Saying Grace

Sometimes dining with fellow Christians is quite a bother because there will be the "issue" of saying grace (i.e. giving thanks to God), often outloud. And there will be much delegating,(or taichi-ing, as it is known here colloquially) often to the youngest member of the group to do the honours. I for one get this rather often in the past. :P Not that I have not been asked to say grace these days, it is just less often when there are younger people around me. ;)

Here is a disclaimer: I do not hate saying grace, on the contrary I feel inclined to say grace for most of my meals (unless I am really low on blood sugar, hehe.) It's just that I dislike saying grace on behalf of others and I get annoyed when others expect me to say grace on behalf of them.

QUESTIONS: Why do you need me to be thankful on behalf of you? Can't you be thankful yourself? Can't you be grateful on your own? And if you want me to say grace, then do not complain when I say it my way, whether it is the traditional: "Bless us, O Lord and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty. Throught Christ our Lord, Amen." or the less-conventional-seemingly-flippant: "Thank you Jesus for the food. Thank you and Buh-bye."

So there. *sigh* :)

"Why I am not a priest?"

I was requested by Wei Fen to write a post on this topic. :) However I believe the correct question should be: "Why I am not yet a priest?". ;) Of course, as with most Catholic males, I must admit that I have entertained thoughts of becoming a priest. But there was only one period in my life which I remember that I have seriously thought of joining the priesthood. That period was when the Catholic church went "popeless", as it were; when John Paul II died. You see, I was worried that the next Pope would be one whom I would not see eye to eye. So I figured that the best way to solve this dilemma was to be the Pope myself. Starting with priesthood, then to becoming the bishop, and then a cardinal before finally being selected as the Pope! However that problem was solved when Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI. Hehe. :)

But I confess, every now and then there were fleeting thoughts of joining the priesthood. I must say, priesthood is certainly a tempting career to consider (Just in case you were wondering: I am not in anyway being sarcastic). Job security, you get taken care of rather well; FREE food and shelter and cool perks; parishioners vying to buy you gifts and your own "church" car to boot! Believe me, I am not exaggerating. :)

What is stopping me then? Number one, I have yet to finish my degree of four-years and this is only the start of my second year, and I plan to continue until (at least and hopefully!) my Masters. Read: still a long way to go. And I really really want to be a psychologist! Unless the priesthood is willing to fund my studies in psychology... *Grin*

Number two, I have my family to think of. I am the eldest of my siblings and if I turn a priest who is going to support my family when my parents grow old and weary? Plus, I feel really bad becoming a priest when they have invested in me so much, I know that education ain't cheap.

Number three, and most important one of all: I do not know if God is calling me to be a priest. My cell phone's on but God never called. ;) Seriously, I am not sure which vocation God is calling me to. I love the Jesuits, I think they are really a cool bunch and if I were to be a priest I'll definitely join the Society of Jesus. Funny, I do not remember the topic of marriage ever crossed my mind... Being single seem more appealing. Then again, I am not sure.

So yea, these are the reasons why I am not yet a priest. I think my next serious consideration will be when Pope Benedict XVI dies.

'Till then... ;)

Bar Council's Online Petition: Movement Towards A Better Police Force

from MalaysianBar.org.my

To: The Malaysian Government

I/We the undersigned:

1. Commend and support the Prime Minister for having, in the past two years, set up two Commissions of Inquiry to look into matters concerning the Police; illustrating the Government’s concern for a better society, greater openness to views and criticisms, and the willingness to have a more open and honest appraisal of our institutions.

2. Urge that the above trend be continued, and the pace of reform be hastened.

3. Commend the chairman and the commissioners of these 2 Commissions for the sound and useful recommendations that they have put forward.

4. Believe that the recommendations of the Police Commission are comprehensive and balanced; as they do not merely focus on the conduct of the police, but also address problems faced by the police force, their terms of service, as well as issues such as human rights, crime, and corruption.

5. Believe that full regard must be had to the recommendations of the 2 Commissions, set up in the public interest and using public funds, which recommendations have been made after extensive fact-finding and research, and which recommendations will ensure best practices by the police force.

6. Believe that it is imperative that our nation immediately implements all the major recommendations of the 2 Commissions, including, in particular, the setting up of an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).

Sincerely,

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION ONLINE

Ten Thousand Angels Cried

by Leann Rimes (lyrics by Azlyrics.com)

Stillness filled the Heavens, on crucifixion day.
Some say it rained, I don't know if it's true.
Well, I can just imagine ten thousand angels cried
That would seem like rain to me and you.
The angels all stood ready to take Him from the tree
They waited for the words from His voice.
And when he asked the father why has thou forsaken me.
They watched the saviour die of his own choice.
I've never seen ten thousand angels cry
But I'm sure they did
As they stood by
And watched the saviour die.
God turned his head away
He couldn't bear the sight
It must have looked like rain
When ten thousand angels cried.
As the sun slipped away
The skies turned to grey
And when Jesus gave his all
That's when the tears began to fall
I've never seen ten thousand angels cry
But I'm sure they did
As they stood by
And watched the saviour die.
God turned his head away
He couldn't bear the sight
It must have looked like rain
When ten thousand angels cried.
It must have looked like rain
When ten thousand angels cried.

---

I know this is a belated post, but have you noticed that it seems to rain on EVERY Good Friday?

Baptism on Easter Vigil

It was Easter Vigil last Saturday and I had the privilege to witness a baptism upclose. The girl in the picture on the left is Lily @ Patricia (her baptism name) and as I was on the steps of the altar positioning my camera for a good angle, I hear Father Larry proclaiming out-loud:

"Patricia, I now baptised you in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..."

Immediately, an image of a newborn baby was conjured in my mind. It warmed my heart and gave me a different kind of joy, the feeling was similar to the one I got when my mother gave birth to my baby sister. In any case, it was a joy which I will remember.

Happy Easter :)

Good Friday @ CKA

We almost missed Good Friday service, instead of going to St. Francis Xavier's we went to Chapel Kristus Aman in TTDI. We were 10 minutes late and needless to say (as with most Catholic celebrations), there was a huge crowd which extends to the street. It was kinda funny (the haha-weird kind) for me to see a chapel sandwiched between restaurants and other retail outlets. :) The service ended with the Veneration of the Cross, where the faithful express their gratitude to the Lord's cross which is the instrument of our salvation by kneeling and kissing it.

After seeing so many people kissing/touching the cross, I was a kinda "ewwwwed out" of the idea of me kissing the cross... Yes fellow Catholics, judge me! :P Although the cross was wiped everytime it was kissed, I was concerned that I might catch something by kissing the cross, you know saliva, bacteria, virus, dead skin cells et al. But still! God knows (and I mean it literally) how much individual DNA samples could be found with one swab of a cotton bud. I confess: I did not kiss the cross, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the Lord's cross. ... I just express my appreciation in a different way. :)

'We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee because by Thy Holy Cross Thou has Redeemed the World.'

Amen.

---

More information on Good Friday CLICK HERE

Abnormal Scrapbook

This is my scrapbook for my Abnormal Psychology class; had a scrapbook display + voting event today. Each student who participates in this event (regardless of whether he/she owns a scrapbook) is entitled to vote for the scrapbook of their choice (even their own).

Contrary to popular belief, I DON'T vote for my own scrapbook. :) True, I would love to be in the TOP 10 for best scrapbook but I prefer to be chosen based on the opinion of the masses. So yeah, here's debunking Myth #1.

But truth be told, I do appreciate MY own work, especially those I spent lots of time and effort on. And I have the tendency to perceive my work as the cream of the crop. Yes, I know I have a slight chance of developing Narcissistic Personality Disorder... :P

Anyway, see the card pieces stuck onto my scrapbook? I got them from the Postsecret blog. If you are one who likes to nose around and get to to know about other people's secrets, check this blog out. ;)

I AM ADDICTED

Downloaded and installed a copy of the TYPING OF THE DEAD DEMO for the PC, a few days ago and I've been hooked ever since. It's basically a variant of the House of the Dead 2; everything's the same except for the gameplay - where instead of using your mouse to point and shoot monsters, you are required to type words that appear on them to kill them! Very addictive. That's an understatement. It's very very VERY addictive and its an excellent stress-buster too. Thump! Thump! Thump... goes the keyboard! :D

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE DEMO!
FOR REVIEWS CLICK HERE.

Palm Sunday @ Saint Francis Xavier's, PJ

I've been rather busy for the past weeks. Finals in 2 weeks time AND I've got: a critique, two reports, one presentation and one upcoming assignment plus over 20 chapters of study material to cover... Good God, help! (OK, I am not swearing. I ACTUALLY meant it when I say "Good God")

On a brighter note, I manage to attend the Palm Sunday procession at SFX and celebrate Mass, although I missed the Passion Watch, due to (yes, you guessed it) - studying. :(

Pray for me ya? I need lots of intercession.

---

More information on Palm Sunday from CatholicCulture.org, CLICK HERE and HERE.

Upcoming Event: PASSION WATCH! (7th to 8th April 2006)

PROGRAMME FROM 7TH to 8TH APRIL 2006

8.30pm Seek The Truth: Breaking the Da Vinci Code (Talk)
10.30pm Break & Registration for Passion Watch
11.00pm Group Discussion
12.00am Angelus & Icebreaker
12.30am Praise & Worship
1.15am Adoration & Pope's Message
1.45am Talk by Father Simon
2.30am Break
3.00am Intercession
4.00am Pilgrimage Briefing
5.00am Pilgrimage
7.30am Arrival at St. John's
9.00am Return & Rest
---
5.30pm Palm Sunday Procession
6.30pm Palm Sunday Mass

2nd April: Remembering John Paul II

JPII pray for us.

Prize

I was pleasantly surprised to find my prize in the letterbox today! Won it through one of Fishtail's entries. :D

Thank you Fishtail!

Something for Lent

Sounds familiar? ;)

American Idol Entry: Cousins or Coincidence II

Mandisa and Ursula. Hmm. It seems that almost half of the contestants of Idol '06 resembles peculiar characters. Or is it just me?

OK, it's just me. :P

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Got reminded that it was St. Pat's Day through Monastic Mumblings; which by the way has quite a bit of info on this Irish saint. :) Do you know that shamrocks (the symbol of this holiday and incidentally the national emblem of Ireland) was actually a religious teaching tool used by St. Pat in those days?

"The Celtic people were much closer to nature than their Roman counterparts back in the Empire, so Patrick used a simple shamrock to explain how the Trinity can be Three and One."

- Patrick of Ireland 17 March 461 A. D., via Monastic Mumblings

Interesting eh? ;)

God sponsored billboard

Cute - although I am not sure how much of it is from the Guy Upstairs. ;)

Source: ATLGospel.com

MY American Idol: Taylor Hicks

I was contemplating of posting something on stem-cell research but after chatting with a friend, I decided I needed more information in order to give a more objective view... Then I thought of blogging about the nature of God, but I was not in the mood.

However I am now in the mood for an Idol post! Hehe. My favorite contestant is Taylor Hicks. Yeah, the dude with the grey hair and sings like ... hmm. Ray Charles? Actually, I am not sure who he sings like 'cos to me he created his own genre. Initially I found his antics / dance moves a lil' "spastic" (if you know what I mean) but he grows on you after some time and it becomes rather endearing. Taylor is unpretentiousness and you can feel his sincerity when he sings. He presents himself "as-he-is", kinda like "love or leave me". Raw and honest, that's what I like. :)


Can't wait for the next episode of Idol! Go Taylor! WoooOOT! :D

---

CLICK HERE For MP3s and Videos of Taylor Hicks! Highly Recommended!

New Perspective

I'll take you back always
Even when your fight is over now
Even when your fight is over now
I'll take you back always
Even when the pain is coming through
Even when the pain is coming through
I'll take you back

- chorus from Take You Back by Jeremy Camp

This is for me the flavor of the week. :) The song was written based on the story of the Prodigal Son and when I had my first listen to it what caught my attention was the chorus. I like the choice of words - "take you back"; to me that sounds real, sounds like what a father would say to his child who is unsure whether the father still loves him/her after the child has left him to pursue his/her own selfish wants. That struck a chord in me. And I guess that's what every "seasoned" Christian needs; a fresh perspective of looking at God's all-inclusive love.

I believe this Lent is more purifying for me, not that other Lents are less purifying. It's just that this Lent I am more open to the God's work in my life. I am more willing, i think. So therefore I have started the discipline of fasting and the rosary, but I have not done so for about 1 week plus as I have been terribly ill (98% recovered now, 1 more antibiotic to go, thank God!).

Soon I'll blog more on stem-cell research/the nature of God/AmericanIdol5 (I am fan of Taylor Hicks!) ;) Meanwhile I'd like to know the opinion of the general public on stem-cell research, please post your opinions in the comments area. :)

You take me back always
Even when my fight is over now
Even when my fight is over now
You take me back always
Even when my pain is coming through
Even when my pain is coming through
You take me back

- final chorus from Take You Back by Jeremy Camp

American Idol Entry: Cousins or Coincidence?

Sorry guys look like I am gonna commit the sin of Idolatry... [ Lame. I know. :) ]

---

Carrie Underwood: Jesus Take The Wheel

[courtesy of Cowboylyrics.com]

She was driving last Friday on her way to Cincinnati
On a snow white Christmas Eve
Going home to see her Mama and her Daddy with the baby in the backseat
Fifty miles to go and she was running low on faith and gasoline
It been a long hard year
She had a lot on her mind and she didn't pay attention
She was going way to fast
Before she knew it she was spinning on a thin black sheet of glass
She saw both their lives flash before her eyes
She didn't even have time to cry
She was sooo scared
She threw her hands up in the air

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel

It was still getting colder when she made it to the shoulder
And the car came to a stop
She cried when she saw that baby in the backseat sleeping like a rock
And for the first time in a long time
She bowed her head to pray
She said I'm sorry for the way
I've been living my life
I know I've got to change
So from now on tonight

Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this all my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on

Oh, Jesus take the wheel
Oh, I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
Save me from this road I'm on
From this road I'm on

Jesus take the wheel

---

Beautiful song deep with meaning.

Click here to watch the video

Event: Bio-Ethics Talk

If...

1. you have not planned anything tomorrow [Friday, 3rd March 2006]
   
2. you are free between 8pm to 10pm
3. you don't mind traveling to Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya
4. issues like abortion, euthanasia and cloning interests you

Do come for a bioethics talk by Dr. Ignaccio Segarra, a pharmacologist from Spain, who has done post-doctoral work in the US and currently resides in Singapore.

According to a friend of mine,

"...his presentation will be presented from the point of view of "Natural Law" (natural law ethical theory states that the moral standards that govern human behavior are, in some sense, objectively derived from the nature of human beings), it is suitable for you to bring any non-Christian friend of yours. He concludes with the Catholic / Christian moral position without resorting to simply throwing Bible verses but by resorting to your reason."

I don't know about you but that sounds pretty interesting to me. It has been a long time since I had any serious intellectual stimulation. This might be it. ;)

Anyway, if you are interested do drop me an email at celestinetan@gmail.com for the further details of the location. By the way, the talk is FREE OF CHARGE. :)

p/s: yea, I know this post is last minute... but it's better late than never! hehe.

Missing Mass. Gasp!

Mass has started and I am AT HOME. Blame the rain, blame the rain. I thought I could go and get a "ash cross" on my forehead and blog about it. But I guess that's where I slipped. :) And I believe through this (i.e. missing Ash Wed's Mass) God might be reminding me that Mass is all about Him (yeah, sounds like God is full of Himself but hey! He IS God...) and not about good homilies/great music/great atmosphere/etc.

Besides I have yet to finish studying for my Human Communications quiz tomorrow, complete an in-house seminar review on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (which is also due tomorrow) AND on top of that I have yet to study for this week's Abnormal Psychology class. However that's not all but I shall not elaborate further.

I've light up all the candles on my altar to commemorate Ash Wednesday. Although I will not be able to be celebrate Mass in church tonight, at least I will be doing so in spirit. :)

Off I go study.

---

p/s: CLICK HERE for a comprehensive FAQ on Ash Wednesday by James Akin (EWTN.com)

Not very penitential.

I know what I have said about abstinence. But... I just. couldn't. help. it.

I spent RM116 altogether during Times Warehouse Sale @ The Atria, Damansara Jaya! Bought those mini Penguin books with short stories by Washing Irving, Robert Frost, Grimm's Fairy Tales, John Steinbeck, James Joyce, H. G. Wells, Anton Chekhov, Mother Goose, Hans Christian Andersen, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Oscar Wilde and Fyodor Dostoyevsky for only RM1 each! [Insane!] That's not all, I got two books by G. K. Chesterton: The Club of Queer Trades and Father Brown for RM5 each AND Mother Teresa's Audiobook A Simple Path for RM10. Wait, I have not finished listing... what's more I got myself Tash Aw's The Harmony Silk Factory [RM27], Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident [RM25] and Joey Yap's Stories and Lessons on Feng Shui [RM28]. OK, it's not what you think. I am reading Joey Yap for research purposes. After all the Art of War says: "to know your enemy is to win half the battle". ;) Finally, I got myself Garfield's 2006 Day-to-Day Calendar for only... RM5 (it was originally RM49); what a steal!!

Ahh... it's been a long time since I felt so good after buying something.

Yes, yes. I'll be going to Mass later to do my penance. ;)

---

P/s: Sale is until 5th March /1st Floor, The Atria Shopping Centre, Jalan SS22/23, Damansara Jaya, 47400 Petaling Jaya / Sunday-Thursday (10am - 8pm) and Friday and Saturday (10am - 9pm)

The day before Lent

Damien Scott commented on Monastic Mumblings...

"Having spent several years at Mardi Gras in New Orleans (in town on religious business, really and truly, with a bunch of priests, nuns and seminarians), I learned a wonderful lesson from attending the parades. (And we didn't go to anything raunchy.) It is all so pretty, and bright, and they throw what look like jewels and coins and the people shout and grab and knock one another over to get the biggest and the best. And you walk away exhilirated, weighted down with necklaces and gaudy objects, your pockets stuffed with doubloons. And in the morning, you see that it is all nothing, broken strings of plastic beads, tin coins that buy nothing, stale Moon Pies, cracked plastic cups...

An excellent preparation for Lent: a full blast exprience of the emptiness of the prizes our culture holds out to us and for which we will trample one another, screaming gimme, gimme, gimme!.

A sister friend says you can't have a good Lent if you don't have a good Mardi Gras. I finally understnad what she means.

And it is a lot of fun!"

You've guessed it (or at least I assumed you did): today's Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French) which can mean many things. To some who follow the Catholic tradition, today might be the last day to pig out on meat (or any other delectable foods, for that matter), also to some others today will be the last day to prepare (their heart and stomach) for the season of Lent.

I like Damien's illustration of how life really is to many - a pursuit of the material wealth which really means nothing on it own at the end of the day. Therefore Lent is not only a period of repentance and penance, but also an opportunity for us to experience how it is to live without 'our wants'; in other words with only 'our needs'. Of course what are 'wants' or 'needs' can be debated, but let's not go there now shall we? :)

Shucks! Does that mean I have to abstain from the net? :P

My Catholic Altar

Yeap. I have converted my space for CDs into a mini-shrine, complete with a picture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Baby Jesus (from a nativity scene), an icon of the Blessed Virgin and (as a friend would like to put it) the quintessential Catholic symbol, the rosary.

p/s: just in case you are wondering, where is the crucifix? well, it's at the top of my bedroom door. ;)

A Witness To Hope

"Shaped by the terrors of Nazi-occupied Poland and the subsequent brutalities of the Communist regime, John Paul II became one of the world’s greatest proponents of religious freedom and human rights. With rare historical stills and archival footage, along with new location footage taken in Rome and Poland, this richly textured film traces the personal life and struggles of the first non-Italian pope in over 450 years. Based on George Weigel’s book of the same title, Witness to Hope is a complete and intimate portrait of an extraordinary leader."

- A Witness To Hope - the Life of John Paul II (DVD)

John Paul II was known as the "fearless pope" - his fearlessness stemmed from his total surrender to God and his acknowledgement that the Almighty has the best course of his life planned out. And so I was reminded that I too had to surrender my life to God and trust that He has my best interest.


Jesus, I trust in You.

Valentines

Ditto dude. ;)

(Image from Postsecret)

Amazingly Fearless Race 2006

Yeap. Our very own local REALITY GAME! :D

ALL ARE WELCOME.

Join the excitement and fun! For more details, leave a comment or better still email me!

Cheers!

---

Related post:

Amazingly Fearless Race 2004 Write-Up

Strange / After thought

Strange... I was told by the president of my ex-college's Catholic Students Society (CSS) that Christian Fellowship (CF) was (heavily) promoting their club today - "out of the blue". Orientation's over, no events, nothing. Just promoting weekly meetings. What's more according to her: just today she was informed that the lecture room she booked weeks ago [for CSS weekly meetings] was claimed by CF for the whole year. Poor girl had no alternative but to pick a room next to the one CF laid claim.

I don't want to jump into any conclusions, I just *hope* that this is all a coincidence and NOT as a response to the CSS meetings.

---

On a slightly different note...

After much contemplation and consultation. The CSS have decided to hold future meetings on the original proposed timeslot [i.e. concurrently with CF's]. The time slot chosen was never intended for conflict/competition, rather the CSS considers it to be good timing for most students in college. Besides the CSS' target audience are mainly CATHOLICS. So what's the competition about?

Hey, if Saint Francis Xavier's CATHOLIC Church and Glad Tidings are able to have Mass/service on the same street AND day! Why not CSS and CF? Frankly, I don't think non-Christians will be "torn" between these two Christian societies! I understand Ms. A's worry that this will show non-Christians how disunited Christians are, but the truth to the matter is: THERE IS NO TOTAL UNITY among Catholics and Protestants (or even among the 25,000 denominations). So why "fake" unity or hide our divisiveness? Wouldn't that be deceptive?

QUESTION: What if non-Christians pose questions which touch on issues of Christian disunity?

Answer: Simple - just explain to them.

Case closed.

---

Related post:

• Four Biblical Truths

Misunderstood

My well-intentioned meeting with Ms. A at my ex-college turned hostile when she got to know that the newly established Catholic Students Society (CSS) meeting is running concurrently with Christian Fellowship (CF; which she's the teacher advisor of). She became all puffed up, teary and emotional. If I didn't know better, I thought she was going ballistic!

I totally understand her worry (she's Pentecostal/Fundamentalist by the way) that non-Christians might be confused with two CHRISTIAN meetings running at the same time.

I.e. she's worried that non-Christians might not know which meeting to attend and end up not attending either. Thus not knowing who Jesus is. Making Hell a definite destination.

But it is not our intention to cause such confusion, rather the decision for the scheduled slot was dependent on the current cell group leader's schedule! Despite my patient (and I was really pa... tient...) explanations, she continued pouring her (yet-to-pass) grievances to me, complete with dynamic hand gestures.

I think her emotions have caught on to me, as I feel kinda bad right now. Of course, of course, we'll try to reschedule the meeting to another day which will NOT clash with CF's. But that will also be dependant on the new members' schedule.

*Sigh*

All I wanted was to know how is she doing and to say "HI" - and was hoping to have a good chat. Sad that the conversation ended on a bad note.

Poor Ms. A

Part 3: What do you think?

I was waiting for replies to my previous post in the comments section, but there was none. Here is something interesting for you to chew on:

According to an interview with Lillian Too published in HBS Bulletin Online.

Too said:

"Feng shui is not magic, it's not superstition, and it's not a religion. It's a science, more than 3,500 years old, that's based on the ancient Chinese understanding of energy flows."

However in an interview in 2002 with the Star, Too seemed to contradict her previous statement by saying:

"You can say [Feng Shui] is part superstition".

Now, is it or is it not a superstition?

Part 2: What do you think?

The current results from the latest poll:

But if science is defined as "the state of knowing", how can it be reconciled with superstition which is defined as "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance"?

Your thoughts?

[Definitions from Merriam-Webster Dictionary]

What do you think?

Can something be both "science" and "part superstition"?
	Yes
	No
Free polls from Pollhost.com

Chinese New Year Mass / Info on Maranatha Retreat

It's the first day of the Lunar New Year! As with the Chinese New Year tradition, the first day is dedicated to visiting those who are higher ranking than us (e.g. grandpa). So to start off the Lunar New Year, my family went for Mass; to visit God in His house. :) The church that I went to did not incorporate much Chinese culture at Mass except for lanterns, red packets and mandarin oranges. Kinda like the usual Mass, except that Mass ended with "Huan Ying Da Di Hui Chun"(which means "Welcome Spring!" in Mandarin). So I guess there is nothing much I could cover. However if you have any questions about the Lunar New Year Mass, do drop me an email :)

---

With reference to pat's request; here's more information about the retreat I was in:

The retreat I participated was a 2 days 2 nights (begun on a Friday night and ended on a Sunday afternoon) silent retreat conducted by Father Larry Tan. It consists of "point sessions" (i.e. the only time where we could talk and interact with the priest as he gives input) and ample time for doing silent prayer (either centering prayer or Ignatian style) in a very conducive environment. :) My favorite place for silent prayer is lying on top of the granite fence (although I might get sunburned after half hour or so) ;)

I strongly recommend silent retreats to those who have yet been to one. For some, silent retreats helps one discover a fresh perspective of God, while for others it's a time where they allow themselves to hear their own "inner-voice". Of course, results vary but nevertheless one could at least obtain a decent amount of rest in such a tranquil environment.

So why not give it a try?

For more information on Maranatha Retreat House CLICK HERE.

Good wishes.

Blessed Lunar New Year! :)

May the Lord's plan for you to prosper and to give you a future full of hope (Jeremiah 29:11) be fulfilled.

P/s: Happy Binging. ;)

Weekend at Marantha

Was at a silent retreat last weekend at Maranatha Retreat Centre in Janda Baik, Pahang. Took exactly 200 pictures (ah, the miracle of technology)! :) In the end I narrowed down to only about 30 pictures. As you can see, I was in the mood for black and white. Somehow I felt it adds to the artistry of my pictures. ;)

What do you think?

CLICK HERE for more photos

Serendipity Find: New Way of Arranging Your Desktop!

TADA!

That's the new look of my desktop. :) Instead of the usual icons (i.e. "My Computer", "My Documents", "Recycle Bin", etc.) I have decided to replace them with "cute character icons" which I downloaded from Pixelgirl Presents, a site which offers a fairly decent selection of very unconventional icons. ;) Notice my cute "watermelon hill" wallpaper? Got that too from Pixelgirl.

Actually it was by serendipity that I discovered this cool way of arranging icons. I find that arranging it this way makes my desktop look almost story-like. A comic strip, perhaps? :D I've got a carrot as my "recycle bin" (which gets fat when filled) and cute purple monster as a shortcut for one of my many folders AND many other cute characters on my desktops acting as various shortcuts.

Ahhhh! I am sooOooo proud of my desktop! :D

Pride & Prejudice

Mr. Darcy: How are you this evening my dear?

Ms. Bennet: Very well, only I wish you would not call me "my dear".

Mr. Darcy: Why?

Ms. Bennet: Because it is what my father always calls my mother when he is crossed about something.

Mr. Darcy: What endearments that I may allow?

Ms. Bennet: Let me think... "Lizzy" for everyday, "My Pearl" for Sundays and "Goddess Divine" for those very special occasions.

Mr. Darcy: Ah, and what shall I call you when I am crossed... "Mrs. Darcy"?

Ms. Bennet: No..! No. You may only call me Mrs. Darcy when you are completely... and perfectly... and incandescently happy.

Mr. Darcy: And how are you this evening... Mrs. Darcy? *kiss on the forehead* Mrs. Darcy... *kiss on the left cheek* Mrs. Darcy... *kiss on the nose* Mrs. Darcy... *kiss on the right cheek* Mrs. Darcy... *kiss on the lips*

- excerpt from the final scene in Pride & Prejudice (2005)

---

Beautiful beautiful movie! An exemplary film which is extremely romantic with no sex involved. Amazing. I had my third appreciation of the movie today - it was that good. Makes me want to start reading Jane Austen's other works.

*fake English accent* Certainly a film that is worth your every penny. :)

First Post of 2006

It's been 10 days since the beginning of 2006, got my results from last semester: wasn't bad... it was what I had guessed but I wasn't satisfied. I wasn't satisfied not only with my results but also with other areas of my life. *SIGH* But hey! isn't every new year an opportunity for me to write a new chapter - an even better chapter - of my life? :)

Well I am not writing all of my new year's resolution for all to see but I can tell you that I will be reading the Bible from cover-to-cover with the help of CovertoCover.

Devotionals, here I come!

psst... look out for my personal reflections ;)

Gratefulness.

It seems only appropriate for me to end the year with a closing post on my life in 2005. There are many things which I am grateful for and I wish to write them down before I forget.

1. I am grateful that I am able to continue my studies and pursue a degree in psychology
2. I am grateful for knowing those from my college
   
3. I am grateful to receive my first and second semester's exam results (hopefully, I will be grateful for the third ;))
4. I am grateful to have a growing cell group
5. I am grateful to have a roof over my head
   
6. I am grateful to have housemates :)
7. I am grateful to live comfortably
8. I am grateful to have my family
   
9. I am grateful to have inspiring Jesuit priests at my parish
10. Finally I am grateful to live to be grateful for another year ;)

Here's wishing all of you a Happy New Year!

What I have learnt from the Full Metal Alchemist...

People cannot gain anything without giving something in return.
To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.
That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange.

- excerpt from popular Japanese anime; Full Metal Alchemist (FMA)

FMA is set in a world where things can be materialized almost instantly through a technique called alchemy, but the catch is something equivalent must be exchanged. For example, if you want to make paper you need wood, or in the case of diamonds you might need coal. :) But there are some things which are forbidden, one of which is to materialized humans. And that was precisely what the Elric Brothers (the protagonists of the story) did - they tried to revive their beloved long-dead mother, as a result - Edward lost an arm and a leg while Alphonsus lost his whole body. Oh by the way, their mother never came back to life and you might have guessed, that's how FMA started. :)

FMA has become my favorite anime to date, not only because of it's fresh plot but also because of the Christian elements I see in it via my Christian "looking-glass". :)

Here is what I have learnt:

1. Understanding Sin Through Equivalent Exchange
   We know that sin is our direct disobedience to God, but do we also realised that sin requires something in return? That "something" is our freedom. As Jesus says: "everyone who sins is a slave to sin." (John 8:34, NIV)
   
   
2. Understanding Salvation Through Equivalent Exhange
   From point number one we are able to infer that we are all slaves to sin because "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23, NIV) Therefore we are seperated from Godl, for "[n]o one can serve two masters." (Matthew 6:24) ; we cannot be both slaves of sin and servants of God. God knows this, so He sent Jesus who has no sin to die for us to pay for the sins of the whole of mankind - past, present and future.
   
   Question: How is this Equivalent Exchange?
   
   Jesus is able to pay for the sins of Mankind because He is fully human, and the reason why the value of His death is able to extend from the past to the future is because of the fact that He is also fully God; who is infinite in value.
   
   Through this, Jesus has bought the whole of Mankind freedom. So technically, believers or not we belong to Him. (1 Corinthians 6:20) But of course Jesus gave us the freedom of choice to believe in Him, so until we claim the "ticket to freedom" (i.e. believe in Jesus) we are still slaves to sin.
   
   
3. The Value of the Human Life
   Although it was not mentioned in FMA why alchemy cannot be used to revive humans, but through my Christian view-point I see the reason lies in the inherent priceless value of the human life. This priceless value is not only attributed by the fact that we were made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27) but also further confirmed by the infinite price Jesus paid through His death.

See? Cartoons are good for you :) Hehe.

RE: News: Trading Bibles For Porn

CARLSON: The bottom of this, on your web site, you have a statement: "We find that morality should not be derived from religious texts." What should morality be ... what should it be derived from?

JACKSON: Well, morality is not derived from religious texts. Religious texts actually contradict each other. If you read the Bible, it contradicts itself on nearly every page. And the fact that people can decide which one to go with shows that they are getting their morality from somewhere else.

Morality is actually based off of empathy, and failing empathy, it's based off of fear of reprisal from the law. That is where morality comes from.

CARLSON: Yes. But the law, it's a circular argument. You need to think through it a little bit more, Thomas, because the law itself is based on at least a notion of abstract right and wrong, and that is not rooted in empathy or any emotion, but ... you know, an abstract belief that this is right and this is wrong because someone larger, in control, says so.

- Excerpt from MSNBC, Trading bibles for porn in San Antonio

---

For everything there is a need for a benchmark (or a standard). Without a benchmark there will be no opportunity for comparison; i.e. no way to tell good from bad. This applies also to the issue of morality.

Morality cannot only be based on empathy or the fear of law and order; because if that is so there will be chaos, as empathy and fear are things that vary and change! Therefore we need a constant; something that don't change like the speed of light. In the case of morality, we have God; who is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

I rest my case.

Season's Greeting

The word Christmas is a contraction of Christ's Mass, derived from the Old English Cristes mæsse. It is often abbreviated Xmas, the X originates from the Greek letter Χ (chi) which has often historically been used as an abbreviation for Christ (Χριστός in Greek).

- Wikipedia.com

It's Christmas Eve! Have a Blessed Christmas and a Joyful New Year. :)

Fourth Sunday of Advent / Night-Out with the IMU Gang

It's the fourth Sunday of Advent - that means Christmas is in a week's time! Yayness. :)

---

It has been around 3 hours plus, since I came back from the IMU farewell cum birthday party. Prior to the party, I went with the gang for caroling at an orphanage in Sri Petaling (an experience which I will blog about another day). What I would like to blog today is to say that I was encouraged to see the family-like bond between the members of IMU's Catholic Students Society (CSS). Everyone was real, there was no faking it. I was so touched by the friendships I see; that for a moment, I actually wished I was studying medicine in IMU! :)

God's favor is truly upon the CSS of IMU. I praise God that IMU CSS is not made up of just Catholics but also FRIENDS.

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long

To live as friends

- Friends are Friends Forever, Michael W. Smith

News: Trading Bibles For Porn

(link: MSNBC , via: XXXChurch.com)

"A group of atheists at the University of Texas in San Antonio is trying to tempt college kids into trading their Bibles for pornography. It's part of a program called Smut for Smut sponsored by the student organization called Atheist Agenda."

All I can say now is: it's a sad sad world... Click here for the transcript between MSNBC's Tucker Carlson and the group's president, Thomas Jackson.

Pink Sunday

If you want to see your priest in PINK, today's the day - the 3rd Sunday of Advent (Gaudete Sunday) ;) The readings for today is from Isaiah 61 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 and John 1:6-28 [click here for the full text], all of which are connected to the joy Christians experienced in anticipation of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A picture of Father O. C. in pink and a glimpse of St. Francis Xavier's on Gaudete Sunday...

Pssst... the song "Gaudete" is available in radio.blog. Enjoy! ;)

Way Too Cool

(link: BoredBeyondBoredom, via Dayton Daily News)

USD10,000 of total costs...

25,000 bulbs...

One fantastic display.

Nikki's Maharani

Many thanks to Patrick, last night I finally got my copy of Nikki's latest album - Maharani :) Incidentally this is the first M-Pop album I've owned, nevertheless I have listened to numerous international albums. I have to say Maharani is to the music scene as Sepet is to the big-screen.

10 REASONS WHY MAHARANI IS A GEM:

1. It's a double-disc-ed album (Includes a CD of remixes and minus-ones)
   
   
2. There are obvious would-be-hits like: Imaginasi, Julangan Permata, Janji, Pinta, Aku Maharani, Cinta Baru and Bahagia Selamanya
   
   
3. The remix disc contains real remixes, my favourites are: Midnight Acoustic Mixes of Julangan Permata, Janji and of course my favourite among favourites - Imaginasi
   
   
4. Ning Baizura's makes a special appearance after the last track
   
   
5. Jimmy Palikat composed Sunudai Oku
   
   
6. You get to listen to Nikki's trademark whistling
   
   
7. Poetic and meaningful lyrics
   
   
8. Included in the CD sleeve is Nikki's personalized "Thank You" message
   
   
9. Beautiful cover art
   
   
10. It's only RM29.90.

Go get the album. Need I say more? ;)

---

Related post: Interview with Malaysian Idol's Nikki Palikat

Yum! Delicious Marmite Sauce.

I've discovered my other talent - cooking! Heh. :) Based on 5xmom's recipe here's what I've cooked up.

It's Marmite Chicken, basically it's fried bits of chicken covered in delicious marmite sauce. So the secret is actually the sauce...

THE RECIPE

Ingredients (makes for 300grams of meat):

• 2 tablespoons of Marmite/Bovril/Vegemite
• 4 tablespoons of hot water
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• Black pepper
• 2 pips garlic (chopped)
• Oil

Instructions:

• Dissolve marmite and sugar in hot water.
• Heat some oil in pan
• Saute garlic
• Add generous amounts of black pepper
• Pour in marmite sugar mixture.

I have tried to use marmite sauce as the main sauce for bits of fried chicken and steamed dory fish fillets. Both works rather well. :)

Happy experimenting!

Phew.

Exams are over, peace is restored once more :) Thanks for the prayers.

Exam

In less than 8 hours time will be the start of my (marathon) finals; from 8am to 6pm. Please do say a prayer for me. Thanks.

We are now in the...

2nd Sunday of Advent
Originally uploaded by bookofjohn.

Monkeys 'R Us

I've been on study break for the past week; while studying one of the chapters in Anthropology I noticed the terms "pre-humans" and "humans". So I thought to myself:

Why is there a debate between evolutionists and creationists Can't we reconcile creationism AND evolution? Honestly I don't find it absurd to think that we originated from a family of Primates. After all, God used dust (non-human; pre-human, if you wish) to create us humans. :) IMHO, evolution is a non-issue when we put God (instead of chance) in the picture.

Just my two cents.

When God Ran

by Phillips, Craig & Dean, based on Luke 15.
(via Sheena's blog)

Almighty God, the great I am,
Immovable rock, omnipotent, powerful, awesome Lord.
Victorious warrior, commanding King of Kings.
Mighty conqueror, and the only time,
the only time I ever saw Him run...

Was when He ran to me, He took me in His arms,
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again.”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes,
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son, do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise when God ran.

The day I left home I knew I’d broken His heart.
And I wondered then if things could ever be the same.
Then one night I remembered His love for me.
And down that dusty road ahead I could see,
It was the only time – it was the only time I ever saw Him run...

And then He ran to me, He took me in His arms,
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again.”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes,
With forgiveness in His voice He said,
“Son, do you know I still love you?”
He caught me by surprise as He brought me to my knees,
When God ran – I saw Him run to me.

I was so ashamed, all alone and so far away,
But now I know He’s been waiting for this day.

He ran to me, He took me in His arms,
Held my head to His chest, said “My son’s come home again.”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes.
With forgiveness in His voice He said, “Son”,
He called me Son...
He said, “Son, do you know I still love you?”
He ran to me and then I ran to Him,
When God ran.

---

At first read I find that the lyrics has this sort of "build up" (e.g. it begins with God's glamourous names; Almighty God, Immovable Rock, King of kings, etc..) to a "touching climax" (the part of lyrics where it says:"when God ran"). Eventually I got hold of the song, took a listen to it and what can I say? It lives up to its lyrics - simply beautiful. :)

:: AVAILABLE NOW ON RADIO.BLOG ::