Terrorism Of Gossip

A REVIEW OF
“TERRORISM OF GOSSIP-SPIRITUAL ALZHEIMER”

Lotus flower is beautiful.   It grows in the muddy water or in a pond.   But it stands out as if it is not of the water nor of the pond.   The first letter of John exhorts the faithful, although the young and the old belong to the world, they should keep a different identity and stand out radiating a powerful message to the whole world that’ to be human is to be more than human’ (I John  2: 12-17).    Pope Francis exhorts the faithful ‘To be fully human means to be filled with the spirit of the Lord’ in such a way that his will is parallel to the will of God who gave us life and the energy to live the life.
The world has several attractions and distractions, distorted philosophy of life, evil designs of interpreting religion and God.  
As Gurudev Ravindra Nath Tagore from India has beautifully portrayed in ‘Gitanjali’, the images of God are always around us.  Discover your God in your brothers and sisters who are on your left and right. “If the hunger of  others is not my own, if the anguish of my neighbor in all its forms touches me not, if the nakedness of my brother doesn’t torment me, then I have no reason to go to the church and live” , says Javier Torres.  Neglecting them and focusing on the crucifix in the church may not be rewarding.  
The cross of Christ enables us to see suffering and death and all our struggles of day to day life in the light of resurrection. It enlightens the darkness surrounding us with the light of hope. It reminds us that we are the inheritors of the kingdom of God, even though we are still on the pilgrimage towards our final goal.
Applying the meaning of the cross into our daily life Pope John Paul II has once said that our life on earth is in the process of a continuous transformation as an artwork in the hands of the artist. He said that Christian life is creative life in which every Christian is to be turned to an artwork.
In the creation of an artwork the artist works with materials like marble, wood or paints. The artist seeks to attain the final image in the formless materials by working on them and transforming them according to the given design. In the case human life, the raw and hard experiences of day to day life, the struggles and problems, sins and failures are the materials to be transformed. The design to be realized in these life-materials is the image of Christ. The cross is the way or the method we have to adopt in sculpting our lives into beautiful artworks.
Those who do not understand the meaning of the cross may consider us as fools and despise our actions as senseless. Here we can remember the words of St. Paul in the first letter to the Corinthians: the cross is a sign of foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is the sign of God’s power and wisdom for those who are saved (cf. 1 Cor 1:18ff).
As Christians we are motivated by the vision of the hidden image of Christ in all our human experiences and we proceed to realize it, like an artist with an imaginative mind. The artist can see the possibility of a beautiful image even in a rugged marble piece.
For us believers the cross is also the symbol of the infinite love of God for humanity. St. Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians about this all embracing love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. He wishes that we may have the power to comprehend the breadth, height and depth of this love which surpasses our comprehension (Eph 3:18). The cross of Christ is the symbol of God’s love which is extended in all cosmic directions, without excluding anybody or anything from its embrace.
In the Christian tradition the cross is known as the Tree of Life. As the symbol of resurrection and life, it is not a static object but a dynamic experience. To carry the cross means to move with Christ, following him in discipleship and to share his destiny. Jesus has explicitly said: if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me (Mk 8:34).
Pope Francis has emphasized in his first sermon in Vatican on 14 March the nature of Christian faith as a movement. He said, we have to move with the cross in following Jesus: “When we journey without the cross, when we build without the cross and when we confess a Christ without the cross, we are not disciples of the Lord: we are worldly, we are bishops, priests, cardinals, popes, but not disciples of the Lord.”
In the cross we find salvation, life and hope. The fruit of the cross is eternal life. Let this Good Friday imprint in our hearts the sign of the cross which may always remind us of the challenges of our life in following Jesus Christ faithfully.
The Spirit of God is definitely strengthening each and every one of us from within.   All the readings of today from the Old Testament, Epistle and the Gospel reveal Gods accompaniment with the faithful and continued blessings, countenance and peace.  The first resolution of Pope Francis for the year 2014 was to stop gossiping.    Very recently Pope has taken stern action against the bureaucracy of Vatican for indulging in gossiping rather than being the joyful men of God.  Pope Francis issued a blistering critique on the men who serve him, denouncing how some people live hypocritical double lives and suffer from ‘spiritual Alzheimer’s’.
The ability to call gossip by its name in itself is the ability to bring to its end, as my brother Albert clearly brings up a different understanding of gossip, “the gossip in prayer”. Who ever thought of this? Truly at times we venture into gossips in our spiritual conversation with God. Gossip has become the greatest illness in our today’s society, it has become the “Cancer” of our society.
Gossip has torn apart strong families, has torn apart religious communities, it has torn apart believes and friendship. “A careless or wrong words out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it right from the pit of hell” (James 3:6). In itself gossip turns our attention from Christ, we tend to concentrate on lesser important matters, and we tend to place all our attention towards the worldly things forgetting that the center, the master of our Christian life is always and has to be Our Lord Jesus Christ.
This brings us to the idea of being indifferent with other people. Feeling special than other group of people. This separates us from the divine love that Christ brings to us. Loving the Lord our God, with all our hearts and all our soul, loving our neighbour as ourselves. Another aspect involves loving our enemies. This is never possible with the indifferent syndrome in us. As the author clearly indicates that, “For whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interest and concerns, it gives no room for others, no place for the poor and no listening to charity. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt and the desire to do good fades”. The moment we see each other part of the greater universe, the creation of God, we will automatically live the “beatitude life”, the life of being our brother/sisters keeper.
Pope Francis talks of existential schizophrenia. What a big word, but a deeper meaning in itself…its deepness refers to the challenges of Christian life. Living as a Christian is truly a challenge, but a sweet challenge, a true life of the cross. In this Christian living, we are caught up with various challenges which include a “double life”. What I mean with double life is what the Pope explained as existential schizophrenia. This involves one being seen to the public especially in the Church circles as a very devote Christian but outside the known “area”, he or she automatically turns to be the opposite of what is required of a Christian.  As Albert explains in his book, that we must do what we teach as Christians, and not remaining in our shells, while expecting others to practice what we preach. We should not in any way defend tricky plans that support double life in Christendom. Christians, let us not be thrilled by the culture of prosperity, for it is deadening to our spiritual growth and ascent to heaven. I can clearly agree with him that to get rid of this vice we can only manage by having daily renewed encounter with God’s love which blossoms into an enriching friendship with Jesus Christ.
Self-righteous people will never experience forgiveness and love, since they are blind to their sinfulness. The Pharisees and the scribes, the learned and the intellectual could not understand why Jesus was friendly with the sinners and mingled with the outcasts of society. With the parable of the prodigal and his brother Jesus explained to them that it is the realization of one’s own unworthiness and heartfelt repentance that makes one dear to God, who is a loving Father to all.
We need not be ashamed of our sins and weaknesses before God. As we read in the Book of the Prophet Micah, Israel, the people of God besought God’s forgiveness again and again without any shame. The people were not ashamed of their unfaithful past. They were convinced that God would pardon all their transgressions. He would not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
One important point to note is Albert’s point out that, “each individual Christian and every community is called to be an instrument of God for the liberation and promotion of the poor, and for enabling them to be fully part of their societies”. This calling involves a true re-birth of Christians to Christ that is by living the Christian values to the fullness. Accepting the Jesus Christ is the Lord and Saviour of our life. Though the Author brings in another thought, his claim is that; whenever we form circles or cliques, we create an impression that threatens the whole community and its members. Our focus is redirected from Christ to that of the circles. This to my understanding is the question of priorities. What is our main focus? Is it the small groupings we form or its Christ? Circles tempt us to tend to glorify our own being, it tempt us to work on fulfilling the demands created by the human beings in charge of the respective circles thus forgetting the main purpose of life. The glorification of God. The Author sums up this with a biblical quotation that states, “How can you believe, who receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from God?” (John 5:44). It tends to hinder s from the main goal. This will tempt us to also seek favors’ from our “bosses”, to seek higher positions in various movements or circles that we identify ourselves with respectively. We are to abandon ourselves or those who seek to be “worshipped”, and focus on Christ. What favour do we seek from humanity? The greatest blessings we should seek is from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the two last Chapters, we are taken back to the great parable of Mary and Martha. The character of busyness and then the most contagious question of who is a Christian. First on the question of busyness. How busy are we for Christ? Like Martha, we might be tempted to make all seem right, we might be busy with projects, developments, food among other things that might bring external happiness to us, but the reality is always that we are called to be like Mary. To sit at the feet of Christ, to listen to the words of Christ, to allow the teacher to share His knowledge with us. Resting at the feet of Christ allows us not only to recognize our deeper self, but to know Christ more and more. We are not called to busy ourselves with the world, but to focus more on the Christ the Teacher. Lastly, my friend Albert talks about. “How to be a Christian”. I like criteria that Albert gives for a Christian, “we can be called Christians if and only if we follow the details of the Divine Living Word of God and bring salvation and joy to our soul and the souls of others”. This summarizes the whole book. The whole book is all about our Christian life, how we can best be Christian. He talks about baptism though important, but we still are required to install more effort. We are to work towards being true Christians. We are called to Faith, faith in Christ ad this is through action, through our day to day deeds, through our relation with others and the most important is our relation with God. This is what makes us true Christians. 

By
Peter Kennedy Owino

"In history the violence of the arrogant takes its toll, but God does not leave us” moritisintellectualworld.blogspot.com

“In history the violence of the arrogant takes its toll, but God does not leave us”
Francis is the first pope to pray the Angelus of the Assumption in St. Peter's Square. “Life is not a wandering without direction, but a pilgrimage with a safe destination: the Father’s house”
Saturday 15 August 2015

Today, the Feast of the Assumption of Mary, Pope Francis appeared at the window of the Apostolic Palace on St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus: it is the first time that this Marian prayer, on the day of Ferragosto, is being recited by the Pope in the Vatican and not at Castel Gandolfo, as was tradition. The first time since 1954, when “right at  the Feast of the Assumption, in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Pius XII prayed for the first time the Marian antiphon that then, in the fall, was resumed definitively and permanently,” as noted by “Il Sismografo.” Before the Angelus, Jorge Mario Bergoglio said that “in history the violence of the arrogant, the pride of the rich, and the arrogance of the proud all take their toll” quoting the words of the Magnificat; “But Mary believes and proclaims that God does not abandon his children, the humble and poor, but helps them with compassionate care, toppling the mighty from their thrones.” Francis also said that “our life, seen in the light of Mary assumed into Heaven, is not a wandering without direction, but it is a pilgrimage which, with all its uncertainties and sufferings, has a safe destination: the home of our Father, waiting for us with love.” After the prayer he dedicated a thought “to the population of the city of Tianjin,” in China: “I assure you of my prayers for those who died and for all those who are suffering from this evil; the Lord will give relief to them and support to those engaged in alleviating their suffering.”

The Pope began: “Dear brothers and sisters, good morning. Happy Feast of the Madonna. Today the Church celebrates one of the most important festivals dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the feast of her Assumption. At the end of her earthly life, the Mother of Christ rose in body and soul to heaven, that is, into the glory of eternal life, in full communion with God.” The page of the Gospel “presents Mary who, immediately after conceiving Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, went to see her cousin Elizabeth, who was also miraculously waiting for a son. In this meeting full of the Holy Spirit, Mary expresses her joy with the canticle of the Magnificat, because she fully realized the significance of the great things that are taking place in her life: through her, all the waiting of her people came to fulfillment.”

Francis goes on to underline that “the Gospel also shows us what the true motive is for the greatness of Mary and her bliss: the motive is faith. Indeed Elizabeth greets her with these words: ‘Blessed is she who believed in the fulfillment of what the Lord has told you.’”

In fact, faith is “the heart of the whole story of Mary, She is the believer, the great believer; she knows - and says - that in history the violence of the arrogant, the pride of the rich, the arrogance of the proud take their toll. However, Mary believes and proclaims that God does not abandon his children, the humble and poor, but helps them with mercy and kindness, toppling the mighty from their thrones, scattering the proud in the plots of their hearts. This is the faith of our Mother, this is the faith of Mary!”

The Magnificat allows us “to grasp the full meaning of the story of Mary: if the mercy of the Lord is the driving force of the story, then she could not ‘know the corruption of the tomb, she who bore the Lord of life.’” All this is not just about Mary. The “great things” done by the Almighty in her touch us deeply, speaking to us of our journey through life, reminding us of the destination that awaits us: the Father's house.”

Here it is that “our life, seen in the light of Mary assumed into Heaven, is not a wandering without direction, but it is a pilgrimage that, even with all its uncertainties and sufferings, has a safe destination: the house of our Father, who is waiting for us with love. It is nice to think that we have a Father who awaits us with love and a Mother who waits for us up there, in heaven.”

The Pontiff added: “Today all of us together pray to her, because while winding our way on this earth, she turns to us her merciful eyes, she is clears the way, shows us the goal, and after this our exile shows us Jesus, the blessed fruit of her womb. Let us say together: O mild, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!”

After the Angelus, Pope Bergoglio invited pilgrims to pay a visit to the icon of Our Lady Salus populi Romani (Protectress of the Roman people) in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, saying: “How nice it would be if today you decide to go see the Madonna in her feast day.”

Finally, he thanked everyone “for coming and I wish you a happy feast. Please do not forget to pray for me. Have a good lunch and goodbye.”
In the morning he tweeted: “The life of Mary shows that God does great works through the most humble.”

War is never good!

“The horrors of Hiroshima are a permanent warning against war”
The Pope at the Angelus, 70 years after the atomic attacks in Japan: with violence “we always lose”; “from all lands may one voice rise up: yes to dialogue and to peace!”
Domenico Agasso jr
Sunday 09 August 2015
 
“Seventy years ago, on the 6th and the 9th of August 1945, the terrible atomic bomb attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki took place.  Even after so many years, this tragic event still arouses horror and repulsion. This (event) has become the symbol of mankind’s enormous destructive power when it makes a distorted use of scientific and technical progress and serves as a lasting warning to humanity so that it rejects forever war and bans nuclear weapons and all arms of mass destruction.” Pope Francis’ remarks followed the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square, where crowds applauded him as he noted that “Above all, this sad anniversary urges us to pray and strive for peace, to spread brotherhood throughout the world and a climate of peaceful coexistence between peoples.” Here then is the appeal of the Pontiff: “May one cry rise up from every land, ‘No’ to war and violence and ‘Yes’ to dialogue and to peace!” “With war one always loses,” he chanted, “the only way to win a war is never to wage it.”
Before the Angelus, Pope Bergoglio commenced with a reflection on “the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John, where Jesus, having accomplished the great miracle of the loaves, explains to the people the meaning of the ‘sign.’ As he had done earlier with the Samaritan woman, starting from the experience of thirst and the sign of the water, Jesus here starts with the experience of hunger and the sign of bread, to reveal Himself and as an invitation to believe in Him.”
Francis continued: “People look for him, people listen to him, because they were enthusiastic about the miracle - they wanted to make him king; but when Jesus said that the true bread, given by God, is himself, many were shocked, and began to murmur among themselves: ‘Of him - they said - do we not know his father and mother? How then can he say, 'I came down from heaven?’ They begin to murmur. Jesus replied, ‘No man can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me,’ and added: ‘He who believes has eternal life.’”
The Pope observed that “this astonishes us, and makes us reflect on the word of the Lord. It introduces the dynamic of faith, which is a relationship: the relationship between human beings - all of us - and the Person of Jesus, where the Father plays a decisive role, and of course the Holy Spirit - who remains implied here.” But it’s not enough “to meet Jesus to believe in Him, it’s not enough to read the Bible, the Gospel; it’s important, but it’s not even enough to witness a miracle… Many people were in close contact with Jesus and they did not believe in him and actually even despised and condemned him.”
The Pontiff went on to wonder: “Why? This happened because their hearts were closed to the work of the Holy Spirit. And if you have a closed heart, faith does not enter. Instead, faith, which is like a seed in the depths of our heart, blooms when we allow ourselves to be drawn by God towards Jesus, and we go to Him with an open mind and with no prejudices; then we see in his face the Face of God and in his words the Word of God, because the Holy Spirit has made us enter into the relationship of love and life that exists between Jesus and God the Father.”
Here it is that “then, with this attitude of faith, we can understand the meaning of ‘the Bread of life’ that Jesus gives us, and that He expresses like this: ‘I am the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.’ In Jesus, in his ‘flesh’ - that is, in his concrete humanity - all the love of God is present, which is the Holy Spirit. Those who let themselves be attracted by this love go to Jesus in faith, and receive from Him life, eternal life.”
The Pope added: “She who has lived this experience in an exemplary way is Mary, the Virgin of Nazareth: the first human being who believed in God by welcoming the flesh of Jesus. Let us learn from Her, our Mother, the joy and gratitude for the gift of faith. A gift that is not “private,” it is not private property, but to share: it is ‘for the life of the world.’”  
After the recitation of the midday Angelus Francis also said “I am following with deep concern the news coming from El Salvador where recently the suffering of the population has worsened owing to the famine, the economic crisis, social clashes and growing violence. I encourage the beloved people of El Salvador to persevere united in hope and urge everybody to pray in order that justice and peace can flower ago in the land of the Blessed Oscar Romero.”
Finally, there was the wish of the Pope for all to “Have a good Sunday. And please, do not forget to pray for me! Have a good lunch and goodbye!”
 

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Lent message

May you experience all blessings from God as we start lent today. Just have a time and  reflect on Pope Francis message for lent.
By the end of today, l will share some reflections on lent of different great men and Popes including Pope Francis. So try to visit this blog for your spiritual edification. Thanks

Terrorism of Gossip-Spiritual Alzheimer:The Contributions of Pope Francis and the Saints

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