Do it anyway

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

-this version is credited to Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa, 1910-1997

The verses below reportedly were written on the wall of Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her. Some sources say that the words below were written on the wall in Mother Teresa's own room.  In any case, their association with Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity has made them popular worldwide, expressing as they do, the spirit in which they lived their lives. They seem to be based on a composition originally by Kent Keith, but much of the second half has been re-written in a more spiritual way.  

Questions on Sacred Music

Struggling with the questions about sacred music of the church, this article written by the Church Music of Association of America answered a lot of my doubts. I hope it helps you too.

The purpose of sacred liturgy is far deeper and more complex: it is to draw us out of time and place so that weight more clearly perceive eternal mysteries. The liturgy is not primarily a teaching session but rather “an encounter between Christ and the Church… The preparation of hearts is the joint work of the Holy Spirit and the assembly, specially of its ministers. The grace of the Holy Spirit seeks to awaken faith, conversion of heart, and adherence to the Father’s will” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1097–8). The relative remoteness and changelessness of the Latin language, especially when united to the chant with its purity of form, helps to realize this encounter by leading us away from the ordinary and toward the transcendent.

Frequently Asked Questions On Sacred Music, Church Music Association of America, pg 8-9

Here are some questions tackled in the article:

1. What is sacred music?                                                
2. What are the characteristics of sacred music?
3. Why should we care?
4. Isn’t this really just a matter of taste?
5. Why should we regard Gregorian chant as the ideal?
6. What is the origin of Gregorian chant?
7. Didn’t Vatican II do away with chant?
8. Does chant have to be in Latin?
9. What is polyphony and what makes it specially suited to liturgy?
10. Who are some of the most important composers of polyphony?
11. Aren’t chant and polyphony too hard for regular parishes?
12. What about “full, conscious, and active participation?”
13. What is the sung Ordinary?
14. Is a complete polyphonic setting of the Mass Ordinary really viable in our times?
15. What are the sung Propers?
16. What about “Music in Catholic Worship” (1972, rev. 1983) and “Liturgical Music Today” (1982), two documents often cited in discussions of sacred music?
17. What’s so great about the organ?
18. What are the main liturgy books that I need?
19. Do I have to learn to read medieval notation?
20. Which Church documents should I read?
21. Where can I get polyphonic music to sing?
22. My parish has dreadful music. How can I change it?
23. Won’t a drastic change alienate people?
24. Who wrote these FAQs and what else should I read?

In silence

"Silence is the root of our union with God and with one another. In silence we are filled with the energy of God Himself that makes us do all things in joy. The more we receive in silent prayer, the more we can give in our active life." 

-Mother Theresa, 1910-1997

People change

I once asked a man how he could put up with his wife's occasionally absurd behaviour. He just smiled, as usual.

But that day, I added a different question to it. I asked if his wife was like that before they were married.

'No, she wasn't,' he replied. 'People change.'

Indeed, people change as time passes by. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst.

During a session with Fr. Michael last November, while he was explaining on how relate to the teenagers/ kids during catechism, he said something that struck me. Through his many examples, he talked about marriage and said that if we truly love the other half, our love would compel us to change to love the other person who is changing.

And I thought to myself, 'Wow, that's so hard to do.' Imagine that I fell in love with him for who he was 5 years back, and now there's so many things that he used to do or say that he doesn't do anymore. And this is not the end.

Therefore, there's no such thing as 'Bah! I'd never change.' Cause people always change, through time, through circumstances, through familiarity...

Yes, writing this, I can't deny the fact that I have changed and will continue to too. The question I ponder - if I can love him that much to still love him when he changes, comes back to me: Will he be able to love me when I change?

(In the search of a picture for this post, I found this and am reminded of this verses):

Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, 

always perseveres. 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Asperges Me

From Psalm 51:

Asperges me, Domine, hyssopo et mundabor,
Lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.
Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam.
You will sprinkle me, Lord, with hyssop, and I will be made clean.
You will wash me, and even more than snow will I be whitened.
Have mercy on me, God, according to your great mercy. 
Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto
Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now, and always shall be in ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers for Lent

The one thing I have grew to use and appreciate since I started to learn more about the Catholic church last year is the abundance of prayers available to us including prayers by the Saints. During this season of lent, let us recite prayers that reflect penance and sorrow as we fast and abstain from our favorite things.

Penitential Prayer of St. Ambrose of Milan

O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,

take away from me my sins,

and mercifully kindle in me

the fire of thy Holy Spirit.

Take away from me the heart of stone,

and give me a heart of flesh,

a heart to love and adore Thee,

a heart to delight in Thee,

to follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ's sake, Amen

St. Ambrose of Milan (AD 339-397)

  

Psalm 6 Domine, Ne In Furore

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy anger,
nor chasten me in thy wrath.

Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled.

My soul also is sorely troubled.
But thou, O Lord -- how long?

Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of thy steadfast love.

For in death there is no remembrance of thee;
in Sheol who can give thee praise?

I am weary with my moaning;
every night I flood my bed with tears;
I drench my couch with my weeping.

My eye wastes away because of grief,
it grows weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil;
for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.

The Lord has heard my supplication;
the Lord accepts my prayer.

All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled;
they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment. Glory...

More lent prayers here and more penitential psalms here.

Dog in Japan stays by the side of ailing friend in the rubble

This shivering and disorienteed dog remains loyally by the side of a stricken fellow canine admist the devastation of the Japanese tsunami. Now, that's really touching.CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO HELP JAPAN

Here is an English translation of the voiceover exchange between the two reporters in the clip (translation courtesy of Toshiyuki Kitamura):

We are in Arahama area. Looks like there is a dog. There is a dog. He looks tired and dirty. He must have been caught in the tsunami. He looks very dirty.

He has a collar. He must be someone's pet. He has a silver collar. He is shaking. He seems very afraid.

Oh, there is another dog. I wonder if he is dead.

Where?

Right there. There is another dog right next to the one sitting down. He is not moving. I wonder. I wonder if he is alright.

The dog is protecting him.

Yes. He is protecting the dog. That is why he did not want us to approach them. He was trying to keep us at bay.

I can't watch this. This is a very difficult to watch.

Oh. Look. He is moving. He is alive. I am so happy to see that he is alive.

Yes! Yes! He is alive.

He looks to be weakened. We need to them to be rescued soon. We really want them rescued soon.

Oh good. He's getting up.

It is amazing how they survived the tremendous earthquake and tsunami. It's just amazing that they survived through this all.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO HELP JAPAN

The strength and spirit of Japanese

At a congested downtown intersection …
Cars were moving at the rate of maybe one every green light, but everyone was letting each other go first with a warm look and a smile. At a complicated intersection, the traffic was at a complete standstill for 5 minutes, but I listened for 10 minutes and didn’t hear a single beep or honk except for an occasional one thanking someone for giving way. It was a terrifying day, but scenes like this warmed me and made me love my country even more. 

During the earthquake
We’ve all been trained to immediately open the doors and establish an escape route when there is an earthquake. In the middle of the quake while the building was shaking crazily and things falling everywhere, a man made his way to the entrance and held it open. Honestly, the chandelier could have crashed down any minute … that was a brave man!

Japanese people have been very open on Twitter about their experiences following the quake. These snippets of what moved them and touched them during these very trying times are heart-warming.

The strength and spirit of Japanese - read more here...

Sarawak Bibles stamped with Home Ministry seal

A copy of the Bible with the ministry stamp. 

KUCHING, March 18 — Thirty thousand Malay Bibles seized by Home Ministry officials from the port here were stamped today with the government’s seal without the importer’s consent despite Putrajaya’s assurance that the holy books for Sarawak Christians would be left untouched.

The move comes on the heels of an alleged defacement of a separate consignment of 5,100 Bibles shipped into Port Klang from Indonesia by the Selangor-based Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), and has caused a surge in jitteriness as Sarawakians brace for a emotive state election expected to be called next month.

Read more here...

Malaysia says to go ahead with nuclear plans, to learn from Japan crisis

The No. 3 nuclear reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear
plant is seen burning after a blast yesterday, March 14, 2011.

Muhyiddin said the Malaysian government will learn from Japan to ensure public safety.

PUTRAJAYA, March 15 — Malaysia is taking note of the Japan nuclear crisis when implementing its plan to build two nuclear power plants in the future, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

Read more here...

Taking note of the Japan nuclear crisis? Even the japanese can't handle the crisis, what makes him think we can?

The lesson to be learnt is not to build any nuclear reactors at all!

Church leaders accuse Putrajaya of religious bigotry

KUALA LUMPUR, March 16 — Church leaders in Malaysia are alarmed over the home ministry’s latest directive for the conditional release of 35,000 Malay bibles and have refused to collect the holy books for the time being.

The first requires the importers to directly stamp on the cover of each of the 35,000 copies the following words: “Peringatan: ‘Al Kitab Berita Baik’ ini untuk kegunaan penganut agama Kristian sahaja. Dengan perintah Menteri Dalam Negeri.” [In English: “Reminder: This ‘Al Kitab Berita Baik’ is for the use of Christians only. By order of the Home Minister.”]

The cover of the Alkitab would be stamped with the department’s official seal and dated as well.
The second condition requires the importers to stamp a serial number on each copy, as if to demarcate copies from the released shipment and to enable the book to be traced back to the port of import.

Read more here and what the people have to say about it here...

Media Statement by CFM - Detention of BM Bibles Yet Again

The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) is greatly disillusioned, fed-up and angered by the repeated detention of Bibles written in our national language, Bahasa Malaysia. This time yet again at the Port of Kuching in Sarawak. 

30,000 copies of the "Perjanjian Baru, Mazmur dan Amsal" i.e. the "New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs" are currently being withheld. 

Read more here...

Japanese quake's epicenter located near Marian apparition site

The shrine of Our Lady of Akita

Niigata, Japan, Mar 12, 2011 / 07:17 am (CNA).- The epicenter of the earthquake that caused a deadly March 11 tsunami is located near the site of an apparition in which Mary warned about a worldwide disaster that could afflict humanity.

Read more here...

About Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in the Catholic church, and marks the beginning of this forty day liturgical period of prayer and fasting. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads as a sign of repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. 

I liked how Jeffrey Tucker links the significance of putting ashes on our foreheads to Sacred Music of the church.

Catholics come even in the absence of a mandate in order to experience them. And we do so because we adore the perceivable marks of our faith. We adore the ritual. We adore those features of the faith that underscore features of the physical world that make our very lives sacramentals. Our faith is not just abstract. It is real.

A hugely important aspect of this, but one sadly neglected in our time, is our music. Catholic music is like the ashes on our forehead, a very old tradition with timeless meaning for lives. It is a physical sign of something much deeper. Ashes are visible evidence of the invisible. Catholic music is the audible sign of the inaudible. It is something we should hold on to, cling to in order to give the daily march of our lives a spiritual meaning.

Read more about it here...

Jesus not killed by Jew

I had never been aware that some Christians still hold the Jews responsible for the death of Jesus, until I did some reading up on Pope Benedict's recent statement that Jesus was not killed by the Jews.

Pope Benedict says that Jews did not kill Jesus Christ in his new book, “Jesus of Nazareth Part II.”  The statement coming from the Holy Father is the second to come from the Catholic Church, the first was issued in 1965....

In John 10: 11 Jesus Christ said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”  Continuing to John 10: 17, 18 Jesus Christ said, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  

Read more here ...

Losing her other half

Last Thursday, we received news of the loss of our secretary's husband. Apparently he had been suffering from a certain illness for 3 weeks before his death.

Visiting her was not the easiest thing. Thinking what she has to go through is even more unbearable - to find the love of her life motionless on the chair in the morning with clumps of tissue soaked with blood in his lifeless hands, to go back to the home which used to be filled with his presence but never again.

How does one find the strength to get through the loss of a dearly loved one?

That morning, I found solace in this verse:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

-Psalms 27:1

Listening to this song, I thank God for the hope we have in God, in the home He has prepared for each of us. That during that darkest period, we would still have a reason to hope.

The event also brought to my mind of the countless times couples get angry at each other for the littlest problems and spend hours or days not talking or sulking at each other. What a waste of energy and time, when it could have been used to love the other person instead.

Life is short, and every moment with our loved ones is always precious.

Chapel Veil: Where to get one?

The Holy Spirit works in amazing ways.

I was just telling a friend about wearing the veil together when we serve together next Saturday for mass but soon realized we didn't know where to get one. Immediately after mass, the choir master came up to me and asked me if I was searching for where to get a veil.

And I was totally dumbfolded for a while as he was no where near an audible distance when my friend and I were discussing about this.

It was indeed the works of the Holy Spirit!

After asking the aunty in charge of the Liturgy (she wears a veil too) I realized that it couldn't really be bought anywhere. She sewed her own. Wow... would love to sew one of my own too. And also, she mentioned that only married women use black veils; Single ladies wear white, which signifies purity.

Still thinking of how I'm gonna pluck up the courage to wear one in church and the explanation I have to offer when asked. And then I found a follow up -'Are you shy to about wearing chapel veil?' from the last post from The Catholic Knight.

Never be guilty

Never be guilty of sacrificing any portion of truth on the altar of peace.

-J.C. Ryle