Merry Christmas

 Fr Benjamin Celebrate mid night mass for christmas

Attend morning mass on Christmas Day

Second Week of Advent Monday Jesus wants to minister to you too

Today's Inspirational Snippet: By humbling ourselves and allowing Christian friends to help us, we reach the power of Christ.

Good News Reflection:

Monday of the Second Week of Advent
December 11, 2017

Today's Saint Quote: Pope Saint Damasus I

The arrangement of the names of Christ, however, is manifold: Lord, because He is Spirit;...

Today's Prayer:

I thank You, my Lord, because Your love attracts me irresistibly and transforms me from the depths of my being in Your sight that's full of mercy. Amen.

Today's Readings:

Isaiah 35:1-10
Ps 85:9-14
Luke 5:17-26
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/121117.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_12_11.mp3

What's holding you back?

As we work at building up our faith and our personal connection to Christmas, we need a better understanding of our calling to give birth to Christ in partnership with Mary and the Holy Spirit. We need to get more in touch with how and why we can succeed at spreading the Good News more fully into the world, which so desperately needs him. For this purpose, we can use today's first reading to uncover what's still holding us back:

1. How is your life like a desert, dry and lifeless except for a few prickly cactuses?

2. Are you thirsty for more of God? In what area of your life do you feel parched?

3. Are you feeble in your attempts to become a better evangelizer?

4. Are your knees weak as your travel the difficult road of holy living?

5. Are you controlled and paralyzed by fear? Any fear -- even the smallest one -- paralyzes us from moving ahead into the success that awaits us.

6. How are you blind? Are you unable to recognize the talents, knowledge and wisdom you have that God wants you to use for taking Christ to others?

7. What has God been telling you that you can't hear? Maybe it's his guidance? Or his love song that he sings to you? Or his dreams for you?

8. What part of giving Christ to others is too difficult for you? What lame excuses are you using to sit down and do nothing?

9. How has fear kept your tongue silent when you could be sharing a story about your faith life? Or what have you been saying that's so unlike Jesus that you give a bad impression of who Jesus really is?

10. In what areas of your life are the jackals who tempt you still lurking, keeping you from being a good witness of what Jesus is really like?

11. In what ways do you act foolishly? What the world considers wise the Lord knows to be foolish. What worldly wisdom is holding you back from imitating Jesus?

12. How are you like a lion? Is there anyone you've been devouring with unkind words or impatience or contempt or bullying instead of giving them the unconditional love of Jesus?

Well, the Good News is, as Isaiah points out: The Lord has ransomed us! Today's Gospel reading reveals that Jesus was overflowing with God's power so that he could minister to people. He wants to minister to you, too. We all need this help to fulfill our calling as evangelizers. It's Jesus who strengthens the hands that are feeble and the knees that are weak.

We are like the paralytic who allowed his friends to lower him to Jesus for a healing. By humbling ourselves and allowing Christian friends to help us, we reach the power of Christ.

And then he says to us, "My friend, your sins are forgiven." With that Word, we are healed. With that Word, all the good things that Isaiah prophesied are becoming true for us.

http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2017-12-11

Love enough to let go

A Long Way Off

In the last two messages, we have considered the parable of the prodigal son. We've seen how we must often "Love Enough to Let Go" and trust that God will continue to work in the life of a prodigal even as they walk through "Their Field of Pigs." As the son was longing to eat the pig food, he decided to return home and began to rehearse what he would say; "I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son" (Luke 15:18-19). The son returned home. But before he could give his speech, before he could tell his father about eating with the pigs...before he could "prove" his repentance or say ANYTHING, the father received him with joy. Luke 15:20 "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." When the father saw his son had returned, he was overjoyed and wanted to celebrate: "Bring the fatted calf...for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:23,24). This type of love and joy cannot be manufactured for a one-time event. It must be established in the relationship long before there is trouble, and maintained even when all else is falling apart. The scripture isn't clear about what turmoil occurred when the prodigal son left home. We're never told of the father's pain - but I assure you it was there. It's not clear how long the son was away - but I KNOW the father spent many anxious moments worrying about his son. And yet, when the son returned, there was joy and forgiveness. Without condoning the poor choices the son had made, the father received the son and loved him without reservation. In many ways, we are the prodigal son who has walked away. But when we turn to our Heavenly Father in faith, He accepts us without requiring that we earn His love or demonstrate our worth. We may have drifted far and are unsure how to find our way back into His loving arms, but when we turn and seek Him, we find He is right there ready to receive us Home. Jesus Christ submitted to a horrible death in order to provide a path of restoration. We who have been restored are now called to restore with others in this same manner; "Forgive as the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13). We are called to be a catalyst of restoration, not a hedge of thorns which must be vaulted over. When a prodigal begins to return, let's believe the best, be filled with compassion, and receive them back with true forgiveness and joy...even while they are a long way off. closerwalk@gdwm.org

General Audience: Place Your Trust in Him Oct 25

Dear Brothers and Sisters: In this, the last of our catecheses on Christian hope, I would like to speak of hope’s fulfilment in heaven. On Calvary, Jesus assures the Good Thief that he will be with him that very day in heaven. The Lord’s solidarity with us sinners culminates on the cross; there, as one of his final acts, he opens the gates of heaven to a repentant criminal. The Good Thief’s humble plea for mercy was sufficient to touch the heart of Jesus. His humility reminds us that, like the publican in the Temple, or the prodigal Son, we can only trust in God’s mercy, and, at every hour of our life, turn to him with hope in his promises. Jesus died on the cross to redeem our sins, our mistakes and our failings, and to bring us with him to the house of the Father. He desires that nothing be lost of what he has redeemed. No one, then, should despair, for his grace is always present to those who put their trust in him. The hour of our death need hold no fear for us if, like the Good Thief, we can turn to the Lord and pray in confident hope: “Jesus, remember me” (cf. Lk 23:42).

A Tale of Two Seas

Man’s purpose on earth

I was created for eternal happiness with God in Heaven. Everything else must take second place in my life, because if I lose Heaven, I will be losing everything. The sure guide to Heaven is God’s Holy  Will. If I follow it in my daily life, every moment on earth will be a sure step toward the perfect happiness which my heart craves.
Amen!

Good Shepherd Cathedral

GENERAL AUDIENCE: Pope: Every Day Is a New Opportunity

Here is the Vatican-provided English-language summary of the Pope’s address at the General Audience this morning: wednesday 11 Oct 2017

***

Dear Brothers and Sisters: Today I wish to speak about that dimension of hope which we can call attentive waiting. Jesus tells his disciples to be like those who await the return of their master, with lamps alight (cf. Lk 12:35-36). As Christians, therefore, we are always attentive, awaiting the Lord’s return, when God will be all in all (cf. 1 Cor 15:28). Every day is a new opportunity to be attentive to God, to welcome the day as his gift, and to live that day by offering our good works to him. Such attentiveness requires patience, however, if we are not to lose sight of God’s grace when our days are monotonous, or our difficulties many. For no night is so long, as to make us forget the joy that comes with dawn. As Christians, we know that Christ will return; that no matter what we may suffer, life has its purpose and deeper meaning, and that the merciful Lord will greet us at its end. Thus we can look upon history and our own lives with confidence and hope, knowing that the future is not guided solely by the work of our hands but by God’s providence. May we repeat everyday the words of the first disciples: “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20). And in our most difficult moments, may we hear the consoling response of Jesus: “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:7).

GENERAL AUDIENCE: Pope: St. Francis of Assisi Serves as Model of True Christian Hope

Here is the Vatican-provided English-language summary of the Pope’s address at the General Audience this morning:

***

Speaker: Dear Brothers and Sisters: In our continuing catechesis on Christian hope, I would now like to speak of our calling to be missionaries of hope. October is traditionally dedicated to reflection on our participation in the Church’s mission. Saint Francis of Assisi, whose feast we celebrate today, can serve as our model in this regard. Francis was a true missionary of the joyful hope born of Christ’s victory over death and our own share in his risen life. Jesus asks us to be witnesses of that same hope, confident in the transforming power of his Spirit at work in our hearts and in our world. Joy is the sure sign of true Christian hope, for we know that evil will not have the upper hand, and that God’s love, revealed on the cross, will ultimately triumph. Certainly, there are times when the gift of hope proves costly. This is the case with so many of our fellow Christians who presently experience persecution, and with the martyrs in every age. Their witness inspires us to continue to hope in Christ’s promises. As missionaries of hope, may we rejoice in God’s saving power, never lose heart, and help others to look to the future with confidence.

UNWANTED HOUSE GUESTS

Have you ever had unwanted house guests? I am talking about the ones who wear out their welcome in the first two minutes yet plan to stay forever. I am talking about the ones who trash the place, eat all the food, sit in your favorite chair, and take over your bed. I am talking about the ones that even your dogs avoid. I am talking about the ones that take everything and give back nothing. I am talking about the ones that only brighten up a room when they leave it.

I had two guests like this for years. Their names were Fear and Hate and they seemed like permanent squatters in my soul. Every time I would try and toss them out, I would look around a few days later and find that they had snuck back in. They also invited their friends Worry, Doubt, Jealousy, Envy, Frustration, Depression, and Despair to stay as well. It made for a miserable home and a miserable life.

Finally one day I could take it no longer. I cried out to God to help me get rid of these unwanted guests once and for all. It was then that I heard a gentle knock on the door of my soul. When I opened it I found Love there smiling at me. I invited Love in and watched as my unwanted house guests fled out the door and through the windows. They couldn’t leave quick enough. Then Love asked his friends Peace and Joy over to help straighten up the place. I soon realized too that Love was a guest I never wanted to leave. Every now and then Fear and Hate will try to sneak back in, but when they see Love sitting on the couch they run.

God loves us so much and He wants us to love as well. He wants us to choose love, share love, and fill our lives with love. He wants us to love each other as He loves us. He wants us to make Love our permanent house guest and best friend. Open your door then. Invite Love in. Let Fear and Hate hit the highway. Make your home a happy one now and forever.

http://www.Godswork.org

Sincere Prayer

Continual and Loving Communication

In the message "By Our Love" we saw how Jesus desires for us to mature in our love for our Heavenly Father and for others. But as we continue our walk, we soon discover many decision points where we must choose between two paths...with only one being the path of God. At these critical moments, we must be able to recognize His leading; and if we have not spent time worshiping at His feet and communicating in prayer, we cannot expect to understand or even hear His guidance in our time of greatest need. Communication is essential for maturing in any relationship. A marriage which lacks communication will slowly begin to drift apart. It's not uncommon for married couples to live together for the majority of their lives and yet feel like strangers because they have failed to spend the time required to really know and understand one another. Our relationship with God is much the same. When we receive the gift of Salvation through faith in Jesus, we begin a life long relationship of love - a relationship which must be nurtured through fellowship and prayer. Psalm 5:1-3 "Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray. In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." David states that the morning is his dedicated time for prayer, his time to be alone with God, to share his heart and expectantly await God's direction. But God has not specified a preferred time. In fact, Paul encourages us to maintain a constant state of communion with God when he says to "pray continuously" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). We ought to strive for communication which is regular and frequent; any time is the right time for prayer; any time is the right time to commune with the one you love! Prayer must originate from a sincere heart, anything less becomes a ritual of meaningless words. We should be motivated by a desire to strengthen our relationship, to praise Him for His blessings and earnestly ask for His guidance, and to deepen the commitment of our love. We ought to value our time with God above anything else this world has to offer; "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life" (Psalm 27:4). Let's make sure our love doesn't fade. Let's set aside time each day to be alone with God, quiet time where we can hear His voice and begin to understand His character. Then, let's continue to commune and fellowship with Him throughout our times of busyness. Let's learn to dwell in His house all the rest of our days by maintaining continual and loving communication.

http://www.gdwm.org

Parable of the mustard seeds

Matthew 13:31-35
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/073117.cfm

What mustard seeds are you sowing?

What are your mustard seeds? We all have them. If you've been baptized, you have a pouch full of mustard seeds. They are the gifts and talents and resources that the Father has provided to you. Therefore, you are that person whom Jesus describes in today's Gospel reading.

It doesn't matter if your seeds seem too small to make a big difference. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed that starts out very tiny, yet after it sprouts, grows and grows and eventually becomes a large, bushy tree. To see proof of this, go to the grocery store, buy a jar of mustard seeds from the spice aisle, and plant one seed in a paper cup at home. Water it, put it into the sunshine, and soon a plant will be springing to life and zooming in rapid growth. (Note: The mustard seed spoken of in this scripture is the Eastern Black Mustard seed, which is extremely tiny. The yellow seeds you buy in your grocery store can demonstrate the spiritual principle of amazing growth, but they won't become the bush that grows in Israel.)

Today you'll have an opportunity to plant a mustard seed in God's kingdom somewhere. The seed might be as small as a word of encouragement that you give to a co-worker or a neighbor who's feeling upset. Little words of hope, when planted with prayer and God's power, take root even if the people you give them to forget what you said. The mustard seed you gave them will sprout into renewed strength that helps them work through their problems.

And unless the soil of their soul is hard and rocky, these young sprouts will develop branches that will spread hope in new directions, affecting more areas of their lives. The branches will develop leaves that provide them with shade from the heat of their difficulties, giving them endurance, so that they can strive forward to a solution that they hadn't noticed before you entered their garden to provide seeds of encouragement, when they were still feeling angry and discouraged.

The mustard saplings will continue to grow as they become stronger in confidence, because confidence grows out of experiences that provide evidence that there's reason to hope. The next time a similar problem happens, the mustard tree will shade them from despair.

This tree will further develop into one that's big enough to provide leafy branches that others can "nest" in. This is what Jesus meant by the birds that come to dwell in the tree's branches. The people in whom you sowed your itty bitty seeds will someday pass hope onto others by sharing the strength that they gained while growing through their hardships.

We won't know the extent of the impact we make until we die and enter into the fullness of the kingdom of God. Purgatory will be a time of deep, inner heart-ache as we learn what happened when we withheld our seeds because we thought they were worthless. Heaven will be the discovery that even our tiniest gestures of holiness have made a beautiful difference.

God rejoices over every little thing we do for his kingdom.

Today's Prayer:

My Lord, You have placed inside my heart the seed of Your Kingdom and the desire to follow You. Thank You Lord, for this gift, fruit of Your Love. Make it grow inside me and may it be poured out onto those who are looking for You with all their hearts. Amen.

http://www.gnm.org

Three layers of evangelization

Matthew 13:24-43

(1) Nurture your own faith-growth: In the kingdom of God, we are like good wheat growing amidst weeds. This takes effort; the weeds will take over if we're not working daily at growing in holiness. What have you been doing to prevent the weeds around you from taking over and strangling your holiness? How is your faith life benefiting from living in the midst of non-believers and evil? Your Father-Creator is empowering you to grow.

(2) Invite others to conversion: In the kingdom of God, we are like the tiniest of seeds that grow into a bush so large that others benefit from our growth. Who is benefiting from your faith? How is your spiritual growth inviting them into a closer relationship with Jesus? The Holy Spirit is empowering you to evangelize others if you're willing to minister to them using what you've learned from your experiences.

(3) Transform society: In the kingdom of God, we are like yeast that helps the whole batch swell up and mature into the bread of life that nourishes others. What are you involved in, as a Christian, that improves the world? Is your faith making a difference in your workplace, your community, and your parish? During Mass, as you receive the nourishment of the Eucharist, you are empowered to become Eucharist for the world. Mass ends with Christ commissioning you, through the presider, to be the yeast of goodness that affects those around you.

Questions for Personal Reflection:Maybe you never saw yourself as an "evangelist", but you are! This is your calling as a baptized Christian. Which of the above three areas of evangelization are you most actively doing? Which needs more of your attention?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:Give an example from your own life (or from the life of someone you know or have heard about) that illustrates one of the three goals above. What about the other goals? Make sure that, in your discussion as a faith sharing group, examples are given for all three goals of evangelizat

http://www.gnm.org

Run With Perseverance

Our life can be a long and sometimes difficult race. We often grow weary and are in great need of rest. But this race is not like any we have ever run. We do not compete against the other runners, nor do we all even run the same course. We run the race marked out by our Heavenly Father; and yet, we ALL must strive toward the same finish line.

Hebrews 12:1-2
"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."

Perseverance means "to persist in spite of opposition or discouragement." But the original Greek includes the idea of patience and a determined endurance. We are therefore being told to patiently run the race, and to keep on running with determination and endurance, in spite of opposition or discouragement. What a wonderful picture!

Hindrances to our race can be represented by weeds which try to wrap around our legs and slow us down. This "sin that so easily entangles" can often be difficult to even recognize. We may be running a clear path without a hint of weeds; everything has been going well and we feel immune to the temptations of this world. But without our eyes fixed on Jesus - without our heart fully trusting Him for every step - our path can become covered before we even realize there is a problem.

We must maintain an acute awareness of the condition of our path. Weeds are not acceptable and must be cleared away (the word of God and prayer is an excellent weed killer!). There are no circumstances where weeds add beneficial "flavor" or excitement - they ALWAYS hinder!!

Please remember that our race is a long marathon, not a quick sprint. In order to persevere, we must prepare for many hills and valleys (and weeds) along the way. We must develop a burning desire to one day boldly say; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). Jesus endured the cross (finished the race) because of "the joy set before Him" (Hebrews 12:2). And if we will keep our eyes on Jesus as our eternal joy, we "will not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:3).

No matter what this day may bring, we must persist with our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus until we hear Him say: "Well done, good and faithful servant....Come and share your Master's happiness!" (Matthew 25:23). Some days we may only be able to take small baby steps, but still we must continue and run with the sole purpose of bringing Him glory and honor in ALL we do. Our race can be filled with joy and peace, but we must commit to a life of absolute trust and run with perseverance!

At Rotondo Italy

http://gdwm.org/

Beatitudes

GospelMT 5:1-12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. 
He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.
Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

The true meaning of 'blessed are the meek'

The beatitudes in today's Gospel reading contain a word, a description of Christian living, that is very misunderstood in our modern language: the word meek. "Blessed are the meek" does not mean "Blessed are the pushovers" or "Blessed are the victims of abuse who don't protect themselves" or "Blessed are the quiet ones who don't speak up against injustices."
In the dictionary, the word "meek" is defined as "showing patience, humility, and gentleness." But we tend to understand it more often by its other definition: "easily imposed upon; submissive due to being deficient in spirit and courage."
Jesus modeled meekness for us. So did his Blessed Mother. Think about it: How could they deal with the tough circumstances of their lives if being meek means being deficient in spirit and courage? In fact, holy meekness requires a very strong personality. It's a bold strength that enables us to refuse to be impatient, prideful, or pushy. Rather than being a pushover, a meek Christian is one who will not push over someone else.
To be meek like Jesus means standing up firmly for the truth without insisting on being believed. It means holding fast to the truth without casting pearls before swine by forcing it upon those who refuse to listen. It means letting your desires be known without demanding your own way.
Christian meekness is confidence -- but gently rather than arrogant or forceful or abusive. It's calm assertiveness. It's an unassuming but noticeable presence that does not draw attention to one's own self for the sake of being the center of attention but instead points to Jesus.
Holy meekness means setting healthy boundaries for your life and, with the strength of God, asserting these boundaries so that others cannot overstep them unless you choose to allow it for a greater good.
It means freely and lovingly, with good discernment, choosing when to make sacrifices, which you share with Jesus on his cross.
It means being a peacemaker in the midst of a battle, even as a troublemaker drawing attention to the battle so that a solution can be found.
In the kingdom of God, a meek person is anything but a wimp! Only with true meekness can we "inherit the land", i.e., receive as God's children everything that belongs to his kingdom. No one who's deficient in spirit and courage can obtain that.
The key to understanding how to be meek is to remember the word "love." To be meek is to be strong in whatever ways strength is needed -- but always with love. We have the spirit and courage to love even during life's toughest trials.

http://gnm.org/good-news-reflections/?useDrDate=2017-06-12

Work for God not for men

When your life on this earth is said and done what do you want to be remembered for?  What do you want others to think about when they think on your life?  It is important that we ask ourselves these simple questions from time to time so that we can see if we are living life purposefully.  So many times we are on the go with our daily routines from sun up to sun down, but at the end of the day did we really accomplish anything?  I believe we should make each new day count.  When we do things purposefully we will be accountable to the time that we have been entrusted with.  That is why I believe we should go back to basics that bring true meaning to life.  The Lord Jesus declares in Matthew 22:37-39 “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  When we take time to seek God in prayer our day will go better because the Bible says that God will reward those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) (Matthew 6:27-34)

Our main job in life is to love God, live a life that is pleasing to Him and then do our best to love our neighbor, to be there for them in their time of need and to help elevate their life to greater heights as we would wish would be done to us in our time of need.  We can’t merely say that we love God without acting in the same manner as our words proclaim.  Our words must be backed up with action.  We must pray purposefully, we must devote our time to the Lord purposefully, we must act kindly, thoughtfully and lovingly towards others purposefully knowing that their life will become better because of our simple interaction with them.  That will be a life well lived because it will be lived in love and we know through the Scriptures as well as through living life that love never fails, that love covers many faults and that love welcomes all no matter their shortfalls or setbacks.  Let us always be mindful to shower down blessings upon those around us that will never be forgotten or erased from their minds. (1 Peter 3:8-12) (Luke 6:30-36)

 http://www.Godswork.org

Holy Trinity

What does Scripture tell us about God and how he relates to us?

What does Scripture tell us about God and how he relates to us? When God met with Moses on Mount Sinai and made a covenant with the people of Israel, he revealed the nature of his character and his personal love for them: "The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy and faithfulness'" (Exodus 34:6). God is all-loving, faithful, merciful, and forgiving by nature. God's love is supreme because it directs, orders, and shapes everything he does.Love and judgment Scripture tells us that God is all just and all loving. How does his love and justice go together? God opposes sin and evil with his just wrath (his righteous anger) and right judgment - and he approaches sinful people and evil doers with mercy ("slow to anger" and "ready to forgive") and discipline ("fatherly correction" and "training in righteousness"). John the Evangelist tells us that the Father sent his Son into the world - not to condemn but to redeem - not to destroy but to heal and restore. Paul the Apostle tells us that "the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). God does not desire the death of anyone (Ezekiel 18:23,32, Ezekiel 33:11, Wisdom of Solomon 1:13). Instead he gives us the freedom to choose between life and death - good and evil. When we choose to sin and to go our own way apart from God, we bring condemnation upon ourselves. Sin draws us away from God and leads to a spiritual death - a death that is worse than physical loss of life because it results in a hopeless life of misery and separation from God's peace and joy. Jesus was sent on a rescue mission to free us from slavery to sin and death and to bring us the abundant life which will never end. His death brought us true freedom and abundant new life in his Spirit - as well as pardon, reconciliation and adoption as sons and daughters of God. Jesus took upon himself all of our sins and nailed them to the cross (Colossians 2:14). His death was an atoning sacrifice for our sins and a perfect offering to the Father on our behalf. We can find no greater proof of God's love for fallen sinful humanity than the cross of Jesus Christ. "To ransom a slave God gave away his Son" (from an early Christian hymn for the Easter vigil liturgy). Jesus' mission was motivated by love and obedience. That is why he willingly laid down his life for us. Jesus told his disciples that there is no greater love than for a person to willingly lay down his or her life for a friend (John 15:13). Jesus loved us first - even while we were captives to sin and Satan - in order to set us free and make us friends and beloved children of God. Believing in the Son of God Do you believe that Jesus personally died for you - for you alone - simply because he loved you? Scripture tells us that God knew each one of us even before we were knit in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13, Jeremiah 1:5). We were created for a purpose - to be united with God and to share in his love and glory now and forever. Augustine of Hippo wrote: "God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love." God's love is complete and perfect because it is wholly directed towards our greatest good - to make us whole and to unite us in a perfect bond of love and peace. That is why God was willing to go to any length necessary to save us from slavery to sin and death. How does God's love bring healing, pardon, and wholeness to our lives? God's love has power to set each one of us free from every form of bondage to sin - whether it be bondage to fear and guilt, pride and greed, envy and hatred. We can only know the love of God and experience his healing power to the degree that we put our faith in him and surrender our lives to his will. Faith is the key that opens the door to Christ and to his healing power in our lives. But for faith to be effective we must act and do our part. That is why faith requires repentance and obedience - turning away from unbelief and disobedience - and turning to the Lord with a believing heart and listening ear. That is why Jesus said, "whoever believes in me is not condemned" (John 3:18). To believe that Jesus is the only Son of God who died for our sins is the key that opens the door to his presence and work in our lives. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). The Lord Jesus knocks at the door of your heart - will you listen today and open at once? Triune nature of God The Lord Jesus has revealed to his disciples the great mystery of our faith - the triune nature of God and the inseparable union of the eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus' mission is to reveal the glory of God to us - a Trinity of persons - God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and to unite us with God in a community of love. The ultimate end, the purpose for which God created us, is the entry of God's creatures into the perfect unity of the blessed Trinity. The Jews understood God as Creator and Father of all that he made (Deuteronomy 32:6) and they understood the nation of Israel as God's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22). Jesus reveals the Father in an unheard of sense. He is eternally Father by his relationship to his only Son, who, reciprocally, is Son only in relation to his Father (see Matthew 11:27). The Spirit, likewise, is inseparably one with the Father and the Son. The mission of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit are the same. That is why Jesus tells his disciples that the Spirit will reveal the glory of the Father and the Son and will speak what is true. Before his Passover, Jesus revealed the Holy Spirit as the "Paraclete" and Helper who will be with Jesus' disciples to teach and guide them "into all the truth" (John 14:17,26; 16:13). In baptism we are called to share in the life of the Holy Trinity here on earth in faith and after death in eternal light. Clement of Alexandria, a third century church father, wrote:"What an astonishing mystery! There is one Father of the universe, one Logos (Word) of the universe, and also one Holy Spirit, everywhere one and the same; there is also one virgin become mother, and I should like to call her 'Church'." We can know God personally How can we grow in our understanding and experience of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? It is the Holy Spirit who reveals the Father and the Son to us and who gives us the gift of faith to know and understand the truth of God’s word. Through baptism we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Lord renews the gift of the Spirit in each one of us as we open our hearts with expectant faith and yield to his work in our lives. Jesus promised his disciples that he would send them the Spirit of truth who would be their Teacher and Guide. Ask the Lord Jesus to renew in you the gift of the Holy Spirit who strengthens us in the seven-fold gifts of wisdom and understanding, right judgment and courage, knowledge and reverence, and holy fear in God's presence (Isaiah 11:2-3).

PRAYER

May the Lord Jesus put his hands on our eyes also, for then we too shall begin to look not at what is seen but at what is not seen. May he open the eyes that are concerned not with the present but with what is yet to come, may he unseal the heart's vision, that we may gaze on God in the Spirit, through the same Lord, Jesus Christ, whose glory and power will endure throughout the unending succession of ages. PSALM 8:4-9 What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him little less than the angels, and have crowed him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;  you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the sea. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! https://www.kairos-eme.org/

Ordinary Time

RCIA Journey ended with thanksgiving mass on 31/5/17.

It was beautiful ! the neophytes show their appreciation by giving a thanksgiving mass with fellowship. And I have

received many gifts , a bouquet of flower, a wallet, a water bottle and a cup...grateful!



Here is the Sacred Heart of Jesus:

O most holy 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.

Five Choices That Will Transform Your Life

By Rick Warren — May 8, 2017

“Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 GNT). We learned yesterday that, ultimately, your identity is based on your choices. Here are five winning choices you can make that will help determine your destiny: 1. I can choose to get healthier. Instead of bemoaning the fact that you don’t have an Olympic body, find ways to increase your energy, lower your stress, get more sleep, and have more power. Psalm 119:73 says, “You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands” (NLT). Improving the controllable factors in your life helps you reduce the impact of the uncontrollable factors. 2. I can choose to deepen relationships. The fear of rejection prevents connection, and the only way to get rid of fear is to do the thing you fear the most. Learn communication skills, replace bad relationships, reach out, and risk connecting with someone. “Let love be your highest goal!” (1 Corinthians 14:1a NLT). 3. I can choose to trust God no matter what happens. “I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him” (Psalm 34:1 GNT). When you get to the point in your life where you can say, “I praise the Lord no matter what happens,” that is a confidence that you won’t find anywhere in Hollywood, on Capitol Hill, or on Wall Street. That is a confidence built on a relationship with God! 4. I can choose what I think about. Throughout the 20th century, scientists believed the adult brain could not be changed. When a Nobel Prize winner proved that you can rewire your brain, science finally caught up to the Bible: “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:2b NLT). Your self is created by your memories, and your memories are created by your mental habits. Feed your brain with truth: God’s Word. 5. I can choose Jesus as my Savior. I’m not just talking about Jesus saving you from your sins. I’m talking about letting Jesus be your Savior every day. Letting Jesus save you gives you the power to follow through on the choices you make. “Anyone who is joined to Christ is a new being; the old is gone, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17 GNT). You get to choose how much God blesses your life; he is just waiting on you to use your wild card. It is never too late to change. When you make these five winning choices, God gives you a winning hand. PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >> Pray this prayer today — “Dear God, there are some things you’ve dealt me and life has dealt me and others have dealt me that I don’t like. But I thank you for the wild card. Thank you that you made me in your image and that I can make choices. Today, in your power and your strength, I choose to get healthier. I choose to do the things that will give me more energy and a healthier mind, body, and emotions. Lord, I choose to build healthy relationships. I’m scared to death, but I’m going to risk building new, healthy connections. I want love to be my highest goal; I want my life to be built on love. “God, I choose to trust you regardless of the circumstances. I will praise you no matter what happens! I will trust that every detail of my life is being worked out for good. Lord, I choose what I will think about — no more junk. Help me to fill my life with positive memories and the Word of truth. Most of all, Jesus, I choose you as my Savior. I need your salvation, but I also need you to save me from myself. I need you to help me rewire my body, my heart, my mind, and my relationships so that the rest of my life is the best of my life. I pray this in your name. Amen.” http://pastorrick.com/devotional/english%2ffive-choices-that-will-transform-your-life1?roi=echo7-30419512376-50987475-b331cb9d207cbfc2a114d11d621ee38f&