Monday, September 25, 2017

Alone , Not Alone Movie

I watched the movie "Alone Not Alone" on You Tube .It is  a very interesting movie.It describes the conflict between  the settlers and the natives where a family was attacked and killed by the Indian tribal leaders and the children were taken into captivity.In the ned the children who were separated were reunited with their mother
 I'm alone, yet not alone
God's the light that will guide me home
With His love and tenderness
Leading through the wilderness
And wherever I may roam
I'm alone, yet not alone

I will not be bent in fear
He's the refuge I know is near
In His strength I find my own
By His faithful mercies shown
That so mighty is His shield
All His love is now revealed

When my steps are lost
And desperate for a guide
I can feel his touch
A soothing presence by my side

Alone, yet not alone
Not forsaken when on my own
I can lean upon His arm
And be lifted up from harm
If I stumble, or if I'm thrown
I'm alone, yet not alone

When my steps are lost
And desperate for a guide
I can feel his touch
A soothing presence by my side

By my side!

He has bound me with His love
Watchful angels look from above
Every evil can be braved
For I know I will be saved
Never frightened on my own
I'm alone, yet not alone

I'm alone, yet not alone
 
 

Jesus through the Centuries,Jaroslav Pelikan

Jaroslav Pelikan is a former Professor of History at Yale University. His books dealing with the history of  the Eastern Church and the development of Christian dogmas   help one to understand the nature and growth of the Church through the centuries.
Jesus through the Centuries traces the meaning and history of the different titles attributed to Christ.
He starts the book with the statement that 'regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost twenty centuries."
With regards to Tradition and Scripture, he says; "Everyone must acknowledge that Christian tradition had precedence , chronologically and even logically , over Christian scripture; for there was a tradition of the Chruch  before ever there was a New Testament."
"By the time the materials of the oral tradition found their way into the written form, they had passed through the life and experience of the church."(p.10)
Jesus as a Rabbi:
One of the most familiar forms of teaching is that of question and answer(130

The most typical form of the teachings of Jesus was the parable(13)
Cross:
Augustine : "That very cross on which he was derided, he has now imprinted on the brows of kings"
Constantine's dream of the cross as sign of his victory in the battle of the Milvian Bridge of Oct.28,312.Cross on the shields of every soldier.((51)
The dedication of rebuilt city of Byzantium as Constantinople , often called the New Rome on May 11,330--the result of his desire to establish a truly Christian capital to replace the pagan capital of Old Rome(55)
Christ Crucified(95)
What was said of the thane of Cawdor in macbeth was true preeminently of jesus: "Nothing in his life /Became like the leaving of it."
Tertullian declares that  at every forward step and movement , at every going in out, we mark upon our forehead the sign 9of the cross)....
the cross was beleived to possess all of this victorious power because it had been the instrument for the greatest victory of them all, the cosmic victory of the power  of God...
the very shape of the cross symbolized its comprehnsion of all the ways of God, the vertical and the horizontal bars representing the height and breadth of the universe...(105)
the cross was at the same time the surpreme proff  that the will and way of god would eventually prevail..As joseph said to his brothers in Egypt,"you meant evil  against me..but God meant it for good..(105)
the fundamental meaning of the wisdom of the cross was contianed in the words of jesus in the Gospel of John, :"Greater love has no man than this..."15:13)
True love was self-sacrificing love, and god had demonstrated it uniquely by giving up his own Son to the death of te cross.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Option B ,Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl has written this book to let the world know how she has survived her intense grief after the passing away of her husband David Sandburg.
According to the advice given by her counselor, her Option A of getting her husband back  is impossible.She has to look for option B , for a new life.
She speaks of the platinum rule in times of suffering : "Treat others as they wanted to be treated."
When we look for joy, we often focus on the big moments of life as graduation, getting married , getting a job etc.But she points out that "happiness is the frequency of positive experiences, not the intensity of an expereince in our life . 'Rather than waiting until we are happy to enjoy the small things, we should go and do the small things that make us happy."
"Paying attention to moments of joy takes effort because we are wired to focus on the negatives more than the positives.Bad events tend to have a stronger effect on us than good events.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Pope's new Motu Proprio: Magnum Principium

Pope Francis issued a new Motu Proprio on Sept.10,17, revising the rules for liturgical translations.The earlier guide after the Vatican Council was "Comme Le Prevoit(1969) which put emphasis on "dynamic equivalence" and not on literal translation.
The instruction issued in 2010"Liturgiam Authenticam" emphasized literal translation of the Latin texts.
In the new Motu Proprio, Pope changed Canon 838 by giving the Episcopal conferences to make adaptations with the approval of the Congregation for Worship." It is for the Apostolic See to order the the sacred liturgy of the Universal Church, publish liturgical books , recognize adaptations approved by conferences of Bishops..."

Sunday, September 3, 2017

How Will You measure Your Life? Real Test of Humility

The author of this article is Clayton M.Christensen  who is a Professor at Harvard Business School.This is a very thought -provoking essay where he reminds the students that their success in life is not to be measured by their wealth or power but by the opportunity they have provided  others to grow and develop.
"What provides happiness in our careers is not money; it is the opportunity to learn , grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized for achievements."
"More and more MBA students come to school thinking that a career in business means buying,selling, and investing in companies.That is unfortunate.Doing deals does not yield the deep rewards that come from building up people."
Many felt unhappy in their lives after years of work in their companies.That is because,"they did not keep the purpose of their lives front and center as they decided how to spend their time, talents and energy."
"My purpose grew out of my religious faith."Intimate and loving relationships with their families are the most powerful and enduring source of happiness."
Creating a culture---
Power tools are coercion, threats, punishment etc.
Instead of that, we have to create a culture...
"Families have cultures, just as companies do.Those cultures can be built consciously or evolve inadvertently."
The need to stick to one's principles and values in life:
"You have got to define for yourself what you stand for and draw the line in a safe place."
Teaching a class on humility at Harvard college;
According to the students, humble people"had a high level of self-esteem.They knew who they were, and they felt good about who they were.We also decided that humility was defined not by self-deprecating behavior or attitudes but by the esteem with which you regard others. Good behavior flows naturally from that kind of humility."
When we see people acting in an abusive, arrogant or demeaning manner toward others, their behavior is a symptom of their lack of self-esteem."
I have concluded that the metric by which God will assess my life is not dollars but the individual people whose lives I have touched."
Don't worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved:worry about the individuals you have helped become better people...think about the metric by which your life will be judged, and make a resolution to live every day so that in the end,your life will be judged a success."