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It takes love to teach; for teaching and instructing in faith, morals and the application of the Gospels in daily life, requires patience, discipline, knowledge, skill, a deep relationship with God and most of all His love and Graces which He readily showers, Anyone who has ever taught may agree that a student is good only as his/her teacher. Still the student must possess the desire to learn, to grow and to apply all that he/she has learnt in order to grow yet some more.

The Word of God is Love. It teaches, admonishes, if heals, it strengthens, it builds up, it nourishes, it embraces, it liberates, it is all gentle, yet powerful and more. How can we turn our backs or not make time for this greatest gift from God our loving Father? The Word made flesh sacrificed Himself that we may live. To feed and Nourish us of Himself. Sweet sacrament we thee adore, oh help us love thee more and more. Amen

GOSPEL
Luke 4:31–37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of hi!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

I slept but my heart was awake. (SONG 5:2a)

So long as we remain in Christ Jesus what have we to fear? His heart is awake to us always. Like a lost child is overjoyed and comforted at the sight of his/her parents, we can rejoice knowing by our faith that Jesus never even, leaves our side. He is the constant rock in our lives. Through the ups and downs, through it all.

Let this be our cry, our prayer….

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Never will I doubt His love for me. As I remain in Him, He remains in me. Thank you my Lord my God, for my faith, for my hope and my love in You. Amen

GOSPEL Matthew 8:23–27

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm. The men were amazed and said, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?”

No one will ever love us or care for us the way God our Father does. In spite of our tantrums, disobedience, pride, obstinacy, sheer sinfulness, He waits patiently and lovingly for our return to Him so that He may shower us with His love and in abundance.

No sin……..NO SIN is too great that He will not forgive if we turn to Him with a truly contrite heart. Like a loving parent who lost His/Her child would leave ALL behind, to go in search of the child; Our loving Shepherd Who loves us most, will come for us when we are lost. All we ever need to do is to cry out to Him with our own free will. All our fears we can lay to rest and as we lay in pitch darkness waiting, His light will fill our hearts. He hears us and He is there to carry us home….

O most holy sacred heart of Jesus, fountain of every blessing, I adore you, I love you, and with lively sorrow for my sins I offer you this poor heart of mine. Make me humble, patient, pure and wholly obedient to your will. Grant, Good Jesus, that I may live in you and for you. Protect me in the midst of danger. Comfort me in my afflictions. Give me health of body, assistance in my temporal needs, your blessing on all that I do, and the grace of a holy death. Amen.   

GOSPEL Luke 15:3–7

Jesus addressed this parable to the Pharisees and scribes: “What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety–nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety–nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.”

Do we welcome with open arms, anyone, family or friends who wishes to talk about Jesus? Or do we shun them or shy away?

Do we lead others especially those new or struggling with the faith away from it by our words or actions? By our sinful acts? Do we in disgust show our impatience towards those who perhaps display irreverence by their talking in church, their inappropriate dressing? Or do we speak and act charitably in love at all times?

Do we hang on tight to people whom we might call friends, who lead us away from our faith and into sin? Sexual partners other than our spouse? Heavy drinking buddies? Gambling buddies? Gossip mongers? Incessant shopping or partying buddies? Or those that might lead us to other forms of abuses?

We need the love and Word of Jesus in our lives, we need to receive Him wholly into the very depths of our body and soul, otherwise we have no life in us and cannot in turn be the light for others.

Let us all strive to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy. Amen

GOSPEL Mark 9:41–50

Jesus said to his disciples:“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”

SUNDAY BIBLE REFLECTIONS BY DR. SCOTT HAHN

Fruits of the Fig

Readings:
Exodus 3:1-8,13-15
Psalm 103:1-4, 6-8, 11
1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12
Luke 13:1-9

In the Church, we are made children of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – the God who makes known His name and His ways to Moses in today’s First Reading.

Mindful of His covenant with Abraham (see Exodus 2:24), God came down to rescue His people from the slave-drivers of Egypt.

Faithful to that same covenant (see Luke 1:54-55, 72-73), He sent Jesus to redeem all lives from destruction, as today’s Psalm tells us.

Paul says in today’s Epistle that God’s saving deeds in the Exodus were written down for the Church, intended as a prelude and foreshadowing of our own Baptism by water, our liberation from sin, our feeding with spiritual food and drink.

Yet the events of the Exodus were also given as a “warning” – that being children of Abraham is no guarantee that we will reach the promised land of our salvation.

At any moment, Jesus warns in today’s Gospel, we could perish – not as God’s punishment for being “greater sinners” – but because, like the Israelites in the wilderness, we stumble into evil desires, fall into grumbling, forget all His benefits. Jesus calls us today to “repentance” – not a one-time change of heart, but an ongoing, daily transformation of our lives.

We’re called to live the life we sing about in today’s Psalm – blessing His holy name, giving thanks for His kindness and mercy.

The fig tree in His parable is a familiar Old Testament symbol for Israel (see Jeremiah 8:3; 24:1-10). As the fig tree is given one last season to produce fruit before it is cut down, so too Jesus is giving Israel one final opportunity to bear good fruits as evidence of its repentance (see Luke 3:8).

Lent should be for us like the season of reprieve given to the fig tree, a grace period in which we let “the gardener,” Christ, cultivate our hearts, uprooting what chokes the divine life in us, strengthening us to bear fruits that will last into eternity.

Had a unique and wonderful experience today at the swimming pool.  You see I haven’t been swimming in quite a while, so while my kids had their swimming lessons I decided to swim a few laps.

Then I decided that since it was lent, I would say the Our Father swimming a lap and on the return lap I would say a Hail Mary. After the eighth lap I decided to say the creed.  That’s when the surreal experience began, inspired by the Holy Spirit I sort of chanted this in mind while I swam the last few laps

“Through the deep Red Sea,
from the clutches of slavery,
to liberty of life, praise be to God! ”

“Through the waters of my baptism,
from the bondage of sin,
to liberty in life with Christ, praise be to God!”

Swimming will today and always be extra special for me!  Praise be to God!

Sunday Bible Reflections with Dr. Scott Hahn

Into the Deep

Readings:
Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 138:1-5, 7-8
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11

Simon Peter, the fisherman, is the first to be called personally by Jesus in Luke’s Gospel.

His calling resembles Isaiah’s commissioning in the First Reading: Confronted with the holiness of the Lord, both Peter and Isaiah are overwhelmed by a sense of their sinfulness and inadequacy. Yet each experiences the Lord’s forgiveness and is sent to preach the good news of His mercy to the world.

No one is “fit to be called an apostle,” Paul recognizes in today’s Epistle. But by “the grace of God,” even a persecutor of the Church—as Paul once was—can be lifted up for the Lord’s service.

In the Old Testament, humanity was unfit for the divine—no man could stand in God’s presence and live (see Exodus 33:20). But in Jesus, we’re made able to speak with Him face-to-face, taste His Word on our tongue.

Today’s scene from Isaiah is recalled in every Mass. Before reading the Gospel, the priest silently asks God to cleanse his lips that he might worthily proclaim His Word.

God’s Word comes to us as it came to Peter, Paul, Isaiah, and today’s Psalmist— as a personal call to leave everything and follow Him, to surrender our weaknesses in order to be filled with His strength.

Simon put out into deep waters even though, as a professional fisherman, he knew it would be foolhardy to expect to catch anything. In humbling himself before the Lord’s command, he was exalted—his nets filled to overflowing; later, as Paul tells us, he will become the first to see the risen Lord.

Jesus has made us worthy to receive Him in the company of angels in God’s holy Temple. On our knees like Peter, with the humility of David in today’s Psalm, we thank Him with all our hearts and join in the unending hymn that Isaiah heard around God’s altar: “Holy, holy, holy….” (see also Revelation 4:8).

Jesus wants to heal us to pour out His love upon us…

Do we seek our Christ with an expectant faith?

Do we give Him thanks, Glory and praise for all He does for us?

Do we spend some quiet time with God our Father, allowing Him to speak to our hearts, refresh us and administer to us?

Today’s GOSPEL Luke 5:12–16

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Let us Pray….

Abba Father we thank you for another wonderful year in which your love and grace was poured out upon us abundantly. We pray that as we welcome the new year, Your face will shine upon us so we might live in the light and be witnesses to the light for all whom we meet and that it will be a most blessed, holy,joyous, faith filled year for us and for our loved ones. We ask this through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and The Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever Amen.

Today’s Gospel
John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word:
and the Word was with God
and the Word was God.
He was with God in the beginning.
Through him all things came to be,
not one thing had its being but through him.
All that came to be had life in him
and that life was the light of men,
a light that shines in the dark,
a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.
His name was John.
He came as a witness,
as a witness to speak for the light,
so that everyone might believe through him.
He was not the light,
only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light
that enlightens all men;
and he was coming into the world.
He was in the world
that had its being through him,
and the world did not know him.
He came to his own domain
and his own people did not accept him.
But to all who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to all who believe in the name of him
who was born not out of human stock
or urge of the flesh
or will of man
but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,
he lived among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,
full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:
‘This is the one of whom I said:
He who comes after me ranks before me
because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –
yes, grace in return for grace,
since, though the Law was given through Moses,
grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God;
it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,
who has made him known.

SUNDAY BIBLE REFLECTIONS BY DR. SCOTT HAHN

The Road Home
Readings:
Baruch 5:1-9
Psalm 126:1-6
Philippians 1:4-6,8-11
Luke 3:1-6

Today’s Psalm paints a dream-like scene – a road filled with liberated captives heading home to Zion (Jerusalem), mouths filled with laughter, tongues rejoicing.

It’s a glorious picture from Israel’s past, a “new exodus,” the deliverance from exile in Babylon. It’s being recalled in a moment of obvious uncertainty and anxiety. But the psalmist isn’t waxing nostalgic.
Remembering “the Lord has done great things” in the past, he is making an act of faith and hope – that God will come to Israel in its present need, that He’ll do even greater things in the future..

This is what the Advent readings are all about: We recall God’s saving deeds – in the history of Israel and in the coming of Jesus. Our remembrance is meant to stir our faith, to fill us with confidence that, as today’s Epistle puts it, “the One who began a good work in [us] will continue to complete it” until He comes again in glory.

Each of us, the Liturgy teaches, is like Israel in her exile – led into captivity by our sinfulness, in need of restoration, conversion by the Word of the Holy One (see Baruch 5:5). The lessons of salvation history should teach us that, as God again and again delivered Israel, in His mercy He will free us from our attachments to sin, if we turn to Him in repentance.

That’s the message of John, introduced in today’s Gospel as the last of the great prophets (compare Jeremiah 1:1-4,11). But John is greater than the prophets (see Luke 7:27). He’s preparing the way, not only for a new redemption of Israel, but for the salvation of “all flesh” (see also Acts 28:28).
John quotes Isaiah (40:3) to tell us he’s come to build a road home for us, a way out of the wilderness of sin and alienation from God. It’s a road we’ll follow Jesus down, a journey we’ll make, as today’s First Reading puts it, “rejoicing that [we’re] remembered by God.”

All the time!

In this age it is apparent, that unless you lead a religious life it quite difficult to maintain a long sustaining relationship with Christ through prayer and reflection. Distractions are aplenty! So much so that we often lose sight and wonder of His presence in and through our lives.  Doubts may even creep in…..*sigh*….But here I am to tell you that HE LIVES!

Here are a few recent encounters of His love I have been blessed to share….

1) Given the circumstances of the brother in Christ I had been administering Holy Communion for the sick to ( see earlier post) , it was understandable that he was going through a little depression and spiritual darkness.  But after a few sessions of listening to the Word of the Lord, receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and in co-operation with the holy spirit through personal determination and spiritual growth he mustered enough strength to attend one mass so far in his wheelchair.  Praise the Lord! Please keep him in your prayers….that he may continue to grow in strength, love and spirit, to do and live according to Our Father’s will.

2) The baby son of the brother in Christ mentioned above had to be rushed to the hospital with a high fever recently, however within a week of daily family prayers for his son and am quite certain lots of others were praying too, his son recovered fully within the week and was reported to be a handful! Praise the Lord!

3) My elder son now coming eleven in December had to take his final stage test to qualify to be an alter server for the weekend mass. He was anxious and nervous about it because as far as he knew no one passed the first time around, in fact one of his friends took as many as four times before passing the test.  I told him to pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and assured him that so long as he had the heart to serve, all would be well.  He passed the first time round and was even requested to serve the Sunday on the same weekend! Praise the Lord!

4) Last year I had facilitated the Holy Communion program for three families. During the adult portion of the program, I had learned through the sharing after speaking about reconciliation and the Father’s love for us;  That one of the participant’s father had lapsed in his faith, had a strained relationship with his wife likely, due to his frequent travels and even admitted to constantly being exposed to temptation while overseas. After the whole program ended and a few months had passed, I noticed both Father and son were regular in receiving the sacrament of reconciliation, then last week I manage to catch up with the Father and he shared with me that he will be starting a new job next month where he will no longer be required to travel and he is even considering joining a ministry in Church to server the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Jesus loves us all! open your hearts and minds to Him and you will experience Him in all things, large and small, loud and bold or soft and subtle like a gentle breeze……

Sunday Bible Reflections by Dr. Scott Hahn

Servant of All

Readings:

Wisdom 2:12,17-20
Psalm 54:3-8
James 3:16-4:3
Mark 9:30-37

Am I blessed? Does Jesus listen when I pray? Can He really use a sinner like me?

YES…..YES….a resouding YES! Praise the Lord! Here is a little testimony of testimonies of how Jesus has acted in my life recently,  though I must say I have not been dilligent in giving Him glory in the other many, many,many numerous instances in which He had….

Last Saturday during a healing mass and adoration of the blessed Sacrament, while I was praying I received a message which I posted here on this blog two posts ago.  At the same time I was praying for my Aunty Veronica who had been admitted on Friday I believe for some blockage in the intestine.  On two separate occasions during the whole healing prayer session at the precise instance I had prayed for my Aunt by name, the leader Joseph Fernandez (from the Gloria Patri Ministry) announced on the microphone “Some of you are now praying for your family members, know that the Lord has heard your prayer.” 

On Sunday through facebook my cousin informed all of us whom had been praying for her mum that she would be discharged the very next day! Praise the Lord.

Back to the Saturday of the healing mass, I had brought the whole family that is my two young sons, my baby daughter of nine months and my darling wife.  My wife was struggling to keep our little girl quiet and had to leave the auditorium ( basement level ) frequently to do so.  Outside the auditorium however it is not air-conditioned and so it got pretty hot real quick especially when she was trying to feed our daughter.  So she went up to the ground level where she met Valarie from the Church office who had just closed up for the day but offered to open the office for a spell so she could feed our daughter in the air-conditioned office. Praise the Lord!

Then a lady stood by the doorway peering in looking a little perplexed.  Valarie asked if she needed help on something of which she replied she was looking for Holy communion for the sick for her husband.  He was bed ridden as a result of an accident involving a lorry hitting his bicycle. According to her she had come to both the church’s offices to fill up some forms for this service but no one had gotten back to her for more than a month. My wife offered to pass her contact details on to me so that arrangements could be made swiftly.  For those who haven’t really been following my blog, she passed it on to me because I happen to be serving as a an Extraordinary Minister Of Holy Communion. Coincidence? I beg to differ…..Praise the Lord! I made arrangements with the wife to bring Jesus to him the following Sunday.

Today my wife and I made our way to their home after attending the 1115am Eucharistic Celebration.  It started to drizzle as we reached the bus stop, so I handed my wife a small umbrella which I had gone back into my home just as I was leaving this morning, just so that I could bring it  ‘just in case’ ? Praise the Lord! Then I had a vision of sorts, that if I walked past the bus stop to the traffic light junction and waited on the opposite side, I would be able to flag down a blue cab.  So I told my wife and we did just that….and lo and behold a blue cab arrived! Praise the Lord!

We made our way up to the home and I proceeded into his bedroom to read the Gospel and administer Holy Communion for the sick to him.  It was great to be able to serve the Lord and my brother in Christ who was faithfully waiting for Jesus.  Praise the Lord!

So my sisters and brothers in Christ as Jesus says in John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 

“When you are burdened, my love will lift you up,
When you are sick, my love can heal you,
When you are suffering, my love is with you as I am.
Remain in my steadfast love and when you die,
you will be set free to rise in new life with me.”

Thank you sweet Jesus for your gentle reminder….

Catholicjules
04 Aug 2012

     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!