A. Back ground: During lent, church invite us to train to regulate our will. It started with Ash Wednesday,(obligatory to fast),and during this 40 days of lent, you are invited, to revisit your life, where, without your knowledge it has gone wrong!. It is similar that you are not regularly, measuring your body weight(you think,that you are careful about food,and your weight is within limits. But when you measure weight, you will find, that you are over weight, and you need, special changes to adjust your weight, for your own health). Similar to this, during lent period, you are opportune to revisit your life, for your own happiness.
Major problem, we analyze on last sunday(1st sunday of lent), we tend to form our own opinion, sometimes,getting from the Bible itself. Jesus tested by satan, is a clear indication, that when you acquire word from scripture without knowing God's concept clearly may lead to deviate from God.
Concept is a thought or an idea that represents a set of related notions. Consider following words; TAIL, FUR, TEETH, 4 LEGS - What does these words describe? It can be a cat, dog, lion or a bear. Fact is we really can't tell just from these words. Crucial details are missing. If we add the word BARK & rethink - what is being described now? A Dog! As other animals don't bark, these words uniquely define concept of DOG!
Likewise, Bible has been uniquely written to explain CONCEPT OF HUMAN CREATION by God.
Today it add, major characteristics of catholic living: To see magic in your life!. Ie you will see, after following 7 Ethics of Catholicism and church rules, you, will see, all your past life also being monitored by God, and even the present life, is led by God and YOU ARE HAPPY. So you see transfigured God in your life.
B. Preamble for today's reading:
B.1- concept of Catholicism
It is very important to understand the concept of Catholicism, before reading scripture. Bible is very big book: when you read, you have to be clear, the purpose of writing this book.(Concept). The purpose of human creation by God!. This can be listed as follows:
(1)God created human,with freedom,to be happy in your life. Always,freedom is subject to law
(2)Adam & Eve,action resulted,the following to be introduced to humans
(A)childhood
(B.fear/sorrow/pain
(C)death(your eternal life in 2 stages/
(3)God,selected Jews to show humans,how to use your Free will;With direct intervention with humans, thru' Prophets :10 comms given
(4)JESUS, showed,how practically,you should manage,your Free will,independent to God. If you wish you can accept God to intervene into your life. Basically HE showed,how to mange fear&sorrow in your life. Gethsamane & Golgotha are main pictures. HE introduced 7Ethics to be followed,when God become invisible
(5)Holy Spirit Formed church, thru' Pope,HE will guide,all humans who wish to follow HIM. That is how church rules came.
Just to summarize, Reading of Holy scripture has to be done,with correct concept in mind. Otherwise you might end up with satan,who drags you to misery, thru' scripture.
B.2. Fasting and lent!
If you want to increase your weight by1Kg,you need 9000 K calories of energy. To achieve eat1kg of butter/margarine(oil/fat),
BUT REDUCE WEIGHT IS VERY DIFFICULT.
Laborer can burn1200 K cal/8hrs &needs 8 days to reduce1kg of his weight/do exercise for 30min/day,you need1 month. You become over weight due to accumulation of additional energy you take by food. Best way to control your weight(reduce) is fasting-you use reserve(consumed in excess)food.
This helps to cure diseases,from toxins present in your body. Fasting in absence of reserve food is called starving!.prolonged starvation leads to death but fasting leads you to remove toxins accumulated in your body. Fasting REQUIRE WILL POWER, MENTAL DISCIPLINE &CAPACITY TO WITHSTAND EMOTIONAL DESIRE for comforts.
During lent, you are train to develop WILL POWER to have control on earth bound comforts(money,power,desires)
Be cautious!
Don't end up fasting after over eating. Ex: When you decide to fast - say for lunch, don't over eat breakfast & dinner. Take normal quantity for these 2 meals.
Otherwise purpose of fasting is lost.
You can have many other forms of fasting - refrain alcohol/chocolate or avoid watching movies/playing computer games- which will benefit you to lead a happy life. At least fasting one meal is obligatory on Good?Friday!
B.3 7 Ethics of Catholicism
7 ETHICS to follow;
(1)10 COMMs; Thou shalt have no other Gods before Me/Thou shall not take the name of Lord thy God in vain/Keep holy Sabbath Day/Honour thy father&mother/Thou shalt not kill/Thou shall not commit adultery/Thou shall not steal/Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor/Thou shall not covert thy neighbour's wife/Thou shalt not covert thy neighbours goods
(2)7SACRAMENT-Baptism/
(3)avoid7VICES-anger/sloth/
(4/5)practice7CORPORAL/
(6)PARDONING
(7)LOVE.
Additionally Church Rules(ex: artificial birth control, abortion, Euthanasia..)
B.4 about Catholic life:
Catholic life is simple to lead. No restriction on food. Follow 7 ethics. Go for confession+receive Holy Eucharist, as a spiritual nourishment for your life. As a professional catholic,you can then
(1)LOVE THE HATE
(2)INCLUDE THE EXCLUDE
(3)ADMIT THAT YOU ARE WRONG.
You will lead a happy life,as directed by God!.
C. Today's readings:
Gen(15:5-12.17-18) says “God to Abram 'Count stars if U can. Just so will Ur descendants be/To them I give this land".
Paul(Ph 3:17-4:1) says "Follow me/many live as enemies of cross/Their destiny is destruction/mind is on earthly things/Jesus will transform us so they’ll be like his glorious body".
Lk 9:28-36 says "Jesus took Peter,John & James/went up the mountain/face changed & clothe got dazzling white/Moses&Elijah appeared/Peter wanted to make 3 tents/cloud with a voice said “This's my Son; listen to him”/Disciples told no-one”.
Reminds; When we realise the theory behind Catholicism (recognize Eras of Father/Son&HolyGhost) ,and if we believe and attain words said to us, we'll see magic in our lives. The presence of God will shine, whatever the sinful life we have led. Paul+Augustin are good examples. We’ll see magical God if we change life to follow God's Will. To see magic, follow 7 ethics of Catholicism + church rules to (climb hill &) see transfigured God.
D. Conclusions: why God has created you?, (1) to be happy in this life(2) follow His Will. The realization of this, can be varied from person to person. When you follow 7 ethics properly, you start loving God. What ever you are doing, you will see that God is behind you.
We are in 2nd Sunday of lent. All 3 cycles of readings are generally same for these 2Sundays. Summary; 1) We should know clearly the concept of Catholism. 2) We should see God, only in our individual life. In order to do that, we should NOT substitute unseen God with parents, teachers or elders. We should NOT worship anyone except God. One of the previous Sundays, we saw "Actions speak much more than words".
GBU
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