Encountering Socrates, the great Philosopher

Mmm... What are you thinking, Socrates? Oh well, you make me think deep too.

While reading on the Philosophy, the first person I found was Socrates, the eminent Philosopher although my main focus was on the saints such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Augustine of Hippo. His interesting concept, "The unexamined life is not worth living" reminded me of Saint Ignatius' Spiritual Exercise. It was amazingly incredible, I must fess up because everything I discovered was linked with each other. Praise God for imparting upon me the foundations of Spiritual Exercise, the remarkable and handy treasure of the Catholic Church. 

Yeah, that is veracious. For me, to know that we are nothing is the authentic insight and perception. Why? To recognize our fragile nothingness is to acknowledge the supreme perfection of God, the Most High. There is a permanent part of my memory: "To have knowledge, you must first have reverence for the Lord God" (Proverbs 1:7, Good News) We must have absolute reliance upon our God. This is the reason why the devil loathes us to the core. The devil does not abominate us directly because we are nothing at all! His exact scorn is only for God who loves us and lives within us. He is just mad at us because despite our nonentity, God redeemed us through the death of His Beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and enabled us to enter into Paradise. Have you heard that the devil also detests the dog? Because the latter is the man's best friend! The devil would hate anything that is related to God and man. It makes sense to know that I know nothing so that I can recognize the God fully. Praise God! 

Mm.. Perhaps he is dead-on. For it is not easy to fight the ancient demons due to our brittle human flesh. But with God's graces, we can overcome our temptations. We need to wait for God to send over His graces to assist us. However, we should focus on building the Kingdom of God. As Lord Jesus said, no one who looked back while ploughing forward, is fit for the Paradise. Because if one decides to return to old sinful life, how can he possibly think of God and even desire for Heaven? We do not have to worry on how much effort should we put to fight our past demons for God is there with us through His Holy Sacraments, the outer signs of inner graces. While fixing our eyes on Him, we are processing to change and becoming better persons with the help of God's graces. Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid but look forward and move on to Heaven! 

This one cracked me up till my stomach hurt. Well, I am already married in fact. Three years ago, I consented to my marriage with God, and got married to Him and His Catholic Church through the baptism and confirmation. Still can't get it? What is the marriage for you, may I ask? Generally, in the eyes of the Catholic Church and statement of the Bible, the husband and wife become one through the consummation in the holy matrimony, and give life like raising the children through the intimate union. That is the physical marriage. However, it is essential to be spiritual too. The Catholic couples must aim for the Heaven in their holy matrimony for this is the precise purpose of bringing the spouse and children to Heaven. Likewise, the Father and the Son love each other so much that the Holy Spirit came forth from their Union. In same way, I got baptized to join union with God and His Catholic Church to become one mystical Body of Christ. As the Catholic philosopher Peter Kreef stated, Christianity is God's wedding proposal to the soul. I wish Socrates would specific what kind of marriage he intended to say. In my belief, there are three kinds of marriages in the Catholic Church. One is Holy Matrimony between man and woman. Sorry, it would not work for the same sex marriage because it is an obligation of the Mother Church to give and raise life through the mutual union of man and woman as the fruits of the marriage. Our main duty is to receive God's Word, bear fruits and return them to God. We cannot go to Heaven empty handed. Another one is the priesthood and religious life, some special marriage consecrated to God. Finally, it is the singlehood that everyone automatically received through baptism, and where I am currently in. I do not know what kind of marriage I will achieve eventually but what matters is that I am following God closely, obeying His Holy Will and fulfilling His dehydrated desires because after all, He had suffered so much and got killed just for our salvation. Out of my gratitude for Him, I took the leap of faith and undertook the insanely impossible journey in order to satisfy Him through my miniature accomplishments.

As I end this post, let us praise God! Blessed be God forever and ever! Praised be Jesus and Mary now and forever! Alleluia! Ave Maria! 

A blurb for my blog

Yeah, I am INFJ.

I took the personality test and found myself as INFJ. Some times ago, I defined my life as the clandestine yet austere one as I was simply seeking the artistic evocation of my spiritual inspirations in Twitter profile of mine because I found everything about me was always associated with God. Why? Because God had found me and I found Him. Yes, I concede that I am merely the human being who easily enjoys the earthly life like watching movie, playing games, drinking, reading, chatting, idling and even falling in love. But with the guide of the wise teachers, I acknowledge that I love God more than everything, even the women. As if it was the previous day, I remembered the words of the religious priest I met, "Yes, I love women, but I love God more than women." I typed the word, "clandestine" because it was tough for me to disclose and gab heart-to-heart to anyone. There was no one who could apprehend my mind beyond my physical disability. Only God, Mama Mary, my Patron Saints and Guardian Angel can comprehend me. Consequently, I became the enigma. 

Sounds crazy, isn't it? That is how my mind works.

However, would it make it requisite and obligatory for me to become the priest? Not de rigueur. Apparently, my ultimate aspirations are the holiness, the love for God, and sainthood in whatever state I am to be because God already lives within me and I live within Him. I chose to crucify and murder my erstwhile life through baptism and confirmation, and become the adopted son of God and Mama Mary. I do not mind getting married if the girl really assists me to become holy and intimate with God. I do not mind being a lifetime bachelor if my freedom really ameliorate my relationship with God. Likewise, I do not mind being a priest or religious priest if this vocation ensures my divine progress. What matters is my lifetime happiness as it is related to God's holy Will. The secret I encountered is that the deepest place of our hearts is precisely where God wants of us, corresponding to the salvation of our souls. Although I favour and have made my choice, I would like to put it on the litmus test again to see if it is authentic wish of mine or not as I am taking the undergraduate course that may widen my perspectives. I anticipate to find answer on my vocation that may shoot me straight to Paradise where I can join Mama Mary, all the choirs of celestial beings and saints to praise God for eternity. 

Spiritual life in Catholic Church may look simple but is actually very deep if it's being pursued till perfection.

My apologizes if my mystification has puzzled you.

27th January 2014: Saint Angela Merici

Saint Angela Merici

"The servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome but must be gentle toward all." - 2 Timothy 2:24

"Exercise pleasantness toward all, taking great care especially that what you have commanded may never be done by reason of force. For God has given free will to everyone, and therefore never forces anyone - but only indicates, calls, and persuades." - Saint Angela Merici

26th January 2014: Blessed John XXIII

Blessed John XXIII who is going to be canonized this April 2014 together with Blessed John Paul II.

"You are the light of the world.... Your light must shine so that it... will enable others to observe your good works and then give praise to your Father in Heaven." (Matthew 5:14, 16)

"It would scarcely be necessary to teach doctrine if our lives were radiant enough. If we behaved like true Christians, there would be no pagans." - Pope John XXIII

25th January 2014: Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi

"There, while we have time , let us do good to all men - especially to those who are of the household of faith." - Galatians 6:10

"Courtesy is one of the properties of God. Who sends His sun and rain to the just and the unjust through courtesy. Courtesy is the sister of charity, by which hatred is overcome and love is prized." - Saint Francis of Assisi

24th January 2014: Saint Francis de Sales

Saint Francis de Sales

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and humble of heart." - Matthew 11:29

"If there was something better than meekness, God would certainly have told us. But He exhorts us above all to be meek and humble of heart." - Saint Francis de Sales

23rd January 2014: Vatican II

"There is a time for every matter under heaven... a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance." - Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4

"Leisure time should be put to proper use for relaxation of spirit and increased health of mind and body. Such benefits are available through spontaneous study and activity and through travel... These benefits are also obtained from physical exercise and sports events." - Vatican II: Church in the Modern World, 61

22nd January 2014: Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

"Unless Your law had been my delight, I would already have perished in my affliction." 

- Psalms 119:92

"Mediation renders life honest and well-ordered and imparts knowledge of human and divine things." - Saint Bernard

21st January 2014: Saint Catherine of Siena

Saint Catherine of Siena

"Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, and the conviction of things we do not see." 

- Hebrews 11:1

"Unless we possess the light of faith, we will walk in the darkness. We will be like the blind for whom the day has become the night." - Saint Catherine of Siena

6th January 2014: Saint John Chrysostom

Saint John Chrysostom

"When they entered the house, they beheld the Child with Mary His Mother. Falling to their knees, they paid Him homage." (Matthew 2:9-11)

"If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus...; for the Eucharistic table takes place of the crib. Here the Body of the Lord is present, wrapped not in swaddling clothes but in the rays of the Holy Spirit." - Saint John Chrysostom

5th January 2014: Epiphany of the Lord

Saint Claude de la Colombiere (left), Jesuit priest and confessor of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque (right)

"God's grace is a seed that we must not snuff out. We must cooperate with it. This is especially true of those inspirations that lead us to make acts of virtue on some occasion. Such cooperation in grace is sometimes the very essence of our happiness." - Saint Claude de la Colombiere

4th January 2014: Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

"You are children of eternity. Your immortal crown awaits you, and the best of Fathers waits there to reward your duty and love. You may indeed sow here in tears but you may be sure there to reap in joy." - Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton

3rd January 2014: The Most Holy Name of Jesus

Saint Alphonsus Liguori

"The name of Jesus is a name of joy when the memory of our sins weighs us down, this name brings back our joy. This mighty name reminds us that the Son of God became man to be our Savior." - Saint Alphonsus Liguori

2nd January 2014: Saints Basil and Gregory

Saint Gregory (left) and Saint Basil (right)

“Dearly beloved, what do you see in these events? Do you really believe that it was by chance that this chosen disciple was absent, then came and heard, heard and doubted, doubted and touched, touched and believed? It was not by chance but in God’s providence. In a marvelous way God’s mercy arranged that the disbelieving disciple, in touching the wounds of his master’s body, should heal our wounds of disbelief. The disbelief of Thomas has done more for our faith than the faith of the other disciples. As he touches Christ and is won over to belief, every doubt is cast aside and our faith is strengthened. So the disciple who doubted, then felt Christ’s wounds, becomes a witness to the reality of the resurrection.” - Saint Gregory the Great

"As we were baptized, so we profess our belief. As we profess our belief, so also we offer praise. As then baptism has been given us by the Savior, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, so, in accordance with our baptism, we make the confession of the creed, and our doxology in accordance with our creed." - Saint Basil

1st January 2014: Solemnity of our Mother Mary, Mother of God

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

"Let Mary never be far from your lips or your heart. And to obtain the fruit of Her prayers, do not forget the example of Her life. With Her support, you will never fall. Under Her protection, you will never fear. Under Her guidance, you will never tire. And with Her Help, you will reach your Heavenly goal." - Saint Bernard

God's Full of Mercy. Why? He is Love.

Don't miss this annual opportunity out! :)

"You did not see Him, yet you love Him; and still without seeing Hi, you are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be descried, because you believe; and you are of the end to which your faith looks forward, that is, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:8-9)

It spoke to me so strongly as I still remember that day when I suddenly cried for no reason after Holy Communion. I was happy, rather overjoyed because I knew that I had received Eternal King into my heart and He enthroned upon my heart. I will hold on to that memory and use it as my strength in my future. I will not be intimidated by those who are not affected by God's love, and do not bother to listen to His Commandments. I will fight on and persevere till the end where I achieve the crown of eternal life, the sainthood! Since God loved me so much that He became crazy about my soul that He was willing to be nailed onto the woods for me, why cannot I surely do the same for Him? 

Read the poster above. What a gracious opportunity! Indeed God is full of Mercy. We ought to come to Him in His Mercy before He comes in judgement. All glory belong to God, the Most High! Praised be Jesus and Mary now and forever! Amen.

If I were to die, I would bring the Rosary with me to the grave.

Oh, what a greatest treasure that God has ever given.

I recently received the long waiting email from Dominican superior. Officially, it announced me as a member of Confraternity of the Most Holy Rosary. It made me shrieked with joy like an excited kid opening his Christmas present.

Suddenly I found myself in a contemplative reflection as if God was starting to speak to me. My mind reeled back a memory of one word I stumbled upon. (I gotta not spill it out so I will bring it with me to the grave.) Such the word was really simple but so powerful that it gave me ambivalent feelings. I was positive and happy that it helped me pass through some situations easily. At same time, it gave me a feeling that it was going to be my enormous cross. Sometimes I wielded it without my consciousness and people already pointed it out to me. My instinct is telling me that I have to take everything from the Lord as my responsibility. If I can take good times from God, why should I not take hardships from Him too? For my hardship, I want to thank God for my deafness because through it, I have time to converse with Him and Mother Mary. If I were to become a hearing person, I do not think I will be able to have ultra long conversation with Him. I really love our personal chats. Who never wants wise amazing, cool and funny Dad?

Now I am back to my reflection on death. Something told me, "Do you remember that someone coveted blue roses for her future funeral? Now what do you wish for? What do you want to bring with you to the grave?" Out of blue I responded, "The Most Holy Rosary." For I already saw it as a golden treasure glittering with rainbows. Exactly, it is the greatest treasure that God has ever given. I was so sad when the people gave countless excuses not to pray the Rosary with me. For they have neglected such the treasure that bears full of God's Love and Mercy. 

In God's Love, the Rosary holds the universal faith of all Angels, Saints and our Mother Church through our creed. It portrays the lives of our Lord and Mother Mary as our brief yet meaningful bible. It bears Lord's Prayer in which Our Lord intended to teach us so that we can approach Him in Mercy before He comes in Judgement. It bears Angelic Salutation which corresponds to one of Ten Commandments: honor your father and your mother. We imitate our Lord to honor His Mother who art full of grace and is also our Mother. So through Angelic Salutation, we honor Mother Mary through Archangel Gabriel's and Saint Elizabeth's words, and ask Her to pray for us for She is a powerful intercessor and mediator of God. In love, who never ever listens to one's mother? The Wedding of Cana is the proof of our Lord responding to Mother Mary's pleas. Likewise, She can plead for our intentions as long as they cooperate with the salvation of our souls. Even the Angels also honor Her as their Mother for we who will become the Saints, reign in the same places with them one day. Angels are our eldest brothers for they were created in the first place and we worship the very same one God. In doxology, we all give praise, glory and thanksgiving to Holy One Trinitarian God together with all the Angels and Saints. Next, through Salve Regina in the Rosary, we honor Mother Mary for She is a new gracious living Ark of the Covenant that brought our Lord and Saviour to the world. Finally through Her powerful intercession with Angels and Saints, we approach God for the Divine Graces to penetrate the depths of our souls. Ultimately, it leads to God's Love. Blessed be God forever and ever. Praised be Jesus and Mary now and forever! Amen!

Now, do you understand how powerful the Rosary is? Never underestimate and neglect it but pray it with all your heart, mind and strength everyday! 

Friendship

"A kindly turn of speech multiplies a man's friends, and a courteous way of speaking invites many a friendly reply. Let your acquaintances be many, but your advisers one in a thousand. If you want to make a friend, take him on trial, and be in no hurry to trust him; for one kind of friend is only so when it suits him but will not stand by you in your day of trouble. Another kind of friend will fall out with you and to your dismay make your quarrel public, and a third kind of friend will share your table, but not stand by you in your day of trouble: when you are doing well he will be your second self, ordering your servants about; but if ever you are brought low he will turn against you and will hide himself from you. Keep well clear of your enemies, and be wary of your friends. A faithful friend is a sure shelter, whoever finds one has found a rare treaure. A faithful friend is something beyond price, there is no measuring his worth. A faithful friend is the elixir of life, and those who fear the Lord will find one. Whoever fears the Lord makes true friends, for as a man is, so is his friend." (Ecclesiasticus 6:5-17)

As I was looking at my circle of friends, I was being ambivalent whether they really understood my inner thoughts or not. Right now, my mind was overflown with countless thoughts that I could not write down due to paucity of time. Although I found myself being introvert, I tried to be pragmatic and reach out to others. But because of communication barrier and huge differences, it is difficult for me to find one who shares the same world with me and really wants to be best friend with Lord Jesus. My deafness might offend many people but surely friends cannot take troubles from each other, not just joys, can they? Don't tell me that you don't like people correcting you what you should not do?

"Eating and drinking don't make friendships - such friendships even robbers and murderers have. But if we are friends, if we truly care for one another, let's help one another spiritually... Let's hinder those things that lead our friends away to hell." - Saint John Chrysostom

Don't tell me that it is unconventional for me to be interested in spirituality. Everyone has different dream to pursue. I too have my own dream to pursue because I am human being like you. For me, I only desire to be one of best friends of Jesus as my eternal gratitude to Him for having found me and bringing me to His Holy Church where I find the gate of Heaven. 

Taken from Catholic.org (click)

- Story of Saint Teresa of Avila:

Sometimes, however, she couldn't avoid complaining to her closest Friend about the hostility and gossip that surrounded her. When Jesus told her, "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends" Teresa responded, "No wonder you have so few friends." But since Christ has so few friends, she felt they should be good ones. And that's why she decided to reform her Carmelite order.

I can picture how difficult Saint Teresa found it to reform her community as she wanted her brothers and sisters to become holy and perfect as our God is. But she persevered and succeeded eventually. As the result, many holy people were formed and became the saints. As I was so used to my solitude, Lord Jesus told me, "It is not good for you to be alone. Go out and make friends with others whom I desire to have as my friends. Help me to bring them back to Me." That is when I started to go out to the world despite the dangers out there. Our God gave us His inevitable gift - sense of community. This is where our Mother Church, families and friends are found. Friends may have gone through fire and water with you but are they interested to go to Heaven with you if you want to go there? If you want to be my good friend, you have to listen to Lord Jesus' Word: "Be holy and perfect as My Father is Holy and Perfect." I am not asking you to become priest, monk, religious brother and nun for I understand that everyone has different calling from God. Just be holy in whatever you are. If you manage to love Lord Jesus and Mother Mary wholeheartedly, you will know where to find me. Think about what you can offer to God when you reach the death where it changes your condition of life. All of us come to this world with nothing and also leave this world with nothing.

Thank You, Holy Spirit again.

I learnt how to pray in Catholic school when I was young. But what made me do it? I believe it is the supernatural impulse of Holy Spirit and my Guardian Angel whom God's love entrusted me with that bended my curious innocence into Catholic faith.

The problem of deafness are deeper and more complex, if not more important than those of blindness. Deafness is a much worse misfortune. For it means the lost of most vital stimulus - the sound of voice that brings language, sets thoughts astir, and keeps us in the intellectual company of man. (Hellen Keller, 1905)

I came across this quote in the Facebook post. It somehow provoked my reflective thoughts. I was reminded of the bitternesses from the childhood because my deafness separated me from the other people and it seemed to offend many people whom I encountered. I was also vulnerable to misunderstandings as people always thought they were right when they dealt with me instead of asking me what I wanted. They neither coached nor explained to me because they thought it was unnecessary since I could not hear anything. People either laughed at me or hit me instead of teaching me when I did not know anything. As it became common in my daily life, I gradually got used to it and chose to keep quiet instead of fighting and screaming. When I did not find someone to chat with, I played the toys to enjoy myself. That was my childhood. When I grew up, I released my stress in both fitness training which I learnt from school and entertainments. Strangely, there was another habit of mine: prayer - talking to God about everything. It was strange because I did not learn how to communicate with Him from school. I guess it was the Holy Spirit who installed the gift of prayer within me without my consciousness. I developed rebellious side in my late teenage. I often learnt my lessons in hard ways.

So am I really so unfortunate to be born with hearing disability? No, I do not think so. Rather, it is the gift from God who intended to save my soul from the beginning since He knows everything. So what if I am different? God is also different from this world. I found the Lord when I was at the lowest point of my life. That impact changed my life forever. Even today, I am still grateful for that. I guess my hardships were preparing me to become Catholic and get used to every trial that comes to my path of eternal salvation because Lord Jesus already warned that the path to Heaven is very narrow and difficult. The Lord really knows me from the beginning even before I was born as He gives everything I need in my life. I am really fortunate to become adopted child of God instead of being the son of this world. Even today, I am still carrying my cross and sometimes my strength has reached its limit but I am still happy to be able to follow Lord Jesus. After all, Mother Mary, all the Angels and Saints, my Patron Saints, and my Guardian Angel are praying hard for me to have longer life on the earth so that I can have enough time to work hard for perfection in virtues and holiness. (Mind you, I had quite a few close shave with death.) So I must work hard with my faith. Ave Maria!

"If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all." 

- Jesus of Nazareth (Mark 9:35)

"..if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal. Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes. Cling to Him and do not leave Him, so that you may be honored at the end of your days. Whatever happens to you, accept it, and in the uncertainties of your humble state, be patient, since gold is tested in fire, and chosen men in the furnace of humiliation. Trust Him and He will uphold you, follow a straight path and hope in Him." (Ecclesiasticus 2:1-9)

"All the evils of the world are due to lukewarm Catholics." - Saint Pope Pius V

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus - He is handsome, isn't He?

Today the enormous statute of Sacred Heart of Jesus resided in my home for renovation. Despite its worn colours, I was amazed at its perfect measurement upon close inspection. I was pretty sure that it was made by the artist with extraordinary skills as it was really well crafted. Now, it looked majestic and glorious magnificent after being overlaid with white paint. It somehow seemed to be trying to magnify the marvelousness of God, the Most High. I am glad that it will be going to be used to raise the reverence atmosphere for Most Sacred Heart of Jesus upon the completion of renovation. 

I am also reminded of the Divine Mercy which Lord Jesus promised through Saint Faustina. I think it is supernatural grace of God that gives me this insight - I learnt (much to my surprise) that the enemies of the Church refer to the unbelievers. We might be fighting the strangest wars because we are fighting for our enemies, not against them. Our main warfare is not to destroy the enemies but to defeat their own convictions that do not lead them to God, and then convert them. The devil wishes to take all of them together with him to eternal damnation. Lord Jesus already defeated him through His Cross. Now, He put us in charge of bringing souls to Him through our Mother Church. This is what our war means - to enlarge the Church and bring the souls to eternal communion with Most Holy Trinity, One God through Lord Jesus Christ. I am pretty confident in Almighty God. Since He had already found me,  He can win the conversion of the whole world. I am pretty sure of that! Praise the Lord, my soul. All my being, praise His Holy Name and never forget how Kind He is. 

"All the evils of the world are due to lukewarm Catholics." - Saint Pope Pius V

"You poured down, O God, a generous rain: when Your people were starved You gave them new life. It was there that Your people found a home, prepared in Your Goodness, O God, for the poor. May the Lord be blessed day after day. He bears our burdens, God our Saviour. This God of ours is a God who saves. The Lord our God holds the keys of death. Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God." 

Psalsm 67: 10-11, 20-21, 33