tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post3412191103319364582..comments2024-03-17T22:48:00.427+08:00Comments on Reflections and Ruminations: Jesus shows us how to live in freedomFr Luke Fonghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03079016104331055895noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-66512724120975418502012-09-21T09:32:49.566+08:002012-09-21T09:32:49.566+08:00Hi Fr. Luke,
This has to be one of your most thou...Hi Fr. Luke,<br /><br />This has to be one of your most thought-provoking posts, especially that part about superstitious practices.<br /><br />I once had a best friend. Thick as thieves we were. There was practically nothing I wouldn't do for him: he was like a brother to me. Then one day he started doing things - weird things, that absolutely horrified me. I couldn't stand for this sort of nonsense and told him, in no uncertain terms that he was dead wrong. “You're a baptised Catholic: how could you do these things?” I questioned him. I distinctly remember that that's when our relationship started to deteriorate. I guess he felt that I had no business interfering in his personal life or private decisions.<br /><br />I've since come to realize that there are more than just a few Catholics who do “stuff” that is well, nauseating. Some of it comes from what has been handed down through the generations (old-wives tales): and yet other practices/rituals are of the more insidious kind. And I have, from time to time, pointed out that's it's something so wrong. But old habits die hard, as they say, and my pleas always fell on dear ears. This really saddens me, as I believe that superstitious nonsense is something we should have nothing to do with. After all, exactly WHO is it that we truly worship?<br />God Bless, Robbie Jnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7853204965986587589.post-47424191720924693802012-09-20T23:56:41.584+08:002012-09-20T23:56:41.584+08:00‘’...........when we are not aware of our love for...‘’...........when we are not aware of our love for God and God’s love for us constantly, we will end up doing ‘what we want’ in very un-Godly ways, without even thinking. ‘What we want’ is often linked with or unspoken fears...........’’<br /><br /><br />This happens when much of the time what passes for love is merely projection..... we project a part of ourselves upon the other person and does not really see that other person ......this indeed is part of our ‘blindness’....and it keeps us from really knowing the other person as he really is! Unlike us, God’s love or real love is an accepting love (so commonly called unconditional love today ! )............... but most times we cannot accept that- because to be so genuinely accepted is very trying, frightening and even painful and so we go into hiding....................so what you said about fear is very true. If we accept..............then our defences are naught and we have to face a deepening honesty which means that we have to face growth and it is never easy to grow in His likeness though we are made in His image.<br /><br />However, we know that we have to go about shaping our life so as to manifest this accepting love and our comfort is that such love is not created by our own effort. It is His gift of grace and happens when we allow this love we have discovered inwardly ( through prayer and contemplation) to be poured out and shared through life in action. We can only bask in His prodigal, spendthrift love !<br /><br />God bless you, fr<br />tessa<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com