Celebrating My Blog’s 10th Anniversary: 10 Years with Blogspot.com

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur - so how do I look like after 10 years?

Today marks the 10th birthday of my blogspot.com -  I started this blog 10 years ago with the intention to write about Lourdes and Medjugorje. At that time, my mind was completely preoccupied with these two sacred places that all I wanted to do was to write about them. After some time, I began to realize that if I were to focus on this blog, I would never get started with my Ph.D. thesis. I had no choice but to give up writing until after I have completed my Ph.D. thesis. Time flies and today, 10 years later, I have already completed my thesis - in fact I have graduated in the year 2017. I wanted to start writing again then but was so busy with my work that I could not find any time to write at all. As a lecturer in a tertiary institution in Pahang, I worked from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and had to spend my weekends travelling to and from Kuala Lumpur. Replacement classes were common - sometimes until 10.00 p.m. at night. I am thankful that I am now back in Kuala Lumpur and need not waste time travelling anymore. Perhaps it's time I start writing again - although ten years later but it is always better to be late than never, right?

To my readers who have been with me since I started this blog, I would like to thank you for your comments, encouragement, support, and most of all for being with me all these years even though I did not write much. I promise to write again and I hope that you will enjoy reading my articles.

To those who have recently discovered my blog, I would like to thank you for taking the trouble to read my articles. Do visit this blog again as I will continue to publish lots of new articles in the near future.

Today is a very special day as I couldn't help feeling that the spirit of Lourdes and Medjugorje is back again. I could still remember very clearly how and why I started this blog on this day ten years ago. Ten years is a long time and many things have happened in this last decade - that's the reason why I will have a lot of things to write about for days to come.

Why Lourdes and Medjugorje? How did they inspire me to start this blog? What do they have to do with the meaning and purpose of life?

As what Antonio Bernardo says, "Lourdes is like a great mirror. For better or worse, it forces us to look inside ourselves." It is when we look inside ourselves that we discover our purpose, vision, mission, goals, motivation, values and beliefs. Gesbron, who was converted to Chrstianity in Lourdes, wrote:

"I say above all to Christians do not go to Lourdes as tourists or spectators. You do not have the right. Go to Lourdes because for more than a hundred years in this place millions of people have suffered, prayed, loved, understood. Above all they have committed themselves. For this reason Lourdes has become one of the most important places for all humanity." 

How right he is! In the past, Lourdes has been invaded on numerous occasions and its inhabitants subjected to violent persecution but despite the bloody wars, they have remained steadfast and faithful to God. Originally a sleepy market town, Lourdes has now become a major Roman Catholic pilgrimage site where many miraculous healings have happened. However, Lourdes is not just about miracles, tourism and fun. It is about faith and self-discovery. Through THE MESSAGE OF LOURDES, we learn our lessons of life and hence become better versions of ourselves. And I hope to share my lessons of life with my readers.

Similarly, the Medjugorje events have a crucial role to play in the fulfilmlent of our needs. Medjugorje is a place where faith is strengthened and hope is revived. It is a place of spiritual renewal and true conversion where we reconcile ourselves with God and the Church. In Medjugorje, we can discover the real meaning of peace and return to prayer and fasting thus renewing ourselves in Christ. The messages of Medjugorje are pure and simple. Our Lady's tireless call to peace, prayer, penance and conversion reminds us of the eternal truths of the Gospel. As our faith is intensified and hope is revived when we live Her messages, we will find the true meaning of the Gospel. During Her apparition to the visionaries, Our Lady identified herself as the "Queen of Peace". In this holy place of peace, we can present our requests to God and the peace of God will guard over our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7). According to Father Branko Rados:

"Peace is not to be found because we are looking for it on the wrong place. We forget that peace is a fruit of our heart and that the only field where it can flourish is in our hearts. It is found in the most inner depths of person's being. Our peace is in God, in the King of peace - Jesus Christ. The message of Medjugorje is the message of peace, which can be attained only through prayer, fasting and personal conversion. That is also the essence of Our lady's messages which simultaneously enlighten Christ's evangelic message: "I am the Way, the Truth and Life" (Jn 14:6) and "Follow me for I am the light of the world" (Jn 8:12)." 

"Peace I leave with you and my peace I give you. Do not be distressed and do not be fearful" (John 14:27). Peace can only be found deep within our hearts, minds, and souls through prayers, fasting and conversion. And Medjugorje is the best place on Earth to look for peace. When we have found peace within ourselves and are ready to take up our cross and follow Jesus, we have discovered the true meaning and purpose of life.

Thanks for reading. You may also like to read How Abraham Lincoln Inspired Me to Pursue My Ph.D. and Prayer to St. Anthony and the Miraculous Letter Delivery. To view the content page of this blog, please click here.

References:

1.  Lourdes & Bernadette by Antonio Bernardo. Publisher "il Calamo", p.8.

2.  MEDJUGORJE, Information Center "MIR" Medjugorje, p.9.