NURTURING PEACEFULNESS (3)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

(Psalm 46:10)

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in such quietness and serenity.

Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with it….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

O God, I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence so that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of my life. Many hours of my days and nights are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. I sit with you, God. I run with you, God. I walk with you, God. Thank you, God for just being here for me. Amen.

Begin Again…

We begin again our reflections on peacefulness. Our last meditation was on being peaceful, peace-filled and serene…..on keeping our heart in a good place, a peaceful, peace-filled and serene place and on responding to situation from a peaceful, peace-filled and serene heart.

We also prayed “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me…..Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.” Peace begins with me…from the depth of a peaceful, peace-filled, serene heart. We continue our reflections on peacefulness…..on the serenity within, which has its beginning in the depth of our being.

One of the most basic source of this peacefulness is acceptance of self with all its limitations, weaknesses and goodness and strength….being at ease with the incompleteness of our self.

Even Jesus, the perfect one, had to learn to be at ease with his own incompleteness……sounds paradoxical, the perfect one being at ease with incompleteness!

Jesus had to be born a baby in a manger and be dependent on others! He had to learn the skills of his father….had to struggle with trying, testing times…..had to hunger and thirst and doubt! The perfect one had to confront the imperfect and be at ease, at peace and serene!!!

Being at ease with the incompleteness of our self becomes a source of grace and strength and peace and serenity!

Bering accepted by others also contributes to peacefulness. Acceptance means that the people with whom we live give us a feeling of self-respect, a feeling that of being good and worthwhile.

Acceptance does not mean that everything is alright and perfect. It means that we are given room to grow, to unfold, to outgrow the mistakes of the past. In a way we can say that acceptance is an unveiling. Every one of us is born with many potentialities. But unless they are drawn out by the warm touch of another’s acceptance, they will remain dormant. Acceptance liberates everything that is good and true and worthwhile in us.

Acceptance is not denial of defects, limitations or weaknesses. Denial is non-acceptance. Only acceptance can enable a person to face his defects, weaknesses and limitations an facilitate change or growth or conversion or transformation.

The flowing story is an example of the serenity that comes with acceptance or the lack of serenity that comes with non-acceptance.

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind , She hated everyone , except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, “if I could only see the world , I will marry you”.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes for her. When the bandages came off , she was able to see everything , including her  boyfriend.

He asked her, “Now that you can see the world , will you marry me?”

The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind too. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life , led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears. Days later wrote a note to her saying, “Take good care of your eyes , my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.”

Take a moment and reflect on the peacefulness that comes with acceptance – yours and that of others.

God accepts us as we are, not as we should be!!! To proclaim the latter is an empty message because we are never as we should be. We know that in reality, we do not walk a straight path. There are many curves, many wrong decisions which, in the course of life, have brought us to where we are now. It takes a long time to believe that we are accepted and loved by God as we are and in His loving we are healed and transformed!

When God accepts and loves me, I must accept and love myself as well. I cannot be more demanding than God, can I? And when God accepts and loves others, I must accept and love them as well. I cannot be more demanding than God, can I?

Acceptance of God’s acceptance and love is a freeing experience and that brings us serenity and peace.

Accepting yourself, being yourself, rejoicing in yourself, being at home with yourself and being at ease with your incompleteness, limitations, shortcomings and weaknesses are all basic to joyful and fulfilling life, to meaningful relationships, to growing in families and communities, to serenity and peace.

St. Paul says, “By the Grace of God I am what I am.” (I Cor. 15:10)

Two women named “Hooker” wrote letters to Ann Landers: the first one resented her name and the second reacted just the opposite. The second found a sense of humor about her name. When she received crude phone calls asking how much she charged, she replied, “more than you can afford”. The reaction of these two women typifies the reaction people have to the negative things about themselves that they cannot change. They either accept them and learn to be comfortable or resent them and are uncomfortable….they either accept their incompleteness or resent it!

St. Paul says, “We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love God.” (Rom. 8:28)

A young girl named Golda was depressed because she was not beautiful. As she grew older, her attitude changed. She says, “I realized that not being beautiful was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to develop inner resources. I came to understand that women who cannot lean on their beauty must work harder….and have other advantages.” This girl was Golda Meir who became the first woman Prime Minister of Israel. She not only accepted herself, but also rejoiced in who and what she was….this brought her serenity and peace.

A key to serenity in less than perfect times is joy in experiencing whatever is now. We can burden ourselves by longing for better times or circumstances or things or possibilities. The Lord’s Grace is boundless and His Grace flows into all circumstances, even into what is seen as undesirable. We must learn to accept the present and find God’s Grace now – Now is the moment of Grace….this brings us serenity and peace.

Take a moment and pray Psalm 3………

The following (Psalm 3) is a psalm of David when he fled from his son, Absalom. To flee from your own son must be a terrible and heart-breaking experience. For David, it was being “in hell” and there he found a new faith in his terrible situation. (And so can we.) David held on to what faith he had left in spite of his feeling that people were laughing at him saying, “There is no help for him in God”. He knew that God was already present in tomorrow. So he could go to sleep peaceful and wake up in the morning without fear.

1    O Lord, how many are my foes!                Foes:     not necessarily an army

        Many are rising against me

2        Many are saying to me,                                          Very challenging thought

“There is no help for you in God.”

3        But you, 0 Lord, are a shield around me,        an impenetrable shield God is

        my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

4        I cry aloud to the Lord,                                          In God I have power

        and he answers me from his holy hill.

5        I lie down and sleep;                                                God is “In Tomorrow”

        I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

6        I am not afraid of ten thousands of people,      I will not be defeated

        who have set themselves against me all around.

7        Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, 0 my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;        Smack those evil thoughts (enemies)

     you break the teeth of the wicked.            from my mind and heart. Only

                                    God can do it – Mystery of faith

8        Deliverance belongs to the Lord;

may your blessing be on your people!            God will bless His people

If you find yourself in a situation where there are no peaceful persons, strive to be a peaceful person and if you find yourself in a situation where there are no peacemakers, strive to be a peacemaker.

God grant me,

        The serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

        Courage to change the things I can,

        And the Wisdom to know the difference.

        Living one day at a time;

        Enjoying one moment at a time;

        Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

        Taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

        Trusting that He will make all things right,

        If I surrender to His will;

        That I may be reasonably happy in this life,

        And supremely happy in the next. (Reinhold Niebuhr)

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

NURTURING PEACEFULNESS (3)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

(Psalm 46:10)

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in such quietness and serenity.

Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with it….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

O God, I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence so that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of my life. Many hours of my days and nights are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. I sit with you, God. I run with you, God. I walk with you, God. Thank you, God for just being here for me. Amen.

Begin Again…

We begin again our reflections on peacefulness. Our last meditation was on being peaceful, peace-filled and serene…..on keeping our heart in a good place, a peaceful, peace-filled and serene place and on responding to situation from a peaceful, peace-filled and serene heart.

We also prayed “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me…..Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.” Peace begins with me…from the depth of a peaceful, peace-filled, serene heart. We continue our reflections on peacefulness…..on the serenity within, which has its beginning in the depth of our being.

One of the most basic source of this peacefulness is acceptance of self with all its limitations, weaknesses and goodness and strength….being at ease with the incompleteness of our self.

Even Jesus, the perfect one, had to learn to be at ease with his own incompleteness……sounds paradoxical, the perfect one being at ease with incompleteness!

Jesus had to be born a baby in a manger and be dependent on others! He had to learn the skills of his father….had to struggle with trying, testing times…..had to hunger and thirst and doubt! The perfect one had to confront the imperfect and be at ease, at peace and serene!!!

Being at ease with the incompleteness of our self becomes a source of grace and strength and peace and serenity!

Bering accepted by others also contributes to peacefulness. Acceptance means that the people with whom we live give us a feeling of self-respect, a feeling that of being good and worthwhile.

Acceptance does not mean that everything is alright and perfect. It means that we are given room to grow, to unfold, to outgrow the mistakes of the past. In a way we can say that acceptance is an unveiling. Every one of us is born with many potentialities. But unless they are drawn out by the warm touch of another’s acceptance, they will remain dormant. Acceptance liberates everything that is good and true and worthwhile in us.

Acceptance is not denial of defects, limitations or weaknesses. Denial is non-acceptance. Only acceptance can enable a person to face his defects, weaknesses and limitations an facilitate change or growth or conversion or transformation.

The flowing story is an example of the serenity that comes with acceptance or the lack of serenity that comes with non-acceptance.

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind , She hated everyone , except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, “if I could only see the world , I will marry you”.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes for her. When the bandages came off , she was able to see everything , including her  boyfriend.

He asked her, “Now that you can see the world , will you marry me?”

The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind too. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life , led her to refuse to marry him.

Her boyfriend left in tears. Days later wrote a note to her saying, “Take good care of your eyes , my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.”

Take a moment and reflect on the peacefulness that comes with acceptance – yours and that of others.

God accepts us as we are, not as we should be!!! To proclaim the latter is an empty message because we are never as we should be. We know that in reality, we do not walk a straight path. There are many curves, many wrong decisions which, in the course of life, have brought us to where we are now. It takes a long time to believe that we are accepted and loved by God as we are and in His loving we are healed and transformed!

When God accepts and loves me, I must accept and love myself as well. I cannot be more demanding than God, can I? And when God accepts and loves others, I must accept and love them as well. I cannot be more demanding than God, can I?

Acceptance of God’s acceptance and love is a freeing experience and that brings us serenity and peace.

Accepting yourself, being yourself, rejoicing in yourself, being at home with yourself and being at ease with your incompleteness, limitations, shortcomings and weaknesses are all basic to joyful and fulfilling life, to meaningful relationships, to growing in families and communities, to serenity and peace.

St. Paul says, “By the Grace of God I am what I am.” (I Cor. 15:10)

Two women named “Hooker” wrote letters to Ann Landers: the first one resented her name and the second reacted just the opposite. The second found a sense of humor about her name. When she received crude phone calls asking how much she charged, she replied, “more than you can afford”. The reaction of these two women typifies the reaction people have to the negative things about themselves that they cannot change. They either accept them and learn to be comfortable or resent them and are uncomfortable….they either accept their incompleteness or resent it!

St. Paul says, “We know that God makes all things work together for the good of those who love God.” (Rom. 8:28)

A young girl named Golda was depressed because she was not beautiful. As she grew older, her attitude changed. She says, “I realized that not being beautiful was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to develop inner resources. I came to understand that women who cannot lean on their beauty must work harder….and have other advantages.” This girl was Golda Meir who became the first woman Prime Minister of Israel. She not only accepted herself, but also rejoiced in who and what she was….this brought her serenity and peace.

A key to serenity in less than perfect times is joy in experiencing whatever is now. We can burden ourselves by longing for better times or circumstances or things or possibilities. The Lord’s Grace is boundless and His Grace flows into all circumstances, even into what is seen as undesirable. We must learn to accept the present and find God’s Grace now – Now is the moment of Grace….this brings us serenity and peace.

Take a moment and pray Psalm 3………

The following (Psalm 3) is a psalm of David when he fled from his son, Absalom. To flee from your own son must be a terrible and heart-breaking experience. For David, it was being “in hell” and there he found a new faith in his terrible situation. (And so can we.) David held on to what faith he had left in spite of his feeling that people were laughing at him saying, “There is no help for him in God”. He knew that God was already present in tomorrow. So he could go to sleep peaceful and wake up in the morning without fear.

1    O Lord, how many are my foes!                Foes:     not necessarily an army

        Many are rising against me

2        Many are saying to me,                    Very challenging thought

“There is no help for you in God.”

3        But you, 0 Lord, are a shield around me,        an impenetrable shield God is

        my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

4        I cry aloud to the Lord,                    In God I have power

        and he answers me from his holy hill.

5        I lie down and sleep;                    God is “In Tomorrow”

        I wake again, for the Lord sustains me.

6        I am not afraid of ten thousands of people,         I will not be defeated

        who have set themselves against me all around.

7        Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, 0 my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;        Smack those evil thoughts (enemies)

     you break the teeth of the wicked.            from my mind and heart. Only

                                    God can do it – Mystery of faith

8        Deliverance belongs to the Lord;

may your blessing be on your people!            God will bless His people

If you find yourself in a situation where there are no peaceful persons, strive to be a peaceful person and if you find yourself in a situation where there are no peacemakers, strive to be a peacemaker.

God grant me,

        The serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

        Courage to change the things I can,

        And the Wisdom to know the difference.

        Living one day at a time;

        Enjoying one moment at a time;

        Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

        Taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

        Trusting that He will make all things right,

        If I surrender to His will;

        That I may be reasonably happy in this life,

        And supremely happy in the next. (Reinhold Niebuhr)

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

NURTURING PEACEFULNESS (2)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

(Psalm 46:10)

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in such quietness and serenity.

Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with it….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

O God, I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence so that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of my life. Many hours of my days and nights are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. I sit with you, God. I run with you, God. I walk with you, God. Thank you, God for just being here for me. Amen.

Begin Again…

We begin again our reflections on peacefulness. Our last meditation was on peacefulness as an inner force that moves us to diffuse tension, conflict, bitterness, strife and other such slings and arrows. Peaceful people can bridge the gap, heal the wounds, sweeten the bitterness…..such people do “God-like” work and they are “God-like” persons – they are “sons of God”. Peaceful people are “peacemakers”. Peacemaking is such a profound activity that the peacemaker becomes “son of God”.

This has something in common with the Hindu and Buddhist doctrine of “ahimsa”, which means living in a way, which does not cause harm to anyone or anything. The practice of “ahimsa” requires and induces a pure and merciful heart and a frugal, simple and ‘poor’ way of life. It requires great wisdom and insight because it is not just a good intention. It requires you to know that your actions will not cause harm and that they will contribute to the highest good of all. This calls for discipline.

Peace is the most human dream of all….Peace was the dream of the Jews…….Peace was always the dream of Christians…Peace was the dream of all sages….. Peace is the dream of all religions…..humanity has a common good which belongs to all: Peace.

Jesus said, “Peace is my farewell to you. My peace is my gift to you; I do not give it to you as the world gives peace. Do not be distressed or fearful.” (John 14:27)

Peace is God’s gift…… Peace is our dream….Peace is our faith…Peace is our hope….Peace is our love…Peace is our passion….such peace cannot be dissipated by men and women…nor by war and violence…….it’s God’s gift, which lives in the heart of all!

Abide in these thought for a few minutes

The dream of peace lives in the heart of humanity even when they are living within the most atrocious wars….Peace stands firm as a faith, as a hope, as a love, as a passion……

A great Russian mystic, St. Seraphim of Sarov used to say: “acquire peace in you and thousands around you will find it”. We must never underestimate the force of that peace that comes from the heart!

Christian peace is a preventive peace…it is a peace that resists war and that longs and waits for the day when weapons will be silent.

Welcome the gift of peace that comes from the Gospel…the gift that Jesus promised…read and pray and live the Gospel every day…take the Gospel seriously!

Those who read and pray the Gospel must keep their hearts open to peace: to the great peace and to the little daily peace.

Dream peace and let your dream come to life! Dream peace and discover that you have a force, a power inside…a force that reconciles people, a force that resists violence, a force that tolerates differences, a force that brings harmony into chaos, a force that helps you transcend differences………a force that helps you to gradually and tenaciously build peace!

Peace is possible! Believe it! Love it! Be passionate about it!

Abide in these thought for a few minutes

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father, Brothers all are we.

Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.

Let peace begin with me; Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take, Let this be my solemn vow;

To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally.

Let there be peace on earth. And Let it begin with me.

With God as our Father, Brothers all are we.

Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me. Let this be the moment now.

With every step I take…….

Pace begins with me…from the depth of a peaceful, peace-filled, serene heart. It begin now and continues to grow and spread with every step I take……This calls us to nurture peacefulness of heart as the following g story reveals…….

There was a time (may be, even now) when most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops.

One of the farmers constantly advertised for hired hands. Without much success. Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, seemed interested. “Are you a good farm hand?” the farmer asked him. “Well, I can sleep when the wind blows,” answered the little man.

The farmer, being desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man’s work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand’s sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, “Get up!  A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!” The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, “No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows.”

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured.  Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to sleep while the wind blew.
When you’re prepared spiritually, mentally and physically, you have nothing to fear. You can definitely be in peace. You sleep when the wind blows through your life. The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God.
We don’t need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms.

Remember Jesus inviting his men to rest a while (Mark 6:30-32) after a day’s hard and busy work. Jesus and his disciples went to a deserted place to be by themselves. People came to know about it and reached the place ahead of them. Jesus had compassion on those who were hungry and tired and he fed them with five loaves and a couple of fish.

Jesus saw people in need and reached out to them. He and his disciples had gone to the place for rest. Seeing people in need, Jesus, moved with compassion, ministered to them. Jesus could do so because he was in a good place…He was in peaceful and peace-filled place. He could reach out to the needy without resentments, without compliant.

Then Jesus went up the mountain by himself to pray. In the middle of the night, seeing his disciples on troubled waters, he came to them and gave them courage and comfort and called them to trust in him (Mark 6:53-56). He could do so because he was in a good place, in a peaceful and peace-filled place. He could reach out to the needy without resentments, without compliant.

Be confident. Find peace and serenity in the Lord. The Lord will be there in troubles times. Turn to him for strength and support in testing times.

Jesus and his disciples crossed over to Gennesareth and people came from all over to touch and be touched by Jesus…..All kinds of people found the power of healing in that touch – the healing touch of Jesus. Mark tells us that all who touched Jesus got well. He could reach out and touch others because he was in a good place, in a peaceful and peace-filled place. He could reach out to the needy without resentments, without compliant.

May your touch be affirming, compassionate, encouraging, gentle, healing, kind, loving, sensitive, supportive, transforming…..Be peaceful, peace-filled and serene. Keep your heart in a good place and may that place be peaceful, peace-filled and serene. .

The following story tells us more about responding to situation from a peaceful, peace-filled and serene heart.

A wise old gentleman retired and purchased a modest home near a junior high school. He spent the first few weeks of his retirement in peace and contentment. Then a new school year began. The very next afternoon three young boys, full of youthful, after-school enthusiasm, came down his street, beating merrily on every trash can they encountered. The crashing percussion continued day after day, until finally the wise old man decided it was time to take some action.

The next afternoon, he walked out to meet the young percussionists as they banged their way down the street. Stopping them, he said, “You kids are a lot of fun. I like to see you express your
exuberance like that. In fact, I use to do the same thing when I was your age. Will you do me a favor? I’ll give you each a dollar if you’ll promise to come around every day and do your thing.” The kids were elated and continued to do a bang-up job on the trashcans.

After a few days, the old-timer greeted the kids again, but this time he had a sad smile on his face. “This recession’s really putting a big dent in my income,” he told them. “From now on, I’ll
only be able to pay you 50 cents to beat on the cans.” The noisemakers were obviously displeased, but they did accept his offer and continued their afternoon riot. A few days later, the wily retiree approached them again as they drummed their way down the street.

“Look,” he said, “I haven’t received my Social Security check yet, so I’m not going to be able to give you more than 25 cents. Will that be okay?” “A lousy quarter?” the drum leader exclaimed. “If you think we’re going to waste our time, beating these cans around for a quarter, you’re nuts! No way, mister. We quit!”

And the old man enjoyed peace and serenity for the rest of his days.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers: they will be called sons of God”
(Mt. 5:9)

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring forgiveness and healing.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring wholeness and integrity

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring harmony, unity, and purity.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring their best to the world.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they will bring the best out of others.

Blessed are the peacemakers: their presence brings joy.

Blessed are the peacemakers: they bring no harm to others.

The heart of peacemakers is like the heart of God – LOVE, pure and simple.

If you find yourself in a situation where there are no peaceful persons, strive to be a peaceful person and if you find yourself in a situation where there are no peacemakers, strive to be a peacemaker.

Abide in these thought for a few minutes

God grant me,

        The serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

        Courage to change the things I can,

        And the Wisdom to know the difference.

        Living one day at a time;

        Enjoying one moment at a time;

        Accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

        Taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

        Trusting that He will make all things right,

        If I surrender to His will;

        That I may be reasonably happy in this life,

        And supremely happy in the next. (Reinhold Niebuhr)

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

NURTURING PEACEFULNESS (1)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

(Psalm 46:10)

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in such quietness and serenity. Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now without having to accomplish something.

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

Gently…Reflectively…Pray….

Slow me down, Lord

Ease the pounding of my heart

by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time.

Give me, amid the confusion of the day,

the calmness of the everlasting hills.

Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles,

with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory.

Help me to know the magical, restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking minute vacations of slowing down

to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog,

to read a few lines from a good book.

Slow me down, Lord,

And inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values,

that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny. (Kristone)

Peacefulness……

We begin our reflections on “Peacefulness” our theme for “Reflection-2010″. We want to explore and deepen our understanding of Peacefulness and all the virtues that emerge from Peacefulness.

We want to explore Peacefulness in all its dimensions and look at the possibility of cultivating Peacefulness as our way of being – living and acting. I invite all of you to walk with me on this journey of being and becoming Peaceful and learning to walk Peacefully.

I pray for you and I pray for all, who, at this moment, are welcoming the gift of this new day with all its uncertainties. May your life be peace-filled and peaceful. Some people bring peace when they come and others bring peace when they go. I pray that you bring peace into all the situations that you encounter. May this day and the days ahead be amazing, fascinating, marvelous, wonderful and hope-filled days for you and for those you love! May God bless you with the richest and finest of his blessings!

Now I invite you to consecrate this day and all that come with it….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Begin Again…

Let us begin by listening to God’s Word….

Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. (Mt. 5:9)

Peace is my farewell to you. My peace is my gift to you;

I do not give it to you as the world gives peace.

Do not be distressed or fearful. (John 14:27)

Rejoice in the Lord always! I say it again. Rejoice. Everyone should see how unselfish you are. The Lord is near. Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions full of gratitude. Then God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

Finally, brothers, your thoughts should be wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves respect, all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous or worthy of praise. Live according to what you learned and accepted, what you heard me say or seen me do. Then will the God of peace be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)

Abide in this thought for a few minutes

Begin Again…..

The Webster’s Universal College Dictionary defines “Peace” as: freedom from war; a cessation or absence of hostilities between nations; a state of harmony between people or groups; freedom from dissension; freedom from civil commotion, public order or security; freedom from anxiety, annoyance or other mental disturbance; peace of mind; a state of serenity or tranquility; silence, stillness; an agreement or treaty that ends hostilities or war; etc.

This is how, ordinarily, the world sees Peace. However, Jesus says: I give you peace – not as the world gives Peace Jn.14:27.

In Hebrew, the word for Peace is “Shalom” and it does not refer to a negative state – it does not mean the absence of trouble. Peace – Shalom – always meant everything which constitutes the highest good of man, the total well-being of man. In the east when one says to another, “Salaam”, or shalom, he does not mean that he wishes for the other person the absence of evil things – he wishes him the presence of good things. In the Bible, Peace is not only the absence of or freedom from trouble – but the presence and enjoyment of all good…the good that is of God and from God.

The Peace that Jesus speaks of comes not from evasion of issues – it comes from facing them, dealing with them and conquering them. The Beatitude in Mathew 5:9 does not demand passive acceptance of things – but active, creative, dynamic movement – facing them, dealing with them and making peace, even when the way of peace is a struggle.

The Blessing proclaimed in this beatitude is not on peace-lovers, but on peacemakers. How many of us choose not to act for “peace-sake” and how many create trouble for the sake of peace. Refusal to take action or face the situation often leads to chaos. Fighting for peace does not necessarily create peace, either.

The Peace makers will be called “Sons of God” (not children of God) – this is a typical Hebrew expression. The Hebrew language uses the phrase “son of” with an abstract noun to describe something – instead of an adjective, as we do today. A man may be called “son of peace”, instead of a “peaceful man”. Barnabas is called a “son of consolation, instead of a consoling and comforting man, James and John were called “Boanerges”, meaning “sons of thunder” referring to their impetuous nature.

Hence the beatitude means: Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be God-like persons, doing God-like work.

The person who works for peace is engaged in work which the God of peace is doing (Rom.15:33; 2Cor.13:11; I Thess.5:23).

Abide in this thought for a few minutes

Begin Again…..

Shalom means everything which constitutes the highest good of “man”. Peacemakers or shalom keepers are those who make the world a little better place to live in – those who lift others a little more – those who lift the world a little further on. “Die when I may, I would like it to be said of me that I always pulled up a weed and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.” (Abraham Lincoln)

The early scholars of the Scriptures took this beatitude in a purely spiritual sense – to mean peace of heart, peace of mind/soul. There is inner struggle that all of us experience one time or another, the struggle between good and evil – being pulled in two different directions at the same time. Blessed is the person who works through the conflicts and brings peace to his/her heart and makes peace with God.

The Jewish Rabbis had a different meaning – which is what Jesus had in mind as He spoke this beatitude. The Jewish Rabbis held that the highest task, which a man can perform, is to establish right relationships between man and man – peacemaking – the force that binds/unites – the force that brings harmony.

There are people whose presence generates tension, conflict, bitterness, strife – trouble carriers or trouble makers – they make others uncomfortable. Every community, Church and society seems to have them. There are also people in whose presence bitterness cannot live – people who can bridge the gap – people who can heal the wounds – sweeten the bitterness. Such people do “God-like” work and they are “God-like” persons – they are “sons of God”.

Peacemaking is such a profound activity that the peacemaker becomes a “son of God”. Being “sons of God” is about character, about quality. It is the quality of “God-like” persons and peacemaking results from this peacefulness within.

Peacefulness is the quality of our inner being, a state of being in harmony with all, an attitude that brings us into communion with God and all that is of God and from God.

Peacefulness is the dream for harmony that lives in the heart of humanity even while living within the most atrocious war.

Peacefulness is a force that resists war and longs and waits for the day when weapons will be silent……a force that resists indifference, violence and hostilities and empowers us to tolerate and transcend differences.

Peacefulness is a force that brings harmony into chaos, unity into diversity and communion of countries, cultures and religions. Peacefulness is a force that empowers you, to gradually and tenaciously, build peace with all!

Open your heart and your mind will open. An open mind will bring peacefulness of heart. We must never underestimate the force of the peace that comes from the heart! The heart of peacemakers is like the heart of God – LOVE, pure and simple.

I wish you Peace – God’s Peace as we begin our journey of Peacefulness – Peace in your hearts, peace in your homes, peace in your community, peace in your country, peace in the world.

I pray for you that you may have peace in your hearts, you may think peace, feel peace, speak peace. You may have a word of peace for your spouse, for your children, for your neighbor……You be men and women of peace. May your presence proclaim God’s peace.

I pray that you may be peace-filled and peaceful!

Fr. Gus Tharappel, msfs

PRAYER IN MY HEART

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Breathe in all that is of God and from God…all that is true, honest, pure, admirable, noble, decent, virtuous, worthy of praise, good, loving, kind – all that deserves respect..

Breathe out all that is not of God and from God……..

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in quietness, stillness and serenity.

Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now, without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate your time and all that come with this moment….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

Thank you for the gift of another day……..

Thank you for silence, stillness, solitude……………

Thank you for blessing and grace………

Thank you for just being, for me, God.

Meditative Prayer

O God, I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence so that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of my life. Many hours of my days and nights are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. I walk with you, God. I sit with you, God, I run with you, God. Thank you, God. Amen.

I have come with gratitude and with a prayer in my heart …….

• for the talents and the abundance of gifts that you have blessed me with………..
• for the faith that moves, stirs and grows in my heart…….
• for the many people who have been instruments of your goodness in my life…..
• for the moments that I have known your presence in my life….
• for the times I have been instrument of your goodness and grace and love……
• for the miracles of your love that I have witnessed…..
• for the wonder of your creation all around me…….

I have come with hope and a prayer in my heart for trust……..

• when I am afraid and lose confidence in me and in you…….
• when the busyness and schedules of my day press upon me and I become tense and nervous and doubtful…..
• when I doubt your presence in difficult moments in my life…..
• when I lose sight of your grace and blessings in my life…..
• when emptiness, loneliness and other such slings and arrows come my way…….
• when I struggle to be good and share your goodness with others

I have come seeking you with a prayer in my heart……..

• deep within my being, deep in my heart where justice and truth, love and peace embrace………….
• in the midst of my daily activities and the many things-to-do that keep me on the move…..
• among many people who come into my life……………..
• in the successes and disappointments of my daily activities……..
• in the books I read, in the news I hear, in the noise of the surroundings……..
• in the truth I discover, in the uncertainties I encounter……..
• in the wonderful people and in the not so wonderful people I meet…

I have come affirming with a simple and humble prayer in my heart…..

• that you are worth my constant search…….
• that you are in my life every moment of the day….
• that you walk with me as I walk toward you…..
• that you carry me through when I am unable to walk……
• that you pick me up and put me on the road when I stumble and fall…..
• that you are my strength in time of sorrow, hope in times of distress, comfort in times of confusion, safety in times of danger….
• that you are worth my sacrifice, my letting go off whatever I hang on to………
• that you seek me, trust me, love me unconditionally……..
• that you wait for me to welcome me home………
• that you, my God, are my home. Amen

May it be so. May your will happen.

And, finally, Lord, I surrender to you and your way.

Back to the top

Pray this again, gently, slowly

This time bring significant others into your prayer

You have prayed,

I have come with gratitude….

I have come with hope….

I have come seeking…

I have come affirming……

Now write your own prayer by completing the following sentence:

I have come………..

May it be so. May your will happen.

And, finally, Lord, I surrender to you and your way.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs

EMPOWER YOURSELF

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Breathe in all that is of God and from God…all that is true, honest, pure, admirable, noble, decent, virtuous, worthy of praise, good, loving, kind – all that deserves respect..

Breathe out all that is not of God and from God……..

Settle into silence, into peacefulness, into profound silence, into pure joy. Keep listening in quietness, stillness and serenity.

Come to that place, that space within, that place of deep silence – Solitude…to just being here and now, without having to accomplish something.

Now I invite you to consecrate your time and all that come with this moment….in your own way, in humble, simple, may be even inadequate words………..

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

Thank you for the day……..

Thank you for stillness……………

Thank you for blessing and grace………

Thank you for just being, for me, God.

Gently…Prayerfully…slowly…. Read……

Your may have lots of faith, little faith, shallow faith, superstitious faith; You may have great hopes, little hope, only a wish and no real hope; You may love very deeply and intensely, love a lot, love much, love a little…. Wherever you may be in your spiritual journey, whatever you may be doing at this point in your life…..Empower yourself with the Grace of God:

• Remember: You have been reconciled with God in Christ. You have been immersed into the mystery of His Love and Life in your Baptism. You have been Graced!

   

• Remember the Lord’s word to Paul: “My Grace is enough for you” (2 Cor. 12:9)

• Affirm your goodness, the good deeds you do, the loving things that you make happen for yourself and others….But make it with a gentle understanding of your weakness…..
• God is forever loving you. You do not have to change, grow, follow certain rules, or be good in order to be loved……

• You are loved so that you can change, grow, be good, be loving…..

   

• Remember: God is ever mindful of you – you are never out of God’s heart, mind or thought….even when you wander off. Another way of saying it is, God never lets you slip out of His mind as He weaves his plan for the whole universe. (Psalm 8:4)

   

• Remember: The Psalmist proclaims (Psalm 8:5) “thou has made him little less than god” “and crowned him with glory”. God made you to image God – to do what He does and to reflect His glory! What an honor!!!

   

• Remember: He is good…… His love endures forever. (Psalm 139:1)

   

• Remember: He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it…because “His Love endures forever”. (Psalm 138)

   

• Remember: God created “my inmost being and knit me together in my mother’s womb”

(Psalm 139:14).

• Remember: “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts of the Apostles 17:28).

• Remember: Nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that comes to us in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:39)

• Remember: Jesus prayed for you. He prayed for all believers… “that all may be one as, you, Father, are in me and I in you; I pray they may be one is us” (John 17:20-21)

• Almighty God has crowded miracles into you. Why not let them come forth and live? (Norman Vincent Peale)

Empower yourself!

Be Your Best. Do Your Best. Give Your Best.

Leave The Rest To The Lord.

Abide in these thoughts for a few moments!

Take a moment….pray gently, quietly, in silence and solitude, in serenity and peace!

I feel a deep, warm, comforting harmony within. Thank you, God. You are meeting my need now. You are blessing and Gracing my life. Many hours, days, months and years of my life are waiting to be filled a hundred ways with a hundred prayers. But, right now, at this very moment, I am at peace. I abide in you, God. I dwell in your love, God. I walk with you, God. I sit with you, God. I run with you, God. I do all I do with you, my God. Thank you my God. Amen.

O God, I have come into the quietness and stillness of your presence, that out of this moment, I may take with me a quiet serenity, which will last me through the rough and smooth of my daily life…..Empower me Lord, with a quiet serenity!

I have come to find wisdom, so that I may not make any foolish mistakes, that I may know when to speak and when to be silent, when to act and when to refrain from action….. Empower me Lord, with your wisdom!

I have come to find peace so that nothing may worry or upset me, that I may have peacefulness of heart, that I may be free of deep anxiety, through my daily chores. Bless me Lord, with your gift of Peace which you promised your disciples. Empower me Lord, with peacefulness of heart!

I have come to find courage, to be patient enough not to give up hope, to accept disappointment without bitterness and to accept delay without complaint. Empower me Lord, with virtues of courage and patience.

I have come to find love – to listen to your love so that through the days ahead, I may love, without being attached and possessive; that nothing may make me bitter and unforgiving. Bless me Lord, with the gift of your love. Empower me Lord, with a loving heart!

I have come to spend some time with you Lord, so that I may be empowered to walk with you faithfully and joyfully with meaning, with purpose, with direction, with peace, with serenity and without regrets and resentments, without guilt and shame, without worries and deep anxiety!

I have come to you Lord, to be real, to be true, to be honest, to be faithful, to be gentle and gracious – with a heart desiring deeply to be open and docile to the movements and promptings of your Holy Spirit. I have come praying for the gift of your Grace to empower me……

Gracious God, we are your people, embraced by your love.

We thank you for your presence with us throughout all time.

Free us from all that burden us – heal us form sin and its effects.

Empower us to live your life more fully, joyfully and faithfully.

Strengthen our relationships, unite our families,

transform us into communities of love. AMEN

Back to the top

Pray this again, gently and slowly.

Fr. Gus Tharappel,msfs