Some Aspects...

I just finished the last presentation for the seminarians of our extended recollection this weekend. The theme for the recollection was on aspects of the New Evangelization. This was a follow through from our community's bonding exercise last weekend to start off the year's academic and formation activities.

Ahead...

Basilica of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna, Italy: The Three Wise Men" (named Balthasar, Melchior, and Gaspar). Detail from: "Mary and Child, surrounded by angels", mosaic of a Ravennate italian-byzantine workshop, completed within 526 AD by the so-called "Master of Sant'Apollinare". (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We are in the New Year and I am facing a new academic year ahead.

The Feasy of the Epiphany revealed the infant child Jesus to the world represented by the Magi who offered the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrhh.

Revelation, newness and an anticipation of what the year ahead can offer.

What is your outlook for the year 2014 ahead?

Cusp of the New Year

Descending... (Photo credit: Annoysius)

She walked out by the Seminary's porch area, awaiting the transport which will take her to work. With a smile on her face, she said, "It is the eve. We are at the cusp of the New Year!"

Indeed we were.

We just finished about of spiritual direction (SD) and there were several matters we discussed which we set in place for her to get into the New Year on a better footing. Instead of just allowing the year 2014 to enter with a whimper, it would be better to make attempts to renew her position to greet it with a better perspective of life she would like to have as a person and a Christian that can make a difference in a world of today.

Merry Christmas!

Crop of original painting "Anbetung der Hirten" (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On this special day, I wish all readers and people of good will a blessed and holy Christmas and may God's blessings of peace and joy be unto you all!

Bless Me Father

Confession (Photo credit: Lawrence OP)

When I sit by the confessional booth, awaiting the next penitent. As with each waiting, I wonder if the penitents know the following: there is no such thing as a “bad” confession as long as you’ve come to the Sacrament with a contrite heart.

Happy Commenting!

I must be getting really old. Anyway, I am actually one year shy off half a century. So, I am halfway there!

Why this observation or this thought out loud? For a good while, since using this customized template, I was trying to figure out how to enable my comments to be used by anyone, who do not need to be a Google+ member.

I didn't realise that I just had to untick my Google+ comment setting. *shake head*

So, go ahead. Make my day and comment away (but be civil)!

(by the way, no harm being a Google+ member...)

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O dear...

English: Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I looked at the calendar today and noted that it is the coundown towards Christmas and the appearance of the O Antiphons.

Today's being O Lord or O Adonai. In our Church's liturgical prayer of the Divine Office, the antiphons show themselves prior to and after the recitation of the Magnificat during the Evening Prayer (Vespers). But I wonder if the celebration of Christmas all this while really celebrates the Lordship of Christ as it really should....

I think the latest Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, can offer us a direction in this.

Time: Man of the Year 2013

Yes, still in Kajang.

I fired up the iPad and headed straight for the Zite app, a news reader. A few flipped pages and my eyes came across a pleasantly surprising news spread: Pope Francis is Time's Man of the Year.

"It's about time! (no pun intended)", I exclaimed under my breath. Some may not be agreeable with this but I believe this is one way for the Catholic Church to engage the world without at the same time compromising her stand. Perhaps it is the way, for now, to be in the world yet not of the world which our Holy Father, Pope Francis, can afford. Our Holy Father certainly did not ask for this honour but that it was given nonetheless by one of the world's leading international magazine is a feat worth paying attention since his papacy began. He follows in the footsteps of blessed Pope John Paul II who won Time's Man of the Year in 1994.

Christmas Break...

Christmas decorations (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you have been wondering what has gone on with this blog, it juts went into a rather long extended hiatus due to many distractions and other work related activities which took my main attention.

Among the many distractions were the renovation at my current that took away, for a while, all forms of communicating on the Net, i.e. phone lines and the Internet connections. We are currently displaced from our usual abode of Block A to  Blocks B and C. I am now currently residing temporarily in Block C and after a few weeks of shifting, packing and unpacking.