people who have little in health yet can still make my heart bound and leap for joy, with their words of thanks, smiles or handshakes.
Yet its been a year of almost fortnightly deaths, age and illness kill.
A friend has emailed with news of declining chemotherapy and the desire to embrace the final journey. Included in the email a few lines from Boris Pasternak. I found the complete version:
It is not seemly to be famous:
Celebrity does not exalt;
There is no need to hoard your writings
And to preserve them in a vault.
To give your all-this is creation,
And not-to deafen and eclipse.
How shameful, when you have no meaning,
To be on everybody's lips!
Try not to live as a pretender,
But so to manage your affairs
That you are loved by wide expanses,
And hear the call of future years.
Leave blanks in life, not in your papers,
And do not ever hesitate
To pencil out whole chunks, whole chapters
Of your existence, of your fate.
Into obscurity retiring
Try your development to hide,
As autumn mist on early mornings
Conceals the dreaming countryside.
Another, step by step, will follow
The living imprint of your feet;
But you yourself must not distinguish
Your victory from your defeat.
And never for a single moment
Betray your credo or pretend,
But be alive-this only matters-
Alive and burning to the end.
I remember a young dude at McDonalds drive thru in January, 2006, telling me about his dying teenage sister telling him that pain is bearable because it let her know that she was still alive. May we all burn brightly to the end.
Friday, August 20, 2010
over @ agonist actor_212 posts:
A memory jogger of what was.
Eight years. The longest war in American history. A war of aggression. 4400+ American soldiers dead. One million Iraqis dead. Who knows how many more displaced and chronically, perhaps fatally, un- or underemployed.
America's first official war of aggression. At least we didn't bother veiling this one behind an attack on a ship. Kofi Annan.
WMDs. NBCs. "They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south and north somewhat." Chemical Ali. Baghdad Bob. Spider trap. Embedding. Qatar.
David Bloom: I miss him still. Peter Arnett.
Colin Powell in front of the UN with a vial of "anthrax". Bush said in a nationally televised White House speech. "Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing." "Axis of Evil". Three million Romans protesting war (there's an irony), the largest anti-war protest ever. Mohamed ElBaradei. Hans Blix. Scott Ritter. Connection to September 11 attacks. Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda, allies. Muhammad Atta in Prague with high ranking Hussein official. 48% still believe that Hussein was personally involved in the 9/11 attacks.
Yellowcake. Niger. Joe Wilson. Curveball. Valarie Plame. Scooter Libby. Karl Rove. Judith Miller. Ahmed Chalabi. Stephen Hadley. Robert Novak. Tim Russert. George Tenet. "Slam dunk". Paul Wolfowitz. PNAC. Douglas "The Stupidest Man In America" Feith.
Shock and Awe. Moqtada Al-Sadr. Sadr City. Ali Al-Sistani. Coalition of the "Willing". Coalition of the Bullied. Shi'a. Sunni. Kurds. Coaltion Provisional Authority. L. Paul Bremer. De-Ba'athification. Basra. Kirkuk. Halliburton. Humvees without armor. Karbala. Najaf. "Mother Of All Bombs".
Operation Desert Fox (probably never a good idea to name a battleplan after a Nazi). Operation Iraqi Liberation (OIL). Then, quickly changed to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Regime change.
General Tommy Franks. General David Petraeus. General Ricardo Sanchez. Linndie England. Abu Ghraib. Guatanamo Bay. Jessica Lynch, saved but not saved.
Abu Al Zarqawi. The statue in Fardus Square, Baghdad. Most Wanted playing cards. Looting. $9 billion dollars vanished in nine months.
"MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" (seven years too early). "Commander Codpiece". Fedayeen. Insurgency.
Amy Goodman. "Fahrenheit 9/11". "Michael Moore is fat". Downing Street memo. John Kerry. Vote irregularities in Ohio. Bush re-elected. Security Moms. Endless war. No war for oil.
"Nothing.... Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September the 11th were ordered by Iraq." "[T]he main reason we went into Iraq at the time was we thought he had weapons of mass destruction. It turns out he didn’t, but he had the capacity to make weapons of mass destruction."
Operation Option North and Operation Bayonet Lightning in Kirkuk, Operation Desert Thrust, Operation Abilene and Operation All American Tiger throughout Iraq, Operation Iron Hammer in Baghdad and Operation Ivy Blizzard in Samarra - all in 2003; Operation Market Sweep, Operation Vigilant Resolve and Operation Phantom Fury in Fallujah in 2004; Operation Matador in Ambar, Operation Squeeze Play and Operation Lightning in Baghdad, Operation New Market near Haditha, Operation Spear in Karabillah and the Battle of Tal Afar - all in 2005; Operation Swarmer in Samarra and Operation Together Forward in Baghdad in 2006; and Operation Law and Order in Baghdad, Operation Arrowhead Ripper in Baqouba and Operation Phantom Strike throughout Iraq - all in 2007.
Fallujah.
Purple thumbs. Jalal Talibani. Nouri al-Maliki.
And finally...Last U.S. combat convoy has left Iraq
Never forget. Never. We can never do this again. We must not let it happen. Ever.
A memory jogger of what was.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Sarah Palin lunch.
Finely chop 1 celery stalk, 1/2 red capsicum, 1/2 green capsicum and then combine with a mashed up tin of tomatoes. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Coarsely chop 6 garlic cloves and quickly sear in olive oil.
Mash up a tin of pink Alaskan salmon with 30gm butter.
Combine all the above and stuff into cannelloni. Drizzle olive oil over top
Cook on 200C for 18-20 minutes then garnish with chopped coriander and parsley.
Side dish, head of broccoli steamed for 10 minutes.
Accompanied by Aldi Cab Sav! mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Followed by french style cheesecake with sour cherries. nomnomnomnomnomnom!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Last Thursday night last week I was presented with the Kevin Moyle Award for my efforts in my 2009 unit Christian Symbols, Rituals and Sacraments.
The Kevin Moyle Award for Liturgy or Ministry Studies at the Canberra Campus (Signadou) was established by Mrs Janet Moyle Grad Dip RE (1993), MTheo (2001) in honour of her late husband who was also a graduate of the ACU.
Previous winner Katharine Parks was also a member of St Matthews Parish, Page. For many years St Matthews was my parish where I acolyted with Kevin, and where I was involved with liturgy preparation with both Janet and Kevin. The award is decided by University staff who possibly knew nothing of my involvement at St Matthews with Kevin and Janet!
It is a great honour both to be acknowledged for my theological studies and also to receive an award in memory of a friend.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Blessings land where they will!
Many years ago a sea God called Degei sailed to the Fiji islands from parts unknown. Among the crew onboard the magnificent canoe were two trusted warriors named Cavunatoakula and Ratu Saruta whose duty was to guard a highly treasured box of blessings known as Kato ni Cakamana.
While traveling through the Yasawa group of islands the vessel was struck by a violent storm terrifying everyone on board. Still, the entire crew dared not look upon Degei’s face for leadership knowing that sure death awaited those that did, causing them to fall into a state of panic. To lighten the canoe everything was thrown overboard including the Kato ni Cakamana.
The canoe eventually weathered the storm and found anchor on an island close by Mana Island. A day of feasting and merrymaking ensued and everyone was happy until Degei approached the people to enquire as to the whereabouts of the Kato ni Cakamana, the prized box of blessings. Fearing death, the people hid their faces and were all terrified speechless. Cavunatoakula and Ratu Saruta were summoned to search immediately for the Kato ni Cakamana and without a word the two warriors diligently attended to the task. Nearing the lagoon of Mana island, Cavunatoakula spotted what looked like a small reef in the shallow aqua blue waters which scared him momentarily.
Ratu Saruta, being a fierce warrior and a man of good courage pressed on ahead. To the utter surprise of both men, a great diamond-headed sea snake emerged and drew itself towards them. They were equally amazed when the snake spoke, announcing itself as Manamanaedina, the legend God of Mana island. Manamanaedina then declared that he meant no harm and politely informed the warriors that he knew what they were searching for. He also pronounced that whatever was brought within confines of the reef at Mana could never be returned or taken away. The legend God of Mana then requested that the two men help guard and protect the Kato ni Cakamana.
Realizing there was no hope of ever returning the Kato ni Cakamana, the two warriors feared greatly for the wrath of Degei and so decided to stay and help Manamanaedina protect the box of promises. The two heaped two cairns of stones as two lookout points, which they duly mounted - one facing north and the other south while the great snake lay on the box of blessings. (These cairns remain on Mana to this day and can be found at the garden court of the hotel area and the west of the central activities area respectively).
When Degei heard about what had happened he quickly sent an emissary in the form of a beautiful woman to entice the warriors away. Nearing Mana island the noble woman caught glance of Cavunatoakula and Ratu Saruta but mistook their immobile vigilance as paralysis. Too frightened to go ashore, she returned hastily to Degei to inform the sea God that both warriors had been struck by a mysterious force.
Terrified that his people might suffer the same fate Degei ordered all his people to set sail for the main island of Viti Levu. Thus the approval was granted for Kato ni Cakamana to remain forever on Mana island. As a sign that the Kato ni Cakamana is safe, Manamanaedina can from time to time, at the first rising of each moon be seen near this Mamanuca island paradise.
Many years ago a sea God called Degei sailed to the Fiji islands from parts unknown. Among the crew onboard the magnificent canoe were two trusted warriors named Cavunatoakula and Ratu Saruta whose duty was to guard a highly treasured box of blessings known as Kato ni Cakamana.
While traveling through the Yasawa group of islands the vessel was struck by a violent storm terrifying everyone on board. Still, the entire crew dared not look upon Degei’s face for leadership knowing that sure death awaited those that did, causing them to fall into a state of panic. To lighten the canoe everything was thrown overboard including the Kato ni Cakamana.
The canoe eventually weathered the storm and found anchor on an island close by Mana Island. A day of feasting and merrymaking ensued and everyone was happy until Degei approached the people to enquire as to the whereabouts of the Kato ni Cakamana, the prized box of blessings. Fearing death, the people hid their faces and were all terrified speechless. Cavunatoakula and Ratu Saruta were summoned to search immediately for the Kato ni Cakamana and without a word the two warriors diligently attended to the task. Nearing the lagoon of Mana island, Cavunatoakula spotted what looked like a small reef in the shallow aqua blue waters which scared him momentarily.
Ratu Saruta, being a fierce warrior and a man of good courage pressed on ahead. To the utter surprise of both men, a great diamond-headed sea snake emerged and drew itself towards them. They were equally amazed when the snake spoke, announcing itself as Manamanaedina, the legend God of Mana island. Manamanaedina then declared that he meant no harm and politely informed the warriors that he knew what they were searching for. He also pronounced that whatever was brought within confines of the reef at Mana could never be returned or taken away. The legend God of Mana then requested that the two men help guard and protect the Kato ni Cakamana.
Realizing there was no hope of ever returning the Kato ni Cakamana, the two warriors feared greatly for the wrath of Degei and so decided to stay and help Manamanaedina protect the box of promises. The two heaped two cairns of stones as two lookout points, which they duly mounted - one facing north and the other south while the great snake lay on the box of blessings. (These cairns remain on Mana to this day and can be found at the garden court of the hotel area and the west of the central activities area respectively).
When Degei heard about what had happened he quickly sent an emissary in the form of a beautiful woman to entice the warriors away. Nearing Mana island the noble woman caught glance of Cavunatoakula and Ratu Saruta but mistook their immobile vigilance as paralysis. Too frightened to go ashore, she returned hastily to Degei to inform the sea God that both warriors had been struck by a mysterious force.
Terrified that his people might suffer the same fate Degei ordered all his people to set sail for the main island of Viti Levu. Thus the approval was granted for Kato ni Cakamana to remain forever on Mana island. As a sign that the Kato ni Cakamana is safe, Manamanaedina can from time to time, at the first rising of each moon be seen near this Mamanuca island paradise.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Long hours of work have kept me far from blogging.
BUT
the gospel and hymns at holy Mass on Saturday night re-invigorated my faith and belief.
The final chapter of St Johns gospel and the hymns "make me a channel of your peace" and "the lord is my shepherd" brought back memories of yesteryear and restored my commitment.
A commitment slightly shaken by the ongoing media feeding frenzy on the Catholic Church.
It's five years since I posted this @ agonist. And remember gentle reader that the media is focusing on the sins of yesteryear.
The sins of today are blithely ignored. It's easier to have a scapegoat, than to confront the sexualisation of todays children that is increasingly driven by the internet.
Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! is the mantra I and many others use in Christian Meditation. A call that is more heartfelt than ever with all the tragedy of earthquakes, murders and suffering that daily occurs.
Some good things: love the new Dr Who, love the colour of the autumn leaves around Canberra, love the laughter in a group house i visit, love the memories of times gone by when life was expectant, forgiving and accepting.
shalom gentle reader. God is Great!
BUT
the gospel and hymns at holy Mass on Saturday night re-invigorated my faith and belief.
The final chapter of St Johns gospel and the hymns "make me a channel of your peace" and "the lord is my shepherd" brought back memories of yesteryear and restored my commitment.
A commitment slightly shaken by the ongoing media feeding frenzy on the Catholic Church.
It's five years since I posted this @ agonist. And remember gentle reader that the media is focusing on the sins of yesteryear.
The sins of today are blithely ignored. It's easier to have a scapegoat, than to confront the sexualisation of todays children that is increasingly driven by the internet.
Maranatha! Come Lord Jesus! is the mantra I and many others use in Christian Meditation. A call that is more heartfelt than ever with all the tragedy of earthquakes, murders and suffering that daily occurs.
Some good things: love the new Dr Who, love the colour of the autumn leaves around Canberra, love the laughter in a group house i visit, love the memories of times gone by when life was expectant, forgiving and accepting.
shalom gentle reader. God is Great!
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Oh dear, time has flown gentle readers since my last post.
Long but wonderful days, showering, dressing, feeding, providing respite care, cleaning, putting folk to bed, have caused me to neglect brain dumps here.
At 51 my new employment as a personal carer, is exhilirating. Total care, no responsibility! Skills I learnt as an 18 year old have re-surfaced and my satisfaction and the satisfaction of clients and their families is awesome!
Long but wonderful days, showering, dressing, feeding, providing respite care, cleaning, putting folk to bed, have caused me to neglect brain dumps here.
At 51 my new employment as a personal carer, is exhilirating. Total care, no responsibility! Skills I learnt as an 18 year old have re-surfaced and my satisfaction and the satisfaction of clients and their families is awesome!
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