About the MAgAzine

“it ALL stArted when i experience god in MY LiFe” - the Author

MY LiFe, MY storY

experience one’s LiFe, touch one’e LiFe, bLess one’s LiFe

theoLogY corner

LeArn And be bLessed on whAt You wiLL reAd And You wiLL know

contributorsVoices and views from the people who loves spreading the message of God...

Jo Gulliver_Our new art editor joins us from CrossSticher, the big-circulation craft magazine. Before beginning her career Jo studied at the Surrey Institute of Art 7 Design University College.

Martin Simpson_Find out how to create a promotional paper characted with the graphics design behind CardBoy. Other speciallities nclude dine art, print, sculpture and video. See page 88.

Anna Wray_The new art editor joins us from CrossSticher, the big-circulation craft magazine. Before beginning her career Jo studied at the University College.

Nicole Hamilton_Our new art editor joins us from CrossSticher, the big-circulation craft magazine. Before beginning her career Jo studied at the Surrey Institute of Art 7 Design University College.

Lawrence Zegan_We profile the creative output of this Australian artist on page 60. Justin is a regular contributor to computer arts and a Photoshop experts.

Todd Muelier_Our new art editor joins us from CrossSticher, the big-circulation craft magazine. Before beginning her career Jo studied at the Surrey Institute of Art 7 Design University College.

Justin Gulliver_We profile the creative output of this Australian artist on page 60. Justin is a regular contributor to computer arts and a Photoshop experts.

Sophie Thomas_Co-founder of thomas, matthews and sustainable design organization Three Trees. Sophie shares her thoughts on women in design in this issues Round Table features on page 56.

Mark James_Find out how to create a promotional paper characted with the graphics design behind CardBoy. Other speciallities nclude dine art, print, sculpture and video. See page 88.

Author’s Message

Love is what I bring to you, not a love that is here today and gone tomorrow, but - Love from the heart and soul, that will - Lead to a secret path. Look, see and - Follow a light to the Gateway of thought. Listen, think, trust and believe the - Voice from within, telling you how and - Where to find the “lost word” and - Key to unlock every heart and door in the Universe. Seek, knock, open and there find - Treasures long hidden, belonging to you.

Having myself found the secret path and spiritual treasures I am more than eager to share these blessings with those still lost in the wilderness, but sadly do I realize, that with all my love outpoured, I can not lead another into the light of true happiness - “If that soul is not willing to go.”

“Every soul that has become awakened to the higher things of life, feels a desire to give of his best to the world - not for praise, but for love.” In this life, I have but one aspiration: When my mission upon earth is finished, and I look back upon my work, I may be able to rejoice in the thought, that the world will be just a little better for my having lived in it.

But now, let us ask our noble philanthropists: What has been done for the thousands journeying through the “sightless land -?” Very - very little.

God Bless You All.......

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contentsBIG

About the MAgAzine

“it ALL stArted when i experience god in MY LiFe” - the Author

MY LiFe, MY storY

experience one’s LiFe, touch one’e LiFe, bLess one’s LiFe- AyAn AbelA

theoLogY corner

LeArn And be bLessed on whAt You wiLL reAd And You wiLL know- brendAn

cAthoLic sound bite

“it ALL stArted when i experience god in MY LiFe” - brendAn

Food For thought

experience one’s LiFe, touch one’e LiFe, bLess one’s LiFe

sAint LiFe

LeArn And be bLessed on whAt You wiLL reAd And You wiLL know

gospeL For todAY

LeArn FroM our verY own priest - Fr John venuyA

onLine cAptured

sAMpLe bLog stories-SAmple nAme

MY AngeL

who’s Your AngeL?-gueSt WrIter

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About the big magazineVoices and views from the people who loves spreading the message of God...

The objective of this book is to provide guidelines for engineers helping them to improve machine lifetime performance and reliability. Many books are written about machine design. Most of these are focussed on selection and computation of basic machine elements. Those calculations generally relate to the strength and stiffness of machine elements. In practice, it appears that few machine problems are caused by these issues thanks to the attention paid to strength calculation.

Most machine problems occur with the passage of time, from dynamic loading and interacting surfaces in relative motion. Friction and wear of interacting surfaces in relative motion may take on an unacceptable form, resulting in play, frictional heat or jams. In rolling contacts surface fatigue is generally the predominant failure mode. Cyclically loaded machine elements may suddenly result in fatigue fracture after a large number of load cycles. It is estimated that approximately 95% of all machine problems are related to fatigue fracture and tribology phenomena as friction and wear. The science focussing on the management of friction, wear and fatigue consequently deserves the necessary attention.

The purpose of this book is to give insight, through case studies and a wide range of illustrations, into how machine performance deteriorates, how machine elements may fail, how to analyse the cause of performance deterioration and failure, and, most importantly, how failures may be prevented and performance can be improved. The possibilities of pushing the boundaries of load-carrying capacity, and motion control are explored. With newly-gained insights the engineer is better equipped to reach innovative solutions to further optimize machine lifetime performance, improve machine reliability and simultaneously to minimize the need of maintenance.

Many design tools, design charts and guide lines are discussed. User-friendly PC calculators of the formulae derived in this book are made available, including calculators for calculating dynamic load capacity, friction, frictional heating and wear of machine elements in relative

motion. Using these calculators design engineers will save much time in determining the outcomes of selecting specific design parameters. The formulae used in the calculators are also available in Mathcad files. With these files the designer may in a user-friendly way adapt or extend calculations for specific applications. In fact this book is a goldmine of information for any engineer who intends to improve machine lifetime performance and reliability.

Many design tools, design charts and guide lines are discussed. User-friendly PC calculators of the formulae derived in this book are made available, including calculators for calculating dynamic load capacity, friction, frictional heating and wear of machine elements in relative motion. Using these calculators design engineers will save much time in determining the outcomes of selecting specific design parameters. The formulae used in the calculators are also available in Mathcad files. With these files the designer may in a user-friendly way adapt or extend calculations for specific

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applications. In fact this book is a goldmine of information for any engineer who intends to improve machine lifetime performance and reliability.

The first part of this book concerns the fundamentals of “Design for lifetime performance and reliability”, including design procedures to estimate and improve machine reliability, failure analysis, fatigue strength, static and dynamic load rating of concentrated contacts, friction phenomena, wear mechanisms, machine lubrication and material selection. The second part concerns “Design of high performance and high reliability applications”,

including the design of hydrodynamically lubricated bearings and sliders, viscous dampers, dynamic sealing systems, hydrostatic bearings, pressurised air bearings, flexure mechanisms and many other specialty bearings. Although the designer using this book is expected to have a good background in mathematics, the objective is that the design tools illustrated by cases will be useful anyhow.

Although the designer using this book is expected to have a good background in mathematics, the objective is that the design tools illustrated by cases will be useful anyhow. Although the designer using this book is expected to have a good background in mathematics, the objective is that the design tools illustrated by cases will be useful anyhow.

My Life, My storyby Ayan Abela

I was asked by our CLP team leader to give a sharing for our CLP session (Talk # 6) tonight, Tuesday 20th of October.The main focus of the session is on “Loving thy Neighbour”.

Before Brendan introduced me to the crowd, I was so terrified. My palms were sweating, knees knocking, my heart beat so loud.I even thought about faking a seizure right that moment !

But I’d like to share one experience that was particularly memorable.Before this speaking event, I’ve resigned myself to the belief that I will just ramble and not hold my speech together. I was sure people won’t get me and I actually expected bad things to happen. And it did.The day before this event, my car broke down (again) and had to be taken to the shop, at this time when I’m also totally broke financially.

I had a mini meltdown inside and I thought this would have been a good excuse to get out of

speaking.

But still I didn’t give up, instead I took the train up to St Michael’s.

While sitting on the train station, feeling sorry for myself, a man across the isle approached me and asked if I would like to have his day “pass” ticket.I was surprised but said “okay” for I haven’t paid my ticket yet. He gave me the free ticket and I wondered of all the people there, why he gave the ticket to me. So in short, I said thank you, and he slipped off into the crowd and disappeared.

I didn’t know how to react. I felt a mysterious sensation I’ve never felt before. I realised something, and felt stupid for feeling bad emotionally.

I knew it’s God working, pushing me again to strive no matter what tries to break me! Because I’m a bit hard at understanding

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Although the designer using this book is expected to have a good background in mathematics, the objective is that the design tools illustrated by cases will be useful anyhow. Although the designer using this book is expected to have a good background in mathematics,

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(spiritually), God knows I needed to be poked for me to comprehend.

So I picked myself up, dusted myself off and got down at Newmarket station

I told myself, I will stand up.I was going to let God use me in spite of me.I will trust the Holy Spirit to use me to say what needs to be said.

I felt embarrassed after the speech. Those who were present were kind enough to fumble over and came up with nice things to say.

Somehow I think I got my message across. Somehow I pulled it off.

I just hope my story has touched them in deep places.I hope in my own way I was able to address the unspoken question that they have.

I’ve written down my speech below…

Loving Your Neighbor

(SFC CLP Talk #6 Sharing- 20th Oct. 09)

One morning I had a short chat with Brendan, our CLP team leader at Facebook. He wanted to confirm if I would like to be the sharer for CLP Talk 6 meeting.

I pretended I did not understand what he’s saying. I’m quite hesitant to answer yes straight away because I know my weakness. The truth is I feel so nervous whenever I’m in a group discussion and I dreaded that day that I’ll be asked to speak in front of this group. And that’s because I’m having a hard time expressing myself.As my Aunty would put it comically, “English is not really my forte”.

After every CLP meeting we have on Tuesdays, I go home and listen to the talks during the meeting that I recorded and how I’m amazed by their speeches and how they delivered their speeches. I can’t help feeling sad about myself

sometimes. How lucky they are, for having a good voice, good thoughts, and how easy it is for them to express themselves. They have the ability to react quickly and answer tough questions when needed. They are able to communicate in a way that can touch people’s hearts.

Sometimes I ask myself why God didn’t shower me with this kind of gift.Or maybe I have it within me, but I just don’t know how to use it.

I remember back home in the Philippines we used to run a little convenience store or dairy. I used to stay there and help my parents tend the store.

One afternoon, there was this old man beggar who was wearing filthy clothes who was standing at the entrance of the nearby store. He was cursing and blessing the passers by. The owner of the store took a stick and tried to drive the beggar away because the beggar is starting to scare the customers away. I didn’t hear what the owner told the beggar, but he left looking really angry, ranting and cursing the owner as he walked away.

So in short, their problem was solved, but the problem is now ours because the beggar started heading in our direction.

The three of us, my parents and I, looked at each other, like asking who’s doing the talking to drive the beggar away like how the nearby store owner did.

But you can sense from our expression that not one wanted to do that. Like synchronized movement we all dashed to the entrance to approach the beggar.

The old man looked at us and there was a moment of silence between us. I was the first one to react and I did a mime with my hand asking “Are you thirsty? Do you need a drink?”

I think the old man got what I wanted to say, he nodded to confirm “yes I needed a drink”.

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When I went inside, I noticed my parents are looking at me, watching my every move. I came back holding a glass water, and gave it slowly as if hesitantly to the old man.

Inside I felt heavy I can’t describe why. Maybe I was afraid the beggar would hurt me and it felt a little gross having my hand almost touching the beggar’s hand.

Then when he finished drinking the water, I did a mime hand again like portraying “Are you hungry? Do you like to eat?”, then again he bowed his head twice to confirm “Yes! Please… I’m hungry.”

I went inside again and I noticed my father’s worried reaction about what I’m doing because he saw me taking the spoon, fork, and plate that we ourselves use for eating.

He was worried we might get diseases, allergy, or whatever sickness the beggar has.

When I heard that from my father I felt heavy inside all the more. But I said to myself, “It’s alright. Don’t worry. I’ll wash it and clean it.”

When I handed the food to the old man, I went inside with a heavy heart. I don’t understand why I’m feeling like that inside me and was just standing there in silence when my mother came in to tell me that the old man has finished his meal, and he left without saying anything like “thank you”.

Nobody said a word after the beggar left. I think my father was still worried

about the plates and I don’t know what’s on my mother’s mind. And, I still felt this something heavy in my heart. I took the plates inside and started washing it.

While washing, I started to contemplate on what had just happened. Before I knew it tears started to roll down my cheeks.

I’m not sure what made me cry. Was it the heaviness in my heart?

I couldn’t understand why I let myself feel that way when I knew I did the right thing feeding the beggar.

Somewhere within me I felt disgusted with the beggar and couldn’t take it that I let him in our store and fed him with my own hands. And I was all the more disgusted when he left without even saying thank you.

I cried because I’ve treated him well with my actions, but inside me are thoughts of disgust

to help a filthy man. I wasn’t sincere about helping him.

How can I feel that way for the man just because he’s different from us? I was thought to Love thy neighbour as

commandment straight from God. I had my chance that moment and I couldn’t even live by it.

I shouldn’t have thought twice that the beggar is worthy of God’s love as I.

The heaviness that I felt inside, it is the hardness of my heart.The very one that’s keeping us from becoming true servants of God.

I sobbed and cried openly (alone). It bothers me to this day. I can’t get that

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beggar out of my mind. I regretted my thoughts and judgement of the beggar.

So now I challenge you to give freely to people in need and find out for yourself if you are truly injured by the loss of a small amount of your possession. If God gave us a hand out when we did not deserve it, who are we to deny a hand out to filthy bum who does not deserve it?

As you can see behind me (video showing), these are some of the people we will meet in our lives, begging for our help. I know it is really hard for us to see through them, but it will be wonderful if we can teach ourselves always to reach out and give a helping hand.

It is easy to see God’s face in the people you love. But blessed is the man who was splendidly dressed but stopped to give alms to a poor beggar, for he knows that God dwells in humility and he saw God’s face in the humble appearance of the barefoot and ragged beggar.

And blessed is the beggar whose face lift up with joy and didn’t doubt he came face to face with the God of love and generosity as he reached for the man’s hands and bowed in gratitude for his alms.

It’s a simple teaching.

Love your neighbours as you love yourself and that God dwells within each and every one of us.

Just share what you have and treat each other with respect and compassion. That is all.

Sometimes we have to throw away the teachings of men, and just listen with our spiritual ears to truly understand.

I saw this quote once in a Kungfu clip in Youtube.It says“A wise men walks with his head bowed… humble like the dust.” This I think describes how I

felt when Brendan asked me to be the sharer for today. I’m not saying I’m a wise man, but I have many thoughts and experience that I wanted to share to everyone. What will I do with these knowledge if I don’t give it out ?But I also have limitations, I’m not a great speaker and my mind goes blank in front of an audience.

But I realise now we don’t have to feel great ourselves to spread a little happiness. So now I’m willing to take the risk, whether I felt prepared or not, whether all of you look surprised to see the likes of me speaking here. I will find it an honor and will say yes to an opportunity like this.

So I’d like to thank Brendan, and all the service team for giving me this opportunity, and thank you all for not oozing hostility at having to hear me out.

To end my sharing for tonight, I’d like to show two short video clips from CARITAS Manila that I got from Youtube.

God Bless and have a good night everyone.

theology cornerDouglas E. Woolley Professor Don Meyer BIBL 117 Pentateuch 26 October 1996

A Biography of Abraham and Joseph Abraham was the first of the patriarchs and exhibited great faith in God and obedience to Him (Assad 46). The patriarch Joseph was the beloved son of Jacob (later named Israel) and the great-grandson of Abraham. According to Bright, there is much uncertainty as to the date of the patriarchs of Genesis chapters 12-50, but the period probably fits “between about the twentieth and seventeenth centuries [B.C.]” (83). The biographies of Abraham and Joseph portray individuals who trusted God through the difficulties of life. Believers of all ages can learn and apply much from their exemplary lives.

Abraham and his two brothers, Nahor and Haran, were sons of Terah and descendants of Shem. According to Archer, Haran was probably Terah’s oldest son since he was the first brother to die (Gen. 11:28), and Abraham was most likely born when Terah was 130 years old since Terah died at the age of 205 (Gen. 11:32) just before Abraham, at the age of 75, emigrated to Canaan (Acts 7:4; Gen. 12:4) (378). Abraham was born in an ancient city of Mesopotamia called “Ur of the Chaldeans.” Archaeology confirms that the city of Ur was built by the Sumerians and was culturally advanced in regards to architecture, education, and commerce (Assad 47). Ur was known as a city of people who worshipped its chief deity “Nanna, the Sumerian moon-god” (Lasor 951). Terah probably

worshipped the moon-god and other gods (Josh. 24:2) and was a “maker of idols” according to ancient Jewish tradition (Horton 141).

In the midst of this polytheistic pagan worship in Ur, the “God of glory” revealed Himself to Abraham “when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran and said to him, ‘Depart from your country and your relatives, and come into the land that I will show you’” (Acts 7:2-3, NASB). Bruce notes that the title “God of glory . . . implies that God manifested himself to Abraham in glory so compelling that Abraham had no option but to obey” (133-34). At 70 years of age, Abraham attempted to journey with his father, his nephew Lot (son of Haran), and

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his wife Sarai (later called Sarah) to the land of Canaan, but they settled in Haran (Gen. 11:31). While Horton says that they may have “settled in Haran because it was the center of worship for the moon god in western Mesopotamia” (141; Allis 31), Lasor says that they may have settled “possibly because of Terah’s ill-health, which eventuated in his death” (954). “At the death of his father the call to Abraham was renewed” or “repeated” in Genesis 12:1 (Vos and Harrison 12; Assad 51). Bruce says that Genesis 15:7 and Nehemiah 9:7 support the idea “that Abraham received a divine communication” in Ur as well as in Haran, later, and that the writings of “Philo and Josephus concur” (134). According to Horton, “It is not clear from the Hebrew of Genesis 12:1 whether God again spoke to Abraham at the time of his father’s death, or whether he simply remembered what God had said in Ur of the Chaldees and now was free to obey by leaving not only his land but his relatives also” (141).

Abraham’s “instant and complete obedience to God’s call indicates his greatness” (Assad 51). Allis says that this was a call for Abraham to “separate himself” (30). After hearing God’s call, Abraham took Sarah and Lot from Haran “to Shechem and Bethel before going down to Egypt to escape from a famine in Canaan” (Harrison 16). After a confrontation with the pharaoh over Sarah, Abraham and his group left Egypt and returned to Bethel. Because of strife between Abraham’s 91 herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen, Abraham asked Lot to select the land that he would like and separate to that place. Lot chose the best land and departed toward Sodom. After Lot was captured by an enemy, Abraham showed “freedom from desire for revenge against Lot” and rescued him (Assad 52). Afterwards, Melchizedek king of Salem and priest of God Most High (Gen. 14:18) blessed Abraham, and in return, Abraham gave him a tenth of all.

God promised to reward Abraham as a result of his separation from his home and kindred by blessing his seed (or descendants), the land, and the nations. Allis further mentions that “Abraham’s life-story is a testing of his faith and obedience in respect of these three elements of the promise” (31). God’s promise of blessing upon Abraham in Genesis chapter 12 is renewed as a “covenant” in Genesis chapter 15, being confirmed by offering sacrifices (Assad 53). Abraham’s faith was tested when he and Sarah were not able to conceive a child. In order to have an heir, Abraham accepted Sarah’s suggestion to sleep with her handmaid, Hagar. She conceived and bore Ishmael. God renews the covenant with Abraham in Genesis chapter 17 and institutes circumcision to be a part

of the covenant (Assad 53). God further promises that Sarah will bear a son named Isaac and that the everlasting covenant will be with him. God fulfilled this promise when Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90. Years later, Abraham encountered a “supreme test” of faith when he was asked by God to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, who was to be the heir of the covenant. Abraham passed the test by believing that God would somehow bring Isaac back from the dead (Heb. 11:19) and fulfill His promise; Thus, Abraham showed that he loved God more than anything or anyone else in the world, and God spared his son.

Abraham’s life provides a model for all believers in Christ. Hebrews 11:8 says, “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going” (NASB). Believers should imitate Abraham’s faith and obedience to God, “trusting God’s guidance through the unknown” circumstances of life (Assad 51).

Abraham demonstrated a spirit of self-sacrifice by allowing Lot to choose the best land for himself, leaving Abraham a less fertile land. Just as Abraham forgave Lot for his selfishness, believers

should also forgive those that wrong them, returning a good deed for an evil act that was done. Just as Abraham gave Melchizedek (a type of Christ) a tenth of all, believers should give a tithe of their increase to Christ through the local church. Just as Abraham endured tests, a believer’s faith will be tested and proved by trusting God through various trials. Believers should never love or exalt any thing more than God Himself. Assad aptly states, “past and present fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham should help to persuade [believers] that He will fulfill His promises to [them]” also (55). Like Abraham, Believers can deepen their friendship with God by obeying Him.

The patriarch Joseph was the great-grandson of Abraham, the grandson of Isaac, and the son of Jacob. As the first child of Jacob’s favorite wife Rachel, Joseph was loved by his father more than his eleven brothers, “doubtless also for his excellence of character” (Harrison and Vos 710). Joseph was loyal to his father and reported to him the evil conduct of his brothers. Expressing his love, Jacob presented Joseph with a coat of honor, and his brother’s jealousy increased. After Joseph shared his God-given dreams to his brothers about their submission to him, they hated him more and plotted to kill him. Kitchen well summarizes Joseph’s life as “the story of a spoiled child and dreamer, sold into Egyptian slavery by jealous brothers, subjected to ups and downs culminating in his becoming real ruler of that ancient land, and divinely placed there, to save his people and countless others in dire need from famine” (1126).

At the age of 17, Joseph journeyed more than 50 miles to Shechem and then to Dothan to find his brothers and determine the welfare of them and their flocks, as requested by his father.

92Although Jacob was not a guileless individual, his guilelessness in this request posed a “temptation too great for [Joseph’s brothers]

to resist” (Allis 46). The moment Joseph was in sight of his brothers, they plotted to kill him, but Reuben suggested to temporarily put him in a pit, which they did. While Reuben was gone, Judah persuaded his other brothers to sell Joseph to a caravan of Ishmaelites that were approaching them. Joseph was sold into slavery for “twenty shekels of silver” and taken to Egypt (Gen. 37:28, NASB); His brothers went home and deceived his father into thinking that he was killed by an animal.

“The same merchantmen who bought Joseph from his brothers sold him to Potiphar in Egypt” (Assad 82). “Because the LORD was with Joseph, he became a successful man” (Gen. 39:2, NASB). God had blessed the house of Potiphar, who was Pharaoh’s officer and the captain of the bodyguard, because of Joseph’s hard work. Potiphar promoted him to be responsible for all of his master’s possessions, except his wife. Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph to be sexually intimate with her, but his loyalty to God and His moral standards prevailed and he fled from her. However, as a result, she falsely accused Joseph of the very thing that he resisted, and Potiphar put him in jail.Joseph gained favor with the chief jailer who made him responsible for all the prisoners. Because Pharaoh was angry with two of his officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, he put them into prison. Joseph interpreted both of their dreams before they became reality: The baker was hanged and the cupbearer was restored to his position of serving Pharaoh. For two years the cupbearer forgot to mention Joseph to Pharaoh until the king had a dream and desperately needed an interpretation. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream: Since seven years of famine would follow seven years of prosperity, Pharaoh needed to put a wise and discerning man over the land of Egypt to save some of the produce and sell the abundance during the famine. Pharaoh exalted Joseph to this position. After famine hit the land, Jacob’s sons went to Egypt to buy food. They did not recognize Joseph who demanded that their youngest brother accompany them next time. Benjamin was arrested and his brothers

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voluntarily returned to defend him, showing their “love for Benjamin and repentance for having wronged Joseph” (Assad 87).

Since Joseph had been “responsible, honest, and hardworking,” he did not deserve to go to prison when Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him (Johnston 84). Allis aptly says, “nothing is harder to bear than injustice, to suffer for righteousness’ sake (1 Pet. 2:19)” (48), yet Christians are called to suffer unjustly because Christ suffered for them that way (Assad 84). A person’s character is revealed by his response to temptation and trials (Assad 83). “In Joseph we recognize the elements of noble character--piety, pure and high morality, simplicity, gentleness, fidelity, patience, perseverance, an iron will, and indomitable energy” (Harrison and Vos 711). Like Joseph, a Christian should have “a God-given sense of destiny which enables him to meet trials, temptations, and vexing delay without losing heart” (Allis 48).

In his book, Turn Your Dreams Into Reality, Johnston demonstrates how Joseph was an example of someone who “overfilled” each of his current positions and thus obtained success. Joseph was promoted to positions of responsibility when he “overfilled” his positions as servant for Potiphar and then as servant in the jail. When God knew he was ready, Joseph was exalted over Egypt by Pharaoh (81-86). In spite of the evil done to Joseph, his biography shows that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28, NASB).

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catholic sound bitesFather John Bartunek answers question about the Litany of Humility.

How Can I Be Freed from the Desire of Being Loved?

Question: Dear Father John, I am trying to pray the Litany of Humility with special reverence and attentiveness during this Lent, and in doing so the following question keeps recurring to me: In the Litany of Humility, the second request is: “From the desire of being loved, Lord Jesus, free me!” How am I to understand this request? I had thought that to want to love and to be loved is a part of our human nature. What am I missing?

A: It has been argued (quite successfully, in my opinion) that Christ’s greatest virtue during his earthly sojourn was humility. That you have felt nudged to pray the Litany of Humility as a Lenten devotion, then, seems a sure sign that you are listening to the Holy Spirit. It is edifying and encouraging to hear about it!

Your dilemma is a good one. True, the deep-est needs of our human nature, as designed by God, are to be loved and to love. This is because we are created in God’s image, and God is love, the infinite love of the relationship between the three divine Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Insofar as we reflect that divine Trinitarian relation of love within the limita-tions of our human nature, we live out our vocation as God’s children and we discover and enjoy the fulfillment we long for at the very bottom of our souls.

Looking for Love in a Fallen World

But remember, our current condition includes both a fallen human nature and a fallen world. As a result, these deep needs of our human heart have a tendency to express themselves in distorted ways.

Think about a secular family in which the parents are trying to re-live their own youth vi-cariously through their children. They pressure their kids to excel at sports, the arts, academ-ics, and everything else. And as the children grow up, they either rebel against this self-

centered mode of parenting in some destruc-tive way, or they fall into the over-achiever trap, thinking that achievements are a condition of love. In the latter case, they unconsciously form a habit of the heart in which their need to be loved is almost inextricably intertwined with a need to achieve. If they don’t get straight A’s, if they don’t get into a top college, if they don’t win this or that award, then they will let their parents down and therefore not be loved. As a result, they live in constant tension, deathly afraid of failure, because failure will disqualify them from being loved. This is an unhealthy spiritual state.

Or think about a girl who grows up in a broken home. Mom raises her all alone, because dad abandoned the family early on. She reaches adolescence with a void in her heart, because she hasn’t grown up with the love of a faithful father. She starts dating early, and unconsciously tries to fill that void by winning the love of a boy, a boy who, naturally, is immature and full of adolescent lust. What happens? Her frustrated thirst to be loved leads her to give herself to someone who is not worthy, and only magnifies her emotional instability, maybe even leading to unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and a whole Pandora’s box of painful complications.

The Key Concept

We could multiply examples, but the core con-cept is very simple: it is possible, unfortunately, to aim our natural desire to be loved in the wrong direction. The unconditional love we

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are created to yearn for should be sought in only one place – God. St Augustine put it beautifully in a phrase quoted early on in the Catechism:

You [O Lord] have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they rest in you.

If we seek to fill our need for love from any other source, we will end up frustrated and confused at best, and wounded and lost at worst.

We should serve others and do good to others and encourage others, not in order to win their love and worship, but because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ and therefore deserve our love. We should strive to develop our talents and utilize them to make a positive impact in the world not in order to win love, esteem, and praise from others, but because we are God’s children and this is what he has created us to do.

The alarming, effervescent, energizing, and contagious freedom of the saints flows from their having learned this lesson. They no longer gauge their actions or decisions by what other people will think of them. And so they don’t live in fear, instability, and hesitancy. Rather, they have discovered that God’s love for them is as firm as the mountains (as the Psalms tell us). They don’t need to earn it; they just humbly accept it. And once they do, it propels them to echo and reflect it spontaneously and joyfully, regardless of the consequences.

When you pray that line of the Litany of the Humility, as the context of the rest of the Litany helps make clear, you are praying for that same grace: “From the desire of being loved by others, from the thirst of winning the approval of others, from the slavery of depending on the praise and recognition of others, Lord Jesus, free me! Instead, Lord, grant me the grace to fill my infinite need for love at the only infinite fountain that exists: your Sacred Heart.”

Yours in Christ, Fr John Bartunek, LC, STL

On the Net:For more questions and answers on the spiritual life, go to www.rcspiritualdirec-tion.com/blog

Litany of Humility: http://catholic.net/in-dex.php?option=dedestaca&id=955

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Food for thoughtThe Bible says: “As a man thinketh, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7

Let’s all think about being in His image and after His likeness as He longs for us to be.

When God saw you ... it was love at first sight.

He paid a debt, He did not owe; I owed a debt, I could not pay.

Only God can give all of Himself to everyone.

People want Jesus to be their Savior, but they don’t want Him to be their Lord.

God needs our availability more than our ability.

The safest place to be is within the Will of God.

God understands our prayers even when we can’t find the words to say them.

Unless we rely on God’s power within us, we will yield to the pressures around us.

Man’s way leads to a hopeless end, God’s way leads to an endless hope.

Prayer is more effective when we spend as much time listening as we do talking.

When was the last time you told God that you love Him? He is still listening!

The key to Heaven was hung on a nail.

Jesus became what we are so we can become like He is.

The Bible is a compass, pointing you in the right direc-tion.

A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up.

Prayer doesn’t always change things, but it will change you.

A man there was, though some did count him mad, the more he gave away, the more he had.

God without man is still God. Man without God is nothing.

The wages of sin have never been reduced.

God doesn’t want shares of your life, He wants controlling interest.

You are never so high as when you’re on your knees.

Be quiet enough to hear God’s whisper.

We need to seek God Himself more than His gifts.

Only one life, ‘twill soon be past ... only what’s done for Christ will last.

If you were on trial for being a Christian ... would there be enough evidence to convict you?

(These thoughts were gathered from the Internet and various other places.)

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:9.

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saint LifeSt Augustine (354 - 430, 76 years)

Augustine was born at Tagaste in north Africa on 13th November 354 A.D.

It was then part of the Roman colony of Numidia. Today the area is part of an Islamic nation, Algeria, and Tagaste is now named Souk-Ahras.

His father was a pagan, a non-believer, of Roman origin.He was baptised shortly before his death in 370 A.D., and died in 371 when Augustine was aged seventeen.

His mother, Monica, was a dedicated Christian. Monica was of the local Berber stock (Egyptian ap-pearance). He had a brother and a sister, Navigius

and Perpetua. Augustine grew up in a mixed atmosphere of faith and unfaith. He was not bap-tised in infancy.

At school, he showed intelligence. At home he spoke a Punic dialect; school introduced him to Latin, and to books in Latin which fascinated him. He decided that wanted to become a public speaker.

In adolescence he mixed with unruly friends He liked to brag, to tease, and to be destructive. At the age of seventeen, he fell in love with a wom-an. He lived with her and they had a son.

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But Augustine was not at peace with him-self. He felt restless - he lacked something. He searched everywhere for the answer. He travelled from city to city, working as a school teacher.

From Africa he went to Italy by lying to his mother First he went to Rome and then in 383 A.D. to Milan. He joined various reli-gious movements, but he did not found the answer he was seeking.

Monica worried about her son. She prayed continually for Augustine’s conversion. She wanted him to find peace with God. She came across from Africa to seek him out. She coaxed him to separate from his long-time partner who was the mother of Adeo-datus, their son.

In Milan, he attended the sermons of the bishop, Ambrose. At first he listened simply out of curiosity. Soon he sensed that he had to change his life if he wanted peace of mind and the truth.

But he found it difficult to change. He kept putting it off. He kept saying, “Maybe tomorrow, tomorrow.” “Make mew chaste, but not yet.”

One day in September 386 A.D. he finally made the decision. He was sitting in a garden with his friend, Alypius. He heard a child’s sing-song voice saying over and over, “Take and read, take and read.” (In Latin, Tolle lege, tolle lege.)

He read Romans 13:13 in the New Testa-ment. As he said, “The scales fell off my eyes!” He asked himself, “Why not now? Why not this very hour put an end to my sins?”

With his son Adeodatus and his friend Alypius, Augustine began preparation for baptism. And so at Easter time in Milan the year 387 A.D.,Augustine was baptised at the age of 33 years. He gave up his university lecturing in Milan.

He decided to move back to North Africa. While he and Monica awaited a ship at Ostia near Rome, they prayed wonderfully together. Monica told him that her life’s work was now done. She said that she was ready for death. She caught a sudden fever and died at Ostia in his arms.

Saddened, he went back to his family’s old house in North Africa. He wanted to live a quiet life of study and religious reading. His friends gathered around him, and they formed a community. His son was a member of this community, until his sudden death.

The community members prayed, discussed and sought wisdom. Here Augustine produced his first important writings. Augustine wanted to stay there for the rest of his life, But people knew his brilliance and wanted his talents used publicly.

At the age of thirty-six in 391 A.D., only three years after his baptism, Augustine was pressed by the people to become their priest. Because he did not want to leave community living, he formed a community in the priests’ house there.

Five years later he was pressed into becom-ing a bishop. This happened in 396 A.D., 65 kilometres from Tagaste at the coastal town Hippo, today near Algeria’s border with Tuni-sia.

As a bishop he preached, and soon was fa-mous for his preaching. Many of his sermons were written down by scribes, and still exist today. Because of his brilliance, he was also asked to write about Christianity. Sometimes he was dictating paragraphs for two different books to two different scribes in the one writ-ing session.

His most famous book is “The Confessions” (about 400 A.D). It begins by telling of his own 33-year journey to baptism. He spent 30 years on an important book, “The City of God”. As a writer, he was prolific, persuasive, and a bril-liant stylist.

He wrote about 113 books during his life. Over 6,000,000 words that he wrote still exist today. In 1,600 years not all of his works have been translated into English. He became a Christian teacher for the entire Western world. His writ-ings also greatly influenced Western culture and education.

As bishop, he still lived in community as much as possible. But now it was a community with his priests. Many of them got invited else-where to be bishops. From his experience, he wrote a Rule for communities. It is still used by the Augustinians and by many other Christian groups today.

Love now became the goal of his life. He uni-fied all existence, all feelings, all knowledge and all friendship under the topic of love. “Love God, and then do what you want!” he said.

After thirty years as a bishop, he appointed a successor. Aged 70 years, he still continued writing. At the age of 76 years, he died on 28th August 430 A.D. in Hippo while it was under siege by barbarians. His writings were safely moved to Europe.

Communities based on his Rule were founded there. His spirit lived on within his followers.

Augustinians serve today in Hippo (now An-naba). He has been called the greatest mind in the post-Apostolic Church.

In the Middle Ages St Thomas Aquinas organ-ised Christian theology, heavily based on St Paul (“the Apostle”) and St Augustine (“the Doctor”.)

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gospel for todayFather John Bartunek answers question about the Litany of Humility.

Liturgic day: Wednesday 5th of Lent

Gospel text (Jn 8:31-42): Jesus went on to say to the Jews who believed in him: «You will be my true disciples if you keep my word. Then you will know the truth and the truth will make you free». They answered him, «We are the descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves of anyone. What do you mean by saying: ‘You will be free?’». Jesus answered them, «Truly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave. But the slave doesn’t stay in the house forever; the son stays forever. So, if the Son makes you free, you will be really free. I know that you are the descendants of Abraham; yet you want to kill me because my word finds no place in you. For my part I speak of what I have seen in the Father’s presence, but you do what you have learned from your father».

Comment: Fr. Iñaki BALLBÉ i Turu (Rubí, Barcelona, Spain)

Then you will know the truth and the truth will make you free today, when we are only a few days from the Holy Week, our Lord is asking us to fight to live some very specific things, small, but at times, not very easy. We shall explain them throughout this commentary: basically, it is a matter of persisting with his word. How important it is to always refer our life to the Gospel! Let’s ask us: What would Jesus do in this situation I have to face now? How would He treat this person which I find so specially difficult to treat? Which would be his reaction before this circumstance? A Christian must be —according to Saint Paul— “another Christ”: «I no longer live, but Christ lives in me» (Gal 2:20). How is it, our Lord’s reflection, on our daily life? Am I his mirror?

Our Lord assures us that, if we persist in his word, we shall know the truth, and the truth will make us free (cf. Jn 8:32). To be truthful is not always easy. How often do we tell small lies, how often do we pretend, how often do “we act dumb”? We cannot deceive God. He sees us, He contemplates us. He loves us and follows us, in our day-to-day routine. The eight Commandment teaches us not to bear false witness nor not to tell lies, no matter how small, even if they look trivial to us. “White lies” are not permitted either. Jesus Christ tells us in another moment: «Let your statement be, `Yes, yes’ or `No, no’» (Mt 5:37). That trend to do good, which is freedom, is very much related to truth. Sometimes, we are not free enough because there is a double bottom in our life, we are not clear. We must be convincing! The sin of lie enslaves us.

Our Lord says «If God were your Father you would love me» (Jn 8:42). How can we make it come true our daily desire to get to know the Master? With what kind of devotion do we read the Gospel, even though we may have little time at our disposal? Which sediment will it leave in my life, in my day? When looking at me can it be said, that I read Christ’s life?

They answered him, «Our father is Abraham». Then Jesus said, «If you were Abraham’s children, you would do as Abraham did. But now you want to kill me, the one who tells you the truth —the truth that I have learned from God. That is not what Abraham did; what you are doing are the works of your father». The Jews said to him, «We are not illegitimate children; we have one Father, God». Jesus replied, «If God were your Father you would love me, for I came forth from God, and I am here. And I didn’t come by my own decision, but it was he himself who sent me».

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Who’s your Angel?St. Gabriel is the bearer of God’s secret messages to His chosen ones. He is the Angel who announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary God’s plan for her to be the Mother of His Son, Jesus (Luke 1:19). He was also the Angel who foretold to Daniel the end of the world. (Dan. 8:19; 9:21).

Reflections

1) How faithful am I in bringing God’s message of love to the people as St. Gabriel brought faithfully and promptly the message of love incarnate to the Blessed Virgin Mary?

2) How attentive am I in listening to God’s words and voice as He talks to me in my everyday life?

3) Am I following the footsteps of Jesus and am I ready to carry the cross that He has given me?

4) Do I project God’s love to others by my exemplary life?

Novena to St. Michael and the Arch-angels

St. Gabriel, Holy Archangel, you, who are known as the bearer of God’s se-crets meant especially for His chosen ones, we, God’s children, are constantly keeping watch on God’s message. Through your powerful intercession, may we receive God’s words and mes-sages so that together with Mary, our Blessed Mother, we may give glory and praise to Him. May we also radiate God’s love to others by our exemplary deeds. O, St. Gabriel, obtain for us the grace and present to God the Father the following requests _________ through Jesus Christ our Lord together with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

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