Philosophy of Religion

Does God exist? Have you ever considered why we believe that God exists in this world? Remember that we usually get our faith from our parents except for converts.

The ability to use reason to determine God's existence was a task that was undertaken by St Thomas Aquinas in the 17th Century and indeed it is amazing how he can come up with all these theories at that point in time.

I would like to share with you some of the points that I've learnt from class.

1. The presence of evil does not mean that God does not exist. Indeed God permits evil to exist in this world so that out of it, we can produce good. (St Thomas Aquinas)
2. The ability to use reason to determine God's existence is limited only by what is known by Divine Revelation. What is known to be revealed to us by the Apostles and God cannot be questioned.
3. Every cause has an effect. No cause, no effect. So who can be the cause or rather started everything must be God. There are 4 other reasons which I strongly encourage you all to find out. If you want, you can contact me and we can engage in a philosophical discussion.
4. If we don't question the very beliefs that we hold dear and close to us, how can we convince others of it?

I've also started to become interested in the Latin version of the Our Father. Indeed it is interesting to see how the language actually shortens the Our Father. I shall end my entry with the our Father.

Pater Noster
qui es in caelis
sanctificetur Nomen tuum
Adveniat regnum tuum
fiat voluntas tua
sicut in caelo et in terra
Panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie
et dimitte nobis debita nostra
sicut et nos dimmitimus debitoribus nostris
Et ne nos inducas in tentationem
sed libera nos a malo

Nicholas Chia

An occasional realisation

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginnning of Wisdom yes but only the Beginning. True and total Wisdom is with Yahweh, the Lord and only with Him. It comes forth from Him and Blessed are we to be offered the beginnings of Wisdom. So Praise The Lord and Give thanks to Him. Amen!

QQ

On joining a community-- my story

For some reason or another, I couldn’t open my mouth to share my story during today’s prayer meet. When I think back on my faith journey since I was baptized and how Fides came into the picture, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Just imagine the situation when I’m laughing too hard and cannot talk (it happens pretty often). It's the same idea. It’s not that I don’t want to share; I think I’m more comfortable talking in smaller groups.

My catechism course was a joke. Whoever has heard of RCIA that lasted only 6 months? The organizers decided it wasn’t long enough to be considered RCIA, so they changed the name to CCA instead. Whoever has heard of confirmation that happens one week after baptism? Well, the whole process gave me enough knowledge about Catholism to be baptised, but through that experience, my faith was stagnant since the time I was called by God at my Grandfather’s funeral. At the LISS after confirmation, I was incredibly boggled by the manifestation of gifts at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit because I doubted seriously that I would experience anything. Hence, that session wasn’t a fruitful one for me.

But I never lost hope in finding God. I knew whatever university I was going to, I would join the catholic society there. I remember my sponsor at IHM frantically looking for me in the midst of the after mass crowd to hand me a flyer from the joint outreach by the 3 universities. I signed up for both SMU and NUS camps because I was split between the two schools. I wanted the prestige of NUS, but the curriculum structure of SMU. If Raphael hadn’t called and told me how exciting life was at SMU (it helped that I liked salsa as well), I could have possibly chosen to go to NUS.

My first impression of a few of the seniors at FOC: Nick chia looked like a priest-wannabe giving a welcoming speech (brother, you should have cut your hair then; maybe I wouldn’t have thought that way). Ralf and Joseph looked too old to be in a youth group. When Joseph came in with long black pants and long sleeve shirt and did praise and worship, I thought he was some very religious and very devout teacher. And I don’t know why I thought Shawn looked like some pai2 gia4 (he sat next to me in a circle).

Albeit the comical beginnings, Fides was really the vector that helped my faith grow.
Without Fides, I wouldn’t have gone for YISS, discovered my gift of tongue, made a very good confession, and learnt to praise the Lord without inhibition during PNW.
Without Fides, I wouldn’t have experienced God when playing the keyboard at one of the midterm retreats.
Without Fides, I wouldn’t have discovered my gift of prophecy at one of the working retreats.
Without Fides, I wouldn’t have experienced community, among a group of people who loves God.
Without Fides, there wouldn’t be a hideout at GSR 4.6.
Without Fides, there wouldn’t be anyone to teach me MA or loan me a Finance textbook or go for latin ballroom classes with.

I cannot begin to imagine what would happen if the previous exco had lost faith. Because I would have never found mine.

God is so real to me now; Yesterday, I played the song ‘Everyday’ on the piano and found tears coming to my eyes as I sang. At the chalet on Sunday, I could feel God’s love flooding the BBQ pit area as I observed the conversation around me. And it fills me with so much joy, even though I’ve left for 3 months. It felt like I was around a week ago. The way God’s love flows through Fides is so beautiful.

I want to thank the previous exco for persevering in the hardest times.
I want to thank the community for being the beautiful people they are.
Most of all, I want to thank God for everything He’s blessed me with. The way he puts our lives together is simply too amazing.

Your loving sister,
Julia

The Hail Mary Rosary

Hi brothers and sisters!!!

Here's some really beautiful description of praying the rosary sent to me by my sponsor (some of you would have received it in email):

Father Gabriel Amorth, chief exorcist of the Vatican writes: One day a colleague of mine heard the devil say during an exorcism:
"Every Hail Mary is like a blow on my head. If Christians knew how powerful the Rosary was, it would be my end."
The secret that makes this prayer so effective is that the Rosary is both prayer and meditation. It is addressed to the Father, to the Blessed Virgin, and to the Holy Trinity, and is a meditation centred on Christ. I write in addition to the above: Please enunciate each word of the Rosary clearly and distinctly. Do not 'trample on the heels' of the words of anyone with your words. Do not speak over the leader, if you are following, or the responders if you are leading the Rosary. Remember that they also are having a conversation with Mary Our Mother and it is not polite to speak when someone else is speaking.

In the case of the public Rosary there are only two people speaking, the Leader and the Responders. Each are speaking to their Mother and listening carefully to her response within their hearts as they meditate on the scene before them in their consideration of the mystery being spoken of and interpreted and translated into their lives.Spread this powerful prayer of exorcism, The Rosary which contains the Our Father, the Perfect Prayer, prayed five times in the rescitation of each set of the Rosary's Mysteries, backed up by the powerful prayers of Our Motherwho prays with us as we pray 53 Hail Marys.

The Eternal Father described to a group of us, through a Visionary Friend of mine, what happens when we pray the Rosary, saying, "When you pray Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now..... , the Blessed Mother comes instantly to your side to pray with you. And she does not come alone. She brings angels with her. And not just one or two for she is the Queenof Angels, so choirs of angels come with her. And she and Jesus are joined at the heart and cannot be separated so she brings Jesus with her. And Jesus cannot be separated from the Trinity so He brings the Father and the Holy Spirit with Him. And where the Holy Trinity is all of creation is and you are surrounded by such beauty and light as you cannot imagine in this life. Your Mother comes as Our Lady of Grace with her hands out-stretched. Rays of light emit from her hands piercing your body, healing you and filling you with graces.

This is your inheritance which was poured out from the heart of Jesus on the Cross, when the centurion pierced His Heart with the spear, into the only pure vessel ready to receive such graces at that time, Your Mother. Now as you pray the Rosary, or even just recite one Hail Mary, you receive your portion of these graces." He also said at this time, "Anyone who goes to Marmora and prays the Rosary cannot betouched by Satan."Is it any wonder that anyone who prays the Rosary from the heart is so blessed and protected and powerful in their prayers for others?"

God bless all of you.

Your loving sister,
Julia