Lasallian
Youth Link
An Official OSA publication
Volume 1
Issue 6
January 2003
THIS MONTH
CHRISTIAN UNITY (IN ENGLISH, ITALIAN AND SPANISH)
A THOUGHT
PRAYER
FEATURED WEBSITE
SONG
FINAL WORD
So the year 2003 has started and most of us do not realise that a new year
is a new year for everybody including ourselves. Still remember the
resolutions and commitments taken for this year?
During this month a number of us made our voice heard against any kind of
war for whatever reason. War is never a solution to any problem. This
month as well two important international political events took place: The
economic forum in Davos Switzerland and the World Social forum in Porto
Allegre Brazil in which some lasallian youth participated in their
individual capacities.
In Rome every year in the last week of January discussions take place
between various church leaders for an eventual Christian unity. You can
read more about this in the following section.
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--- WEEK OF PRAYER FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
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(English)
The following is an excerpt from the Homily of Pope John Paul II at the end
of the week of prayer for Christian unity.
The hope that we express together today is that the spirituality of
communion will grow ever stronger! As I wrote in my Apostolic Letter Novo
Millennio Ineunte
<
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_j
p-ii_apl_20010106_novo-millennio-ineunte_en.html> , may each of us be
enabled more and more to look upon our brothers and sisters in faith, within
the unity of the Mystical Body, as "those who are a part of me", in order
to
be "able to share their joys and sufferings".
May we come to see "what is positive in others, to welcome it and prize it
as a gift from God: not only as a gift for the brother or sister who has
received it directly, but also as a gift for me". Let there be no mistake:
without an authentic spirituality of communion, external structures of
communion "would become mechanisms without a soul, masks of communion
rather than its means of expression and growth" (No. 43).
Let us continue, then, with courage and patience along this path, trusting
in the power of the Spirit! It is not for us to set time frames or
deadlines; the Lords promise is enough for us.
Strengthened by the word of Christ, we shall not give in to weariness, but
rather shall intensify our efforts and our prayer for unity. May his
invitation echo in our hearts tonight and bring us comfort: "Duc in altum!".
Let us go forward, placing our trust always in him! Amen!
(Italian)
La Chiesa cattolica e le Antiche Chiese dOriente - Patriarcato copto
ortodosso dEgitto, Patriarcato siro ortodosso dAntiochia, Chiesa
Apostolica Armena (Sede di Etchmiadzine e Catholicossato di Antelias, in
Libano), Chiesa ortodossa dEtiopia, Chiesa ortodossa dEritrea, Chiesa
ortodossa sira del Malankar - iniziano una seconda fase di dialogo, nei
giorni 27, 28 e 29 gennaio 2003 a Roma, durante un incontro che si terrà
presso la sede del Pontificio Consiglio per la Promozione dellUnità dei
Cristiani. Durante la prima fase di tale dialogo, sono stati firmati
congiuntamente da Papa Giovanni Paolo II e dalle Autorità di queste Chiese,
delle importanti dichiarazioni di accordo cristologico. Lattuale raduno
ha
un carattere preparatorio ed intende stabilire i temi ed i metodi del futuro
dialogo. Martedì 28 gennaio, i membri del Comitato preparatorio saranno
ricevuti in udienza dal Santo Padre.
Le Antiche Chiese dellOriente si sono separate dalla Chiesa di Roma e da
Bisanzio nel contesto del Concilio di Calcedonia (451).
(Spanish)
CIUDAD DEL VATICANO, 27 enero 2003 Roma es testigo en estos días de un nuevo
paso ecuménico orientado a superar un cisma que dura desde hace 1552 años.
Del 27 al 29 de enero representantes de las Antiguas Iglesias de Oriente,
separadas tanto de Roma como de las Iglesias ortodoxas de Bizancio en el
Concilio de Calcedonia (año 451), se encuentran en el Vaticano para lanzar
una segunda fase de diálogo que busca alcanzar la unidad plena.
En una primera fase de diálogo, estas Iglesias cristianas y Juan Pablo II
han firmado importantes declaraciones conjuntas sobre la naturaleza de
Cristo, que superan uno de los motivos fundamentales del cisma, surgido
cuando estas Iglesias rechazaron las conclusiones del Concilio de
Calcedonia, que definió la naturaleza divina y humana de Cristo.
Ante el supuesto «monofisismo», los años pasados de diálogo con Roma han
dejado claro que el cisma fue originado por problemas de comunicación y de
lenguaje en la comprensión de la fe cristológica.
Así lo demuestra, por ejemplo, la Declaración común firmada por Juan Pablo
II y el Catolicós armenio Karekin I en 1996 en la que ambos profesaron que
«Cristo es el Verbo de Dios hecho carne, Dios perfecto en su divinidad,
hombre perfecto en su humanidad».
Además de la Iglesia Apostólica Armenia (con sus sedes en Etchmiadzin y en
Antelias, Líbano), estas Iglesias son el Patriarcado copto ortodoxo de
Egipto, el Patriarcado siro-ortodoxo de Antioquía, la Iglesia ortodoxa de
Etiopía, la Iglesia ortodoxa de Eritrea, y la Iglesia ortodoxa siria de
Malankar.
______________________________________________________________
--- THOUGHT
______________________________________________________________
Take My Son
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had
everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often
sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict
broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle
while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply
for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door.
A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said,
"Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his
life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when
a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked
about you, and your love for art." The young man held out this package. "I
know
this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would
have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by
the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the
personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the
eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no
sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It's a gift." The
father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his
home he
took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the
other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his
paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great
paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his
gavel. "We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will
bid for this picture?"
There was silence.
Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We want to see the famous
paintings. Skip this one." But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone
bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, ... $200?"
Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't come to see this painting. We
came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"
But still the auctioneer continued. "The son! The son! Who'll take the
son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime
gardener of the man and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting." Being
a
poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?"
"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."
"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?"
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the son.
They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!"
A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now let's get on with the
collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."
"What about the paintings?"
"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a
secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that
stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned.
Whoever
bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the
paintings.
The man who took the son gets everything!"
God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the
auctioneer, His message today is: "The son, the son, who'll take the son?"
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO SO EVER
BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE... THAT'S LOVE
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--- PRAYER
______________________________________________________________
Prayer to Your Guardian Angel
Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love entrusts me here;
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.
______________________________________________________________
--- FEATURED WEBSITE
______________________________________________________________
http://www.holocaustmemorialday.gov.uk/
A very informative website about the holocaust. 27th January has been
established as the official date to remember victims of the holocaust.
Amongst the aim for the creation of such a day is to ensure that the
horrendous crimes, racism and victimisation committed during the Holocaust
are neither forgotten nor repeated, whether in Europe or elsewhere in the
world. The Theme used in the United Kingdom for this year was "Children and
the Holocaust". The event informed everyone, particularly future
generations, about the Holocaust and the lessons to be learned from it,
encouraging reflection on similar recent atrocities such as, Cambodia and
Rwanda.
______________________________________________________________
--- THIS MONTHS' SONG
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One Vision (Queen 1986)
One man one goal one mission,
One heart one soul just one solution,
One flash of light yeah one god one vision.
One flesh one bone,
one true religion,
One voice one hope,
Wowowowo gimme one vision.
No wrong no right,
I'm gonna tell you there's no black and no white,
No blood no stain,
All we need is one world wide vision.
One flesh one bone,
one true religion,
One voice one hope,
One real decision,
Wowowowo gimme one vision.
I had a dream,
When I was young,
A dream of sweet illusion,
A glimpse of hope and unity,
And visions of one sweet union,
But a cold wind blows,
And a dark rain falls,
And in my heart it shows,
Look what they've done to my dream.
So give me your hands,
Give me your hearts,
I'm ready,
There's only one direction,
One world one nation,
Yeah one vision.
No hate no fight,
Just excitation,
All through the night,
It's a celebration wowowowo yeah.
One flesh one bone,
one true religion,
One voice one hope,
One real decision.
Gimme one night,
Gimme ione hope,
One man one man,
One bar one night,
One day hey hey,
Just gimme gimme gimme
One vision.
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--- FINAL WORD!
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We kindly ask you to advise of any change in your e-mail address so we
update your records accordingly. Until the next issue we remain
Yours In Lasalle
Ivan , Mark and David.