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Wonderful contributions from everyone keeping this most important thread alive. Qbee, as I already told ya home girl, that last post of yours from yesterday is spot on, awesome stuff. I do have one slight critique to make – can only man be close to God and a friend of His? Cause also woman can be the very same. Turn all them hes in2 she and you might be getting a fuller picture.
Btw of women, faith and life, look what a wonderful poem Blessed John Paul II wrote when he was only 18.
Considering some of the rumors back in 2006 about Michael putting his poems to music (a most extraordinary event which would have brought together the work of my two favorite people in the world) i can't help but think what Michael would have done with this one. I can only imagine he would have captured the hope and light of the first stanza, only to get into the darkness and despair of the second one and the song would have probably faded out into the resignation and acceptance of that last line.
Now in a bit of a random moment, i would like to share with you a picture featuring a painting made by a child on occasion of a contest organized to celebrate May 9[SUP]th[/SUP] – Europe Day last year. It was part of an 'auction' the proceeds of which went to a school specialized in aiding kids with vision problems. I attended a most wonderful and touching event around Christmas last year and i got this painting. It is called 'Encourage life'. The quality of the photo isn't great, but i think the title fits perfectly. It is important to encourage life no matter the circumstances.
Returning to JPII and one of his greatest legacies – ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue. In October 1986 he gathered in Assissi (Saint Francisc's home) religious leaders from all over the world to pray for peace. This was neither an exercise in syncretism nor a shallow display of faith. Every participant and every denomination and faith present there kept its identity but all embraced the common values which unite them, the most important being the desire for peace among men.
A quarter of a century later Pope Benedict XVI continued in this tradition and organized a similar event where, for the first time also agnostics and atheists were invited.
In his speech, the Pope didn't shy away from answering to much of the criticism addressed to religion in general and to the Christian faith and Catholic Church in particular. He beautifully acknowledged the importance and highlighted the role agnostics can play and the challenge they pose to Christians everywhere. Here are some excerpts from the Holy Father's speech
…As a Christian I want to say at this point: yes, it is true, in the course of history, force has also been used in the name of the Christian faith. We acknowledge it with great shame. But it is utterly clear that this was an abuse of the Christian faith, one that evidently contradicts its true nature. The God in whom we Christians believe is the Creator and Father of all, and from him all people are brothers and sisters and form one single family. For us the Cross of Christ is the sign of the God who put “suffering-with” (compassion) and “loving-with” in place of force. His name is “God of love and peace” (2 Cor 13:11). It is the task of all who bear responsibility for the Christian faith to purify the religion of Christians again and again from its very heart, so that it truly serves as an instrument of God’s peace in the world, despite the fallibility of humans.
If one basic type of violence today is religiously motivated and thus confronts religions with the question as to their true nature and obliges all of us to undergo purification, a second complex type of violence is motivated in precisely the opposite way: as a result of God’s absence, his denial and the loss of humanity which goes hand in hand with it. The enemies of religion – as we said earlier – see in religion one of the principal sources of violence in the history of humanity and thus they demand that it disappear. But the denial of God has led to much cruelty and to a degree of violence that knows no bounds, which only becomes possible when man no longer recognizes any criterion or any judge above himself, now having only himself to take as a criterion. The horrors of the concentration camps reveal with utter clarity the consequences of God’s absence.…
In addition to the two phenomena of religion and anti-religion, a further basic orientation is found in the growing world of agnosticism: people to whom the gift of faith has not been given, but who are nevertheless on the lookout for truth, searching for God. Such people do not simply assert: “There is no God”. They suffer from his absence and yet are inwardly making their way towards him, inasmuch as they seek truth and goodness.
They are “pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace”. They ask questions of both sides. They take away from militant atheists the false certainty by which these claim to know that there is no God and they invite them to leave polemics aside and to become seekers who do not give up hope in the existence of truth and in the possibility and necessity of living by it.
But they also challenge the followers of religions not to consider God as their own property, as if he belonged to them, in such a way that they feel vindicated in using force against others. These people are seeking the truth, they are seeking the true God, whose image is frequently concealed in the religions because of the ways in which they are often practised. Their inability to find God is partly the responsibility of believers with a limited or even falsified image of God. So all their struggling and questioning is in part an appeal to believers to purify their faith, so that God, the true God, becomes accessible.
Therefore I have consciously invited delegates of this third group to our meeting in Assisi, which does not simply bring together representatives of religious institutions. Rather it is a case of being together on a journey towards truth, a case of taking a decisive stand for human dignity and a case of common engagement for peace against every form of destructive force. Finally I would like to assure you that the Catholic Church will not let up in her fight against violence, in her commitment for peace in the world. We are animated by the common desire to be “pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace”.
The entire piece can be found here http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/b...uments/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20111027_assisi_en.html
I recently heard an interesting saying about a Muslim person whom is told to have said 'I wish I had met Christ before I met the Christian'. That is indeed a sad statement to be made about us. It means we are not fulfilling our duties and we are not true to Jesus' message and not worthy of His calling. No matter whom we encounter - a brother or a sister in Christ, believers of other faiths or non belivers we should be a beacon of His light and mercy so people can tell we are Christians by our love.
Unfortunately for many Christians, the words of the prophet Isaiah ring all too true "These people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Is 29:13). It serves us no good to make the peace sign during mass while in church, if once we step outside we carry animosity towards our neighbours and strife within our family.
A true Christian can only be the one who will try and serve God to the best of his or hers ability in all areas of their life – be it at home, at work or in the community. Clergy can only do so much to bring us closer to Him, we must also do our part. The world needs Christian writers, Christian politicians, Christian families, Christian entertainers, Christian doctors, Christian teachers and the list goes on and on.....
May the Lord bless the Church with unity as it seeks to perfect Herself and make all of us worthy of His promises. May we all be pilgrims of truth and pilgrims of peace on this earth.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Mt5:7)
Jesus, i trust in You. Thy will be done.
AMEN
Btw of women, faith and life, look what a wonderful poem Blessed John Paul II wrote when he was only 18.
Considering some of the rumors back in 2006 about Michael putting his poems to music (a most extraordinary event which would have brought together the work of my two favorite people in the world) i can't help but think what Michael would have done with this one. I can only imagine he would have captured the hope and light of the first stanza, only to get into the darkness and despair of the second one and the song would have probably faded out into the resignation and acceptance of that last line.
Now in a bit of a random moment, i would like to share with you a picture featuring a painting made by a child on occasion of a contest organized to celebrate May 9[SUP]th[/SUP] – Europe Day last year. It was part of an 'auction' the proceeds of which went to a school specialized in aiding kids with vision problems. I attended a most wonderful and touching event around Christmas last year and i got this painting. It is called 'Encourage life'. The quality of the photo isn't great, but i think the title fits perfectly. It is important to encourage life no matter the circumstances.
Returning to JPII and one of his greatest legacies – ecumenism and inter-faith dialogue. In October 1986 he gathered in Assissi (Saint Francisc's home) religious leaders from all over the world to pray for peace. This was neither an exercise in syncretism nor a shallow display of faith. Every participant and every denomination and faith present there kept its identity but all embraced the common values which unite them, the most important being the desire for peace among men.
A quarter of a century later Pope Benedict XVI continued in this tradition and organized a similar event where, for the first time also agnostics and atheists were invited.
In his speech, the Pope didn't shy away from answering to much of the criticism addressed to religion in general and to the Christian faith and Catholic Church in particular. He beautifully acknowledged the importance and highlighted the role agnostics can play and the challenge they pose to Christians everywhere. Here are some excerpts from the Holy Father's speech
…As a Christian I want to say at this point: yes, it is true, in the course of history, force has also been used in the name of the Christian faith. We acknowledge it with great shame. But it is utterly clear that this was an abuse of the Christian faith, one that evidently contradicts its true nature. The God in whom we Christians believe is the Creator and Father of all, and from him all people are brothers and sisters and form one single family. For us the Cross of Christ is the sign of the God who put “suffering-with” (compassion) and “loving-with” in place of force. His name is “God of love and peace” (2 Cor 13:11). It is the task of all who bear responsibility for the Christian faith to purify the religion of Christians again and again from its very heart, so that it truly serves as an instrument of God’s peace in the world, despite the fallibility of humans.
If one basic type of violence today is religiously motivated and thus confronts religions with the question as to their true nature and obliges all of us to undergo purification, a second complex type of violence is motivated in precisely the opposite way: as a result of God’s absence, his denial and the loss of humanity which goes hand in hand with it. The enemies of religion – as we said earlier – see in religion one of the principal sources of violence in the history of humanity and thus they demand that it disappear. But the denial of God has led to much cruelty and to a degree of violence that knows no bounds, which only becomes possible when man no longer recognizes any criterion or any judge above himself, now having only himself to take as a criterion. The horrors of the concentration camps reveal with utter clarity the consequences of God’s absence.…
In addition to the two phenomena of religion and anti-religion, a further basic orientation is found in the growing world of agnosticism: people to whom the gift of faith has not been given, but who are nevertheless on the lookout for truth, searching for God. Such people do not simply assert: “There is no God”. They suffer from his absence and yet are inwardly making their way towards him, inasmuch as they seek truth and goodness.
They are “pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace”. They ask questions of both sides. They take away from militant atheists the false certainty by which these claim to know that there is no God and they invite them to leave polemics aside and to become seekers who do not give up hope in the existence of truth and in the possibility and necessity of living by it.
But they also challenge the followers of religions not to consider God as their own property, as if he belonged to them, in such a way that they feel vindicated in using force against others. These people are seeking the truth, they are seeking the true God, whose image is frequently concealed in the religions because of the ways in which they are often practised. Their inability to find God is partly the responsibility of believers with a limited or even falsified image of God. So all their struggling and questioning is in part an appeal to believers to purify their faith, so that God, the true God, becomes accessible.
Therefore I have consciously invited delegates of this third group to our meeting in Assisi, which does not simply bring together representatives of religious institutions. Rather it is a case of being together on a journey towards truth, a case of taking a decisive stand for human dignity and a case of common engagement for peace against every form of destructive force. Finally I would like to assure you that the Catholic Church will not let up in her fight against violence, in her commitment for peace in the world. We are animated by the common desire to be “pilgrims of truth, pilgrims of peace”.
The entire piece can be found here http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/b...uments/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20111027_assisi_en.html
I recently heard an interesting saying about a Muslim person whom is told to have said 'I wish I had met Christ before I met the Christian'. That is indeed a sad statement to be made about us. It means we are not fulfilling our duties and we are not true to Jesus' message and not worthy of His calling. No matter whom we encounter - a brother or a sister in Christ, believers of other faiths or non belivers we should be a beacon of His light and mercy so people can tell we are Christians by our love.
Unfortunately for many Christians, the words of the prophet Isaiah ring all too true "These people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me" (Is 29:13). It serves us no good to make the peace sign during mass while in church, if once we step outside we carry animosity towards our neighbours and strife within our family.
A true Christian can only be the one who will try and serve God to the best of his or hers ability in all areas of their life – be it at home, at work or in the community. Clergy can only do so much to bring us closer to Him, we must also do our part. The world needs Christian writers, Christian politicians, Christian families, Christian entertainers, Christian doctors, Christian teachers and the list goes on and on.....
May the Lord bless the Church with unity as it seeks to perfect Herself and make all of us worthy of His promises. May we all be pilgrims of truth and pilgrims of peace on this earth.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy (Mt5:7)
Jesus, i trust in You. Thy will be done.
AMEN
