No baptism, no communion, no confirmation, no speaking in tongues, no mission trip, no volunteering, no financial gifts, and no church clothes. He couldn't even bend his knees to pray. He didn't say the sinner's prayer and among other things, he was a thief. Jesus didn't take way his pain, heal his body, or smite his scoffers. Yet, it was a thief who walked into paradise the same hour as Jesus simply by believing. He had nothing more to offer other than his belief that Jesus was who He said He was. No spin from brilliant theologians. No ego or arrogance. No shiny lights, skinny jeans, or crafty words. No haze machine, donuts, or coffee in the lobby. Just a naked dying man on a cross unable to even fold his hands to pray.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that WHOEVER believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.
During a prank, a student stuck a paper on his classmate's back that said "𝗜'𝗺𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗱", and asked the rest of the class not to tell the boy. Thus the students began laughing on and off...
Came afternoon math class started and their teacher wrote a difficult question on the board. No one was able to answer it except the boy with the sticker. Amid the unexplained giggles, he walked toward the board and solved the problem.
The teacher asked the class to clap for him and remove the paper on his back. She told him:
"It seems that you don’t know about the paper your classmate has pasted on your back."
Then the teacher looked at the rest of the class and said:
"Before I give you a punishment, let me tell you 2 things:
First, throughout your Life, people will put labels on you with many nasty words to stop your progress. Had your classmate known about the paper, he wouldn't have gotten up to answer the question.
"Second, it’s clear that he doesn't have any loyal friend among you all to tell him about the sticker. It doesn't matter how many friends you have - it is the loyalty you share with your friends that matters.
O Mary, except for God, no one knows of your suffering. Your soul does not break; it is brave because it is with Jesus. Sweet Mother, unite my soul to Jesus, because it is only then that I will be able to endure all trials and tribulations, and only in union with Jesus will my little sacrifices be pleasing to God. Sweetest Mother, continue to teach me about the inner life. May the sword of suffering never break me. O pure Virgin, place courage into my heart and guard it. Amen
“Dear brothers and sisters, no sin, no failure, no grudge should discourage us from asking for the gift of the Holy Spirit who gives us peace. The more we feel our hearts are agitated, the more we sense we are nervous, impatient, angry inside, the more we need to ask the Lord for the Spirit of peace. Let us learn to say every day: “Lord, give me your peace, give me your Holy Spirit.” This is a beautiful prayer. Shall we say it together? “Lord, give me your peace, give me your Holy Spirit.” And let us also ask this for those who live next to us, for those we meet each day, and for the leaders of nations.
May Our Lady help us welcome the Holy Spirit so we can be peacemakers.”
Deus não existe para mim na ponta de uma espada afiada,
nem nos lábios de um evangelista do ódio, espumando de raiva enquanto prega.
Nem nas chamas vorazes de uma tocha erguida por um fanático em marcha,
nem em qualquer dogma embebido no antigo veneno da culpa e da vergonha de si mesmo.
O divino não existe para mim em lugar algum onde feridas estejam a ser causadas em seu nome.
Não sei bem como tudo isto funciona, mas nunca encontrei muito de Deus nas imponentes hierarquias de poder sem controlo.
O Grande Mistério não é um chicote a estalar, nem uma bandeira, nem um manifesto na internet, nem um dedo apontado, nem um partido político, nem uma linha divisória, nem uma caixa de munições, nem um carro desportivo conduzido por um pregador televisivo, nem um género específico, nem uma fogueira de livros.
A Criação é mais florista do que fundamentalista.
A Tecelã da Vida está mais interessada em coser-nos uns aos outros numa manta comum do que em separar-nos em recipientes metálicos.
Entrar em relação com o Amor Sem Fim não deveria exigir que nos odiássemos a nós próprios.
Pelo contrário,
deveria ser exatamente o oposto.
Conhecermo-nos é conhecer Deus.
Amarmo-nos é amar Deus.
Meu amor,
eu acredito que o divino está praticamente em toda a parte,
exceto nas areias envenenadas, lentamente tóxicas, do medo e do controlo,
onde tantos construíram templos para que os adoremos por dentro.
Nesses lugares,
sou ateu.
Mas em todo o resto,
há tanto solo fértil
onde podemos deixar crescer livremente os girassóis da empatia nos espaços que existem entre nós.
E ouvi dizer que, se permanecermos quietos
e escutarmos com muita atenção,
esses girassóis evangelizadores sussurrarão a cada um de nós um segredo que já conhecíamos quando ainda estávamos a cozinhar no ventre cósmico:
