Sunday - Holy Trinity

Today (07-06-09) is the Holy Trinity Sunday – a solemnity - and the reading is taken from Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 28:16-20.

The Great Commission

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Commentary of the day : Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-c.208), Bishop, theologian and martyr Demonstration of the apostolic preaching, 6-7 (©St Vladimir's seminary press, 1997)

"Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit"

This is the order of our faith, the foundation of the edifice and the support of our conduct: God, the Father, uncreated, uncontainable, invisible, one God, the Creator of all: this is the first article of our faith. And the second article: the Word of God, the Son of God, Christ Jesus our Lord, who was revealed by the prophets according to the character of their prophecy and according to the nature of the economies of the Father, by whom all things were made, and who, in the last times, to recapitulate all things,' became a man amongst men, visible and palpable, in order to abolish death, to demonstrate life, and to effect communion between God and man. And the third article: the Holy Spirit, through whom the prophets prophesied and the patriarchs learnt the things of God and the righteous were led in the path of righteousness, and who, in the last times, was poured out in a new fashion upon the human race renewing man, throughout the world, to God. For this reason the baptism of our regeneration takes place through these three articles, granting us regeneration unto God the Father through His Son by the Holy Spirit: for those who bear the Spirit of God are led to the Word, that is to the Son, while the Son presents them to the Father, and the Father furnishes incorruptibility. Thus, without the Spirit it is not possible to see the Word of God, and without the Son one is not able to approach the Father; for the knowledge of the Father is the Son, and knowledge of the Son of God is through the Holy Spirit, while the Spirit, according to the good-pleasure of the Father, the Son administers, to whom the Father wills and as He wills.

The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life. God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Incarnation of God's Son reveals that God is the eternal Father and that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, which means that, in the Father and with the Father the Son is one and the same God. The mission of the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father in the name of the Son (⇒ Jn 14:26) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jn%2014:26)%20&version=31 and by the Son "from the Father" (⇒ Jn 15:26), reveals that, with them, the Spirit is one and the same God. "With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified" (Nicene Creed).

"The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father as the first principle and, by the eternal gift of this to the Son, from the communion of both the Father and the Son" (St. Augustine, De Trin. 15, 26, 47). By the grace of Baptism "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit", we are called to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity, here on earth in the obscurity of faith, and after death in eternal light (cf. Paul VI, CPG).

"Now this is the Catholic faith: We worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity, without either confusing the persons or dividing the substance; for the person of the Father is one, the Son's is another, the Holy Spirit's another; but the Godhead of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal" (Athanasian Creed).

Inseparable in what they are, the divine persons are also inseparable in what they do. But within the single divine operation each shows forth what is proper to him in the Trinity, especially in the divine missions of the Son's Incarnation and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

For Further Reading Click Here

Other Related Readings.

The Trinity is Love

Reflection by Dr. Scott Hahn

Deathbed Request: 'Tell me About the Trinity’

Perfect Con Job through wire

The following transcript is the experience from a fellow blogger having been conned to part his RM3600.00 through telephone Credit Card transaction and, through the process, he was actually transfering money from his public bank account to one AM bank account.

"I received a phone call and it sounded like from a automated voice system. It identified it is calling from AMBank Credit card wanting to confirm whether I am about to charge RM3600.00. The system said "Press 1 to confirm, Press 2 to reject and press 8 to speak to our customer service" Since I never have an AMBank credit card, I pressed 8 to speak to the customer service officer. The guy on the phone told me I am about to charge RM3600.00 at Poh Kong at Subang, naturally I reply as I did not owed an AMBank credit card and I am not at Poh Kong now. Next they told me I applied for the card on 2/3/2009 and was approved on 3/4/2009. They then said this is a fraud case and they have to report this to Bank Negara. They also said that Bank Negara will call me shortly. A short while later, a lady called and telling me that she is filing a report now and asking for my consent to have the whole process recorded. So I agree! The lady claimed that this is a case of identity fraud and all my account will be under "Bank Negara" monitoring from now onward. naturally I agreed! The next step will I should be alert enough is when the technical team in "Bank Negara" to setup monitoring via ATM machine. They asked me to go to the nearest ATM machine to setup up the monitoring procedures. They asked me to ignore what appear on the screen and just follow the step they told me to. Bascially during the setup the monitoring procedures, I was actually transfering money from my public bank account to one AM bank account. By the time, I realized about my stupidity, I rush to my branch to stop the transaction, but it is too late. Please tell and circulate this blog entry, to warn! I usually very alert on this con thing. But I fall victim to thier trick. 1. Always call back the the BANK, Never allow the bank to call you. 2. Always call the Bank's Number, not the one given bu the Conman. 3. The Mobile Number that was calling me is 014-6108451, can mobile company try to do location scan? and nap this conman?

I learn my leason! Please don't repeat my stupidity!"

Comments on: Categorization for non-Muslim Bumiputra of Sabah and Sarawak

LINUNDUS reproduces the following comments from DL in reply to the comments made by ‘Annonymous” which was posted HERE.

“Hi Anonymous,

I am with Momogun’s comment on correcting the notion that Berjaya fell because of its proposal to change the term from ‘Natives’ to 'Peribumi' . It must have been defeated for many other reasons. I am also sure that Dtk Pairin will disagree with you especially since that would take away his so called legendary defeat of Berjaya as being one for the people of Sabah and its rights and the bru-har-har as propagated by the spindoctors of his political party much to paradox that we see him and colleagues do today. Whilst I am not sure on the authenticity of this, I am aware of the repeated nostalgic comments or questions that people have on what it could and how would it have been had Berjaya (despite its weaknesses) had to offer Sabah if it was able to continue Governing and where would we be today. That unfortunately is always said in Hindsight as hindsight is always 20/20.

I guess maybe God had his plans and rightly and probably, Berjaya had to fall not only because it had been consumed by power but to make us also now realise the type of political leaders that we have in our community till today and how they have taken so much away from us and how we should take back what is due - have u noted that the same people who were part of the 'victory for the people' in 1985 are still DCM, Minister in the Fed and Deputy Minister in the Fed? These same individuals are also still telling us that they are the hope and change that we can rely on for Sabah and her people and so and so forth.... Does it not resonate at all in your mind as to what is wrong with that picture? Does it not also make us now demand for a new type of representation ... not just rhetoric to which all of us have been a victim of.

Anyway, the actual issue at hand and my apologies for digressing earlier, is that the term 'Native' was and has never been rejected by anybody other than some misguided individuals who do not realise that the term Bumiputra is even worse than the term 'Peribumi!'.... it survived till now despite where we are today.

The term Bumiputra connotes an economic definition only as explained by Linundus in his blog and in one of his Sunday Forums published in the local paper.

To akin it to a race will be an affront to an identity of a person and it should remain as an economic definition for the purposes of the NEP only and for nothing else. Look at how far it has been abused by political parties and businessmen; some even have the audacity to categorising our natives as 'Muslim Bumiputra and Non-Muslim Bumiputra'. Why can't we the Kadazans, Dusuns, Muruts and other natives just accept our respective racial term (like you said Anonymous - that it should be in the official forms)? The Malays until today still has the word 'Malay' as one of the racial categories in the Government Forms. Until and unless and whilst this is a contradiction to what I had written earlier, the Malays would need to drop their term 'Malay' in the official forms and use the term 'Bumiputra', Chinese and Indians ....and no more Lain Lain etc. That type of racial categorisation would then be fair to all although taken with much bitter taste at least for me.

So never divide us by religion nor affiliations. We are Kadazans, Dusuns or Muruts etc no matter what creed we belong to, I agree with Linundus, in his earlier articles that the that term 'Natives of Sabah' (or even in this recent one , on 'Momogun') be the right definition to be emplaced in the Government Forms in the event that the respective races are not considered as suggested by you.

Kotohuadan Anonymous and my hats to your comments which I gracefully accept but humbly differ herein. This only proves the point that we in Sabah are now discussing on many issues and mess that our own political representatives have brought us to.

A book written by Malcolm Gladwell aptly titled as 'The Tipping Point' describes where we are today. The issue of racial definition is just one of the many tipping points that we in Sabah and even our brethen in Sarawak are now in.

If a dialogue is not possible, by putting to pen electronically our respective thoughts will probably suffice and bring many more new ideas by our fellow Sabahans who may have their thoughts to share. This should be encouraged and Linundus is now amongst the many Bloggers who may bring us the actual change that we have been waiting for or due for. Once again, my apologies for the long reply but I enjoyed writing this as it puts out a feeling that I proudly share with many of friends but never put onto pen.

Regards.

DL”

Full List of 2009 Cabinet Minister of Malaysia

Full list of 2009 Cabinet Minister of Malaysia

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Susan Boyle Suffers 'Emotional Breakdown', Rushed to Hospital

(Picture from after losing Britain's Got Talent)

The UK Daily Mail is reporting that Britain's Got Talent second place finisher Susan Boyle was admitted to London's Priory clinic last night suffering with exhaustion.

Police were summoned to her hotel, reports the Sun, and the singer was assessed under the Mental Health Act after she had an 'emotional breakdown' following her shock defeat in the show's final.

But, despite her distress at missing out to dance troupe Diversity, coming second was the best thing that could have happened to her, judge Piers Morgan has declared. Morgan said a victory would have 'just carried on the mayhem' for the unworldly Scottish spinster.

Yesterday afternoon show reps contacted police to say the 48-year-old was 'acting strangely' at her London hotel. Judge Piers said Susan was 'almost certain' to sign a record contract with Cowell.

According to the newspaper, paramedics were then summoned and helped the 'spaced out' star through the lobby and into an ambulance just after 6pm. A Met Police Inspector and police doctor were called to assist and she was then escorted to the private clinic.

A spokeswoman at the private Priory Clinic in London would not confirm or deny the star was staying at the clinic. Producers of the show said Susan Boyle was 'exhausted and emotionally drained'. The Daily Mail reported on Boyle's can be read by clicking here.

Diversity, a troupe of brothers and friends who brought dynamic dancing to the stage time and time again have won it all on "Britain's Got Talent." Their win proved a shocking upset as Scottish singing sensation was expected to take it all!

Susan Boyle returned to 'Britain's Got Talent' tonight, once again soaring with "I Dreamed a Dream." Boyle earned an emotional standing ovation from the audience and judges as she sang her song before the final results were announced. Respectful in defeat, Boyle praised Diversity, cheering them on by remarking, "The best people won. They're really entertaining and lads, I wish you all the best."

Diversity receives a 100,000 pound ($159,000 US dollars) prize and the chance to perform before Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Show.

The week leading up to the final proved very stressful for Boyle, it was rumored at one point she was quitting before the final performance. To read the full UK Sun article click here.

Source

Longer, original report:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1189954/Susan-Boyle-admitted-The-Priory-suffers-emotional-breakdown.html

Vatican Warns of Mormon 'Baptism of the Dead'

WASHINGTON (CNS) - In an effort to block posthumous rebaptisms by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Catholic dioceses throughout the world have been directed by the Vatican not to give information in parish registers to the Mormons' Genealogical Society of Utah.

Posthumous baptisms by proxy have been a common practice for the Latter-day Saints -- commonly known as Mormons -- for more than a century, allowing the church's faithful to have their ancestors baptized into their faith so they may be united in the afterlife, said Mike Otterson, a spokesman in the church's Salt Lake City headquarters.

The two faiths (Mormons and Catholics) share intrinsic viewpoints on key issues the United States is facing, particularly the pro-life position on abortion and an opposition to same-sex marriage.

However, theological differences have cropped up between Mormons and Catholics in the past.

In 2001 the Vatican's doctrinal congregation issued a ruling that baptism conferred by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot be considered a valid Christian baptism, thus requiring converts from that religion to Catholicism to receive a Catholic baptism.

READ MORE HERE

My Birthday

My Birthday Photo

Bo Tiza preparing my Birthday cake.

My 62nd Birthday Cake

It was already 01.25 am this morning before I hit my bed, when I wrote a short message on my Facebook wall to thank all my FB friends who wrote their “Happy Birthday” messages yesterday, 1^st June. Likewise, there were also never ending calls and SMSs from my friends extending their congratulations to me on the occasion of my 62nd birthday.

“Congratulations on your birthday, another bonus year for you,” yelled my friend Datuk TJ as I came out from Church early yesterday morning. He was more enthusiastic than me when he said, “in actual fact everyday is a bonus for us”. I certainly agree with him who himself is much older than me and has already experienced the benefits of those “everyday bonus”.

Indeed, I am now 62 but to me they are only numbers. My predominant wish is, of course, to score bigger numbers. With God's grace coupled with good wishes and the prayers from my close friends and from my spiritual director, Rev. Fr. Michael Modoit (I received his SMS early in the morning to wish me and wrote in his message that he would pray for me that morning itself), I am proud of my nephew for remembering me in alter of God. I am confident that scoring additional numbers is not beyond my dream – to be able to see the reality of 2020 projection that Malaysia would become a developed country by then. I have to caution myself though to reduce my intake of ‘Talak’, a potent alcoholic drink when taken indiscriminately.

For the record, I would like to reproduce a birthday sms message from my good friend, Justin and my reply to him as well:-

SMS from Justin:-

“I BELIEVE 2DAY IS AN AUSPICIOUS DAY FOR YOU.

MAY YOU EXPERIENCE THE EXTRA-ORDINARY PEACE, JOY AND GRACE THAT COMES FROM THE HEART OF GOD, CONTINUED GOOD HEALTH, SUCCESS AND GOD'S PRESENCE ALWAYS.

MY FAMILY JOINS ME IN WISHING YOU MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY.”

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY."

My reply to Justin:-

“Yes, today is an auspicious day for both of us since my birthday falls on your Saint's Day. I am just wondering why I chose my namesake as his Saint's Day (St. Sylvester’s) falls on 31st December. It is about 7 months later than my actual birthday today. May be I am just the opposite of St. Sylvester, if I may interpret it wrongly. Anyway thank you for your kind words. God bless.”

No elaborate birthday celebration for me this time. My wife and daughter however threw a small party attended by my children and their wives, nephews, nieces and close friends to witness me blowing my 6 big candles and two small ones. I was expecting 62 candles altogether but my daughter told me to count the 6 big candles. How naive I was!

As usual, the party was not over until everybody decided to call it a night at around 01.00am. Only then I could turn on my computer to write my message in the Facebook.

Some photos taken during the party on the evening of 1st June, 2009.

Constance and me

My wife Genevieve -the women behind the small party.

Terrence Manjaji and his group of friends.

Arthur talking to his nephew Lumbanon

The ladies section, while Constance is seen hugging her nephew Tavagon.

(L - R) Lily Anderson, Winnie Leong and Theresa Manjaji.

Maurice Jintol and Simon Bosuin (foreground)

My grand niece 'Epit' pouring out her wine.

The Ladies Sara, Sara's friend, Clare and Janety

Theresa Manjaji Genevieve Lansing

Kaamatan Festival Queen 2009

KAAMATAN QUEEN… Appey Rowenna (seated) is flanked by first runner-up Pearl Dianne (second right) and second runner-up Joanne Kimberly. Third runner-up, Flina Rutum of Tamparuli is at right and fourth runner-up, Jacqueline Joseph of Keningau at left.

PENAMPANG: Appey Rowenna Januin from Kampung Tomui, Papar, was crowned the 2009 Unduk Ngadau during the grand finals at the state-level Kaamatan celebrations yesterday.

The 18-year-old student said that she was totally surprised by the result because of the stiff competition in this year’s event.

However, she was happy and proud to represent Papar and promised to do her best in promoting Sabah.

Appey also expressed gratitude to her family for their constant support in pursuing her dream to be an Unduk Ngadau and dedicated her win to them.

As this year’s winner, Appey received a total of RM39,000 in cash and prizes.

The winner was crowned by Toh Puan Dayang Masuyah Awang Japar, wife of the Sabah Head of State, Tun Ahmadshah Abdullah.

The second place went to polytechnic student Pearl Dianne Petrus, 22, representing Kota Kinabalu City Hall while the third placing went to Joanne Kimberly J. Majalap, 19, from Penampang.

Adapted from NST

See the other individual contestant photographs HERE.

Categorization for non-Muslim Bumiputra of Sabah and Sarawak

KUCHING: (theStarOnLine) Monday June, 1 2009

The Government has been urged to drop the “lain-lain (other races)” category for non-Muslim bumiputra in application forms like those for jobs and scholarships.

Deputy Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Joseph Entulu Belaun said such identification should be replaced by “Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu” for the Dayaks in Sarawak.

Refuting reports that he had suggested that the word “Dayak” be dropped, Entulu, who is Dayak-based Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) deputy president, said: “It is because of my pride and concern for my community that I proposed the replacement (of ‘lain-lain’) with Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu in government forms only.

“I hope I will get a chorus of support expressed openly,” he said in a full-page Gawai message advertisement in The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said he had never suggested that the word “Dayak” be dropped in any other context of usage.

“I even stressed that ‘Dayak’ must continue to be used for associations, politics and the like,” Entulu said.

Earlier reports had quoted Entulu as saying that the term “Dayak”, coined during the colonial period to describe Sarawak’s 26 non-Muslim communities should no longer be used as the term had negative connotations.

Sarawak marks Gawai Dayak today and tomorrow as state public holidays.

Entulu also suggested that the national-level Gawai Dayak celebrations be held and rotated annually in different state capitals in the peninsula.

Linundus says ...

Similarly the term “Kadazandusun” should never be classified as an indigenous ethnic group in Sabah. The term “Kadazandusun” is the term assigned to the unification of the classification of two indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia—the ethnic groups Kadazan and Dusun.This was done so for political expediency only and not to be construed as an indigenous ethnic race. I believe that when our political leaders who coined the word “Kadazandusun”, they had no intention at all to create another indigenous ethnic race but only to satisfy their own political ends.

I have also expressed my opinion during the “Bengkel Kenegeraan dan Perpaduan Ethnik Negeri Sabah” held at Kem Bina Negara, Kundasang on 12^th May 2009 that the term “Kadazandusun” is not an indigenous ethnic race found in Sabah. I even suggested that such term may be used only for Associations or Societies, political parties, business associates or identification and the like.

Even YB Datuk Masidi said in his speech at the closing ceremony and I quote: “KSS made a very important statement in that there is no such thing as KDM race ... which is true,” he said. “Itu cuma satu ungkapan politik umpamanya. It is just a political grouping rather than ethnic grouping”, he emphasised. “It doesn’t mean that we cannot be united under different ethnic group ... there is no problem” he added.

I suggest that the new indigenous ethnic grouping for the unification and classification of all indigenous tribes in Sabah, Malaysia and is common to all the indigenous ethnic races in Sabah, is the term “MOMOGUN” which is a direct translation of the English word “Native”. This term will encompass all the indigenous ethnic races in Sabah without hurting the feelings of those who are either in main ethnic or sub-ethnic groups.

With this new unifying term, we can propose to the Government to drop the “lain-lain (other races)” category for non-Muslim Bumiputra (for Sabah) in application forms like those for jobs and scholarships and replace it with “Momogun Sabah” (which literally means “Natives of Sabah”), with a space immediately after this identification to state one’s own ethnical or sub-ethnical identity.

Related articles:

ISU EJAAN “KADAZANDUSUN” DI MEDIA CETAK

"Bumiputra Sabah" proposal by PBS

“Bumiputra Sabah” proposal by Johnny Mositun