Teetatea V: Misa de Gallo / Christmas Novena

WISDOM

To understand reality is not the same as to know about outward events. It is to perceive the essential nature of things. The best-informed man is not necessarily the wisest. Indeed there is a danger that precisely in the multiplicity of his knowledge he will lose sight of what is essential. But on the other hand, knowledge of an apparently trivial detail quite often makes it possible to see into the depth of things. And so the wise man will seek to acquire the best possible knowledge about events, but always without becoming dependent upon this knowledge. To recognize the significant in the factual is wisdom. Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

THOUGHTS TO PONDER

Life is a train of moods like a string of beads; and as we pass through them they prove to be many colored lenses, which paint the world their own hue, and each shows us only what lies in its own focus.---RALPH WALDO EMERSON

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Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.---ABRAHAM LINCOLN

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There is neither happiness nor misery in the world; there is only the comparison of one state to another, nothing more. He who has felt the deepest grief is best able to experience supreme happiness. We must have felt what it is to die, that we may appreciate the enjoyments of life.---ALEXANDRE DUMAS

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“It is not because the truth is too difficult to see that we make mistakes... we make mistakes because the easiest and most comfortable course for us is to seek insight where it accords with our emotions - especially selfish ones" --- Alexander Solzhenitsyn quotes (Russian novelist, Nobel Prize for Literature (1970), b.1918)

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“Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself.” ---Kahlil Gibran

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Monday, December 20, 2010

Misa de Gallo / Christmas Novena - Fourth Day

Sunday is the Sabbath day and it's the Lord's day. This is also a special day for me so I'd like to account the day on the Gospel and devotion.

The Fourth day is devoted completely to the figure of Saint Joseph of him being a righteous man and he as a witness to Mary's virginity. The Gospel also speaks of the story of Jesus Christ through the eyes of Saint Joseph. St Joseph looked into the future and disregarded his own goals entrusting himself to God and to stand by Mary.

It's the fourth Sunday of Advent, the gospel is from Matthew. The first reading is from Isaiah of the Lord speaking to Ahaz. The Lord himself told Ahaz to ask for a sign from God in any manner though Ahaz refused to do so, the sign of Jesus Christ coming was shared and thus be called
Immanuel.

My reflection, I believe this is a call for us to pray. That sometimes in our lives and especially in doubts we can surely communicate to God and ask for enlightenment. We shouldn't keep any distance intead reach out for He is always with us. And even at times we don't pray, we are still guided and that reflects how loving our God is. He never turn His back.

Second reading is from the book of Romans. It speaks on Paul being called to be an apostle. The message of the reading is calling us to be Holy, calling us to do good in our daily lives.

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew is of Joseph that he even doubted at first, thought of staying away from Mary when he learnt of her being pregnant, util the angel appeared in his dreams telling him not to be afraid to take Mary and they shall call the son Emmanuel which means God is with us. When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel commanded and he took Mary, his wife home.

My reflection, it may not be easy to trust all, but we have to do especially to our Church. And thus we have to stregthen our faith. The readings display and inspire the faith people had in the past, I believe there's no much difference between the past and the present on how one can put his faith in better value...even at least having one.