Love Prevails!: Count Your BLESSINGS!

My People,

Good Morning! Have you been greeted with a smile? And tell me aren't you charmed? I do know there are so many aspects to a human being but to me the one who smiles is like a Christmas tree all lit up. I think if one had to be called beautiful it would have to be definitely for the 100 watt smile. Isn’t it true?

There is no fear in love. 1 John 4:18

Day 28^th October, 2015 – St. Jude’s Feast and my dad’s birthday too. We have our Bible class and Fr. Ashlyn mentions the hymn ‘Count your blessings!’ The Holy Spirit and I write.

Day 30^th October, 2015 – We have a talk by Fr. Ashlyn at Mt. Carmel’s Church at 8:00 in the evening. I think I might have reached there by 08:20 - Abba, Father told me that the most important thing to do was just be there.

What an amazing life this really is.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your blessings, see what God has done!

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Day 2^nd November, 2015 – At Mt. Carmel’s for the 6:00 am mass I can feel the tears roll down my face. I pray ‘Jesus, Son of God have mercy on me.’

It’s 07:30 am and in comes Fr. Joe on the altar. I love every part of the celebration of the mass. Fr. Joe’s homily soothed my heart. It was not an answer to what I was praying for. But it was an answer from the Holy Spirit. He relieved that part of my heart which was troubled. It is in my nature to say what is on my mind. I don’t pretend to like something when I may feel something else. I don’t necessarily take an action over what I feel unless it is God who tells me to do so. I am but His servant. I have heard it been said that one must not pay attention to the bad. And it’s not something I do, but then again it’s not in me to turn away when I can hear God’s voice clearly.

I cannot let someone suffer or cry and not try to do something to help. God has always let me help.

If I but move to the right or left, If I do call the color as white or black. If I do so - I have never done anything without His will.

Do I overlook the wrongs that are done? Do I never have a say? What do I do? These were specifically the questions that weighed heavy on my heart.

I thank God, for Fr. Joe.

The graveyard on all souls day is surrounded by candles and decorated with flowers. It's beautiful to watch. I attended the 7:30 mass in the evening. Waited to watch the graveyard and be a part of the celebration. I prayed for all the souls. When leaving, I told them “I love you”.

Every mass I pray for the ‘Holy Souls’. These are my words: ‘I pray for all the souls who have come from the beginning of time, and those who have left the world and those who will leave the world today until the next time I attend the mass. I pray for Your mercy on them and for the release of all the souls of Purgatory.’ I make sure I leave no one out of my prayers.

Their goal is to be in the company of God. That’s all they want. That’s all they need.

The first time I remember having a high temperature, is when I was six. My mum had got me a box of crayons and being as sick as I was, I kept it under my pillow. Every time I woke up I would lift my pillow, look at the box of crayons and go back to sleep. I still love colours. I still get excited about the littlest things.

People say there is nothing to do. I find life interesting yes it has its ups and downs, but that is what it is. I love my life.

I love to cook but more than that I love to bake. When baking there is a whole new world of colours and techniques involved which I am quiet fascinated with? I love arts and craft. I love the thought of working on miniature stuff (craft work). I love writing for my blog. I love working on graphics, I love the display of colours. God never tires, His brain work fascinates me. I am amazed and always in awe of His magnificence. Take all the great minds like Einstein, Mozart, Beethoven, Helen Keller, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Raphael and this must be like a tip of the iceberg when you think of the genius mind that brought these into existence. GOD!!!!

I love colours. They brighten up everything. There are so many varieties of flowers and they are all so amazingly beautiful. When you look at them you are in a world that is so breath taking and marvellously beautiful. Looking at them refreshes all the senses and the feeling is simply amazing. Even now if I have my eyes closed I will feel that feeling all over again. That is the presence of God - among the flowers.

God makes the best use of His time. He never wastes a single second. God in His time created every little flower, every colour, every little petal, the intricate designs, the fragrance, the sensation that you get when you look at them. And nothing in this world can compare to that joy that fills the heart.

Why take the effort?

God never wastes a second. He does everything He can. He does it for us. No matter how much we hurt Him He continues with His good work. When we fall in our ways, when we hurt each other, HE does not condemn us, He build us up by the sacrifice of His Son.

Day 30^th October, 2015 – The 'Promise of Lilies.’ Mt. Carmels Church-The altar.

Thank You, Father.

Thank You, Jesus.
Thank You, Holy - Spirit.

Women empowerment - The current job situation has opened vast opportunities for women. Some of the women are the top bracket earners. When one gets such top notch salary it kind of gets to the head. And if and when a woman earns more than a man, can you imagine the condition of that home. Not hard to imagine is it?

Good if it does not make a difference. But when it does, it is easy to stray, it is easy to be unfaithful it is easy to find faults with the husband and play the blame game it is easy to be condemning the spouse.

All the money in the world should not change the natural order of things. So a better job, a better pay check cannot make you any more powerful or powerless. It is all in the head. Yes, money can give you the feeling that you are in command. Our relationships are not purchased with money.

The arch angel Gabriel came bearing good news. Mary, a simple 15 year old (a kid in reality) accepted the will of God through Gabriel. Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

The moment Mary accepted the Will of God the Holy Spirit descended on Mary and Mary conceived Jesus. The Son of God became flesh, to be born a human (true God and true man). Mary listened, believed God and His Word. Mary was obedient to God and her husband. Mary lived a life filled with doing the Will of God in everything she did. She was a wife, a mother.

In all her simplicity, her desire to do God’s will superseded everything. Her power was not in her wanting to be herself but in being everything that God wanted in her.

Day 14^th November, 2015 – After attending the 05:15 wedding mass (one of my cousins) at St. Peters’ Church, for the first time in my life, I noticed the grotto and in it were inscribed Mary’s words ‘Do whatever He tells you.’ I am amazed, of all the times I have been to St. Peters this had to be the first time that I actually saw the grotto.

Add to it the Gospel theme the ‘Wedding at Cana....

To me it is a miracle, because I know, Mother Mary is talking to me. Now I have to be even more attentive. Mama, I’m listening......

Love never dies.

I believe whatever God has revealed because God is the truth.

Love is always and forever. Love is to know that you could die for the one you love. Love is to the end of time. It crosses all the extremities and the parallels of the universe. It is infinite. Love is God and who could speak of it better than Him?

Genesis 1:27 states: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them

God created all men equal in His own image and likeness. He did not create us with any difference. He called us His children.

Often in life we forget the meaning to life. And in the real essence of the word, it implies the total love of God. He gave us this life, because He loves us. This is His gift to us therefore we have no right to end this life. He gave us this life therefore He alone can take it away.

We are here to know Him, to love Him, to serve Him in this world and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.

This is a beautiful life and ‘The right to life’ - is not just WORDS. There is a whole new perspective to it and the rights an individual has. Every human being, each and every one, no matter from whichever strata of the ladder the person hails from - he or she has rights that no being must violate. If one cares less for any individual – one shows a lack of love for God.

Luke 10:27 states: - He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Let us put this as a basis for building on the principle of Human Rights.

The right to dignity to be treated fairly by another human being-with no caste barrier or discrimination.

The right to not be subjugated to (not be kept down or oppressed) by anybody irrespective of the social status.

The right to choose a way of life that makes one happy while adhering to the rules of the law of God and of Society.

The right to be free.

The right to be happy.

The right of choice.

We all face temptations. As Christians, as Catholics we will face hard times. The enemy will hurl everything he has at us, all in the name of Christ. Stand strong in the name of Jesus.

So you love somebody. Everybody loves somebody at some point in their life. And what would life be without love?

Love is essential. When as a person you have not met the one you love over a period of time, what would you feel?

And when the moment approaches and you get to see the one you love, you never thought your heart would ache with so much pain at the sight of your loved one. That ache is the one you want to return to every time. That kept at a distance was essential to know the depth of love, without which that understanding of the heart would never dawn and it had to at God’s time. 14^th November, 2015.

When you stand next to the one you love and when your feet don’t budge an inch. That definitely has to be the best place in the world. 15^th November, 2015.

Growing up, I never was a fan of the Romeo & Juliet story. I never did like sad endings. He drinks poison to kill himself knowing that she is dead and then she wakes up to the fact that he is dead. And knowing this she kills herself. Too much confusion, they had a lack of communication and understanding, a tragic love story, but still a big hit.

Do you ever wonder why? We all want someone who would love us to death.

Could it be that we all want something so much, we hunger for it and we look for it everywhere our whole lives through often we are this close but the lures of the world keep us away.

It is love that Satan fears because love is the most powerful weapon in ones arsenal. Love gives you the ability to lay down your life for the one you love. Love is sacrifice.

Fear clouds our minds from the truth. It creates a chaos and we don’t see our way out of it. Fear grows with time. It is what the devil uses to keep us from getting to the truth.

Below is an example:-

Lets say for instance I’m a lonely person, never been loved. I’ve been lonely all my life. My parents gave me the things I would require, but I never grew up ever feeling the warmth of a good and loving home. Never knew anyone never had friends. Never thought about anybody and nobody thought about me. Over time I’ve become hard hearted, bitter and selfish. I see the world with the way I’ve grown to know them. Nobody cared for me and I for one as a person could care less. And if I had a favourite line it would be the Chris Isacc song ‘nobody loves no one.’

The last time I visited Church was when I was little. Since then I have lost my way. Off and on I see families and I wonder what it is, is it for real? And then I get miserably bitter.

I don’t believe in love, I think it is a well told lie. (Fear has kept me believing that love is a lie. Fear has kept me feeling bitterness.)

My turning point comes when I least expect. Somehow I find myself in the middle of nowhere. I’m lost, very hurt, dejected and not a penny in my purse. For clothes, I have just one additional pair. I don’t know how to make it through and I don’t know how to get back home. I am stranded in the middle of nowhere. My journey begins.

Suddenly I find myself in the company of people. And this is a small town but the people seem to be kind to a stranger like me. They come bringing me food and offering me shelter. I have never known anyone to be so kind to me. I watch them, I watch their kindness and I am completely taken over with their generosity and their love. They are kind to me knowing that I can’t repay. So really their expectation is zero. But their hearts are so full of love.

I hear the Church bells toll and I walk in the direction of the sound of the bells. I look at the Church. I walk in and sit in one of the first pews. As I look at the CROSS I now know, I never was alone. I am home.

The depth of love is shown in the suffering of the person.

Second it is in the giving of oneself completely to the one you love.

The greatest love story, is not the one where both kill themselves on knowing the death of the other. No. The greatest love story is the one where there is a sacrifice. But the one who makes the sacrifice also lives up to the promise to come back to the one He loves. A promise is a promise.

When we are in love with someone, we want to be spending all the time we can. We just love to be in their presence. It is no different with Jesus. When we are in love with Him and are passionate for His presence, we will find ways to get close enough to Him.

To me the most passionate love story is the one Jesus has with us. As I am writing I will write it as Jesus and me, this is my love story.

I love to be loved by Him.

That when mocked and spat upon and betrayed, He never gave up on me.
That when scourged (whipped/flogged) He never said stop.
When carrying the Cross - He carried me in His thoughts. He never let me of His mind.
That when they hammered the nails on His feet and hands, that through that pain He covered all my scars and never let me feel the pain.
When on the CROSS - He looked at me and said, this is how much I love you, I love you to death? Do you love me?

What is the love of Christ?

The betrayal (a kiss on the cheek) by a friend (an apostle).

The crown of thorns.
The scourging at the pillar.
The side where the sword was pierced.
The wound on the shoulder due to carrying of the Cross.
The thorn that entered the eye of Jesus.
The nail hammered on the right hand.
The nail hammered on the left hand.
The nail hammered on both the feet.

The compassion to heal on a Sabbath (Jesus followed the law to perfection, but His heart was filled with compassion)

The sorrow at the death of Lazarus

The forgiveness of the woman caught in adultery. (Jesus unfailing mercy)

The wounds of Christ reveal, The Perfection of Love - In John 13:34 Jesus give us this Commandment, "Love one another as I have loved you".

Love by its very nature is total and constant giving of self to God. "It is in giving that we receive!"

The below two verses are from the song ‘Never Give Up’. I love the title and the lyrics below.

Keep the dream alive don't let it die

If something deep inside keeps inspiring you to try, don't stop

And never give up, don't ever give up on you

Don't give up

Every victory comes in time, work today to change tomorrow

It gets easier, who's to say that you can't fly

Every step you take you get, closer to your destination

You can feel it now, don't you know you're almost there?

Please Read:-

“A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell on the path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered for lack of moisture. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that ‘looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.’ Luke 8:5-15

The parable that Jesus explains to His disciples is: The seed is the word of God. The ones on the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe only for a while and in a time of testing fall away. As for what fell among the thorns, these are the ones who hear; but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold onto it and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Day 22^nd November, 2015 – Christ the King feast.

Morning, back from the Church to home I saw a woman purchase fish and feed the cats. I got a little bit mad with what I saw. I kept thinking of all the people who go hungry.

There were 13 cats in all. I had a recount just to be sure.

For the first time in my life, I walked as part of the procession to St. Andrew’s Church. It was nice to see the 4 Church come together. To me it was new. I have been for the celebration of Christ the King mass and I have stayed back and prayed. But this was not something I had ever done.

Bishop Dominic Savio Fernandez gave the homily.

I did not understand the magazine issue that they made an announcement of but what I did understand is that the proceeds of it goes to support the ........

I wasn’t exactly listening to all the announcements. (I don’t in the Church either. The part of the celebration of the mass and prayers-I listen to, I pray and anything else which takes my mind of Jesus, I avoid. That is my time to Jesus and nobody else. And Jesus, never minds me doing that. The words I put down here is because If I don’t I will have been in disobedience to Jesus and The Holy Spirit.) I heard the Priests and the Bishop. Other than that when the man spoke I wanted to run. Don’t get me wrong, he spoke well, but there was no heart – it bored me.

My only point being – that this was Christ the King feast day and at best that was what it should have been.

This is what Christ the King – celebration stands for:-

The Apostles wrongly supposed that the Messiah would restore the kingdom of Israel. Before the Roman magistrate Jesus declared that His kingdom was not of this world. This kingdom one can enter only by penance, by faith and by baptism. This kingdom is opposed to that of Satan and to the power of darkness. It demands a detachment from riches and earthly things. We must deny ourselves and carry The Cross.

Christ offered Himself as a victim for our sins at the price of His own blood, as priest He continues to offer Himself. We are the redeemed of Christ.

Each of us were given a small parcel (some snacks). I bought it home.

When we listen to the Gospel – homily, at Church or in this case the gathering we bring it home if the distractions or cares of the world have not lured it out of us.

When we receive the Body of Christ – how welcome do we make Jesus feel? Do we forget Him a minute after receiving communion?

What is it that we take home with us? Do we bring Jesus or do the cares of the world get to us?

After receiving communion, we must feel the presence of Jesus, when we do every mass will have made a different impact on us.

Day 31^st October, 2015 A lot of work and I am completely exhausted. I tried to make it to Church.

Day 9th November, 2015 - People always complain that they don’t find anything interesting to do. And it is surprising that they say so. Due to the time I put at work these days, people have come to believe that apart from work I have nothing to do. I love the job that God has blessed me with. It’s just that I am way too tired. I leave from home at 6:15 in the morning and reach home in the night at 9:00 on other days. Both last Saturday, 31^st October and this Saturday, the 7^th of November I reached home at 10:50 and 11:35 in the night.

17^th – 21^{st November}, the whole of this week I have been reaching home after 10.00 in the night. Wednesday-Bible study day is the only time I left early from work.

I am never in a hurry to get anywhere. I give my job the best of me, I try.

Not being able to make it to Church that’s the most difficult one of all. I try hard to make it but there are blocks on all the paths. Yes I can have my way, but that would not be in His will for me. I desire to be with Him, but when He permits for me to come to Him and be in His presence, I will be. When I force my view, there is no surrender and no trust at all. I trust Him with all my heart. I trust in His promise to me. He says nothing will keep us apart. That means together forever.

Day 21^st November, 2015 – I was completely tired. This entire week, I have slept for about 4-41/2 hours only.

Being completely drained out, I sat in the bus knowing I had to reach work. These days I have worked nearly 14-15 hours at a stretch. I feel miserable due to mental exhaustion at work. If you think I sat to do over-time that would never be true.

Jesus asked me to have my eyes closed. I did. Jesus asked me to be with Him. We spoke. When I reached work it took me time to realize, but what happened is Jesus let me into His heart and I felt wholly renewed. I felt strong, happy and like I could take on the world.

When you feel and know His heart, the world and the way you see it changes forever. Nothing seems to be the same. Love changes the route.