Sunday, January 30, 2011

Pro-Life!

Give Me A Chance- Karl Kohlhase

Monday, January 24, 2011

Clarification

I have been receiving blog visitors who are searching or "googling" about "Intercessors of the Lamb," "Hermit Intercessors of the Lamb," and "Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc." I admit that there are some contents here in Desert Whirlwind about the Intercessors of the Lamb (activities, charism, spirituality) which were posted before the suppression took place last October 15, 2010. This might create a speculation that I am supporting the Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc.

I want to clarify that I am not connected to the "Intercessors of the Lamb" or with the "Intercessors of the Lamb, Inc." I first belong to Jesus whose body is the Church. I give my support to the majority of the former hermits who choose to obey the Archbishop of Omaha.

God bless you.

Nobody But You

Christ has no body now but yours; no hands, no feet on earth, but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion on the world; yours are the feet with which he walks to do good; yours are the hands with which he blesses all the world. Christ has no body now on earth but yours. 


St. Teresa of Avila

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Wonderfully Made

I praise You, God, that I am fearfully, wonderfully made.

(From Danielle Rose's "Psalm 139 [Wonderfully Made]")

I am really thankful for the "Pursue Me" album. Very wonderful. Very inspiring.

So I am preparing for my "Carmelite dive"! Get ready John and Teresa! ;)

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

When It's Cold Outside

But it's not May. ;)

It's been terribly cold outside since Sunday evening. Cold winds were blowing everywhere, especially at night that I have to cover myself with two blankets. Mornings are kind of dark because it's cloudy.

Will all the days be so dark and cold? How I wish the sun would really come out to make the days warm and comfortable. How I wish the rain would never fall. I'm too tired to wipe all the rainwater that drops at the floor. How I wish someone would give me a nice umbrella. You see, I have no umbrella; I have to run whenever it rains unexpectedly.

How I wish someone would provide light while the days are cloudy. Not that we don't have any lamps at home, but I want warm and bright days. The weather is making me sick.





I have the audio Rosary led by Fr. Benedict Groeschel and I would love to take it with me everywhere I go. How I long to meet Fr. Groeschel. I suppose he is a great priest and spiritual director. I'll grab any opportunities of meeting him! How I wish they would make his writings more available in my country!

How I wish I used less "How I wish" phrases in this blog, but it's inevitable! My heart is full of wishes and hopes.



Remember to pray for this poor and afflicted blogger.



Tuesday, January 18, 2011

The Suffering Heart

Van Gogh's "Old Man in Sorrow"
Suffering means:
Tears
Pains
Anguish
Struggles
Trials
Disappointment

But out of suffering come:
Faith
Hope
Love

and the greatest is Love. (1Cor 13:13)


In times of suffering, God will never leave you:

"If you are suffering trials, or are sad, look upon Him on His way to the Garden... Or look upon Him bending under the weight of the Cross and not even allowed to take breath: He will look upon you with His lovely and compassionate eyes, full of tears, and in comforting your grief will forget His own because you are bearing Him company in order to comfort Him and turning your head to look upon Him." -Saint Teresa of Avila, The Way of Perfection


Your sufferings have value:

"Today the Lord said to me, I have need of your sufferings to rescue souls. O my Jesus, do with me as You please." -Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska, Diary 1612



"O you souls who wish to go on with so much safety and consolation, if you knew how pleasing to God is suffering, and how much it helps in acquiring other good things, you would never seek consolation in anything; but you would rather look upon it as a great happiness to bear the Cross of the Lord." - Saint John of the Cross

Don't Give Up

Sirach Chapter 2
1 My son, when you come to serve the LORD, prepare yourself for trials.
2 Be sincere of heart and steadfast, undisturbed in time of adversity.
3 Cling to him, forsake him not; thus will your future be great.
4 Accept whatever befalls you, in crushing misfortune be patient;
5 For in fire gold is tested, and worthy men in the crucible of humiliation.
6 Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him.
7 You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy, turn not away lest you fall.
8 You who fear the LORD, trust him, and your reward will not be lost.
9 You who fear the LORD, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.
10 Study the generations long past and understand; has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed? Has anyone persevered in his fear and been forsaken? has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
11 Compassionate and merciful is the LORD; he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble.
12 Woe to craven hearts and drooping hands, to the sinner who treads a double path!
13 Woe to the faint of heart who trust not, who therefore will have no shelter!
14 Woe to you who have lost hope! what will you do at the visitation of the LORD?
15 Those who fear the LORD disobey not his words; those who love him keep his ways.
16 Those who fear the LORD seek to please him, those who love him are filled with his law.
17 Those who fear the LORD prepare their hearts and humble themselves before him.
18 Let us fall into the hands of the LORD and not into the hands of men, For equal to his majesty is the mercy that he shows.




I thank God for my phriends. You are God's embrace.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I Am Back!

So, the midterm exams are over. I am free again!

FREEDOOOM!

I am now planning to start reading Teresa of Avila works SERIOUSLY. I have read some of her poems, the book entitled The Foundations, and the Constitutions she made for the Discalced Carmelite Nuns. I also got a copy of The Interior Castle, and of The Way of Perfection. Now I wonder how shall I start reading them and how long will it take me to absorb everything.

Blessed Charles was very fond of Saint Teresa of Avila. It was said that he kept on reading and rereading her works and I suppose he had memorized a lot of "Teresian" lines! Teresa was his spiritual best friend, and Blessed Charles if inviting us to keep a spiritual best friend, too. That saint will be our companion on our way to Jesus.

Saint Teresa was very devoted to Saint Joseph. If I am not mistaken, the first monastery she founded was named after him. Imagine the opposition she met in reforming the Carmelite order! But she was courageous; she persevered. Teresa!

So, continue praying for me, that I may have the courage to persevere, just like Saint Teresa.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Forward

The new year has just started and I've been experiencing a lot of new things.

But I am a bit busy until next week.

So, see you in two weeks!

Saturday, January 1, 2011