tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post7051441708541053738..comments2024-03-17T22:48:00.427+08:00Comments on Reflections and Ruminations: Getting that belt tied around us and taken to where we'd rather not go.Fr Luke Fonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03079016104331055895noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-10663654088711923422016-03-13T04:43:07.216+08:002016-03-13T04:43:07.216+08:00Dear Father,
It is most heartening to be reminded ...Dear Father,<br />It is most heartening to be reminded that our priests/ spiritual mentors accompany us through our struggles in faith and growth in the spirit. In a world where individuals seek to be seen, known or identified with the who's who of the world, I am thankful that God sends out choice persons of faith to lead the flock and align our focus on Him.<br />"Baptism, understood in a very broad way, is a displacement. It places us outside of a merely physical and material world, and brings us into the spiritual. It gives us a life that supernatural – beyond that of nature itself." <br /><br />That got me thinking, - is this the baptism of the spirit, the outpouring of the spirit? Baptism has generally signified "belonging" to the institutional church - the word displacement therefore caught me off-guard (short sighted as I am).<br />My single search found this from Dr Ray Pritchard: <br />"When you are baptized, you are in fact visually preaching the gospel. As you stand in the water waiting to be baptized, A, you symbolize Jesus dying on the cross. As you are lowered into the water, B, you symbolize Jesus buried in the tomb. As you are raised from the water, C, you symbolize Jesus rising from the dead."<br />So I take it that the displacement is our 'stand -out identity as disciples of Christ'? And the very act of dying, being buried and rising from the dead... in our lives is the 'supernatural' take, outside the physical and material world. <br /><br />So I'm possibly rambling here Father ...<br />Anyway, i wanted to let you know that your sharing is insightful and inspires deeper thought. Thank you for that.<br />Since you don't approve of "likes", i've found the time and courage to pen my thoughts. <br /><br />God love you Father!<br />A.Cnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-81357662583232854512016-03-09T01:26:54.017+08:002016-03-09T01:26:54.017+08:00“These are the kinds of places that we go to only ...“These are the kinds of places that we go to only when there is a rope tied around us..................... because we are either unwilling or unable to ourselves. We find ourselves in a new location – and that we have been dislocated. .........................................it hits us unawares and sends us reeling........”<br /><br /><br />Strangely enough, I find your words very apt to describe - how we find ourselves in the wake of the storms that rage in our lives. Storms may not be of our making, but once engulfed in one, the only thing left to do is to learn to ride with and through it, in whatever vessel we find ourselves in. But how does one not lose one’s grip or foothold in the tempest? In times of peace and calm, it seems so logical and temptingly easy to say - have Faith – but where does faith reside? And does one need a certain quantity of it to be fairly confident of mastering the storm? <br /><br /><br />Reflecting on this, it would seem that faith is not just a thing but rather a present of a presence and that is why – when we actively seek His presence, His face will become more familiar and so we grow in faith. And though we be ‘made of clay’ - we will not shatter if we continue to hold fast and look into His face – remembering the lesson of Peter not to be distracted by the noise, the tumult of the storm. It is not easy to overcome fear, especially the fear of the unknown in any storm and especially when we know we are “men of little faith”. I feel that however small this faith we have - it will always be sufficient for the purpose – for (1 John 5:4) says that “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.”<br /><br />God bless you, Fr.<br /><br />tessa<br />Tessahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04211998984286520369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-16476734374396848912016-03-08T21:49:15.577+08:002016-03-08T21:49:15.577+08:00Hi Fr Luke, I’ve always been uncomfortable with Jo...Hi Fr Luke, I’ve always been uncomfortable with John 21:18, but wouldn’t have thought of applying its meaning to my situation which mirrors what you’ve penned in your reflection. I was recently diagnosed with a condition, while not terminal, can best be described as dehabilitating and brain surgery is the only solution. I tell friends I’m not mentally prepared to go through it, but in essence, I don’t trust putting my life in the hands of the surgeon. But it dawned on me that the fundamental issue is that I’ve never been able to surrender myself totally to God, which is exactly what I’ll be doing when I go for surgery. Not that I’m unaware I have this strong streak of self-reliance, but the realisation is particularly stark at this point. I pray that I will continue to mature in my faith amidst this experience and make the right decisions with regards to my condition.<br /><br />- SAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com