tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post209704632265488957..comments2024-03-17T22:48:00.427+08:00Comments on Reflections and Ruminations: Our sufferings make sense only when we realise that there is nothing God cannot ask of us. Fr Luke Fonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03079016104331055895noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-2326548594559270612015-10-03T00:10:33.288+08:002015-10-03T00:10:33.288+08:00Dear Kevin,
Know this, when Jesus won, He won ove...Dear Kevin,<br /><br />Know this, when Jesus won, He won over everything. Including death. <br /><br />We should never see death as defeat, or punishment, or God's apathy to our cause.<br /><br />We will live again. Death is not the end.<br /><br />Our attachment to this world (and to keep our loved ones in this world) means we have not (cannot) see that God's plans extend to the other side.<br /><br />Ask that our Father opens your eyes. Those who are brave in facing death, & are happy to see their loved ones enter glory show deep (not superficial) understanding of the victory Jesus won on the cross.<br /><br />Deny yourself and your attachment to this world. Then crucify that hate and put it to death. Only then can Christ resurrect in your life.Nice_Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09086207288285445351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-52319647929544789292015-10-01T17:52:23.534+08:002015-10-01T17:52:23.534+08:00“..........but such an amazing thing as deliveranc...“..........but such an amazing thing as deliverance is always grace, and ................... because God is our ultimate cause for salvation,..........”<br /><br /><br />There are so many instances in this week’s post that caused me to exclaim involuntarily....... ‘but that’s well-nigh impossible’ or ‘ that’s only for Abraham, the father of faith and I’m not’ – to your “..........faith requires and even necessitates an ascent............” and “.............when they are things that we are so attached to and clinging on so tenaciously in life, there necessitates a binding and a tying up.” <br /><br />For, I know that my walk recently, has been at most- a crazy journey of descent......darkness, relapse, failure and woundedness – but being aware of my own limitations – descending was more a personal choice ...... sensing that Jesus is leading. There was then no thought of a ‘binding and a tying up’ to offer as sacrifice like you said. And that made me wonder with much misgiving whether I’m stumbling my way through the thickets, lurching from faith to fear and back, seeking integration or fleeing disintegration and at the same time exposing the heart’s darkness to His embrace and light.<br /><br /> However, a timely reminder by a mentor-guide that “the road to Calvary was not an ascent all the way, just as the ascent to Mt Everest goes through many small ascents and descents” – somehow was re-assuring and puts things into better focus. Besides, some of the most wonderfully beautiful words in the Bible can be found in Psalm 91 where the comforting words speak of God as the refuge and fortress ie the protector to those who trust in him.<br /><br /> Added to that, I was struck by your words above........ “God is our ultimate cause for salvation.....” This word Ultimate opens the floodgates of memory – the ultimate ‘good’ in life is to be with God to enjoy His presence and the ultimate ‘evil’ in life is to be separated from Him. In this perspective of eternity, then, the sufferings or adversities of this life are brief and may even be transformative, giving hope to all who turns to Him for their security and safety - their salvation.<br /><br />God bless u, Fr<br /><br />tessa <br />Tessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04211998984286520369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-43668523147354598232015-09-29T16:00:15.984+08:002015-09-29T16:00:15.984+08:00When I look around me and see the suffering of oth...When I look around me and see the suffering of others, especially close friends, I sometimes wonder "why them?" and why not me instead? Not that I have never experienced heartbreak or bitter disappointment myself, but still the question remains: why are certain individuals, yourself included, called to bear such a heavy, cross? Could it be that God has a special plan for them? Surely I have been more sinful than most; and yet others seem to called to shoulder a much heavier burden than I (ever) have.<br /><br />Well.... I have learned, over the years, not to ask 'why'. Why? Because it is a question to which there can be no acceptable answer (at least not according to pure human reasoning). The correct response, I believe, is to accept whatever is put on our plate - both good and bad. But this requires faith; real faith. And it's something we cannot manufacture ourselves. So my first prayer is for the grace to remain faithful, no matter what may come my way. God bless you, Fr. Luke.Robbie Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-10793443915001258662015-09-28T21:43:25.449+08:002015-09-28T21:43:25.449+08:00Thank you Father Luke for sharing your beautiful r...Thank you Father Luke for sharing your beautiful reflections. <br /><br />I must say I am very lucky to meet the most wonderful woman in my life, now my wife. She has so kindly allow me to explore the faith at my own pace and allow God’s revelation to unfold slowly to me so that I do not have to take more than what I can chew on. <br /><br />In your reflection today, definitely it is more than what I can swallow during my younger days. If this is what I am exposed to during the early part of my faith journey, I will probably distant myself, as it seems following God is nothing but suffering.<br /><br />However, I must say I have been through a tiny weeny bit, not catastrophic, not life threatening scenario, not the pain you have been through, but probably enough for me to look beyond the present pain, and pray hard for God’s grace to help me focus on His heavenly intention that is beyond human comprehension. <br /><br />God’s way may not be the easiest way. I started off in my faith journey as what you described, using it as escape routes from these ‘mired moments’. But soon to realise that it is more than that, and first time shouldering the cross makes me feel almost unbearable at times, and it is absolutely right that there is nothing God cannot ask of us. I have learnt that all the suffierings in life rather then trying to make sense of it, but focus all my energy in prayers for God’s grace to bestow on me the strength, courage and wisdom to see the light at the end of the tunnel and reminding myself, if this is God’s will, it is in His glory that I must fulfil. To be a person of faith, is not to doubt God’s intention, but to believe in Him wholeheartedly, like Jesus to the point of death on the cross. <br /><br />However, this is easier said then done. Even Jesus at the Mount of Olives prayed to the Father, “if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, let your will be done, not mine.” (Luke 22-42). I guess for us earthly beings weaken by our mere human nature can only constantly remind ourselves of God’s unconditional love for us despite our constantly failures, He send his only Son, Jesus to redeem our sins.<br /><br />I must say, I am guilty and ashame for how I have been living my faith journey… I have always been sitting on the fence, fearing to pick up my cross. Until the point God, shows his immense love by answering my prayers, healing the priest that has always touch my inner most struggles during his homly, and bring him back to the church I attend to guide me through my RICA journey. At that point, how can I deny my cross….. One of the most comforting words I hear from my RCIA journey, "You don’t have to carry the cross yourself…”<br /><br /><br />Thank you Father Luke, Thank you to the Church and the community, Thank you to my dear wife.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11925399261685078251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-87357783921258327752015-09-28T19:19:33.237+08:002015-09-28T19:19:33.237+08:00Dear Kevin
First of all, I want to thank you for ...Dear Kevin<br /><br />First of all, I want to thank you for your courage and humility in writing out these thoughts. Having them in your head and heart, and actually going through the trouble to put them into words makes a huge difference. Sometimes, it is the very act of formulating these thoughts that gives our fears and struggles a structure that without it, we merely 'float' from one feeling to another, without the grounding that helps to make our step into faith a serious one.<br /><br />Having said that, when we do this, whether in a retreat, a prayer moment or even just hearing a sound and impassioned homily, we bring our whole persons into a space that makes our heart and minds mouldable and shapeable. We become less resistant to the truths that God wants to impart to our souls. And oftentimes, the truth is that the truths are hard truths that we resist on our 'self-centred' days simply because we find them asking too much of ourselves. I don't think your being so mad is bad. In fact, perhaps your going through this 'mad and angry' phase is that necessary going through the pain and suffering that so many try to evade in order to get to a place of calm and placidity. It could well be that you are in that teachable and formable moment right now, and praise be God if you are. I thank God that you have been able to cast your eyes on my reflections and that this is giving you some light in the dark that you find yourself in. <br /><br />Do continue in this journey of yours, and continue to yield in humility and docility to become the clay that the master potter can turn into a Ming Vase. God bless you.<br /><br />Fr LukeFr Luke Fonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03079016104331055895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-43029083326015620782015-09-28T18:32:24.353+08:002015-09-28T18:32:24.353+08:00Since I was 25 (I'm 29 now), I was always piss...Since I was 25 (I'm 29 now), I was always pissed off, especially lately getting progressively more so . Constantly. Not because I was going thru any particular suffering but because I started to ponder over why we were created. Was it just to die? And dieing is not easy. I look around me and see even holy and pious people have to suffer and then die. I ask myself what is the purpose of all this. I know that we cannot understand the mind of God, just like a fish couldn't possible hope to comprehend the complexities and intelligence of the human mind. <br /><br />The funny thing is, I was reaching the epitome of my pissed-off ness, you could say, and I remember you keep a blog. Randomly I came here and found this post, which I wouldn't say leaves me completely satisfied, but it does help me ponder and see some of the "whys". Even Abraham had to face his tests, and he was a holy man. And these are all in the Bible, perhaps as examples for us that no one is exempted, and examples that these "trials" are to be expected and faced.<br /><br />Jesus himself was subjected to cruxifiction, and knowing that since young, it must have been excruciating beyond measure to live a life knowing your own impending cruxifiction is drawing ever nearer<br /><br />It is always said that God has his plan, and death is a part of life. But sometimes I just asked myself "am I giving excuses for God and religion?", to protect my religion and to give reason and justification where there is actually none? just to justify the suffering and death? Why do we have to eventually die? God knows it would be difficult for every human to have to face this inevitability, and still he creates life.<br /><br />That's what makes me so mad.<br /><br />But this post and scrolling downwards to the previous posts are helping me to see. I hope to to be able to "disconnect" from the human side of things and be more of a humble and faithful servant of God, which is easier said then done, by a millionfold.<br /><br />ThanksKevinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10730935016438341336noreply@blogger.com