Robur pacis veritas

It was a quite significant symbol one of our former Apostolic Nuncios (Mons. Antonio Moreni) gave me, a medal depicting Jesus talking to Peter with the above inscription in Latin—Robur Pacis Veritas (the meaning of which is: The strength of peace lies in the truth).

You get to know the truth by being open to education in the various fields and aspects of reality.  When there is oppression forbidding such openness to truth or reality, then ignorance and violence reigns.  After all, truth is identical to reality.  You have that in the study of Metaphysics.

Besides, when people deceive others, they only show part of the truth, not the whole truth.  That is why it is said:  a lie is a half-truth.  Just like a deceptive salesman who shows a good product without telling you of a defective part.  And the Bible tells us: “The devil is a murderer and the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44).

St. Edith Stein, a Carmelite and Jewish convert to Catholicism, a co-patroness of Europe said some striking words: “He who seeks the truth, seeks God, whether he is aware of it or not.”  That’s it.  We only need to be sincere in our dialogues and quest for the truth, doing away with pride and greed so we may arrive at the “splendor of truth” and the “strength of peace which lies in the truth.”

Too much worrying

In the Bible, Jesus our Lord, advises against excessive worries over our daily needs.  “So do not worry; do not say, ‘What are we to eat?  What are we to drink?  How are we to be clothed?’  It is the pagans who set their hearts on all these things.  Your heavenly Father knows you need them all.  Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on his righteousness, and all these other things will be given you as well.  So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself.  Each day has enough troubles of its own” (Mt. 6:31-34).

This is good for your mental health and stability otherwise excessive worries might be a cause for mental imbalance.  Of course, the thing to do is to bravely face your duties and problems in life and do what can be done, as calmly as possible.  You don’t need to lose your balanced composure, rather, as one author has said: “Face the situation fearlessly and there is no situation to be faced.”

Unforgettable memories

There is no gainsaying the fact that our lives on earth are but temporary and there is an end to a lifetime.  But etched in our minds are the memories of youth with our parents’ love and care; memories of those who from a sincere love taught us the principles of right living and discipline.  That is the kind of love we are most inspired to communicate and share with our fellow humans so the spirit of love may everywhere flourish as Jesus desired it.  And we are grateful to our parents (Papa and Mama) and other close relations who taught us in word and deed (i.e. concretely) this very love of God and of every fellow human being so that we may actually put into practice as widely as possible that very love which Jesus wants us to bring into concrete realization.  After all what will life be worth for if there be no love in the world.

The memories are unforgettable because of the accompanying love behind those considerate acts or services of honest and sincere people   We can’t help but remember and relive the happy memories by sharing such goodness to other persons too. That’s how love is repaid with love, as they say in Spanish—“amor con amor se paga”.

God who has always been the origin and source of all good things and happenings, knows and rewards every good act.  To Him ultimately belongs all the honor and glory and praise.  And since in this world there is the constant struggle between good and evil, we have to do our part in fighting for the vicgory of goodness over evil, especially by raising the banner of Jesus Christ whose main aim was to save humanity from the forces of Satan and all other evil followers opposing the banner of Jesus Christ whose aim is eternal salvation and felicity for us all. 

What A Journey It Has Been!

After all trials, surprises and challenges in life we can most appropriately utter the above (title) statement (quoted from a popular song), accompanied always deep in our hearts by a deep sense of gratitude towards God Almighty.  Really, if only we deeply contemplate on this fleeting course of our lives, we can see there how the hand of God’s providence is ever there to guide and protect us and then we can only thank Him most graciously for that loving care on all of His children.  Yes, and He took care of us since our tenderest years, giving us loving parents who took care of us in discipline and education that we may learn to fend for ourselves and be able to face future challenges and struggles in our earthly passage towards God’s future heavenly Kingdom. 

On our part what we have to do is to place ourselves in His trust.  But we must not forget what Jesus, the Son of God, asks us to do: “Ask, and it will be given to you, search, and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.  For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him” (Mt. 7:7).  “If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Mt. 7:11).

It’s comforting to realize we truly have a Father in heaven who cares for us as we continue to journey in life.  So as a popular song goes: walk with hope in your heart, and you’ll never walk alone.  Let’s not forget the very words God’s Testament tells us in the letter of St. Paul to the Romans: “All things work together unto good for those who love God” (Rom. 8:28).

Nature's healing power

The founder of ancient Western medicine (circa 500 B.C.) Hippocrates, once referred to nature’s healing power as ‘vix medicatrix naturae’, that is, in the nature of living organisms there are innate self-healing powers.  Thus it would be best we take that into consideration and help or cooperate with those self-restorative powers of nature as God has created it.  That would be an attitude of cooperating with nature as originally created by the Lord instead of employing ways or means that might be violently opposed to the nature of the subject being assisted or treated upon.

                This open attitude to the nature of things could even prove more practical since nature itself has been provided by God with self-healing powers which it would certainly be more practical to be taken into consideration.  Hence, even in this matter it is good to approach it with an open mind so long we are alert to any new possibilities or discoveries that may help the advancement of our research in the medical practice or other areas connected to the healing of the human organism.