Editorial

Don't take for granted!

By Gerard Pereira (Editor, Inspiritu)

While digesting what Monsignor Sebastian had said during mass at the opening ceremony of the Melaka/Johor rally. An incident struck me. He said, “Don't take things for granted.”

It was a Saturday afternoon, my wife and I were returning to the car after our lunch with a friend. As we were saying our goodbyes, I noticed another car stopping at a parking lot a few cars away. The passenger from the driver's side of the car got out and started putting coins into the parking meter. I noticed the number plate of the car to be that of another state. I called out ‘hello' to inform the person that there are no parking charges on public holidays and Sundays at that parking lot. I must have been soft because the person continued to put in a handful of coins and crossed the road. It was done so mechanically, without reading the instructions on the meter.

That was the introduction to the editorial for the Jan/Feb issue. I had finished the magazine and was checking through the ‘settings' when a ‘virus' hit the file. I could not open the file and that meant that I had to redo the whole Jan/Feb issue. Oh...the thoughts and frustrations that have flooded my mind. I can now empathise with St. Theresa of Avila , who said to Jesus on one occasion after she had mud splashed over her by a passing horse carriage, “I now understand why you have so few friends”.

I too like the person at the parking meter was presumptuous and had not ‘read' the tell-tale signs and took things for granted. This has been a very practical example of how God teaches us both through positive and negative events . I cannot take my walk with the Lord for granted. I need to be “Spirit led” and attentive constantly in the way I live. I need to safe guard my relationship with God through prayer, the study and reflection of His Word, the sacraments and a life in Community. To do what God is asking me to do through prayer and discernment. Sometimes “doing” good things may not be what God, is asking to do.

This incidence has also led me to understand the prophecy received, when the English speaking DST of the Penang Diocese met early last year. “God wants to do something new” with us in the CCR. To do this, on many occasions in 2007 the call has been “ REPENT” and “Return to your first love” . To return and understand what the Lord wants to accomplish in our lives and in the Church through the CCR.

Core teams like the incident at the parking meter could be fulfilling what is “expected” to happen at the prayer meeting without keeping in mind the VISION of the Lord. The vision is to enter and lead others into living the LIFE OF THE SPIRIT . From this LIFE flows the Mission of The CCR.

Acknowledging that CCR Prayer Groups NEED TO BE STRENGTHENED with this vision, the Peninsula Malaysian Service Team through dialogue and discernment, has drawn up guidelines for the selection and role of core teams.

Along with this, for 2008, the PMST is preparing leadership modules on different topics for the training of leaders in the CCR. Visit the PMST website at (pmst-ccr.org) for more resource material.

My apologies to Sebastian Pillai for not inserting his name as the one who reported on the Tamil L.S.S in the Nov/Dec issue of 2007.

A big thank you to Elaine Wijayasuria and Vincent D'Silva for their write-up on the Melaka/Johor Rally.

Serving you

Gerry Pereira