The Turning Point

Ave Maria:-)

The turning point in one's life could be anything for every individual. Some will take as their turning point any of the following:

-an accident/ severe illness

-death of loved one

-change in financial status

- getting married/ getting divorced

- graduating from college

- a spiritual retreat/seminar/holy mass/prayer meeting

And a turning point could either veer towards the positive --when light dawns and a person decides once and for all to think good, do good..be good ..be the best he/she could ever be

or it could veer towards the dismal opposite ---? where the soul plunges into the depths of despair, depression..where's it's a downhill journey ending in certain death - total death.

One can have an anchor, an inspiration -- which serves as foundation for the change for the better life.... maybe a loved one, a family -- children to be reared and protected at all costs...

others will ironically consider one's painful past , terrible life ( drugs, bad company, illegal behaviour) as the INSPIRATION never to return  and suffer that way of life. 

 Others will claim a spiritual re-birth.. a cousin once used the word epiphany to describe a daughter who had given up years of intensive serious ballet -- stopped doing it completely without blinking an eye and finally giving her all to the world of sports , soccer -- good-bye ballerina toes. 

Those on the spiritual rejuvenation route will claim a Buddha -inspired inner peace, mantras chanted....candles -lit..incense filling the air --- "Buddha be blest..." ... lovers of New Age will proclaim wellness programs, a lot of visits to spas, listening to some alternative music where you hear a lot of brooks, birds, nature sounds ---> meant to inspire errr.... wellness.

THE TURNING POINT.

If it mentions the word turn.. it means changing the route drastically -- in fact choosing to go the opposite way.

What is your turning point my friend?

Better yet..who has caused your turning point?

Our beloved Pope Benedict XVI places at the center of His papacy the clear teachings on Jesus Christ (Christology).

He is a teaching pope, thank God for that...a  good, intellingent, wise pope who will not mince words nor beat around the bush -- in the same manner that He provided the needed research for Pope John Paul the II's encyclicals on celibacy, abortion, divorce...etc.... our current  Pope continues to steer the Church with clear , precise teaching.

He wrote as his first book  : Jesus of Nazareth .. to reassure us all that the Christ of history and the Christ of faith are one and the same.

Pope Benedict reminds us ever so clearly that before man can ever dream of positive changes:

like solving social injustice, healing moral attitudes... building just, effective governments.... that THIS ALL MUST START WITH the people's  KNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST AND HIS WAY OF LIFE.

Sadly, our pope points out we must not give in to modern reinterpretations of Jesus Christ... some modern presentations of Him liken Him to the ff.:

Jesus--->a social revolutionary ala Che Guevarra ( imagine a gun-toting Jesus chanting with slogans for the upliftment of the poor... being at the forefront of political rallies)

Jesus ---> a preacher of liberal morality  ( scary dictum : Jesus loves us so He will accept anything we do, He understands our weaknesses, our human needs... hey we can do anything we want, same-sex marriage..abortion... anything goes ---- Oh please dear heart, our pope  and Jesus Himself will have nothing of that baloney.)

Jesus ---> as inspired prophet or sage making Him same level as founders of other religions

( that is really a LIE if there ever was one.... for Jesus is not mere prophet..or any ordinary human being ...JESUS IS SON OF GOD, THE WORD MADE FLESH..HE IS LORD AND SAVIOUR.. THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DETRACT FROM THAT.) 

So the modern bible scholars who wanted to make JESUS more "relevant" tried all the above presentations of our Lord ... which is really foolish because there can be no humane social order or lasting moral progress apart from a right relationship with GOD..and it is Jesus CHrist who alone makes this possible for us...Only Jesus can help us be reconciled to GOD.

We don't need these reinterpretations of our LORD because Jesus is perfect as He is.

He doesn't need a face-lift because in His original revelation He reflects God the Father perfectly.

"If mankind focuses more on desired social outcomes and then gives Jesus some make-over along the way..it is like putting the cart before the horse." ( John Allen, Jrs. book -10 Things Pope Benedict wants you to know)

  

Put more realistically for us... real-life, daily setting:

we wish our family had greater love, marriages stronger, children more obedient with good direction in life...

we long for a better  working environment in the office...

we hate the trash that tv, movies , internet churn out minute -by minute...

we wish we had deeper , caring friendships --  a girlfriend  bewailed the level of intimacy with friends, she was looking for compassion, actual presence..even if only thru phonecalls or e-mails...

we want to be healthyyyyy... physically, mentally emotionally spiritually.... 

YET FOR ALL ABOVE NEEDS WE CAN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS CAN HELP US.

When He revealed Himself : "I am the WaY, the Truth, the Life..no one goes to the Father but through me."  This was the clearest declaration ever that IT ALL STARTS WITH HIM, THROUGH HIM, IN HIM.

Anyone who declares Himself to be the WAY

............................. The Truth  

............................  The Life.............. has got to be the  POINT BY WHICH WE CAN START ALL OVER AGAIN IN LIFE AND THIS TIME MAKE IT VICTORIOUSLY TO THE FINISH LINE.

Call it simplistic... call it foolish... childish.... but I cannot imagine any need.... any worthwhile need be it spiritual or temporal that cannot find its solution through JESUS.

Samplers:

1) painful extraction of ingrown nail

2) financial help

3) reconciling with someone -- and it seems impossible!

4) deliverance from terrible condition ( whether illness, imprisonment, depression)

5) presentation to a client , which needs approval or else your're in trouble

6) a heart inclined to do God's Will 

WE NEED JESUS.  Let us turn away from sin..and everything that will separate us from God..let us EXPERIENCE THAT TURNING POINT IN OUR LIFE. 

The National Kidney Insitute Life in the SPirit Seminar falls on Oct. 15, 16...just email if you 

are interested to join... please help us thru your prayers.God bless you....te mye