Sister Raquel Blog

ADDENDUM TO THE ANECDOTE

“The Child Grandmaster”

-

NOTE FROM eastwind,

author of the anecdote

-

this is beautiful
i never read such detailed knowledge
of tournaments in my life
-
i never realized my fiction story
is very close to reality
in terms of this egoism
-
francis knew he already lost
so even if they threw him out

it had no more effect on him

-

but your story about ivanchuk
screaming in the toilet
is very similar to francis

storming out in tears
-

einstein padua is a chess arbitrer

whatever the term is for that

during international tournaments

-
eastwind

-

-

THE REAL WORLD OF CHESS

-

By Einstein Padua

-

FIDE would have surely banned Francis from playing in future tournaments because of his unsportsmanlike and unacceptable behaviour of banging the table and scattering the chess pieces on the floor. Chess is a gentleman’s game and all forms of distracting one’s opponent while he / she is thinking out his / her move is strictly prohibited including the ringing of one’s cellphone, which will result in an immediate forfeiture of his / her game.  Players are not even allowed to communicate with each other while their game is going on, except when one of them would like to offer a draw.

-
Francis’ behavior reminds me of another player, the much-feared-GM Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine who exhibited a similar behavior on two occasions.  The first one happened at the 1990 Interzonals held at the Ninoy Aquino Memorial Stadium. Vassily lost to a player whom he was supremely confident of beating. Not being able to vent out his extreme frustration right inside the tournament hall, he immediately went to the men’s room, and yelled out his disgust at the top of his voice.  Everybody was stunned and wondered what happened to him. Little did they know that he was on the verge of tears.

-
The second one happened last November 2009 in Khanty Mansyk in Russia where he played a four-game match against a 16-year old GM who was practically unheard of in Russia and Europe, but already was the brightest shining star in Philippine chess history, the quiet and unassuming Wesley So from Bacoor, Cavite.  After Wesley So became an instant world chess celebrity by eliminating him, Ivanchuk seriously considered retiring from tournament play. He was so shocked that he couldn’t get over his loss to an unknown, lower-rated Pinoy teenager. Ivanchuk has always been in the list of the world’s top ten highly-rated players in the world. He’s currently No. 7 in the world with an Elo rating of 2764.

-
Humbled by his loss to Wesley So, he eventually regained his confidence and bearing and came back in 2010 with a vengeance and sat last October as Board 1player in his Ukraine Team to win the World Chess Olympiad championship trophy for his team and the individual gold medal for Board 1 player. The Ukraine Team edged out the top-seeded Russia 1 Team and dethroned the Armenian defending champion team.  The Philippine Team led by GM Wesley So landed in the 53rd spot, a far cry from its 46th standing in the 2008 World Chess Olympiad.  This is the Philippines worst performance since it started playing in the biennial Word Chess Olympiad,
gold medal award for Board 1 player.

-
After the media has turned Wesley into an instant international chess star over his victories over Ivanchuk and Gata Kamsky, a former child prodigy himself, and currently the No. 2 player in the US with a rating of 2722, and other well-known grandmasters, and drawing in the 2010 World Chess Olympiad with the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, a former world champion and currently the No. 3 player in the world, he received invitations to play in some of the most prestigious tournaments in the world. In most of them, he gave credible performances, but somehow he fell short in his goal of hitting the 2700 rating, the rating of the top 30 grandmasters of the world.

-
His failure to breach the 2700 rating mark may be partly due to his growing ego. Since chess is an individual game, the better players are usually and normally the egoists.  They are reticent, introverts, and serious people. But the biggest chess egoists of them all is none other than Bobby Fischer.  He was nicknamed “The Great Ego Crusher” because of his famous statement, “I want to see my opponent squirmed.”  All the great players of his time, Boris Spassky, Tigran Petrosian, Bent Larsen, and Mark Taimanov were never the same players after they were crushed by Fischer’s ego. Only Viktor Korchnoi survived the crushing of ego by Fischer as he did not play a match against him.

-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bernie,

If you want to know more about the ego of chessplayers, I believe Dr. Reuben Fine wrote in the 1950′s just before he died a book entitled “The Chess Mind” or “The Psychology of Chess” (I’m not so sure which is which.). Google it up in the Internet.

-
American Reuben Fine was one of the most brilliant chess players and world championship contenders in the 1940-1950. But he eventually stopped playing in tournaments after 1950 and concentrated instead in his practice as licensed psychiatrist and an author of chess books.  Maybe he felt there was more money in practicing his craft and in getting book royalties than in playing in tournaments where he was not 100% sure of always getting the top prize, what with the advent of Russian hegemony  led by top grandmasters Paul Keres, Efim Geller, and Mark Taimanov, world crown challenger David Bronstein, and future world champions Vassily Smyslov, \Mikhail Botvinnik, Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrosian, and Boris Spassky.  It was only Bobby Fischer who broke the 24-year monopoly of Russian world chess champions.

-
Einsty

-

INQUIRIES - eastwind@motherignaciahealingministry.com

-

FOR MORE INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS, SCAN THE MINISTRY ARCHIVES QUICKLY BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW -

-

http://www.sisterraquel.com/2010/04/archive00-entire-ministry-library/

-

GET INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS REGULARLY AS THEY COME IN BY SUBSCRIBING AT www.sisterraquel.com

-

THE LORD REIGNS IN CYBERSPACE.

THE LORD HEALS IN CYBERSPACE.

-

amdg

-

foodforthesoul

-

THE CHILD GRANDMASTER

-

By Bernie Lopez, eastwind

-

if you are the greatest

you must be the humblest

otherwise you somehow lose

your greatness in the end

-

for greatness with humility is wisdom

and greatness with arrogance is ignorance

there is a long hard road to true greatness

and there are but a chosen few who get there

-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-

At the age of four, Justin was playing chess with his grandmaster dad. He learned all the complex tournament tricks at such an early age. Watching grandmasters play on television, he was intrigued by their composure, and wanted to be one himself. Slowly, he was becoming a great chess player.

-

At such a young age, Justin began playing with the best chess players everywhere, young and old. He had many crucial battles before the age of ten. One such encounter was with Francis, three years older than him, and with better track record and experience. Francis was, like Justin, a child champion. But unlike Justin who stayed in the shadows, Francis had been featured many times in the newspapers as a wonder boy in chess who had not yet been defeated in any tournament.

-

And so the day for the great battle came. Francis wore a white suit and had an entourage of aides. Justin wore a T-shirt with a photo of his idol Karpov. He was alone because his father was in the hospital that day. Francis grinned at Justin in a condescending way, confident that he had never lost. Justin felt that condescension but was unaffected. He smiled back courteously. He had no fear even if he knew he was facing a giant. Justin was totally confident because he remembered his father’s words about winning and losing – “Even if you lose, you have nothing to lose if you have no ego, your greatest enemy.”

-

Justin was excited because he played black. The grandmasters he idolized always won in black. Black was the underdog’s choice, where one was out to prove the odds wrong and do not count in chess. Black offered the challenge in a match where the enemy had the first move. Having the initiative in white, Francis lost no time in a quick vicious two-pronged attack, like a Panzer division in a blitzkrieg. Francis had intense dagger eyes, but Justin simply looked down, which irritated Francis. Justin long before knew that kind of game. He employed a solid precision defense. His dad said a solid defense is an offense. There was not so much of a creative strategy, only standard protocol ‘defense’ when attacked. There was one rule – never lose your ability to launch sudden counterattacks while you go on defense, and always look for such a weakness or opening from an attacking foe.

-

Then came the opportunity. Francis left his queen side defenceless in his intent to finish the game with a quick offensive. Justin saw the opening, the weakness. It was partly due to Francis’ over confidence facing a seemingly timid younger less experienced kid that made him a bit reckless in the blinding light of the media coverage. His father’s words echoed in Justin’s mind, “Ego is the enemy.”

-

And so Justin launched a vicious counterattack with his queen, horse and rook. Francis’ grin changed into a hidden frown. His moves were taking longer. The clock was now against him. Justin sat calmly, making quick sure moves. He now had the initiative. Under extreme time pressure, Francis made the final blunder, one he could have squeezed out of if Justin did not see the subtle error. But, alas, Justin saw it four moves before. Once Francis touched his rook, Justin knew he had won the game.

-

Justin was trying very hard to suppress his joy, his smile of triumph. So he bowed his head again. Francis thought the absence of Justin’s body language meant he did not see the blunder. He tried to distract Justin by staring at the quiet side of the board. Very gently, very quickly, Justin moved for the kill. He did not even say ‘checkmate’. Francis went into a violent fit. He pounded on the chess board. The chess pieces flew and scattered on the floor. Quietly, Justin calmly picked up the pieces one by one and reconstituted the board by memory. Grandmasters have photographic memory. They know the exact position of chessboards and every move until the end, on games they played two tournaments ago or seven years ago.

-

Justin slowly raised his eyes and was devastated by the contorted face of Francis. Francis pounded on the board a second time, and stormed out of the room in tears, in the first ever tournament game he lost. All this was in front of the very media that pedestalled Francis. Justin picked up the pieces calmly once more so that the game officials and the camera could record the end game. Then he ran after Francis to comfort him. Justin eventually became the youngest grandmaster ever at the age of 12, and Francis the second youngest.

-

Justin beat Francis black and blue two more times in subsequent events, perhaps because of the psychological pressure of his first defeat. Finally, on the third game, Francis won. He waited for Justin to frown but was disappointed when he smiled and offered a hand. Francis said, “It is no good winning this way. You’re supposed to feel bad. I have only half a victory.”

-

Justin replied, “It is all in your mind. Your ego has distorted your view of reality. You have won fair and square whether I frowned or smiled. You just can’t stand a good loser. You just can’t make me run away in tears like you did. For you it is vengeance, not winning a game. You could have beaten me in the last game if you just knew. Your ego simply ate into your chess skill.”

-

Francis froze in silence. Justin’s blunt words hit home. Justin offered his hand once more. It was hard to smile, but finally Francis did, a genuine smile, not a sarcastic grin. He took Justin’s hand. From then on, they were the best of friends.

-

In subsequent tournaments, under the glaring media lights, they embraced, and raised each other’s hand no matter who won. And there would be a thunder of applause. They were the two best child champions of history. They played to win against each other, but the loser would be happy for the winner. And so, Justin would recall his father’s words –

-

never think you are the best
even if you have beaten everyone

for one day, when you are off your guard

defeat may come like a lightning bolt

on that day, you will be totally devastated

-

when you lose for the first time

what devastates you is not your defeat

but your ego, inflated by many victories

and your thirst for fame

-

Justin would recall his retort –

but why then should I have an ambition

to compete and win

if I do not want to be the best?

i will have nothing to motivate me

-

and his father would reply –

it is alright to be great

and to work hard to win and be the best

but don’t let it go into your head

greatness is different from fame

-

fame is a by-product of greatness

never be greedy for fame

for fame builds and destroys

you and your greatness all at once

-

if you are the greatest

you must be the humblest

otherwise you somehow lose

your greatness in the end

-

for greatness with humility is wisdom

and greatness with arrogance is ignorance

there is a long hard road to true greatness

and there are but a chosen few who get there

-

eastwind

-

-

INQUIRIES - eastwind@motherignaciahealingministry.com

-

FOR MORE INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS, SCAN THE MINISTRY ARCHIVES QUICKLY BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW -

-

http://www.sisterraquel.com/2010/04/archive00-entire-ministry-library/

-

GET INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS REGULARLY AS THEY COME IN BY SUBSCRIBING AT www.sisterraquel.com

-

THE LORD REIGNS IN CYBERSPACE.

THE LORD HEALS IN CYBERSPACE.

-

amdg

-

prayer request bulletin 56 – November 25 2010

-

A NOTE FOR READERS

-

This issue has the biggest number so far of answered prayers ever since the bulletin was started.

-

See also “Looking Beyond the Stars”, which relates the grandeur of the Universe to the grandeur of God, at this link –

http://www.sisterraquel.com/2010/11/prayer53-looking-beyond-the-stars/

-

*************************************

SPECIAL PRAYER CAMPAIGN

*************************************

-

CATHOLIC DEVOTEES IN THE U.S. LAUNCHED A PRAYER CAMPAIGN TO SAY THE ROSARY WORLDWIDE FOR PERSECUTED CATHOLICS IN IRAQ IN UNISON AT A SPECIFIC GLOBAL TIME.

-

FOLLOWING THEIR FOOTSTEPS, OUR HEALING MINISTRY IS LAUNCHING ITS OWN PRAYER CAMPAIGN. THIS TIME WE INCLUDE ALL CHRISTIAN AND NON-CHRISTIAN OVERSEAS WORKERS, NOT JUST CATHOLICS, AND WE COVER NOT JUST IRAQ, NOT JUST ISLAMIC COUNTRIES BUT THE WHOLE WORLD OF OVERSEAS AND MIGRANT WORKERS, ESPECIALLY FILIPINOS WHOSE COUNTRY HAS THE LARGEST PER CAPITA OVERSEAS WORKERS.

-

WE ASK ALL OVERSEAS WORKERS TO JOIN OUR PRAYER WARRIORS, OUR BLOGSITE MEMBERS AT www.sisterraquel.com, ALL READERS OF THIS BULLETIN, AND THE CONGREGATION AT THE HEALING CENTER IN NOVALICHES IN PRAYING THE ANGELUS IN UNISON EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY BEGINNING DECEMBER 1 UNTIL DECEMBER 25 AT 12 O’CLOCK NOON PHILIPPINE TIME. WE PRAY ALL TOGETHER AS ONE GLOBAL COMMUNITY, THUS –

-

mother Mary, in Jesus’ name

we implore You to ask

for His blessing and protection

for the millions of overseas workers

across the entire world

who are suffering from oppression

exploitation, and suppression of faith

especially those who are in danger

by expressing their faith

-

dear Jesus, give them the strength

grace, and courage to persevere in You

and to proclaim Your majesty

across the four corners of the world, amen

-

THE ANGELUS

-

the angel of the Lord declared unto Mary

and she conceived by the Holy Spirit

Hail Mary ———-

-

behold the handmaid of the Lord

be it done unto me according to Thy Word

Hail Mary ———-

-

and the Word was made flesh

and dwelt among us

Hail Mary ———–

-

pray for us oh holy Mother of God

that we may be made worthy

of the promises of Christ

-

let us pray –

pour forth we beseech Thee, o Lord

Thy grace into our hearts

that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ,

was made known by the message of an angel

may by his passion and cross

be brought to the glory of His resurrection

thru the same Christ our Lord. amen

-

Email from an Iraqi Catholic –

“I need help. I am Chaldean. We are Catholics from IRAQ who are persecuted for our faith”. As you may have heard, the Muslim extremists bombed a Church in Baghdad, killing 2 priests and 58 believers. “Is there anyway we can set up a rosary rally for Chaldeans? So all can join in? We need help. Please, I am begging you. I am begging you.”

-

The prayer campaign wrote, “Please remember: the Rosary saved Austria from Russian Communists. It can save Catholics in Iraq too. There used to be 1.5 million Catholics in Iraq but only 400,000 remain. They urgently need our prayers!” The Rosary also saved the Philippines from the Marcos dictatorship during the EDSA Revolt.”

-

************

PREFACE

************

-

This bulletin is sent to the MOTHER IGNACIA PRAYER WARRIORS which has worldwide membership thru the internet. It is published regularly at www.sisterraquel.com (subscribe as member to get regular inspirational materials).

-

When you request for prayers, that in itself is a prayer and an act of faith. When you browse thru this bulletin, you may realize that your pains and ailments may be nothing compared to those of others. And if you pray for them, you pray for yourself ten fold, and you will also be healed.

-

JOIN THE PRAYER WARRIORS. EMAIL REQUEST TO –

eastwind@motherignaciahealingministry.com

-

PREDOMINANT PRAYER REQUESTS –

Physical healing– cancer and other terminal diseases

Spiritual healing– depression, quarrels, relationships, peace of mind

Financial rescue– poverty, jobs, exams, businesses, medical expenses.

-

Healing oil is available free by postal mail. Give your postal address to

eastwind@motherignaciahealingministry.com The oil itself does not heal. It is your faith that heals. The oil is only a bridge thru which the Lord heals. You need to first understand the background by clicking the link below –

http://www.sisterraquel.com/2010/02/announcement3-–blogsite-library-links/

-

WE PROTECT THE PRIVACY OF REQUESTERS. Email addresses and last names are not published. Please make your requests short and do not post twice or repeatedly as it results in confusion.

-

****************************

ANSWERED PRAYERS

****************************

-

A

Lord Jesus Christ, Sr Racquel, Co-Prayer Warrior,

I would like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for granting our prayers for physical healing of my nephew Andrei F from dengue, LORD thank you. Likewise, for the daily blessing we receive from HIM, for giving us another day to wake up and see the world, to be with our family, for the good job, for the investments, LORD thank you. I pray for all the requestees and requestors in Prayer Bulletin# 55 that God may hear their prayers. I pray that we may do the will of God by following his teachings and apply it to our daily life. That we may learn to help others without expecting anything in return, to be selfless, to be humble, learn to forgive people who hurt us. To have self-control, learn to carry our cross and learn to sacrifice.To live with faith, love and trust to God. I pray that Lord lead our way to right path, touch our mind/hearts to do only the right things. Keep us away from all dangers, evils, accidents. That God forgive us from all our sins and give us healthy body and mind. Guide me in my task to do my office work in accordance with the law, that i can serve the public honestly & courteously. Finally, i pray for all the sick people in the world. Lord heal us, for the unemployed, for the victims of crimes and their family to have justice: for the victims of different calamities, Lord give them strength and hope. I ask this in Jesus name, our Savior and Redeemer.

-

Melanie

-

B

Big thanks again dearest father almighty Conchita R had a successful breast cancer operation. It was stage 1. She recuperated from the surgery and now she is back to work. In fact, today, Nov. 8, is her 1st day. she is very grateful. and very thankful to the Lord, and to all the sincerest prayers. thanks again to all the prayer warriors!

-

Caloy A

-

C

Dear Sister Racquel,

This is my third time now for the last 10 years to ask for help/miracle from God for healing. First, when my father was diagnosed for a stage 3 pancreatic cancer. The doctors told us at that time that he only have 3 months more to live. We were able to know you through our relatives living in Novaliches and we started attending the healing every Saturday. In less than 2 months time our prayers were heard and my father was completely healed from cancer. It was really a miracle and to this date, my father is already 81 years old and he’s still strong. The second time was when I accompanied a lawyer friend to attend for the healing of her mother(residing in the US at that time) who had been diagnosed for a colon cancer. We only brought a picture of her mother when we attended the healing. The next time we went to Mother Ignacia Healing Center after that session, we were accompanying her mother for the thanksgiving because of another miracle – she was completely healed. And now, for the 3rd time, I am asking again for your prayers-for another miracle- for the complete healing of the brother of our close family friend. Nonoy SA is now comatose due to the recently discovered brain cancer. Please, lets include him on our prayers. Thank you very much and God Bless Us All.

-

Garry AL

Abu Dhabi, UAE

-

D

PRAISE REPORT

Original Request sent out to you on November 18th: Please pray for Christopher a young boy who has valiently been fighting neuroblastoma a very aggessive cancer, he has been admitted into the hospital and will have the scans on Friday the 19th to see if he has relapsed and if they can do more to help him. Please pray that he receive a healing according to Almighty God’s will in the holy Name of Jesus through the powerful intercession of the Blessed Mother and St. Raphael the healing Archangel.

-

Thank you all for your prayers! On November 18th I sent you a request for little Christopher 5 yrs old, who has been suffering with brain cancer and had a relapse and was hospitalized this past week. Fr. Tim give little Christopher the Anointing of the Sick on Friday morning at the Fletcher Allen Hospital in Burlington, VT before the scans. Scans came out completely clear NO CANCER! PRAISE GOD! (Fr. Tim was on the verge of tears) The family is speechless!

-

Dear Prayer Family,

We humbly thank Almighty God for hearing all your prayers for Ray B.,all blocks were cleared and there was a peaceful resolution!

-

Please pray for Nic C. that he receive the job he is looking for. May God bless all of you beautiful prayer warriors!

-

Please pray for Ray B, a very devout Catholic, who lives his faith and is continuously helping others find God’s love. He has a very special intention for this Friday November 12. Please pray that all goes well and has a very positive outcome.

-

Please pray for Fr. John W, on his respiratory problems that he get a healing. Thank you and God Bless!

-

Urgent prayer request for Bill P for Saturday the 20th for a very critical special intention.

-

St rapahel community

-

E

Thank you for the opportunity of praying for others. I would like to thank the ministry and all the prayer warriors for praying with me for my cousin Deny V. She had a successful surgery and the good news is, although  it is confirmed that she has Stage 1a cancer, it is not in the blood stream nor in the lymnph nodes. She will not undergo radiation. Praise God for that. Now I am praying for her complete healing. Thank you ever so much, in the Mighty Name of Jesus Anen.

-

Donna

-

F

I am Eleanor S. I was given the healing oil last 2009 because I was a breast cancer survivor. I used the oil for my uncle (Ernesto D) who has a big lump on his jaw, suddenly, i noticed that the big lump has decreased it size. Last Nov 17, Wednesday, i placed oil at my sister’s (Amor C) nose. She’s been excreting blood from her nose and is suffering from polyps and she’s very afraid to have check-ups. I prayed hard and I really felt that there was a small lump at both sides of her nose. The next day, her lump has decreased. Lastly, my father (Nelson C) is suffering from osteo-arthritis for 10 years and is no longer operable. He hardly believe these things but I told him just believe in Jesus and Mary that he will be healed. Less than 1 week, he felt a big relief from his ailment, he seldom takes pain releiver now. Please continue to pray for Nelson, Amor and Ernesto D that they will be completely healed by Jesus and Mary. We will attend one of the healing sessions in your Ministry. Thank you very much,

-

Eleano S

-

G

Dear Sister Raquel, Bro. Bernie and to all the Prayer warriors,

I would like to THANK YOU ALL again for helping me pray for my earlier request that my waiver application be approved, and indeed, it was APPROVED! Thanks very much always! May I please ask for your help again, to please help me pray for good health for me and my family, healing for my Aunt Zeny and cousin Maricar and my other friends especially Maricor, Maria and her Mom , Neri, Francis, Kuya Cesar, Ronnie’s Dad, Manay Dodie, Marjorie and for the concerns of my other friends and family members. I also want to ask for your prayers that my permanent residence application be approved very soon and that I’ll be able to find a “better job” and prayer request also for personal intentions. Thanks always and I am one one of the many regular followers/readers of Food For The Soul.

-

Ruth

-

H

Dear Sister Raquel and eastwind,

Greetings of God’s peace and blessings.   I am sorry for this late reply.  Although I am always reading the emails sent by your sites.  I want to thank you for the blessed oil that I receieved from you. I  have multiplied this blessed oil and have given to many of my friends and those you are in need of it. I also told them that they can multiply the oil, if possible.      I, have been blessed too of this holy oil. I have been relieved of several pains and aches in my body as I pray to Jesus, dip my fingers in the oil  and make the sign of the cross.  Please be rest assured of my prayers too for Sister Raquel, the prayer warriors and  you. God bless.

-

Belen S

-

PERHAPS WE CAN COMPARE YOUR EFFORT TO MULTIPLY AND SPREAD THE HEALING OIL TO THE FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD. JUST BE CAREFUL THAT ALL RECIPIENTS UNDERSTAND VERY CLEARLY IT IS THEIR FAITH AND JESUS WHO HEAL, NOT THE OIL WHICH IS ONLY A BRIDGE THE LORD USE TO HEAL. LET THEM READ THE HISTORY OF THE OIL THRU A LINK GIVEN IN THIS WEBSITE. IN A SENSE, YOU ARE SPREADING GOD’S WORD AND PARTICIPATING IN THE HEALING MINISTRY.

-

*************************

PRAYER REQUESTS

*************************

-

01

Thank you for your e-mail and prayer requests. Your intentions have been placed in our Adoration Chapel, will be prayed for round-the-clock and included on our daily intention sheet through November 15. Blessings of this harvest season to you and those around you.

-

S. Constance

-

02

Dear Sis Raquel and all the prayer warriors,

Greetings of peace” Please pray for the following persons: My sister Jean, that she will be given wisdom by our Lord to make the right desicion on her status, Don, for conversion Kevin, for his alcoholism Inday, that she will find the right path towards righteousness My mom, Senica, that she will learn to forgive my sister in law for hurting her Mayeth, for her 4th stage cancer Jimmy & Vyn on the passing of their eldest son Steven My husband, that he will succeed in his business Myself, on the pain on my left cheek Also, that we will have financial blessings so we can share on our needy brethren. Thank you so much.

-

Janet

-

03

dear brothers and sisters in the ministry,

God’s blessing and peace for all of you!   I am one of your prayer warriors and happily spreading also the good news of the ministry.  This time I am also asking for prayers for miracle for our dear angel mary frances m who has been afflicted with several metabolic disorders and diagnosed with west syndrome due to the numerous type of seizures she has been through. She is now 9 years old.  She is currently fed through PEG (tube attacched directly to her stomach for a year and 1 month already).  Same prayers for miracles and strength also for other children who have this rare disorders.  May their families find strength that the Lord will not abandon them.  May I also request for a healing oil.  Our address (undisclosed) Thank you and may the ministry thrive more.

-

Rose M

-

04

Good Day!

My name is Lala, wife and mother of 2 boys. Last June we lost our youngest son, He was only 2 yrs old, we lost him a day before his Big bro’s birthday. Since then I have been struggling with my life, Although some may think I’m handling this with ease, I am truly not, I try to put on a brave face everyday to eliminate any questions. I do not want to keep on answering questions as to why am i sad. I don’t want to keep on remembering the last time I saw my beautiful son alive. I need help. I am so lost right now, I don’t know where to start, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to forget him, but I cannot handle remembering what he looked like the first time I saw him alive and gone. A few months before he passed, we had the chance to visit the Mother Ignacia Healing Center in Caloocan, The prayer warriors as well as the nuns were kind enough to offer prayers for my son and was also bathed. I am currently “drowning” in sorrow right now. I don’t know how I can survive this. I would appreciate any help. Please. Thank you so much.

-

Loui

-

DEAR LOUI. TIME WILL HEAL YOUR WOUND. BUT FOR NOW, OFFER YOUR SORROW TO THE LORD AND ASK HIM FOR COMFORT. POUR YOUR LOVE ON THE OLDER BROTHER AND THANK THE LORD FOR YOUR BLESSING. YOU WILL BE ALRIGHT. WE PRAY FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND.

-

05

Sister Raquel Blogg, please say a prayer for me, for my depression and for my two painful legs . thank you for all your prayers.

-

Bridie

-

06

Please include us in your daily prayer, for my complete healing and recovery from breast cancer; my mother Nenita from stage3 lung cancer & hypertension; my father Ruben from lymhoma, stroke & arthritis; my husband Edgar from diabetes, hypertension & smoking. And also for protection of my children KAthy & Gian from any danger, oppression and accident especially when they are going home late from school and work. My the Lord grant my petitions according to His will. Thank you and God bless.

-

Estelita

-

07

please pray fo Liji and all who are taking the SAT in december thanks

-

Celine

-

08

Kindly help us pray for deliverance with our current financial situation. My husband and I are still out of job and our business went bankrupt. We have to support the schooling of our 3 children. Thank you very much and more power. To GOD be the Glory!!!

-

LUDI

-

09

sister raquel pls join me in praying for the healing and restoration of our marriage Arnel and rhodora, i am begging you please pray for us! in Jesus name, amen

-

Rhodora

-

10

Dear Sr. Raquel and the Prayer Warriors,

I am writing this prayer request for my two friends and will hide them under the names Mark and Stella. Please pray for them because they are experiencing hard times and having problems with their marriage. I do not want them to break up and lose their marriage especially now that their kids are getting affected by their constant fights. I pray that God will touch them so that they will be able to forgive each other and be humbled by God’s love and understanding. May Mark and Stella realize that their marriage is still worth fighting for and may they be able to patch things up and learn from their mistakes. I still believe that they still love each other and are just blinded by their anger. I really pray for their spiritual and financial healing and may God help them overcome this temporary setback in their lives.

-

*My husband and I always pray for **good health and a blissful marriage.** We pray that my husband will be able to **close a big account** and earn a big commission so that we will be able to help our family, friends and relatives financially.

-

Clarissa

-

11

good day to you all, please pray for the successful mastectomy of my mother on tuesday of her right breast. please pray that God may will her of her affliction and that she may recover and have a long life. please we need po your prayers sis raquel.thank you very much and god bless you always.

-

james a

riyadh saudi arabia

san fernando pampanga, Philippines

-

12 CHECK DUP

Good day to all the prayer warriors.

Please help us pray for the complete healing of my 17 year old nephew, Lavern Mike C. He is an autistic child, deaf and mute since birth. He also suffered epilepsy last October 31, 2010. We were so afraid because he had a seizure and he vomited a lot. Please, please, help us pray for his complete healing. Please help us also pray for Lavern Mike’s parents. They are on financial crises because Nestor, Lavern’s father, lost his job. Please help us pray that he can find another job soon. Lavern’s daily medicines are so expensive and they cannot afford to buy it now, not even their immediate needs. Please help us also pray for my sister Judilyn, the mother of Lavern, that God will give her enough strength to tackle her responsibilty as a good mother to his special child. It breaks my heart when she told me last October 31, 2010 that she want to commit suicide because she felt that the burden that she is suffering now is so much for her to bear. She was asking me why God is giving her an autistic child. She is an active member in the church. But sometimes, she cannot understand why she has to suffer this way. She told me that she asked God why God didn’t punish the mothers who killed their child while they are still in their womb. She wanted a baby before, she cared for his baby while it was in her womb but she asked why should God gave her an autistic child? May God bless us all and grant our prayer request. This is my prayer. Lord God, creator of heaven and earth. We are so sorry for our sins. Please cleanse us with the blood of Jesus Christ our Savior. Lord, we ask You for the complete healing of my nephew Lavern Mike Catacutan. Please touch his head so that whatever problems inside his head that causes his autism be completely healed. Lord, let Lavern hear and speak. Let your power be seen through this child. We are clinging to your promise, Lord, when you said, “Ask and it shall be given unto you, Let them be attentive to the needs of their special child. That they will give their child their utmost tender, loving care. Let them understand that it is not their fault that their child is autistic, deaf and mute. Please, Lord, help Nestor and Judilyn on their financial needs. Let Nestor find another job soon so he can provide for the needs of his family. Let them feel that You, Lord is not forsaking them. Let them feel Your presence, Your power, Your Love, Your guidance. Let the Holy Spirit guide them always. Thank You so much, Lord. We are giving You our praise for hearing us our prayers. All this we ask, through our Lord Jesus Christ, our Loving Savior and Greatest Healer. Amen.

-

JESSIE

-

IN TIMES OF DARKNESS, THERE IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO ACHIEVE LIGHT – SURRENDER YOURSELF TOTALLY TO THE WILL OF THE LORD WHETHER IN JOY OR IN MISERY. OFFER YOURSELF, YOUR LIFE TO HIM, ESPECIALLY YOUR PAIN, WHICH HE CAN REMOVE IF YOU ASK FOR IT WITH FAITH.

-

13

Prayer Request:

Please believe with me’ over our precious daughter Gabrielle. For complete restoration from all that the enemy has tried to do or take from her

- That God is keeping Her safe.

- That God has completely restored her heart toward Him

- That every bondage of the devil is broken off of her life

- That every wrong relationship is broken and removed

- That God is sending good relationships, right relationships into Her life, forming such bonds of love and strength

- That God is surrounding her with righteous people

- That God is strengthening her inwardly, strength to believe, strength to wait; and strength to walk in the purposes of God her. That God, Who has started this ‘good work’ in Our daughter, will also complete it untill all is restored!

-

JEABLES

-

14

Please, support me in prayers:

For IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DEJAN M. and ME, THAT HE BE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN MY LIFE AND ME IN HIS! That WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER! For GOING DEEPER IN KNOWING EACH OTHER! For THAT LIKING AND FALLING IN LOVE BETWEEN US TO REALLY GROW! Thank you for all your prayers Wish you all the blessings

-

Katarina

-

15

Tnx for the previous request for the healing of the successful gall operation of my sister Ma. Corazon CS who is recuperating now. In connection with this I humbly seek additional prayer request for the other illness of my sister, that is, the enlargement of the heart, unstable decision-making, full of stress/hatred, always in emotional quarrel with her husband causing chaotic family relationship resulting to indifferent attitudes of their siblings. I still believe, through prayers everything will be resolved. Hope I, too, will be financially recover in order I can help myself and others who are economically distressed. Tnx God for keeping Mother Ignacia Healing Ministry in full swing this cyberage…

-

JOSEMARI

-

16

Please pray for my cousin Vion, he’s only 3 yrs old and suffering from leukemia. He’s now in the ICU for 5 days and still unconscious.PLEASE help us pray for him..thank you.

-

RONAFE

-

17

I pray for complete healing, recovery and financial assistance to Adeluiza BP. I also pray Lord God, that you heal whatever wounds we are having, let love grow between us so that we will be reunited again, Adeluiza and me, Queendy D. Bless our relationship that it will be filled with wonderful thoughts of love and service to you Lord God. May you also bless our family, remove any family feud we have, change it to love and peace, give us the understanding and divine acceptance of each other differences. David Family, Eddie D, Shirley D, Queenly J, Elena O, and Francis B. I pray all of this in your most Holy Name with the intercession of your mother, Mama Mary and all the angels and saints. amen

-

Queenie

-

18

Dear Sr Racquel, Bro Bernie, My Co-Prayer Warriors,

I ask your prayer for my officemates named: Menchy C that she may be given a better work assignment and to Arvi G for immediate recovery from miscarriage.  She had 3 miscarriages, i pray that she may not lose hope that one day GOD will grant her request.     For my nephew, Adrian F i pray that he may be given chance to work as Apprentice to any of the hotels he applied for, this is a school requisite. Lord help Adrian to fulfill all his dreams he is a good brother, a good son, a good friend or a good person, in short. Also, touch the hearts and minds of Andrei, Alexis, Cris, Joan, Ton to be studious, be responsible to work hard to have better life.     Lastly, my mother, Lorenza, Lord give her healthy & strong body and extend her life so we can express our love and care to her. To myself, i pray for good health, i pray for the guidance of the holy spirit that we always do what is right and just. Thank You,

-

Melanie

-

19

Please pray for my sister, Ann, age 55, of Charlotte, NC. She was diagnosed last week with ovarian cancer. She has never been sick in her life. She underwent a huge operation last Friday. She will find out the pathology report next week. Please pray for a miracle – that the tumor was not malignant and that she won’t need chemotherapy. Thank you.

-

Judy

Richmond, VA

-

20

Dear Mother Ignacia Prayer Warriors,

I humbly requests for your prayers for the result of a pelvic ultrasound of my wife,Jacqueline that God Jesus Christ,Sto. Nino, Mama Mary would bless her with good health,likewise for my kids Antoine & Johanna and myself.I ask it for the Great Glory of God and in the Mighty name of Jesus.. Amen and God Bless. THANK YOU

-

ALBERT

-

22

My Name is Lerato Daisy M. i was raised by a single parent. At the age of 17 i got pregnant gave birth to a baby boy Bothlale. Bothlale’s father denied him till today 2010, it’s been 6years ago. Am a bread winner at home and now this are not going well. I need i prayer that will save my home before the bank takes it to auction

.

we are in a process were we are looking for a buyer to buy our home worth R950 000 00 our outstading balance is R210 000 00 and areas is R60 000. Can God make a mircale save me from debts and clear my name from blacklisting. am okay being a single parent i will raise my son alone all i want is a financial break through buy myself a car, my own townhouse and save my mothers house Please tell the Lord i’ve prayed and i dont know were to go am in need of peace. Thank you Regards,

-

Lerato M

South africa

-

24

ear Sister Raquel, Brother Ernie,

Please pray for me so that my eyes will be healed. I have tears (napunit) in my retina (especially on my left eye). Please pray that they will be repaired and healed. Please pray for my overall health so that all my problems with the heart, lungs, back pains, prostate, colon and organs of the abdomen will be healed. Please pray for my Loved ones as follows:

a) Please pray for the healing of all those who have cancer, especially: Mrs. Nena (throat cancer), Einer W (Thyroid), Joji A (Breast), Ruben P (Colon), Shirley H (BRain tumor), Andy F (Pancreas and Lymphatic), Thelmo C (Prostate).

b) Please pray for the healing of those of who diabetes: Susan z, Gina E and Diane V, Clarita T

c) Please pray for the healing of my parents-in-law and mother: Commonwealth T (benign prostate, enlarged heart, Asthma), Clarita (cataract and diabetes), Mama Carmen (osteoporosis, arthritis).

d) Please pray for the healing of my family: Joy P (gallbladder stones and internal organs), Kathleen Margaret P (obesity) Thank you so much and God Bless. For God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, For Mama Mary,

-

Please pray for the conversion of the following: Roger and Kathleen Margaret. That both of them will go back to their Catholic roots; that their belief and faith will come back; that they will become closer to God and practice their faith religiously. Thank you very much and God Bless.

-

Please pray for me and my wife Joy to be delivered from debts and financial problems, so we can start our family all over free of debts and financial problems and so that we will have the resources to help others. Thank you very much. God Bless.

-

Romy and joy p

-

25

Dear Sr Racquel, Bro Bernie, Co Prayer Warriors,

I pray for immediate healing of Geraldine who has a kidney problem and inflamed palette. I saw her picture in TV news, she was former beauty queen and intelligent woman, but now her face was deformed because of her illness. I know nothing is impossible to Almigthy God, so let us all pray for her healing. Thanks

-

Melanie

-

26

Several months ago, I believe I may have contacted your website in regard to a man whose name is William (“Bill”). If I am correct about having previously contacted your site, I thank you for your prayers and ask that you please continue to pray with me for this man’s salvation (also, for his healing from an unspoken ailment). I am not in a position to witness to this man personally, but others have been contacted to this regard. Please ask the Lord to extend His spirit to facilitate and lead a conversational witness through anyone whom He may choose. Please ask God to extend His grace toward Bill, doing everything needed to chase him, overcome his pride, lift the veil from his eyes, bring conviction to his heart and show him his need for a Savior. Like us all, Bill has made some mistakes, and has unfortunately had some tragic things to happen in his life. Please also ask God to sober him, to protect him, to purify his mind, to work on his heart with His spirit; that He’ll place him in the company of believing friends, and that He will not only save Bill, but will use his testimony to bring others to Christ and further the kingdom. I’ve been praying for this man for a long time, now. Regardless of what His will may be, please ask the Lord to uphold my faith in Him; to keep my faith strong in knowing that His word will not return to me void. In Him for His glory and with sincere thanks,

-

Sarah S

1 Timothy 2:1-4

Romans 8:31-32;8:37

-

27

Dear Sister Raquel, Brother Bernie & Prayer Warriors,

Please pray for the healing of breast cancer of my sister-in-law Ate Baby and also of our family friend Oni. Please pray also for the healing of my friend BongLB’s severe kidney infection which has spread to his other organs. Thank you so much for the great works your healing initiatives. God bless you all for your great love and help to so many people.

-

Obetmf

-

28

Dear Sister Raquel and Brother Bernie,

Please pray for Raian R, 19 year old male, currently in Taiwan for his studies.

i. Health – He currently has persistent hypertension and high cholesterol. I play for healing the pain in his right abdomen which could indicate liver disease as well as his persistent itching in different parts of his body. I pray that he may achieve his target weight so that it could help his high blood to go down. Please pray that no other diseases will occur to him and his body will completely be healed.

ii. Spiritual – Please pray that he will continue praying to God and not lose faith despite the problems he faces. Give him the courage and strength to trust in the Lord who is almighty. Allow him to forgive those who have slighted him.

iii. Success – Please pray that he will be successful in his career, not greedy for money and be satisfied in what he has. May he enjoy his stay in Taiwan and have many international friends.

-

Gossip O

-

29

Dear Sister Raquel, Bro Bernie and Co Prayer Warrior,Please help me pray for Rey A. He has 4th stage lumbar cancer. He is undergoing chemo therapy  Thank you and may God bless us all.

-

Dct

-

30

Sr Racquel

I request po spiritual,physical,mental and financial healing po for me and my family and the country Philippines. Likewise for the cancer healing of Gina,Zeny ,Norma ,Ester and me. I pray for the my job interview tomorrow,May the power of the holy spirit be upon me .If I am offered a job I pray po that God guide me to choose the best between two. I pray for a good employer that a compensated and good opportunity may come upon me and Ramon.Also for the success in career of my children with God health and safety for Vincent,Anne and Mary. I pray for your health and safety. More power po and may God be with you always…Regards to all the prayer warriors…. God bless you po…

-

Miriam

-

31

Hi please include my whole family that we can be well formed to go on: specially my children: Michelle- to finish medicine well, Kathrina – to finish college, Victoria – High School to be well formed, Tyzia- grade 5 to go on, my wife- to be well formed. My self- to be able to sustain all the expenses to give the vital needs of my family. Thank you po,

-

Lito V

-

32

Dear Sister Raquel and the RVM sisters, please pray that I may overcome all my problems at work, for financial assistance and reconciliation with my relatives and friends.

-

Alma

-

33

Dear Sister Raquel / Bro. Bernie,

Im asking for help to include my mother, Clarita S, in your healing prayers po. Since July po, she was on and off being admitted to the hospital due to her ailments. Meron po sya diabetes at nagka-complication na po sa kidney. She was admitted again last Oct 20 po dahil po hirap ulit sya huminga, and they found out po na meron sya infection sa lungs. Alam ko po na GOD will hear our prayers in HIS time, at alam ko po thru your prayer ay matutulungan nyo po ang nanay ko na idulog sa Diyos ang pangangailangan ng kagalingan ng aking nanay. Alam ko po na hirap na po ang aking nanay, pero i know, on her sufferings po alam ko di sya binibitiwan ng Diyos, na she will bless my nanay and with His mercy i he-heal nya ang nanay po namin. Nawa po kung ipahihiram pa sa amin ni GOD ang buhay ng nanay, nawa po ay i-heal nya na po si nanay completely. Sister Raquel, sana po gusto namin dalhin ang nanay sa Mother Ignacia, yun nga lang po naka-admit pa po sya sa Meycauayan Doctor’s Hospital sa ICU po. Mag 1 month na po sya sa ICU, kaya sana po matulungan nyo kami sa pananalangin para sa kagalingan po ng nanay namin. Alam ko po only GOD knows what is His plan for my mom, but thru your prayers and our prayers i know na diringgin po ni GOD ang lahat at ibibigay nya what is BEST for my mother. Maraming maraming salamat po sister Raquel. Nawa’y pagpalain po kayo palagi ng Diyos. Gumagalang,

-

Celso

-

34

Please pray for my grandnephew T John who has dengue and for my friend Brian N who recently had a stroke and doing rehab. Many thanks for your prayers and God Bless.

-

Elvira

-

35

good day! it is my second time to send an email…i am again requesting to please pray for me, the cyst on my right hand is here again. i’ve operated three times para maalis yung cyst, but again tumubo n naman sya. help me to pray n sana naman po mawala n sya without operation but with Gods help, mercy and guidance. its not cancerous naman daw po pero im still afraid habang andito sya. please pray for me. maraming salamat po…God bless us all!

-

Ginny

-

36

Good Morning, Reverend Fathers/Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

Please pray for the eternal repose of the soul of our sister, Judith M, mother of our dearest Rev. Fr. Socrates SSP, Director of the National Tarcisian Advisory Board of the Adoracion Nocturna Filipina. Sister Judith passed away this morning at 1AM. God bless us all.

-

BroDuffy

-

37

Dear prayer warriors,

Pakitulungan naman po ako sa pagdarasal sa ating Panginoon na naway gumaling ako sa aking karamdaman. Sanay bigyan pa Nya ako ng mahabang buhay para magabayan ko pa ang aking asawa at mga anak. Gusto ko ring maturuan  pa ng matagal aking mga estudyante. Alam kong umaasa sila sa akin ng malaki kaya gusto kong gumaling para po sila ay akin ding matulungan.  Please po, pray for me.  Marami pong salamat.

-

Erning

-

38

Sister Racquel,

Hi! Do you still remember my brother Jesus? He pass away yesterday, November 22, 2010.. I would just like to place a prayer request for his soul and his love ones.. I hope you’ve seen my letter as soon as I send it.. The last day of his burial will either be on Sunday November 28 or Tuesday November 30. Thank you ang Godbless!

-

Nila

-

39

dear prayer warriors,

please include my husband in your prayer that he might find another job here in UAE, he was terminated last November 03, 2010 due to global crisis, may the good Lord bless each and everyone of us. thanks a lot!

-

sheilla

-

40

Good day Sister Raquel!

Hi, I’m Ma. Carmela J of Indang, Cavite. Last July 12, 20010 my father named Edgardo was diagnosed of stroke. He was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of DLSU Medical Hospital Dasmarinas, Cavite for almost 4 days and then after 3 days he was an dispatched. For almost a month, he was done physical therapy by my sister Christine. Done exercises, with electronic apparatus put on the affected part of his body and we prayed as a family. At this moment, he was recovering with God’s graces. He is really a Saviour, a curing Medicine and a Doctor. He can now drive, do cooking food for us, marketing on the hot days and it’s really a normal life day to day living again. We also attended Healing Masses with Fr. Suarez at Monte Maria Church in Amuyong, Alfonso Cavite. May I request for the Healing Prayer for my father and can I also have the healing oil? Our faith to God really become stronger and stronger, because I really feel His presence and he cured my father little by little.. I want my father to still have a long life and the sickness – Stroke won’t happen it again. I’m asking for your guidance and prayers. Help my father be healed totally. Thank you very much..

-

CARMELA

-

41

November 22, 2010

Dear Friend in Christ,

Thank you for entrusting your prayer intentions to us. Please know that we are continuing to remember you and your special intentions for the complete physical, mental and spiritual health for you and your prayer intentions at our times of adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist, during daily Masses and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. The fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as love, peace, joy and patience, are found when two or three come together in prayer. These bring true happiness and a stronger faith to help people overcome their difficulties. The message of mercy is that God loves us * just remember the ABC’s of the Divine Mercy message. Ask for His Mercy. God wants us to approach Him in prayer constantly, repenting of our sins and asking Him to pour His mercy out upon us and upon the whole world. Be Merciful. God wants us to receive His mercy and let it flow through us to others just as He does to us. Completely Trust. God wants us to know that the graces of His mercy are dependent upon our trust. The more we trust in Jesus, the more we will receive. God bless you,

-

Fr. Joseph, MIC Director

-

42

Greetings to you sister raquel and sa lahat po sa inyo sa mother ignacia healing ministry. Hinihiling ko po at ng aming buong pamilya ang inyong prayers para po sa ikakaganda ng kalusugan ng akin mama na si Veronica A. Sana po ay tulungan nyo kami sa pagdarasal kay God para sa kanyang healing dahil siya po ay naoperahan sa kanyang right breast. Hinihiling po namin kay God na maging maganda po ang lahat ng resulta ng lahat ng kanyang mga medical tests. Thank you po and God Bless you all.

-

James A

San Fernando Pampanga

-

-

FOR MORE INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS SCAN THE MINISTRY ARCHIVES QUICKLY BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW -

-

http://www.sisterraquel.com/2010/04/archive00-entire-ministry-library/

-

GET INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS REGULARLY AS THEY COME IN BY SUBSCRIBING AT www.sisterraquel.com

-

THE LORD HEALS IN CYBERSPACE

-

amdg

-

prayer53 – WE ARE MADE FROM STARDUST

-

(side bar below – FOOTNOTES ON THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE)

-

-

WE ARE MADE FROM STARDUST

The Synergy between Man and the Universe

-

By Bernie Lopez, eastwind

-

We are stardust and to stardust we shall return. That would be in a few billion years when our sun fizzles out. Astrophysicists say the iron in our blood came from the iron at the core of a star before it exploded into a nova. The ensuing nebula, remnants of that nova, through billions of years, gradually created the conditions for the birth of our solar system, and eventually the planets and their moons. The life-force we call evolution took care of the rest.

-

Thus, Man’s origin began with fireworks of galactic proportions, a blast whose light heralded our birth across thousands of light years to the outer reaches of the Universe. Our souls and the Universe are therefore intertwined. It is only fitting that we know it more intimately, and He who made it and us with it. Our perspective, how we view and dialogue with the Universe, is the key to this synergy between Man and the Universe.

-

Perspective is Power

-

perspective is power

what you see becomes what you are

vision is wisdom

blindness is ignorance

-

A laborer sees only the trees. A CEO sees only the entire forest. An astronaut sees only the entire Earth. But the visionary sees beyond time and space. A child sees through the mist in his innocence and simplicity that adults cannot see. Perspective and vision defines what we are, our way of life, our thinking. Perspective is power. Vision is wisdom and virtue.

-

Seeing beyond the stars is the same. A stone-age Neanderthal who had no idea what the stars were is very different from a child of today who has seen fantastic Hubble photos of galaxies and nebulas. The first time you see a close up of the Milky Way (see below), it is as if you are there in outer space and it is a fantastic feeling. You become part of what you see. What you see becomes what you are. Consciousness and perspective transcends time and space, but only if you look with your innermost soul. Then can you see forever.

-

Photo 1 – THE CORE OF CENTAURUS A

-

-

SOURCE.

Go to http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101107.html for a higher resolution version. To view blow up, click on the photo twice. To view blow up, click on photo twice. For more space photos, go to http://hubblesite.org OR http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html.

-

CAPTION.

All items in red are clickable links if you want more details. A fantastic jumble of young blue star clusters, gigantic glowing gas clouds, and imposing dark dust lanes surrounds the central region of the active galaxy Centaurus A. This mosaic of Hubble Space Telescope images taken in blue, green, and red light has been processed to present a natural color picture of this cosmic maelstrom. Infrared images from the Hubble have also shown that hidden at the center of this activity are what seem to be disks of matter spiraling into a black hole with a billion times the mass of the Sun! Centaurus A itself is apparently the result of a collision of two galaxies and the left over debris is steadily being consumed by the black hole. Astronomers believe that such black hole central engines generate the radio, X-ray, and gamma-ray energy radiated by Centaurus A and other active galaxies. But for an active galaxy Centaurus A is close, a mere 10 million light-years away, and is a relatively convenient laboratory for exploring these powerful sources of energy.

-

CREDIT.

E.J. Schreier (AUI) et al., Hubble, NASA; Inset: NOAO.

-

-

The Vastness of the Universe

-

Astronomers say our sun is but a speck among some 200 to 400 billion stars in our Milky Way galaxy. If one star is one grain of sand, a great portion of the Sahara Desert would represent our galaxy.

-

The diameter of the Milky Way is about 100,000 light years or 1 million trillion kilometers away. Since our sun is in the outer rim of the galaxy, if we travel today, year 2010, to the center of the galaxy at the speed of light or about 1,156 trillion kilometers per hour without getting a speeding ticket, we would reach the center at year 102,010, a period longer than the entire history of Mankind.

-

Photo 2 – ANDROMEDA IN ULTRAVIOLET

-

-

SOURCE.

Go to http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101027.html to view the natural light version or to download a higher resolution version. To view blow up, click on photo twice. For more space photos, go to http://hubblesite.org OR http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

-

CAPTION.

All items in red are clickable links if you want more details. This is the ultraviolet version. Andromeda is the closest galaxy to our own Milky Way, at a distance of some 2.5 million light-years. It is spiral just like Milky Way but larger, with about a trillion stars in its grip. It has an array of awesome surrealistic nebulae seen only with the advent of space telescopes like the Hubble. This stunning vista represents the highest resolution image ever made of the Andromeda Galaxy (aka M31) at ultraviolet wavelengths. Recorded by NASA’s Swift satellite, the mosaic is composed of 330 individual images covering a region 200,000 light-years wide. It shows about 20,000 sources, dominated by hot, young stars and dense star clusters that radiate strongly in energetic ultraviolet light.

-

CREDIT.

UV – NASA/Swift/Stefan Immler (GSFC) and Erin Grand (UMCP), Optical – Bill Schoening, Vanessa Harvey/REU program-NOAO-AURA-NSF.

-

-

Let us go a step further. The Milky Way is just a tiny dot among the 100 billion galaxies in the so-called ‘observable Universe’. Our nearest neighbor, the larger Andromeda galaxy has about a trillion stars. If we assume an average of a trillion stars per galaxy in the 100 billion galaxies, we come up with a 100 billion trillion stars in the ‘observable Universe’. For the sake of understanding this vastness, we can compare this to the grains of sand in a million Sahara Deserts.

-

One more step. We have no idea about the size of the unknown or ‘un-observable Universe’. It could be ten times or a million times of the ‘observable Universe’. Also, our Universe is but one among many Universes, the so-called ‘Multiverse’, according to an emerging scientific theory which defies proof and the laws of known physics.

-

The Vastness of the Human Mind

-

Now that we have an idea of cosmic vastness, we see how tiny and puny we are. The Earth is a mere electron in an atom if we reduce the known Universe to the size of the solar system. Man is just a speck in a Universe so vast and incomprehensible. Our brain is perhaps a billion trillion times smaller than our galaxy.

-

Yet, consciousness is the total equalizer because it transcends time and space. By seeing the above pictures, the vastness of the Universe can be contained in the human mind, which is therefore just as vast. Physical vastness is complemented by and contained within metaphysical vastness. Size matters, yes, but so does the mind that sees the size. “I think, therefore I am” is complemented by “I see, therefore I am what I see”. As stargazers, we are now part of the vast cosmos. Our minds are just as cosmic as the cosmos. When we see galaxies colliding in slow motion, or even just simulating them in a computer model, we witness creation-in-process. We bow down to the Creator who made such splendor and vastness.

-

Man’s Expanding View of the Unfolding Universe

-

It took thousands of years for Man to come up with his present-day perspective of the Universe. Let us go quickly through that evolution of perspective. First, we saw the Earth as flat and if we went to the edge, there was an ‘abyss’. How totally naïve. Second, we realized that the Earth was round and the sun, moon and stars revolved around Earth. How totally narcissistic. Third, we saw that it is not them that revolved around us but us which revolved around them, a dramatic reversal of perspective.

-

Fourth, by the end of the 19^th century, we saw that our solar system was a mere speck in a galaxy of some 400 billion stars. Fifth, we realized there are 100 billion other galaxies. As our perspective expanded rapidly due to a storm of technological milestones, so did our view of ourselves becoming smaller and smaller but wiser and wiser. New theories evolved rapidly – the big bang that has happened repeatedly, dark matter and energy, other Universes or ‘multiverses’. In all this, there is always the ‘abyss’ of the unknown and un-observable, the limits of our consciousness. But, it is interesting to note that at every step, our expanding perspective had a profound effect on our awareness of what we are as part of this vast reality. We know more of what we are by simply being star gazers and reaching out to the fringes of the known Universe.

-

From Physical to Metaphysical Evolution

-

A French Jesuit philosopher, Teilhard de Chardin, a paleontologist and geologist by profession, came up with a revolutionary perspective describing the unfolding of the Universe. He began by describing the intricate and complex divergence of physical evolution from the amoeba to Man spanning hundreds of millennia. But at the emergence of Man, the birth of consciousness became a milestone, a massive super-nova explosion. There was a sudden shift from physical to metaphysical evolution.

-

It is no longer just cells evolving, but consciousness evolving, or group of minds evolving. Because of the power of the mind to influence and share with other minds, there is a continuing and compounding evolution. We benefit from the light bulb we use today, invented a century ago. We benefit from the wisdom of the rest of humanity before us – electricity, cars, computers. Evolution of consciousness is cumulative. Group consciousness and the meeting of many minds is a powerful catalyst to the speed of metaphysical evolution. It is self-propelled and has its own inner energy.

-

Technological progress becomes faster and more frenzied through time in a geometric progression similar to population explosion. This is because there are now, say, 10,000 scientists working over cumulative wisdom of centuries while a century ago, there were only 1,000 scientists working on lesser cumulative knowledge. Today, cosmic consciousness is reaching a climax, an explosion, an asymptotic curve approaching infinity.

-

The ships that opened up the New World, the trains that opened up the American West, the first landing at the moon, the first Hubble photos – all these catalyzed divergence of cultures and consciousness.

-

Chardin predicts that all this will result in a convergence of consciousness. This is clearly manifested by the Internet, which links and unites the entire planet into one vast homogenous communication network, similar to one super-blackhole at the center of our galaxy have 400 billion star in its grip in a fantastic spiral pattern. All of a sudden, we are all in touch. The entire library of ever expanding knowledge is at our fingertips at the click of a mouse, triggered by a mere search-word from a bedroom. Never before has Man achieved such awesome power in the realm of consciousness. Cyberspace has become the planetary rallying point for Man’s consciousness imploding.

-

Christo-genesis

-

For non-believers, the buck stops here. For Christians, we are just beginning. Chardin poses the ultimate Christian perspective, one of the most profound spiritual insights of contemporary philosophy. He says that the end point of this convergence of consciousness is Christ. In the entire evolution of consciousness, all paths converge in Him, Creator of the Universe. Chardin says the Universe is in truth Christo-centric. Christ is the Alpha as creator of the Universe, and the Omega as the end point this convergence of consciousness. The unfolding of the mysteries of the Universe is a continuing never-ending endeavor of Man in search of himself and his Creator.

-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-

I am the Alpha and the Omega

the beginning and the end

to the thirsty I offer life-giving waters

-

revelation 21:6

-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-

behold He comes in a cloud

every eye is on Him

even those who pierce Him

-

says the Lord –

I am the Alpha and the Omega

Who is, was, and will be, the Almighty

-

revelation 1:7-8

-

-

FOOTNOTES ON THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

-

THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE

Catalyzing an explosion of cosmic information

By Bernie Lopez

-

The birth of space telescopes, pioneered by the famous Hubble, ushered in for the first time in his history, an explosion within the consciousness of Man of an awareness of the far reaches of the vast cosmos.

-

Among NASA’s three other space observatories, the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, and the Spitzer Space Telescope, only the fourth, the Hubble Space Telescope, is serviceable by Space Shuttle astronauts, that is why its instruments are continuously upgraded and repaired to be always the latest and the best.

-

HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTOS

-

Although early scientists in the late 19^th century already knew of the galaxies around us, it was not until Hubble transmitted from outer space high resolution full color photos of our Milky Way Galaxy and neighboring Andromeda that we saw them for the first time in awesome detail. The ‘forest’ of nebulae in Andromeda, for example, are of particular interest because of their stunning rendition of gas clouds which are remnants of novas or exploding stars. With the Hubble, the first photos of the distant edges of the observable Universe were taken.

-

Before the birth of space telescopes, the best and largest land-based telescopes like Palomar failed to show such dramatic details because of atmospheric haze, which is present even in the clearest cloudless skies. The absence of this haze in outer space was the perfect setting for space-based telescopes like Hubble and other succeeding ones.

-

High resolution photos of faint faraway objects are taken with absolute clarity using exposures of up to 45 minutes per image. These mosaic images are integrated, having cumulative exposures of about 38 hours per filter. Hundreds of half-hour exposures are added up to make a long exposure, something that conventional photography cannot do.

-

Space telescopes have recorded dramatic events like a gigantic meteor slamming into Jupiter, close ups of its blue polar auroras, nebulae of strange surrealistic sizes and shapes, distant galaxies colliding with each other, etc.

-

RAPID EVOLUTION IN COSMOLOGICAL RESEARCH

-

Aside from dramatic photos, there are unprecedented leaps and bounds in space research. April 25, 1990 was the historic day for cosmology, the study of the Universe, with the first ever deployment of the Hubble space telescope. From then on, Hubble space missions triggered an avalanche of data in cosmological research. Milestone after milestone advanced the study of the Universe. What would have taken decades of research, is taking a mere few months because of the ability of the Hubble to document distant cosmic phenomena.

-

For example, photos of so-called binaries in the Kuiper Belt were a scientific milestone by telling us about the birth and evolution of solar systems. Studies in ‘dark energy’ were enhanced by dramatic photos of ‘dust free’ supernovae (SNe Ia). Star formation histories were derived from photos of dwarf galaxies. Surveys of luminous infrared galaxies and stalled nebulae before the birth of planets gave Man new insights never before achieved.

-

THE ROLE OF THE INTERNET

-

Not only were there rapid scientific advances, their dissemination into the mainstream was massive and global through the Internet. High school students had access to the same awesome high-resolution Hubble photos used by advanced science. There are today websites with huge libraries of photos of the Universe that can be downloaded by anyone from children to doctorate students to housewives and ordinary citizens. This massive proliferation in itself contributes to the rapid evolution of consciousness described in the main article, as expounded by Jesuit philosopher Teilhard de Chardin.

-

-

INQUIRIES - eastwind@motherignaciahealingministry.com

-

FOR MORE INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS, SCAN THE MINISTRY ARCHIVES QUICKLY BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW -

-

http://www.sisterraquel.com/2010/04/archive00-entire-ministry-library/

-

GET INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS REGULARLY AS THEY COME IN BY SUBSCRIBING AT www.sisterraquel.com

-

THE LORD REIGNS IN CYBERSPACE.

THE LORD HEALS IN CYBERSPACE.

-

amdg

-