The world meant to be

I played this song on my audio system this afternoon and stood by the window looking up to the sky. The song "Utopia" is performed by Within Temptation and Chris Jones. The music video shows of a seemingly "guardian angel" walking on the streets, seeing all the problems in this world and eventually saving this kid from being ran over by a car.

Thoughts came to mind about the book of Genesis where the Garden of Eden was meant to be a perfect paradise, an Utopia of some sort created by God. The scenes in the music video depicted theft, drug trafficking, robbery and prostituting, where the "guardian angel" shed a tear upon witnessing the prostituting scene.

God created this world to be a paradise, but the human tendency has led us otherwise. At times, away from God. Would God feel sad seeing us hurting one another in one way or another, and behaving irresponsibly causing more harm to the environment in which we live in? I believe so, especially in how we treat one another who is a child in God's eyes.

So, here it is - "Utopia" by Within Temptation feat Chris Jones. Enjoy and God bless!



Good Friday - Our Lord's road to calvary

Since it's Good Friday, I have put up this video from YouTube, something which I did a few years back after having returned from MAGiS and World Youth Day in Sydney. Happy Easter in advance! God bless! Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!

Sacredness of Life (cont'd)

I was down at Divine Mercy's Adoration Room with my wife yesterday to spend some quiet time there with the Lord. The silence there was good as it allowed us time to reflect and most importantly, to pray. Many thoughts came to mind whilst inside the room, some are 'noises, while some are noteworthy. Hence, I decided to continue on my previous posting.

Firstly, being the Season of Lent, the suffering and crucifixion of the Lord reminded me of something. Mother Mary had followed through the entire process, silently enduring the pain of having to see her son being crucified and breathed His last at the foot of the cross when He said, "Father, into Your hands, I commend my spirit." Mother Mary knows the pain in our hearts when we witnessed the passing on of our loved ones here on earth. Indeed, she will also pray along with us for our loved ones, to comfort us.

Secondly, it also came to mind there was one occasion when I carried my baby nephew with his head close to my face. It suddenly dawned upon me that the life of a little one is so fragile and beautiful. There are evils out there lobbying for rights to destroy the fragile little lives because of selfish needs, desires and irresponsibilities. We grieve for the demise of our loved ones because we have encountered them physically, emotionally and perhaps spiritually. Hence, we feel the pain and loss when we see them go. But for the defenseless little ones, others have already come upon them to destroy them even before they are even borned, especially those lobbyists.

There is this mystery about life..from the time of conception, to being born, growing up and death. It just deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, even if it is to be a cell gradually growing into a foetus, or one who is down with illness waiting to move on to a better world. Life is beautiful..cherish it by cherishing those around you...

Sacredness of Life

The past one week has not been an easy one, especially so for my wife and her family. Her mum had suffered from cancer for the past eight years. She had fought the battle with cancer silently, and yet still kept herself busy helping others.

It was on Saturday that mum was discharged from SGH back home. In the same afternoon, throngs and throngs of people just streamed into the flat to visit her and gave thanks to her for what she had done. I remember very vividly of three of her students who came and visited her. The eldest one told mum that she wants to become an artist when she grows up. The second one thanked her for looking after them. The youngest one said that she will study hard for "auntie yoyo", mum. Within that afternoon did I realised the number of people mum had helped in the past years. Her belief is to reach out to kids of dysfunct families as they are more susceptible to becoming bad.

Mum struggled on to stay awake to see her eldest child who had rushed back from Sri Lanka. After that, mum started to drift in and out, seeming to be falling asleep...and then opening her eyes wide to look at those of us around her. This went on for hours until she gradually closed her eyes, and eventually breathed her last around noon, peacefully.

Being present and witnessing a life slowly slipping away is very difficult...and painful. But thank God there was enough time for the family, relatives, friends and past students to come and visit her the last time, especially for the family to stay beside her bed and accompany her in the last hours. Somehow, I know that we will meet again...somehow...for God is an ever loving God...who will even take care of the sparrows on earth...what more for a soul who has sought to help others in need...

Earthquake and tsunami in Japan

The major earthquake and tsunami left hundreds dead..Looking at the photos on the devastating effect of the natural calamity brings one to think how fragile life is and how transient the material possession can be.

Ash Wednesday has just passed this week - "to ashes we will become, from ashes we will rise". Let's pray for the people of Japan that those who have lost their loved ones, with our good Lord embracing and comforting them in His arms.

God be with them...

Distribution of religious material

Just read an article on issues on distribution of religious material. My sense is that why should it be restricted in the first place when the situation is supposedly "religious freedom and practices". No? Perhaps so, just in name...

When one starts to be overly protective, or in fact self-righteous over one's own beliefs such that it gives no room to another the freedom, to the extent of imposing practices over others, then it seems warped...Maybe there is a certain level of fear in the so called "self-righteous".

Be it imposing or restricting others, in the old chinese sayings "the paper cannot withhold the fire", things may just spread like wild-fire when suppression is stronger.

Re-launch of The Mustard Seed

The Mustard Seed was taken offline with the termination of my internet broadband services. I am in the midst of putting in the content of what is previously found in the old website. I will update again once it is fully completed. Cheers! God bless! ;)