Witnessing through Social Networks

Dear All,

Below is an extract from Popes message for the 45th world day of social communications.He deals extensively on our role to witness in social networks. Lets witness online also thru our JY lifestyle!:)

"...To proclaim the Gospel through the new media means not only to insert expressly religious content into different media platforms, but also to witness consistently, in one’s own digital profile and in the way one communicates choices, preferences and judgements that are fully consistent with the Gospel, even when it is not spoken of specifically. Furthermore, it is also true in the digital world that a message cannot be proclaimed without a consistent witness on the part of the one who proclaims it. In these new circumstances and with these new forms of expression, Christian are once again called to offer a response to anyone who asks for a reason for the hope that is within them (cf. 1 Pet 3:15).
The task of witnessing to the Gospel in the digital era calls for everyone to be particularly attentive to the aspects of that message which can challenge some of the ways of thinking typical of the web. First of all, we must be aware that the truth which we long to share does not derive its worth from its “popularity” or from the amount of attention it receives. We must make it known in its integrity, instead of seeking to make it acceptable or diluting it. It must become daily nourishment and not a fleeting attraction. The truth of the Gospel is not something to be consumed or used superficially; rather it is a gift that calls for a free response. Even when it is proclaimed in the virtual space of the web, the Gospel demands to be incarnated in the real world and linked to the real faces of our brothers and sisters, those with whom we share our daily lives. Direct human relations always remain fundamental for the transmission of the faith!I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible. This is not simply to satisfy the desire to be present, but because this network is an integral part of human life. The web is contributing to the development of new and more complex intellectual and spiritual horizons, new forms of shared awareness.In this field too we are called to proclaim our faith that Christ is God, the Saviour of humanity and of history, the one in whom all things find their fulfilment (cf. Eph 1:10). The proclamation of the Gospel requires a communication which is at once respectful and sensitive, which stimulates the heart and moves the conscience; one which reflects the example of the risen Jesus when he joined the disciples on the way to Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35). By his approach to them, his dialogue with them, his way of gently drawing forth what was in their heart, they were led gradually to an understanding of the mystery.In the final analysis, the truth of Christ is the full and authentic response to that human desire for relationship, communion and meaning which is reflected in the immense popularity of social networks. Believers who bear witness to their most profound convictions greatly help prevent the web from becoming an instrument which depersonalizes people, attempts to manipulate them emotionally or allows those who are powerful to monopolize the opinions of others. On the contrary, believers encourage everyone to keep alive the eternal human questions which testify to our desire for transcendence and our longing for authentic forms of life, truly worthy of being lived. It is precisely this uniquely human spiritual yearning which inspires our quest for truth and for communion and which impels us to communicate with integrity and honesty.
God bless you all

How to build a Good Character

                              Building good character is all about addition, not subtraction. What I mean is this: when it comes to change, our focus is usually on the aspects of our lives that are bad. We try to cut out or cut off these negative or bad qualities. We try to improve by subtraction. That is not how you build good character
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It is the process of addition in your life that brings the character. In so doing, you automatically take care of the other negative aspects. As both a father and a pastor of a Church, I look for ways to continually add to the character of those I am responsible for. The Bible teaches us this concept in 2 Peter 1:5-9. We are to add things like virtue, patience, love, kindness, faith, and so on. It is the process of adding these things to our lives that we gain the character to be fruitful in life.


But how do you add these things? First, let's look at what character is. Character is the subconscious doing of right. When doing things that you ought to do is instinctive and part of you then that is good character. When you show up on time out of habit that is good character. When you're honest by reflex that is good character. When you can force yourself to be patient instinctively that is good character. When something wrong or bad is done habitually we call those bad habits. Doing things good or right out of habit is called good character.


It is not about taking away the negative. It is about adding those things to your life that become habitual. It is not about trying to not be late; it is about being on time. It is not about finding ways not to lie; it is about the truth. It is not about wrestling with your impatience; it is about being patient.


So how do you make something into a good habit? How do you build good character?
You practice it until it becomes part and parcel with you. You diligently focus on what you want to add and then practice it until it becomes a habit. Let me give you some examples:
A young man in college that I knew had trouble getting up when the alarm clock went off. He kept hitting the snooze button and always ended up rushing around so he wouldn't be late to class. He heard how another guy solved the same problem, so he tried it too. When he had some free time, he set his alarm clock to go off in five minutes. He lay down and tried to take a nap. When the alarm went off, he jumped straight up out of bed. He reset the alarm for another five minutes and did it again. He must have done that a dozen times. The next morning, when the alarm clock went off, he stood straight up out of bed. He had conditioned his body to react instinctively to the alarm. Soon he had no problems getting up in the morning.


I will admit that I am something of an introvert and a recluse by nature. These are not good qualities for someone who is a pastor of a church. I recognized my faults while in Bible College and decided to do something about it. I determined to greet everyone I saw before they could greet me. This forced me to be outgoing and friendly. It wasn't easy. Some folk are so outgoing that I literally had to yell a greeting down the hallway where a dozen people could hear before the other person could greet me. I did this for months and found myself being friendly to people and more outgoing without having to think about it or concentrate on it. I added friendliness to my character.


This is how you do it. When you are trying to add character, you have to focus on it and make it a goal of addition. You then practice it until it becomes instinctive. We do this with our muscles. We practice a particular jump shot in basketball, we practice swinging a racket, and we practice dribbling a soccer ball all so that our muscles will react instinctively without thought or conscious direction. Why should good character be any different?


God Bless you all

Don't worry about pains

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.
The butterfly then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our lives. If God allowed us to go through our lives without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as what we could have been. We could never fly!
 

Give your 100%

A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her. The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed.

The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised.

That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn't sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble.

Moral of the story: If you don't give your hundred percent in a relationship, you'll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.

This is applicable for any relationship like love,friendship, employer-employee relationship etc. Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully.