--- via Blackberry
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Sunday Snippets: A Catholic Carnival #14
Sunday Snippets for the week of Sunday February 27 to Saturday March 5.
- I finished a sketch of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, the Catholic Cathedral in Christchurch, NZ, that was badly damaged in the recent earthquakes.
- I have a short ramble on how my spirituality needs a refill and another short petition asking for strength.
- A special card I picked up from a Christian shop a few years ago, celebrating 400yrs of the discovery of "La Australia del Espiritu Santo" by Portuguese Captain Fernandez de Quiros.
- The first piece of personal writing I have done in a while, talking about prayer, what it is, how to do it.
- I also started another new page on my website all about spirituality. Have a look at ravenswiss.com.
Go to the "Sunday Snippets" blog.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Pray, Pray, Pray!
Prayer - what is it? How do you do it? Am I doing it right?
Many people are perplexed by this word, others simply have a very narrow outlook on what it is to pray. Let me start off with what it is not. It is not simply saying the right words strung together in a sentence, though that is the most common-known methods of prayer. It is more than that. It is a conversation with God that cannot take the form of words. Simply put, prayer is the language of the soul. Those little niggling thoughts we have at times, usually when deep in thought or conversation with God, those spontaneous ideas that are "God-given" - are all the fruits of prayer.
Some people find themselves thinking too much when it comes to prayer. Some make long lists of prayers to say then wonder why they are failing in making a commitment to keep up their "spiritual health". Isn't it always the way - the things that seem so simple, we end up complicating by thinking about it too much.
The dishes need washing, but perhaps if I leave it another day, I can save that little bit of time filling the sink with water now and do it tomorrow! Tomorrow does come, but no sooner is it here, we make yet another "tomorrow". Before we know it, the sink is full of dishes and you have forgotten what colour your bench-top is and you are overwhelmed with all these dishes that need washing and will require filling and emptying the sink numerous times!
Prayer does not need to be hard, that is the beauty of it! Anyone can pray - from the most educated of us through to the youngest, the frailest, most un-educated or even mentally-disabled. All prayer is, is a conversation with God. Because a typical conversation is made up of words, most people stumble in their definition of prayer.
Prayer can be writing in a journal, drawing a picture, looking at the sunrise - almost anything imaginable that will open your mind, soul and body to God. When you are doing something that you enjoy rather than simply trying to connect to someone (God) whom you cannot physically hear, it can open your mind up even more!
Think of something you love doing - for me it is drawing or writing - then think of the amount of inspiration that can give you, how your thoughts whilst partaking in that activity can lead to great things. Effectively, you are talking to God, though you may not notice it. You may think that you are simply having a conversation with your sub-conscious. At times, you are, but at other times, it can work like a one-way-deposit-system from God. You are relaxing, taking time to enjoy what you do, you are more open to new things, and God can plant a mustard-seed in you that one day will bloom!
Next time you struggle with praying, think of some different ways you can go about it! Reading the Bible (Lectio Divina), drawing, writing, even singing! There is no right or wrong way, just give anything a try! You can only love it and go back for more, decide it wasn't the right style for you, or perhaps it needs a little perseverance. Either way, you will be on your way to creating a fruitful, more varied prayer life.
Many people are perplexed by this word, others simply have a very narrow outlook on what it is to pray. Let me start off with what it is not. It is not simply saying the right words strung together in a sentence, though that is the most common-known methods of prayer. It is more than that. It is a conversation with God that cannot take the form of words. Simply put, prayer is the language of the soul. Those little niggling thoughts we have at times, usually when deep in thought or conversation with God, those spontaneous ideas that are "God-given" - are all the fruits of prayer.
Some people find themselves thinking too much when it comes to prayer. Some make long lists of prayers to say then wonder why they are failing in making a commitment to keep up their "spiritual health". Isn't it always the way - the things that seem so simple, we end up complicating by thinking about it too much.
The dishes need washing, but perhaps if I leave it another day, I can save that little bit of time filling the sink with water now and do it tomorrow! Tomorrow does come, but no sooner is it here, we make yet another "tomorrow". Before we know it, the sink is full of dishes and you have forgotten what colour your bench-top is and you are overwhelmed with all these dishes that need washing and will require filling and emptying the sink numerous times!
Prayer does not need to be hard, that is the beauty of it! Anyone can pray - from the most educated of us through to the youngest, the frailest, most un-educated or even mentally-disabled. All prayer is, is a conversation with God. Because a typical conversation is made up of words, most people stumble in their definition of prayer.
Prayer can be writing in a journal, drawing a picture, looking at the sunrise - almost anything imaginable that will open your mind, soul and body to God. When you are doing something that you enjoy rather than simply trying to connect to someone (God) whom you cannot physically hear, it can open your mind up even more!
Think of something you love doing - for me it is drawing or writing - then think of the amount of inspiration that can give you, how your thoughts whilst partaking in that activity can lead to great things. Effectively, you are talking to God, though you may not notice it. You may think that you are simply having a conversation with your sub-conscious. At times, you are, but at other times, it can work like a one-way-deposit-system from God. You are relaxing, taking time to enjoy what you do, you are more open to new things, and God can plant a mustard-seed in you that one day will bloom!
Next time you struggle with praying, think of some different ways you can go about it! Reading the Bible (Lectio Divina), drawing, writing, even singing! There is no right or wrong way, just give anything a try! You can only love it and go back for more, decide it wasn't the right style for you, or perhaps it needs a little perseverance. Either way, you will be on your way to creating a fruitful, more varied prayer life.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
La Australia del Espiritu Santo
Before Captain Cook, there was Captain Fernandez de Quiros, a Portuguese navigator. He travelled to the "mythical southern land" we now know as Australia. Read more about him here. The card below was to commemorate 400-years (this was 2006).
Give me strength, O Lord.
Please Lord give me strength today as I am faced head-on with temptation. Perhaps by starting the day off by watching Daily Mass, then reading the reflective pieces in WAU. I believe it has given me the strength to so far keep my temptation at the low. Only time will tell if this is the start of a new lifestyle of not writing myself off at these times...
This can be my Guardian Angel... looks a lot like Samantha, actually!!!
This can be my Guardian Angel... looks a lot like Samantha, actually!!!
My glass needs a refill
Back in 2008, I was introduced to a monthly magazine, "The Word Among Us", which has reflections on the Daily Mass, as well as articles. It was a lady from the Wodonga Parish, a Charismatic Catholic. She gave me a copy and I found it quite useful. Towards the middle of the year, during World Youth Day, us pilgrims were given a copy of the magazine, amongst many other things.
This year I decided to purchase a subscription to it, however I have not been using it as often as I would like. I have not been to Mass in quite some time, early January I think. However, I am now going to make a set time to read the readings, then reflect on them. Better yet, I could try get to Mass over the road, three-days a week.
I found a video-podcast in iTunes, which is the Daily Mass. It is from "CatholicTV". So I can even use that as a tool to concentrate more on the days Daily Mass isn't on, or even as a tool to help me refill my glass of faith!
There's also one last booklet/magazine I wouldn't mind getting - "Magnificat". This one is much thicker than "The Word Among Us". It is somewhat like a monthly missal, but only it has articles in it as well. Perhaps one day once my faith has been reinvigorated I will get a subscription to that also. Does anyone have "Magnificat"? What did you think of it?
Finally, I have to pick up a copy of the Divine Mercy book... it's only $15 - bargain if you ask me! Quite an appropriate book for Lent. Besides, I haven't read a book for quite a few months now.
This year I decided to purchase a subscription to it, however I have not been using it as often as I would like. I have not been to Mass in quite some time, early January I think. However, I am now going to make a set time to read the readings, then reflect on them. Better yet, I could try get to Mass over the road, three-days a week.
I found a video-podcast in iTunes, which is the Daily Mass. It is from "CatholicTV". So I can even use that as a tool to concentrate more on the days Daily Mass isn't on, or even as a tool to help me refill my glass of faith!
There's also one last booklet/magazine I wouldn't mind getting - "Magnificat". This one is much thicker than "The Word Among Us". It is somewhat like a monthly missal, but only it has articles in it as well. Perhaps one day once my faith has been reinvigorated I will get a subscription to that also. Does anyone have "Magnificat"? What did you think of it?
Finally, I have to pick up a copy of the Divine Mercy book... it's only $15 - bargain if you ask me! Quite an appropriate book for Lent. Besides, I haven't read a book for quite a few months now.
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