All posts filed under: Reflections

Refelctions about Biblical texts, prayer and spiritual life.

Teaching on Judaism

Monday, the 4th, and Tuesday, the 5th of August 2014, we had input with Sr. Anne Catherine. We studied a little more about Judaism. We were very interested in the destruction of the Temple, and were aware that on 5 of August (Tishah B’Av on the Jewish calendar), the Jewish people had their annual solemn memorial of that event. As we know, for them it is not only a memory but also a daily reflection that brings them back to awareness of the presence of God. After the destruction of the Temple they remembered their earlier experience of the presence of God at the Tent of Meeting and how they gathered there in open desert, to pray. Forgetting that moment led them into exile, remembering it is a secret of their survival as a people. For the Jewish World, three things remain central: Torah – The Word of God, Avoda – worship or the service of prayer, and Gemicur Hanadin – deeds of love toward one’s neighbours. These three are related to each other and, …

Tisch Ha bAv

On Tish ha bAv the whole Jewish community is in mourning, the first Temple was destroyed because of evil behaviour, as sin was lived, immorality, bloodshed and idolatry. The second Temple was destroyed because of hate and the evil tongue (gossiping). On Tish ha bAv the invitation goes out to all humanity to mend this broken world (Tiqum Olam). The book of Lamentation is read during this Memorial Day, so to remember the destruction of the Temples, and to listen to the call to mend the world.

Islam

We looked at the Socio-eco-political and religious situation in the time of the prophet Muhammed in the 6th century in Arabia. The two leading superpower empires at that time were the Byzantines (Ghassauids) and Persian (Lakhmids). Arabia is a desert and at the same an oasis. There are plants growing in the midst of the desert. The people of the land were nomadic however there were also settlers in Arabia. Their basic source of livelihood was trading. Mekka is the center of Arabia, it is also a place for religious worship, the Ka’aba. The Arabian people during that time were polytheists. The religion was polytheism. They believed and worshiped many gods. There were also Christians (Heretics) and Jews present in Arabia. Also there was a religious movement at that time called Hanif. This movement did not arise from Judaism and Christianity. They were Arabians who got tired of worshipping many gods. Jews and Christians have Traditions and Scriptures while the Hanif do not have Scriptures to follow. The similarity of the three existing groups during …

Movements in Judaism

Conservative Judaism Belief in one God; the Torah; The truth found in Jewish scriptures and other Jewish writings come from God,and were transmitted by humans and contain a human component.Halakhah is binding but Laws should change and adopt – science and faith can coexist.

Sr. Ibolya

Every Person has a name given to him by God given to him by his father and mother……. Other names develop in the course of a person’s life, but the best of all names is the one that a person earns alone, for themselves. The author of the poem “every Person has a Name” is Zelda Mishkovsky what are the Name I would give to Sr. Ibolya, hospitality, wellcome, genereosity, giver of joy and loving kindness………

The perpetual Profession of Br.Tiago

Tonight complete 130 years since Father Mary alphonse died. And this death is source of life for all who came after him in Sion and who preceded us. Today we are Daughters and Sons  of  this  life  that  we  celebrate  200  years  of  birth  and  130 years  after his death that is part of God’s plan. We are responsible for the continuation of his work built with his brother, where Jerusalem is the result of his persistence or his response to the insistence of God. The  vows  of  Brother  Tiago  is  well  placed  in  the  context  of  this  celebration. Tiago, today you will engage in  a religious  family desired by  God for  a clear mission   in  the  Church  to   the  world.  Testify  that  the  plan  of  God   towards humankind passes through the faith of Abraham, by the formation of his people, the  Jewish people,  its Torah, by  which  we have  Jesus  Christ, that  opened the promises    of God    to all  the Nations.  And    we   are  called  to testify  that the understanding  of  this  wonder  of  …