you can be a winner or a loser. it's your choice

When you hear someone saying a contemptuous word such as “you’re such a loser! You will never learn your lesson”. Then most likely your heart goes out to that person who is referred to as a loser.  

Loser. It’s a very negative word. It’s degrading for the person to whom it refers. And that hurts a lot.  But who really are the losers? When can we say a person is a loser?

Losers can be each one of us. We may not know, but there are times when we ourselves have become losers of this world. In varying degrees, in different aspects, everyone is offered the opportunity to become a loser. Everyone is presented with a group in the taxonomy of people..

Losers are a group of people who only look for their own interest. These people are so absorbed by their own selves. Losers can be referred to someone who is arrogant. When you crush the weak then you are a loser. When you oppress the needy, the marginalized, then you belong to the group called losers. A loser can be a person who is so full of pride and who is always delighted to see the sufferings of others. When a worldling boasts of his/her enormous achievements, that one can be called a loser. Loser in such a way that he neglects to praise the small accomplishments of his subordinates.

When you do not forgive in spite of the apologies that have been offered to you, then you are a loser. When you sow discord and disharmony in a family then you can be called a loser. A wealthy business tycoon is said to be a loser when he withholds support or assistance to his needy lowly gardeners and drivers. That irresponsible student who by his/her frequent experience has developed the skills of cheating during exams is a loser. Public or private vendors are losers when they set their weighing scale to deceive their “valued” customers. Fixers are no-doubt to be classified as losers.

A politician who takes part in the pyramid scheme of corruption is said to be a loser. An irresponsible journalist who by any chance fabricates and monopolizes a story is said to be a loser. A government employee who abandons his post and delegates his responsibility to his subordinates is a loser. When you become a threat to a peaceful society, you are a loser. When you live a life of infidelity, you’re a loser. When you cheat your partner you are such a loser. When you have an inordinate desire for riches and unlawful pleasures then you are such a loser. When fame and popularity enters enters your head and you don't want your feet to touch the ground anymore, then, you are a loser.

We can also become a winner. If there are losers in this world, there are also winners. The whole world abounds with great people, with winners.These are the Champions of our era. When you love unconditionally then you are winner. When you have a selfless love then you are a winner. When you look into the interest of others before yourself then you’re a winner. You are a modern hero when you extend helping hands to all mankind. You’re a winner, you are a champion, and you are a hero when you have love in your heart for your fellow...

crooked justice system failed again

First, they have no right to decide if someone lives.  But they did, and it was a very poor decision.
Life is sacred and it should never be taken as a substitute for punishment of a crime committed, regardless of the gravity, regardless of the law. Life was not created, only to be terminated by the ill decision of any ruling party. Who are you to decide on someone's life? What kind of power do you have to pass a rigorous, final and irrevocable verdict onto someone? Who gave you the right to claim one's life? Were you the one who made that person? Were you the one who created that person? Were you the one who gave life to that person, in order for you to claim it? People owe their lives to no one, except their Creator..

There are so many potent solutions to eradicate drug trafficking. There are so many effective ways to impart a lesson to someone. Man can never correct a mistake by another mistake. Such law is a crooked law. What is legitimate about the death penalty? They may appear to be guilty, or declared to be guilt; still, no man of any position, of any rank should put an end to someone's life.

Gone are the days of massive POW torture and execution. Gone are the infamous days of gladiators. Who really can be a malefactor to be hanged in the gibbet? They could receive the penal servitude by hard labor but why the shameful death sentence? If the reason for issuing the death penalty is to let the whole world fear your government, then there is something wrong with your government. If the sole purpose of your terrible executions is to let the whole world know how fierce and solid your law can be, then, there is something wrong with your judicial and penal code system. What is the difference between a murderer and an executioner?


 By moral standards, is it not more illegal to pass a death sentence to someone? Were you not likened to a common criminal? Who is blameless, who is not guilty of any crime, of any violation? Who can throw the first stone? Washed your hands before the multitude the moment you signed and approved the verdict.  The convicted suspects are not really the shameful ones. But those who have prescribed the law, those who approved the final verdict.

Love unceasingly

Love the unlovable. Only then can you call yourself a true disciple of Christ. God desires mercy not sacrifice. We will become a liar if we say that we love God whom we have not seen and yet we hate our brethren whom we see. Sometimes it is easy to love others who are a thousand miles away than to love those whom we rub elbows with. It is easy for us to love those who are far away than those with whom we dine at the table. Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts so says the psalmist. Why then, are we so stubborn when it comes to love?

A key to happiness is through and by love. We can never be happy without peace and we can never attain peace if we do not have love for others. Our hearts are said to be fertile, a conducive place for sowing love. In the end, we desire to harvest peace not hatred. What's the highest gesture of love one can ever freely execute? St. John wrote, "there is no greater love than for one to lay down one's life for his friends..." (spoken by Jesus Christ)

The song goes like this, "Love is something if you give it away. give it away. you end up having more.  It’s just like the magic penny. Hold it tight and you won't have any. Lend it, spend it and you'll have so many.."

Really, what reward will you get if you only love those who love you? if you do good to those who do good to you; what credit is that to you? God chose to die for ALL.  He does not say "this love is exclusively for..."

People’s ingratitude

Very often when we are caught in a great dilemma, when we are experiencing trials, when we are steeped in trouble, we would question God, "Why me Lord? What have I done wrong to you? Why us Lord? I don't deserve this. You're unfair!"

When there is a personal loss of a love one, we question God, “why him Lord, why not those bad evil…?” we bargain with God and indignantly question His Divine governance.
 
And the lament continues as if we are litigating God and blaming Him for the unexpected nightmares....
We easily blame God for our misfortunes. We accuse Him when we are trapped in the quagmire of filth. Our mouth never runs out of blasphemies. We express to God all of our grudges as we harbor hatred towards him.

But when we are in the limelight, when the harvest is abundant, when we are on cloud nine we seem to forget God and we don want our feet to stand on the same ground on which we were used to stand before.. 


Whenever we experience such popularity because of our big and highest achievements in life that we no longer want to make a glimpse from our humble beginnings and from our past, we tend to forget the supports of our brothers and sisters below. When the lucrative job is profiting much, when we are healthy, we never utter a song of gratefulness, of praise.

We never think of thanking God during our sunny days. 
When we are so blessed much, we never dare to question God, “why me Lord?". When the days of our lives are perfect and wonderful we tend to have known no God at all. There is no such one as Provident God in the days of our fullness.

I am hurt

Lord please help me not to get tired of loving. I am wounded. It pains my heart, but please remind me that You died for every person. Let me always remember that I am not better than others. That I am not the only person here on earth. It takes time to know another. I am a sinner myself, so it’s not right for me to judge and condemn. Give me the strength to patiently bear such attacks and outrages. Defending myself might cause some troubles and will only prolong the issue.  Rather help me uphold peace. Give me enough courage to embrace another and not to hold anything against someone.

  

Help me face accusations with a forgiving heart. Sometimes all I need is to cast all my sorrows on Your heart. Help me embrace offenses the way You embraced the Holy Cross. Let me see You in every suffering that I experience. Sometimes I feel like giving up. Sometimes I feel like I want to get even. But upon contemplating your sufferings when you were here on earth, it dawned on me that it is still a virtue to be like a meek lamb. Help me to be merciful to others as You are merciful to me. Teach me to be truly forgiving and embrace others as angels. Let the flame in my heart be ablaze with more love to others. My tears are nothing compared to Your tears and the sweating of Your blood during Your agony. Pierce my heart to hold each person dearly to my heart no matter the gravity of the offenses exacted upon me. I thank you Lord for the “angels” in my life. I can hardly reciprocate their kindness. Their sterling comforts and inspirational words of encouragement help in the drying of my tears…