I asked God to take away my habit.

God said, No.

It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No.
His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.


I asked God to grant me patience.


God said, No. 
Patience is a byproduct of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.

God said, No.

I give you blessings;
Happiness is up to you.
I asked God to spare me pain.


God said, No.
Suffering draws you apart from
worldly cares
and brings you closer to me.


I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No.
You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful.


I asked God for all things
that I might enjoy life.

God said, No.
I will give you life,
so that you may enjoy all things.
I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said...
Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

A Christmas Creed

I believe in Jesus Christ and in the beauty of the gospel begun in Bethlehem.

I believe in the one whose spirit glorified a little town; 
and whose spirit still brings music to persons all over the world, in towns both large and small.


I believe in the one for whom the crowded inn could find no room, and I confess that my heart still sometimes wants to exclude Christ from my life today.


I believe in the one who the rulers of the earth ignored and the proud could never understand; whose life was among common people, whose welcome came from persons of hungry hearts.

I believe in the one who proclaimed the love of God to be invincible:

I believe in the one whose cradle was a mother's arms, whose modest home in Nazareth had love for its only wealth, who looked at persons and made them see what God's love saw in them, who by love brought sinners back to purity, and lifted human weakness up to meet the strength of God.

I confess my ever-lasting need of God: The need of forgiveness for our selfishness and greed, the need of new life for empty souls, the need of love for hearts grown cold.

I believe in God who gives us the best of himself. 
I believe in Jesus, the son of the living God, born in Bethlehem this night, for me and for the world.

Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes

Descubriendo el siglo 21

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

212.244-4778

The Hammer

I was in the crowd the day that Jesus died

And as He hung upon that cross, His mother cried
I saw the crown of thorns He wore
The stripes on His back
The water and the blood ran out
And then the sky turned black
My mind was filled with anger
My heart filled with shame
The man brought only healing
Well who could bring Him pain
Why does it seem the strong
They always victimize the weak
And suddenly I found myself
Standing to my feet
And I cried

Who nailed Him there?
This Child of peace and mercy
Who nailed Him there?
Come and face me like a man
Who nailed Him there?
And the crowd began to mock me
I cried Oh my God I just don't understand
Then I turned and saw the hammer
In my hand.
I am just a Roman soldier

An ordinary man
I love my wife and children
I do the best I can
But how could I have killed Him
There must be someone else
I got to find an answer
I can't blame myself


I nailed Him there
This Child of peace and mercy
I nailed Him there
I am the guilty man

I nailed Him there
With my sins and my transgressions
I cried Oh my God, now I understand
When I turned and saw the hammer
In my hands

Fr. Tomas Del Valle-Reyes

Descubriendo el Siglo 21/Discovering 21 Century

P.O.BOX 1170

New York, nY  10018

Tel- 212-24-4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

http://radiosiglo21.blogspot.com/   
Programa de Radio “La Tertulia”

I DID NOT KNOW HIS LOVE BEFORE

I did not know His love before,
The way I know it now.
I could not see my need for Him,
My pride would not allow.

I had it all, without a care,
The "self-sufficient" lie.
My path was smooth, my sea was still,
Not a cloud was in my sky.
I thought I knew His love for me,
I thought I'd seen His grace,
I thought I did not need to grow,
I thought I'd found my place.
But then the way grew rough and dark,
The storm clouds quickly rolled;
The waves began to rock my ship,
I found I had no hold.
The ship that I had built myself
Was made of foolish pride.
It fell apart and left me bare,
With nowhere else to hide
I had no strength or faith to face
The trials that lay ahead,
And so I simply spoke His name
And bowed my weary head.
His loving arms enveloped me,

And then He helped me stand.

He said, "You still must face this storm,

But I will hold your hand."

So through the dark and lonely night

He guided me through pain.
I could not see the light of day
Or when I'd smile again.
Yet through the pain and endless tears,
My faith began to grow.
I could not see it at the time,
But my light began to glow.
I saw God's love in a brand new light,
His grace and mercy, too.
For only when all self was gone
Could Jesus' love shine through.

It was not easy in the storm,
I sometimes wondered why.
At times I thought, "I can't go on."
I'd hurt, and doubt, and cry.
But God never left my side
He guided me each day.
Through pain and strife, through fire and flood,
He helped me all the way.


And now I see as never before
How great His love can be
How in my weakness He is strong,
How God cares for me!
He worked it all out for my good,
Although the way was rough.
He only sent what I could bear,
And then He said, "Enough!"
He raised His hand and said, "Be still!"
He made the storm clouds cease.
He opened up the gates of joy
And flooded me with peace.

I saw His face now clearer still,

I felt His presence strong,

I found anew His faithfulness,

He never did me wrong.

And now I know more storms will come,
But only for my good,
For pain and tears have helped me grow
As nothing ever could.
I still have so much more to learn
As God works in me;
If in the storm I'll love Him more,
That's where I want to be!
Author Unknown But To God

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/

I FORGIVE YOU

One day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods.  
As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right. 
He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a job. 
His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and cheated him. 
He remembered family that had passed on.
His mind turned to the illness he had that no one could cure.
His very soul was filled with anger, resentment and frustration.
Standing there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew would always be there, and with tears in his eyes, he prayed.....................


"Lord- You have done wonderful things for me in this life. 
 You have told me to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed. 
Today, you have told me to forgive. 
I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. 
I don't know how. 
It is not fair Lord. 
I didn't deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to forgive.
 As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I don't know how to forgive. 
My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I cannot do - Teach me To Forgive."


As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder. He opened his eyes.
Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on his shirt. 
He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground.
He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them. 
He raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross.
He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head. Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. 
As their eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

"Have you ever told a lie", he asked?
The man answered - "Yes Lord."


"Have you ever been given to much change and kept it?"
The man answered "Yes Lord". And the man sobbed more and
more.


"Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours", Jesus asked?
And the man answered "Yes Lord."


"Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain"?
The man, crying now, answered "Yes Lord".
As Jesus asked many more times, "Have you ever"? The man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer "Yes Lord".

Then Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the blood of Jesus. When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.


Jesus said,
"I didn't deserve this either, but I Forgive You."

Travel with us to China or Israel. For more information visit our webpage www.discovering21century.com

Descubriendo el Siglo 21

Discovering 21century

Fr Tomás Del Valle-Reyes

P. O. BOX 1170

New York, NY 10018

(212) 244 4778

www.descubriendoelsiglo21.com/