Archive for July 17, 2012

Trust And Surrender To The Lord…

Posted: July 17, 2012 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys
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     This month had been particularly hetic for me…. apart from my normal office hour job; the First Holy Communion program of which I had been faciliatating for my neighbourhood group finally drew to a close and we have set a date in Sept for our children to received their First Holy Communion.

Then there is my forthnightly neighbourhood LTW meeting ( Living The Word ) which I have to be prepared for.  Also it was my first time joint-leading with my EMC group to lead Primary 3 students in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and I was quite excited about getting it done smoothly, praise the Lord that it went quite well though it took about almost 1 hour 45 mins to finish which is a tad too long, especially for the children their age.

Then I was invited to lead a communion service on one of the week days as our priests were on a retreat.  I was rather nervous at first but all when smoothly, through prayers and much preparation, praise the Lord!

Then finally I thought that I had till next week to prepare for my spiritual presentation to my EMC group, thinking that the 3rd Monday of the month for July was on the 22nd.  It did not occur to me that there are five mondays instead of four this month! So when I received the text message asking me if I was ready, I jumped a little but did not panick as I might normally have done.  Why? Well before I get to the why…I must mention that I had been very nervous about doing the presentation partly because the topic I chose was quite a difficult one and secondly it required lots of preparation time.  I had been going at it for nearly a month in head, but never actually got down to preparing the slides or the write up.  And the reason I was calm even though I had less than two hours to prepare for the presentation, was because I had just gotten back from the four steps retreat.  Being spirit filled, trusting and surrendering to the Lord made quite a difference.  

Truly with the help of the Holy Spirit I managed to finish my presentation to the sound of applause, all glory be to God!  My little cell group requested I continue to do the rest of presentations till year end, but I declined only because everyone in the group should be given an oppturnity to grow.

Praise the Lord!

The Start of Repentance

Posted: July 17, 2012 by CatholicJules in Great Catholic Articles, Memory Book
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But some one may say,”It is so very difficult to serve God, it is so much against my own mind, such an effort, such a strain upon my , strength to bear Christ’s yoke, I must give it over, or I must delay it at least. Can nothing be taken instead? I acknowledge his law to be most holy and true and the accounts I read about good men are most delightful.  I wish I were like them with all my heart; and for a little while I feel in a mind to set about imitating them.  I must have begun several times, I have had seasons of repentance, and set rules to myself; but for some reason or other, I fell back after a while, and was even worse than before. I know, but I cannot do. “O wretched man that I am!”

Now to such a one I say, You are in a much more promising state than if you were contented with yourself, and thought that knowledge was every thing, which is the grievous blindness which I have hitherto been speaking of; you are in a better state, if you do not feel too much comfort or confidence in your confession.  For this is the fault of many men; they make such an acknowledgement as I have described a substitute for real repentance; or allow themselves, after making it, to put off repentance, as if they could be suffered to give a word of promise which did not become due (so to say) for many days.  You are, I admit, in a better state than if you were satisfied with yourself.

Blessed John Henry Newman

+1890

Personal Reflection On Gospel Matthew 11:20-24

Posted: July 17, 2012 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Gospel Matthew 11:20-24

Jesus began to reproach the towns in which most of his miracles had been worked, because they refused to repent.
‘Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard on Judgement day with Tyre and Sidon as with you. And as for you, Capernaum, did you want to be exalted as high as heaven? You shall be thrown down to hell. For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have been standing yet. And still, I tell you that it will not go as hard with the land of Sodom on Judgement day as with you.’

Personal Reflection

It appears that Jesus is venting his anger on the three cities, however because we know our loving saviour we know that he is in actual fact lamenting over them. Even with powerful miracles that had been worked before them; still they would not repent their wicked ways.
Do we want Jesus to mourn for us? Have we ourselves truly repented? Have we put it off saying tomorrow I will do so? When I am ready I will? When I have overcome my addiction or my evil ways I will? Jesus is saying come as you are, I love you! Come and be made white as snow through my love for you……