Catholic | Poems, Quotes, Essays, Prayers, Affirmations

What leads us to extreme religious beliefs?

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

What leads us to extreme religious beliefs? 
Some people would insist on conviction, others would say they are those who found the right way.  Yet what is it that prompts us to find these convictions? 
I think that we are most afraid of things that we do not know, and so we try to explain everything, even [...]

Who are blessed?

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

I’ve often heard people saying “I’m truly blessed”, or “God blessed me.”
Does that mean other people weren’t blessed? 
If God causes the sun to shine both on the good and the bad, will He withhold His blessings to some and give it only to a few?
Who are we to say that some people are less fortunate [...]

The Power of Surrender

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

Surrender is a mighty powerful word.
Sometimes we wonder why God had to wait until we’re tired and worn out, until we’ve finally given up before He gives us what we want.
And the answer is that we have made Him wait that long before we allowed Him to carry on His work and give us what [...]

Washing a soul at the end of the day

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

How do you wash your soul clean
at the end of each day?
First, you rest unto the strong arms of Jesus
you gaze upon his kind and shining face
Then you take his gentle hand
and you allow His peace to flood over you
like a soft cool breeze that touches your heart
And you cry your pain away
and you cry [...]

On the Persecution of Christians in China

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

I’ve heard once more about the on-going persecution of Christians in China.  Hearing the testimony of the victims, how they were subject to the most gruelling conditions in prison, two ideas could easily come into mind of believers.  One, that there is really a God whom these people serve with all their heart and whom [...]

What’s difficult in being a genius?

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

Very few realize what burdens geniuses carry their whole lives - what of Van gogh, of Edgar Allan Poe, of the mathematician John Nash?
Very few realize how hard it might have been to constantly manage and control that great power that they possess, to undertake it all alone, ostracized by the society that fails to [...]

Artists in our own right

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

Not all are called to be artists in the specific sense of the term. Yet, as Genesis has it, all men and women are entrusted with the task of crafting their own life: in a certain sense, they are to make of it a work of art, a masterpiece.
-Pope John Paul II

Unconditional Love

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

 Have you ever wondered how only God can love us unconditionally?  Because only God is perfect and need not anything from us.  If He will love us, we can be certain that it’s not because He wants anything back. 
We can’t love like that.  Our love, however good is still conditional.  We want something in return [...]

Forgetfulness and staying awake

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

 In this life we’re living in,
it’s so easy to forget
and so difficult to keep watch
and to stay awake
So many things
distract us and bombard us
with temptations and lies
we sooner or later accept as truth
and allow to dominate even our subconcious minds
Passions, tastes, excitement,
hobbies, competition, entertainment,
things that entrance us
making us believe they’re the only thing there is
To [...]

IMAGINE

Posted by: Jocelyn Soriano

Imagine a world
where you can’t bring anything
you ever owned
not one valued possession
not a single penny you can toss
Imagine a world
where titles and status mean nothing
where authority belongs not to you
Imagine a world
where no man stands taller than another
and where beauty comes not only from you
Imagine a world where you can’t hide anything
nor busy yourself with [...]