Changing Servant

Faith and more

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:10:00 +0000

so, its been a long time since I blogged anything here. Most of the comments are spam and most are inappropriate for this topic.

Its been almost two years, heck maybe three.
In that time, i have gotten married, started a major business, been broke, gone on missions, served Jesus, doubted Jesus, Believed in Jesus, Cried to Jesus, Begged Jesus, lost a dear loved one, watched new life come to life, and so much more.

I've been trying to get to confession. Its a lot harder to find one at the right time.
There has been a burning in me to go, but the devil always finds a way to mess up the schedule. I find my biggest issue besides the normal lust and mean things, is the inability to completely forgive. I also find that my attitude because of how stressed things have been is also a huge issue in my life.

I thought it would be easy to build a company with the right values, that grey ethics would no longer looms its head, that all relations with employees would be simple. But no, I know better know. Heck, the best we can do is just live it out. And thats where I am. I own a startup company that is doing ok, hasn't broken even yet overall, but is gaining its place in the industry. The competitors are always a pain in the butt and the employees are harder to deal with than I expected, not because they don't care, but because I think I expect to much and then get disappointed easy. My partners are not always there, the brut amount of the work is on my shoulders, which I don't mind too much, but balancing things has been tricky.

Why do i write all this? In hopes that a person out there who feels the same way can realize how normal it is, and that things can and do get better. Maybe not the worldly ways we want them, but God does have a great plan for each of us. I spend many days wondering what it is, and many other days just saying, do as your will. Either way, His will shall be done.

Which brings me to faith. Faith is amazing because it is a witness in itself. Don't be afraid to show your faith, you don't have to push it on others, but you sure can allow others to see it in your life, your actions and so much more. People can tell, and see it and react to it.

Have Faith my friends in InterWeb land, God has got your back, and every other possible angle out there.

Pope under Fire, But Truth sets us free

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:05:00 +0000

An article from Times Online says that Pope Benedict is the Pope who says NO.
I read this and thought, huh?

The article (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article5343333.ece),
is actually very interesting, mainly because everything the Pope has
allegedly said 'no' to, is really just a affirmation on the stance of
the Church founded by Jesus Christ 2000 years ago.

The new "Dignitas Personae" (Dignity of the Person) released by the
Vatican is right on cue in revealing to the world the precious gift of
life and dignity for life. Yet the modern world with our covers firmly
over our eyes see this as a NO, instead of a liberating YES to the
possible Freedom found from the truth.

The document condemns artificial fertilization, human cloning,
"designer babies" and embryonic stem-cell research. It goes on
further, condemning the "morning-after pill" and the drug RU-486,
which blocks the action of hormones needed to keep a fertilized egg
implanted in the uterus. It said such drugs, as well as the IUD
(intrauterine device), fell "within the sin of abortion" and were
"gravely immoral".

Relative Moralism has truly hit the streets, and I pray that we can be
servants that may help in spreading the Good News of the Lord, so that
the truth may set us free. The gifts of these doctrines, or rather,
teachings are a most valuable and wonderful gift to the world.

Even More reason for the spread of PJPIIs Theology of the Body,
because if we only realize how messed up our ethos really is (our
moral compass), then we could start to rebuild and would find that
Pope Benedict is not saying No, but instead is pointing us in the
right direction of the ultimate YES, a yes at the banquet table with
our Lord God in Heaven.

May God be Praised,
Merry Christmas
Shaun Guevarra

To add on:
the pope wrote that contraception "means negating the intimate truth of conjugal love, with which the divine gift (of life) is communicated."

The pope also said that the "world, as well as many of the faithful, ha[s] a lot of difficulty understanding the message of the church,"
which he said intends to protect "the beauty of conjugal love." He added, "Technological answers often seem the easiest, even to great human questions," but "technology cannot substitute for a mature approach to freedom when love is involved." Benedict said the church's support for "natural solutions to infertility" and opposition to assisted reproduction through sperm or egg donation and the freezing of embryos are based on the same reasoning.

source:'
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/124445.php

I don't want to gain the whole world, but Lose my soul, Mat 16:26

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:56:00 +0000

Hey Guys, Check it out...

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=911e5fd1659cbc0a2f25

I love this song (Toby Mac)

I don't wanna gain the whole world and lose my soul... Mat 16:26

There are new Ads on Metro Buses, that say : "Why Believe in God, Just be Good For Goodness sake"
This is an effort from the Humanist group to bring agnostics and atheists together for the Christmas season.
(Rreference: http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=E22E65ECE53F68F2C932DB05F85365A5?contentId=7842382&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1 )

American Family Aociation (AFA) president Tim Wildmon responded by saying: "It's a stupid ad," he continued by saying. "How do we define 'good' if we don't believe in God? God in his word, the Bible, tells us what's good and bad and right and wrong. If we are each ourselves defining what's good, it's going to be a crazy world."

This Post election world so far has had some bad news and some followers willing to believe that the Change described by the then Presidential -candidate was this level of change. A change to question belief and bring about a freedom to the people, when in reality it is chaining them to the world while they question what is left of their soul.

Reflecting back on Matthew 16:26 :What good would it be if a man gained the whole word, yet forfeits his soul?

There are many things that we can do to respond and be proactive, starting with living our Christian lives transparently, openly and joyfully. Don't hide that light under the table, but witness for Christ everywhere you go. We can help at Crisis Pregnancy centers, at Food distribution centers and shelters. Most importantly we can pray for our leaders, our country, all those we know and the unborn.

And don't fret, there is also astounding good news in the Pro Life/ Pro Family arena and its better for us to keep spreading the news that the real tide that is rising, is the tide that brings in God's love to all the world.

The Pro-Life movement is more than just fighting abortion, it is about defending life to its fullest and openly taking actions that are good and right in the face of God for the whole world to see.

God Bless
Shaun Guevarra
Pro-Life

My Time is now with this link....

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:47:00 +0000

ProLife and ProFamily Work Continues

Time to get involved.
God Bless

Elections

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:34:00 +0000

This party or that?
The definition of the real person is in principle.

But even so, the voice of the one calling is clouded by the voice on Earth.
God is not in this country's daily life, it is not in the daily movement or footstep of the people of this country. And so, people say that they will vote because the issues are not religious in order that effect them, but instead are something they consider to be greater..

the personal calling of a stranger, who can manipulate words, fake smiles and waver with the wind. Instead of God, they think of themselves.

Instead of the real future, they see only the words and tales of man.
The next four years will be interesting, because Life is at stake, and even moreso,
this entire democracy is at stake. Right now its a republic, but beyond that, its unable to stand up for the true principles of what people need. Instead, the sensationalism of charm and good talks about economy and new hopes and plausible change are the head turners and the shadow's fife calling people to the wrong army.

Regardless, this challenge may just be the thing needed to spring God's army forward and own the entire process, not for themselves, but for those that cannot see. The blind will be made to see again and the Lord will command the real change, the real search and the real answer: The Light of the world is in Christ.

Love, that's all we are called to do right now. So go out and show it, even on the political mess of a show we have going on.

FREEDOM -yes we Can!

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:50:00 +0000

What the heck am I yelling about!?

It hit me today, life is sooo precious, our lives our so precious.
And you know what else? We take God's gifts for granted, all of them most of the time.

With so much to be thankful for, It made me think of how we handle things in today's world. I saw an article saying that abstinence programs work better than the "other" programs (Condoms, etc..) and it hit me..

the opposition always says, it wont work, cause the kids will just have sex..
ummm.. so I thought about that.. boy we are obsessed with sex, even more so,
we are obsessed with pleasure, and beyond that, we are selfish pleasure seekers...

ouch!

I know, its rough and honest, but think for a minute. Not many of us stop and think of the others around us, not many think about how our partner is feeling, or what their needs are, or if we do, we think about what else we get out of it.

Even a simple back massage, I even will offer a massage thinking, I'll get one back if I do it good.. WOW.. messed up that my whole intention to do good is so I get gain!

OK here is the kicker.. If you can't teach your kids to control their urges, like eating, having sex, basically being selfless instead of selfish.. than, heck ya.. abstinence does not work well, but they are, you are, we are enslaved to sin then.

FREEDOM comes from controlling the urge and not allowing it to control you. Not chasing self pleasure at the expense of others.. then the chains are broken, then you are free of the sin that has enslaved you.

think long and hard on it.. freedom is not doing whatever you want cause your impulses and urges says so.. no.. animals live that way.. freedom for humans is being able to say NO to an urge (including sex with a very attractive person that seems like they are begging for it) and then realizing that you have the control, not your bodily impulses..

Sure we'll make mistakes, but like all things in life, keep this in your vocabulary, and keep practicing it.. IT WILL WORK. and one day, you'll be getting ready in the morning and yell FREEDOM - yes we Can!

God Bless

Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:22:00 +0000

What is Happiness? Is it about wealth? Can it be? Are we not happy when we are rich?
Why do we see the poor as unhappy when they really have hope in their hearts?
When Mother Theresa was invited to a formal ceremony at a rich country for her to come on behalf of the poor of India, she said
“No”, because India was not poor, they were rich with faith and happiness, the “rich” countries were the poorest of the poor because they killed their own children and practiced no virtues.

Makes you wonder why we think American billionaires are happy, when we see their lives on the news, many failing marriages and many drug addictions and overdoses. Yet they have access to all the modern medicine and cures? So what cures the unhappiness of a person? There is only one cure, one medicine, one way, one hope, one path to happiness, and that’s through one Life: Jesus.

Our spiritual makeup is what will open our hearts to seeing the true happiness, not the amount in our wallet. When we do accrue that amount it is important to be thankful and gracious about it, not to forget where it all came from in the first place. I once thought it was a curse that I couldn’t get rich, but I know now, that perhaps God knows I am not ready. I have said I choose the blessing to be rich, and so He gave me riches, but not in monetary form, instead He gave me a greater richness so that I may prepare in my heart what to truly do with the material wealth.

Some Happiness articles attached:

http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio/06_happiness.htm

actual file is at:
http://www.peterkreeft.com/audio/06_happiness/peter-kreeft_happiness.mp3

Greek meaning of Happiness
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudaimonia

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday, a reflection on 40 Days For Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 15:31:00 +0000

A Prayer for Ash Wednesday

Blessed are you, O Lord our God, the all-holy one, who gives us life and all things. As we go about our lives, the press of our duties and activities often leads us to forget your presence and your love. We fall into sin and fail to live out the responsibilities that you have entrusted to those who were baptized into your Son.

In this holy season, help us to turn our minds and hearts back to you. Lead us into sincere repentance and renew our lives with your grace. Help us to remember that we are sinners, but even more, help us to remember your loving mercy.

As we live through this Ash Wednesday, may the crosses of ashes that mark our foreheads be a reminder to us and to those we meet that we belong to your Son. May our worship and prayer and penitence this day be sustained throughout these 40 days of Lent. Bring us refreshed and renewed to the celebration of Christ's resurrection at Easter.

We ask this through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.

--As I reflect upon this prayer and the upcoming Lenten season, I cant help but think about all the things that make this season so special. We acknowledge out baptismal promises, we prepare for Christ's sacrafice, we choose to increase our prayer, fast and hopefully revel in God's great gift to us, His son Jesus Christ.

Last week I asked if anyone was interested in 40 days For Life, not much response came from that. And I began to ponder, is this too much, is there just too many things going on that something like 40 days just has no meaning in our lives?

But I was quickly reminded of our faith, our prayers and our blessings from God. This Wed, many of us will go to Church and recieve ashes on our forheads and faithfully walk the streets proclaiming, witnessing in our own way, the start of the Lenten season. 40 Days for life adds nothing new to the routine we are asked to follow, if anything it helps us break from the "routine" into Living the Gospel.

I ask that each of us in our own ways recognize how we may be a part of this Living Church: "If we are the body, we are Our hands not moving, why are our feet not going, ... Lord Show me the Way"

40 Days only helps us remeber the death that Christ went through in order to save our lives, and now the death of innocent babies that is occuring daily that we must pray for.

We are called to Pray for the unborn in addition to our regular prayer, we called to fast as well, this keeps us rooted in the fact that it is our desire to carry out God's will and to make a sacrafice to help us reach beyond our own limitations with God's help.

We are called to be in constant vigil, some may have been affected by abortion or other severe assisted deaths and will make it to pray at least sometime in front of a place where these crimes occur, witnessing beyond the ash on our forehead. (This will take place 24 hours a day, seven days a week)

And we are called to educate ourselves and the community of the Pro-God, Pro-Life, Pro-Family message.

May God grant us the courage to stand up for our faith in our daily battles, the wisdom to know what to do next and His many blessings and graces to open our Hearts to His Will.

God Bless
Shaun Guevarra

The Purity Samaritan?

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 17:00:00 +0000

What can we do with people that seem pious and live a different life, so they seem hyprocritical? Like people that say yes to purity and such, but end up in situations that arent?

To be honest I keep getting stuck with situations people find themselves in, and I want to get angry sometimes, cause it just doesnt help that people dont live the lifestyle they proclaim they want to (or do).. and I know the feeling isnt right... cause it is in many ways passing judgement on people.. people I love..

Then I am reminded about Like 10:11

About the man on the side of the road

and I think.. you know.. we cant judge.. cause then we are just like the priest and levite who pass the dying man..

We have to be the samaritan.. because otherwise, we have fallen into this trap.. or a confusion.. what I mean is:

We want to love and be Christian, but when we see a Christian fall, we want to disown and judge them, but by doing so, we too loose our right to be truly called followers of Christ,

Jesus said the neighbor was the one who treated him with mercy.. a hard lesson to swallow, cause it sounds right, but really really hard to always do..

Like knowing friends engaging in premarital sex, or drunkedness, or other inpure actions..you want to just slap them and say.. why.. did you not go to the same teachings, hear the same things, see the same words in the Bible.. yet here you are.. on the side of the road, robbed of your dignity and honor..?

Yet Jesus said, and as the commandment "Love they neighbor" ..to be merciful..

I pray by God's grace we can all achieve such a pure thing..

Lost Sheep

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 18:36:00 +0000

Service, it is voluntary

I don't think it should be assigned
But I believe the fire in ones heart should be burning for service and therefore should be a desire stronger than the pressure of the deepest ocean.

However, if the eye does not see what the Lord has asked of us to go out and the many that can harvest to the lost sheep, than it is easy to see the service as works, and not as service

so.. perhaps our strategy as lay persons is incorrect in the sense we expect and believe to empower people by assigning, but in that defense, do you not also see that a loving leader would serve to the ends of the earth, and seek only happiness in your heart before theirs?

Perhaps its a matter of perspective

For example
you go to church on Sunday
the priest greets you with a homily that we must strive to be holy..as it is said in the Gospel of Matthew, strive to be perfect like your father.. but people then disagree because , in the end its their life, so who is to tell them what is holy and what is not..

In this case the mentality is merely a presentation of relativism
Its only relative to the truth you subscribe

I think forcing it upon someone is an issue if that person does not realize the honor it could be..

Just like a baby would not appreciate the $100 bill you give them, but a young man would realize its worth and potential

In that case, we as leaders, entrusted to serve, have been arrogant in assuming all would appreciate the same things as perhaps it has been presented as light in our eyes

I think this therefore can be a extension of seeing a piece of wood in the ye of a brother and not the log in our own.

Growth is Growth, and not in any way is it possible to be imposed onto others..
not every flower grows and blooms together, some are faster, others take their time, yet in the end.. every flower is just as worthy as the next
does it make it wrong to want people to see that?

Maybe we are impatient about that.. but is the intent not honorable?
It makes you wonder doesn't it?
What would make people step up,.. obviously not because of obligation or pity, nor should it be cause of guilt or repayment, nor kinship or friendship.

What lacks in the approach is the ability to pass on a flame.

We all have it.. no doubt
We all made some sort of commitment to follow God's latest covenant to love him and serve him.

Yet many Catholics sit back and don't participate

"Catholicism is not a spectators sport"

But how can people see that?
Personally.. I at times throw my hands in the air and say.. God.. your turn..

Like a farmer, who carefully tills the soil and prepares the seeds, plants them then looks up to heaven and says, God if you want them to grow, you have to provide the rain and sun.

He knows that he can only do so much, and the Lord will take over the things he cannot do

Perhaps, even the simplest act of seeking people to step up, we need to surrender it to the Lord even more.

At the end of the day, if you follow God's word, you will bloom into a more perfect flower, your salvation is there if your faith and works show the desire of your heart

My enthusiasm..comes from the same thing in MT 9:36-38
"When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a Shepard. Then he said to his disciples, " the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest""

To me, the most striking word there is compassion

He was saying to them that help is needed, not cause he pitied the lost sheep, but because it was his duty, or his job or cause he wanted bonus points with his father, but out of Love

Even if they didn't understand the bigger plan, it was because of love he did it..
later He would be put to death for shepherding the lost sheep, all of us, and it was because of Love..

If we are to witness to that, than even our leadership and service to others..should give us zeal enough to pass it on..
That is my enthusiasm

There are many out there, and cause I love them all, as I have been asked by God my father and as compelled in my heart, I wish to help Jesus reclaim His people

I am just sharing with you where my zeal comes from, and why I consider my day job as just that, cause there is something greater for us to do, and the only way I know how to do some of that, is through my service to others..

even this weblog, is service. Is it not? allowing us to speak of our faith in truth and understand our motivation? is it not a tool of witnessing?

Amen
May God Be Praised.

Understanding Culture of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 20:30:00 +0000

In Matthew 5:15, we are told that we are to not put a candle under a basket, but to raise it up for the whole world to see. In 1Peter 3:15 we are asked to be prepared always to explain the hope in our hearts.

What does this have to with the Culture of Life and the upcoming March For life?
For starters, why is it that we say the truth is twisted in our world today?

Lets take a look at the past 90 years of human history.
In the early twenties, thinkers and ambitious people that were on a mission to change the world thought it would be best to impose on society a new concept of living our lives. They embraced self pleasure and wanted to create a freedom for women to receive pleasures and take on any issue of equality to their male counterparts. Birth Control was born and then some 50 years later was widespread during the sexual revolution, as a freedom from authority and rules.

Little did society realize it was actually putting itself further in chains.
Freedom comes from the ability to choose no to a desire, not to be owned by it.
This explains plenty why shows, media, schools and even our own Catholic families tend to portray real sexuality and real freedom in a twisted message.

As the thought of sexual pleasure without pregnancy became a norm in this world, many subscribed to the concept of artificial contraception even more, it seemed like the risk of pregnancy had gone away or at least lowered. Woman believed they were building themselves up in equality cause they could work without a pregnancy leave, but a lot of parents didn't realize this contraceptive theory also entered their families, their very homes. Teen pregnancy rose to new heights and many people started having "unexpected" pregnancies.

Of course the only reason it was unexpected was because they had thought they could control what only God controls. This has lead to an increase in a new phenomenon which became legal in the early 1970's: Abortion.

Either due to an inconvenience, an ignorance, guilt, shame or some other unworthy feeling, woman started adding abortion to their vocabulary. Many young woman found the unexpected suddenly intruding on their life which they had not planned completely.

From that historical Jan 22nd Court decision sprung out a new movement, Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit started raising a grand army of followers, an army that has every year grown in size and passion. They gather because they believe in the real truth of life, in the real sanctity and honor that life brings. They have realized that woman were in fact not free, but enslaved in a selfish desire, that only turned most of them into sexual objects, not real women as God intended. They realized that Men were enslaved as well, and their dignity had been stripped from them. They could not control their lustful desires, the selfish living and constant use of women not for companionship but as objects. The real man should have complete control and freedom from such things, and should be able to be strong and courageous, to stand up for what is good and right and to offer respect and support to women.

This was a call for an army to stand up and witness Life. And in order to that, they learned they had to witness Christ. It is the divine love that we find in Christ that truly saves us and frees us from bondage. So here we are, today in 2008, with all these things in our society that have pulled us down and twisted the truthful desires of our hearts. It is here that we must heed the words found in Matthew and 1 Peter, we must shine Christ's light to others to show them the truth, to take away the darkness and bondage. But we must know the truth, we must know Christ and be able to tell people the hope in our hearts, for it is this hope that we will witness during our walk on Tuesday at the March for Life.

With over 50,000 in attendance at the annual rally for life mass at the Verizon center, and with over 300,000 pro lifers marching on the mall alone, isn't it time we all join the army of truth, the army of light, the army of God.

1 Thessalonians 4:7-8

"7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit."

What we can learn can make us better

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:34:00 +0000

I am unworthy by myself, but I can be great with God.

Its amazing how the two major themes keep coming back to me over and over.
The light of Christ and the foundation of Love for the world.

In one hand, a concept so pure and simple, to Love as Jesus Loves and then to go out and show the world this Love.

Very simple indeed, until we include the twisted heap of secular concepts to our children and dying culture. But instead of focusing solely on the destruction of those that surround us, let us focus on building up the strength of those near us.

Its one thing to know the problems, its another to share that vision of a new world with all you can. By doing the best you can do, you make it happen, not because you are good, but because with God you can be great.

Lets look at what Sanger did in her systematic breakdown of society to the Culture of Death. She didn't say anything wrong about the people, she actually built them up. People, being inherently selfish, found their way to more and more "truths" that could make them feel good. They liked what she said. They liked the fact that they didn't have to worry, that they could be all they could be. (but the sacrifice was it was all they could be without the image of God)

She told the woman they can be equal with men, if they didn't get pregnant, they would be able to be successful and continue to climb the ladders of success without stopping to give birth, and enjoy all of life's little pleasures. She told the men, that this was how to help their wives, they were worth more than how they were treated. She was right, they were and are worth more than how they were ever treated. But her concepts crossed over into a hedonistic lifestyle that focused on the self more than others.

So looking at the human condition, looking at the human need, what is it that we need in our lives to build us up? Its not just rallies and marches, or just posters and buttons. Its dignity and understanding.

For Men, you want to be truly manly? Is that not what you are seeking?
The Eucharist, taking it in and letting it transform you is manly.
Being Holy, which means, being pure, being outside the box of society, being respectful to women and others, being selfless, giving up yourself for others, this is how to be manly. By being lazy, by cheating, by giving into temptation and lust, by mistreating others cause you can, this is a trap, you are nothing but a coward, unwilling to face the world as a true man.

For Women, you want to be worth something? Is this what you seek? Equality and respect? Start with the Eucharist, let it transform you, be the bride you are meant to be. Let your heart of Love shine in the darkness. You are being treated like garbage now, being tossed aside for pleasure, being used as a sex toy and seeking the powers of equality through workplace, but what about the things you really are about, the truth of your holy body, the truth about how precious you are, the only one that can give life in this world, the only one that receives a miracle within your womb, your equality may come at the workplace, but the real equality is being treated the same way with respect and dignity, living a pure life, avoiding temptations, being a strong woman in a society of darkness. You want to be equal, then be as manly in your courage to take up this call. Transform your current self into something greater than an object.

Is this harsh? Is this honesty hard to hear? Yet it sinks into the your very being, into your heart and rests there waiting to be acknowledged. Think about it, what if it was true, that you just give yourself to others, give yourself as a person, your love, not just your body. This transformation can occur in you, and you can gain much dignity and respect, you will walk amongst the giants with no shame, with true freedom, no chains tied upon your feet or shackles on your hands, you will be successful in all you do because there will be something different about you. With God, you can be great and YOU can make a difference. The money isn't the happiness that you seek, it feels good, the pleasures of the skin feels good, the instant gratification feels good, but the feelings quickly fade. The true and ultimate happiness is found within us where Jesus touches our hearts.

When we are selfless in our actions we will feel no anxiety for our wants, but feel only anxious for the Lord, and all the twisted concepts of this world will return to their true shapes, and you will see that all things God has made is good, for in the beginning, this is how it was made, and this is how it should stay.

Please keep me in your prayers and I will certainly keep you in mine.

And now, the time is here...

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:24:00 +0000

Yesterday was Christmas.
The night before was Christmas Eve.
The celebrations went on and on, the kids tearing at paper, the families gathered, the food served.
And amongst it all, not once was there a desire to receive anything else but our Lord Jesus Christ.

Even with todays struggles and challenges, the downs are merely just less than the ups, but they are in no way hopeless.
In fact, Because Jesus was born to us, because He came down to Earth to become Man, to be the Word made flesh,
once can always have hope.

God is hope, and all we fear is nothing. All we see and touch, taste and hear, all that we smell, is only part of the sensations we will soon experience. We will be in the bosom of Heaven, and all that has been invisible to us, will be made visible.

If only today, the day following Christmas, people would seek these invisible things with the wisdom provided to them. And not to act out and butcher the pureness and beauty of the event and ways. We have twisted Christmas, we have twisted the idea of love, but in the end, hope shows us these things can return back to the way they were, slightly heavier, with more creases and more wrinkles, but these lines are new lines of wisdom, as now our palette holds more than a blank canvas, but a canvas that has seen a horrible past that can be used to create a most beautiful future.

Modeling Faith Formation

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:33:00 +0000

*NOTE WORKING DOCUMENT*

I know, a sensitive topic, But I figured, if we are to understand and go out and offer the new evangelization to people, we need to also speak their language.
Not sure why this all came to me but here it goes.

We start with the definition of success.
Most say it has to do with money, but let us expand that out further.
I believe we can identify three factors that indicate success in a materialistic and non materialistic way. They are:
1.Accomplishment
2.Belonging
3.Happiness

Once these three things are identified, we can start to apply some conditions that influence each of these.

Now we apply techniques and studies based on social emotional intelligence. This usually is applied to educational programs in schools, but can apply to adult learning and in fact any learning. This includes Faith formation since it is a form of learning to trust, grow in faith, etc...

Social Emotional Intelligence has several conditions and criteria that make it effective more in one case or the other. The main things that S-E demonstrates is a higher aptitude to learning with a more supportive and safe environment. This environment can be as small as a classroom or as large as a country.

This allows us to work on the needs of the learner both at an emotional-social level and at a mental/pedagogy level.So they can be nurtured in order to achieve better results.

When we apply this to a country situation in order to understand faith formation, we see very similar effects in community life, family life and faith life.

In most 1st world western countries, the definition of success is often skewed and twisted to that of a material desire. The three factors are only 2/3 fulfilled. The person has accomplished something by increasing wealth, has a feeling of belonging to another level in the social hierarchy, but fails to maintain a happiness that is eternal, since the material objects and desires can only provide an instant gratification and pleasure, and seeking more doesn't mean long lasting, in fact can result in loss of happiness as one becomes bored with the feeling of instant happiness.

In most developing countries we see accomplishments of smaller scale, mostly of a survival nature, a belonging to a family, a nuclear trustworthy and safe environment, and happiness in the small blessings they receive. I am sure there are sceptics out there, but be my guest and explain to me why we see rather happy poor people and the only thing they have in their suffering is faith and family?

In the western world case, we find more cases of depression, suicides, agnostic and atheist behaviors (caused from replacing God with material idols. What could cause such a thing? I think this is a direct confirmation that the family is an important unit of society, it is the functional and needed unit in order for success. Faith is also a needed item, because success cannot be achieved if there is no eternal happiness available or achievable. We find many church goers strictly there for Sunday service, but the warmth is not there to form a strong supportive, and safe community. (safety from the devil and the temptations of sin). Because the western world focuses on Independence and everyone being the leader of the pack, the more western society takes apart the family unit. Add concepts of population control, hedonistic urges for self pleasure and self service, and once can easily see the demise of such a culture.

The poor on the other hand are lacking in material wealth, but strong in family, community and faith. The potential level of success per each member of such a culture is much higher than that of the western culture, as long as they are able to be challenged. There must be a balance in our growth and formation; our learning as it would be.

In the diagram, This is a similar concept to the wheel diagram of God to the world, demonstrating the need for God (the Hub) to power the individual through growth formation (spokes) in order to succeed in the outside world (the wheel).
But each spoke represents instead a triangle growth model. The very tip starts with self, and as one grows, they should be growing outward towards selflessness through service to the world. The four spokes are:

1. Faith Formation
2. Secular Standards Formation
3. Personal Formation
4. Sexuality Formation

When one of these are unbalanced, we lose potential for success as defined above.

If we are too focused on secular standards for instance (material wants) then we start to take away from our faith, personal and sexuality growth.

If too little, the same thing happens but the individuals ability to grow equally amongst the spokes is hindered. Usually a person will find another area to fill in gap and vice versa.

If Faith is strong, but no understanding (learning) of Secular society/personal/sexuality - once may not blend well in society and be less capable to evangelize beyond the inner circle this person has created.

If Personal formation is too strong, then too much is focused on self instead of others, potentially loosing faith, or understanding of one's true self.

If Sexuality is too little, one may seek the selfish pleasures instead of the true understanding of our sexuality as a part of our being. If too strong, one may lose potential to evangelize outside their inner circle as well.

I think the overall pattern is this,
If too high, then the capacity of outreach is less,
If too low, another area is gaining and capacity of outreach is less.

I suppose it best to describe the capacity of outreach as a function of serving others in a servant leadership manner.

Being unbalanced in one area or another I don't think can be described as a bad thing, but just less potential to live a balanced full life. We can look at examples of saints that were cloistered and yet lived fulfilling lives.
I believe this model can help individuals in determining areas of their lives they can work on to balance better and be able to more easily become more selfless.

Strategies in Our World To Bring Love and Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 19:06:00 +0000

Society is basically selfish these days, that is what we have been taught

Have pleasure for yourself,
Have things instantly for yourself

Less and less people watch out for others..

This has been the outcome of what is being taught in the schools, teachers have books the schools want to use, these books tell a different story, a rather unchristian themed story of life.

Taught to be independent , but also fend for yourself, competition is good for everyone, markets etc...

so in the solution, the focus on the educational books cannot be visibly Christian (meaning no labeled as Christian, but all Christian teachings/values), otherwise many business and schools will not buy books at first.

But the values can be values like selflessness.

This is 360 deg affirmation.

If we produce material that is focused on serving others first, through activities and concepts..business models, etc...

And Media that reinforces the idea of sharing and accountability as oppose to more money, more honey , more power, more happiness

Then even the non believers, that cannot fathom God as the source of happiness, will see a greater calling to a better happiness.

We will use Christian values translated into secular concepts, very very basic concepts..

But will reinforce them in this way.

Slowly, we can overturn the tide of selfishness.
This will allow other teachings like TOB concepts of chastity and true sexuality to be taught.

You know that a true understanding of sexuality showing how the two come together in union is beautiful.
Symmetry in nature is beautiful
Creation is beautiful

These will be the foundational pieces
Slow but consistent, and massive, very massive..

Reflecting on Pope's Encyclicals

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:32:00 +0000

God is Love,

We must transform from ethos to agape.. bring our lust into Divine Love.. Holy Love...

This defines what God is fro us, this is what defines for us the love in which Jesus Loves us, that we must follow
But.. that defines the Love only.. not how to get closer to God to experience this LOVE..

that is where HOPE comes in..
For, within HOPE, we can grow closer to God, in order to feel and then express to everyone we meet God's Love

It is in HOPE that we can see the change in our hearts actually happen
the transformation is not a silly story.. but a reality.. cause Jesus.. when we see Him as HOPE.. allows us to drop our riches in this world in order to follow Christ
Next, after we are able to create in us the HOPE and fill ourselves with Divine Love, then we can move mountains with....

.........FAITH
for our faith then leads us to salvation
we now can love as Jesus loves, and Hope for a new future, and Hope with certainty because our Love in Christ , the Word made flesh, the FAITH of our souls then allows us to do anything in God's name
and we can heal
and then serve others..

LOVE, HOPE, FAITH

TOB in a nutshell..

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:02:00 +0000

TOB in a nutshell..

Sexuality is a way we need to show God's greatness.

When we enter into marriage, either as a vocation as a celebate or the sacrament, we must commit faithfully, freely, totaly and fruitful

For in the end, The greatest thing we must remember is to love one another as Jesus loves us.

The confusion of society and sexuality would be gone, no need for laws to control, if we only followed Jesus' teachings, and our body's should show us that..
in all we do, in private and with others.

Are you ready to do this?

Responding to the Golden Compass

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 14:59:00 +0000

This was in response to a friend of mine who was writing about the Golden Compass:

Here's the deal with pullman, he's a confused atheist..
His concepts of no God are muttled and confused.
His concepts of sexuality, even more perverted.
His understanding of the church's terachings on sexuality... uneducated.
He should read TOB.. :) (had to squeeze that in there)

His heart is filled with hatred and his view of the world and CS Lewis is most certainly twisted. If only he read CS Lewis' Great Divorce, would he understand I think the journey his own life must take before he can be truly happy.

There is no happiness greater than that of Heaven, but I guess for someone who is twisted about the existence of Heaven and God, he tries to find the worldly happiness, how unfortunate that he wont find what he seeks, at least not in the everlasting form. Perhaps he will find it in a quick counterfeit, but in the meantime, I pray for him and others like him to step out of the darkness. After all the darkness is only the lack of light, and this serves as more of a reminder that the only way we can find these lost souls that hide in darkness, is to bring the light of Christ to them.

Rather affirming message for me in this season of advent, that we must cleanse ourselves through God's grace, so that we may climb higher mountains and shine the light further.

As for watching the movie, even the regular critics had issues.
Too much for kids, too silly for adults, yet it did make a box office hit.
Perhaps we are only spreading the news to our own, and not taking our lights to the streets. Is it bad to watch this?

Well, I don't think its good to watch it without talking about it to the kids, so it does serve that opportunity, and I don't think boycotting it without explanation is good either, for the more we boycott, the less marketable we are to the industry. Perhaps if we not just exposed the darkness here but also explained the truth of God's message and CS Lewis' message, we could claim yet another victory for Christ.

Will I watch it? I don't think so, at least not until its in the $9.99 DVD sale box at walmart or a friend has one to watch, I did however go to the bookstore to read the ending of the third book, and yes.. Pullman needs our prayers, he is twisted and hateful and only Christ can transform him into something more. It was done with scrooge, and so perhaps this is our modern day example of scrooge-like souls we can pray for.

God Bless
Shaun

Some Good Zenit Articles on HOPE

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:50:00 +0000

Just wanted to share some good articles on HOPE, youth, and true Love.

Young People Losing Hope, Says Pope

Hope, an Encounter With Love

How affirming?

God Bless

Part 3: Working Document

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:04:00 +0000

Below is a document/talk I am working on.. you can watch its progress, some things in here will be edited out, but for the meantime, all that is included here explains a lot of this series.

PRO-LIFE RECOLLECTION

Talk 1: Expose

INTRODUCTION

Today is a coming of a new age : Truth of World
Today, we gather from all over the area. From different ministries and organization. Our backgrounds bring us from different schools, different families, cities and countries. It’s a great day too cause here we have gathered together despite these differences in our character and we will share our beliefs and values and ideas on building a future in the Culture of Life. Today we will learn what the truth is about ourselves, our country, our world and the love of life that will enable us to move forward as we build this new future.
And as I stand here today in front of you, I join you on our journey at this point in our society and lives. Everything we do, at work, at home building a family, with the poor bringing back dignity revolves around something greater than us. And we are surrounded in a world of division and brokenness, so it is fitting and wonderful to come together and start this journey on a world united in Love and Life.
Today is a Discovery of Self
For the past 90 years, the pro abortion movement has been redefining terms, introducing new concepts that were outlawed by moral and human law. Millions of lives have been lost since those days. And the influences and ideas of some of the founders of the movement made there way to other wars and other battles. In the beginning, the intent was snared by the devil, his manipulation and temptations led these founders down a path of pure pleasure. A poison in their minds, in their actions and in their future. But even amongst these odds, many stood fast and we have always been in God’s grace. We go to work and become successful; we build families, and become happy with our blessings.
Yet we also tend to forget the foundation on which our blessings are built upon. We tend to forget and take for granted how each act we do against our God is always forgiven. That our Father in heaven is constantly watching over us, guiding us, challenging us and molding us.
Should we be concerned? As a citizen of this world, as a person that has kids, knows kids or has ever been a kid, the answer simply is yes. If we continue to build an environment in which the values of today continuously overwrite the foundation on which our faith and our livelihood depends on, then we are left with nothing more than an empty shell.
So as we progress in this understanding today on these topics of what is real and what isn’t, we have to start with the facts and the fiction.
________________________________________

FACT OR FICTION
Since 1917 the world has seen a change in its lifestyle, a rather drastic one at that. The leaders of small activist groups that saw the likes of people such as Max Eastman, John Reed, Upton Sinclair, Mabel Dodge and Emma Goldman1 in the famous Greenwich village of New York, gathered together and pondered at the realization of the human condition. It is a shame that there was not more faith involved in their actions, but nonetheless this group of people became the influence of a woman named Margaret Sanger. During her work as a nurse in the streets with the poor side of East New York, she reflected and blamed the premature death of her mother on the 11 births she gave. After also teaming up with England’s psychologist Havelock Ellis, Sanger came to the conclusion that birth control “would fulfill a critical psychological need by enabling women to fully enjoy sexual relations, free from the fear of pregnancy.”
The fiction however couldn’t have been more far from the truth. God has created us in a very special way. He has chosen to create us in his image and likeness and then breathed life into us from his very existence. Many times we try to find the easiest way to gain pleasure and happiness, even if it forsakes the Creators goal for us. Sure the feelings are positive, and can be a hard temptation to resist, but it’s the waiting for God’s time and God’s chosen person for you that makes it even more pleasurable and a way for us to worship and thank God for His blessings. The Birth Control movement took this fact of life and turned it all around, it was a time where the intellectual movement was dawning, and in all fact was really a modern day Babel. With the help of Mary Dennet, Sanger and women doctors finally found the loophole in the law that had been prohibiting them from giving contraceptive advice to women, they were able to get the law changed to provide doctors the right to counsel on birth control for medical reasons. In 1916, the first Birth Control Clinic was opened in Brooklyn.
From this point forward, the abortion movement evolved into a large scale liberation movement for sexual freedom which provided a way for woman not to worry about pregnancy. Little did they know they were now destroying God’s major gift to the world. Sanger’s ideas and concepts became more lewd as her beliefs in Eugenics and sexual independence in relationships became more publicly popular amongst her peers. After separating with her husband, she continued her affairs and even after marrying again, she kept her sexual independence.
God has created us to love each other as he has loved us. Giving his only son to us, He raised us up and took on our sins. But by following the lust in our hearts instead of waiting for the fulfillment inside us, we find ourselves trapped in a world of temporary happiness and pleasures. But is it really what we are seeking?
This is what today’s battleground looks like:
Because of the efforts of such movements as I just described, sex education in the classrooms has become more radical, with books like “its perfectly normal” available for our children, a book that is pornographic in its own right as it displays young cartoon children in sexual acts including sexual intercourse, masturbation and homosexual acts.
The average age of first sex for children in America is 15.8 years old *, the average length of first sexual relationship is only 3.8 months. 24.3% of all adolescents reported having first sex during the same month as the start of their relationship. Roughly 25% were “one-night” stands.
Studies from the Medical Institute for Sexual health found that the average teen spends 3 to 4 hours in front of the TV each day, which includes an average of 6.7 scenes with sexual topics every hour. And add that to the average teens time with music at 40 hours a week with 42% of the top selling CD’s played on the radio containing sexual content that is “explicit” or “pretty explicit”;
And this is just the statistics for the youth.
All of this information leads to an over exposure of sex before our children can truly learn what the desires inside them are there for. What God has created us for.
To go deeper down the rabbit hole, the movement was only a catalyst for the next movement, the sexual revolution of the 60s and 70s. During these times the sexual liberation also provided a support and venue for pornographic images and easier access to the material at younger ages. And although our society leads us to believe the pleasurable side of pornography, the damages on our youth and future generations is almost irreparable. Leading to masturbation, sexual abuse, dysfunctional marriages and a society that is already reaching a negative birth rate. The more children are brought up in such a society, the more chances they will experience the ripping power of lust without control, a control only found with our Father in Heaven.
And we have been warned of such things,
In Col 3:2 it says “Set your minds on the things above rather than earthly things”,
In Proverbs 24:1 “Avoid letting the world teach us to love what is evil or to envy the evil doer”
________________________________________

The Effects of Life
After the dust settles and we see the land before us, I think you and me both can also find the blessings in our society. In Deuteronomy we are asked to choose between the blessings or the curse, between life and death.
And so although all these things occur, we have to also recognize the other side of the picture. Our Lord and savior came down to teach us and provide us with instructions on battling Evil.
In the beginning God created Man, and He said Man should not be alone, so out of His rib He created woman. And before original sin, both man and woman were naked without shame (Gen 2:25), the only sexual desire was the desire to love in God’s image. (Perfect Love casts our fear (1 Jn 4:18))
The devil then choose to tempt us and trick us and take away our ability to be a gift to one another. The gift of God’s love in its pure essence. Once this had gone away, sexual desire was now inverted and self seeking.
This creates a concept of lust. Which is sexual desire cut off from God's Love. In God's plan, the sexual desire (eros) should be inspired and transformed into agape (divine love). So in our world today, much of the founders of such movements as described have been inwardly seeking self gratification. They wish to fill a void within them, and not realizing that it can and will be filled by divine Love, the twist the truths into the image of the world today.

All of these things tend to lead us further from the truth of how we were made, and what we can do. This is where we just choose the blessings, and recognize the support we have from our families, friends and communities. Imagine if you will a mirror, and in this mirror is not just your reflection, but your reflection as God has intended it, in his image and likeness, this very reflection is full of light and purity, shining forth divine light and love into the darkness. But this light and reflection are slowly marred by the countless temptations that we entertain, the sins we commit both to ourselves and to other. Each time we commit an act against our true intent, we mar the image more. It is only when we accept Christ, and the ways he has shown us to live a more pure and holy life does he start to clean that mirror so that God's image and likeness can be seen by all.

Most of the time, it is beyond us what we do, the influences are great in society. But today, I am standing before you to tell you about the freedom God has offered us. As I presented the lay of the land, it seems so dark and dull, sad and upsetting, but I come to you as a Brother/Sister to present the HOPE of Christ.

You have heard that it was said " You shall not commit adultery, But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (MT 5:27-28). This Hope however is greater than the feeling that perhaps weighs your heart now. Because before there was sin, there was GOD. It "is deeper than the sinfulness inherited, deeper than lust... The word of Christ.. reactivates that deeper heritage and give it real power in man's life" (TB 168)

Through Christ, we can claim a real victory over these things which trap us, including the distortion of lust. Think of it this way my dear brothers and sisters, "If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law" (Gal 5:18). This is not a simple solution to break the law, but rather a message God was delivering to us reaffirmed by Christ, that with change hearts we would no longer need the rules, because our ethos (desires) would be in line with God's plan.

The problem in us lies that we desire wrongly, we desire to commit adultery in our hearts because our ethos is misguided by the ways of the world. In the case of Margaret Sanger and her friends, the lust was greater to them then receiving everlasting happiness. This is why it is important that although we feel no harm that our children and us for that matter, are exposed to music and programming in movies and TV, they in fact are reinforcing the wrong concept of sexuality. It wasn’t many years ago we could find programming that we really good bring our children to. But now, it is harder to find such things, because society is getting more and more used to this new definition of sexuality.

I leave you with this thought, we are told in MT 5:8, that "Blessed are the Poor in heart, for they shall see God", If we are able to expose the truth of what society has pressed upon us, we can understand the path that we need to take to Christian purity. A call to purity not in being prudish, but glorifying and witnessing God's divine love in our lives, a way for us reveal God's mystery revealed in who we are.

Just remember that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" and no matter what has been done in our society or what we have done, our HOPE and light is in Christ and we can reform our hearts to untwist the twisted meaning of sexuality and desire in today's world, and almost see Heaven here on Earth.

Part 2: Anti-Abortion Movement Split Spills onto Presidential Race

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 16:50:00 +0000

Link to Story below:

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/groups/prolife_action/index.html

so what does this mean?
Well from a standpoint of choices and politics..
I think it necessary for Catholics and Pro Lifers alike to understand values.

Going back to our open topic of Sanger and IPPF, the values we talk about where in fact tainted on purpose, very strategically in order to create a new culture. Rich, Educated people that didn't want to loose the power and prestige.

Perhaps this sounds much like a Hollywood movie, but it all stands true nonetheless.
The Eugenics programs and Abortion programs were designed initially for the poor, later to the developing countries where education was becoming a major push. If these countries ever gained on the US elites, then we would see new leaders and new powers. The fact is for the past 90 years the abortion movement really has been an elitist group. Check their books and standings, the truth is in the facts.

So what can we do. what does this mean. The first thing is to be open to God's calling for each of us. There was a struggle in Will Wilberforce because he had wanted to seclude from society and only serve as a monk to God, but God had plans for him to go beyond that. So we must too, not hide and seclude ourselves from secular society.

Boycotting and hiding only make our power over the abortion group weaker.
Because we are no longer marketable, we are no longer buying and adding to the economy, we really become a true minority and aren't worth investing into.

And here's the second warning although pro life supporter numbers are going up, or should I say, pro choice numbers are going down, the definition on the street of what pro life is, is not the real values laid out by Jesus and Mary.

Contraception use is high, even among the "faithful", drug and alcohol abuse is still high, teenage pregnancies, premarital sex, masturbation, living out a homosexual lifestyle still high on lists.

Sex ed in classrooms still feature books like "its perfectly normal" a book that couldn't be more pornographic. Videos like blue dove and the last train still are shown in classrooms in developing nations. And 34% of IPPF funding comes from our tax dollars.

We must continue to not just defend, but to engage the culture of Life, it must be the norm, and not in a cafeteria style, choosing here and there, but in a very open, God-fearing and God-trusting way.

oh and here's a fun read for you, a big no brainer report: Keep the family alive:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/03/AR2007120301797.html

I'll continue again on a large idea that we can participate in. Meanwhile, continue your preparedness for our Savior Jesus Christ. The Holy Family is coming to down!

God Bless

NOVENA-OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE /PATRONESS OF THE PRO LIFE MOVEMENT

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:54:00 +0000

Our Lady of Guadalupe Novena

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patroness of the Pro-life Movement. In preparation for her Feastday, Priests for Life invites all believers to join in a special novena for life from December 3 through 12th by saying the prayer below, indicating to us that you will be saying it, and getting as many others as possible to say it as well.

The image of Our Lady, given to St. Juan Diego (whose feast is Dec. 9), shows Mary as pregnant with Jesus. The Aztec Indians, among whom this image circulated, practiced human sacrifice because they believed the gods were against them. This image proclaimed the Gospel that “God is with us” (Emmanuel) and that therefore we can have the hope that gives us the courage to say “Yes” to life, just like Mary did.

In our day, the image is helping to end child sacrifice as it is brought to abortion facilities worldwide.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Novena Prayer for Life to Our Lady of Guadalupe

Oh Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of Life,
We honor you as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Thank you for pointing us to Jesus your Son,
The only Savior and hope of the world.

Renew our hope in him,
That we all may have the courage to say Yes to life,
And to defend those children in danger of abortion.

Give us your compassion
To reach out to those tempted to abort,
And to those suffering from a past abortion.

Lead us to the day when abortion
Will be a sad, past chapter in our history.

Keep us close to Jesus, the Life of the World,
Who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.

Part 1: Research on IPPF and Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 13:42:00 +0000

The following is a collection of research I have been conducting.

This link provides the leading 15 prolife (labeled as anti-choice in PP) organizations.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/news-articles-press/politics-policy-issues/abortion-
access/antichoice-organizations-6127.htm

I was reading the other day on Margaret Sanger.
Boy, does her life story make me sad, a ilttle upset as well.
Anyways, her actiond started International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), she loved sexual intercourse. straight forward. She could have cared less about women's rights and family rights. She was interested in promoting hedonisitc values and concepts. Contraceptives and Abortion were products of her work, and she had a systmatic way implementing it. A method still in use today in mnay developing countries. In the next set of blogs I will continue to write on the life of Margaret Sanger and the work of IPPF. Not that any of this is new, actually, there is a autobiography that states her involvement in many things that Planned Parenthood has hidden from the public.

She also was a fond believer in Eugenics (Cleansing of the race), thats right, actually some of her books and publications were translated to German and used by German scientists during the second World War, I wouldn't be surprised if they influenced some concepts of the holocaust.

She was fiery for sure, and her influence seemed rather large.
But I leave you with this, if the above organizations know these things, how many are willing or able to develop a new culture in the world. Yes I am speaking of the culture of Life, but I am also speaking of a strong NGO to not just go against, not to just defend life, but to promote it, via media, books, publications, seminars, clinics, everything Sanger created, there can be a good version created as well.

If this interests you, perhaps you have recieved a similar calling. Comment on your thoughts and watch out for the continuation of this topic.

It is ok to work secular for the Kingdom of God, for to seperate oneself from society, only prevents us from knowing and changing the darkest of hearts. We are called to bring light to the world, even Jesus instructed us that a lamp should not be covered or put in a place low, but should be placed high upon the mountaintops for the whole world to see.

Are you willing to Expose and Explain then live as an example of Christ?

Love and Prayer to God

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 14:55:00 +0000

My God, because You are so good, I love You with all my heart
and for Your sake I love my neighbor as myself.
If I love You, Lord, it is not just because of heaven,
which You have promised;
if I fear to offend You, it is not because hell threatens me.
What draws me to You, O Lord, is Yourself alone; it is the sight of You
nailed to the cross for me, Your body bruised in the pains of death.
Your love so holds my heart that, if there were no heaven,
I would love You still. If there were no hell, I would even still fear
to offend You.
I do not need Your gifts to make me love You, for even
if I should have no help of hope at all
of all the things I do hope for, I would still love You
with that very same love.
Amen.

Saint Teresa of Avila

A thought on the struggles of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shaun Guevarra) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 16:36:00 +0000

Do not be afraid
Worry not
for your name He has called
and the yoke you shall carry is light, let down your burden

go to HIM and HE will give u rest

then Go and make disciples of Men, Go and live in the light, Go and bring the hearts of many to the One who can unite them all. And if today you hear His voice, a voice in the wilderness, harden not your hearts,

but open your hands, your heart, your spirit...
Live a life that allows the invisible, the mystery of the eternal love of God be made visible through the life of your body, the life of your light

Amen