Guaizai's profile怪王小屋PhotosBlogListsMore  |  Tools Help |
|
|
October 20 人和天主的对话人 : 我们的天父 June 07 活在当下致某网友 重要的是活在当下，活出自己。不是都说“人比人，气死人”嘛！我们为什么老要和别人做对比呢？未来的日子是什么样的，我们只做计划，或者梦想一下。至于未 来是什么样的我们无从知道。看看地震中的遇难者和灾民，他们难道没有计划过未来吗！可一切都不在我们的掌控之内。所以重要的是活在当下，明天是什么样子我 们不得而知。这不是消极，而是面对现实。我们不能不要求自己，但也不能要求自己做不到的事情。总有人比我们强，我们也不是没有超越其它人的优点。故何苦为 别人比我们优越而烦恼呢？ 我们要照顾好我们自己；我们要为自己而活；我们也在乎别人对我们的看法。但我们是否只在乎自己呢！其实我们的生活很多时候都得顾虑别人，如果只在乎我们自己，那不仅是自私，更重要的是我们的生命失去了应有的意义。 至于我是不是很烦，我不用解释，重要的是我给你写邮件了。至于你烦什么，我想如果你愿意的话自会告诉我的。其实你的年龄尚小，为什么要老生活在烦恼中呢！从我们开始聊天的初始到现在，你都说烦。烦什么？为什么烦？也许有时候我们需要重新省视自己的生活。 不必因为我说什么而烦，重要的是活出真正的自我。如果你愿意，我当然乐于聆听你的分享。 God's blessings, February 07 微言祈祷
爾祈禱時，亦勿效虛偽之徒。蓋若輩喜立於堂中街頭而作祈禱，故令人見。吾實語爾，彼已獲其報矣。爾祈禱時，入爾內室，既閉戶，密求爾父，則燭幽洞微之父，
必將有以應爾矣！祈禱時，毋多言，如異邦人之所為；蓋彼以為冗長其辭，必蒙垂聽矣！慎毋效之；蓋爾未禱之前，爾父已知爾之所需矣！（玛六：五－八） 今天的福音中耶稣特别强调了祈祷、禁食与实行善工。耶稣为什么要提出这三点呢？在犹太宗教的观念中，遵守了这三者才能体现出一个人活出了自己的宗教生活； 一个人的生命是否有成就也基本建于此三柱石上。可今天耶稣却点出了这么做的目的何在。这里姑且不论目的与满全此三者的意义，且仅说说祈祷吧。 每日进堂诵经祈祷，久而久之，如入芝兰之室，不闻气香。圣体灯烁烁生辉，主耶稣隐藏在圣龛中守候着爱的回应。而我却心不在焉、视若无睹、思绪万段；思念亲 人、打算将来。嘴里叨叨，心头乱想。猛一抬头，圣体灯光猛刺我的眼睛：是主在一个劲地敲我心门，期望与我交心。哦！耶稣是我的一切，我本来一无所缺，却拼 命地寻求身外之物⋯⋯一时间悟到了：外在的幸福不过是水中月、镜中花，我圣在福中不知福。于是赶快收敛分散的心，去为主开启我的心扉。 在某中意义下，事情做的好就等于做的多。“凡事不在外表，只在内心。”主耶稣曾摩肩接踵，触到的人多的无数，却只有一病妇人轻摸主的衣边就得了主得眷顾。 穷寡妇的两文小钱，远胜于富翁的巨款。同样，念经祈祷很多的人不一定祈祷就很好，而用心祈祷的人也不一定非得念很多的经。不过，也不能因此就说我每天好好 念三遍天主经和圣母经就可以了。因为我们不能把祈祷用心或者不用心当作不念经的借口。 “祈祷本来不在乎雄辩的言语，而是在乎人心的‘呻吟’、‘叹息’”（圣奥斯定）。 November 22 Live in Chastity 5分钟能说些什么呀？所以今天的5分钟偶把东西全压缩了。下文即今天俺的言论。迟些会将未经压缩的文章上到另一blog.
Our contemporary society has reached an unimaginable level of decadence. Perhaps even the people of the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would be shocked by the vast numbers in these times that have turned themselves over to their unbridled lusts. I always say that America is a sport country, but I'm shocked to hear that sex is also a kind of sport.
Lust, one of the seven deadly sins, challenges us daily to a duel over who is to be in control. For most people of our times, the battle to regulate our appetites and to acquire the virtue of chastity involves a dramatic struggle. Lust is a powerful and destructive force that needs to be dealt with very seriously. Today, I’m not going to talk about the problems of lust. Rather how it is possible to live chastely in a sex-saturated culture. However, heroism is required for anyone who wishes to live the virtue of chastity. First of all, all of us need to be reminded that moral absolutes do exist. We also must retain a clear understanding of the nature of sin as an offense against God, not merely a weakness or a fault. Fornication, masturbation, adultery, pornography, impure thoughts, homosexual acts, and contraception are mortal sins. Once we begin to make exceptions and to argue with the moral law that God has revealed to us in the Ten Commandments and the Gospel, we then embark upon the slippery slope of moral relativism, leading inevitably to personal slavery and destruction.
Secondly, we must be convinced that chastity is an essential virtue in order to gain eternal salvation.
Thirdly, once true disciples of Christ embark upon the journey toward self-mastery and inner freedom, they must use the necessary tools to acquire the virtue of chastity, and at the same time remember that the struggle to be chaste never ends.
We cannot consider all of the important aspects of the virtue of chastity. But let us consider some practical points that will be helpful, especially for many young people.
As we conclude this reflection on the Word of God, we need to remember that chastity will only be possible if we live out our lives with integrity in our daily walk with the Lord Jesus. If we listen to His voice speaking through the Sacred Scriptures, gaze upon His presence in the Eucharist, experience His strength and consolation through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, then Christ will sustain us in our battle to be faithful. His Mother, the ever Virgin Mary, will console us and will lift us up each time we fall during our journey towards eternal life.
Update：未经压缩的文章请参看这里>>>To Live In Chastity July 05 LOVEOnce upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others including Love. once day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.
Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. when the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "no, I can't. there is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. there is no place here for you." Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel, "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. you are all wet and might damage my boat." Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness, let me go with you." "oh...Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!" Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her! Suddenly, there was a voice, "come Love, I will take you." it was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder his name. when they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way. Love realized how much he owed the elder and asked Knowledge, another elder, "who helped me?" "it was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "but why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "because, only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is." April 16 Jesus is Risen!Easter Sunday
Why do I believe in the risen Lord? Not because I have seen him, but because others have told me of him. My parents, teachers, friends, as well as preachers, speakers and writers. Because of them, I believe. How important it is to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus! We talk about church conflicts and problems, but a simply direct announcement of the resurrection of Jesus is seldom heard, except on pulpits and other such “safe” places. But just as our love for others grows cold when we no longer declare this love to them, so our faith in the risen Jesus gradually fades if we remain silent about him.
We have to keep saying to each other, “The Lord is risen, risen indeed.” It is not enough to say that once or twice. We need to say it to each other constantly so that our faith in the risen Christ can be kept alive and we can live that faith always more deeply. April 15 SilenceHoly Saturday
... a time to be silent ... ------- Ecclesiastes 3:7
Words are important to come close, but too many create distance. I feel an increasing desire to silent with friends. Not every event has to be told, not every idea exchanged. Once an atmosphere of mutual trust is present, we can be silent together and let the Lord be the one who speaks, gently and softly. Listening together to Jesus is a powerful way to grow closer to each other and reach an intimacy that no interpersonal exchange of words can bring about. A silence lived together in the presence of Jesus will bear fruits, for a caring silence can enter deeper into our memory than caring words.
Lord, in a few moments of silence this Saturday, let me savor the treasure of your love poured out for me on the cross. April 14 CompassionGood Friday
Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer before entering into his glory? ------- Luke 24:26
God shows the depth of divine love for us not by taking our suffering away but by suffering with us. Our pains and sorrows may never leave us, but as we look up to him who, though without sin, suffers all human sufferings, we will be consoled. By connecting our pain with the pain of Jesus, we no longer suffer alone, but with him who loves us with an infinite love.
When I look at across I realize how prayer helps us to see that Jesus not only has compassion on us but also asks us to have compassion in him. Indeed, the Christian life is a life of compassion with the suffering Jesus and through him with the whole world. Jesus carries the burden of all human pain. He invites us to carry that burden with him and promises us, “My yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Matthew 11:30) How can we accept our suffering without being crushed by it? By looking at the cross and seeing how he, who loves us without restriction, has taken on himself all our agony and the agony of all our brothers and sisters. As we look we feel deep sadness, we cry,we lament, we are overcome with sorrow, but we also know that through Jesus our painful lives have become part of God's way to joy, a part of our journey home. Help me today to realize this truth—that every time I suffer weakness with Jesus I gain strength. Loving ExampleHoly Thursday
I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. ------- John 13:15
I am struck again and again by the way Jesus concluded his active life. Just before beginning his passion Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and offered them his body and blood ad food and drink. These two acts belong together. They both are an expression of God's determination to show us the fullness of his love. Therefore John introduces the story of the washing of the disciples' feet with the words: “Having loved those who were his in the world, Jesus loved them to the end.” (John 13:1)
What is even more astonishing is that Jesus on both occasions commands us to do the same. Jesus calls us to continue his mission of revealing the perfect love of God in this world. He calls us to total self-giving. He does not want us to keep anything for ourselves. Rather he wants our love to be as full, as radical and as complete as his own. He wants us to bend to the ground and wash others when they need washing. He wants us to say to each other, “Consume me, I am willing to be your food and your drink.” by this complete mutual service and mutual nurturing he wants us to become one Body and one Spirit, united by the love of God. I give you a new commandment; love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. ------- John 13:14 April 12 Wounds He showed them his hands and feet. ------- Luke 24:40
What spiritual significance there is in Jesus making himself known to his disciples by showing them his wounded body! The resurrection did not remove his wounds; they had become part of his glory.
Jesus is the Lord who came to save us by dying for us on the cross. The wounds in Jesus' glorified body remind us of the way we are saved. But they also remind us that our own wounds are much more than roadblocks on our way to God. They show us our own unique way to follow the suffering Christ, and they are destined to become glorified in our resurrected life. Just as Jesus was identified by his wounds, so will we be. This mystery is hard to grasp, but it is of the greatest importance in helping us to deal with our own brokenness. When I feel lonely, forgotten, rejected or despised, I can easily be tempted to respond to these painful experiences with anger, resentment and a desire for revenge. But if I may start caring for my woundedness as my unique way to the resurrection, then I may start caring fro my wounds, knowing that they will identify me in my eternal life in God. How do I treat my wounds, my woundedness? As shameful embarrassment? As something to fight relentlessly? May I instead begin to try joyfully to acknowledge my wounds as marks of God's redeeming love for me. April 11 Hesitating A certain Pharisee named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, came to Jesus at night. ------- John 3:1
Jesus had sympathizers who were attracted to him, but afraid. Nicodemus is the chief of these fearful sympathizes, a group I find myself gravitating towards. I love Jesus, but I want to hold on to my friends even when they do not lead me closer to Jesus. I love Jesus, but I want to hold on my independence even when that gives no real freedom. I love Jesus, but I do not want to lose the respect to my professional colleagues, even when that respect does not help me grow spiritually. I love Jesus, but I do not want to give up all my plans and projects, even when these are often more for my glory than for the glory of God.
So I am like Nicodemus, who came by night, who said safe things about Jesus to his colleagues (John 7:50-52), who expressed his guilt by bringing to Jesus' grave much more myrrh and aloes than needed (John 19:39). I have spoken like Nicodemus in episcopal committees and faculty meetings many times. Instead of speaking directly about my love for Jesus, I make a smart remark suggesting that maybe my friends should look at another side of the question. They usually respond by saying I had not studied my sources well enough, or that I seem to have some sentimental attachment that got in the way of a truly professional approach. Those who said that intimidated me into silence. Fear made me hesitant, and prevented me from speaking from the heart. Nicodemus' hesitation deserves my attention—especially in Holy Week. Can I stay a Pharisee and really follow Jesus? Doesn't that condemn me to bringing costly spices to the grave when it is too late? April 10 Trusting Afflicted in every way possible, we are not crushed; full of doubts, we never despair. ------- 2 Corinthians 4:8
During Holy Week, Judas and Peter present me with the choice of running away from Jesus in despair or returning to him in hope. Despair says: “After love, I thought I would be tatter, but I am hopeless, even to Jesus. Forget trying. Better I be head and gone.”
But Jesus says: “I am your God, I have molded you with my own hands, and I love what I have made. I love you with a love that has no limits, because I love you as I love myself. Do not run away from me. Come back to me—not once, not twice, but always. You are my child. How can you ever doubt that I will embrace you again? I am your God—the God of mercy and ever compassion, the God of pardon and love, the God of tenderness and care. Please, do not say that I have given up on you. It is not true. I so much want you to be with me. I so much want you to be close to me. I know all your thoughts. I hear all your words. I see all your actions. And I love you. Because you are beautiful, made in my image, an expression of my most intimate love, do not judge yourself. Do not condemn yourself. Do not reject yourself. Let my love reveal to your own beauty, a beauty that you have lost sight of, but which will become visible to you again in the light of my mercy. Let me wipe your tears, and whisper in your ear, ' I love you, I love you, I love you'.” O God, help me believe the truth about myself no matter how beautiful it is! April 09 Prayer for Holy WeekHoly Week
Amid our Lenten disciplines we may at times forget that we do not save ourselves. Salvation is a free gift from God which we accept. We trust in God's mercy and love. God's love is what frees us to love ourselves and others. This is the most glorious message of Holy Week.
Palm Sunday
Prayer for Holy Week
O Lord, make me generous. Mary, Lazarus' sister, anointed your feet with very costly ointment and wiped them with her hair. I am still much like Judas, who considered this a waste and felt that the money could have been batter by giving it to the poor.
I am so stingy, Lord—especially with my time. I aways want to do useful things, and am afraid to waste my “very costly” time. But you want me sit at your feet like Mary and just be there, resting with you, listening to your words. O Lord, make me generous. How will I ever be able to serve the poor if I cannot be poor with you? How can I ever be close to the poor if I don't want you to be close to me? How will I ever be able to show your love to others if I am not free enough to let you show your love to me? Make me generous with my time, Lord. During this Holy Week let me listen quietly to you as you tell me about your sorrow and fear. O Lord, let me console you with my love for you, and hold you in my arms as a friend who wiped away the tears of a friend. Let me be generous, Lord, and forget myself for once. Amen. April 08 Celebrating Rejoice in the Lord always. ------- Philippians 4:4
The joy that Jesus offers does not separate happy days from sad days, successful moments from moments of failure, experiences of honor from experiences of dishonor, passion from resurrection. This joy is a divine gift that does not leave us during times of illness, poverty, oppression or persecution. The joy of Jesus lifts up all of life to be celebrated. Even death is celebrated, not because death is desirable or attractive, but because in the face of death life can be proclaimed as victorious.
... Joy and sadness are much more than mods. A mood invades us. We do not choose a mood. We find ourselves often in a joyful and sad mood without knowing where it comes from. The spiritual life is a life beyond moods. It is a life where we choose for joy and do not become victims of passing feelings. Jesus promised his followers joy. This Lent I will gratefully and humbly accept this precious gift. April 07 Thanking Give thanks in all circumstances. ------- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
I have a tendency to ask for help only when I am in need and to live as if I can handle life by myself most the time. Occasionally I say “thank you” to people or to God, but mostly I forget about my basic dependence and act with the illusion of self-control.
A life of faith is a life of gratitude—it means a life in which I am willing to experience my complete dependence upon God at all times, and to praise and give thanks to my Creator unceasingly for the gift of being. A truly eucharistic life means always saying thanks to God, always praising God, and always being more surprised by the abundance of God's goodness and love. The Lord gives and the Lord ... gives some more. Blessed be the name of the Lord ! April 06 Walking Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water, moving toward Jesus. ------ Matthew 14:29
This story of Peter walking across the roiling water is one we all should meditate on frequently. There is always so much going on beneath our feet that we are wondering if we can keep walking on all those waves. But Jesus is there. As long as Peter keeps his eyes fixed on Jesus he can walk on water. Problems are small and fears bearable when we know who calls us. The Lord looks at us. He smiles. He says, “Come to me across the water. Don't be afraid.”
None of us can survive if we look down at the waves on which we are walking. We all would drown. But we do not have to look down. Jesus calls us to look up and forward to him who stands there. He is with us now. He will be with us tomorrow and he will be with us for all our tomorrows. In the midst of all the storms he is the quiet presence. In the midst of all our doubts and fears, he is the safe dwelling place. Amid all our restlessness, he is our home. May I learn this Lent how to trust Jesus, to get into the habit of reaching for his hand when storms rage. April 05 Protection God has commanded angels to guard you in all ways. ------ Psalm 91:11
God does not take us out of the world but helps us live in it. I am becoming aware of this in my prayer life, where often I feel a protective presence of God and angels amid distractions, fears, temptations and doubts. At those times I feel surrounded by cosmic goodness, gentleness, kindness and acceptance. I feel as if large wings of angels keep me safe. I feel a sort of protective cloud covering me. It is hard to describe this experience, but it most certainly is an experience of being protected against the dangers of a seductive world. But this protection is very soft, gentle, caring. It is not the protection of a wall, an armor or a metal screen. It is more the protection of a hand on my shoulder, of a kiss on my forehead or of smiling eyes looking at me. I am not taken away from the dangers. I am not lifted out of the seductive world. I am not removed from violence, hatred, lust and greed. Indeed, I feel them right in the center of my being, stamping and screaming. They are very restless and noisy. They always demand attention and never seem to get tired of bothering me. Still, there is the hand, those lips and eyes—and I know I am safe.
Do I expect my prayer time to be perfect? Let me instead accept lovingly that I am fully a child of God even though I am divided and troubled. April 04 Whole-heartening You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, with all your strength. ------ Mark 12:30
Why am I often so restless, anxious and tense? Part of the reason is that I have yet to give everything to God. I notice this especially in my greediness for time. I am very concerned to have enough hours for my plans and desires. So my life is divided, a part for God and a part for myself.
To return to God means to return to God with that I am and all that I have. I cannot return to God with just half of my being. As I reflect again on the story of the prodigal son and try to experience myself in the embrace of the father, I suddenly feel a certain resistance to being embraced fully and totally. I feel a desire to be embraced, yes. But I also fear losing my independence. I realize that God's love is a consuming love. God wants not just a part of me, but all of me. Only when I surrender myself completely to God's fatherly and motherly love can I expect to be free from distractions, ready to hear the voice of love and able to recognize my unique call. God often visits us, but most of the time we are not at home. April 03 BelongingBlessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. ------ Matthew 5:8
Too often in religion the moral life gets all the attention, and so we are in danger of forgetting the crucial importance of the mystical life, which is the life of the heart. Quite often the suggestion is made that the mystical life, the life of a unifying communion with God, is available only to the it happy few who reach eventually a state of total conscious surrender to God. But the mystical life lies at the beginning of our existence and not just at the end. We are born in intimate communion with God who created us in love. We belong to God from the moment of conception. Our hearts is that divine gift which allows us to trust not just God but our families, ourselves and our world.
Has my spiritual life been turned into a matter of morality, a matter of doing? I must go to the depths of my heart and revive the sense of belonging, of trust in being, the trust that I am in God and God is in me. |
|
|
