MY LUCID INTERVALS

SEVEN WEIRDEST THINGS ABOUT GADHAFI

2011-10-21T17:47:00.001+08:00

Col. Moammar Gadhafi, the dictator who ruled Libya for 42 years, was killed by rebels in his hometown of Sirte on Thursday. A dictator who oppressed his own people and sponsored terrorism abroad, Gadhafi's legacy will be stained by violence. But beyond his brutality, Gadhafi will be remembered for something else entirely… being a first-class weirdo.

In no particular order, ABCNews.com brings you the seven weirdest things about Moammar Gadhafi.

1. The "Bulletproof" Tent: When Gadhafi was at home in Tripoli, he lived in a well fortified compound with a complex system of escape tunnels. But when he travelled abroad, this "Bedouin" brought a bit of the desert with him, camping out in the world's capitals. The tent was so heavy it needed to be flown on a separate plane, wherever the dictator travelled. To complete the Arabian Nights theme, Gadhafi often would tether a camel or two outside.

2. All-Female Virgin Bodyguard Retinue: They apparently weren't around when Gadhafi needed them most on Thursday, but the eccentric dictator was historically protected by 40 well trained bodyguards – all of them women. The bodyguards, called "Amazons," were all reportedly virgins who took a vow of chastity upon joining the dictator's retinue. The women, trained at an all-female military academy, were handpicked by Gadhafi. They wore elaborate uniforms, as well as makeup and high-heeled combat boots.

3. His "Voluptuous" Ukrainian Nurse: For a decade, Galyna Kolotnytska, a Ukrainian nurse often described in the press as "voluptuous," was regularly seen at the dictator's side. Kolotnytska was described in a leaked diplomatic cable as one of Gadhafi's closest aides and was rumored to have a romantic relationship with him. Several other Ukrainian women served as nurses and they all referred to him as "Papa" or "Daddy."

4. Crush on Condoleezza Rice: In 2007, Gadhafi called former Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice his "darling black African woman" and on a 2008 visit she made to Tripoli, the dictator gave her $200,000 worth of gifts, including a ring and a lute. But it wasn't until rebels stormed his Tripoli compound that the depths of the dictator's infatuation were exposed. There among Gadhafi's belongings was a carefully composed photo album made up of dozens of images of no one but Rice.

5. Fear of Flying and Elevators: Part of the reason Gadhafi loved travelling with that tent of his was because he was worried about lodging in a hotel where he'd have to ride an elevator. According to leaked diplomatic cables, the Libyan didn't like heights much either, and would only climb to a height of 35 steps. He therefore wasn't much of a fan of flying, refusing to travel by air for more than eight hours at a time. When he would travel to New York of the U.N.'s annual general assembly, he would spend a night in Portugal on the way to the U.S.

6. Bunga Bunga: In 2010, one of Gadhafi's most eccentric pastimes was exposed by Italian prosecutors investigating Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. A 17-year-old prostitute named Karima el-Mahroug, better known as Ruby Heartstealer, revealed that she had been invited to an orgy, called a "bunga bunga." "Silvio told me that he'd copied that formula from Muammar Gadhafi," she told prosecutors according to La Repubblica. "It's a ritual of [Gadhafi's] African harem."

7. An Eclectic Wardrobe: In those photos of world leaders standing shoulder to shoulder on the sidelines of this or that international forum, Gadhafi was always the easiest to pick out. His wardrobe was an eclectic mix of ornate military uniforms, Miami Vice style leisure suits, and Bedouin robes. Gadhafi, who pushed for a pan-African federation of nations, often decorated his outfits with images of the African continent. He'd sport safari shirts printed with an Africa pattern, or wear garish pins or necklaces of the continent.

God's Message For You Today, July 10, 2011

2011-07-10T12:31:00.001+08:00

10 July
Sunday TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

ROOTS

"The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the Word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time." – Matthew 13:20-21

In the industry I'm in, time is of the essence. Working 10-12 hours a day is normal. That leaves me eight hours of trying to put myself to sleep and four to six hours of enjoying the company of my beautiful wife, eating, serving in community, exercising and all the other activities I need to do. Of course, the weekends are bliss for me.
The one thing I realized is when I don't pray for a day, everything else falls apart. It's not enough to just read the Word and reflection of the day. If I stop at that, trials and anxieties soon take over and I find myself back to square one.
The strength I need for the day only lasts by getting power from God. I need roots — the roots of prayer. I need to constantly be in fellowship with the One who gives us true joy. Danny Maglutac (dannym@catholic.org)

10
REFLECTION:
How much time do you spend in prayer?

Lord, give me a holy hunger for Your presence.

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
COMPANION

1st READING
God likens His Word to the rain that waters the earth and causes plants to grow and be fruitful. If we want God's Word to bear fruit in our lives, we need to read, meditate on it, and live it.

Isaiah 55:10-11
10 Thus says the LORD: Just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to him who sows and bread to him who eats, 11 so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it.

P S A L M

Psalms 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
R: The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
9 [10] You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it. God's watercourses are filled; you have prepared the grain. (R) 10 [11] Thus have you prepared the land drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods, softening it with showers, blessing its yield. (R) 11 [12] You have crowned the year with you bounty, and your
paths overflow with a rich harvest; 12 [13] the untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills. (R) 13 [14] The fields are garmented with flocks and the valleys blanketed with grain. They shout and sing for joy. (R)

2nd READING

The Apostle Paul was able to accept the trials and suffering that came upon him as he preached the Gospel. He was confident that these trials were not worth comparing with the great reward he would receive in heaven.

Romans 8:18-23
18 Brothers and sisters: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us. 19 For creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God; 20 for creation was made subject to futility, not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; 23 and not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.

G O S P E L

The parable of the sower describes the various states of the human heart when the Word of God enters it. Today, let us reflect honestly as to the true state of our hearts and by repentance we can allow the plough of the Spirit and God's Word to change our hearts from unfruitful ground to fertile soil bearing a hundredfold.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will have life forever.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 13:1-23
1 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. 3 And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and
birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, 6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. 8 But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. 9 Whoever has ears ought to hear." 10 The disciples approached him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11 He said to them in reply, "Because knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted. 12 To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.' 14 Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: 'You shall
indeed hear but not understand, you shall indeed look but never see. 15 Gross is the heart of this people, they will hardly hear with their ears, they have closed their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted, and I
heal them.' 16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. 17 Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. 18 Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and
the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. 21 But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23 But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold."

my reflections
t h i n k : I f we want God's Word to bear fruit in our lives, we need to read, meditate on it, and live it.

God's special verse/thought for me today________________
_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ' S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for:____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Psalm 91-95

SABBATH PAUSE
My weekly time with God
THANK YOU LIST
Things to be grateful for from the past week
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL NEEDS
Things to ask God for in the coming week
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
HIDDEN TREASURE
Most important word God told me this week __________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
SABBATH

God Can Be Helpl ess

The Marriage Encounter Weekend (MEW) is definitely one renewal program that we have to be thankful for. Since its conception in Spain by a certain Fr. Calvo, and since it was brought to the Philippines via U.S.A. by Jesuit Fr. Ruben Tanseco, the program has benefited countless Catholic and Christian couples in their search for quality married life. The undeniable testimony to this is the number of M.E. communities that have been put up and sustained by couples who, after being touched by the program, decided to make the promotion of MEW as their lifetime apostolate.
Each weekend class has interesting stories to tell. While majority of the couples who come to the weekend seminar are "infected" positively by the presentation talks and dynamics, some are not even able to complete the weekend. Some couples end up quarrelling and breaking up. And there are those who thought that their marriage was fantastic, yet afterwards experience shake-ups in their relationships. The words and wisdom shared by the presenting teams, consisting of two couples and a priest, and the disclosures that either husband or wife do after each reflection, failed to yield good fruits because one of the parties doesn't open up
to listen or to give. Pride, unforgiveness, rationalizations, emotionalism block goodwill and goodness.
Nothing is impossible with God, yes. But the parable of Jesus today awakens us to the reality that although God is powerful, there are instances when His power is rendered helpless because the human heart is unprepared or too preoccupied with temporalities. The economy of God's grace can be likened to the cellphone. Through the years, this gadget has opened up various horizons of exchange. Through the powerful beam of unseen digital energies, voice calls, text messages, video calls, email exchanges and Internet connectivities are now possible. But all these become useless when the user enters a place where he or she "cannot be
reached." Fr. Domie Guzman, SSP

Reflection Question:
What unpleasant circumstances in life make you often shut yourself off from others' reach and from God's joys? What can you do to open yourself more to God's grace and goodness?

Lord, make me more receptive to Your grace and goodness. Amen.

St. Etto, pray for us.

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
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God's Message For You Today, June 22, 2011

2011-06-22T18:00:00.001+08:00

22 June
Wednesday TODAY'S READINGS:

DIDACHE | COMPANION | SABBATH
DIDACHE

Greatness, are you expecting it NOW?

But Abram said, "O Sovereign Lord, how can I know that I will gain possession of it? " – Genesis 15:8

Back in the year 2000, when my girlfriend was frustrated with me in my failure to get two points (a sales requirement in a multilevel marketing company) I remember telling her, "Me? I'm always on the verge of greatness." Strangely, that would calm her down.
While I said those words, I didn't realize how powerful they were.
After six years in a company where I reached senior assistant manager, I got an early retirement and started anew as a manager elsewhere. Two years later, I left that second company and successfully worked for myself as an Internet marketer.
We will be known by the results or fruits of our lives, the Gospel says. And one way we can make sure that the fruits will be a great harvest is to change the words we use to describe ourselves.
I used to describe myself as on the "edge" of greatness. Now I say that my life is one marvelous miracle to another.
Now proclaim it for yourself: "I live a marvelous life!" Jomar Hilario (jomar.hilario@gmail.com)
22
REFLECTION:
How do you describe your future?

Lord, help me understand that Your plan for me is a marvelous life!

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
COMPANION

1st READING

God repeats His promise of progeny to Abraham. When we reflect upon this promise in the light of Romans 4, I think we can begin to understand its true significance. Paul presents Abraham as the Father of our Faith in Romans 4; he is the perfect example of what it means to be a man of faith. Thus the real progeny of Abraham are not his blood descendants (obviously of which there are many), but all men and women of faith. It is faith that he has fathered and bequeaths to the humanity as his greatest legacy.

Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18
1 The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram! am your shield; I will make your reward very great." 2 But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be, if I keep on being childless and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?" 3 Abram continued, "See, you have given me no offspring, and so one of my servants will be my heir." 4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: "No, that one shall not be your heir; your own issue shall be your heir." 5 He took him outside and said: "Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be." 6 Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness. 7 He then said to him, "I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession." 8 "O Lord GOD," he asked, "How am I to know hat I shall possess it?" 9 He answered him, "Bring me a
three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon." 10 He brought him all these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other; but the
birds he did not cut up. 11 Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them. 12 As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, errifying darkness enveloped him. 17 When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking brazier and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces. 18 It was on that occasion that the LORD
made a covenant with Abram, saying: "To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates."

P S A L M

Psalms 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
R: The Lord remembers his covenant forever.
1 Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. 2 Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. (R) 3 Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! 4 Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. (R) 6 You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. (R) 8 He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations, 9 which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. (R)

G O S P E L

There will always be men and women whom Satan uses, whether implicitly or explicitly, as false prophets. This is why it is important for us to be formed in our faith. If we know the basic tenets of our faith we will not be easily led astray by false prophets. If we are ignorant of our faith it will be easy for false doctrines to seduce our unformed minds and hearts.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 7:15-20
15 Jesus said to his disciples: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them."

my reflections
t h i n k: There will always be men and women whom Satan uses as false prophets.

God's special verse/thought for me today________________
_________________________________________________________

T O D A Y ' S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for:____________________________________

_______________________________________________________

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Psalm 1-5
Psalm 1-5

Didache | Companion | Sabbath | Top
SABBATH

A FOOLPROOF TEST

There is a time-tested methodology for discerning good or bad spirits. We are not referring here, by the way, to paranormal or supernatural activity. We mean here the so-called "Ignatian discernment of spirits."
This kind of framework of guidelines developed by St. Ignatius of Loyola warns us of attributing something too easily to good or to bad spirits. In fact, St. Ignatius is quick to say that while the bad spirit may disguise itself to be a good spirit, the bad spirit can never produce anything good. Only the good spirit will yield something good always.
Satan, the Evil One, is known not only as the Prince of Darkness, but also as the Father of Lies. Or if you like, he is also the Master of Disguise. He can cleverly hide behind attractive and pleasant disguises. In this sense, Satan is the original wolf in sheep's clothing.
In a way, it is true. How can Satan attract people to himself if they see him scary, obnoxious or disgusting? For this, we have to be very vigilant. And our Lord's advice is truly foolproof and effective: "You can tell a tree by its fruit."
In the context of the Gospel episode, Jesus used this teaching of His for the purpose of unmasking false prophets. Now, what if we applied Jesus' acid test to ourselves? It shouldn't take much for us to show our true colors beneath the disguises. We may fool a lot of people (nay more, perhaps even God Himself), but once we start deceiving our very own selves — that is the worst. We can even apply the most elaborate schemes for discerning spirits (yes, the Ignatian or otherwise), and they will only yield the same results. Fr. Martin Macasaet,
SDB

Reflection Question:
Do I ever take the time to test the spirits whenever I have some choices to make?

Holy Spirit, teach me Your ways so I may be able to discern where the spirit is coming from. Amen.

St. Alban, pray for us.