Seventh week @ ND

Best week yet.
Rediscovered my passion for music. So like I said, best week yet.
Celebration choir is perhaps the most beautiful gift given to me since arriving at ND.
St. Cecilia, pray for us.

Sixth week @ ND

What a week :) All my experiments went wrong. Yikes! BUT lots of other beautiful things entered my life. Celebration choir and flute choir. I can't wait to start playing the flute again! My three favourite activities in this world: horseback riding, playing the flute and talking to Jesus. Each one makes me feel so free (esp. the latter of course! :)

It feels so good to have the things I love most being brought back into my life!

So good...!!

It's been JUST like spring here the past week... and I've been riding my bike to school! It's great! AND there were fellow Canadians in the RadLab today! SO cool. People with the same accent as me - as the receptionist told me :P

There are so many people on campus today - it's junior parent's weekend (aka the third years bring their parents for a tour of ND). It's so nice to have a large amount of people on campus, roaming around, playing sports, enjoying the weather...

I thought I'd put up a picture of myself. This wasn't planned to have the "YOU." facing towards the camera. It sort of just happened :P

I'm getting really excited about my baptism & confirmation... and esp. the eucharist.... I think about it every night before I go to sleep :) Doesn't the pew in the picture to the right just seem so inviting? :D

unfinished - Fifth week @ ND

Fifth week done and over! It was a pleasant week :)

I really can't help myself. I am in love with the Basilica and Tabernacle. It's so incredible. Please bare with me - eventually I'll stop posting pictures of it! :D

Identity Crisis

As each day goes by, I feel like I'm "losing myself" more and more. I can't remember who I was. But I will resist the urge to dwell... the past is over and the present needs much attention.

Who am I now? 

It's tempting to define ourselves with what is worldly. For example, by our clothing, social statuses, events, activities, success etc. My problem is that I defined myself with other people, mainly my friend circle. Being at ND without them has opened my eyes to that. Friends reflect and reveal the kind of person one is. But they can't reveal who one is.

As unsettling as this is for me, it is also comforting. I know this is an opportunity for Christ to live more wholly in me. But I have to be careful because it is just as much of an opportunity for the evil one to bring me down.

And the choice is, without doubt, absolutely, positively... MINE!

A perfect life is lived in terms of death and resurrection.

That's from a book called "Healing through the Sacraments" that I purchased in India (so many great purchases there!!). It's been on my mind lately. I think it's the answer to my identity crisis. 

Those alive in Christ are defined in Christ. They die with Christ, emptying all things worldly from themselves, that they may be resurrected with the fullness of Christ.

Suddenly who I am in this world doesn't matter. Let everything I used to define myself by be dissolved with Christ's love. Everything in Him makes sense. It's where I find peace.

Fourth Week @ ND - NDE

Without getting into detail, this week was very, very tough. But God really reminded me of His love through two blessings in my life whom I hold deeply in my heart. Not best friends nor sisters - something much more than that! Much, much more! To top it off, I went on a weekend retreat held by campus ministry called Notre Dame Encounter (NDE). The theme was...

"Make God known, loved and served." 
~ Blessed Basil Moreau

What I got most out of the retreat was friendship. We all had a prayer partner for the weekend and mine was awesome!! Her best friend is Indian!! I was like, "I've got one of them back home!!" ...(or two or three! haha). AND SHE'S ALSO FROM CANADA AND IS HALF MALU HALF GOAN. So I'm going to meet her soon! No matter where I go, God provides the malus! Thanks be to God :)

I was blessed with some amazing people in my small group as well. We are going to reunite soon! :)

I think I'll ponder the rest :)

Third Week @ ND

One of the many symbols in the Catholic church that I love is the fountain of holy water present when we first walk into the church. It's there to remind us of our Baptismal vows, after all, we first enter the church through baptism! The picture to the left is a view from the level of the fountain of the rest of the church. I've learnt a lot about baptism and it's importance this past week. Jesus yearned for His baptism. He didn't begin His ministry before He was baptized because in His human weakness, He needed the Holy Spirit. And so do I...

I CAN'T WAIT!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D ;) :D :D :D :D :D :D :D !

And a view from the back of the Tabernacle, looking out into the pews. You know, during mass Mother Mary and all the angels and saints are present... some of us are gifted to see them, some of us have strong imaginations and can picture it...and then there are others who can see see them in the paintings on the ceiling, walls, windows... everywhere in the Basilica! It's incredible.

This week was quite special. I witnessed my Hindu friend pray in this Basilica in front of a crucifix. How beautiful is that? Our God is a great God, a God of all who hears all who cry out to Him.

Now for a musical interlude...

How great is our God?
Sing with me,
How great is our God?
And all will see
How great,
How great is our God!

Gotta love Christ Tomlin and most of all, Jesus!! :D


WORK TINGZ:

I couldn't fix the orientation of this picture on the left. So bare with me and turn your head 90 degrees left :) It's the leaning tower of Pisa! Hehe
And to the right is a home made piece of glassware creatively constructed by our own glass blowers in the RadLab. They get into it sometimes! Personally, I think all glassware should be designed like this! Then when an experiment is going wrong, we can be cheered up! :D

INTRODUCINGGGGGGG.............Hesburg library! Aka "Touch Down Jesus" - because he can be viewed from the upper parts of the football stadium haha! This mural is really something else. A treasure for sure! It is also an amazing library... tonnes and tonnes and tonnes of books (I know right, how unfitting for a library! :P hah). But seriously, Mills + Thode + HSL look puny compared to this baby!

I regret to announce that I have no picture of a squirrel for this week. However, I did see a squirrel walking behind an oblivious student for at least 3 metres (no feet for me! sorry America!)

That is all :)