THE BEAUTY OF C ALAMITY

(REFLECTIONS NO. 7 of Romeo Ariston King G. Gatan)

Have you ever heard about the calamity of blessings? It sounds absurd, right?

Who hates flood? Do you like it when there is a storm? What about earthquake? In my own personal experience, I don’t want to subject myself and experience anything like that. There are times when we were caught off guard by these inevitable natural phenomena. We always pray and hope for a fine weather. No one of us would like to experience any calamity disastrous to life and property.

But, what if the Omnipotent One floods your life with heavenly blessings? What if the Omniscient One sends you a storm of spiritual wealth? He lets you experience a blizzard of joy. Don't you want to be shaken by peace and unity with high intensity? A strong magnitude of love rocking up your family life? Your volcano of forgiveness erupts, then a tsunami of healing wash out your pains, sweeps away your wounds. Don’t you also want to experience a great famine of pride? And how about a drought of greed? What about seasons of love? Surely, we all want to experience them.

Friend, in every adversity in life, God is with us. We may face the most difficult times in our live; still, we will never feel defeated because God is our refuge. God is our Protector. No storms can sink our boat. In every ordeal man is struggling to face, God is there to give us encouragement and strength to subdue it. God never sleeps. He is always awake, on guard in every moment of our lives. And God will not allow us to carry crosses which we cannot carry.

Blaming God for every trial or difficulty in life does nothing good for us. It is not our right to question and persecute God amidst every problem in life. In suffering, we share His agonies; in sickness we appreciate His wisdom; in pain, we realize it pales in comparison to his own

 Natural disasters remind us that we're not in control of everything. Through these calamities, people would value the power of God and that He exists, gathering as one family to help one another. In this way, generosity and compassion would once again abound everywhere.

On the other hand, we should not wait for a calamity, sickness or death to be re-united with family member. Let everyday be a day full of love. Help turn every sorrow into an inspiration, sadness into a joy. Seize the calamity of blessings every day.

SINCERITY – A KEY ELEMENT OF LOVE

The best way to speak is to speak from the heart.  As the reckless words pierce like a double-edge sword, so the virus of a gossip spreads faster than the speed of light. Speak of the goodness of your neighbors but be silent as to their faults and weaknesses, for only God is the judge of what is a fault and a weakness.

Sometimes the so-called freedom of speech contributes to the noise pollution. When we examine our words, we will be bound to discover that a great deal is as good as trash. "Toxic" words can never be recycled. People are entitled to their very own unique opinion. But abuse of freedom of speech destroys mutual respect and sows hatred and discord.

To refrain from speaking ill of others is always a virtue. It is also a virtue to refrain from reviling those who have injured us. Speak of the virtues of your neighbor but be silent as to his faults and weaknesses. 

It does not matter if we are illiterate for what matters most is the love we have for our neighbor. We may be well versed in theology, knows the bible from cover to cover, from page to page, but what's its use if we have never mastered the art of loving the unlovable?

Any part chosen in the course of our life completes each other. What’s important is that we continue to endeavor making our life and others lives meaningful by love and compassion, generosity and affection.  Faith, hope and love are intertwined cardinal virtues which all of us should strive to have. We are just pilgrimage here on earth. Our true home is in heaven. If we only knew the happiness in heaven we will surely hold loosely the things on earth.

Let your love and compassion to everyone spread like a virus. And let your forgiveness be contagious to infect every offender so as to  lead to a global pandemic of  care and understanding.  Universal love will then reign in everyone’s heart and peace will rule our lives.

BEAUTY IN SIMPLICITY

Once in a while a person would dream of being in the limelight, yet the awareness of its vanity would take him more steps backward. Sometimes it’s good to remain in a view-deck watching people get awestruck by a glittering but transitory horizons in a world of fantasy. So many people lost their sanity in search of stardom...

I do not think that search for happiness lies in academic degrees.  The title that is conferred from achieving lofty academic achievements does not make life complete. Happiness can not also be found in secure health insurance coverage including a memorial plan. Earthly sense of security, powers, prestige and pleasures are but just vain pursuits towards fleeting satisfaction that obscure one’s real sense of security in getting closer and closer to God through prayers, humility, sacrifices and love.

A life can be much happier and less stressful if one remembers one simple thought: "We can't have all that we desire, but God will give all that we deserve."

Someone said that “We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life but not life to years.”   I perfectly agree  with that assertion. The rest of humanity must pay heed to the wisdom of this counsel.

The many tasks and problems we face each day may tire us, but being with God each day can bring us relief from stress. Let us be reminded that in the end, only three things matter:

1.  How fully we lived a meaningful life
2.  How deeply we loved, and
3.  How gracefully we let go of things not essential in life..

A heart that is full of love is much better than a head that is full of knowledge.

simple thoughts..: Rendezvous of the Almighty and man

simple thoughts..: Rendezvous of the Almighty and man: "Imagine yourself sweating it out in exerting every effort just to have a personal glimpse of one of the most powerful and influential perso..."

GOD’S BEAUTY AMIDST ADVERSITIES

Today will be another beautiful day, a day that brings an opportunity to love and to serve others. Today is my chance to fulfill what was not fulfilled yesterday. Today is the time to forgive.  I may not wake up tomorrow. We don't know when He will call me home. I will, therefore, make the best of it, to show compassion and kindness to everyone... I shall give your smile to every person I meet.

    "Dear Lord, most of us always desire a perfect situation, a perfect life..

Yet, You, my Lord do not grant us a perfect life. What you give instead

is a perfect heart in the midst of an imperfect life. Keep me to be cheerful,

smiling amidst imperfections and to enjoy Your wondrous blessings

every moment in time.. Amen” (Anonymous Author)

Today, before I say any unkind words, I will first think of the disabled born mute. Before complaining and getting tired of life, I will think of someone who left this earthly life. Before grumbling about the food on the table, I will imagine a dying street kid who has nothing to eat. And before complaining about my job, I will think of the unemployed, who eagerly wants my job.

Sunrise is a flash of a thousand bright smiles greeting me everyday, so I will try to keep smiling today and add brightness of the sky and the people around me. I will ensure that my heart that never hardens, a temper that never flares up, a smile that never fakes and a touch that never hurts.

The person who really loves me sees what a mess I can be, how moody I can get, and how hard to handle me, but still welcomes me in his or her life...  The greatest event in life is to have someone who does not lament over my faults and weaknesses and still gives me unquestioning care and love. When someone never gives up on me, then I am luckier than a lottery jackpot winner... Love is the greatest force ever known to humankind.

I will strive not just to exist, but to live a full life. I will not be a "frozen' delight like those of towering magnificent icebergs.  It's cold and lifeless. Too often I underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life of someone else’s for the better

Rendezvous of the Almighty and man

Imagine yourself sweating it out in exerting every effort just to have a personal glimpse of one of the most powerful and influential persons named in the Forbes magazine.  You will be subjected to rigid background check. You have to make an appointment, which will give you a slim chance to meet this human deity.

I know of Someone more powerful who is always available, patiently waiting to talk with you with much eagerness than you can ever imagine. He is the Author of your life. Sometimes man thinks that the most fulfilling spectacular event in his life is to have a conversation with one of the top most powerful and influential people in this world. Little did he know that having participated in an accolade is nothing from having a conversation with God, the highest being.

In our wildest dream, we would sometimes aspire to personally meet some celebrity or dignitaries. What if you were invited by the greatest leader in the world? What if you will have a lunch together be it in the White House or a royal palace? And the event will be covered by the media and telecast. That would be a privilege, an honor, a milestone in your life.  But on your way, a street-child summons you inviting you to his dilapidated hut? What will you do?

God is restless until we rest in His bosom. Remember the parable of the lost sheep? God’s loving embrace enables us to feel the care and unconditional love that only He can offer. Our Christian life means the inseparable love of God and of our neighbors..

When God prompts us, there's no way we will not give in. We can always readily sacrifice the entire "Isaacs” of our life. There is nothing to lose, everything is a gain. What if He also wants us to be the new Zaccheus or transform us from Saul to Paul? Definitely, there will be a joy in heaven. Every angel will celebrate.

Why are many people ashamed to speak about the Most High, our Lord Jesus? The King of Kings. The Lord of Lords. The Author of our life. What if He will also be ashamed of us before His father? We can then become an outcast.  Let every day be, thus, an appointment, a rendezvous, with the Eternal Father.