Wednesday 23 November 2011

What if God was one of us?

If God had a name what would it be?
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with him 
In all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?

And yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus 
Trying to make his way home

If God had a face what would it look like?
And would you want to see 
If seeing meant that 
you would have to believe 
in things like heaven and in Jesus and the saints
and all the prophets 

Trying to make his way home
Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone
'cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

Just trying to make his way home
Like a holy rolling stone
Back up to heaven all alone
Just trying to make his way home
Nobody calling on the phone
'cept for the Pope maybe in Rome 


Last night we did a session with a group of young people preparing for Confirmation. They were asked to think about what they would ask God if they met him in person. 
I could think of no other question then to ask Him what his plan was for me? And how could I see Him more clearly in my life.


Very interesting to think about

Give me the courage to challenge what is wrong....

The YCW Prayer

Lord Jesus,
I thank you for this day
I offer you all my work, my hopes and struggles, my joys and sorrows
Help me and all my fellow workers to think like you, to work with you, to live in you
Help me to love you with all my heart and serve you with all my strength
May your kingdom come in all our places of work, study and leisure and in all our homes
Give me the courage to challenge what is wrong and keep me faithful to the ideals of the Young Christian Workers
May those who have suffered for what is right and all who have died share in the happiness of your kingdom for ever.

Mary Queen of Apostles        Pray for Us
St Therese of Lisieux              Pray for Us
St Joseph the Worker            Pray for Us

Tuesday 22 November 2011

Fr Joseph Cardijn

The founder of YCW, a truly inspirational man. I thought I would share some of his thoughts:

'When man is on the moon, YCW will be there also'.
'Every young person is worth more than all the gold in the world because they are sons and daughters of God'.
'We are setting out to conquer the world'.
'Give me leaders and I will raise the world'.

'Young workers are not machines, or animals or slaves. They are the sons, the daughters, the collaborators, the heirs of God. 'He gave them the power to become the sons of God... partakers of the Divine Nature'. That is their sole true destiny, the reason of their existence, their life, and their work, the source of all their rights and all their duties'.

'The true leader never remains alone, they have to form a team, a YCW group, a little community in which each knows each other and is not afraid to talk'.

'The first and immediate apostle to a young worker is another young worker'.

'A leader is a young worker who has come to understand the enormous responsibility he/she has in life with regards to other young workers. He has an influence on other young workers. It is he who brings the YCW into being, he is the first YCW'.

'Everything by the leaders- nothing without the chaplain'.

'This mission given to God by all men finds its fullest expression in the lay apostolate. It consists in 'building a world to God's will, a fraternal humanity where the humble are loved and, helped by their brothers' witness to the presence and the life of God, for the establishment of peace and glory'.

As I kneel before you

I have chosen the above picture for this post because it is the statue of the Crowned Virgin, Mary the Mother of Christ in Lourdes. Not only is Lourdes the most important place in my life but it is where I came to know Mary and feel closest to her. It is also where the hymn below spoke to me and became my favourite prayer. The belief is also that if you say three Hail Marys in front of the statue, then you will return to Lourdes some day. It hasn't failed for me yet!

As I kneel before you,
As I bow my head in prayer,
Take this day, make it yours
and fill me with your love.

Ave Maria,
Gratia plena,
Dominus tecum,
Benedicta tu.

All I have I give you,
Every dream and wish are yours,
Mother of Christ,
Mother of mine, present them to my Lord.

As I kneel before you,
And I see your smiling face,
Ev'ry thought, ev'ry word
Is lost in your embrace.

Monday 21 November 2011

Beauty












1 Thessalonians 5:18

'Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus'

Kiss me like you wanna be loved

Settle down with meCover me upCuddle me in
Lie down with meAnd hold me in your arms
And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed in my neckI'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yetAnd with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now
Kiss me like you wanna be lovedYou wanna be lovedYou wanna be lovedThis feels like falling in loveFalling in loveWe're falling in love
Settle down with meAnd I'll be your safetyYou'll be my lady
I was made to keep your body warmBut I'm cold as the wind blows so hold me in your arms
Oh noMy heart's against your chest, your lips pressed in my neckI'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yetAnd with this feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now
Kiss me like you wanna be lovedYou wanna be lovedYou wanna be lovedThis feels like falling in loveFalling in loveWe're falling in love
Yeah I've been feeling everything from hate to love to lustFrom lust to truth I guess that's how I know youSo I hold you close to help you give it up
So kiss me like you wanna be lovedYou wanna be lovedYou wanna be lovedThis feels like falling in loveFalling in loveWe're falling in love

Cause maybe you're loveable and maybe you're my snowflake

I should ink my skin, with your name.And take my passport out again,and just replace it.See I could do without a tan on my left hand,where my fourth finger meets my knuckle.And I should run you a hot bath, fill it up with bubbles.
'Cause maybe your loveable,and maybe your my snowflake,and your eyes turn from green to grey,in the winter I'll hold you in a cold place.And you should never cut your hair,'cause I love the way you flick it off your shoulder, (mm)And you will never know, just how beautiful you are to me,but maybe I'm just in love when you wake me up.
And Would you ever feel guilty? If you did the same to me.Would you make me a cup of tea, to open my eyes in the right way?And I know you love shrek, 'cause we've watched it twelve times.But, maybe you're hoping for a fairy-tale to, but if your DVD breaks today,You should of got a VCR, because I've never owned a blueray, true say.
And I've always been shit at computer games, and your brother always beats me,And if I lost, i'd go across and chuck all the controllers at the tv, and then you'd laugh at me,and be asking me, if I'm going to be home next week,and then you'd lie with me, until I fall asleep,and flutter an eyelash on my cheek, between the sheets.
And you will never know, just how beautiful you are to me,but maybe I'm just in love when you wake me up.
And I think you hate the smell of smoke,you always try get me to stop,You drink as much as me, and I get drunk alot,So I take you to the beach, and walk along the sand,And I'll make you a heart pendant, with a pebble in my hand.And I'll carve it like a necklace, so the heart falls where your chest is,And now a piece of me, is a piece of the beach, and it falls just where it needs to be, and rests peacefully.You just need to breathe, to feel my heart against yours now, against yours now.
But maybe I'm just in love when you wake me up.But maybe I'm just in love when you wake me up.
Gyal you want me to hold yuh, put me arms right around ya, gyal you give me the tightest love me ever seen in my life, Gyal just want me to squeeze ya, ya put me arms right around ya, Gyal you give me the tightest love me ever seen in my life. ( Oh in my life, Oh, Oh in my life, Ohh, Oh in my life, Ohhh)
Well maybe I'm just in love when you wake me up,Maybe I'm just in love when you wake me up,I said maybe I fell in love, when you woke me up

Lego House

I'm gonna pick up the piecesAnd build a lego houseIf things go wrong we can knock it down
And three words havetwo meaningsthere's one thing on my mindIt's all for you
And it's dark in the cold decemberbut i've got you to keep me warmIf you're broken heart wont mend, yeahand keep you sheltered from the stormthat's raging on now
I'm out of touchI'm out of loveI'll bring you upwhen you're getting downAnd out of all these things i've doneI think I love you better now
I'm out of sightI'm out of mindI'll do it all for you anytimeAnd out of all these things i've doneI think I love you better nownow
I'm gonna paint you by numbersand colour you in
if things go rightwe could frame itand put you on a wall
And it's so hard to say itbut i've been here beforenow i'll surrender up my heartand swap it for yours
I'm out of touchI'm out of loveI'll pick you upwhen you're getting downAnd out of all these things i've doneI think I love you better now

I'm out of sightI'm out of mindI'll do it all for you anytimeAnd out of all these things i've doneI think I love you better now
don't hold me downi think the braces are breakingand it's more than i can take
And it's dark in the cold decemberbut i've got you to keep me warmIf you're broken heart wont mend, yeahand keep you sheltered from the stormthat's raging on now
I'm out of touchI'm out of loveI'll pick you upwhen you're getting downAnd out of all these things i've doneI think I love you better now
I'm out of sightI'm out of mindI'll do it all for you anytimeAnd out of all these things i've doneI think I love you better now
I'm out of touchI'm out of loveI'll pick you upwhen you're getting downAnd out of all these things i've doneI will love you better now