Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth: Reflections Part 1

I just ended Chapter Three of the book "Jesus of Nazareth" by Pope Benedict XVI (Doubleday, 2007). There are a lot of quotations in those three chapters that I love, that impressed me and that made me stop to think and reflect, I'd like to share some of them.

Chapter 1: Baptism
Page 18 "He inaugurated his public activity by stepping into the place of sinners". You have to realize how fast Jesus works -- at the beginning of his public life Jesus has already covered his agenda that is identifying himself with The Father and with the Father's Will, and in so doing, Jesus already started to act on our behalf by having himself baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus doesn't have to (even John the Baptist was surprised by his action) as he is God, but he's doing it only because he is already anticipating the Cross and he'd like to show us that to we have to repent our sins and be renewed in him. "To accept the invitation to be baptized now means we have to go to the place of Jesus' Baptism. It is to go where he identifies himself with us and to receive there our identification with him"(page 18)...Beautiful!

Chapter 2: The Temptations of Jesus
This chapter could be one of my favorites in this book. Pope Benedict XVI one by one digested and analyzed the temptations Jesus faced in the desert. When Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn the stone into bread, Jesus rejected it. Then fast-forwarding to the multiplication of the loaves, the Lord fed the multitudes. What's the difference? Why did he not turn the stone to bread but did a miracle by feeding the multitude? In the multiplication of the loaves, the people sought God first and because of God's concern that they might get hungry, the Lord ensured that they would have something to eat. Whereas, in the temptation scene, it was really more of a challenge to Jesus to prove himself as the Son of God, as God himself. Sometimes we fall into that trap -- asking miracles from God so that he can prove himself to us. Oh, we men of little faith! "Jesus is not indifferent toward men's hunger, their bodily needs, but he places these things in the proper context and the proper order." (page 32).
There is another quotation in this chapter that could be a good reflection piece especially for people who are in authority, page 39, "Without heaven, earthly power is always ambiguous and fragile. Only when power submits to the measure and the judgement of heaven - of God, in other words - can it become power for good. And only when power stands under God's blessing can it be trusted."...Wow! Calling all politicians ;-)

Chapter 3: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God
Pope Benedict XVI talked about the tension between ethics and grace by discussing the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector (page 61-62). You can really see here the difference in their mindset. The Pharisee was focusing on himself and in actuality does not need God, while the tax collector sees himself "in the light of God. He has looked toward God, and in the process his eyes have been opened to see himself." He saw how inadequate he was in front of God. "He needs God, and because he recognizes that, he begins through God's goodness to become good himself"...Lesson of the story? Seek first the Kingdom of God and everything else follows...

As I have said in my previous post, this book really is so beautiful to read, to reflect on...I know I am not doing much justice to the book with my reflections here so do get your copy and read the book yourself...I am going to continue though with my personal reflections/favorite quotations on each of the book's chapters so until next time...the book is upto Chapter 10.

Blown Away Reading Benedict XVI's Jesus of Nazareth

I am currently reading "Jesus of Nazareth" by Pope Benedict XVI and is pleasantly blown away by it. I am now in Chapter 3 but I am already so ecstatic reading it. It is so well written, the depth of discussion is so immense, and it is actually easy to read! I also read before encyclicals and exhortations of The Great Pope John Paul II but I usually find myself re-reading because I can't seem to immediately grasp the context the first time. Maybe because Pope John Paul II is first a Philosopher while Pope Benedict XVI is more a Theologian. I will try to post at least a reflection on each chapter. Gosh, can't wait to go back reading!

Prayers and Patrons for Expectant Mothers

My hubby and I are blessed with a second pregnancy. In fact, I will be giving birth sometime mid-February. In my second pregnancy, as with my first, I have to undergo special care as I have to contend with immunological problems (APAS, high natural killer cells, etc.) plus a low-lying placenta. So aside from my very competent doctors, of course, I ask for help from Our Lord and all our friends in Heaven to help me get through these pregnancies in a healthy and safe manner. Thus, I would like to share with you the Novenas and other prayers I use to help me get through my pregnancies smoothly, here goes:

1. Our Lady of La Leche - I go to Our Lady to ask for her help always. Just like when she assisted St. Elizabeth during her pregnancy, I also ask Our Lady to assist me during my pregnancy and during the delivery so everything will go smoothly. Her title as Our Lady of La Leche focuses on having good birth and ample supply of milk for the baby's good nutrition. When I gave birth to my 1st child, everything really went well considering all the hurdles I have to face plus I have ample milk that I exclusively breastfed my child until she was 1 year old.

2. St. Gerard Majella - This novena was given to me by a friend. St. Gerard according to the literature accompanying the Novena is the patron of mothers, expectant mothers in particular.

3. St. Josemaria Escriva - St. Josemaria is one of my favorite saints. I usally ask for his intercession for almost everything because he is the saint of the ordinary. When I am pregnant, I usually ask for his prayers to help my doctors take care of me and my baby.

4. The Santo Bambino of Aracoeli - I was given a stampita of the Santo Bambino of Aracoeli by a friend during the time when I was having difficulty getting pregnant. I kept that stampita in my wallet and it stays there to this day. I glance at the picture of the baby Jesus and implore His Mercy and grant my prayers to have children. Well, He never fails -- and I know you know that already!

So to all the expectant mothers out there, congratulations and a enjoy motherhood!

Which Sports Car Are You?

I am a Ferrari 360 Modena! As if we can be defined by a sports car :-) but admittedly it's fun taking this wacky quiz...Try it yourself!

I'm a Ferrari 360 Modena!

You've got it all. Power, passion, precision, and style. You're sensuous, exotic, and temperamental. Sure, you're expensive and high-maintenance, but you're worth it.

"Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

My One and Only Tennis Champ

It has been over 10 days since Justine Henin announced her retirement from WTA. But upto now I still feel sad about it because truth be told, I only watch tennis because of her. Now the French Open does not seem exciting at all. It is because of her human spirit, her sheer determination to defeat all odds and making her victorious all the time that has made her a true inspiration -- an inspiration not just in tennis but in life even.

I support, though, her decision to retire. In fact, I admire her for it. Her reason for stopping is because the passion to win is gone. This speaks a lot about her character. If she continues to play without being able to give it her all then she will just short change herself and her fans. This goes to show that this lady truly knows herself. I salute her! ALLEZ JUSTINE!!!

2008 Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs

This is the first time Daily Crossovers joins Influential Blogger's Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs. This the second consecutive year that Influential Blogger is doing this writing project. I have attended last year's awarding ceremony and was so pleased to get to know the new faces emerging in the Philippine blogosphere so I promised myself I will send my list this 2008.

I have some favorite blogs that I would have included in my list but I have to stick to the rules - only blogs that started last July 2007 are qualified to be nominated. So I referred to my Entrecard dashboard, tried to recall the blogs mentioned by my friends, consulted the current list at Influential Bloggers to complete my list. Most of my nominees come from genres close to my heart -- mom blogs, e-commerce, travel, fashion, food. My other nominees made me smile or just plainly intrigued me. Most are from the Philippines, some are not. So here goes...

1. You Got Tech
2. Anak ni Kulapo
3. VintageGent's Menswear Daily
4. Blissfully Domestic
5. Money Saving Mom
6. Manila Foodistas
7. Blog ni Inday
8. Dante Remoto
9. Biyahilo
10. Gentleman's Gadget
    
    It's your turn...Nominate your own picks. By the way, RegaloService.com, my favorite full-service online gift shop, is one of the sponsors of this year's Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs.

Have You Discovered Your Strengths?

A friend gave me the book 'Now, Discover Your Strengths' by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton. Interesting read actually. It's theory is that one has to focus on its "Significant Themes" and turn them into strengths. The book has identified 34 different Significant Themes. It also says that our culture is too focused on "improving our weaknesses" which the author feels is a defeatist mindset. Though one should not ignore our "weaknesses", one should not dwell on it lest we forget to hone and maximize our strengths.


To be able to know your Top 5 Significant Themes, you have to take their online quiz at www.strengthsfinder.com. But here's the catch, to be able to take the quiz, you have to have your own copy of the book as your will need the Access Code at the back of the book which of course can only be used one time. Smart marketing ploy, if I may say so. You'll even get a Certificate after you've taken the quiz. Thank you to my friend, I really enjoyed the book :-) Here is my Certificate with my Top 5 Significant Themes.

2008 Online Holy Week Retreat

This is really great! Even if you stay at home or anywhere you are, you can have a guided retreat this Holy Week. Thanks to the Philippine Jesuits for organizing this 3-day online retreat starting Holy Thursday till Black Saturday. Of course, as they mentioned in their website this is not a substitute to a real retreat...but in my opinion, this is better than nothing, right? Plus, this is a good complement to the Holy Week Services that we attend in our respective parishes.

So do check it out and have a fruitful, blessed Holy Week - www.jesuits.ph

Advance Happy Easter!

Anne's Menu Express

Planning the family menu is one of the important tasks of a mom/wife. If you don't make a plan, for sure you'll be hearing comments like "Adobo na naman" or "Amoy sinigang na pawis ko". So it is best to have a menu plan for at least a week to ensure that there's variety and to have better control of your food budget. However, making a family menu plan is easier said than done. It can be a tedious task and really sometimes you just run out of ideas on what to prepare. But not to fret, we can recourse to ever reliable Anne Soriano. With a very minimal amount you can have a family menu plan for the month. Anne is very experienced in preparing and implementing a menu plan having to manage a household of at least 12 people so you are assured that there's wealth of experience there that you can cull. Visit Anne's website, Anne's Menu Express to know more about her Menu Plans.

Quiet After the Storm

Christmas Day came so fast this year...As expected, Christmas is one of the most hectic seasons we have at www.RegaloService.com...To think that I am in the gift business, this year all my gifts to my family, relatives and friends were all last minute purchases as we got caught up in attending to the orders of our clients at RegaloService.com...Tsk, tsk, tsk, not a good sign...This should be part of my New Year's Resolution -- Prepare for the gifts of family, relative and friends way before the Christmas orders come in at RegaloService.com...Anyway, all the business hassle and bussle, family Christmas preparations, get togethers, reunions and to add, the preparations for my Papa's 75th surprise birthday celebration on the 26th really made Christmas Day pass like a blur...I think I just said a passing "Happy Birthday" to Our Lord days before His birthday...But, really, the Holy Catholic Church, in her wisdom and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, instituted the Octave of Christmas. This is like the quiet after the storm -- after all the swirl, the twirl of Christmas preparations, things simmer down starting on Christmas Day until December 30 allowing one to reflect on the real relevance of the birth of our Saviour. This really is a welcome period to be serenely blissfully alone with the Lord knowing that God so loved us that He sent his Son to save us, reflecting that Our Lord came to this world in total humility and simplicity demonstrating to us that this is the showcase of true pure power and richness...And after being filled with God's quiet love and inspiration, you again are raring to start anew, inspired to be a better person, enthusiastic to be God's soldier once again in the middle of the world --- all of these inspiritation come just in time to celebrate the New Year, to welcome it with renewed hope and the enthusiasm to start again.

Smashing Year-end for Justine

What a year it was for Justine Henin! She started the year taking a leave from Australian Open as she has to attend to her divorce. Everybody thought can she make a comeback with such an emotional upheavel at the back of her mind. But more than comeback she did. She dominated the tennis scene winning the French Open, the U.S. Open, the year-end Sony Ericsonn Championships and a lot other second/third tiered tournaments.

Justine is simply the best...Despite her small frame (just look at the picture below, she's the smallest but she's the toughest), she can out win everybody else with sheer smart quick-minded plays and total determination. What an inspiration!

ALLEZ JUSTINE!

CodeRED's Awesome Pinas Promo

This must be a season of promos. Aside from www.RegaloService.com's True Friends Referral Promo, another exciting promo is currently running and this is CodeRED Magazine's Awesome Pinas Promo.

As CodeRED is a family magazine, it is just fitting to have the promo in two categories, one for parents and another for teens. The parents are to send photos while the teens are to send video clips. Check it out now!!!

What is your color personality?

Took this test -- for fun, for curiosity, for wala lang..
And I got an 'orange'...I am not sure how accurate is this as when they asked what is my favorit pet -- I got to stop and think as I really don't like taking care of pets...so sabi ko "sige na nga, dog!"...

What color is your personality? Your personality is orange! WOW! your an outgoing, and active individual. Sometimes your personality is confused with red, but your much more caring, and warm than red. You like animals, and can comfort almost anyone! Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

If you like to try it, go ahead and click ;-)

Winner Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is the first time I baked chocolate-chip cookies and it was a success!!! It was chewy just the way we all like it here at home. Every bite guarantees a good portion of chocolate chips...Uhmmm...Yummy!!!...Well, I have to confess it was the pre-mix kind from Ghirardelli...It was so easy to follow and so fast to do and the best of all the results were really excellent!!!

Wimbledon belongs to Justin Henin!

Am I a fanatic or what?! :-) ALLEZ JUSTINE!!! She's smoothly winning every game at the 2007 Wimbledon!!! But I am still a nerve-wreck :-/ as I still am crossing my fingers and storming heaven so that Justine will have her first Wimbledon crown this year!!! ALLEZ JUSTINE!!!

Dress Code for Churchgoers

Just yesterday, the Archdiocese of Manila issued an instruction for churchgoers to dress "decently" when attending the Holy Mass, meaning, no shorts, no sandos/sleeveless shirts, no mini-skirts, no plunging necklines, no show-your-bottom pants...I can already hear some people saying "What you wear to Church does not matter, what matters is what is in your heart and your relationship with God." Well, you know, one's relationship with God manifests on how one dresses when he/she attends the Holy Mass. If one really knows, believes and loves God, he/she will put care, respect and delicateness in the way one dresses when attending the Holy Mass because it is in the Holy Mass that one gets to witness an actual physical miracle (transubstantiation - bread and wine becoming body and blood of Jesus, our Saviour), it is in the Holy Mass that one gets to receive, in physical and spiritual form, God Himself (Holy Communion). What can be more awesome than this! If one has a deep interior relationship with God, then, this will manifest even in aesthetic details like dressing up for Mass -- because as they say (and as I have learned from Oprah), LOVE IS IN THE DETAILS!!! Just think about it, if one goes to Mass wearing something straight out from watching television -- what is it trying to say ,"Hey, I don't want to be bothered thinking of what to wear and besides, this is comfortable. And it is already a good thing that I even go to Mass." What this person really is saying is that "God should not be a bother in my life. I don't want to go the extra mile for God because I don't know what He means to me. God owes me because I am going to Mass today." Now, is that the kind of attitude proper for a creature to take towards his Creator? Or even for a child to his parents? Or even an employee to his employer? The Church is not saying to wear "branded" or new clothes all the time...Just wear something that will show respect to Our Lord. Isn't it that when one goes for a job interview, we try to wear something decent to give respect to the person interviewing us and for us to show our best? Should we not be doing the same for our Creator -- we bring to Him the best of ourselves both inside and out. Sometimes, I get to go to attend Mass at the parishes of the "rich and famous" and how sad it is to see some of these "rich" people going to Mass in their shorts, collarless shirts and havaianas looking like they just arrived from their beach clubs. These people I am sure have more respectable clothes in their closets and can very well afford to buy clothes appropriate for worship, but why can't they use these material blessings to praise God. All of the material blessings we have all come from God, and we can only offer them back to God to give thanks and give him glory. Why not thank Our Lord by showing him in His physical presence that we appreciate what He has given us and that we wear them on His Banquet! So, yes, what you wear matters!

Hail to the Queen of Clay!

YES! YES! YES! Justine Henin is again the Women's Champion in the recently concluded French Open. Making her the undisputed Queen of Clay of this generation. She won this title 4 times already and this is her 3rd consecutive win. I already mentioned in one of my old posts that Justine's my favorite because of her powerful at the same time sweet backhand. She started to be my favorite when she was against Serena Williams in the 2003 French Open championship and looking at the builts of these two women, I thought Justine was the underdog -- and so I rooted for her, until she did get to win the title. From then on, I am a fan. And whenever I watch her play, I really get nervous because although you know she's really good, you still can't predict if she's going to win or not...It is really nerve wrecking to watch her. Just like this French Open championship versus Ana Ivanovic -- the first two games, Justine was not doing anything right and to think that this is Ana's first grandslam. It is a good thing that eventually Justine was able to control her nerves so she was able to get hold of the game. Then, Ana this time lost her nerves that is why the game was uhhmmm boring as Ana was no match to Justine's powers. But I think Ana has lots of potentials as this is just her first grand slam -- I am also getting to like the girl! But Justine is still my No. 1! ALLEZ JUSTINE!

Allez Justine!

It is French Open Season...and I am getting excited and at the same time nervous...because I want Justine Henin to win!!! Allez Justine!

The Hemin Bread Saga

Just to give an update on what eventually happened to the Hemin Bread...Well, I actually did follow the procedure -- though not really to the letter. There was a time when I forgot to mix on a given day and got home at 3am so I mixed it before going to sleep. And I am not sure if I counted the days right - is Day 1 the day you receive the dough or is it the day after? Anyways, I tried to do it the best way I can. Finally, the 10th day came and I can't find 3 people who are willing to receive a piece of the 4 part dough. Can you imagine, not even my own Mom would like to receive it! Anyway, so I kept my part of the dough added it with the required milk, sugar, flour, baking powder and baked as instructed...It was smelling good and yummy...Finally it was cooked...but nobody in the house wants to eat it! The household staff thinks it is 'panis' (rotten) already. I tasted it and it seems ok but I also can't seem to eat some more. Only my father got a good taste of it -- and he seemed to like it! Or he may just be hungry that time -- I don't know. Well, I have not heard of any news that my father got a stomach ache or anything like that so it must be really ok. But then, there is still 3/4's worth of baked Hemin Bread sitting at home...Any takers?

The Secret

I have just read "The Secret" by Rhonda Byrne and it really got me excited. Although sometimes I feel like it is quite leaning towards New Age. However, with an open mind and with an open heart, one can discern the wisdom in what is being said in the book. The DVD I think is not yet available here in the Philippines. I have been visiting Amazon.com pondering if I should order online now or should I wait until it is available here. Anyways, I am re-reading the book and am writing some margin notes on it to point out the parallelism to Christian teachings (Christianizing The Secret?)