"Are you so busy in life, that you missed the UNLIMITED LOVE, that came searching for you?"

Tuesday 30 October, 2007

Cardinal Supports Proposed "Improvement" of Abortion Law

But Affirms Sacredness of All Human Life

LONDON, OCT. 28, 2007 (Zenit.org).- As British Parliament considers lowering the age limit for abortions, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor weighed in, supporting any vote that ushers in what he called incremental improvements to an unjust law.

Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor, archbishop of Westminster, noted his support for a lowering of the age limit in a statement published today by the Telegraph newspaper.

The Abortion Act of 1967 originally set at 28 weeks the legal limit for abortions. Then, in 1990, Parliament agreed to lower the time limit to 24 weeks. An inquiry into the age limits commenced Oct. 15 by the House of Commons committee on science and technology. Improvements in survival rates for babies born prematurely have led to pressure for the limit to be lowered.

Read more on the article here: http://www.zenit.org/article-20856?l=english

I loved the way the article ends.

"The Catholic Church does not oppose abortion because it opposes human progress or fails to understand the struggles and difficulties that people have to cope with," he said. "How could the Church not believe in humanity when its whole faith is cantered on God becoming human? The Church's 'no' to abortion is simply the reflection of its unconditional 'yes' to all human life, its 'yes' to a society in which the innocent and vulnerable growing life in the womb is cherished and protected. A society that protects all its children, especially the fragile child in the womb, is a society in which we can all feel at home.

If abortion is to become a thing of the past, it will not be because the Catholic Church has succeeded in imposing its views on anyone. It will be because people, of their own volition, have come to see that there is a better way. This gives me reason for hope. We can say 'yes' to life."

Sunday 28 October, 2007

Not only to Forgive, but to LOVE

It is easy to preach, but not so to practise. It demands a good deal of courage and perseverance. And it's possible only through the GRACE of God. If you think you can do it without grace and assistance of God's Spirit, you are wrong!!!

Wondering what I am talking about? It's on FORGIVENESS.

I have been struggling hard to come to terms with the fact that some party who owes me a huge amount of money seems to be trying all the means to avoid paying it back to me. Of course, they have their own justification for doing so. There were couple of things that were troubling me.

  1. The loss of money itself, which is a huge amount to me. Well, apart from my salary, I do not have any other means of income or have a strong financial background. But I managed to mentally write off the money. Also my wife, who shares this loss equally with me by all sense, suggested me to forget the money, and not to worry about it. Thankfully, my wife and I are not so obsessed with money. All glory to God alone.
  2. The thought that I am cheated really haunted me. I gave them my best, but not only that I am not getting the same in return, but also that I am treated as an offender against them.
  3. Though I decided many times to forgive them, it was very difficult. There is lot of anger and bitterness towards them.
For a practising Christian, the guideline is very clear. Forgiveness. See Matthew 6.

  1. If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
  2. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.
There is no option for me but to forgive them, coz I know my transgressions are too many to be counted, yet I am forgiven of all of them. The importance of forgiveness is evident from the fact that it is mentioned in the greatest prayer that's taught by Jesus himself. (Matthew 6 again)

  1. "This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
  2. your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
  3. Give us today our daily bread;
  4. and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
  5. and do not subject us to the final test, but deliver us from the evil one.
I know all this. But why am I struggling so hard to practise forgiveness. Tonight, as I was praying & reflecting, I got the answer!!! It's in the words of Jesus in Matthew 5.

  1. "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'
  2. But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on (your) right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.
  3. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well.
  4. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles.
  5. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.
  6. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
  7. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,
  8. that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
  9. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?
  10. And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?
  11. So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.
"Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you!!!" That's the key!! I was able to write off the money. But the thought that I am cheated was so strong that I was not able to love them. To know that I need to forgive, and to actually forgive - it'is different. If I do not love a person who offended me, I have not forgiven him. Even though I took time to pray for them, what prayer is it if it is without love?

Tonight, as I was praying, with my eyes opened, lying down on bed, I invited the presence of God. I slowly said the prayer - "Sweet Sacred Heart of Jesus, be my love... "

Yes, I wanted Jesus to be my first love. I began to experience His love, and was being filled with His love. Then I offered my struggle before him. He was filling me with so much love, that I could not help loving all of them. I could experience the difference in me. And soon I remembered the above Bible verse regarding love. I could not stop myself, but wanted to share this experience to you, my dear reader. I started composing this posting at 1:40 in the night, and it's 3:30 now. Ya, I take lot of time in writing...

I know I spent only a few moments with the Lord tonight. And for the process of forgiveness and healing will take time. But I am glad that it will happen soon. Praise Jesus!!!

Another thing I learned - It's my pride working when I am expecting that they are not going to pay me up; or, when I think that others are not as good as I am. Personally, they may be far better than me. So now I am learning to accept that they are good, and some day they will pay up my money. So.. what's wrong in loving or forgiving someone, whom tomorrow I may come to know as far better than I am. Let God decide who is good and who is bad, and my job is to receive forgiveness and love from God, and to forgive and love my neighbour.

Undoubtedly, His love is unlimited!!!!