making up stories about the arts
dance. theater. film. music. visual arts. journalism. workshops. family. health.
CHECK OUT MY OTHER SITE: ednavida@multiply.com
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 19 God's Standards
CHRIST: MY CHILD, on the Day of judgment the rags of the poor will shine more brilliantly than the fine clothes of those who loved this earthly life too much. The homes of the poor will be honored more than the comfortable mansions of the rich. In that hour the patience of My loyal followers will have greater merit than the human might of this world. Simple obedience to My laws will be more highly praised than all earthly cleverness.
2. In the Day of Truth a pure and good conscience will bring more joy than mere learning. The man who refused to sin for earthly gain, will be the envy of those who lived only for this world. You will have more consolation for having prayed devoutly than for having enjoyed earth's pleasures and comforts.
3. Then you will be glad of the prayerful silence you observed, rather than for having talked a great deal. Good works will be of greater value than good words. Self-control and healthy penance will be more pleasing to you than all the delights of earth.
THINK: How different are God's standards from those of worldly men. Is it any wonder that those who live God's way seem to live a foolish life? Yet the real fools are those who disagree with God's standards. Christ is sure to triumph at the judgment, and those who follow His standards are certain to triumph with Him.
PRAY: My Jesus, can I be fool enough to live by any other standard than Yours? Let me embrace Your standards in my daily life. Though I may find life harder, I will not complain as long as I know that Your Will is guiding me. Through the Church and the Scriptures, You promise to lead me to a happy judgment and a joyful eternity. I hope to be a loyal follower of Yours each day of my earthly life. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 18 The Day of Judgment
CHRIST: MY CHILD, those who are loyal to My commandments in this life, will not be in terror on the Day of Judgment. The sign of the cross will appear in the sky when I come to judge the world. Then all my loyal followers, the followers of the cross, will come with great confidence to Me, their crucified King and judge.
2. On that day, the just shall stand against those who annoyed and persecuted them. Those who humbly bore the judgments of their fellowmen, will rise to judge the rest on that day. The poor and the humble will have great confidence and joy, but the proud and the selfish lovers of this world will have many reasons to be afraid.
3. In that hour everyone will see that the wisest people were those who preferred to follow My commandments and live My way. They will no longer be considered fools by the worldly-minded. All wrong-doing will be silenced and condemned, while every suffering endured with patience, will bring joy and gladness. The unreligious will be sad, but My devoted followers will be filled with happiness. Many will thank Me for the hardships and trials which they bore on earth. That day will show forth My power, wisdom, and majesty.
THINK: Like a river that flows ever onward toward the sea, the current of daily life moves ever onward toward the Day of judgment. That day will correct the wrong standards and foolish ideals of worldly men. It will be the Day of Truth, the triumph of holiness. Will I drift along on my daily course or will I regularly check my direction by an intelligent self- examination? I prepare for a joyful judgment or a fearful one by the kind of life I live today.
PRAY: O Jesus, My judge and King, I refuse to drift along each day until death takes me by surprise. I want to follow Your standards as You speak to me today through Your Church. Tell me how You want me to live and I hope to follow Your every wish. I need not fear the judgment if only I will be loyal to You in my daily life. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 17 The Coming Judgment
CHRIST: MY CHILD, you must one day give a full account of your earthly life. How will you stand before Me, the just judge, from Whom nothing is hidden? I take no bribes and accept no excuses. At present you can take advantage of My Divine Mercy. When this earthly life is over, you will receive strict justice.
2. Can you be so great a fool as to go on putting off your good resolutions, when pardon can be so easily obtained now? If you go on postponing your resolutions, how will you face My Divine justice-you who are sometimes frightened by an angry fellow-human?
3. Why not begin today to prepare for the day of judgment? You will find it far less terrible if you begin now to live as I command. On the day of judgment no man can be excused or defended by another. Each one will find it difficult enough to answer for his own sins.
THINK: While I am on earth, my efforts are useful, my tears are acceptable, my sorrow has power to purify my soul. God desires to forgive me here and now. It is better to wash away my sins and correct my bad habits now, rather than leave them for purification after death. I am deceiving myself when I follow my feelings and put off my repentance and resolutions.
PRAY: Lord, let me think of my sins and be sorry for them, so that on the day of judgment, I may enjoy security with Your angels and saints. Teach me to do penance in little things now, so that I may not be subjected to worse sufferings hereafter. True, I should do all of this in loyalty to You. Yet, I am so selfish that I must have some fear to spur me on when my love for You fails. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 16 Being Ready for Death
CHRIST: MY CHILD, your actions and thoughts should always be as orderly as though you expected to die this day. If you are unprepared today, how will you be prepared tomorrow? Tomorrow is uncertain. How do you know that you will be alive tomorrow? If you have ever seen person pass away, just reflect that you too must pass away as he did.
2. You can do many good works while you enjoy good health, but when you are sick, who knows what you will be able to do? Few people are improved by sickness. So too, those who have too many worldly interests seldom increase in holiness, because they are full of distractions. Recollection and prayer are the seeds of a good life; and a good life is the path to a holy death.
3. It is better to provide for yourself while you are still here in this life. Do not rely on the prayers and help of others after your death. The present time is precious. Now is your opportunity. This is your day of salvation. Spend today profitably. Send your prayers, sacrifices and good works to Me before you come to Me to be judged. It is within your power to earn eternal life by a wise use of this present time.
4. Think often of death, and remember that time lost will never return. You have not a lasting dwelling on this earth. In this life you are like a traveler. You will never have rest until you are united with Me, your Saviour.
THINK: Few things are certain in this earthly life. The most certain fact of all is that I am to die. When? Where? How? I know not. That I shall die, however, is certain. Many people are dying at this very moment. I am too busy with my own life to give much thought to them. So will it be when I am dying. That moment will be very important to me, but the world will go right on about its business. If I do not prepare for death by a good life, I am a fool.
PRAY: Lord, let me not fear death with an empty fear, but with a wise and holy fear. An empty fear does not make men any better, but a wise and holy fear urges them to improve their lives. I will prepare for death by trying today to please you more and more in my thoughts, desires, words and actions. If I live this day as You desire, I shall be ready at any moment, and death will be nothing worse than Your loving call. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 15 The Peace of a Good Conscience
CHRIST: MY CHILD, if you have a good conscience, you need not have any fear of death. It is better to try to avoid sin than to try to escape death.
2. A wise man reflects often on the hour of death, so as to be prepared for it at all times.
3. If you want to please Me, try to become today the kind of man you would like to be at the time of your death. Make this effort, and death will find you full of confidence and peace. For this must you daily strive: a healthy contempt for worldly comforts, a burning desire to advance in virtue, a love of right order in your actions, a spirit of penance, readiness to obey authority, self-discipline, and patience to bear adversity for My sake.
THINK: A good conscience means that I have honestly tried to learn what God desires of me, and I have sincerely tried to do what He desires. Without these two efforts there is no good conscience. A man who knows that he has really made those two efforts, has a good conscience. To such a man, God gives His peace. Others may be distracted with earthly activities and interests, but they do not have that interior peace which can remain calm even in the face of death.
PRAY: My God, I hope to obtain Your holy assistance so that I may never avoid learning Your holy Will, nor ever fail to follow it in my daily life. I may find a little less pleasure if I follow Your Will, but I shall enjoy Your peace, which is greater than any pleasure. If ever I become selfish enough to avoid Your Will, let my conscience disturb and annoy me until I return to You. Amen.
Book One: The Way of Purification
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 14 Man's Last Moments
CHRIST: MY CHILD, when your last hour arrives, you will see this earthly life in a new light. If you were neglectful and careless about My law, you will have great regret. If you lived as I desire, your heart will be full of joy.
2. The time is coming when you would like to have another day, or even one more hour, to make up for the past. Take your day and your hour now that you have the time. Who can guarantee you another hour when you feel life slipping away?
3. Death may come at any time. Always be ready for it. In this way you will be free of fear or danger, no matter when My angel calls you from this life. Live in such a way that the hour of death may bring you joy rather than fear.
4. Never love any earthly thing too much. Place your confidence in Me and look to Me as your greatest Treasure. I am far more to you than you can even suspect. A weak soul is enslaved by its earthly desires and loves. The prayerful man gains a heavenly liberty from this life, a liberty which is not understood by worldly men.
THINK: No matter what my interests may be, or how important they may seem, when death comes, I will leave everything and go to my judgment at once. Others will take my place and assume my importance and my activities. Few people know that their death is near. Most men are surprised by the arrival of death. To those who love God, it is a cause of joy. To those who love this earthly life too much, it is a painful parting.
PRAY: My God, make me wise in my esteem for the work, the pleasures, the honor and the successes of this earthly life. Let me want nothing that might separate me from You. My first interest shall be to please You, to do everything as You desire. In this way, I hope to be ready for eternity every moment of the day. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 13 Nearness of Death
CHRIST: MY CHILD, in a little while this earthly life of yours will be over, just how ready are you to enter into the next Life? Man exists today, and tomorrow he is seen no more. When he is out of sight, he is quickly also out of mind. The human heart can be so dull and hard! It fixes its attention on things present. It often fails to provide for the things that are to come.
2. In the morning consider for a moment the fact that you may not live till evening. When evening comes do not be too confident that you will see the next morning. These thoughts should not make you gloomy, but practical. Live in such a way that death will never find you unprepared. Live each day as you would want to live the last day of your life. Too many die suddenly and unprepared. I have warned everyone: "The Son of Man will come at that hour when He is not expected."
3. How many have deceived themselves into thinking that they still had plenty of time. They were snatched unexpectedly from this life. How often have you heard that someone was killed in a fight; another was drowned; another fell and broke his neck? This man died while sitting at table. That one passed away while enjoying a game. Some die by fire; some by violence; some are destroyed by disease; some are killed at the hands of robbers. Thus death brings an end to all, and man's life suddenly passes away like a fleeting shadow.
THINK: Why should I refuse to face facts? Will I die any sooner if I think of death? Or am I going to escape death if I never think of it. The most terrible death which can come to me is the death which will find me in mortal sin. Every other aspect of death is a passing thing, but this last phase — the unprovided death — will hurt me forever.
Death, with all its uncertainties, is a fact. I should face facts and see what can be done about them. What can I do about death? I can live in such a way that no matter when death comes, it will find me in sanctifying grace.
PRAY: Lord, for those in mortal sin, death is the gateway to hell, but for those in sanctifying grace, it is the pathway to Heaven. Let my greatest desire in life be to live in such a way that I can die fearlessly at any moment. Let me fear sin more than death or any other earthly harm. Amen.
CONVERSION
CHAPTER 12 Extreme Love of This Life
CHRIST: MY CHILD, learn wisdom from the folly of worldly people. See how hard they take their worldly losses! For an earthly gain men will labor and suffer so much, but their spiritual losses are so easily forgotten. They are often interested in matters which have little or no value, and they negligently pass over matters which are important. Their entire attention is often absorbed by external affairs. Unless you fight to control your thoughts, you too will be enslaved by the passing events of the present moment.
2. How foolish are those who do not realize their miserable condition, making this passing earthly life the only object of their desires! Some cling so to this life that, if they could remain here forever, they would not care at all for the Kingdom of God. They would prefer to stay on earth even though they might have to strain and struggle for the bare necessities of this earthly existence.
3. How foolish and blind these people are! They lie buried so deep in earthly things that they enjoy only the pleasures of the senses. In a short while, they will come to the end of their earthly life. Then they will have a bitter realization of the uselessness and nothingness of what they loved.
THlNK: The best way to realize the quickly-passing value of earthly attractions, is to look at them in the past. Where are the enjoyments of last year? What became of the glory for which I struggled so hard five years ago? What's left of last summer's pleasures? Gone! All finished and gone! Do I want to go on living for that kind of happiness or do I want perfect, all- satisfying-never-ending happiness? Only a fool would hesitate in answering this question.
PRAY: Lord and Father of all intelligence, may I never be guilty of the supreme folly-the folly of those who believe in living for today's earthly pleasures, without bothering about their eternal salvation. In the Gospel You speak of the man who sat back and prepared to think only of the pleasure and enjoyment of his earthly possessions. To him You said: "Thou fool! This night will they require thy soul of thee!" He died that night, unprepared to face his judge. Let me always face life's greatest fact-I live for Heaven or for hell. My earthly life will show what choice I make. My God, give me the strength to live a holy life on earth so that I may receive the eternal reward of Heavenly life with You. Amen.
Auditions for the principal roles in the new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein' s "Flower Drum Song" will be held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines ' Bulwagang Amado Hernandez (CCP Conference Room) on February 15, 2010 from 1PM to 8PM.
The production is in search of actors / singers / dancers for the following roles:
Lead female character MEI LI, a new immigrant from China , twenties, soprano
WANG CHI YANG, a Chinese opera actor and immigrant to San Francisco , fifties, baritone /
WANG TA, a Chinese-American, son of Wang Chi Yang, twenties, tenor
CHIN, wise old family friend of the Wangs, sixties, baritone
LINDA LOW, a Chinese American showgirl, twenties, mezzo
MADAME RITA LIANG, a Chinese American talent agent with strong comic timing, forties, mezzo.
Auditionees must have had previous acting experience in musical theater productions. They are requested to come prepared with two songs, one of which should be from the musical and the role that he / she wants to audition for. Please bring musical score for piano if accompaniment is necessary. Also be prepared to show a 2-minute dance routine and do a short reading.
The musical is slated to be staged at the CCP Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo (Main Theater) from October 15 to November 7, 2010 under the auspices of the Cultural Center of the Philippines . Noted stage director and designer Loy Arcenas will direct the musical to the new book by David Henry Hwang based on the original script by Oscar Hammerstein and Joseph Fields. Other members of the artistic team are choreographer Edna Vida Froilan and costume designer Gino Gonzales. Executive Producer is Nestor Jardin.
Those interested to audition for the musical are requested to bring their bio-data and one close up and one full body photograph. For details, please contact Ms. Bernie Abella at telephone no. 832-1125 loc 1111 or Ms. Clottie Lucero at 832-1125 loc. 1606 or 1607.
Posts
