Stations of the Cross

In our parish,we have Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent.Normally, my job prevents me from attending each week.My regular schedule requires me to work on alternate Fridays and I can't go the days I work.For several months, we've been off work every Friday because business has been slow.I was expecting to be able to go to church every Friday this time, but as luck would have it, now that Lent has arrived, the manager has changed the work schedule.....again. Now, he's returned it the "normal" schedule and I can only attend the Stations on alternate Fridays, as before.
If we can go to Philippines according to plan,we'll be in Dumaguete during Holy Week and we can do Via Crucis the way it should be done.

Ash Wednesday

Looking back,I see my father as the strongest influence on my Catholicism.It was he who sent us to the nuns to learn the catechism.He took us to confession every Saturday and Mass every Sunday.
But,it's odd.....he never took us to midnight Mass at Christmas or Mass on Ash Wednesday.Today is Ash Wednesday and I can't imagine not going to Mass .My wife will be there with me and we will take our son.Was my father too busy with work then or did he not appreciate the significance of the day?Some many things I want to ask him but can't.
All I can do now is pray for him and for my mother.He's been dead nearly forty years....my mother, almost twenty seven years.
Memento homo, quia pulvis es, et in pulverem reverteris

The most important thing

Commenting on my previous post on Sr. Lucia, Oberon asks,"What is the most important thing?".If I were to confine my answer to a one sentence response I would say the most important thing is developing your relationship with God.There are certainly several paths available and I'm not going to argue which one is the best for everyone but instead write about what I feel is the best way for me.
Number one is receiving the Eucharist on a regular basis.
Twice- daily Meditation and daily Rosary are important.
Attending not only Mass on Sunday but on Holy Days of Obligation is something I strive to do.
Reading is high on my list as well....not only the Bible, but writings by a wide variety of religious and philosophical writers.
"And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Sr. Lucia

Two years ago, in February,2005 I was reading the memoirs of Sister Lucia of Fatima.At the time, she was 97 years old.She died on Feb.13th while I was reading the first volume,.I'm not sure why it was that I was so interested in reading about Fatima or why I had ordered the two volumes But,I probably would not have noticed her passing had I not been reading her memoirs at that time.

Saint Bernadette

It was February 11,1858 when the Virgin Mary first appeared to 14 year old Bernadette Soubirous.Most of us are reasonable familiar with the story of Lourdes.Today the place where Our Lady of Lourdes appeared is a shrine and a place of pilgrimage for millions.As for the cures sought for there:

Excerpt taken from the Travel and Mission Notebook #113 by FJE
Told by in the Marian Collection (1991) by Brother Albert Pfleger
How Could an Unbeliever Persevere in His Disbelief? (I)
A group of Lutheran theologians from Eastern Germany published a proclamation in 1971 containing these lines filled with moving honesty:
“At Lourdes, Fatima and other Marian sanctuaries, impartial criticism is faced with supernatural facts, which have a close relation to the Virgin Mary, either because of the apparitions, or because of the miraculous graces obtained by her intercession. These facts defy any natural explanation. Until now, 1,200 of the cures that have taken place at Lourdes were recognized as scientifically inexplicable by medical doctors. Yet the Catholic Church has only declared miraculous 44 of them. For thirty years, 11,000 doctors, without distinction of religion or scientific opinions, had free access to the Office of Medical Observations. Therefore, a cure declared miraculous has the greatest possible guarantee.”

As for the photo......This is an actual photo of St.Bernadette as she appears today. Her body is on display in a chapel in Nevers, France.Most of us are unaware that her body was exhumed from the grave thirty yeras after she was buried and found to be incorrupt.

Prayer,Meditation and Multitasking

Faith,belief and a trust in God is a central part of my life.Meditation and prayer are daily activities and I like to spend time regularly reading something of a religious of philosophic nature.The Catholic church in this small southern town doesn't have daily morning masses....otherwise I'd adjust my schedule for that. But I do not live the life of a recluse....I have work to do and a family that I love very much.I use the word "multitasking" when writing about my daily activities but I'm not so sure that is the correct word. I try to get a lot done, but not all at the same time.I'm not happy with my present job and financial situation, so I'm busy all through the day on other projects.I'm forever looking for ways to improve the Dumaguete website and perhaps make a dollar or two with it.One blog cannot deal with all the interests I have so I have three......all requiring my attention on a regular basis.Now, I decided that the time has come for me to take another look at the novel that I set aside.One more job to do in an already busy day.I find myself asking for God's help putting this all together.Without this time spent with the Holy Spirit in meditation I would probably waste away into nothing.

Thoughts on Lent

Ash Wednesday will be on February 21st this year.It is approaching very fast.....almost taking me by surprise.I realise,now,that I like Lent more than Advent.Some see Lent as a time of sacrifice because we must "give up" some little something during that time. I see it more as a renewal.I like the time of added prayers and meditation;perhaps increasing the time spend doing the Rosary and going to Mass more often.I enjoy the Christmas season,of course, but it has become too commercialised and often the "enjoyment" around us is forced.No one has figured out a way to make the Easter season as commercial as Christmas.The "Easter Bunny" doesn't have the same commercial success as "Santa".I guess,too, this due to the fact that the time preceding Easter is spent "sacrificing". The days immediately before Easter Sunday are concentrated on the Crucifixion.....not exactly the thing money makers want to think about.Lent and Holy Week are times of silence and contemplation....two of my favorite ways to pass the time.

A few thoughts on The Bhagavad Gita

Of all the books I've read,the Bhagavad Gita has had the greatest influence on my life.I've read the book countless times.I currently have three translations.....2 others are lost.The only other book that comes close to accurately describing the indescribable is "Cloud of the Unknowing".
To some,this may seem like a strange idea coming from a Catholic.Above all, I believe the Nicene Creed.I also believe that the "Person"we refer to as The Holy Spirit reveals itself to prophets and mystics of all religious traditions,although it is understood differently in each tradition.
The human mind cannot comprehend the Holy Spirit as it truly is .Each of us interprets it within our own cultural context.
As a mystic and contemplative,I can "feel"a connection between the Christian Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-and the Gita's Trinity of the three gunas-namely, sattva,rajas and tamas.
Is it a coincidence that the symbol for the word "Om" so much resembles the numeric symbol for three?
We should keep in mind that through meditation we do not "become" God as believed by some.We are simply allowing ourselves to drop the barriers and listen to God speaking to us.

Meditation and the Chaos Theory

Earlier this week, after a pleasant series of events, I wrote a positive and upbeat piece on immigration for another of my blogs. Later, a rather bitter comment was left, along with a link to the commenter’s web page. This particular web page told about some unfortunate events in this person’s life and he could not hide his resentment. It’s not my point to tell his story but to tell of my mental reaction.
After my meditation, my mind kept going back to the idea of something called “The Chaos Theory” or “The Butterfly Effect”. The theory comes from observations made by a meteorologist who concluded that it was impossible to accurately predict the weather because the smallest degree of difference in the beginning can mean a significant difference in the final results. It’s often illustrated with the idea of a butterfly moving his wings in Brazil can ultimately cause a typhoon in Indonesia (or prevent one, for that matter).
Very little is mentioned on the effect of this theory on religious or philosophical thought. Along with the idea of  Synchronicity,  the Chaos Theory shows the inter-connectedness of everything. Everything in our life situation is the result of actions or non-action taken in the past. The good things you enjoy today could not have turned out as they have had your life been any different previously. This includes the “bad” events as well as the “good”. Had anything happened differently I would not be married to my present wife nor would our child be here. (Even if we had met and married, things had to be the way there were for the child that was conceived to be conceived).
We can never know the end result of our actions. Only God can know that. That is another reason why we should have faith and trust in God and know that His way is best for us.

Saint Anthony of Padua

Saint Anthony of Padua is the patron saint of my wife's hometown of Sibulan.We have decorative candles embossed with images of him as he is usually portrayed.....holding the Christ child, with a lily and book featured somewhere.
For Christmas, I was given a statue of Saint Anthony.I don't really know why the giver of this gift choose this particular saint.
Is this a message for me? I know very little about the saint.He's most often called upon to recover lost articles.I know I need to find out more about him. An article I read just moments ago called him a contemplative.That is reason enough for me to look into this.

Doubt

Usually, when we speak of "doubt" in a religious context we associate that idea with atheism or agnosticism. We think of those who call God's existence into question. But, there are other forms of doubt. There are many who believe in God but do not follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. There are also those who consider themselves Catholic but rather than follow all that the Church’s teachings in their entirety, they will pick and choose which of these teachings they will accept.
Above all, you must consider whether you accept the teaching that says Christ established His Church on Earth. The Catholic Church claims that it is that church and is guided by the Holy Spirit. If you do not believe that the Catholic Church is Christ’s True Church then why attend Mass? Why call yourself Catholic?
If you believe the Catholic Church is the Apostolic Church then why not accept what the Church says concerning such issues as birth control, abortion, capital punishment and marriage? If the Catholic Church is the true church then why not follow the Canon law? You cannot have it both ways…either it is or it isn’t.

The daily decalogue of Pope John XXIII

At Mass yesterday,our parish priest included in his homily "The daily decalogue of Pope John XXIII".Afterwards I found a copy of the Decalogue on the Vatican website.
1) Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively
without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2) Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I
will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in
my behaviour; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve
or to discipline anyone except myself.

3) Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created
to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4) Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring
all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5) Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good
reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the
body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6) Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7) Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing;
and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.

8) Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it
to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two
evils: hastiness and indecision.

9) Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that
the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in
this world.

10) Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be
afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed,
for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were
I to believe I had to do it all my life.

On teaching yourself meditation

Can we teach ourselves to meditate ?It is, after all, a natural technique; anyone can learn to meditate.
There two schools of thought on this issue. The traditional religions tell us that meditation is something we must learn from a qualified teacher. However, the more “New Age” type religions and philosophies are more tolerant of the idea that it is something we can teach ourselves.
I am more inclined to follow the more traditionalist path. I can compare it to learning a language. Learning to speak and understand French, for example, is so easy and natural that little babies can do it. But, a person cannot learn a language in isolation. You can’t learn the language properly if you just follow your own rules.
One mistake I think that the self taught make is in regards to the thoughts we all get during meditation. Those of us who were taught by an instructor learn that we are to ignore any thoughts we may have…….no matter how “enlightened” they may seem to us at the time. The self taught often hold on to these random thoughts believing them to be of great meaning and significance. They will wander about- following these thoughts which can go off in odd and bizarre directions. This is not meditation. We must not pay attention to these thoughts that come to us. We just return to our sacred word or mantra in the same effortless way that we think any other thought. These random thoughts cannot be prevented but we should not put any value to them. They can only lead us astray if we believe that following them is part of meditation.

Waking after Meditation

How are we different after we awaken from our meditation?In what ways has God changed us?Are we guided or prodded to go about our lives in some different way?What effect does this small visit with the Holy Spirit have on our everyday level of consciousness?
Are these changes recognizable to those who come in contact with us or are these changes simply subjective in nature?
Can others see the living Christ in us?
We don't have halos or stigmata as visual evidence that a change has taken place. Is our life a manifestation of the God within us? It should not be necessary for me to wear a crucifix around my neck for others to see my Christian faith......

finding time to meditate

I am pretty much a morning person;I am always the first one to arise.My wife and son both like to sleep later than I so it is not difficult for me to have the peace and quiet I need for meditation.
It is different when it comes to my afternoon meditation.My wife is very considerate and always does her best to keep the house quiet when she's there during my meditation periods.It's not so easy with my year old son.When he's older I'll be able to explain to him the need to quiet at certain times but now,when he and I are alone in the afternoons,I have to arrange my meditation around his nap.....not always easy to do.My downstairs neighbor can be noisy at times and if she isn't quiet when J.P. is napping then finding time to meditate is a challenge for me.
Fortunately,I usually can manage it....very rarely have I lost an afternoon meditation to noise.

The Immaculate Conception of Mary

Today is December 8th-the feast of The Immaculate Conception of Mary-a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church.
The picture on the left is "St Anne Conceiving the Virgin Mary" by Jean Bellegambe. (Flemish painter c. 1480 - c. 1535)
For a better understanding of Catholic teaching regarding this,click on here.

Meditation found to increase brain size

One might wonder why I put a jpg. of J.S. Bach in a blog entry entitled "Meditation found to increase brain size". I certainly don't want to imply that Bach was someone who practiced meditation;I have no evidence that he did. The title of this entry is from an article found in this link news.harvard.edu.I've been thinking about what I should write after having read the article. I have Bach's Mass in B Minor BWV 232 in the CD player and I am just letting the music wash over me and I'll write whatever comes to mind.Much has been written about the positive aspects of meditation.I know that I am a better person for having taken up the practice.I wouldn't say that I am a better person than "this one or that one", I can only say that I am better than I was before.I am no longer a slave to my physical addictions and my thinking is much clearer. When I was a young man, my head was filled with anxious thoughts and meditation has brought a calmness to me. Some have told me that I have a "charmed" life......I cannot say that, but it seems that even "bad" things that happen in my life always turn out for the best. Now,I read that meditation increases brain size; I do feel as if I am doing more from an intellectual standpoint than I've ever done before.I feel younger than I've felt in years.I can't help but give credit to my twice daily "visit" with The Holy Spirit and my taking Holy Communion whenever I can. God has blessed me beyond measure.I do not have a great deal of money or material possessions but I have a wonderful family.( and the music I'm listening to know ain't bad either ).

An unstable monk

One of the odder stories making the rounds over the Internet recently is the news of a 35 year old Buddhist monk in Thailand who cut off his penis with a machete. He did this, we’re told, because he had an erection during meditation. He declined the doctor’s attempts to re-attach it.
I knew when I read this story that I would have to write about this, but I’ve waited a few days because I was not sure which blog it would go in or how I would approach the subject. Some might be tempted to make bizarre comments and jokes but I’m going to take a different route.
In monotheism, the goal of meditation is to experience closeness with God; In Buddhist meditation, the stated purpose is to become enlightened. In either case, one usually becomes less enamored with materialism …… less attached to the things of this world.
However, the fact that this monk would mutilate his body because of a natural function of the body, reveals a complete misunderstanding of any valid religious principal. If this monk had a real notice of what “non-attachment” means he would have dealt with this in a less bizarre manner.
It’s understandable that a celibate religious or monk would want to rid his or her self of sexual desires .Cutting off body parts is certainly not an enlightened approach.

Thankfulness

Here in the United States, we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving Day Holiday. Many will say that today is set-aside for us as a nation and people to give thanks to God for the blessings we have.
The more cynical among us might say that the day was established to determine the start of the Christmas buying season. As much as I hate to say it, I would have to agree. We may read a good bit about thankfulness but in the minds of most of the people I know, today is the day to watch football, eat too much and get ready to “shop ‘til they drop”.
It’s 6:30 AM and as I write this, my wife and son are still asleep. I am having coffee; I’ve already done my morning meditation and sweet potatoes are baking in the oven. We’ll be going to church in a few hours and I’ll be taking a sweet potato pie for a Thanksgiving exchange after Communion.
It’s difficult for me to put into words just how thankful I am for my wife and my child. It’s easy to think of the things we want…… a house, a new PC, a new car and lots of money. But, I cannot imagine having a more loving wife. True, there are times when I feel like I’m living an episode of “I love Lucy” but, for the most part ,life with her is wonderful. I know every parent believes their year old child is special, but I have grown so much since he arrived.
I’d be the first to admit that I haven’t always done the right things; I haven’t always been wise in my decisions . But, had I done things differently I would not be sitting here today typing on this keyboard while those too very important people sleep in the next room. So, I am even thankful for the “mistakes” I made so many years ago.

WCCM

I put this photo here to remind myself to learn more about this group.They appear to be a worthwhile group but I don't know enough about them.I'm all for bringing meditation to more folks.The world needs more of us.
When we find a house I hope I can set aside an area for group meditation.That would probably involve building a privacy fence......among other things.Sometimes it seems very difficult to achieve simplicity.