When and where light swallows darkness

                When and where light swallows darkness... Let there be light!

             Mama Kaya teaches that it is only when we live by God's light

        In complete conformity to His Holy Will that we can be truly happy.

                                                               Spring 2014

I wish a warm welcome to new and returning family and students to our second 'Free Love Course' offered by 'Mama Kaya Rodrigues Love University - Established: 1924.' As per our schedule for this term, it is on the theme of 'Light Swallowing Darkness'.

Before we get started, I would like you to reflect on the following often asked questions through breaks and at any time thereafter.

1. Are the Love courses from Mama Kaya Rodrigues Love University (MKRLU) on tiny Rodrigues Island, lost in the middle of the Indian Ocean, so compelling and powerful because such teachings are so uncommon, so elementary, yet so profound and altogether so different from anything commonly found in internationally acclaimed Universities such as UCLU located in industrialized parts of today's modern world?

2. Is the authentic love in the heart of the most senior dean of our love department, Mama Kaya, so real, so pure and paradoxically so very contagious simply because it has not been contaminated by any form of altogether too common 'with it fashionable' behavior learnt from school peers, books, magazines, movie theaters, (there are none in Rodrigues) TV shows etc.?

3. Does the bona fide love found in Rodrigues explain why, in a world that is usually so readily impressed by the conceited rich, regardless of their poor conditions of life, tourists flock to Rodrigues and particularly to MKRLU because they are edified by the rich lives of the humble poor islanders?

IMHO, as an unbiased lecturer at Mama Kaya Rodrigues Love University, I firmly believe that Mama Kaya Love Course 101 best reflect the humongous love tiny Rodrigues, in general, through its population and various hosting facilities is displaying to the rest of the world. The kind of warm welcome and authentic love that tourists readily discover and feel upon their arrival on this tiny island is what keeps more and more family, visitors and students coming back year after year. 

They have all heard either by word of mouth about MKRLU or they have googled it and discovered it on the world wide web. So they all come here looking for that 'magic potion' brewed and stirred for years by Mama Kaya. They know that, once absorbed, the ingredients of that brew will open their minds and hearts to real love, real freedom and real lasting happiness. Indeed, once well digested, that 'magic potion' produces an exhilarating light feeling. It enables our adepts to, without any inhibition, sort with an incandescent brightness through the dark secret recesses of their minds and soul. And once all darkness has been swallowed by that newly found radiant source of light burning in their soul, a life of long lasting love and abiding happiness becomes theirs for eternity. 

I hope most, if not all of you, will enjoy your time with us at MKRLU. May you become addicted to our 'magic potion'. Our invigorating 'magic potion', coupled with the old fashioned compasses and sextants that we will provide you during your stay with us, will ensure that you are fully equipped to navigate to new bright worlds beyond heretofore hidden horizons. 

Throughout your stay, please be sure to slow down. Take time to relax on our anti stress island campus. That minute dot in the middle of the Indian Ocean is known to help arouse a gargantuan appetite for love and happiness in the heart of visitors. Tour the island and visit with any number of past graduates of Mama Kaya Rodrigues Love University - Established 1924. Most islanders love to share the much or little they have with open minds, generous hearts and giving hands. 

We are thankful to our overall population for the warm welcome they extend to our students and to visitors in general. By so doing, the islanders highlight the underlying lasting values of our teachings. Those teachings are based on the secret recipe behind our brew. Our key ingredients are:

1. Abandonment to God's Divine Providence.  (Matt. 6: 25; 31-33)

2. In all things, be thankful to God. (St. Paul. 1 Thessalonians 5: 17-18)

To help develop a translucent crystal clear high in the minds of our students and compulsive free addiction to our key ingredients, 'Mama Kaya Rodrigues Love University' combines no less than 7 ingredients in finely measured portions in her magic potion. 

Those ingredients are proven to open the large pane less windows of our mind, our heart and our soul to decipher and sort through God's designs for our life.  Once opened those new clear cut windows allow all the Light needed through to floodlit and swallow any dark areas from previously persistent and paralyzing  obscure recesses of our soul.

Key ingredients for Mama Kaya liberating and enlightening 'magic potion':

1. Prayer.

2. Meditation.

3. Fasting. (Matt. 6: 16-18)

4. Offering Sacrifices.

5. Giving Alms. (Matt. 6: 1-4)

6. Loving God and neighbor. 

7. Living every moment in absolute conformity to God's Will.

Mama Kaya delights to freely share her fully matured and exquisitely flavored lifelong secret recipe with all. She guarantees it to ensure a happy life for those who will persevere in ingesting and slowly digesting her proven brew daily. 

Mama Kaya's self developed formula is known to cure all ills, disperse all feelings of hatred and repress all stress. That potion sourcing from love enables people to live happily ever after regularly ingesting and digesting her series of 'Free Love Courses'. Some old timers refer to Mama Kaya's 'magic potion' as an 'old world' remedy that was only known to ancient Druids. It was passed down to Mama Kaya for the express purpose of being shared freely by her. It is to be used by modern citizens of the world to rekindle the bright light of love which by itself alone can ensure peace.

Still going strong at 90, Mama Kaya's bright shining eyes, the mirrors of her soul, are living proof that prayer, meditation, fasting, sacrifice and almsgiving are like powerful generators that are capable of producing a bright enough flood of light to illuminate and disperse any dark cloud of dissension from anywhere. (Matt. 6: 22)

We are now ready to distill, individually, the ingredients that deliver the  essences that are included in Mama Kaya's 'magic potion'. As you will slowly ingest the individual ingredients, you will gradually sense your minds and hearts setting flight under new light beyond limitless horizons. Please keep adjusting your itinerary through life with the course set by our old fashioned compasses and shoot for the stars with our antiquated sextant. 

We wish you all God's speed while sailing over ever more limitless horizons to a final safe harbor.

First ingredient:

1. Prayer.

Dictionary definition of prayer:

"Prayer is an invocation or act that seeks to activate a rapport with a deity, an object of worship, or a spiritual entity through deliberate communication".

In a display of total lack of faith in the power of God, that secular dictionary definition of prayer then turns to science to 'evaluate the efficacy of prayer' to 'a deity'. It refers to a 2006 scientific meta analysis of 14 studies that concluded and declared that there is no discernible evidence that prayer works. It further adds that a 2007 scientific systemic review of intercessory prayer also reported inconclusive results. As if to underscore its editor's personal lack of belief, it also contends that the most methodologically rigorous studies failed to produce significant findings on the power of prayer.

Unfortunately, that secular dictionary is deafeningly silent about any 'scientific' in depth theological real and reliable research that may have been conducted to establish what it takes for prayer to be or not to be heard and answered. 

In sharp contrast to the above shallow definition juxtaposed to superficial 'scientific conclusions' that deride the need to pray, Jesus not only exhorts us to pray, but He also spends much time teaching us where and how to pray. Jesus does so throughout his public life both by His words and by His numerous examples. 

While traveling and preaching throughout the countryside, we find Jesus praying on His own, (Matt. 14:23) praying with His disciples, praying to His Father for His followers and answering the prayers of His followers. Indeed, unto the very end of His public life on the cross, we find Jesus prayerfully appealing to His Father. It is right then that Jesus addresses His ultimate prayer from the cross to God. "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke. 23: 46); 

Thereafter the resurrection of Jesus is THE most resounding victory of the power of prayer and absolute trust in God's Wisdom and Will. That resurrection is the most compelling proof that in God's own time prayer for our ultimate good and to God's glory is ALWAYS answered. But only God best knows the most opportune time to acquiesce to our needs. Therefore we must also place all our trust in His omnipotent Wisdom and munificent agenda. 

Few examples of the power of faith in Jesus and how He answers prayer:

Matt. 4: 23-25; Matt. 5: 16; 42; 45; Matt. 6: 4; 6-13; Matt. 7: 7-11; Matt. 8: 2-3; Matt. 8: 5-13; Matt. 8: 16-17; Matt. 8: 25-27; Matt. 9: 2-8; Matt. 9: 18-22; Matt. 9: 27-34; Matt. 15: 22-28; Matt. 17: 19-20; Matt. 18: 19-20; Matt. 20: 32-34; Matt. 21: 22; Luke. 18: 1-8; Luke. 21: 34-36; Luke. 22: 40-46; 

Therefore in today's modern world, our own very old fashioned MKRLU teaches us to question the hidden aims of such simplistic definitions as well as the qualifications and the conclusions of such scientific studies emanating by those who pretend to belong to the erudite elite. 

In Mama Kaya's humble but well founded opinion the findings of those 'would be' lettered individuals are of a dubious nature. Those scientific studies show that they are based on little knowledge about how to distill prayer. About how to use its essence to formulate a 'magic potion' to ensure a long happy life. 

By sharp contrast with the opinion of the learned, we know Mama Kaya's persuasion to be anchored in well warranted long endured faith. Therefore we rather choose to believe that such a limited, dictionary definition accompanied by very restricted in scope 'scientific' conclusions are reached merely in an effort to be politically correct. Is it not yet another increasingly popular wishy washy attempt to be all things to all people in today's industrialized and commercialized world?

After all, on the one hand, does the dictionary not only look to sell its bindings to the world? 

On the other hand, in her virgin world, does Mama Kaya not only need to bind herself with both hands to the world of God?

Have we not a lot to learn from Mama Kaya's exemplary uncontaminated faith in God's Divine Providence and her absolute trust in His munificence?

Have we not a lot to learn from humble and gentle Mama Kaya and her 'blind' trust in the words of Jesus? 

Does Mama Kaya seem to know the teachings of Jesus instinctively? 

Or does Jesus simply speak silently to her heart?  

Does Jesus privately repeat to Mama Kaya what He told us in the Bible through His disciples:

"Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light".

Why does Mama Kaya's teachings supersede any dictionary definition? 

1. If, as the dictionary would have us believe, prayer were no better than any snake oil so many people choose to believe in and to swallow in this modern 'scientific era', would Jesus exhort us to pray? 

2. Would Jesus who is the Truth, the Light and the Way lie to us about the merits and the fruits of prayer? 

3. How could Jesus have possibly lied to the world and yet survived the test of times for over two thousand years! 

Suffice, right here for Mama Kaya to humbly and simply teach that: 

"Faith in general is most real when and where all understanding fails!" 

Answer to prayer being answered is: FAITH!

That is why Mama Kaya continues to pray at 90 years old. That is why Mama Kaya is convinced that Jesus was right to exhort us to pray. That is also why the act of prayer has endured the test of times dating back to thousands of years before Christ.

In fact it is attested in written sources that anthropologists, such as Sir Edward Burnett Taylor and Sir James George Frazer believe that as early as 5000 years ago, the earliest intelligent modern humans instinctively practiced something that we would recognize today as prayer. That is long before Jesus personally taught us to pray.

Which are the prayers Mama Kaya recommend we say many times daily?

1. The Lord's prayer.

2. The Angelus.

Why?

Mama Kaya relies on both the teachings of Jesus and the church. Those teachings and prayer ensure that we make it through the eye of the needle into heaven. That way we will know happiness beginning on earth and lasting into eternity

What did Jesus teach about what prayer to say?

Matthew 6: 7-15. "When you pray, do not babble as the pagans do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard. Do not be like them; your Father knows what you need before you ask Him."

"So you should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

May your name be held holy,

Your kingdom come,

Your Will be done,

On earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

As we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

And do not put us to the test,

But save us from the evil one."

The Angelus:

V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary,

R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Hail Mary, etc...

V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.

R. Be it done unto me according to Your Word.

Hail Mary, etc...

V. And the Word was made flesh,

R. And dwelt among us.

Hail Mary, etc...

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:

Pour forth, we beseech You, O Lord,

Your Grace into our hearts;

that as we have known the incarnation of Christ,

your Son by the message of an angel,

so by His passion and cross

we may be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.

Through the same Christ, our Lord.

During our next course we will dissect the 'Our Father' and the Angelus in class. Hopefully, we will add some dimensions to it that you may have missed so far. Until then, while saying the Lord's Prayer and The Angelus, daily and often, we encourage you to note questions or elements of value you may be inspired to share with us during our next get together.

In conclusion, Mama Kaya who has lived all her life close to nature very simply points out that if any brainless plant life knows that it has to search for the light created by God and it must grow up towards it in order to embrace life to the full, how much more intent should we, thinking humans, be to rise up to God's Light every morning so we can best reflect His image daily.

It is clear that all those who have known Mama Kaya for years, also know that Mama Kaya has lived her life free from much outside source of interference. This appears to have empowered Mama Kaya to develop and enjoy the broadest band of clear direct communication with God. Does that explain how, although Mama Kaya is far from being an intellectual book worm, Mama Kaya, is inspired to know all that is worth knowing in order to enjoy a happy life free from harmful intrusions. Mama Kaya gives to God all the credit for her open lines of natural communication with all who surround her. 

Mama Kaya assures me that God grants around the clock clear communication coverage to all who wish to be protected under the umbrella of God's all encompassing and flawlessly connected network. According to Mama Kaya that 24 hour free service is so dependable because it is the only provider to combine a package of omnipotent wisdom and gratuitous love together.

Mama Kaya has vaguely heard of the Babel Tower confusion and collapse. She detects a marked difference between God's 'all languages' fully operational system throughout the ages and man's repeated attempts to creat new forms of Babel towers. 

Now, Mama Kaya says that she worries that another Babel tower era may be looming upon us. She is most concerned when she sees all the youth in Port Mathurin burying their heads in their smart phones. For she fears that those very same smart phones might eventually bury those heads buried in them. 

Mama Kaya professes not to be smart enough to handle such supposedly smart things. She humbly prefers her simple ways of reaching out and touching anyone anywhere at any time. Consumed only by the love of God and her constant, cost free, hands free communication with Him and  His creation through prayer, Mama Kaya fails to comprehend what can be so compelling about costly smart phone babbling as she calls it! 

Seeing into the future, Mama Kaya fears that the deified smart cell phones linked to the babble towers of the whole world may lead to the collapse of the simple world that she has known and loved so much. She is further concerned that 'smart' cell phones may engender a burgeoning community of depraved addicts. 

Speaking in a Jeremiah like prophetic tone, Mama Kaya warns that constant babbling is assuredly drawing the youth away from God. Indeed,  she thinks that most of the modern world, appears to be altogether so thoroughly absorbed by their recently developed and deified idol, the 'smart' phone, that in such a world of avid consumers, very few people find time to communicate hands free and free of charge with God. Yet, as the ultimate creator of all, Mama Kaya maintains that God alone is the only one truly in charge of our well being. 

Mama Kaya humbly prays that the youth that is being preyed upon so ardently by the disciples of the IT world, does not end up with a cell in hell. For Mama Kaya is convinced that such compulsive use of the tell it all, show it all and sell it all 'smart' cell phone could drive the world so far away from God that it will bring forth another  confusing and condemning Babel era.

May I close this session on a personal note: I wish you all to join me in offering special praise to God for the contagious love that Mama Kaya shares, with us all on the MKRLU campus in this old fashioned part of the world!!! 

Could one of the reasons why Mama Kaya can do so, so successfully be the simple fact that on campus, distracting and intruding, 'smart cells' are banned in order to favor the use of our brain cells to reach out to God.

Thanks to her 'magic potion' which I religiously ingest and digest daily, I  no longer experience any stress, I have needed no more cancer surgeries since 2012, my heart problems belong to my past as do agonizing stays in ICUs.

I wish you all that same health of body and soul that is the fruit of true love and the source of all lasting happiness once you empower God's light to illuminate every instant of your life.

Therefore, please remember to begin each day by ingesting your own dose of Mama Kaya's 'magic potion'. Start the day by praying for God to rise over and swallow the dark shadows that may still stubbornly hover over the horizons of your lives. 

Ask that God's bright rays of love will chase away any lingering dark shadow of despair from your mind and soul before you even step out of bed to greet the new day that is welcoming you out of the dark night.

After all, God created the sun, the moon and the stars to prevent total darkness of night from killing off all His wonderful creation. Just think how much easier is it for the same God to light up our days when we humbly turn to Him in faithful prayer? 

I look forward to welcoming you to our next course. Our next courses will obviously cover, in turn, each individual ingredient of Mama Kaya's 'magic potion'. Stay tuned for time and dates. They will be published on this blog in the near future.