Lent: Call to Conversion

Fr. Subhash Anand has sent this reflection. TK.
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A Call to Conversion

Last Sunday (10^th February 2013) our parish priest announced the beginning of Lent from coming Wednesday – Ash Wednesday. He emphasized the importance of prayer and penance as part of our Lenten discipline. Basing myself on many years of pastoral involvement, I am sure many other parish priests have done the same. I know many lay people and few a bishops, priests and religious, who give up alcohol and non-vegetarian food during Lent. Many flock to the Church to participate in the Way of the Cross. Many resume the recitation of the family rosary. Some even inflict violence on their body. Is this sort of Lenten observance going to bring about the much needed conversion? Frankly speaking, I have my serious doubts.

Quotes 72- Destination

"What you get by reaching your
destination is not nearly as
important as what you will become
by reaching your destination."

- Zig Ziglar

World Leaders - Life Quotes

Memorable quotes from world great leaders

 

Without your involvement you can’t succeed. With your involvement you can’t fail.- Dr. Abdul Kalam

STRESS

Stress from Nurse ReviewDotOrg

Lent 1 Sunday C - Temptations

Thomas O’Loughlin

Introduction to the Celebration

In every area of our lives there are periods of mending, renewing, and refocusing. We talk about ‘spring cleaning’, ‘annual reviews, and ‘in-service training’. Now we enter a period to renew our discipleship prior to celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus at Easter. So now can we spend some moments considering how God our creator made us and has provided for us. Let us recall that God our saviour has called us to live in a new way and to build a world of justice and peace. Let us remember how God our inspiration offers us strength for our discipleship.

Choose: Wealth, Success or Love - Story

Wealth, Success, and Love
A woman came out of her house and saw three old men with long white beards  sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.
 She said, "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.
"No," she said, "he's out,"

"Then we cannot come in," they replied.
In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.
"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she wanted to know.
One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one,  "He is Success, and I am Love." 
Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed !
"How nice!" he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"
Their daughter was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion. 
"Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"
"Let us heed our daughter's advice," said the husband to his wife "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."
The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. 
Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, why are you coming in?"
The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!"
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Where there is pain, I wish you peace and mercy.  Where there is self-doubt, I wish you a renewed confidence in your ability to work through them.  Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I wish you understanding, patience, and renewed strength.  Where there is fear, I wish you love, and courage.

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LIST TO LIVE BY The most destructive habit......................Worry The greatest Joy...............................Giving The greatest loss................Loss of self-respect The most satisfying work...............Helping others The ugliest personality trait.............Selfishness The most endangered species.........Dedicated leaders Our greatest natural resource...............Our youth The greatest "shot in the arm"..........Encouragement The greatest problem to overcome.................Fear The most effective sleeping pill........Peace of mind The most crippling failure disease............Excuses The most powerful force in life..................Love The most dangerous pariah..................A gossiper The world's most incredible computer........The brain The worst thing to be without................... Hope The deadliest weapon.......................The tongue The two most power-filled words..............."I Can" The greatest asset..............................Faith The most worthless emotion..................Self-pity The most beautiful attire......................SMILE! The most prized possession................Integrity The most powerful channel of communication.....Prayer The most contagious spirit.................Enthusiasm The most important thing in life..................GOD Everyone needs this list to live by...pass it along!!!

Ash Wednesday 2013-Homily and Stories

ASH WEDNESDAY 

When I was in grade school, I remember Ash Wednesday as a melancholy day.  The sisters who taught us were unusually somber and whispery to us that day.  It felt like Ash Wednesday, with its marked foreheads and meager meals, signaled the beginning of a long period of giving up candy – and some feeling that we were all lost.