A Junior Set of Happiness

Happy are those who defend life,
they shall have its fullness.

Happy are those who defend the innocent, 
they shall see God face to face.

Happy are those who defend the family, 
they shall be part of the household of God.

Happy are those who defend God's messengers, 
they shall be embraced by God.

Happy are those who acknowledge God, 
they shall never be overcome by evil.

Happy are those who sow God's peace, 
they shall never worry in the midst of trouble.

Happy are those who obey God, 
they shall be considered His friends.

Happy are those who remain steadfast in their faith in God, 
the Lord shall have a place reserved for them in heaven.

Happy are we if we have God, 
for no one can succeed against us.

Originally composed and posted at the Page on August 10, 2011

The Significance of 1593!

Our Page Likes are at 1593!

It has been there for more than a week. So I just thought of looking up for what might be significant about the number 1593 and as usual, coordinated with Google.com :-)

My search took me to the year 1593 and the Wikipedia. There I saw important events and not-so important ones. Some of the events that have been listed by this Free Online Encyclopedia are the following:

[1] The Siege of Pyongyang where the Japanese invaders lost to the combined Korean and Ming [Chinese] Troops.

[2] The Battle of Sisak [June 22] in Croatia where the Ottoman Empire was defeated by the Habsburgs, also spelled Hapsburgs.

[3] The Long War broke out [July 29] in Hungary between, guess what? The Habsburgs and the Ottomans again.

Of course there were other more important things than wars that took place in 1593. You can just click Wikipedia and see more but one important thing that is listed there is this: St Robert Bellarmine published on that year the third volume, which is about the Sacraments, of his work, Disputationes de controversiis christianae fidei, also known as De controversiis or Controversies, and called to be the definitive defence of papal power. The work was an attempt to systematize the various controversies of the time and provided arguments against them, particularly Protestantism. The success of the work was felt especially in Germany and England that many scholars on the Protestant side provided counter-arguments against it.

Why did I focus on the significance of the publication or printing of this work?

It is because locally, here in the Philippines, 1593 is the year when the first printing took place in the country. And what was the very first book ever printed in these islands which the Spanish named after then Prince Philip, the future King Philip II? No other than the Doctrina Christiana which is of course about Christian Doctrine, an important book indeed when the proclamation of the Gospel on this part of the world was just beginning!

So here we have two important things for the Church and the Faith related to 1593! 

Never mind the wars. We might not even give importance to the fact that in 1593, a common year, that is, not a leap year, the Gregorian calendar started on a Friday, while the Julian calendar started on a Monday.

The Praying Hands

THE PRAYING HANDS.
Image from christianrep.com via google.com

Do you know the story behind the Praying Hands?

Looking for an appropriate image for our latest entry on Prayer, I searched google with the words Praying Hands and when I saw the pictures, remembered the story about two friends who wanted to become great painters but who could not do it at the same time so one has to work while the other studies. Then I googled for that story and came up with two versions. So I decided to share both in order to show that great love and friendship could be truly expressed in this world.

The Praying Hands is a great testament to one's sacrifice for the sake of one's friend or brother, concretizing the Gospel of Holy Friendship, of offering one's life for the sake of another.  There are two [2] versions of the story behind the Praying Hands.

One is about the brothers Albrecht and Albert Durer. The other is about the friends Albrecht Durer and Franz Knigstein. Though the personalities involved in the stories differ, except of course for Albrecht Durer, the renowned medieval artist who sketched the Praying Hands, the main content are almost the same, except again for the ending.

In the first story, about the Durer brothers, who came from a poor family, it is believed that both of them dreamed of becoming painters, far from their father's work of being a goldsmith. However, since there were 18 siblings of their parents, they knew that their father wouldn't be able to support them both so they decided to send one while the other worked to pay for the expenses of becoming a painter. They tossed coin and Albrecht won so Albert had to work in the mines to earn enough to send his brother to art school. Albrecht successfully finished and after four years, returned to tell his brother that he, Albert, can now go to art school with him, Albrecht, providing for the expenses. But the many years of working in the mines have already deformed the hands and fingers of Albert which mean he could hardly handle a paint brush anymore. Albrecht was so saddened by what happened to his brother. He then drew his brothers hands, palms closed, as a thanksgiving for Albert's great sacrifice without which Albrecht couldn't have achieved what he aspired for.

In the second story, Albert and Franz were poor struggling artists who dreamed of becoming successful ones. They worked while studying art but their earnings would not suffice to support their expenses. Hence they came to realize that one has to stop going to art school and work in order to support the other and when he finishes, he would then support the other in order to finish too. They drew lots and Albrecht won. So Franz had to work while his friend studies art. Albrecht succeeded and became a famous artist. Now it's Franz's chance to go to art school. But the years of hard work made his friend's hands and fingers stiff and twisted and he could no longer go to art school. Albrecht became sad because he could no longer fulfill his promise but Franz was not bitter because his friend had become successful and it was because of his help. One night, while Franz was praying with his palms closed, Albrecht sketched his Praying Hands: a great testament to the love and sacrifice of a person for the sake of his friend.

Whichever story you have known or would believe, both tell us a great testimony of love and sacrifice, for a brother, for a friend. When Jesus our Lord was asked about who is one's neighbor, He told them about the story of the Good Samaritan. Probably, if we would ask the Lord now about who is our friend, He would mention one of the stories above. 

How about you, do you have a true friend like Albert or Franz, who in their special ways have manifested a friendship like that which our Lord Jesus have done for all of mankind? 

You are My Friends

THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS.
Image from ewtn.com
via google.com

You are my friends, the Lord declared,

if you obey what I command.
Here's the command: that you love one
another as I have loved you.

You are my friends, the Lord declared, 
so you must wash each other's feet.
It's what you need to do to each
other just as I've done for you.

You are my friends, the Lord declared,
and you must show the world that love.
That it may know you're my close friends
if you love one another so.

You are my friends, the Lord declared,
so tell the world about this too.
That you may make them all my friends 
so all may be one fold in Me.

You are my friends, the Lord declared,
and rest assured your place secured
through Me alone in heaven's place
My Father's house where you'll find rest.

You are my friends, the Lord declared,
remain in me and never fear
if you hold on and never fail
a glorious crown you'll ever wear.

O Apple, Dear Apple

THE INTRIGUING APPLE.
Image from colourbox.com

We already know that our first parents, Adam and Eve, did not actually ate apples especially since the Bible does not actually identify the fruit but merely described it as of the tree of knowledge of good and evil [see Genesis 2:17]. Now, where in the world can we see a tree like that? I guess we'll never be able to find one because it grew only in Paradise, in the garden of Eden. And we cannot access it anymore for winged creatures and the flashing sword have been stationed to guard the way to the tree of life [see Genesis 3:24]! 

So how did the apple become a symbol of knowledge, immortality, temptation, fall of man and sin? How did it become infamously inserted into the story of man's fall from grace?

Perhaps it is because as late as the late 17th century, the word apple was applied to every foreign fruit that was introduced into Europe. European artists therefore made use of the apple for various purposes and one of such is its use in paintings that depicted the Genesis story.

But the apple did not get into such a story easily. There were other involvements of the apple previously in various cultures, myths and legends which contributed to its being made a favorite fruit for artists. 

Some of these comes from Greek literature and mythology: 

[1] There was the so-called Garden of Hesperides, where a a Tree of Life grows and which produce golden apples. This Garden was owned by Hera who was gifted by Gaia with the Tree of Life for accepting Zeus, Gaia's son, as her husband. She entrusted it to the Hesperides, which comes from Hesperus, taken from Venus, or evening star, for they are considered children of the Night [Nyx] and Darkness [Erebus]. Aside from the Hesperides, this Tree of Life was guarded by a dragon named Ladon. Heracles [Latin, Hercules], had to get fruits from this Tree as part of his Labours. 

[2] It was also from this Tree that the goddess of Discord, Eris, took an apple which she inscribed with the word, Kallistei, meaning "to the most beautiful", and rolled it into the wedding party of Peleus and Thetis, out of disgruntlement, because she was the only one who was not invited there. Understandable since it was a wedding - no one would invite someone with a reputation for discord. But that act brought discord for three goddesses claimed being the most beautiful: Hera, Athena and Aphrodite. They asked Zeus as to who really was most beautiful but Zeus was wise enough to do it for it would put him into a very odd position for Hera was her wife, Athena, her daughter, and Aphrodite, of course was goddess of beauty and love. So he told them that it would be better that a human should decide and he selected a young man named Paris. Hera and Athena tried to bribe him but Aphrodite was clever enough to know what the young man wanted, the most beautiful woman alive and it was no other than Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships. So Paris awarded the apple, which has become famous as the apple of discord, to Aphrodite. To make the story short, let us just say that the Trojan War followed for Paris took Helen from her husband who naturally would not easily give up the most beautiful woman alive!  

[3] The golden apples also helped a young man win a marriage with the fastest woman of his time. The woman was Atalanta and in order to avoid marriage, she challenged every suitor to a race promising that if she is beaten, she would marry the winner while the man who loses would be killed. But she was so fast no one could defeat her. Melanion, also Hippomenes, was given by Aphrodite with three golden apples so that he could use them to distract Atalanta. So while they raced Melanion would roll one golden apple ahead of Atalanta. Atalanta was so distracted by the enticing golden apples and she couldn't help but pick it up when Melanion drops one. So he was able to win the race, not because of his speed but because of his cunning. 

There are also legends in Norse mythology and Celtic mythology about apples.

One of most famous fairy tales of all times, Snow White, tells about how a young princess got almost killed by a poisoned apple. Luckily she was not able to swallow it and it got stuck in her throat. When the carriage carrying her glass coffin bumped, the apple got dislodged form her throat and she was revived. 

There are many other stories, legends and accounts where the apple gets centerstage one of which is the legend about the Swiss hero, William Tell, who was believed to have shot an apple that was put on top of his son's head before shooting the tyrant who made him do it with another arrow. 

Anyway, the fruit that our first parents ate in Paradise would seem to be far from being an apple for in various passages of the Bible, apple is used to identify someone that is lovable, favored or desirable, that is, the apple of one's eye, such as Deuteronomy 32:10; Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2; and Zechariah 2:8.

So we stop [stopped long time ago] telling kids that Adam and Eve ate apple. Perhaps we also ought to find another name for that lump or protrusion in front of the human neck which is technically called laryngeal prominence but commonly referred to as Adam's apple. 

Have you any other case against or defense in behalf of apples?

Welcome the Lord, O Zion!

THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY TO JERUSALEM.
Image via google.com

The Lord said, 

"If the people remain silent the rocks themselves will cry out loud!" 

[Luke 19:40]

For it has been proclaimed long ago that the great King, the Lord himself, our God and Savior, will come,

"Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! 

Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! 

Behold: your king is coming to you, 

a just savior is he. 

Humble, and riding on a donkey, 

on a colt, the foal of a donkey" 

[Zechariah 9:9].

'The LORD has proclaimed to the ends of the earth: 

Say to daughter Zion, 

"See, your savior comes! 

See, his reward is with him, 

his recompense before him"' 

[Isaiah 62:11].

Go up onto a high mountain, Zion, 

herald of good news! 

Cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, 

herald of good news! 

Cry out, do not fear! 

Say to the cities of Judah: 

here is your God! 

[Isaiah 40:9].

"Now I am sending my messenger - 

he will prepare the way before me; 

And the lord whom you seek 

will come suddenly to his temple; 

The messenger of the covenant whom you desire - 

see he is coming! says the LORD of hosts" 

[Malachi 3:1].

So welcome the Lord, O Zion, cry out loud saying

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. 

We bless you from the house of the LORD." 

[Psalm 118:26]

Do not ask anymore,

"Are you the one to come or should we look for another?" 

[Luke 9:19].

For it it is He whom it was also announced by the angel,

"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God

 will give him the throne of David his father," 

[Luke 1;32]

So when you cry out it is more fitting to say,

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord" 

[Luke 19:38]

Hosanna to the Son of David!

Go to the World

Go to the world and multiply

as many as the stars at night;

God shall be your light.

Image from colourbox.com via google.com

Go to the world and multiply

as many as the sand at shore;

 God shall give you more.

Image from andbottlewasher.blogspot.com
via google.com

The Parable of the Caterpillars

Once there was a very beautiful garden where various flowering plants abound. The plants produce various flowers with their different colors, shapes and sizes making the garden very much attractive. 

Image from depositphotos.com

Then one day, the caretakers noticed that many leaves have been eaten up by insects called caterpillars. They reported the matter to the owner of the garden and asked his permission to kill the caterpillars. 

Image from toonvectors.com

However, the owner of the garden, instead of telling them to proceed, told them, "Let them live for a little longer. If they prove to be real threats to the beauty of this garden, then you may proceed with your plan." 

Image from yaymicro.com

So the caretakers carefully watched and observed what will happen in the next few days. Then one day, they noticed that the caterpillars were nowhere to be found anymore. Instead, the garden was now full of beautifully colored butterflies which added attraction to the garden.

Image from photos.com

How about you? What is your beautiful garden in life? What are the caterpillars that destroy your plants? Do these caterpillars prove to be colorful butterflies afterwards?