One Solitary Life

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The real author of this work is James A. Francis
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      He was born in an obscure village. The child of a peasant woman. He grew up in still another obscure village where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. And then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never owned a house. He never went to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials but himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies. And went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While he was dying his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today Jesus is the central figure of the human race, the leader of mankind's progress.

      All the armies that ever marched. All the navies that have ever sailed. All the parliaments that have ever sat. All the kings that have ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of mankind on this earth as much as that ONE SOLITARY LIFE.

The DASH: Making a Difference with Your LIFE

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The real authors of this article are Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson
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      I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning to the end. He noted that first came the date of her birth and spoke of the following date with tears. But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved her know what that little time is worth. For it matters not how much we own the cars, the house, the cash and how we spend our dash. What matters is how we live and love. So think about this long and hard -- are there things you'd like to change? For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged. If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real and always try to understand the way other people feel. And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we've never loved before. If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile remembering that this special dash might only last a little while. So when your eulogy is being read with your life's actions to rehash would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

      

GOD AS BEYOND THE HIGHEST GOOD

      God set the rule and handed down his greatest commandment - He gave the universal law to mankind. And there were multitudes of people who obeyed the law until this very day. But there were also those who hated the law (e.g. those who condemned the law, those who despised the law, those who refused to be govern by the law, those who gravely disobeyed the law). Because of so much hatred to God they killeth the law -- the law that giveth life. Hence, God elevated the law as beyond the highest good and by the blood of the lamb made it final and irrevocable so that all creations from the least  to the greatest must pay attention and submit to the law. 

  

      And what is the law? The law is the Word of God that was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. He is the totality, the full realization of all the laws and principles governing the entire universe bridging the gap between our sins and God's holiness.

      The meaning of the law is Christ. Christ who was begotten by God revealed himself to us not as God but rather as a servant born in the nature and likeness of men. For the salvation of mankind Jesus came to the world as the perfect living sacrifice, the lamb of God, offering his flesh and  blood laying his life upon the cross. So that through his crucifixion there might be resurrection, and finally salvation or eternal glory in heaven. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. And if he is the Way, then all beings must obey.

      God cannot be confine within the boundaries of religious understanding, or within the frameworks of good and evil but simply beyond the highest good. The limited capacity of the human intellect undermines the nature of the infinite goodness of God whenever we try to delve to fully comprehend the mystery of God in the context of religious understanding. Thus, the human intellect can never fathom the all encompassing God subject to the polarities of good and evil which are the prevalent themes in religion for God is simply beyond the highest good.

MORE ON QUOTABLE QUOTES

TRUE FRIENDS  don't fade away because their MEMORIES are like the STARS in heaven they shine especially at night and together with the MOON they smile saying "BE NOT AFRAID" we are watching over you.

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We respect their existence but they relentlessly seek to destroy us. Helpless as we are, we turn our face to God and ask for help. (LEx LUCES, A Kingdom of Heart )
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They martyred our saints, abused our women, enslaved our people, exploited our children and plundered our lands. This is the day of reckoning where our faith is being tested like gold tested by fire. Where  our faith and liberty are at stake and the MIGHTY KING is challenged -- we cry out loudly in one voice and say to the enemy "WE WILL NOT FALTER." ( Michael, A Kingdom of Heart )
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Perhaps the FALL of MAN is quintessential in the DIVINE PLAN of God so that man may be GLORIFIED not in NEVER falling BUT in rising every time he falls.
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The BEST MOMENTS in our lives are usually those spent IN THE COMPANY of God and our love ones.
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Even demons are afraid of EVIL, the only kind of evil that only God can do.
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Some will rise, others will fall. But in the end GOOD will PREVAIL over evil and God will reign supreme and will be glorified in heaven, on earth and under the earth.
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What is there in HEAVEN and what is there on EARTH combine them all together cannot be equated with God.
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Could it be possible that the Angel who appeared to Mohammad (the prophet) is not really Gabriel but the devil in the guise of Archangel? (see Matt 21:33-46 for guidance)
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The bible cannot just possibly be a book but simply the GREATEST LIBRARY of INFINITE TREASURES.
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The only miracle that man is capable of is CHANGE. And the GREATEST of all MIRACLES is also change.
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The FAMILY is the BASIC UNIT of the CHURCH. If the church cannot defend the christian family, then how can the church defend itself from the attacks of the enemy.
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If I have been haughty, proud and arrogant LORD, please grant me the grace of ABSOLUTE HUMILITY.
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If you truly know and love thyself, you'll never hate GOD.
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COMPLETE SURRENDER of oneself to GOD means the UNSELFISH ACT of giving up man's mundane life and the greatest DESIRE for HEAVEN while submitting oneself to the divine will of God without reservation by absolute trust in God alone.
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PRAY FOR the ANGELS that they may NOT fall into sin like the devil.
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He who is the totality, the full realization of all the laws and principles governing the vast universe has offered his life for us TO BRIDGE the gap between our SINS and God's HOLINESS.
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Christ who is the FIRSTBORN of the dead RESTORED back to us the eternal LIFE that was robbed by the devil from ADAM and EVE.
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Mary is the ark of the MOST HOLY covenant between man and God bridging the gap between the WISDOM of God and man's FOOLISHNESS.
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Every SINGLE DROP of rain is a MIRACLE from God.
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The one who has been in the desert knows the VALUE of RAIN.
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Oftentimes we ask God for SIGNS and WONDERS to happen in our lives BUT only to DISCOVER that our mere EXISTENCE is already a miracle from GOD.
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There is NO CONFLICT or war of any kind that cannot be RESOLVED with ABSOLUTE humility, sincerity, patience, understanding and respect to the human dignity of the opposing parties.
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The JUST and EQUAL distribution of WEALTH is the HIGHEST GOAL of economics while the FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVE is to properly allocate the dwindling resources of the planet to SATISFY the UNLIMITED WANTS of the human race.
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A conflict that CANNOT be settled through a peaceful process can ONLY be resolved to a JUST war where the primary GOAL is to immediately end the conflict with NO, or LESS casualties and damage to properties to achieve its ULTIMATE objective which is ABSOLUTE PEACE.
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INDOLENCE is NOT an UGLY thing. He who could not get or keep a decent job to support himself BUT KEEPS on relying through the GRACE of God have SOMETIMES valid reasons. BUT HE who has a job but continues in doing evil, adding sin upon sin and REFUSES to change, UNWILLING to find a DECENT job at a time when society DEMANDS justice, equality, fair play, honesty, transparency, social responsibility and public accountability -- such indolence is the UGLIEST of all things.
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Some pharmaceuticals operate INCOGNITO without paying government TAXES and ENCOURAGES little children to WORK as medical representatives selling unregulated drugs -- this is VERY ALARMING.

A KINGDOM OF HEART

In my heart there's a heavenly kingdom (a kingdom of love, a kingdom of peace, a kingdom of forgiveness) where God is enthroned as the sovereign ruler, the King of kings. More often great battles happen in the battlefield of the mind between good and evil, between truth and lies, between love and hate, between reason and faith. And when the forces of light succumbed to the foreign legions of darkness as led by the devil, they withdrew back to the kingdom of the heart to defend the kingdom and protect the sovereign ruler - the King of kings. 

Following the defeat of the forces of light in the mental faculties, a new great battle occurs in the kingdom of the heart. Whenever the throne of the great and mighty King is in imminent danger, the "great warrior prince" named Michael arises with his shining armor: "the belt of truth, the breastplate of justice and the zeal as his shoes to propagate the Gospel of peace. While his left hand holds the shield of faith and his head protected by the helmet of salvation, his right hand holds the sword of the Spirit, that is, the Word of God." (Ephesians 6:13-17). As the trumpets blast in the twelve corners of the kingdom the great warrior prince Michael marshal the forces of goodness, justice and peace - where the angels, the martyrs and the saints gather together to fight in combat and banish the devil and his cohorts of darkness. 

After the enemies were subdued in the battlefield of the heart they withdraw back into the battlefield of the mind to make their last stand. Thereafter, an apocalyptic battle occurrs in the battlefield of the mind where the devil and his demons were finally extinguished. Then there comes a great feast and celebration of victory followed by the jubilation and the tears of joy of the redeemed. A dying soul and fading light was finally brought to life. The songs of praises and the words of thanksgiving echoed low in the firmament of heaven. While gazing at the sky, a bright light shone upon my face as I was embraced by the light. And in the universe of the mind the Trinitarian God set His throne high above the firmament of heaven as guarded by the four huge white holy cross. Beneath these four holy crosses were the four sacred creatures of the gospel - the Winged Face of the Holy Man, the Sacred Eagle in flight, the Sacred Ox and the Sacred Lion - all four creatures singing in adoration days and nights unceasingly repeating "Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt caeli et terra gloria tua. Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Hosanna in excelsis." (Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord the God of Hosts...). 

AIMING FOR THE MOON

"Aim for the moon because even if you miss the moon you’ll land among the stars."  
  
I don't have the information as to the identity of the person who wrote this quotation, but the above quotation is quite appealing to me. Symbolically, the "full-moon" represents Christ in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar . Upon the other hand, the "Stars" symbolize the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apostles, the Martyrs, the Saints and the Heavenly Angels of God. Noticeably,  the moon is closer to us than the stars. And the same goes with God. Christ Jesus is closer to us than the Angels and the Saints in heaven. While the Angels and the Saints can help us attain salvation through Jesus Christ and guide us to Paradise...however, they cannot save us. Only God can save us, and forgive our debts. So whenever we pray, we should pray to the God who is unseen (e.g. in reference to the teachings of Jesus Christ on prayer as found in the gospel of St. Matthew); and imitate our way of life with the Lord. For in the final analysis even if we fail and missed the moon, rest assured we’ll land among the Stars -- in Heaven. 

CLEANING THE CHURCH

"Ugly politicians make dirty politics." Cleaning the Church is not an easy task. For evil has deeply penetrated the very structures of the Catholic Church. When the Church condones the evil acts of demons (e.g. those leaders and members of the Church who were involved in corruption, immorality, homosexually etc.) hiding in sacred cloaks and white habits, then the Church is in great danger. And when the rules and traditions of the old Church from the very beginning were bent, changed or reinvented to compensate the needs of the changing times and the cultures of the modern world. Then the Church is in great peril of being separated from God and the apostles who were the first among those the Holy Eucharist was first instituted. 

Where there is politics in the Church, there are also corruption and immorality. God doesn’t like politicians especially in the Catholic Church. This is because the very root of politics is evil. There was a time in heaven when the first politician, LUCIFER, made his political campaign against GOD. He seduced one-third of the Angels in heaven by his pride, malice, dirty politics and willful disobedience to God. But God doesn’t like politicians like Lucifer. And so a Civil War broke out in Heaven and Lucifer and his fallen angels were defeated and were thrown down to earth. Today, God is calling every devout Catholic to reform the Church by looking back to its very roots from the very beginning...

REFLECTIONS OF A CHILD

As we came across the golden mile
We waved our hands and bid each other goodbye
At the end of the tunnel there's a beautiful light
At the time of birth we are embraced by the light
At the time of death we dreamt to survive
At the time of war I see children - crying, asking, wondering WHY?

The Reason:

It's no economics
It's no politics
It's no religion
Or scientific advances

The World Leaders:

They claim to be bold, so wise, and so old
Powerful, intelligent, undefiable
But they failed to settle their differences
By peaceful solutions, or by diplomatic talks

So they bomb one another
Killing each other
While I see the children crying, asking, wondering WHY?

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Check out this video: In the Eyes of a Child by Air Supply

Courtesy of Youtube.com

The Clay

There was a time
 I was a clay
I felt no love
I breathe no life
I had no mind

But then one day
He came to me and
took me gently by His hands
He molded me like a work of art

He breathe me with His life
He clothe me with His love
Embraced me by His light
And adopted me as His Child

My First Quotable Quotes

"The voice of God is SILENCE and the language of God is LOVE. But silence too can be a vice and love can be blind. More often EVIL triumphs because GOOD men do nothing."
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"LOVE speaks loudly when it is expressed in ACTION and perfected in WORDS."
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"If a PICTURE paints a thousand WORDS. And if I am the greatest painter in the world, still I cannot paint GOD."
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"If the ability to THINK is my greatest STRENGTH. When I think of GOD my greatest strength becomes my greatest WEAKNESS."
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"If you GIVE UP your ability to THINK, then you give up your ABILITY to be YOU."
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"If God WILL it, who can PREVENT it?"
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"It is not our own doing that we have become HOLY and RIGHTEOUS in God's sight. Rather it is God's making so that NO ONE may boast before God."
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"The difference between ISLAM and CHRISTIANITY is that the former was instituted by an angel to a prophet while the latter was instituted by CHRIST himself, who is the Son of the living GOD, to an apostle who holds the KEY to heaven's door."
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"God PERMITS EVIL to exist so that man may NOT remain complacent and contented with his MORAL UPRIGHTNESS but aspire for holiness and perfection as God is HOLY and PERFECT.""
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"Little brains PRODUCE little thoughts. Big brains produce GREAT thoughts. BUT God's brain causes both."
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"Evil exists in this world so that man may NOT rely on himself, but in God alone."
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"God cannot be confine within the FRAMEWORKS of good and evil, but simply beyond the HIGHEST GOOD."
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"God NEVER changes and never STOP loving us. Often it is we who change and stop loving God."
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"No ABNEGATION is more pronounced than for a man to GIVE UP his own HAPPINESS for the sake of God."
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"FORGIVENESS is the other word for LOVE. Those who can forgive know HOW to love. And those who cannot forgive no NOTHING ABOUT love."
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"When the eyes are CLOSED and the mind is at REST the human HEART keeps on PRAYING without ceasing because it keeps on BEATING without resting."
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"Some people have healthy eyes BUT couldn't SEE. Others have healthy ears but couldn't HEAR. Some have healthy tongues but couldn't SPEAK. But many have healthy hearts that DOESN'T BEAT."
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"Instead of doing what is BEST, most people settle on doing what is RIGHT. Instead of having the BEST CHOICE, most people agree in having the RIGHT choice."
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"There are two kinds of PEOPLE in this world. Those who adore the BODY and those who adore the SOUL."
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"God made the clean to be UNCLEAN so that through HIS uncleanness we might be CLEANSE."
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"One of God's greatest gifts to humanity is FREEWILL. If God will SUPPRESS it, then what is the purpose of  creating man?"
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"Our thoughts, words, and actions are being JUDGED every second, every minute, every hour, everyday is JUDGMENT DAY."
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"The life of CHRIST teaches us two important LESSONS -- that life of earth is all about SERVICE and SACRIFICE."
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"The hands of God work INVISIBLY for the greater GOOD of HUMANITY."
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"Success is REACHING OUT, HOLDING ON, and NEVER LETTING GO of your dreams in life after others have let go of their dreams."
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"The greatest of all dreams -- HEAVEN."

IN DEFENSE FOR LIFE: Why we should fight abortion

The first thing that comes to mind whenever we speak of abortion is a human embryo, or a fetus and placenta being removed from the uterus inside the mother's womb. Often we forgot to think that abortion impedes life or the wondrous creation of God in man as His greatest creation. And when certain situation arises such as saving the life of a pregnant woman, or in most cases saving the future of young people who in curiosity indulged in a premarital sex. And later developed into pregnancy, we cannot just simply avoid the questions of morality.

For the past centuries,  the concept of life and its origin has always been the subject of scribbling among great thinkers, educators, theologians and philosophers. Mostly the world luminaries of religion and philosophy attributed life to God as its primordial source, that is the creative origin of the human race. Such people agreed on the sanctity of life, its nature and its significance to God, to creation, and to the entire human race. But when we speak of life in the light of abortion noticeably the world is somehow divided between those who are in favor of abortion and those who are against it. The average man knows that life is precious. It is sacred in the eyes of its Maker. Yet, when a man and his woman are confronted with the problem of unwanted pregnancy more often they tend to  forget the sanctity of life and carelessly resort into thinking of annihilating life to easily avoid responsibility. This usually happens among young people in general, who indulge in premarital sex.

"All things are created twice," Stephen Covey wrote in his best selling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.  Firstly, an object is created in the mind or in the ideal world as Plato would philosophized, where the object takes its ideal form. Secondly, the object is manifested into the real world taking its material form. Contrarily,  human life can be classified into two aspects -- that life which pertains to  the spirit (e.g. the spiritual) and the other is that which pertains to the flesh (e.g. the material). Moreover, the life of the spirit pertains to  the human soul while the life of the flesh pertains to the human body. This is very true in the cycle of life between birth and death.  During birth the spirit is incarnated into the human flesh while taking its material form. While upon death the human body is extinguished and the human spirit goes back to its ideal form. Worthy of interest, something significant to the human spirit or the human soul happens in the cycle of life between birth and death. The creation of the human spirit is not completed in the ideal or the spiritual world. It necessitated the material world for its completion where the spirit takes the human flesh and later extinguished through death, thus achieving its own perfection. Therefore, in the first creation the human spirit is imperfect and achieves its perfection only after the second creation. Notwithstanding the fact that there are certain levels of perfection in God's creation. Furthermore, during the second creation, the human spirit who owns and governs the flesh experiences the material world gaining significant knowledge and information about the cosmos, the world and human life and its relation to God and the universe. 

Thus, the spirits of the unborn children who were victims of abortion are crying to God for justice because they were not given a chance to live a human life which is necessary for spiritual perfection. God set the rule and gave the law to mankind through his only begotten Son Jesus Christ as the concrete expression of his love - the perfect example of Jesus  that the world should emulate. Where God who is infinitely the most perfect being in heaven came down to earth not as God but as a servant  in the nature and likeness of men in order to show the Way - the way to holiness and perfection, and everlasting life. Hence, for the human soul to gain spiritual perfection and eternal life it needs to have a human body and experience how to live a human life strictly through the teachings and examples of our Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, human beings have an utmost obligation to God and humanity for caring life as a gift. And it is for  this reason that we should fight against abortion.