Occasion of Prayer

I got this beautiful quote from the Church Father facebook group page. This piece is from St. Nikolai and I really want to share with you.

Sleep makes me weary, but You give me rest. There is no rest for one who is weary unless he looks at You, nor is there any sweetness for one embittered unless he converses with You, nor is there any health for one who is sick unless he touches Your hand, nor is there any purification for one who is impure unless he bathes in Your light.
St Nikolai

This quote reminds me of the joy of being Christians! The Lord is always there to love us with boundless love. And we, as His children it is for us to cling joyfully in Him and love Him with all we are. How His love has conquered all, even death.

Thus no reason for despair and coldness. Every moment, every occasion in life could be transformed into the occasion of prayer and into our persistence to endure all things so that His love might be revealed even more clearly and to love Him even more.

In happiness: offer radiant praise to the Merciful Lord
In distress: remember His faithfulness and seek His Guidance
In struggle: invoke His holy name fervently
At hard work: plea unto Him to sanctify us through it

In the moment of falling: ask His mercy and strength
In the company of joyous people: be joyful and sing the sweetest praise
In the company of difficult person: be silent and pray for him or her
At the shadow of sadness: seek His words and be comforted

In the moment of forgetfulness: knock with shameless persistence to implore His help
In the cruel weather: see His mighty clouds and be silent
In the charge of tending His children: trust His holy Name to lead and to transform
At the hour of temptation: flee unto Him and abide in His holy presence

In all occasion, stay in His presence and enjoy His countenance which is beyond description! O so sweet is the fragrance of the Lord's hands!

with eyes open

I am so intrigued to learn how ancient cultures got some new inventions, let's say for example the herbal medicine, paper, silk, etc. Those precious inventions were mostly came to be through the process which I prefer to say, "partly conscious." The story often included a little 'incident' which results in a vastly impacting result from generation to generation. Many people would easily ignore those little incidents or simply leave them unnoticed.

However, as the history witnessed, in the right people's eyes, those small events can be transformed into such creativity. It is the capturing and reflecting upon these insignificant happening with attention and understanding which make difference. An observant mind, a mind which is not lazy and doesn't let things goes by into nothing. It is creative mind which gains strengths through silence and deep thoughts.

What about today? Almost everything seemed to be just so-so. Then, may be listening more attentively and open the eyes more widely could help. But yes, again and again it is not the self-directed approach which will work. We always need guidance to make things sense. Through that filter and framework, we won't only see things properly but  also they will be transformed by our very presence in the Lord.

That's why the remembrance of the Lord is very essential, as when the mind and heart is occupied by the reverence of the Lord, she will absorb the sweetness and fragrance inside out. Only by then, those small and may be insignificant plots of the day can be transformed into the encounters which are filled with love, filled with creativity as the result of discernment and peace at heart.

With eyes open through your light
The vision becomes so bright
set all things into its right
and attracting the mercy might

Silently, quietly without sound
Let Him whisper in the chamber of heart
When life unto him is bound
then there it comes to the highest art

Good Will towards all

Whether it rains or pours, whether it's sunshine or drought, the Lord's faithfulness and wisdom made manifest. Bearing a little bit curiosity in my mind about what actually going on this week there in the sky above, I simply could only be quiet and felt the heat of the sunlight in Palembang (the name of city in South Sumatra which I live). It's just above the normal for me, reaching up to 35 Celsius. Eventually, yesterday it rained with hail and storm. The weather has been rather extreme!

Thank God for the protection and grace that He sustains us! How beautiful it is to know that the Lord has always good will and love toward us his creation. What else can be so consoling and giving peace but the remembrance of the love and mercy of the Lord at all times. It is our part to be receptive of his calling, of his ceaseless care and good will toward all.

Not only receptive, but being reflective of his love like a mirror, like a painting, as the image of Him in having good will, caring and loving toward even the least of His brothers and sisters. Yes, it can be so though struggle when it comes to the old-self tendency. This old self will prefer to dwell even in the slightest thought about other's weaknesses, very especially when those things had wounded us in someway.

Even the small negative thought of others can be harmful to the soul. Turning these thoughts into humble and sincere prayer is marvelous way to take refuge in the Lord. Well, this is not the matter of being nice and polite (which is so dominant in my culture), it's beyond that, simply because what is in the heart radiates through our words and actions. There will be significant difference when something is done in hatred and resentment or when something is done out of care, attention and good will. The Lord sees all! Isn't it He who told us to love each other, even to love our enemies. With the pure intention to glorify God and to be blessed by Him, we will radiate the love of Christ!

Glory to God!

Squeeze

Not giving up the best is away faster and easier for the one who wish quick gratification. But, unfortunately, this is not the path into holiness. The path of holiness consist in the totality of our strength, love, heart and mind being attached and obsessed with God. And as usual, when it is about denying our old-self, it is not easy process.
In this manner, I am pondering the word 'squeeze' which I really love. It sounds like when we want to extract the best from a flower or fruit, we squeeze it until the sweetest (or at least the strongest) essence of these herbs comes out. Again, I can see the examples of many of our Saints both in the Scriptures and afterward living such a life which softly but inevitably tell us,


Just like a fruit sweet and tender
or flower in fragrant robe 
They are squeezed 
and yet
glowing brighter
reserving all the best
for the Master

When I bring this reflection upon myself, I realize that how far I am from those God-pleasing persons. I still let all those spacious spots in my life untended, or rather half-hearted tended. Those who really loves God has great desires and energy for God and that always amazes the world from time to time.

Enthusiasm for the Lord and for His Kingdom! How beautiful and desirable. All His righteous prophets and beloved people always has this with them. That's why a humble faith moves the mountain, for they live by the love toward the Lord of all. And for My sheep knows My voice and they joyfully run after this.

How lovely it is, when in the grace of God we carefully keep our obedience and diligently tend it just like a simple gardener tend his beloved plants. It might seem so simple and quiet, but it doesn't matter how wide is the land, but how much careful attention and love we pour out on that simple thing and eventually we are enabled to be faithful in little matters. 

Thus we will work anything which is entrusted to us whole-heartedly, beautifully and with full of energy and enthusiasm knowing that this is a providence from God to sanctify us!
Taste and see How good the Lord is!

Ready for anything

Waking up this morning, I felt something which was so strong but brought such calm breeze into my mind. I am so grateful for this sweetness, although I don't expect it to happen everytime. It is a feeling which we Indonesians call 'semangat' which is a word a little bit hard to translate in English, and when I look up, it sounds like 'enthusiasm'. This is a great one to start a day --- hmm infact a quite challenging day when we need to finish up the semester and preparing all the stuff for student's final exam.

But I really love the spirit which this mysterious feeling bore. That is the willingness to bear whatever comes. It is like wisphering, "ready for anything: for the fatigue, for the blame, for the joy , for the sorrow, for laughters, for the tears. Yes, ready to welcome whatever comes because of the belief that God is good and merciful. He will grant us what is beneficial for our salvation."

It is Christ who sustains our life. And He has shown us how joyful a man can be when he totally cling into Father's will. By saying joyful ofcourse it doesn't necessarily refer to external enjoyment, or even emotional comfort. It is beyond that, it is indescribable peace which God gives deep inside our heart.

When I observe, in my weakness sometimes it is easy for me to wander and seek artificial emotional relief and shortcut for such a sanctifying obedience which The Lord has mercifully granted me. That is the time when I start to not only say, 'It seems too heavy for me' (it's so humane) but also try to flee from it through procastination, etc. Lord, have mercy!

Yes, many times the obedience which we need to face seems to be irrational, exhausting or even unpleasant. But one thing is so sure that it is pure blessing from the Lord who always desires our salvation and return to Him. And we can still be joyful, when our mind is flooded with the rememberance of the Lord and it is as if we forget our burden. What we bear is Christ's yoke, which is light.

If we are in Christ, we are ready for anything good, pure and God-pleasing. It is because no longer I but Christ who lives in me. Glory to You, O God! Glory to You!

Cultivate the small beauty

I have special admiration toward a person who can take almost useless things, i.e. things which look  cannot be improved and easier to just be abandoned, yet he or she treated it in such a way that it looks so beautiful and valuable.

When I think of this, what comes into my minds are the monastics who turn the deserts and places which are so often unfavorable to the world, yet with their loving and God-trusting hands, they turn   the surrounding becomes such splendid places not only outwardly but they also imbue the inner beauty even to the space in which they live to constantly praise and adore Christ. 

That always amazed me! When God pours out His grace to His beloved men and women, there always be the radiating beauty, the spreading fragrance. Somehow it reminds me of the story of Abraham whom in his humility and trust in God let his nephew Lot to choose the best for himself and accept whatever left out of it as a blessing for the Lord. Intriguing to see how the Lord pleased and indeed bless him.

True Christians from time to time have to deal with terrible time of persecution externally. It is their clinging to the God of Beauty, Creator and Giver of Everything Good which sustains them and enables them to declare and witness the unwavering truth and to glow such beauty of the Lord reflected on them. Not only externally, internally every Christian is at war with passions and deformation of innate beauty which the Lord bestows from the beginning. It surely takes such mysterious synergy of the grace of the Lord and totality of the love from the person toward the Lord for the transformation to take place.

Now, it's clear to me that it is the disposition of the heart which forms our inner life and that inner life shapes and transform our surrounding. Because love and inner peace transmit and sanctifies the ones who gaze upon it. It is a way better to have rather little materials sufficiently  filled with love, care and diligence rather than seeking and wanting for more but at the cost our soul becomes so burdened and whitered away. 

In the struggle with the passions, many times we prefer things rather than God. Achievements, acknowledgements, sudden urge of gratifications really tempts us and readily grasps our attention.

O Lord, Merciful Lord, look now upon the weakness and powerless of Thy servant! How as the deer pants for the water we thirst of You. Lord, save us from our passions. Transform us in Your Love and Beauty so that this small flame of love that we have for You can be brightened and sustained amidst the attacks of the arrows of pernicious passions. Be Thou our vision, our refuge and our defender O Lord for this heart of ours is Yours! Amen! 

Remember...

Thank you for the birthday greetings which you my dearest friends send me. I really appreciate it and wish all the best for you too. It seems that I have laid aside this blog for quite a time and now I miss it so much.

Life has been very good so far and I am very grateful to Christ, our Merciful Lord who has been so faithfully guiding and sustaining all in His Good Will. Going through the days and events in life, it makes even clearer that His love and care is unshakable. 

At the moment I am writing now, I am in Palembang city, South Sumatera. I have been placed here    some five months ago and it is likely I will be here for at least one another year for work reason. Living in this city has been such an experience; meeting new people, culture and challenges. But as I said, it is quite friendly life that I have here and that makes me smile often. 

I don't know why, today is a little bit 'different' in the sense that I got a handful feedbacks on little things which rather... hmm... unfamiliar and criticism in nature. Well, thanks for that. At least it helps me to see how far I am from perfection and that I need to be willingly accept so-called feedbacks and to learn things which are true but somehow... hurts. Funny, because they are not big matters but yes, I can learn a deeper thoughts from them. So very grateful!

One among poignant comments which I received sounds like, "You are such a perfectionist like when I was young." Hmm thanks for letting me know. Interesting. Lord, have mercy and help me to be as You will. And yes, I admit, still struggle with it. But realizing that I cannot save myself, rather it is God's abundant mercy and strength which leads me to the pasture land, I am so much comforted. Lord, may Your love alone covers me and guides me to the love and perfection which You deign. Only grant me Lord, to act wisely; to listen wisely and to respond wisely to the circumstances which comes so that Your Will might be done in every single breath of Your humble servant. 

Deep inside my heart, I am so thankful because Christ has filled everything with joy! And as Christians, what can add to the joy of knowing Him, the Only Begotten Son in Whom God the Father well pleased. The fact that He reveals the Way, Truth and Life is such a trembling mystery and what we need to do is to  partake into His life by love and obedience toward His commandments. 

Now I come to realize that God is ever good Lord. When He allows us to face different kind of situations, it is so that we might remember Him more and more. Because He knows that it is He Himself who can fill us with the truest peace and joy which we ever crave. And it is in gazing His Glorious beauty then we are healed and come to life! Glory to You, O God!

Yet, I know life is also a fierce battle.... of denying our old-self, fallen and corrupted one. Trampling down the ego can be such a squeezing experience. What can be our comfort but to know that our Hope and Refuge is Him who has come and trampling down death by His death. He shows the way to the Father.... the way of total love and obedience to the Father. That joy, that consolation which the world cannot offer is the fire which blazing in the saints. Let it be O Lord, that Your Good Will sanctifies us and leads us to You. Amen...