Happy Birthday New Horizons 9 Years today

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEW HORIZONS

9 YEARS TODAY 

A NEW SITE DESIGN

First of all, I want to assure you that you have arrived at New Horizons.  I have just updated the site.It is not wildly different with similar colours but as I have been blogging for 9 years today, I thought it was time I explored another layout. I would like to know what you think.  If you dont like it, I am happy to go back to the original format.

 REFLECTION ON 9 YEARS BLOGGING

I want to thank you for being interested in my blog over many years. My desire to enhance Catholic faith is just as strong as it was when I first started 9 years ago.  In fact, I think it is actually stronger.

Still despite some periods of inactivity, I hope that you have gained from reading my posts over these 9 years.  Sometimes I have felt the blessing too as I have written.  Sometimes I started out with a topic in mind and yet ended up writing on a different topic.  It was as though the Holy Spirit was telling me what to to type and doing it for me.

I know in the last few years due to a range of circumstances and also some lack of motivation and tiredness on my part, i have not written as much as I had previously written years ago.  Any doubts that I had was confirmed when I went back over posts when I had some computer virus.

After going through my blog thoroughly I have now backed up all my posts from 2009 to the current post.  No mean feat I assure you.  I wont let it get like that again.!!  I have realised too in this great review that some series did not get completed.  Sorry about that.  I have made a note of some of them and I will endeavour to put that right in the coming 12 months.

I know that I love writing my blog posts for you.  

I do ask for your prayers as I begin another year of blog writing and as we mark this milestone together.  

SOMETHING NEW AS WELL: TALKINGMUSIC.ONLINE 

Something I have added recently is that I am on Pinterest as talkingmusic.  Within my boards I have set up a board called New Horizons so that you can explore my work there.   I will create pins for New Horizons and I will mention it when I do in my posts from now on. 

My talkingmusic.online website is not quite finished but hopefully by the end of year I will be launching that as well. I will let you know so you can head over there and look and follow me there in a different setting where i will be running some online courses on Music and on Life Issues.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEW HORIZONS

So today on New Horizons Birthday, I have a lot to be thankful for.

Without YOU there would be no reason to write.  Thank you.

Feast of Christ the King Collect Year B

COLLECT SERIES

THE MASS: COLLECT SERIES ICON.

COLLECT

The Collect for the Feast of Christ the King reads as follows:

Almighty ever-living God,

whose will is to restore all things

in Your Beloved Son, the King of the Universe,

grant, we pray,

that the whole creation, set free from slavery,

may render your majesty service

and ceaselessly proclaim your praise.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible for during the week the following reflection questions emerged:

1.  Is Christ, the King of the Universe, the King of my heart?

2.  What areas in my life need to surrender to Christ the King?

3. How can I work with Christ the King to set the whole world free from slavery?

4. What does rendering majestic service mean to me?  How will I render it this coming week?

5.  How will proclaim ceaselessly praise to Christ the King this coming week?

6.  How will this feast make a difference in my life?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Today is the last Sunday of the liturgical Year as next week we begin with First Sunday of Advent which is the start of liturgical year.  Let us not get ahead of ourselves. 

Today is the Feast of Christ the King and is celebrated not only as a feast, but a Solemnity because it is about Christ Himself.

During Mass, you may wish to think about the year and how you have grown spiritually.  During Mass we may wish to spend some time in prayer thanking Christ the King for all these blessings

 ( and many more we don't recall).

Perhaps as we think about the liturgical year, we may realise that our growth has not been as it needed to be.  I know as i write this post, a number of areas in my life are coming to mind.

Think about the reasons for that- not to blame but to acknowledge our part for our lack of growth and ask God for His forgiveness.  Added to that, we also need to have a firm resolve to do better.  So instead of  naming many areas- we may decide to commit to one or two areas in our lives that we commit to improve for the coming liturgical Year.  God expects us to do our best.  He does for us.

Perhaps you wonder why we have this Feast at all?   Click on the link to read my post on this Feast of Christ the King  that I wrote back in 2010.  It is still as relevant now as it was then.

Christ should be King of our hearts and minds in every area of our lives.  With a strong resolve and commitment and with God's grace, we can make sure that Christ is King of the Universe- our universe- our hearts.

As we celebrate this feast you may wish to listen to some uplifting music such as

Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah by Handel or

Lord every nation on earth shall adore You by Talbot.

Majesty .

How will YOU celebrate this Solemnity of Christ the King?

The Transfiguration of Jesus Mk 9:2-13 Mark Series

GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES

 

The bible: Gospel of Mark Icon.

The Transfiguration of Jesus Mk 9:2-13 Mark Series 

During the remainder of 2018, each week, I will write a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.  In today's post we explore chapter 9:2-13 which is called The Transfiguration of Jesus.

TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS

This episode happens six days after Jesus taught his way as a way of the cross. Six, one less than seven, a symbol of completeness, suggests the incompleteness of the revelation to His disciples.  He spoke of His way as a way of disgrace and rejection.

Now on a mountain part Jesus share with His three closet disciples the glory and acceptance which He has from God.  For a second time, Jesus is show as He really is, the Son of God.  The four times when Jesus is identified as Son of God, here and at the Jordan river by god, and later by himself in His passion and finally by a Roman centurion after His death, are like the four great ''pillars' of Mark's Gospel.

Elijah, the prophet, nine centuries before Christ, and Moses, the Old Testament liberator of Israel twelve centuries before Christ, appear beside Him.  Both were prophets who suffered, and there was Jewish belief that at death both Elijah (2 Kings:11-12) and Moses (Deut 34:5-6) were taken bodily into heaven.

Peter sees Jesus, Moses and Elijah as equals.  He has not yet discovered the superior destiny of Jesus.  The could, or Jewish ' Shekinah' signifying divine presence and communication, envelops them.  They hear the voice of God, not spoken only to Jesus as it was at the Jordan river but also to the three disciples.

Suddenly, Jesus stands alone with them at his ordinary self.  Coming down the mountain, He tells them to keep hidden what they saw until His rising from death, when this revelation will become clear to all His disciples.

The Pharisees taught that Elijah would return before God restored divine glory to Israel and transformed human lives (Mt 4:5).  Jesus says that Elijah has come already in John the Baptiser who was treated so badly, a reminder of what will be done to the Messiah Himself.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS.

In our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage as follows:

·                     Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus in this  

           passage of scripture?

·                     Imagine that you are one of the disciples. What do you see and hear and feel?   
          What can I learn from this?

·                     Imagine being one of the 3 disciples- what would you have felt?  

·                     What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of disciple mean
          to me?

·                     How does Jesus show Himself as the transfigured Christ to me?

·                     What are the areas in my life I need to be transformed to be a true disciple?

·                     Am I willing to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this teaching and face
          loss, social rejection for the sake of the Gospel? 

·                     How will I kill/transform these areas in my life? What will I say/do? 

·                     In the light of this passage, how will you respond to Jesus as a true disciple?

·                     How do you suffer in your life? Examine a time in your life when you suffered
          for Jesus? What impact did it have on yourself/others and how did you ''gain
          your life'' from it?

·                     What way has this passage spoken to you personally?

·                     If you were to meet a fellow parishioner who was interested in reading gospel

           of Mark, what would you say to him/her about this passage?

·                     If a fellow parishioner had read this passage, what might he/she say about this
           passage?

·                     In the light of this Gospel passage what positive change will you adopt in your
           life and in your spiritual life.  How will you implement these changes?

Collect for 32nd Sunday of Year

COLLECT SERIES

COLLECT

THE MASS : COLLECT SERIES ICON.

The Collect for the 32^nd Sunday of the Year reads as follows:

Almighty and merciful God,

Graciously keep us from all adversity,

So that, unhindered in mind and body alike,

We may pursue in freedom of heart

The things that are Yours.

 REFLECTION QUESTIONS

In making this prayer tangible for during the week, the following reflection questions emerged.

1.    What are the adversities in my life?

2.    What effects do adversity take on my mind and, on my body, and soul?

3.    What steps do I need to take to stay away from these adversities?

4.    Devise your own prayer around these aspects of adversity- God wants to keep us free from all adversity.
For Example:
God, keep me free from all adversity today especially at work with ( name of colleague) or
God keep my family, my parish and myself from all adversity today.

5.    What is freedom of heart?

6.    What would it be like to be unhindered in mind and body- what could you do for yourself, your family, parish or society in general?

7.    What are the things that are Yours?

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Today’s Gospel from Mark is a reminder to give from what we have- not selfishly or grudgingly but to give generously from what we have like the widow.  From what she had; she gave generously. Jesus also comments on the system of the time.

Some might be tempted to say that she was foolhardy or imprudent to give more than what she could afford. Some say she was pressured by the authorities and wanted to keep up an appearance.  We do not know from the Gospel the disposition of the widow. 

Being stingy and not giving can lead to selfish attitudes and also shows a lack of appreciation for the generosity of God in our lives.

However, being generous brings with it a freedom of spirit- an open heart and active faith believing and being thankful for the generosity of God.

The other key aspect of today’s Gospel is a reminder not to parade our generosity and to make judgements about what other people are doing or not doing. It is not our business but it is between them and God.  We need to give generously from what we have and share our good fortune with others.  As we reflect on this Gospel and what it means to each of us personally, we may wish to listen to this song: The Widow's mite 

This theme is also reiterated in the first reading where Elijah asks the widow to make a scone for him.  She looks at her resources and indicates that she has enough flour for a scone for herself and her son only.  He presses her and she makes it.  Not only is the flour sufficient but there is some left over.

Often, we can think we do not have enough. We always want or need more.  This reading reminds us that when we take the risk and believe in God’s providence, God provides for our needs.  He provided for not only Elijah by having necessary food, but for the widow too as her provisions were not all used because of her generous act of faith.

How will you be generous this coming week?

How will you show God your gratitude to Him

for all the bountiful things He has done in your life?

A new development:  Check out my board on Pinterest- talkingmusic18  called New Horizons. The Pins will relate to posts I write on this blog.

Trust in the Lord: Reflection Series

Reflection Series

CHRIST THE REDEEMER ( PIXABAY .COM)

My reflection and prayer series is about sharing reflections and Prayers which have impacted upon me and have provided food for thought. I hope that they will also nurture your soul and spirit.

My Scripture reflection is 

''Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding''    Proverbs 3:5

My post is called:

                                                              Trust in the Lord.

 When answers fail to come, don't be discouraged.
Keep leaning on His steadfast love and trusting in His will
For knowing why would really make a difference-
Btu growing close and knowing Jesus will.

NB:SOMETHING NEW

I have recently created another Pinterest board called New Horizons where I will create pins for this blog. You may wish to check it out
You may also wish to check out my other boards there at Talking Music18.