PARADOXICAL

O Eternal One,
It would be easier for me to pray
if I were clear
and of a single mind and a pure heart;
if I could be done hiding from myself
and from you, even in my prayers.
But, I am who I am,
mixture of motives and excuses,
blur of memories,
quiver of hopes,
knot of fear,
tangle of confusion,
and restless with love,
for love.
I wander somewhere between
gratitude and grievance,
wonder and routine,
high resolve and undone dreams,
generous impulses and unpaid bills.
Come, find me, Lord.
Be with me exactly as I am.
Help me find me, Lord.
Help me accept what I am,
so I can begin to be yours.
Make of me something small enough to snuggle,
young enough to question,
simple enough to giggle,
old enough to forget,
foolish enough to act for peace;
skeptical enough to doubt
the sufficiency of anything but you,
and attentive enough to listen
as you call me out of the tomb of my timidity
into the chancy glory of my possibilities
and the power of your presence.

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME .....

HAIL MARY, FULL OF GRACE, THE LORD IS WITH YOU .....

Beautiful prayers by: Ted Loder, Guerrillas of Grace, LuraMedia, 1984

posted by Resty Odon  # 1:32 AM 0 Comments

When someone calls another person, we can safely assume that the former needs the latter; the former will most likely ask a favor from the latter.

When God calls us, it's the reverse. When He calls us, it's because we need Him. He has no need of us. It's us who are given the favor when we are being called.


Pag tayo tumawag sa iba, may kailangan tayo.
Pag Diyos ang tumawag as atin, tayo ang may kailangan.

-from last Sunday's sermon

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:51 PM 0 Comments

love is not reciprocal
it is unconditional
no expectation only oblation

love is blind to the peripheral
it sees only the essential
transcending time and space

love is immune to pain
never thinks of gain
love is its own reward

eastwind [x1151]

**
all that begin must end
death follows birth
dusk follows dawn
darkness follows light
only one thing is endless
your immortal soul
image of the Alpha and Omega
Who has no beginning and no end
in Him lies your eternity

eastwind [x1143]

**
rebuke an arrogant man
and he will hate you
rebuke a wise man
and he will love you

proverbs 9:8 [x1161]

posted by Resty Odon  # 9:41 PM 0 Comments

In today’s gospel passage, Jesus told his disciples that love means obeying his commands (John 14:15). Jesus went on to explain that obeying his commands not only manifests our love for him; it also brings us to experience his Father’s love for us and opens us up to heavenly revelation (14:21).

Looking at these verses, we might follow a logical pattern like this:
1. Obedience is the way to love.
2. Love is the way to find God’s love and his revelation.
3. Therefore, obedience is the key to earning God’s love and his revelation.

This theory may sound effective, but we need to be careful. Our obedience does not generate an increase in God’s love. God already is perfect love. Even perfect obedience cannot make perfect love more perfect.

So how should we approach these words? Simply by saying that without obedience, we will drift away from the Lord and his love. Just as it was in the very beginning, so it is for each one of us: Sin separates us from God.

It’s by obedience that we remain open to Jesus and to his love, so it’s more accurate to say that obedience removes the barriers that separate us from the Lord—and keeps them from forming again. So just as love is defined by obedience, so obedience is an issue of love and not fear. May we never be afraid of God, but only long to remove every obstacle so that we can be immersed in his presence!

posted by Resty Odon  # 9:03 PM 0 Comments

"What you fear to lose, learn to let go you must."

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:39 PM 0 Comments