LENT 3

Note from the Scoop Factory:
From today, "Coming Soon" will be replaced by "Takeaway".
Same good stuff with a different name.
So don't panick, and enjoy your visit!

TODAY’S FLAVOURS
Faith & Reason
One of the often asked questions that we Catholics face is “How do we know there is a God?”

Some of us respond by saying that we experience God in our lives. Others simply by relying on blind faith. But can we go further and argue that by purely by reason of logical thinking, there must be a God in the design of the Universe?

I have just read a book titled “Faith and Reason by Austin Schmidt and Joseph Perkins which attempts to make such an argument and I will endeavour to summarise their views.

1. A design requires a designer
The radio (or TV or telephone) that we listen to didn’t just come together by chance. It is quite impossible that all the parts of the radio came together purely by chance and in a certain order of arrangement. The only logical explanation is that the radio was made by someone with intelligence who had a purpose in making it. So we can reason that complicated order and design prove the existence of an intelligent designer.

The ever-running water cycle, no doubt free,
is something we cannot take for granted.

2. Nature’s order and design prove God’s existence
No equipment made by man can ever equal in delicacy, beauty and efficiency the wonderful works of nature. Consider how our eyes, ears and brain work for example to appreciate the wonderful design of it all. A robot designed by man can never equal the creation that is Man.

3. Chance cannot explain order
Was it chance that particles moving about randomly in space just came together and created the sun, moon, the earth, the seas, animals, plants and men? Did it just happen that we have eyes with which to see, ears with which to hear, and minds with which to think?

Some of us know of the Big Bang Theory. In simple terms, our universe was created from nothing and in a single blinding pulse, a moment of glory much too swift and expansive for any form of words, this nothingness assumed heavenly dimensions, space beyond conception. While science is able to explain how the universe was created from this point on, it cannot explain how we could get something from nothing. All that science can really say is that at some indeterminate point in the very distance past, for reasons unknown, there came the moment known to science as t = 0 and we were on our way.

The beautiful and intricate folds of the Canadian Rockies
are signs of the unseen forces of our Creator.

What is extraordinary from our point of view is how well it turned out for us. If the universe had formed just a tiny bit differently – if gravity were fractionally stronger or weaker, if the expansion of the universe had proceeded a little more slowly or swiftly – then there might never have been stable elements to make all the things that we see on earth today.

The person who deny the existence of a supreme Creator is asking us to believe that this immense universe, full of so great a number of things most delicately arranged, is the result of blind chance.

If chance really did bring about the existence the thousands of living things that we see around us, why is it that chance, when we give it every possible opportunity to work and even help it, does not create any living thing today? A human cell is a very simple and tiny thing and we know what its structure is and what materials enter in to. But we cannot make one of these tiny cells nor do we find that chance is making any cells.

4. Proof of God’s existence surrounds us
Whether we look upon the little violet growing in the garden, or whether we lift our eyes to the innumerable stars in the heavens, we see everywhere evidence of wonderful design, of wise and loving purpose. This has even prompted a great scientist to remark that “Overwhelming proofs of intelligence and benevolent design lie around us … teaching us that all living things depend upon one ever-acting Creator and Ruler.”

Everything from the huge redwood trees to the tiniest
of creatures are part of His wonderful design.

The universe proclaims the existence of a Supreme Being, a Being of incredible wisdom, power and goodness. This Supreme Being we call God.

- Contributed by Mark Ortega, pictures by Alf, 14 March 2007.


TOPPINGS
Love & Prayer
To quote Blessed Teresa, “Love is a fruit in season at all times and within the reach of every hand. Anyone may gather it and no limit is set. Everyone can reach this love through meditation , prayer, sacrifice and an intense inner life.”

Blessed Teresa is referring to God’s consistent and unconditional love for us and the need for us to love one another as love is within us. Her words are worthy of noting as she (had been) and the Missionaries of Charity are indeed living examples of God’s love in action, which are real and we can emulate.

Drawing her inspiration from God who is love, she succinctly shows us the joy of loving, of seeing God in every person, of being one with God through prayer, sacrifice and service. We are reminded that each one of us is created in God’s image to love and be loved. Through prayer, we are brought closer to God, to His love for us and to love within us.

-Contributed by Roy Tan, 12 Mar 2007.


EXTRA GOODIES
Myself: My gift to this Ministry

Last Sunday the catechists of Holy Family were given an interesting session on ‘Myself: My gift to this Ministry’ by Sr. Francisca Tan, a Cenacle Sister. It was a very enlightening afternoon, which took us on a soul-searching journey to find out who we really are as individuals and where our strengths lie. We had to participate in a written exercise in which we were asked to list our talents or strong points under 3 main categories: namely, I AM, I HAVE and I CAN.

It was interesting, yet a bit awkward too, as we shared our strong points with fellow catechists of the same teaching level; who later also added to our personal list, other talents they thought we possessed. It was a great experience which enabled us to look inside ourselves to find out more about our abilities and strong points, some of which probably we had even forgotten existed. All in all, I believe this session deepened our commitment as catechists and teachers of the faith.

-A sharing by Merle DeSouza, 14 Mar 2007.


TAKEAWAY
Come, all ye who hunger! We invite you to a table fellowship at the seder meal or what is commonly known as the Passover. Some of you may have done this with your children in class on a simpler level but we invite all catechists and children liturgists to join together in this meal to explore the theological, confessional, and educational dimension of the festival. Yes, there will be real gastronomic food as well as spiritual food.

1. “Seder Meal”
31 March 2007, Saturday
Venue: Holy Family Church, RCIA room (Priests’ House)
Time: 2.00 pm - 3.30 pm
As shared by some Catechists above, we believe the recent formation touched many who attended. We fully encourage all our Catechists and Children Liturgists to attend these future sessions. Don’t miss them!

2. “My Prayer Life/ Teaching Children how to pray”
5 May 2007, Saturday
Time: 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Venue: Holy Family 4th floor, Canteen (Spirituality)

3. “You are a Gift to our Catechetical Ministry”
27 May 2007, Sunday
Time: 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Venue: Holy Family 4th floor, Canteen (Group Dynamics)