True Home

For the wayward from their true home,

The journey back is so lonesome.

For those who found their true home,

Thoughts of going away is gone.

Each one is always a searcher,

Seeking for horizon's somewhere

Till one's heart is at peace out there

And one's soul finds room for slumber.

Real home is a precious treasure.

Once it's lost, life becomes obscure.

True home, a pearl of seas asure,

Once it's found, life's hurts get a cure.

This world is a home, but not yet.

I dream of a home, peace I get.

Serenity, my soul's outlet.

 God's home I will never forget. 

Artist's Profile

God has put in the heart of every person a deep and intense longing for a true home.  My inspiration in writing this poem came out of my own lifelong search  for a place of love, peace and silence.  I have been a missionary priest for many years and I found a home in the hearts of the people I served, loved and cared for in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and the Philippines.  My vision of life as a poet is that it is an amazing journey from the womb of the mother to the Father's bosom in Heaven.

Note:  This poem was published in the book, A SURRENDER TO THE MOON,

 The International Library of Poetry, Howard Ely, Editor, Copyright@2005, Watermark Press, One Poetry Plaza, Owings Mills, MD 21117 USA

The Last Supper Meal in the light of Intimacy, Service and Hospitality

This a personal reflection based on John 13:1-20, The Last Supper Meal

One of the common public worship services by the three major Christian Churches: Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican is the celebration of the Holy Eucharist or Holy Mass.

Here, I would like to share few significant points, which could be a basis for further reflection and sharing in a small group of Christians doing a Bible study.

The first thing that John wants us to reflect is that the whole of Christ's life and death is an expression of His special gratuitous self giving love for his disciples. "He had always loved those who were in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was."(John 13:1 The New Jerusalem Bible). This means literally that since the time he called them up to the end, he has always loved them. This brings us to meditate on the call of Jesus to intimacy with him. In human experience, what does it mean to be intimate? I conceive intimacy as a home or an environment of a true maturing love between Jesus and his present day followers, between husbands and wives, among friends, among communities, etc. M. Scott Peck's definition of love is one that I am most convinced as a classic expression of what really love is. He defines love as "The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth." In her National Bestseller book, "all about love" Bell Hooks built her idea on that and further said, "When we understand love as the will to nurture our own and another's spiritual growth, it becomes clear that we cannot claim to love if we are hurtful and abusive." She also said, "When we are loving we openly and honestly express care, affection, responsibility, respect, commitment and trust." For me, this is precisely the kind of intimacy that Jesus left as a perpetual legacy to his beloved disciples in that upper room of the Last Supper Meal on the night before he suffered and died. He gave us love's highest standard, that of giving up oneself for the sake of the beloved. "No greater love man has, than to offer his life for his friends."(John 15:13) Thus, intimacy is breaking through the barriers of personal differences, of time and space, of boundaries and cultures and simply being there to sincerely interfere, through the little and great acts of kindness and love, while allowing oneself to be also disturbed and challenged by the words and life of the one loved, for the sake of promoting spiritual growth, achieving mutual happiness and fulfillment, and like Christ, doing everything well in love.
This brings us now to the second important thing that John wants to drive at, i.e. humble service, "He got up from table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and wipe them with the towel he was wearing."(John 13:4-5) In the Jewish custom this gesture of Jesus is very symbolic of the humility of a slave serving his master. How can we do the same act of humble service. Maybe we can understand this by looking at the angle and feeling of the one who is served. When someone serves me as I order something to eat in a restaurant I feel superior to that person. The cliche', "The customer is always right" is often used to claim one's right and superiority in an ordinary human setting. Jesus revolutionized a change in this mentality. His kind of leadership is one of being always disposed to be of service, rather than being served. A further note I would like to look closer is the defiant attitude of Peter when Jesus approached him to wash his feet. To teach him a lesson in true discipleship, Jesus told him that if he persists in his denial of the Lord's service the consequence will be, "...you will have no share with me."(John 13:8) which is a Semitic phrase of cutting him off from any further relationship with the Lord and from all share in Jesus' ministry and in his glory, because he does not appreciate his Master's outlook. Behind the act and the reply that Jesus made to Peter, he explained that his sacrifice has already achieved the purification required in the Mosaic Law. "Every branch that does not bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word I have spoken to you."(John 15:2-3) Also we find another relevant text, "But if we live our lives in the light, as he is in the light, we are in union with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."(1 John 1:7-8)
Lastly, the third and very important thing that John wants to stress is Hospitality. "I tell you most solemnly, whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me."(John 13:20) By calling all his disciples to eat with him the Passover Meal just before he suffered the brutality of crucifixion, Jesus gave us all the core of the very heart of God, which is hospitality. I came from the Philippines, a country known by those who come to visit us a a country gifted with the gospel value of hospitality. In the different towns and cities around the Philippine archipelago, especially during the "Fiesta" celebration in honor of the Patron Saint of the town, all visitors are welcomed to eat in every home. Not only that the best food are put on the table but they are served both with smile and love from the Filipino host family. Here, in the very act of Jesus at the Last Supper Meal, hospitality is very much connected with intimacy and service. When I am intimate with someone, I also gladly welcome that person into my life and I am willing to offer the gift and the good that I have for that person in order to make the joy of fellowship complete. As a former Benedictine monk in Pecos, New Mexico, one of the best things I remember and still try to live is a tenet in the Rule of St. Benedict urging us to see the very person of Christ in every guest who comes to the monastery, which in itself is a practical application of the last supper admonition of Jesus. As we continue to live our christian life, the daily challenge is to make our hearts, our homes, our persons as the very sure place of the hospitality of the heart of Jesus - a heart pierced by the soldier's sword, yet a heart that continues to accept, to forgive, to love, to offer his very last drop of blood for each one of us.
In closing, we can ponder on the mysticism of love from the book, The Way of Love, The Last Meditation of Antony de Mello, "The symphony of life moves on but you keep looking back, clinging to a few bars of the melody, blocking your ears to the rest of the music, thereby producing disharmony and conflict between what life is offering you and what you are clinging to. Then comes the tension and anxiety which are the very death of love and the joyful freedom that love brings. For love and freedom are only found when one enjoys each note as it arises, then allows it to go, so as to be fully receptive to the notes that follow."

The Space of God

The silence of this autumn morn

brings me

to the keyboard

to write something

in this space

of God's cyberworld.

The Heart of God

is the silence of the soul

is the home of welcome

for those who are tired

for those who are weary

of browsing here and there

not knowing where to stop

start to listen and pray.

Oh, the silence

of the dwelling place of God

on the net, always waiting

to give a wholesome

resting place

for those who find life

burdensome and complicated

and still searching

for the answers to their many whys.

This little humble space of God

refreshes the yearning soul

delights every one

with His holy presence

in the here and now

in this eclipse of

one's reality with God's eternity!

The beauty of a white lily

sprouting tall and radiant

in the murky water pond

is the same beauty of God

in my moment of serenity

in all my adversity.

This space of God

is my online home

and my source of true peace

in my laptop window.

It is a safe haven

and a strong refuge

from the noise

and saturation

of the world, money and power.

This space of God

is a cyberhouse of prayer

and a wonder to behold.

In this simplicity

of God's networld

one finds the richness

of God's mercy

that brings forth

a new creation

a real purity

and true holiness

in the very soul

that connects to it.

This is also a place

of total healing

of the body, mind & spirit.

Jesus alone

is the Physician and Healer

and He wants only faith

and trust that He could do

the next impossible thing for me.

If He can open

the eyes of the blind

make the lame walk

and even make the dead

come back to life,

will He not also

be the One to help me

in my life's bottomlines?

As Jesus washed the feet

of His disciples

this space is also

a space of humble service

and most loving concern

for each guest and browser

who takes time to sit and pray

in God's holy space.

At this moment in space

in this still point of the universe,

a circle of Christian love

is embracing everyone

and like the wheel of life

it swiftly moves towards

our Heavenly Father

in His Kingdom of light.

Over and above

this space is a little room

of contemplation

how much Christ offered

on Calvary's top

as He cried out

all the anguish

and pains of suffering humanity

and with His total surrender

lifted us all and set us free.

In this space of the Risen Lord

He is calling you and me

to wake up now

and rise with Him

and fill the whole world

with His love, peace and joy!

Performing the Work of God during the day

A time of grace in my life, I spent as a Benedictine monk in Pecos Benedictine Monastery, Pecos, New Mexico (2005-2007). In my period of Novitiate there I learned about the Rule of St. Benedict. In Chapter 16 of the Rule, St. Benedict tried to reflect on the question: How the Work of God is to be performed during the day. In reading the Rule, each one of us first reads it as a Lectio Divina. One of the important moments in Lectio Divina is to ponder on a word or a phrase. In this particular chapter, as I spent some quiet time praying over it, I underlined the Bible verse, "Seven times a day, I have given you praise." (Psalm 119:164)In performing the work of God, the first act is to praise him. And what is praise? According to a comment on this chapter, "Praise is the joyful overflow of a heart filled with gratitude and delight." Psalm 119 and the spirit of praise in it recalls us to our center, who is God Himself and His Kingdom within. The number seven is a sacred number which in jewish mind is perfection or completion. As Benedictine monks we take time to pray seven times a day and we are aware that in our recollection and singing of the psalms it is our common act of embodying both the perfection of our persons and the glory of God. In our worship of God together and with those who join us we witness how mighty and how loving is the God who was and is and will be. At the end of the Lectio Divina on this, I wrote my Prayer/Response and I gladly share it with you:

A joyful song stirs
from within my heart's portals
sounding forth
bursting of awe
wordless echoes
tearless cries
brightness of lights
of my soul's awakening
from a slumber
and fatigue of yesterday's
bleak, stormy, restless nights.
So this morning
I sing my song of praise
to you my Lord
and I delight
in giving thanks
for this new beginning,
so peaceful in its unfolding
so gentle in its embraces
so calm in its assurances
of your never exhausting love!
My soul praises you
Mighty fortress in my weakness
Flowing river of my dryness
Solid rock of my defences
Full moon of my quietness
Golden valley of my playfulness
White mountain of my emptiness
Oh Holy Presence of my world,
blessing, sanctifying this moment
at day's beginning
all praise to you now and forever!

- B. Sagra

Tribute to Crystal - Patricia Jepsen (Chuse)

A Personal Tribute to Crystal

Sometime in July 2007 I was in Pecos Benedictine Monastery, preparing to go to Ghana, Africa for a mission assignment. I received a group of visitors one afternoon, Crystal, Elizabeth Hunt, Ann Carpenter and Fr. Joseph, a visiting priest from Ghana with them. They saw my name and my Ghana destination posted in a bulletin board of the local grocery store in town and they all decided to come and visit me. During that first meeting with Crystal, she said that while waiting for me to appear in the visiting room of the monastery she was browsing over the Retreat Schedule and took another notice of my name there. At that time I was scheduled to give a retreat on Ways of Contemplation according to classic and modern mystics. She said she was struck by that and expressed her interest to pursue further discussion with me on a personal level about my teaching on that topic. Then came the invitation to join them for dinner at the Mother's Sanctuary School in Glorieta, New Mexico. During that dinner we came to know more about each other and shared some more notes on the Higher Christ's Consciousness, focusing on the mystical traditions. After that, I received a call from her that she is going to visit me at the monastery to talk over something just between the two of us. I agreed and we found ourselves sharing deep and highly profound spiritual things as we took a walk by the Pecos River along walking pathway at the back of the monastery. That walk with Crystal by the river was a "Kyros" - a God moment for both of us. Only during this recent transition of Crystal to the much Higher Realms of the planetary dimension of the University that I am beginning to understand the significance of the holy conversation we had during that summer afternoon. Of all questions, she asked me about the mysticism of pain and suffering. I responded from my own spiritual background as Filipino missionary, Benedictine monk and a member of an ecumenical movement called Focolare Movement. The first thing I said to her was about the Dark Night of the Soul theology of St. John of the Cross, a Spanish Carmelite reformer & mystic. I told her that at one point in his poem on pain and suffering, St. John of the Cross exclaimed about the night which is not night at all but has been transformed into light, "Oh (night's) darkness which is not dark (but light!)" I also told her that each soul who seeks God has to pass through a "thicket of suffering" according to St. John of the Cross as part of the purification of the senses in order to be worthy of the "nothingness" required in meeting God face to face. Then I told her about the theology of Chiara Lubich, the Foundress of the Focolare Movement on Jesus Forsaken and the comment made by Blessed Pope John Paul II in his Encyclical for the New Millenium. I explained to her that one of the last seven words of Jesus just before he died on the cross was, "My God, my God, why have you forsakened me?"(Matthew 27:46) Chiara Lubich had a powerful experience of spiritually espousing Jesus Forsaken and dedicating her whole life towards living and loving only Jesus, who died and rose again. In view of that theology Blessed Pope John Paul II commented that the cry of Jesus, was both a human experience of total abandonment and a divine experience of total surrender. At that very moment when Jesus cried out, "My God, my God why have you forsakened me?", according to Blessed Pope John Paul II, he experienced the deepest human anguish and fear in the midst of a great suffering. At the same time, it was also a humble cry of total surrender of one's whole being to God. In other words, Jesus felt totally abandoned, yet also totally abandoning himself to God out of the last beat of total prayerful surrender to God of his heart. I told Crystal that this is always the case and experience of every pure human experience of pain and suffering. Each one has to go through the "fire" of suffering in order to be a genuine "gold" for God. I also told her that the way to experience suffering and let it become one's very way to see God is through a total surrender of oneself and everything to God. During the series of meditation teachings and classes which followed and I joined with the core group of the university from Glorieta, New Mexico and when it was relocated for a short time in Mt. Shasta, California, there were times when Crystal will point us back to that conversation I had with her by the Pecos river. Tonight, as I write this, my Inner Voice is telling me that all the way then, Crystal knew was she was about to plunge into during the final days of her life just before her transition, a real intense, quiet and totally surrendered pain and suffering. When Ann Carpenter, Crystal's nurse and companion at the university house in Kanab,Utah, told me over the phone that Crystal has been diagnosed with a cancer, I was not at all surprised. I know that a golden soul like Crystal is meant to go that way just before the "final curtain" is lowered down for her stint here with us to come to a swift close. The last time I saw Crystal was just moments before she and Ann Carpenter traveled to Kanab, Utah. I saw her sitting on a chair outside the house she rented for one year in Mt. Shasta, California. I saw her face so bright, but deep in her eyes I also saw her greatest anguish and pain. I know now, that during that last moments of Crystal, she has only one song, a song of total surrender to the next plan of God for her life. As I recalled these events and experience of Crystal as my personal tribute to her and the Universityof Melchizedek for the grace of being them all the way from Glorieta, New Mexico until their last day in Mt. Shasta, California, I cannot help but also sing my new song of praise and thanksgiving to God for earning the trust, love and care of Crystal for my soul during her last moments as Teacher and Guiding "star" for the University. Tonight, I know Crystal's star is eternally fixed and I can only glance and believe she is still very much present with us as we continue to spread the teachings of the University of Melchizedek, especially through her classic books, The God Self and Living the God Self manuscripts and making it more available and more understandable to those who seek the truth it brings and the transformation in one's life it can accomplish. My personal thanks to the Board of Directors and to Susan Hunt, Elizabeth Hun and David Chuse for taking this initiative to write a Tribute to Crystal. I hope to see and read more tribute on Crystal by those whose lives were touched and transformed by her. Then we can collate it to a book form for the continued teachings of the University. This Personal Tribute to Crystal is humbly and gratefully written and marked with the Seal of the University of Melchizedek.

 - B. Sagra

Just Changing House of Faith

Over the past two weeks
I have changed house of faith
but still remained
in the same faith neighborhood
among fellow christians,
followers of the Son of Man,
The Word made flesh,
The resurrection and the life,
Jesus Our Lord and Savior.
When I wrote about this online
someone asked, "Why do you leave
the church of our forefathers?"
My reply to that is,
I did not leave the church
nor the faith of our forefathers,
I just changed my house of faith
but I still live
in the same neighborhood of faith.
During my last interview,
before my reception
to the Episcopal Church,
I was asked how do I feel
and how do I reflect on this
change of major significance
in my present life.
I said, for me, it is not
a feeling that I have left behind
something or I feel sad about it.
It is a feeling of seeing
a new widening horizon
in my personal journey of faith
as a christian believer.
I feel the joy of sharing
the gift of my life and faith
to this new family I belong now
and of gaining more insight
and more vision into what it means
to live according to the footsteps
of Jesus Christ in our time today.
The call to christian discipleship
is an ongoing lifetime call.
Life any life's journey or adventure
there are lots of changes and surprises,
some very simple but others remain a mystery
in all their complicated twists and turns
of events and decisions,
of possibilities and ventures of faith.
I rest at peace with this thought,
God our Father, in Jesus Christ His Son
and in the power of the Holy Spirit
is not yet through with the work
He has begun in my life
and I humbly bow my head
and say, "Thy will, not mine,
be done, O Lord, today and always!"

The Art of Listening

In the art of listening
Love is the best ear
of the heart.
In the midst and distraction
of the noise around us
and the noise within us
how can we both listen
with the ears of love
in our hearts?
Listening is an art
of hearing
not just the words
in the voice
but the silent voice
in the words!
We can only understand
when we take time to listen
without self induced
prejudice, pride or
preoccupation of other things.
Listening is an art
of being singlehearted,
mindly focused
and soully attuned
to the cry for care
and loving attention
from the one we listen to.
Marriage is the best field
and friendship too
for the practice
of the art of listening.
Here is a hypothetical question
written in a poster
authored by God,
"If you cannot understand
my silence,
how can you understand
my words?"
In talking to each other
we need spaces between our words
to allow the other to listen
the meaning behind each uttered word
and in the silence that follows still
the hearer can understand
the roots and causes
why such word is said.
A spoken word
is a multifaceted symbol
of a satellite of realities
in one's soul within
and one's life outside.
I can only master
the art of listening
when in my own life
I create spaces of silence
to listen and pray
and hear God's voice
"You are my beloved...
Don't be afraid...
I am with you always...
Today, you will be with me
in paradise!"

Choices

This very moment
I can make
the art of a good choice
I choose to be
what God destined me to be
I choose to deny self
take up my cross
and follow the footsteps
of Him
who went around
doing good
resisting evil
by the power of God's Word
having no place to call a home
He found a dwelling place
in the hearts of those
who believe He is the Son of God.
His word is gentle
and His heart is singled, focused
only in doing the Father's will.
He learned loveand respect of women
from Mary who gave birth to Him
in a manger and reared Him up
in purity and meekness as her son.
When His moment has come
to offer Himself as atonement for our sins
He willingly drank the cup
of suffering.
He was counted as a criminal
mocked and spitted on the face
nailed to the cross and died
so that the sins of many will be taken away
including yours and mine.
Oh my soul
what are you waiting for?
Can you bear the sight of Him
who is God - Love Eternal
in the greatest agony
and self giving and still be cold
to make your own self offering
for others?
My hands are numbed
my heart is still
and my soul at peace now.
I have made my choice
to love only Jesus Forsaken
and be the love he gave
especially for my wife and family
and for those He will call me to love and serve.

Sources of Joy and Strength

Do you know where to find
real sources of joy
and strength in life?
Have a drink
of a good cup of coffee
or tea
or talk a little walk
with your dog
why not take a bike ride
or simply sit on a meadow
life is not really for runners
but it is for those
who care to slow down
and read something worthwhile
to redirect the mind
to what is true, noble
and beautiful
prayer is a balm
for a tired and wounded spirit
eases everything
the art of breathing
normally, just being alive
and aware with poignant
unnotices life's moments
why not celebrate
the love in your heart
and be worthy of it
in its truest sense
love is the mystery
that keeps being unraveled
by simply loving
and being loved.

Rest awhile

"Let's go off by ourselves
to a quiet place and rest awhile" (Mark 6:31)

When the body does not want
anymore what to do next
due to too much fatigue
... rest awhile

When the emotions are so intense
and almost come to breaking
into paralyzing despair
... rest awhile

When the soul is perplexed
and ridden with fears
of unknown future things
... rest awhile

When the world is shocked
and shakened by wars
and humanity is bereft of peace
... rest awhile

When one's heart is weary
and gets the pangs of sorrow
for being so far from the beloved
... rest awhile

When one's faith is tested
almost to the limits
of human endurance to uphold truth
... rest awhile

When one's hand is tempted
to take another work load
in the busy world of doing
... rest awhile

When the journey of life
becomes too hot as in summer
and the goal is still beyond reach
... rest awhile

Adventure of a lifetime

This is my adventure

of a lifetime

to love and be loved

in the reality

of the bond of marriage

as I accept my wife

and love her joyfully

for the complete person

that she is

and together with her

to bear everything

in love

supported

by the grace of God.

I come to this union

with much prayer

and discernment

and deep in my heart

I really believed

this path is our destiny

our great adventure

of a lifetime.

How beautiful

my beloved

among all women

she is my delight

and my source

of inspiration

and strength

in this life!

It is but natural

as in every birth

the passing pain

of the new beginning

being far away for some time

which serves as a promise

of lasting happiness

in our being together

one in heart and soul

for life!

Looking Beyond the River of Life

Thursday August 9, 2007 - 02:04pm (MDT) Edit | Delete | Permanent Link | 1 Comment

Looking Beyond
Looking Beyond

On the bridge

As I hear the singing

waters of Pecos river

I look beyond the mountain

and beyond the white cloud

so strangely formed

like a dome up the sky

And I wonder

what's beyond the clouds

what's beyond the abyss

Oh, if only I can climb

that hill of a cloud

and stand and look some more

I come home slowly

my lips speechless

my heart gently throbbing

in the sure and certain

acceptance of the limits

of my human soul

to pierce its seeking

beyond the nowhere ending

Ah, but I am consoled

I need not see what's beyond

to keep the hope alive

and burning deep within...

The Mystery of the Cross - Ode to Edith Stein

The cross is a symbol

that has become

your point of reference

in your saintly life!

Being one with your people

the Jewish people

of World War II

you asked yourself

what choice to make

in the midst of a hopeless

and losing situation

knowing deep within you

that the danger of extinction

is up and close.

Indeed you have chosen

to pay the great price

for the salvation of your soul

and the salvation of others.

You declared a big "No"

to violence and hatred!

You said unconditional "Yes"

to what is true and holy

and you offered your life,

a great martyr of our time!

My heart is so grateful

and I pray that your life

will inspire mine

and that in the cross

I can also find the meaning

of everything and be faithful

to the purpose for which

I am created and loved by God.

Acceptance of life

Acceptance

Life has its share

of the seasons

of ups and down

of twists and turns

or a river flow

of changes in depth

in currents,

noise

and stillness.

Today,

I simply

take time to be

and let life be

with all its

contraditions

with all its beauty

with all its greatness

with all its colors

knowing deep within,

my life is the only life

I accept as a gift

for me and for others.

May you have peace

and joy in the heart

as you trudge with me

another day

in the journey of life

especially

in accepting

life as it is.

I love you

with all the love

and the joy

in my quiet

serene

and peaceful heart.

Life is becoming

I will become

what I am longing for

If I long for God

I will be God

If I long for Heaven

I will be heaven

That is why

once in a while

one needs to pause

and think about

what to long for

and if the longing

does not exceed

the limits and boundaries

of the pleasures

of this world

one needs to redirect

one's longing

to something

that is lasting

and eternal

in order that

the longing

will find

its fulfillment

in one's being.
Tags: vignettesoflife | Edit Tags

The Path of Holiness

Holiness

is a path

to trudge along

under the guidance

and inspiration

of God's Spirit.

Is holiness

still relevant today,

when most often

a life of compromise

is preferred

rather than

the life of discipline?

The key I have found

is that it only takes

a little step forward

to be holy

as I want to

and a little step backward

to loose that holiness

if I choose to.

The subtle difference

and the tiny line

between holiness

and insanity

is in the little

precise choices

I make every day

for life

or for death

for peace

or for sorrow.

It all depends

on that freedom

to be holy

as my God is holy

or to stay out

of holiness path,

and walk along the way

of my sinful, fragile,

human nature.

With God's grace,

I choose life today.

I choose holiness

and all the peace

and joy that comes with it.

True Freedom

True Freedom

comes through a breakaway

from anything with an air

of dependency.

its a destruction

of what i'm cling to

for dear life

or the letting go

of my unhealthy attachments

and just be empty

and open handed

in my poverty of spirit.

then comes the freedom

of the heart, mind and soul

and the joy and the blessedness

that come with it.

let me soar like an eagle

to freedom's perfect peak

on the mountaintop

where the air refreshes

the soul and quenches the thirst

of a longing enslave heart

for so long.

ah, what sheer joy

to have true freedom

of the spirit

just like a tossed leaf

that falls on the river

and is carried

and brought to a peaceful

and restful bank

only to be consumed

and be part of the earth

once again, just be one

with the whole of creation

in total, true and lasting freedom!
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Self Denial

"If you want to follow me, deny yourself,
take up your cross and then come and follow me." - Jesus words

God

as I understand

you are just there

waiting

for me to renounce

everything I possess

everything I have

even everyone I am attached to

including my very own self

so I will be free

in disposing all of myself

to you, and be the person

who is willing

to obey your will.

Here I am

God of love

of power and compassion,

take me as I am

in all that I am

so I can change

and be transformed

to be your true image

your real instrument

to bring forth life,

and hope and love

in this spiritually barren

and desertlike world. Amen

The Little Joys of Life

The Little Joys of Life

Life is full of little joys

snowflakes dancing

in the air on winter morn

a smile from a friend

a warm hug or handshake

a cup of coffee or tea

a quiet moment of prayer

a loving feeling

a gentle presence

an e-mail from a friend

a beautiful work of art

a candlelight

a soothing incense

a soft cushion

a warm blanket

these and many more

make my day

full of simple little

delights!
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Sunday January 14, 2007 - 12:12pm (MST) Edit | Delete | Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Inner Beauty

What is Essential

is truly invisible

to the eyes!

God does not

judge by appearances

but He looks

and knows

what is inside

in the heart.

Precious pearls

are hidden

in the bottom of the sea

kept in a seashell.

A butterfly comes out

of hiding in a cocoon.

There is beauty

and loveliness

in the depth

of every person.

The outside beauty

maybe just an expression

of an inner beauty.

But the inner beauty

is uncorrupted

and unstained

by any outside view.

Character beautifies

the whole person!

Friendship

Friendship

At times

I think to myself

what can life be

without a friend?

Oh yes,

I need a friend

just a friend

to share life with

in the openness

and intimacy

of sharing

and caring

loving

and being loved

a soul to soul

and heart to heart

trying to achieve

that unity

of mind too.

I thank God

for my friends

for each one

brightens

my life

and helps me

to grow

to mature

and be happy

in this life!
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Monday January 15, 2007 - 02:52pm (MST) Edit | Delete | Permanent Link | 0 Comments

Misty Morning

Misty Morning

I look outside

and see the mist

hovering over the valley

of where I am

perfectly located

in the world today.

There is something

which is wrapped

in great mystery

in that beautiful

somber morning

of the dawn of new life.

My heart is joyful

and grateful for this day.

My soul one with

the Power Greater

than myself and all my life!

I take this day

as a great gift

something for me

to cherish

to celebrate

to wonder

to be happy

to be at peace!

Give me a New Heart Lord

Life is not

in the enjoyment

of things material

it is more

the joy

of an attitude change

the beauty

of growing

the purity

of feeling love

as a human person

the kindness

of being a helping hand

the knowledge

of God's will

and

the courage

to carry that out

in season

or

out of season.

I am in this world

as a significant

part

of a greater whole

I am no useless junk

thrown and trampled

I am a dignified human

of great worth

and value,

it only i have eyes

to see

and a heart

to feel...

Give me a new heart

O God, of my life

so that I may walk

each moment

of every day

in your amazing

and wonderful presence!

The Meaning of New Year

Entry for January 01, 2007
What is New Year to me?

New Year is just another day

But there is something

deeply mysterious

and profound

in every new day

of a another year.

It is a breakthrough

from an end of a cycle

in the season of life.

Another year is gone

and it was yesterday.

Another year begins

and it is today!

I am in between

the end and the beginning

of a sacred moment

in the history of my life

and the life of others

and the world too.

I am a link in the chain

of life and its beautiful!

New Year is a moment

to think that in life

I can always begin again

no matter what happened

yesterday in my dreams.

Today, well nourished

and cared with all the love

in my heart, I stand

proud and tall to live

and let live with renewed

purpose and creativity.

God bless you all

and your loved ones

every day of this New Year!

Meaning of Christmas

What does Christmas mean to me?

Christmas comes and goes

But the moments shared with friends,

family and new acquaintances linger

as blessed moments to cherish

throughout the next year

till another Christmas comes!

For me Christmas means

the joy of being full of love

for others as I continue breathing,

walking, living and wondering

in this world.

It means taking every opportunity

to care, share and love the next

person I meet along the way.

Whenever I do this

something deep within me,

my true self is born anew

in the amazement of a little child,

and the ecstasy of a lover

and the peace of a gracefilled life!

May you find true peace and joy

this Christmas and I wish you

a New Year full of hope and blessings!

Thank you for being a part of my life,

for making me whole and complete,

for allowing me to grow with you

in the adventure of living and loving!

Finding Home in the Heart of a Friend

Somewhere

a resting place

at home

in the heart

of a friend

life's journey

can be weary

at times

its going

and coming

froth with toxic

wastes of worry

loneliness

and pain

and the question

left is

will there be an end

to all of these?

The other day

a friend online

lost all hopes

and is going back

to mom

and i told her

its great!

Now is the time

for her to claim

responsibility

for her dear life

for her wellbeing

and happiness

and then she asked

are still there

such things?

So i simply told her

to take rest

and be quiet

and listen keenly

to tha still small voice

of a Friend's

assurance

of love and care

within her.

And i bade her

love, peace

and joy

as I waited

for my next moment

to rest for a while

and to my God

and to myself

just be my own

best friend.

Zazen - Sitting Meditation

Here I am



in the solitude



of morning calm



sitting



full lotus



flower of spring



in the meadows



of eternal freshness



breathing only love



love that gives life



nourishes the soul



in its fullness



yet emptiness



of being



ah, the sheer delight



of silence



the pure joy



of nirvana



right here



in this stillness



no thoughts



just being



just sitting



one with each sound



one with each breath



the world



of zen



engulfs me



and I no more



in that quiet moment



of sheer beauty



of blissful contentment



in God's abyss



of awe and wonder!

Your calling to me...- By David

Beloved sweetness

I cry in the shadows

of my own reflection

How my sight has failed to see

what has been trying to reach me

Your silent steps

have left deep impressions

in the rivers of my soul

I wrestled with false judgment

only to find myself guilty

of seeding the storm

Embracing frail children

of the night is your calling to me

Sadness travels the world

via the burrowed tunnels

dug by the subterfuge of stability

Where once lived followers

of promised riches,

a garden now has embedded itself

Spice of Life

In the middle of the road

A white dog jumps

takes a look

and runs away

In the middle of the road

I walked once

founding no one

I trudge on...

then found

a friend just at the bend

and walked

with delight

through life

confident

and unafraid

no more...

I have someone

who can listen

and talk to...

Imagine life

without a friend

or a companion

it's a boring one

isnt it?

There is more

to friendship

there is more

to life

when they are entwined

like clinging vines

on the wall

bringing forth

flowers...

in springtime.

giving forth

hope

in summer

leaving behind

memories

in fall

and bringing forth

dreams

in winter...

Awakening

Awakening to a new day. In silence of my breathing, in this morning calm, I am just sitting, just sitting...Mu-ing...one with Mu...Ah!!!...sheer contemplation...beyond words, eternity now, beyond creation, each being here beyond my expectation. I simply be, ...fulness in emptiness! Oh, once again, I surrender my whole self to Thee, unfathomable yet real, unseen yet deeply felt! Truly alive in each breath I take, my life begins a metamorphosis, a transformation! Like a new leaf, fresh and coated with morning dew, vibrant and green, my life dances again with the wind! Like birds happily picking the grains on the ground, my life is lovely and joyful once again, in the morning of my new awakening!

Mystical Freedom

I walked by the river yesterday listening to the ripples, just being one with the flow. My feet were dancing with the wind in sheer ecstasy of freedom. The waters in me, I am in the waters, steadily and gently moving, laughing and bouncing against the rocks and bends just within the limit of the banks, freely yet not too free and freeing yet accepting. It can be that life can flow with freedom according to the limits of this imperfect world. Yes, there is nothing noble than being free to be. There is nothing so freeing than knowing I can always be free if I choose to and I can always love and care, serve and be happy in this world, while enjoying the mystical freedom and contemplation of the next.

Fallings Rains

The falling rains came over our land and refreshed everything. It brought peace at dawn, when the ground was still wet and the clouds stayed, while the sun was late to shine. Aha, this is peace in my little space in this wide world. I come here each morning and relish the stillness of each moment. I come as I am, to this place of awesome serenity of spirit, mind and heart. I wonder why peace is not found by those who seek too far. It is all because peace is simply right here, in my right place, while being embraced by God in the falling rains!

Prayer to Mary Immaculate

I am in this world as a significant part of a greater whole. I am no useless piece of junk being thrown and trampled away. I am a dignified human person of great worth and value. Oh, if only I have eyes to see, and I have a heart to feel! Give me, O Lord, a new heart. Give me, O God of my journey, a new strength, so that I may walk each moment of every day in your amazing and wonderful presence. Amen.

Friends...

Friends come and go

Some stay and linger

For a while...and go too

But a few stay behind

To be companions...

In life's journey!

Heart Speaks to Heart

Yes, heart speaks to heart

Here I am speaking...

In The Language of the Heart:

the voice of silence

the beauty of simplicity

the grandeur of truth.

Hope to share

the riches of love

with you...

I look to this day

I look to this new day with deep, piercing contemplation of what is, of what is now, of what is deeply real in the details, behind the song, of an early morning humming bird, or behind the linings of a white cloud, or the meaning behind the purity of a blossoming spring flower. In the midst of silence, of beauty, of life, lies the echoes of the Artist of them all. Yes, I look to this day, with a gentle pause, and in the stillness of my heart, take a contemplative perception of sacred imprints in each and every detail of creation.

My True Self

My True Self
Emptiness of heart

Purity of mind

Nothingness of soul

Ordinariness of being

Nature's harmony

Brilliant lights!

Morning dew

On top on a grass' blade

My true self sits still.

Natural just as it is

The river flows

The sun shines

Snowflakes in the air

Dancing and falling

Giving joy to earth

Ah, all I see is beauty

All I hear is Love

Bidding me, "arise!"

My heart seeking

Listening, knowing

My Beloved's voice is mine

"I am the monk's chanting

I am the nocturnal moaning

I am the silence of the morning."

My life truth's appears

My delusion vanishes

Deep within peace, reigns.

At my birth the angel sang

A song of mystical delight

It is good for you to be here!

Oh, I am God's love song

Soothing the fringes

Of human sorrows.