P.O.V.

Night Vigil 2010

2010-03-15T00:50:00.000-07:00

Why do we praise Jesus?

2010-03-06T19:14:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered why you praise Jesus? Why you bow down before his frame, kiss his feet, shout out in praise, sing songs about him...?
When i ask myself these questions, I begin to realize that Jesus never asked us to sing praises in his name, adore the mode in which he died or pray to all the images and statues of Him that is spread so widely around. Let me clarify myself, I am not against praise and worship of my savior, I am questioning our act of praise and worship when all Jesus wanted was that we follow his path. To love each other as he loved us. To use his teachings in thoughts, words and deeds. To spread his word. To love and forgive our enemies unconditionally. Then where does the singing and chanting of praise come in? I guess it is easier for me to praise Jesus and worship Him than follow his teachings. Human after all.
We have all got used to flattering each other to get some kind of reward, that we feel it works all the time. As I said earlier, I am not against praising and worshiping Him, but lets not forget what he actually wanted us to do. Let us pray that he gives us the strength and courage to diligently follow what he has taught us. That will be a gift that far surpasses praise and worship and will be a perfect "Thank you" for saving us.

What if you meet Jesus

2010-03-02T18:13:00.000-08:00

Have you ever thought about meeting Jesus? Not the experience, but in person, face to face. I am sure your expression when you see him will be a Kodak moment. I am sure you will feel honored and blessed, as tho you were the chosen one. This has been the answer to all those prayers you said, the lent you observed, the reward for keeping him in your heart.
But my question here would be, "Do u deserve to see Jesus?".
Of Course!!! That is the immediate response. I have been a nice person, always went to church every Sunday, prayed before and after my meals, said the rosary everyday... I am more religious than my parish priest. But does all this make you eligible to see Jesus? Believe me, by that definition you aren't the only one who deserves to see him.
Jesus has always maintained, "Love one another as i have loved you". "Love thy enemy". "Forgive". "You get slapped on one cheek, offer the other". "Give up all your belongings and follow me". "Spread the word of God". How many of us have followed this selfless path in our day to day life? We are so prone to be "Religious" and observing our Christian duties meticulously, that we forget one very important thing. Jesus never came here to form a new religion. He came here to show us the way to live life. He taught us by living it himself. All we need to do is follow.
Praying isn't enough, talk about him. Fasting isn't enough, feed. Living your life religiously isn't enough, be of service to others. Help someone you have no reason to help. Carry all your burdens as though it were your cross. Help others carry theirs. Make Jesus want to meet. You will be deserving.

I am only Human

2010-01-17T18:55:00.000-08:00

We are blessed with everything we need. Air in our Lungs. People who love and care for us. Things that make us smile. Others that awe us and make us wonder.
Blessed with being Human, we have all the senses that we need to survive. Hands, legs so that we can work to put food on our plates and those of our families. Thanks to HIM, we have all that we need.
Then we chase what we want. This is where things go wrong.
There is nothing wrong in chasing your dreams, but they do come at a cost. More than often we aren't prepared to pay that cost. Knowingly or unknowingly, we embark upon this venture of creating fame and fortune for ourselves, much more than was cut out for us. To get there we have to go the extra mile, naturally. We do experience failure, stress, frustration, jealousy, unhappiness... basically all the worst parts of the bible. Somethings that HE wanted to shelter us from. But...
Its human to Want, but it's natural to Give. Its human to be One up on the other, but Its natural to treat the other as an equal. Its human to experience stress, jealousy, frustration, but its natural to experience peace...
Believe me. Our lives were meant to be happier and simpler and peaceful. So the next time you want some thing and try and get it, ask yourself, "Do i need this?"

I. C. U.

2010-01-05T18:43:00.001-08:00

Have you ever thought about the consequences of your actions? How it might affect not only your life, but also the lives those those around you. Would you be at your best behavior if you knew you were being watched all the time? Would you be thinking twice before you, speak or even wish for if you knew you were being judged with every idea that you get or every move you make.
It does sound like a song from a famous singer but the fact of the matter is HE IS WATCHING YOU. We might manage to discipline our kids by convincing them about book for Good children and another for Bad. What we forget is to keep a constant check on where our names figure. The human mind and body is prone to all kinds of illness, stress and pressure. Pressure of living, succeeding and being one up in this rat race. There is definitely no harm in being one up, but at what cost?
The word I would want to reiterate is "God Fearing". He does know all because He sees all. He isn't only watching us as we light the lamp and pray, but he is watching us as we sleep. Scary isn't it? Think before you leap. We are being watched.

Facts about christmas

2009-12-16T19:50:00.000-08:00

The word Christmas is Old English, a contraction of Christ's Mass. (I can bet we all thought it was a substitute for party or sweets or something)

"Jingle Bells" was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.(Errr...???)

Holly berries are poisonous (Don't even dream of getting the real thing for decoration)

Santa Clause is the biggest mascot the world ever got. Coca Cola created him.(hmm.... now we know the reason for the paunch)

If you received all of the gifts in the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas", you would receive 364 presents.(I am sure this song was also part of a marketing stunt)

Clearing up a common misconception, in Greek, X means Christ. That is where the word "X-Mas" comes from. Not because someone took the "Christ" out of Christmas. (Atheists... listening??)

On the day of Christmas it is considered sacred to exchange kisses beneath mistletoe tree. Mistletoe was once considered the symbol of peace and friendship. That is why kissing one’s loved one on the day of Christmas is considered merry for the relationship.(So it isn't a way of proposing??)

The poinsettia is a traditional Christmas flower. In Mexico (its original birthplace), the poinsettia is known as the "Flower of the Holy Night".(Glad we finally have a name to the "Christmas flower")

In many households there is a tradition of hiding some ornament or article in the pudding. What one finds in the pudding signifies upcoming fortune.(I found a rum soaked raisin in mine. I am doomed)

Christmas is not a festival. It is the Birthday of Jesus. (What gift did you buy for him this year, eh?)

Points to Ponder

2009-12-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

1. Whatever inspires also guides and protects

2. You spent your life to become the person you are right now. Was it worth it?

3. Here's a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive it isn't?

4. Your conscience is the measure of the honesty of your selfishness. Listen to it carefully.

5. All hurdles always come with their rewards. You encounter hurdles because you like to be rewarded.

6. Argue for your limitations, and rest assured they will be yours.

7. Disaster is change. It is an opportunity that you aren't used to.

8. Before you succeed, something important must be at risk.

9. Nothing forces you to learn. You will learn when you want to.

10. A small choice today will make a huge difference tomorrow.

All runs in the family

2009-12-09T18:43:00.000-08:00

As we prepare for Christmas let us all put down a to do list of "Things to do". As you meticulously pen down details of Christmas sweets, Decorations, Christmas shopping, Gifts... let us not forget the most important "Thing to do". The thing that we celebrate Christmas for. The Family!
Christmas is not only about the birth of our Saviour, but it also signifies the birth of the important institution, the family. Most of us have been blessed with this gift. While some of us have strayed away from it, others have either lost it in part or whole. What we call family goes way beyond just our parents, siblings and children. It goes into a space where we feel "at home". The people that fill that home, could range from friends or even just that loved one. The love for family can never be measured by that party you throw for a gathering or gifts that you buy for them. It is by the love that you shower them with. It is by that strong bond or connection that you have with these people.
This Christmas, let us strive to make a strong connect with our own families. Bury grudges, accept limitations and strengthen the bond. Jesus had his, and has blessed us with our own. Let us show them that you care.

You are here on Purpose!

2009-11-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

How many times have we wondered why we are living the lives that we are. Why are we living in this country? Why do we have him or her as our siblings? Why do we have them as our parents? Why are we doing the jobs that we are? The moment you ask yourself those questions is the beginning you are trying to seek purpose in your life.
We are often asked the magical question "What is it the you want from life?" And our general answers would range from, happiness to money to fame to cars and even marrying someone we really love. If you notice all these are so general and leave us no different from anyone else. Then why is it that we keep telling ourselves that we are "unique".
A "Unique" person has unique qualities and talents that help him make a difference. Not only to his life but to the lives of people he comes in touch with. Jesus led this kind of a life. He never wanted fame or fortune. He was born so that he could die for us. That was his purpose in life. What ever he did and taught had a reason that stemmed out of that purpose.
How many of us have realized our "purpose" in life? A purpose that goes beyond ourselves, our careers and family. A purpose that touches the lives of others. A purpose of complete selflessness and service. IF we spend sometime and think about the purpose of our lives, it will be easier to know what we want. Think about it.

Jesus, Amazing painting

2009-11-25T20:07:00.000-08:00

An amazing Live Jesus painting that also re-enforces whatever Jesus stands for. How many of these characteristics do you have in you as a Christian? Something to ponder over. Enjoy!

You fell? Now get up and try again!

2009-11-22T18:45:00.001-08:00

Although the symbol of Christianity is Jesus dying on the cross, I have chosen my personal symbol as the resurrected Christ.
We have all failed sometime or the other in life. Be it at work or home. In love or friendship. In others eyes or even our own. It is only human to fail and there is definitely nothing wrong in it. But what we do after we fail defines the power within us that makes us more like Christ. Beaten, abandoned and thoroughly humiliated Jesus was hung naked on the cross for the world to see. Very few of us would manage to survive that kinda shame even metaphorically speaking. But as we seldom believe "Death is never the end". Jesus died on the cross knowing that he will rise when it is time. And he rose to embarrass those who had slain him. That is resurrection.
We are always worried about the consequences of our actions. Although that is important to a certain extent, it should never prevent us from trying something we know we might fail in. So what if we fail? There will be a handful of people who would laugh at us. Others who would claim "I told you so". What is more important is what we have learnt from our failure. How we resurrect from our defeat. Lets just dust ourselves off and try again. Lets Resurrect!

Christ for your desktop

2009-11-19T19:01:00.001-08:00

Click here for more >>

Picture Perfect

2009-11-18T17:08:00.000-08:00

Do you recognize your Jesus?

Unfortunately, there is no conclusive evidence of Jesus looking like the way we are told. Most of the paintings of Jesus have been artist impressions past down the ages. The first picture is said to be re-created from the impression left on the shroud,which is an argument that has a life of it's own.
I believe in all of this, we are missing a serious point. There isn't any right or wrong picture to Jesus. It really doesn't matter what Jesus looked like. What matters is how we see him or the image that we keep in our hearts. Lets close our eyes and draw our own Jesus in our minds. Sketch him out if you can. He is your own Jesus. Feel free to scan and post Your Jesus to this article.

Jesus Christ, CEO.

2009-11-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

If we take a second look at the life of Jesus we would realize that He was an excellent leader and a leader maker. If we look at the way Jesus went about his work, it was no different from the 'ideal office' set up we would want in this day and age. He had great sub-ordinates. A perfect task list. Targets to be achieved and a job profile laid out for each and every one.

1. Jesus hand picked the 12
Jesus must have already sorted in his head the kind of positions he had vacant in "His office". His disciples/ sub-ordinates didn't apply for the jobs but were "called". They didnt need to have experience in a particular field, but needed to have the drive and passion he needed to achieve the goal. He didn't look out for people holding senior positions, but for commoners who were ready to learn. Street smart, but true at heart. Moreover, sub-ordinates who were ready to follow initially so that they could lead in the future

2. Jesus stuck to the plan
Jesus knew what he had come on earth to do. His life was written way before he was born. All he had to do is live by it. So we went about the plan with no alterations whatsoever. The goal had been set. The path to it had been defined. The systems were laid down. He went about executing the plan.

3. Love was the contract.
There was no agreement, work tenure or salaries fixed for the disciples. The brotherhood bond that they shared was the contract. The love that Jesus had for his sub-ordinates created a different kind of loyalty that the disciples had for Him. Love was the contract and love was the business. And it carries on till this date.

4. Jesus had an open office.
Wherever he sat with his disciples, that place was his office. No big set-up. No stone structures. The land was his office. He would have his meetings on the mount, conferences under trees, workshops by the lake. No overheads, and ran a very successful "operation" for 3 years.

5. The biggest outfit till date.
What started 2000 years ago has bloomed into an office that is bigger than any of the Microsofts, Sonys or Reliances of the world. Successfully running our hearts, minds and souls. Making new "callings" everyday to go about its business of Love.

Maybe our business men of today could learn a thing or two by looking closely at His life.

Jesus is the way, not a study.

2009-11-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

In recent times, many scholars have managed to dig up facts that challenge the life of Jesus as we have known it. They can present evidence that paints us a different kind of picture as to the whereabouts of his birth place, the kind of life he lead, the friends he had, his relationship with Mary Magdalene even the way he looked.
Science and religion have always been 2 opposite sides of the coin. While science relies on facts that range from excavation evidence, and hair samples to parallel writing found on scrolls, religion is based on pure faith. What we believe is much more important than what we read or people tell us.
Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe”. That is how the apostle Thomas answered the disciples when they told him that they saw the risen Jesus. “Unless I see I will not believe”. This is how people who demand from us logical, tangible proof of the Christian faith often answer us.
Here is a good lesson for us. Our ideal way of reacting to this argument is a debate. Armed with the limited knowledge of our religion that we have, we set out to wage war on the non-believers. Instead, what we should appreciate is the amount of time and effort the individual has spent studying to put up this debate. He probably knows much more of our faith than we do. He just dosen't realize it.
Our religion, is a religion of "Blind Faith". Jesus spoke about such people when He said: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe”. They are blessed, for they did not seek logical proofs, but the fire which God places in people’s hearts. It is always easier said than done, because in this day and age, where we have access to "The apple of Adam & Eve" (The fruit of wisdom), it becomes easy for us to believe we are all Gods, and can make things happen because we "believe" in ourselves. Aren't we sporting "Blind Faith" again. Do we spend time challenging that?

Jesus, Human after all.

2009-11-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

Click for a larger image

Jesus was born in the normal way, grew in the normal way, got hungry and thirsty and tired, ate and drank and slept. He looked normal, talked in ordinary language, walked and mixed around normally. He had emotions such as compassion, surprise, sorrow and apprehension. He prayed to God, as humans need to. He called himself a man and other people called him a man. He was a human being.

He smiled, laughed and partied the way we would. He even suffered and died, just the way we would (well... not exactly the way we would). Many people who disliked him for his popularity tried to bring him down. Others happily followed him, remembered and wrote about him after his life here had passed.

The New Testament makes it clear that Jesus was really a human. John tells us, "The Word became flesh". He didn’t just appear as flesh, or clothe himself in flesh. He became flesh. "Jesus Christ has come in the flesh". We know, says John, because we saw him and touched him.

Our salvation depends on the reality of Jesus’ humanity. His role as our intercessor, our high priest, depends on his experience as a human. Even after his resurrection, Jesus had flesh and bones. Even in heavenly glory, he continues to be a human.

So the next time we call ourselves "Just human" ,when we fail to perform a certain task, realize that we can always strive to be like Jesus, in the way we live, behave and communicate with others. He has set us a good example of what an ideal human being should be like. All we have to do is follow....