Thought of the week

A. Back Ground
last sunday we were reminded about fasting. fasting is not starving. In Fasting you remove toxin in your body, where starving lead to death. Identify the 7 vices, find out which area you have to develop fasting.

Today, it talks the importance of regulating your will!. Unless you are trained to regulate your will it will be difficult for you to fast, with a happy face.
To achieve,fasting,as well as regulating your will, you should be clear and convinced that God created you to lead a happy life, even in this world. In fasting you remove toxins in your body without killing yourself. To do that you should develop Will power. Christianity is how to develop your will power, and surrender that Will power to God. Today we focused the main characteristic of christianity-meaning of Transfiguration
Of Jesus!

B.Preamble today's reading:

B.1 how Catholicism originated?

Christianity came from Judaisms. Judaism does not believe Christ as the savior. Path to Catholicism, is up to christ, 2000years before, how God has planned and prepared the human, to lead their life happily, with a new concept. This concept is having 3 basic steps
(1) God planing thru' prophets(Elija)(history)
(2) Under God's direct supervision, human was given a law for their behavior with eye to eye principal(Moses)(old law)(history)
(3) God became indirect, with jesus message with same law 10 commandments, and now changed to turn your other cheek principle
(New law- today for you to practice)

Under the new concept, the most vital organ your body become Your WILL, where even God doesn't interfere.
New concept request you to lead your life according to the God's Will.
In a society, where there is no direct instruction from God, how we know what God thinks and expect from us, to obtain our own happiness!. This is Catholicism!

B.2 Importance of your Will under new theory!
After Jesus resurrection there are no direct messages from God. When there are no direct messengers,angels,dreams, stars to tell you about God's will for you, how to identify His Will for you. This is an individual instruction!.
Abram got the message, to sacrifice his son, God tested his will, he was successful!. Even now we get similar situations!.

B.3. FUNCTION OF WILL

The strength of the Soul comprises the faculties,passions, and appetites. All this strength is ruled by the Will. When the Will direct these faculties, passions and appetites towards God, turning away from all that is not God, the soul preserve its strength for God, and comes to love him with all its might(ascent III,16,ii)

The Will is the final arbiter and governor of the whole human person. Our actions, in as much as they are fully human actions, differ from those of the animals precisely because they are the acts of the WILL. The work of the WILL consist of governing the passions and holding in check the natural appetites through the light of the memory and intellect.
The term "WILL" can refer to the distinct aspect of human person. There is the' WILL AS ACT', which refers to desiring, resolving,determining,choosing, etc. All these are forms of Willing. ' Will is the power which a person can direct his thoughts and actions and influence those of others. 'Will' as faculty of power within the person that tends towards acts of Will. ' Will' as a subject is the person himself 'Who Wills'. The human will is an amazing thing. Time after times it has triumphed against unbelievable odds. Even most intelligent animal does not have this endowment. They are programmed by instincts. Because of this endowment we can train ourself, study, write and make new programs for ourselves. That is why animals capacity is relatively limited and man's is unlimited.
The Will always tends towards good. It takes in and reacts to the information supplied by the intellect. The Will inclined towards an object when the object is good and recedes when it perceives the object dangerous. It is an effective attraction or repulsion. The will is the constituent of the human personality, for it represent the seat of an intelligent commitment to, or rejection of some value, or the attraction towards or repulsion from some object. It implies a distinctive kind of rapport with the object than that of intellect, such as loving,intending,desiring, consenting,enjoying or suffering.
The whole human functions under the direction of the Will. Stimuli from objects are transmitted to the intellect through the external senses, for rational evaluation; the Will depend upon the evaluation before it can  act further. Hence the soul's arbiter, the Will, directs appetites,passions,and affections, and the whole attitude and activity of the total human person.
The object of the Will is the good and it is the good that moves the Will. SINCE GOD ALONE IS THE UNIVERSAL GOOD, HE ALONE CAN FILL THE WILL'S CAPACITY AND ELICIT THE LOVE WITH WHICH IT LOVES NECESSARILY. But this only occurs when God is seen by the intellect as HE is in himself. It is the nature of the Will tends towards good and to Will it. All the objects presented to it in this life are limited goods so that its infinite amplitude cannot be filled but BY GOD!.

B.4 examples set by Mary and Jesus:

Mary's last recorded word in scripture is abandoned to the Will of God. "DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU" (jh 2:5). The last word of Jesus on the cross was the free surrender of His life to His father's Will:"Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit" Mary surrenders to Jesus, and Jesus to His Father. To do God's Will until death, that is the inner heart of all Holiness. Here Jesus teaches us how to die, for if he would have his Mother with Him in the hour of His great surrender, then how shall we dare to miss saying daily " Pray for us sinners, now, and at the our death. Amen"?
The heart of Jesus and the heart of Mary were made one on Calvary, in their obedience to the Father's Will. Everyone in the world has a cross, but no two Crosses are identical. Our Will is the only thing that is absolutely our own. Hence it is a perfect offering we can make to God.

B.4 God's Will

Christianity,is to follow the will of God. The order of God's law requires that we should brought to him thru Mary.
 In the Bible,Mary is quoted:

1) When Adam & Eve disobeyed God, HE said to Satan that "you cheated a woman  and one day a woman will crush your head"
2)During the Annunciation
3)Visiting Elizabeth
4)Birth of Jesus in Bethlem
5)Presenting Our Lord in the Temple
6)Mary escaping to Egypt with Joseph & Baby Jesus
(7) Jesus lost in the Temple at12years
(8)1st miracle- wedding in Cana
(9)when Jesus declared who is my mother..etc
(10)On the Cross,Jesus words to Mary & john.
11) Jesus dead body on lap of Mary
(12) On the Pentercost Day.

From (8)-(12) God's direction to treat Mary as our own mother!

B.5 Relevance of Elijah and Moses in christianity!

Moses(1526-1406 B.C) and Elijah (875-848B.C) adoring Jesus,has shown to his favorite disciples PETER, JAMES and JOHN (in32AD)at mount TABORE. Jesus face shown like Sun & His garment became white as snow. Voice of God once again declared Jesus as His only Son!.

Moses on Sinai,has received OLD COVENANT,while JESUS received NEW!. Elijah too have received many special signs of intimate confidence of God!.
These 2 prophets,similar to Jesus has ended their earthly life,without their bones in the world.
There was a strong resemblance between miracles of Jesus to Elijah, people thought that Jesus is Elijah himself returning to earth. Jews believed that Jesus called on Elijah for assistance at the cross!.
LAW & PROPHETS were represented by these 2 prophets.


C. Today's reading:

Genesis( 22:1-2. 9-13. 15-18) says" God put Abraham to the test...your only child..offer him..angel ..called to him..'Don't harm him,for I now know you fear God..I will shower blessings on you.."
St paul says(Rm 8:31-34)" With God on our side who can be against us. God..son.. gave him up to benefit all.. After such a gift.. He will not refuse anything he can give.. He rose from the dead.
Mk(9:2-10);"Jesus..transfigured:His cloth ..dazzling white..Elija appeared.. with Moses. A voice.."THIS IS MY SON..LISTEN TO HIM"
Reminds in gaining the knowledge of Jesus message.
Abraham, handed over his fear and sorrow to the hands of God, followed faithfully God's Will. But God tested his faithfulness!. In life you may get such fears to understand God's will. At the end you will see such fears being removed by God!.leading your life happily according to the jesus message

C. Conclusions:
 Jesus' main message for us, is to develop our own Will and train to surrender into God's Will.
 Elijah &Moses represent era of God's direct intervention with people and can be summerised as follows:

(1)fore telling Jesus coming

(2)previous behaviour of 10commd:with 'eye-eye. With Jesus,God has become indirect,making your' Will independent& behevior- same law with pardoning

What Jesus did?

(3)following God's Will,thru' regulating your' own will!(ability to resist short term temptations in order to meet long term Goals)

 In brief during lent season last sunday we were reminded about fasting. fasting is not starving. Fasting you remove toxin in your body, where starving lead to death. Identify the 7 vices, find out which are you have to develop fasting.
Today, it talks the importance of regulating your will!. Unless you are trained to regulate your will it will be difficult for you to fast.
To achieve,fasting,as well as regulating your will, you should be clear and convinced that God created you to lead a happy life, even in this world

GBU

For more pl visit:
http://weeklycatholicreflection.blogspot.com Or
http://www.sundayreading.net/
Or
http://holymaryreflection.blogspot.com

Genesis says"God put Abraham to test.. U'r only child..offer him..angel..called to him..'Don't harm him,for I now know U fear God..I will shower blessings on U.."


Paul says"..God on our side who can be against us. God..son..gave him..benefit all..After such gift..He will not refuse anything he can give..He rose from dead"



Mk(9:2-10)says"Jesus.. transfigured: His cloth..dazzling white.. Elija appeared..with Moses.voice.."THIS IS MY SON..LISTEN TO HIM"

Back ground:
Lent season will allow us to practice various disciplines needed to lead a Happy life. Humans are subject to gravitation, for them to enjoy walking in this globe. This resulted in earth bound desires generating in our mind from eyes,ears,tongue, nose & touch. How to balance(or control) these desires are to be practiced during lent season.
It started with ash wednesday, by fasting- just to show that we need to control our desires on eating, these has to be extended to all other 5 senses.
These controls are their for our own happiness!. Today you are invited to analyze the value of controls in your life!

B. Pre amble for today's reading;

B. 1 Light: combining 3 basic colors of blue red and yellow will appear as light(white). Resembles shadow trinity. Light is the source of energy to humans!. When we see rainbow, it reminds God's covenant of happy life to humans,as against flood. Your body have the shadow Trinity. Happiness-father: behavior -Son,knowledge- Holy spirit
When you follow God's will, you will Happy even in this world.

B.2 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FASTING AND STARVING!(Enforcing disipline or control in to your life)

Our body always possess adequate body reserves required to maintain the normal functioning of body at the hour of need. If we keep away from food for sometime, the body will still maintain itself. when once the reserve food stored in the body gets exhausted, it is said that the person is starving. Abstaining from taking any food when the body is able to maintain itself utilizing the reserve food in store is called fasting.

But fasting in the absence of reserve food is called starving!.

Fasting helps to enjoy life!

Fasting will not result in decay & death; where as prolonged starvation results in decay & death!. On the other hand fasting will help to clean the system and  throw out the toxins(poisons)present in the body, thus helping cure the diseases that take birth from the toxins present in the body. Aversion to food,diarrhea,vomiting & recurrence of fever are some of the devices our body adopts to throw away the toxins that are produced an account of impaired digestion of food consumed. But one can prevent the recurrence of such things by fasting periodically.

 Fasting require will power,mental discipline and capacity to withstand the emotional desire to eat!.

over eating is a weakness and you will become fat. Also food consumed in excess accumulates at different levels in the digestive track and ferments. Due to this impaired condition of toxins build up in the body leading to several diseases. Hence shedding weight is necessary to add years to life and life to years!.

Catholicism shows the physical importance of fasting for our own happiness!.

B.3 your body weight!

Increase your weight!

If you want to increase your  weight by 1 Kg, you need 9000 K calories of energy. This is very easy to achieve by eating 1 kg of butter or margarine which has been made by oil or fat. Otherwise if you eat just over 1kg of pork.

Reduction of weight

 BUT TO REDUCE WEIGHT IS VERY DIFFICULT. Any hard labour worker can burn only 3500 K calories,if he work for a day. Even he need more than 3 days full work to reduce on 1kg of his weight.
 If U do exercise for 30minutes/day, you need at least 1 month reduce 1 kg. You become over weight due to the accumulation of additional energy you take by food. Controlling the food intake becomes essential for your happy life,it does not mean not to eat!.

 In order to control your weight
(1)Identify the need(develop interest) and determine to achieve that- love your body
(2)Control of your food intake-(mind control)
(3)exercise(physical control)
(4)happy and stress free mind(Christianity)

Daily measuring your weight and adjusting your self is essential to achieve healthy life.

Fasting is one such exercise.

B.4 Effect of mind control

People have worldly passions which lead them into delusion and suffering. There are 5 ways to emancipate themselves from the bond of worldly passions. They should have the correct ideas of things, based on the principles of creation!(Given by Catholicism).
Then they can get rid of these mistaken observations and resulting worldly passions by careful and patient mind control. With efficient mind control they can avoid desires arising from the stimulation of the eyes,ears, tongue,skin and subsequent mental processes and by so doing, cut off the very root of all worldly passions, which is not based on Jesus' teachings.

There are 5 groups of desires in the world.
Desires arising from the forms of the eyes see
From the sounds the ears hear
From the fragrances the nose smells
From the tastes pleasant to tongue
From things that are agreeable to the sense of touch
FROM THESE 5 DOORS TO DESIRE COME THE BODIES OF LOVE OF COMFORT.

Most people, being influenced by the body's love of comfort, do not notice the evils that follow comfort(by craving into it) they are caught in the devil's trap like a deer in the forest caught in hunter's(Satan's) trap.

There is no one way to get free from the trap of worldly passions. Suppose you caught a snake, a crocodile, a bird, a dog, a fox and a monkey, 6 creatures of very different natures, and you tie them together with a strong rope and let them go. Each of these 6 creatures will try to go back to its own lair by its own method.

The snake will seek covering of grass, the crocodile will seek water, the bird will want to fly in the air, the dog will seek a villege, the fox will seek a solitary ledges,while monkey will seek the trees of the forest. IN THE ATTEMPT OF EACH TO GO ITS OWN WAY THERE WILL BE A STRUGGLE,BUT, BEING TIED TOGETHER BY A ROPE, THE STRONGEST AT ANY ONE TIME WILL DRAG THE REST.

Like the creatures in this story, a man is tempted different ways by the desires of his 6 senses,EYES,EARS,NOSE,TONGUE,TOUCH AND MIND, and is controlled by the predominate desire.
If the 6 creatures are all tied to a post, they will try to get free until they are tired out, and then will lie down by the post. Just like this, if people will train and control the mind there will be no further trouble from the other 5 senses. IF THE MIND IS UNDER CONTROL PEOPLE WILL HAVE HAPPINESS BOTH NOW AND FUTURE!.
Identify the rope for each desire in this example then tie that rope to Post of God, to see Happiness in this life too!. Lent period is there for you to do that, and be progressive happiness in your life!

Today's reading:
Book of Genesis(Gen 9:8-15) says: God said" ...here is the sign of the covenant..myself and you...I set my bow in the clouds and. It shall be a sign of covenant between me and the earth...waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all things of flesh"
St peter(1 Pt 3:18-22) says" christ himself, innocent through He was, died once for sins,died for guilty, to lead us to God.
MK 1:12-15 says"... Jesus.. Wilderness..for 40 days..tempted by satan.."

Reminds: rainbow is having 7 colours, representing that you will forget God, even if you follow God's command but attracted to 7 wises in your life(anger,sloth,pride,lust,envy,avarice,gluttony). Catholicism gives your the shortest path to be happy even in this world!
Unhappiness occurs only when actively,knowingly, and willingly centering our joy in temporal objects rather than in God. But joy for the sake of Joy,ignoring the source of joy, can be detrimental to real Happiness. John writes: many today, in various ways belong to this category of seeking joy in temporal objects. Out there in the world, their reason darkened through covetousness in spiritual matters, they serve money and not God, and they are motivated by money not God, and they give first consideration to the temporal price and not to the divine value and reward. In countless ways they make money their principle God and Goal; and give it precedence over God,their ultimate end.

D. Conclusions:

If we know, that fasting on Ash wednesday, is for our own health, it becomes,easy to develop the mind control. Otherwise, you eat too much in the morning and fast at lunch, then again cover up at dinner. You will fast as excusetic(excuse for not to do a thing)!. It will not help you to develop mind control, the benefit of fasting in to your life!. Hence during lent period, we should be clear, as how to control our physical body, as well as mental, to be happy in this life. This 40 days one has to analyze, whether my desires(or thoughts) are going against jesus' teachings. LENT INVITED US TO REFLECT TO CHANGE POSTIVILY OF REACHING HAPPINESS IN THIS LIFE !

GBU

For more pl visit:
http://weeklycatholicreflection.blogspot.com Or
http://www.sundayreading.net/
Or
http://holymaryreflection.blogspot.com

Today is 1st sunday of lent.

A. Selection of the date of Ash Wednesday

A.1 year
Gregorian calender is based on EARTH travel around SUN&have12 months,with 365 days/year. If year is divisible by4(but not100,with exception of division by400)result in leap year of 366 days.

A.2 Equinox
Equinox occurs 2times/year{vernol(mar)+ Autumnal(sept))},when SUN is directly over earth equator(no shadow).

A.3 Easter sunday and Judaism pass over ceremony
Easter is selected as1st Sunday,following Full Moon(3/4/2015)after vernal equinox(21/3).Ash Wednesday(18/2/2015) is 46 days(last 6 days for pass over+40 days lent) before Easter Sunday

B. Summary of today's reading:

 Prop:Joel says'..now..it is Lord who speaks..come back to me with all your' heart,fasting, weeping,mourning..slow to anger,rich in graciousness&ready to relent..

'Paul says"..Now is favourable time,this is day of salvation'

Mt6:1-6,16-18)says 'Be careful not to parade your' good deeds before men to attract their notice..when U give alms your' left hand.. not know..your' right is doing..your' father..in secret will reward U.."



Reminds:(1) boasting(earth bound) has to be avoided in your life. Always your action is for the grace of God.
(2) If you used to appreciate your work forgetting God, you experience silence anger when you don't receive appreciation. This is not good even for your health. If you know that all your action is for the grace of the God and when you follow that you can easily avoid Pride(boasting)
(3) Fasting is encouraged by lord in action.

Lent season:



During lent you learn,Happiness has to go thru' school of suffering. Hence first train how to control Gluttony(fasting)

Jesus showed us suffering at Golgotha(mind)+Calvary(physical)before to Resurrection(actual Happiness).

When you live, you are subject to earth Gravity. But you don't see this gravity neither you don't feel really. But when you analyse you will see that you are subject to gravitational force. Similarly you have to understand that you have a soul(mind + free will) and train you self how to develop your soul going against gravity(earth bound desires)

When you are happy you are not subject to gravity and you feel you are flying(soul).

Every year church reminds us that
(1) we are sinners going against god's will (2) analyse your sin and get it pardoned(3) how to control earth bound desires for our own happiness

A. Back ground:
Today is the last sunday(before the lent) in ordinary times. Again ordinary times commenced after easter, as sunday No11,(after easter there are few specific celebrations) on 14/6/2015.
These 6 sundays we focused on

(1) Our life is similar to shadow Trinity
(Happy-father, son-U'r behevior,10 commandments with no enemies, Holy spirit- habits to develop your knowledge-daily rosary)

(2) You are subject to earth bound needs. Earth bound means you can walk on the earth.(In moon you cannot do so!). This indicates your natural tendency for money,power and desires. When you balance earth bound needs without craving to it, you can go against gravitation). Fornication(sin against your flesh) appears  to be major impediment to handle spiritual Happiness

(3) You clean your teeth daily as a habit. Similarly you have to develop good habits to gain physical+mental fitness. Daily walking/exercise or praying Rosary.

In order to develop a habit, you should develop following characteristics

(A)Be interested on the subject
(B)identify daily fixed time with a fixed location(state probability does not vary with time)
(C) have a happy mind(peaceful then worry less then happy), before implementing your habit
(D)have a fixed action plan of implementing your action, during this habit!.(Don't do any other action or thinking any other matter during this time) If you are doing exercise don't change the patterns of the exercise or if you are praying rosary you don't change for a decade 10 hail mary's, but you reflect in different ways.
(4)Once you are in a habit of praying, you start contemplating,deviations in your life with reference implementation of 10 commandments, identifying whether you are angry with anybody, start correcting your behavior as the first step. This will help you to develop a peaceful mind. Next step is handing over your fears and worries to Holy Mary/or your favorite saint to lead a worry less mind.
(5)When you develop worry less mind you are trained to avoid anger and laziness. Then identify other 5 vices pride,lust,envy,avarice,gluttony and reflect whether you have catch leprosy in your body, with those vices. Clean leprosy with God's grace.

Today, it talks about Leprosy in your head. Mainly Pride. It is similar to salt. When you put correct amount of salt you can enjoy a meal. Little or too much salt will hamper your taste. When you enjoy the meal with correct amount of salt, don't forget God, who were instrumental of creating you and allow you to enjoy this meal. There are 2 aspects(1) put the correct amount salt(2) appreciate God in providing this action and allowing you to enjoy your meal.

Similarly, if you forget God, in your enjoyment you develop leprosy in your head that is Pride

B. Preamble for today's reading:

B.1 THE DEADLY ROOTS IN THE HEART

The 7 deadly vices(anger, sloth,pride,envy, lust, avarice, gluttony) are normally the strong roots of our wrongly acquired experiences of the external senses and spiritual faculties,deeply embedded in our will. Initially when every sense experience is enjoyed and accepted with attachment without upward orientation of God, it resides in the spirit/will like, a person getting addicted to drugs.

A repeated sense experience naturally gets rooted in the will and become stronger over years like a drug addict who cannot live without drugs. These roots when they give out fresh shoots and fruits become vices.

These vices if not surrendered to God in prayer can be gradually detrimental to growth in the spiritual life. One of the main fruit of such roots are Pride(leprosy of the head)

B.2 PRIDE

It is too great an admiration of oneself. Pride has 7 evil consequences:

(1)Boasting
(2)Love of publicity

(3)Hypocrisy( a way of behaving in which you pretend that you have better moral principles than you actually do)

(4)Hardheadedness( practical and able to make difficult decisions without letting your emotions affect your judgment)

(5)Discord(formal disagreement or quarreling between people)

(6)Quarreling

(7)Disobedience

When all these 7 inclinations grow in our dealings with God and neighbor,we must understand that our prayer in NO PRAYER but a prolonged practice of Pride.

THE DEVIL BALLONES OUR PRIDE TO MAKE US LOSE EVENTUALLY TO OUR OWN EGOISM.

Authentic prayer requires Humility. Any form of Pride in life and prayer must be overcome first of all through personal efforts. Therefore, in the higher stages of prayer the Lord himself will purify us through spiritual trials or through physical trials.

PRIDE IS THE ENEMY OF ANY PROGRESS IN PRAYER. If the ultimate goal of prayer is TOTAL SURRENDER TO GOD, there ought to be many surrender on our part of all our actions, thoughts and also ongoing surrender in our relation with God.

In our pride when we do not listen to the spirit who invites us to discern(understand something only after looking at it) the purpose and the Goal of prayer, we greatly neglect the primary task of overcoming evil.

St paul's words to Galatians are apt here: "let the spirit direct your lives, and you will not satisfy the desires of the human nature. For what our human nature wants is opposed to what the spirit wants. These two are enemies, and this means that you cannot do what you want to do. If the spirit leads you, then you are not subject to law"(Gal 5:16-18)

WHEN THE LORD TAKES THE INITIATIVE IN PRAYER WE OUGHT TO BE PASSIVE. IT IS IN PASSIVE PRAYER THAT THE LORD STRENTHENS OUR WILL TO OVERCOME THIS UNWANTED TENDENCY TO PRIDE. HE THROUGH HIS GRACE INTRODUCED US TO PROFOUND HUMILITY.


Todays reading:

Book of leviticus(Lv 13:1-2.44-46) says"..The man is leprous: he is unclean...:he is suffering from leprosy of the head...As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean.

Paul(1 cor10:31-11:1) says"..never do anything offensive to anyone..to be helpful to everyone at all times,.."

Mk(1:40-45) says"A leper came to Jesus and pleaded...'If you want to'..'You can cure me',..Jesus.. touched him..he was cured..sternly ordered'..say nothing to anyone..'..,but..telling the story everywhere,..,..Jesus could no longer go openly into any town.."

Reminds that inordinate craving for earth bound desire make U unclean.1st be clear about with what action U become unclean.(Going against 10 coms:no mental power to pardon:7vices(Anger,sloth,pride,lust, envy,avarice,gluttony).with uncleanliness you increase fear and sorrow in your life. when you are aware about your uncleanliness, you can get it pardoned from God to enjoy your life Happily!. The main form of uncleanliness discuss here is pride.

D, Conclusions:

Today, last sunday before lent season, high lights, how Pride is hampering to implement God's will in your life. Pride is silence leprosy(like cancer) in the head, that will make your fear and sorrow increase. Pride blocks the God's will to be implemented by you. Church going people and priests are always attack with this disease!

GBU

For more pl visit:
http://weeklycatholicreflection.blogspot.com Or
http://www.sundayreading.net/
Or
http://holymaryreflection.blogspot.com