Walk In the Spirit April 2018 by Pubuduwa

WALK IN THE SPIRIT April 2018 Volume 04 Issue 16

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord"

ISSN 1391-5967

Publication: Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

SHARING ON PRAYER April 2018

As the days approached, for the great revelation as to who God is (on the Cross), the temptations in the most subtlest form would have assailed Jesus. Monday, Tuesday, the last in His days of the flesh, days of foreboding, whereon His imagination would have contributed much to His sufferings. “Deliver me form the evil one” would have been the inner cry of His human heart. “Abba Father, lead me not to succumb to temptation, deliver me from the evil one”.

Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

Sunday 1st April 2018

Easter Sunday of the Lord's Resurrection

preached how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and (in) Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank Introduction with him after he rose from the dead. Easter Sunday is at the heart of our He commissioned us to preach to the Christian living. Our faith is deeply people and testify that he is the one rooted and finds its real meaning in the appointed by God as judge of the Resurrection of Jesus. St. Paul says that, living and the dead. To him all the if Christ is not risen, then all our believ- prophets bear witness, that everyone ing is in vain, (1 Corinthians 15/14). A who believes in him will receive forrecent discussion I had with a few of my giveness of sins through his name." non-Christian colleagues brought up the Prayerful Awareness question of the relevance of religion to mankind. The basic contention was that Something incredible had happeople behaved themselves because of pened, something that one would expect their religion. And that what it teaches to happen only in dreams. The apostles them put fear of the consequences of led by Peter had been left with the doing otherwise. Therefore religion task of bearing witness to this event. is good for mankind. But Christianity Because of the resurrection of Jesus shifts our point of departure from the their Lord and Master, the disciples, state of humanity to the person of Jesus who were at first paralyzed with fear Christ. We as Christians have Jesus of being arrested as accomplices of Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Jesus, were transformed and began Life. Today, Easter Sunday presents to boldly to proclaim that Jesus, who died us our destiny as intended by our Cre- on the Cross, was alive and with them. ator, our God, our Father. The Entrance And when, in fact, they were arrested, Antiphon opens our minds and hearts to persecuted and imprisoned, it became celebrating that destiny. a cause of rejoicing, because it was an opportunity for them to extract the The Entrance Antiphon benefits of their Master's achievement. The Lord has indeed risen, Alleluia. The apostles realized that they were Glory and Kingship be His for ever now even more closely related to the and ever. life experience of their Lord, sharing in The First Proclamation His sufferings that they might share in Then Peter proceeded to speak His glory. They did not stop there; they and said, "In truth, I see that God began to proclaim this Good News to shows no partiality. What has hap- anyone who was willing to listen. The Gospel proclamation reveals to pened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John us the experience of the disciples of the

Acts:10/34,37-43 Psalm:117/1-2,16,17, 22-23 (118/1-2,16-17,22-23) Colossians:3/1-4 OR 1 Corinthians:5/6-8 John:20/1-9 OR Matthew:28/1-10

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

'EMPTY TOMB'. The Gospel Proclamation On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, "They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they put him." So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he had to rise from the dead. Gaze at Jesus Mary of Magdala and the disciples come to the tomb where Jesus had been laid, for different reasons. Mary came out of the love she had for the Lord, the disciples came out of curiosity. It seems that the latter had been thinking about what Jesus had told them regarding His death. What they saw prompted belief, belief in what they never thought possible. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Mind you, they had still not seen the resurrected Jesus with their eyes. Let us ask the Holy Spirit of God to show us the experience of the Risen Jesus, still true Man, when He experienced in His body the resurrection and saw the response of His disciples to this still unobserved fact. What does all of this mean to us,

the post resurrection disciples of Jesus Christ? Let us read the Second Proclamation..... The Second Proclamation So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. Our sonship The Resurrection is not simply the resuscitation of the body of Jesus which died on the Cross. No one SAW the resurrection because there was nothing to SEE. The crucifixion is a historical event, the resurrection is a faith event. The Risen Jesus enters a completely new existence, a new way of living. The post Resurrection texts all indicate that, He is not recognized at first by even His intimate friends. He is everywhere that His disciples happen to be and His new Body, the means of His being visibly present among us, is the community of His disciples. We are quite literally, from that time the Body of Christ. Though it is within the realm of possibility for the risen Lord to manifest Himself in human form, His preferred mode seems to be His manifestation in the gathering of the community of His disciples. Thus whenever we meet in community it has the potential to be a heavenly experience. We have the capability of experiencing our life hidden with Christ in God. It is a life of the experience of God's love in all its depth and variety and gratuitously sharing that love with the community. Prayer Starter May we be given the grace to believe in the Resurrection of our Lord. The foundation of our faith.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Monday 2nd April 2018 to give a large sum of money to the Acts: 2/14, 22-33 Psalm:15/1-2,5, 7-11 soldiers, telling them, :"You must say, 'His disciples came by night and stole (16/1,2,5,7-11) him away while we were asleep.'..... Matthew:28/8-15 Gaze on Jesus The First Proclamation Please read Acts 2/14, 22-32 prayerfully. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples began to speak other languages when they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Some of the others present there said that the disciples were drunk. Then Peter came forward and spoke about the Resurrection of Jesus. He interpreted the signs that had been given (wind storms, tongues). All this revealed something extraordinary that cannot be seen. Jesus has been raised and is giving His Spirit. "I will pour out my Spirit on every mortal." (vs. 17) Before the coming of Jesus the Spirit was given only to the prophets. But now the Spirit comes to all the people of Christ as foretold by Joel (vs. 3:1). Here Peter clears the name of Jesus condemned to death a few weeks before (vs. 23) Peter proclaimed that God has granted Him the most incredible thing that people could hope for; He has raised Jesus, fulfilling for Him all the promises of Sacred History (vs. 24 - 31), these promises will extend to all believers. The Gospel Proclamation So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." While they were going, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had happened. After the priests had assembled with the elders, they devised a plan

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had gone to the tomb, most probably to anoint the body of Jesus (Mark 16:1). They would not have been told about His resurrection by the Apostles. The women were on their way to Galilee as instructed by the angel at the tomb when Jesus me them and wished them 'peace'. Jesus calmed their fears and sent a message through them to His brothers - to see Him in Galilee. The chief priests and the Pharisees who had heard how Jesus preached and seen for themselves the miracles He had performed were not prepared to accept Him for what He is and they considered Him to be a challenge to the hold they had on the people. They may have also heard something about His rising from the dead which they did not believe. But at the same time they would have felt that the disciples of Jesus would have a hand in it and so they had guards placed to prevent anything happening. When the Resurrection did take place, they spread a false story making use of the same guards. (vs. 13-15). Nobody, not even the guards had seen Jesus coming out of the tomb. The Risen Christ in His glorified Body cannot be seen unless He allows Himself to be seen. Whenever Jesus spoke of His death He also said that He would rise again. The death that is valid for us is unknown to Him. He knows only death followed by Resurrection. Immediate historical Resurrection. Prayer Starter I am the Resurrection and the Life He who believes in me will never die I am the Resurrection and the Life He who believes in me will live a new life.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Tuesday 3rd April 2018 laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher)..... Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have The First Proclamation seen the Lord"; and she told them Therefore let the entire house of that he had said these things to her. Prayerful Awareness Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and MessiJesus the Lord of the Universe ah, this Jesus whom you crucified." appears to Mary. Mary loved Jesus the Now when they heard this, they Son of Man and respected Him as her were cut to the heart and said to Teacher. She goes into an emotional Peter and to the other apostles, high as she recognises Jesus, but Jesus "Brothers, what should we do? " very gently reminds her that He is Peter said to them, "Repent, and God. "Do not hold me" He says "For be baptized every one of you in the I have not yet ascended to my Father." name of Jesus Christ so that your The Holy Spirit inspires Mary and she sins may be forgiven; and you will goes and announces the revelation to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. the disciples. For the promise is for you, for your If we read John 20/27, Thomas is children, and for all who are far challenged to believe and he exclaims away, everyone whom the Lord our "My Lord and my God". God calls to him". ..... In today's First Proclamation, The Gospel Proclamation Peter very clearly preaches "Let all But Mary stood weeping outside the house of Israel therefore know the tomb. As she wept, she bent over assuredly that God has made him both to look into the tomb; and she saw Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you two angels in white, sitting where crucified. the body of Jesus had been lying, Gaze at my sonship ...They said to her, "|Woman, why What is my faith level? Do I seare you weeping?" She said to them, "They have taken away my Lord, riously believe in the mystery that is and I do not know where they have Christ? In other words Christianity? laid him." When she had said this, If so, why am I shy to proclaim loud she turned around and saw Jesus and clear 'My Lord and my God' at the standing there, but she did not know Eucharistic celebration? Have I given that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, the resurrected Lord full control in "Woman, why are you weeping?' my life? Do I recognise Jesus in my Whom are you looking for?" Sup- brother, sister and neighbour? posing him to be the gardener, she Prayer Starter said to him, "Sir, if you have carried Lord I believe, Help my unbelief him away, tell me where you have ..... Acts:2/36-41 Psalm: 32/4-5,18-20,22 (33/4-5,18-20,22) John:20/11-18

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Wednesday 4th April 2018 Acts:3/1-10 Psalm: 104/1-4, 6-9 (105/1-9) Luke:24/13-35

The gate called 'Beautiful' was an entrance to the temple. Many people passed through this favoured entrance to worship. The crippled man was begging where he would be SEEN by MOST people. Giving money to beggars was considered PRAISEThe First Proclamation WORTHY in the Jewish religion. So One day Peter and John were the beggar WISELY placed himself going up to the temple at the hour where PIOUS people might see him. of prayer, at three o'clock in the When the crippled man asked for afternoon. And a man lame from money, Peter gave him something birth was being carried in. People MUCH BETTER. - the USE OF HIS would lay him daily at the gate of LEGS. We often ask God to solve a the temple called the Beautiful Gate SMALL problem, but HE wants to so that he could ask for alms from give us a WHOLE NEW LIFE and those entering the temple. When help for ALL our problems. When he saw Peter and John about to go we ask God for HELP, He may say, into the temple, he asked them for "I've got something EVEN BETTER alms. Peter looked intently at him, for you". Don't be surprised when He as did John, and said, "Look at us." gives you what you really NEED. The And he fixed his attention on them, apostles were doing this healing, by expecting to receive something from the AUTHORITY of Jesus Christ, by them. But Peter said, "I have no the power of the Name of Jesus. NOT silver or gold, but what I have I give their OWN. you; in the name of Jesus Christ of The formerly crippled man, in Nazareth, stand up and walk. And his excitement began to JUMP and he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his WALK around. He praised God! And feet and ankles were made strong. then others were also AWED by God's Jumping up, he stood and began POWER. We too should never forget to to walk, and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and thank people who help, but also remember to PRAISE GOD for His praising God....... CARE and PROTECTION. Prayerful Awareness Prayer Starter The Jews observed three times of Thank You Abba Father for all prayer: Morning, noon and evening (Sunset). At these times devout Jews Your blessings, for Your faithfulness and Gentiles who believed in God and goodness, for the ordinary as went to the temple to pray. Peter and well as the extraordinary. We are the John were going to the temple at 3.00 children of the King! You provide everything we need. p.m. to pray.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Thursday 5th April 2018 Acts:3/11-26 Psalm:8/2,5-9 (8/1, 4-8) Luke:24/35-48 First Proclamation ……When Peter saw the people he addressed them, 'Men of Israel, why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? It is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus… God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through faith in him, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in him that has restored this man to health, as you can all see. .... You are the heirs of the covenant God made with your ancestors when he told Abraham, "All the nations of the earth will be blessed in your descendants". It was for you in the first place that God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you as every one of you turns from his wicked ways.' Gospel Proclamation ……They were still talking about all this when he himself stood among them and said to them, 'Peace be with you!’….. 'Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts stirring in your hearts? …….And as he said this he showed them his hands and his feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, as they were dumbfounded; so he said to them, 'Have you anything here to eat?' And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes. Then he told them, 'This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with

you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms, was destined to be fulfilled.' He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, 'So it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this. Prayerful Awareness Let us meditatively dwell on today’s Proclamations which are self-explanatory and describe (in reverse order), in this post resurrection period of the year, our Lord appearing to the disciples after His resurrection, and the Apostle Peter’s sermon, post Ascension, to the people explaining by what power he was able to heal the man who had been lame since birth. The underlying theme is that everything happens according to Almighty God, our Abba Father’s Will, which may be according to His Definitive Will, whereby He orchestrates things to go according to His Plan, like man’s redemption wrought through the sacrificial death and resurrection of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby He achieves His purpose through the Jews’ rejecting Jesus, thus also extending the salvation to Gentiles, or His Permissive Will whereby He allows the Devil to do things that harm us because He can achieve a greater good by allowing it (Romans 8:28). The knowledge and acceptance that everything happens according to God’s Will gives us a sense of trust and liberation like that experienced by Mother Mary and our Lord Jesus Christ, which Jesus declares “I give you My Peace, not as the world gives” because His Peace transcends the surroundings! Peace is not the mere absence of wars and conflicts, but our ability to look beyond in hope and trust that God’s Will for our lives will be fulfilled come what may! What Hope! Amen! Alleluia!

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Friday 6th April 2018

Feast of St.Celestine I Pope & Confessorti

Acts: 4/1-12 Psalm:117/1.14-21 (118/1-2, 4, 22-27) John: 21/1-14 St. Celestine I He was born in Campania, Italy. (Date is unknown). He was a Deacon in Rome when he was elected to succeed Boniface I on 20 September, 422. His pontificate lasted ten years. His attack on the twin heresies, viz. Nestorianism and Pelagianism - was a vigorous one. In 431 he consecrated St. Palladius in Rome and sent him as the first Bishop of Ireland, to evangelise the Irish. He passed away on 20th July 432. The First Proclamation While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came to them, much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. So they arrested them ....When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. This Jesus is 'the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."

Prayerful Awareness Sadducees, who were rich and influential and did not believe in the resurrection from the dead, were vexed at this incident. The Sadducees were of the view that if the apostles were allowed to go ahead unchecked, civil disorder might be the result and that their status will face disastrous consequences. What an example we have here, where a group of people, in order to retail their interests, would neither listen to the truth nor let others have access to it. Though Peter was only a Galilean fisherman, he faced the court, which consisted of the most powerful, the wealthiest and the most intellectual. it is equally interesting to see the way Peter faced them, the very court that condemned Jesus Christ to death. Yes, he faced them not as the victim but as their judge. He was not intimated at all. At the base of all these we see the power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. "The historical complexity of Jesus' trial is apparent in the Gospel accounts. Jesus Himself. in forgiving them on the cross, and Peter in following suit, both accept 'the ignorance' of the Jews of Jerusalem and even of their leaders. Still less can we extend responsibility to other Jews of different times and places, based merely on the crowd's cry: "His blood be on us and on our children" a formula for ratifying a judicial sentence. As the Church declared at the Second Vatican Council: .... neither all Jews indiscriminately at that time, nor Jews today, can be charged with the crimes committed during His Passion .... the Jews should not be spoken as rejected or accursed as if this followed from Holy Scriptures." (C.C.C.597) Prayer Starter O Holy Spirit! In the face of trials and tribulations, guide and help us, in the way You did with Peter and John. Amen.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Saturday 7th April 2018 Acts: 4/13-21 Psalm:117/1,14-17 (118/1.14-21) Mark: 16/9-15 The First Proclamation They were astonished at the fearlessness shown by Peter and John, considering that they were uneducated laymen; and they recognised them as associates of Jesus; but when they saw the man who had been cured standing by their side, they could find no answer. So they ordered them to stand outside while the Sanhedrin had a private discussion. 'What are we going to do with these men?' they asked. 'It is obvious to everybody in Jerusalem that a notable miracle has been worked through them, and we cannot deny it. But to stop the whole thing spreading any further among the people, let us threaten them against ever speaking to anyone in this name again.' So they called them in and gave them a warning on no account to make statements or to teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John retorted, 'You must judge whether in God's eyes it is right to listen to you and not to God. We cannot stop proclaiming what we have seen and heard.' The court repeated the threats and then released them; they could not think of any way to punish them, since all the people were giving glory to God for what had happened. Fix your gaze on Jesus Lord Jesus, guide us to change our 'Take on Reality' to be in alignment with Yours... In the Gospel today, we see the disciples unwilling to be receptive to the witnessing of Mary Magdalene, and the Emmaus journeyed couple.

But, the Acts of the Apostles narrate of entirely different personalities. What a change of heart the disciples had, after receiving the promised Spirit of God! A vibrant and renewed heart O Lord, create anew within all of us! All that the 'Rulers' cared for apparently was for the status quo to be continued; that their cherished lively-hood did not get threatened; that their hypocrisy, wickedness, and tyranny not get revealed; that the truth does not emerge; that the faithful do not journey on to a higher experience of freedom, healing, acceptance, mercy and a real personal relationship with their Creator God! The aim was that the doctrine of Christ, which appeared to subvert their supremacy in the social structure, not spread among the people, even though they could not say it was false or dangerous, or of any ill tendency. Those who know how to put a just value upon Christ’s promises, know how to put just contempt upon the world’s threatening. The apostles view with concern on the perishing souls, and know they cannot escape eternal ruin but by Jesus Christ, therefore they are faithful in their warning, and shows the right way. None will enjoy peace of mind, nor act uprightly, till they have learned to guide their conduct by the fixed standards of truth, and not by the shifting opinions and fancies of men. Especially beware of any vain attempts to serve two masters, God and the world; the end will be that you serve neither fully. Prayer Starter We have no better news than that of Christ’s resurrection. Let us experience this truth personally in our lives, and carry the good news out to the parched and weary world ….turn us anew O Lord there-for….

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Sunday 8th April 2018

Second Sunday of Easter

Acts: 4/32-35 Psalm:117/2-4,16-18, 22-24 (118/2-4.13-15.22-24) 1 John: 5/1-6 John:20/19-31 Introduction Last week celebrated the great Feast of Easter. But what does it matter to us as ordinary human beings? As Christians, we might be proud of the fact that our Lord is alive while the founders of other religions are dead and gone. But how does the Lord's Resurrection affect and influence our lives? Does it have meaning for our daily lives? The Entrance Antiphon throws us a challenge. Entrance Antiphon Rejoice to the full in the glory that is yours, and give thanks to God who called to you to His kingdom. Alleluia. Let us reflect on the proclamations of love and try to discover the meaning of the resurrection for our lives. The Gospel Proclamation On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins

you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe." Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe." Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of (his) disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written that you may (come to) believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief you may have life in his name. Gaze at Jesus Even after the apostles saw the empty tomb and heard the reports of Jesus' appearance to the women, they were still fearful of being arrested by the Jewish authorities. It is into the midst of these fearful apostles that the risen Jesus came. The first thing that He does is to say "Peace be with you" and show them His hands and His side. The presence of the Risen Lord, carrying the wounds of His passion in His body,

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

did truly bring peace to the hearts of the apostles. He is not the Lord who eliminates wounds of suffering but one who holds them together in His Gloriously Risen body. The importance that Jesus placed in His apostles experiencing this tremendous reality is demonstrated by the fact of His coming again a week later just for the sake of "doubting" Thomas who was the only absentee on the first occasion. The Lord's next deed is as important. He breaths on the apostles and bestows on them His Holy Spirit. The granting of the Holy Spirit was with a special purpose. That purpose was to empower the apostles to FORGIVE. "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained." Let us read the first and second proclamations to see how the apostles and the rest of the disciples were empowered by the Holy Spirit to live the resurrection life. The First Proclamation The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need. The Second Proclamation Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves (also) the one begotten by him. In

this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whoever is begotten of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who (indeed) is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. The Spirit is the one that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. Our sonship Jesus said to him (Thomas), "Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." Let us thank the Holy Spirit of God for the great gift of faith that we have been given. Through the exercise of that gift we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is risen from the dead. We too have been filled and strengthened by the Holy Spirit and as the Father has sent His Son, so Jesus sends us to bear witness to His resurrected life. Prayer Starter "Lord Jesus Christ, through Your victory over sin and death, You have overcome all the powers of darkness. Help us to draw near to You and to trust in Your life-giving word. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and strengthen our faith in Your promises and our hope in the power of Your resurrection." Transform us into such potent witnesses of the Resurrection that others may, on seeing our faith in action, be drawn to the Living Word. Amen.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Monday 9th April 2018 Isaiah: 7/10-14; 8/10 Psalm:39/7-11 (40/6-10) Hebrews: 10/4-10 Luke: 1/26-38 Gospel Proclamation In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a girl promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of king David. The girl’s name was Mary. The angel came to her said, peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you. Mary was deeply troubled by the Angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever, His kingdom will never end. Mary said to the Angel, I am a virgin, how then can this be? The angel answered, the Holy Spirit will come on you, and God’s power will rest upon you. For this reason, the holy child will be called the son of God. Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. For there is nothing that God cannot do. I am the Lord’s servant, said Mary. May it happen to me as you have said. And the angel left her. Gaze at Jesus As we profess the prayer “Hail Mary full of grace …” the mystery in the prayer fills us with joy. Mary was filled

The Annunciation of the Lord with grace, because of the blessedness of the child she consented to bare. Jesus the Redeemer came into this world through a human mother. Thus, Jesus’ birth became an impossible possibility. For all this to take place, God’s Holy Spirit overshadowed every aspect of Jesus conception. From changing the attitude of the Blessed Mother, a fearful young lass to the conception of Jesus in her womb without human interaction. God’s salvation plan to redeem us is a wonderful mystery. Our sonship The very act of God’s Son to take a human form, it is very clear that in God’s eyes, we too are important to Him as His own children. King Ahaz refused to ask for a sign from the Lord. However, Jesus became the sign for all of us about the love of God for man. Therefore, as we celebrate the Annunciation of Christ’s birth, the process begins with obedience and submission of Christ Himself to first take the nature of a human being as per God’s Will. Then the obedience and submission of the Blessed Mother to God’s plan. It is God’s invitation to all of us to realign our lives with God’s Holy plan. As children of God, we are invited to reveal Jesus to the world as the Blessed Mother did. Act of God’s love continues to manifest even today in the world through us when we introduce God’s love to each other. Prayer Starter Dear Holy Spirit of God, help us to give ourselves freely to the plan of God. Even though it is difficult, we want to give ourselves with consistent generosity. Act of giving up ourselves to God’s plan means we are willing to lose our total identity and be recreated into God’s plan.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Tuesday 10th April 2018 Acts:4/32-37 Psalm: 92/1-2, 5 (93/1-2, 5) John:3/7-15 The Gospel Proclamation Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Prayerful Awareness John 19/39 states - Nicodemus also, who had first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloe, about a hundred pounds weight. Nicodemus finally understood the mystery of being born again. The great intellectual who questioned Jesus brings myrrh, that which was one of the gifts from the intellectuals from

the East at the birth of Jesus. Let us re-read today's Gospel proclamation and try to discover how Jesus and the Holy Spirit illuminated Nicodemus about being born again. Jesus used the allegory of the wind or Spirit as He is led by the Holy Spirit. to activate Nicodemus' mind about the incident from Ezekiel, where the dead bones came alive. Nicodemus who is physically alive cannot comprehend and asks, 'How can this be?' Jesus who has the fullness of God residing in Him comes out with, "I say to you. WE speak of what We know and bear witness to what WE have seen." That statement would have impacted Nicodemus. And then the other words of Jesus that followed would have continuously challenged him; very specially when the crucifixion took place, the reference to Numbers 21/9 would have made the still small voice of the Holy Spirit audible over the rational intellect. I am sure that Jesus included Nicodemus when He once said, "Truly I say to you, there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God come in all its glory." Gaze at my sonship Am I struggling with my intellect to accept that I am a temple of the Holy Spirit? Let us challenge our selves with St. Paul's statement, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me!" Prayer Starter Lord Jesus bring me to that point where I acknowledge that I have been crucified with Christ, negating my intellect that asks 'How can this be?' Holy Spirit help me.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Wednesday 11th April 2018

St. Stanislaus, Bishop & Martyr

Acts:5/17-26 Psalm: 33/2-9 (34/1-8) John:3/16-21 The Gospel Proclamation For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. .....Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. .... Prayerful Awareness God, created man (male and female), in His own image (Genesis 1:27). For God loved man more than all His other creations in the entire universe, which gives His Love for man, a value above all creations, to say, Love of value more than the value of the entire universe. And God created man for His Glory (Isaiah 43 :7) to share His Great Love with man to become His adopted sons, to finally inherit His Kingdom equally with His only begotten Son (Rom. 8:14-17 ). Due to this great Love for His best creation, God the Father is full of mercy to forgive all sins, and His Son was sent to save man, to regain man from all sin. The above Gospel message reminds me of the “Parable of the Prodigal Son” (Luke 15:11). Although the prodigal son went away from the father taking all the wealth he could take, to end up with disaster, the father’s love did not diminish and the father was waiting for his son to come back one day. For God’s Love is so great He never forsakes any one, and is waiting to forgive all sins we repent for, of whatever magnitude. Jesus said, that

heaven rejoices for every person who repents and comes back to God (Luke 15:7). The thief who was crucified on the right side of Jesus is an example of this. For at that very moment, he believed and accepted Jesus as the Holy One without any sin. He totally accepted his sins for which he was suffering, repented for his sins and even became a witness for Jesus against the other thief (the world), and asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus reaches His kingdom, for which Jesus responded, which granted forgiveness for all his sins, accepting him to the Lord’s kingdom that very moment (Luke 23:40-43). How jealous we could be if we were there, like the other son in the parable of the Prodigal son, or the workers who worked the whole day and received the same pay as the workers who joined the field at the last hour (Mathew 20:8-16 ). But, Lord says that He has everything He has, as payment for all who have worked for the Lord continuously (Luke 15:31); for we have been His witnesses to pass on His Word, the Word of Love to the world that is going after material wealth instead of God’s steadfast, great and unending Love, and to save them before death, to guide them to repent and come back to Lord (Acts 3:19 ), burying their sinful pasts and reap the benefits of the new life offered by Christ to all His followers. Prayer Starter God our ever Loving Father, I Thank You for Your Great Love for me and for sending Your Begotten Son as a Gift to us to save the world from sin, to show us the path of repentance, and acceptance of Him as our Saviour and Lord as the path to reach You and Your Great Love. Grant me Your Holy Spirit to Guide me and strengthen me to serve You in the name of my Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Thursday 12th April 2018 Acts: 5/27-33 Psalm:33/2,9,17-20 (34/1,8,16-19) John:3/31-36

words, for God gives him the Spirit

without reserve. The Father loves the

Introduction Let us meditatively dwell on today’s Proclamations which are about God’s saving grace. God created Man and the material universe/s to receive and share His Love as God’s own children in one big and expanding family. Knowing well that Man will abuse the gift of free-choice, God had in place a Plan for mankind’s redemption (to be restored to its original purpose) by Himself paying the price for Man’s Sin in the form of His Word made flesh, Jesus (God Saves), whereby whosoever accepts Jesus as Saviour and willingly submits to God’s Plan will receive the gift of God’s Son-ship through His Holy Spirit. Believers can receive God’s Son-ship and blessings in the here and now, which is the Good News we are asked to share with others! First Proclamation ... 'We gave you a strong warning', he said, 'not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, ....' In reply Peter and the apostles said, 'Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; .... Gospel Proclamation He who comes from above is above all others; he who is of the earth is earthly himself and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven bears witness to the things he has seen and heard, but his testimony is not accepted by anybody; though anyone who does accept his testimony is attesting that God is true, since he whom God has sent speaks God's own

Son and has entrusted everything to his hands. Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life, but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life: ... Prayerful Awareness The above discourse is uttered by John the Baptist when his disciples report to him that everyone is now going to Jesus. John tells his disciples that is as it should be, and describes the pre-eminent position of our Lord Jesus Christ compared to John, a mere mortal. In the First Proclamation the Apostle Peter tells us that ‘obedience to God should come before obedience to men’ and ‘God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him’. Christians receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit at Baptism (mostly as infants) which is strengthened at Confirmation at somewhat an understanding age. Read John Chapters 14 to 16 for our Lord’s introduction of the Holy Spirit to us, and also 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 for ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ and Galatians 5:22-26 for ‘Fruits of the Spirit’ as described by St. Paul! And Romans 8:14 tells us those who are led by the Spirit shall be called children of God! Song of Praise (Psalm 33:2, 9, 17-20) Give thanks to the Lord on the lyre, play for him on the ten-stringed lyre. for, the moment he spoke, it was so, no sooner had he commanded, than there it stood! it is delusion to rely on a horse for safety, for all its power it cannot save. But see how Yahweh watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his faithful love, to rescue them from death and keep them alive in famine. We are waiting for Yahweh; he is our help and our shield!

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Friday 13th April 2018

St. Martin I, Pope & Martyr

seated; so also the fish, ... "Gather up Acts: 5/34-42 Psalm:26/1, 4, 13-14 the fragments left over, ...." So they gathered them up, ....they filled twelve (27/1,4,13-14) baskets. ... "This is indeed the prophet John:6/1-15 who is to come into the world" .... St. Martin He was born at Todi, Umbria, Italy. He was the last of the Popes to have won a martyr's crown. He was known for his learning and piety. He succeeded Theodore I to the Papal throne on 21st July 649. He called the Lateral Council in 649 in Rome. 105 Bishops assembled and they condemned the Monothelite heresy that denied that Christ had a human will. The Council's decree infuriated the Emperor Constans II, a staunch supporter of Monothelitism. The second emissary he sent to Rome succeeded in carrying out the ailing Pope to Constantinople. Here Martin languished in prison for several months. During a mock trial he was condemned and was exiled. In exile he succumbed to ill-treatment and starvation on 16th September 655. His successor Pope Eugene I carried on with the same courageous spirit as St. Martin's. The Gospel Proclamation After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, ... A large crowd kept following him, ..... When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip. "Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat"? He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, "Six months' wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little. ... "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?" Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." ... so they sat down, about five thousand in all. Then Jesus took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were

Prayerful Awareness

As Jesus was under continuous strain He desired to withdraw from the crowd and rest. Also He needed time with His disciples with the aim of giving them a deeper understanding of Himself. On top of all these He wanted time for prayer - time to be with the Father. The time for the final conflict was not ripe - as such He did not want a collision with authorities. On seeing the crowd, His sympathy arose, Philip, who was from the very area was addressed by Jesus. "Where can we buy enough food to feed all these people?" His answer was a displeasing one. He failed the test. Here we see Andrew on the scene with a positive answer. A small boy with five loaves and two fish. When Andrew acted positively the miracle was made possible. What the little boy had was enough for Jesus to make the miracle. Of the two boats, Philip's and Andrew's, in which boat are we? Do we bring the little or the much we have to Jesus? Do we make ourselves available to Him unconditionally? "In the Old Testament, God was pleased to use trivial and insignificant things to fulfil His purposes, like the flag on the cradle of a babe which won the heart of Pharaoh's daughter, or the shepherd's stick of Moses which worked miracles in Egypt, or the sling-shot of David which overthrew the Philistine. Because bread was now involved, there was even a parallel to the gestures that were later used at the Last Supper". In the reckoning of man there is always a deficit, in the Arithmetic of God, there is always a surplus. " (Archbishop F.J.Sheen) Prayer Starter Lord of plentitude, help us to give until it hurts.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Saturday 14th April 2018

Acts:6/1-7 Psalm: 32/1-2,4-5,18-19 (33/1-2,4-5,18-19) John: 6/16-21

The First Proclamation About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom, to whom we can hand over this duty. We ourselves will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.' The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, and after prayer they laid their hands on them. The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.

Fix your gaze on Jesus

Dear Lord, turn us anew, enabling us to experience the joy of being one-with-You in and through the manifold facets/ layers/ spheres of Your creation... As we progressively enter in to the contemplative mind-set espoused by the Kithu Dana Pubuduwa from the early

2000’s, it is becoming clearer to us that we are not 'Normal Ordinary Humans' as we used to define and identify ourselves; but are the 'Children of God': meaning that we have the attributes of God, and are gods. Another way of saying this is, ‘we are spiritual being experiencing a human / material condition / phase’. Please understand that this translates in to our existing at material as well as immaterial levels. This is supported by scientific understanding today, acknowledging the foundational ‘real stuff’ of all matter to be in the nature of Energy/Intelligence. It bodes us well to remember this, as when we inspect closely, our ‘life taste/ experience/ outcome’ depends very much not on our material body aspects, but on the thoughts /desires / feelings we experience- and those are truly our choices in the immaterial realm! The program / software we run within manifest our 'Life Taste' .... In that respect, the disciples had been of one accord; they were totally focused on the ‘WORD’; the 'Living Substance', the Good News' proclaimed. Looking to the Lord, they were running their race … and refused to be distracted even when the body started murmuring regarding aspects of material well-being. Necessary administrative issues, they delegated to qualified members.

Prayer Starter

In this world, the faithful have to face perils/afflictions; darkness often surrounds the 'Children of Light'. To see Jesus walking on the sea- the approach of deliverance should not be mistaken, as to become occasions of fear. Let us hear the powerful comfort of, "I am Jesus whom thou lovest." When we receive Christ Jesus the Lord, though the night be dark, and the wind high, yet we find comfort within those circumstances, and are assured that we shall be at the shore before long.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Third Sunday of Easter Sunday 15th April 2018 National Small Christian Community Day Ps.Wk III Acts: 3/13-15, 17-19 anything here to eat?” They gave him a Psalm:4/2, 4, 6-7, 9 piece of broiled fish, and he took it and at in their presence. (4/1, 3, 6, 8) Then he said to them, “These are my 1 John:2/1-5 words that I spoke to you while I was still Luke: 24/35-48

Introduction The resurrection of Jesus is totally beyond normal human experience. Of course, we cannot “figure it out.” How comforting, then, to have these proclamations of God’s love, showing first how the disciples struggled to grasp what had happened and then stories of Jesus before the crucifixion, which are written in the light of the Resurrection. We need to realize the gratuitous nature of God’s love in sending His only begotten Son to take the whole burden of reinstating man in his proper place in God’s plan. So let us recite or sing the Entrance Antiphon: Let all the earth cry out to God with joy, praise the glory of His name; proclaim his glorious praise. Alleluia.

The Gospel Proclamation Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and though that they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet, see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you

with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day. And that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Gaze at Jesus Jesus seems to be preoccupied with explaining the meaning of the scriptures to His disciples,; first to the disciples who were on their way to Emmaus and late on to all the disciples who were gathered together in Jerusalem. The evangelist describes the process as opening their mind to understand the scriptures. Jesus especially shows how what happened to Him was all in accordance with the scriptures. The Holy Spirit seems to be teaching us that at the “breaking” of the Word in Holy Scripture we encounter Jesus the Risen Lord. We also encounter Him in the “breaking of Bread” the Eucharist. So it seems that in a way we can understand why it was necessary for the Risen Lord to manifest Himself to His disciples so many times. He wanted them to understand that even when they can’t see Him in the flesh His presence at the Breaking of the Word and the Breaking of Bread is no less real. So let us read the next two proclamations of God’s love and encounter His living Word, Jesus.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

The First Proclamation The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence when he had decided to release him. You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. The anchor of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses. Now I know, brothers, that you acted out of ignorance just as your leaders did; but God has thus brought to fulfillment what he had announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be wiped away.

Prayerful Awareness It seems that Peter is accusing us of handing over, denying and putting to death the author of life, Jesus. Could you and I be in agreement with this accusation? If we do not, then the consequence is that we have no need to repent, be converted and be cleansed of our sins,. Therefore we do not need Jesus as our Savior. Neither can we claim the words of Jesus: “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do:” as being addressed to you and me. If Jesus Christ died “for me” and for “my sins”, then it means “I” killed Him and “my” sins crushed Him. A popular Negro Spiritual has the following lyrics: Were you there when they crucified my Lord? // Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble Were you there when they crucified my Lord? If the sins that I have committed up to this moment in time crucified Jesus, then the sins I commit from now onwards also contribute to that horrendous crime.

Therefore …. Let us read the second proclamation

The Second Proclamation My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world. The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments. Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him:

Our sonship Jesus the Word of the Father became flesh suffered and died so that you and I may regain our true nature of being children of God. E are called to live this sonship in freedom. Sin is when we live contrary to our true divine nature. For that there is but one way, the way of LOVE. “but whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him.” As St. Francis of Assisi prays: Make me a channel of your peace, love, joy .. But when we fail “But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One. He is expiation for our sins.”

Prayer Starter Father in Heaven, author of all truth, a people once in darkness has listened to Your Word and followed Your Son as he rose from the tomb. Hear the prayer of this newborn people and strengthen them to answer Your call. May we rise and come forth into the light of day to stand in Your presence ….(Book of Christian Prayer third Sunday of Easter)

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Monday 16th April 2018 Acts: 6/8-15 Psalm:118/23-24,26-27, 29-30 (119/23-24.26-27,29-30) John: 6/22-29 The First Proclamation Stephen full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen .....stood up and argued with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke. Then they secretly instigated some men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. They set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us." And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Prayerful Awareness

early church. Known for his spiritual qualities of wisdom, grace and power in his life, was a miracle worker, outstanding teacher and debater, first to give his LIFE for the gospel. The "Freedmen" was a group of Jewish slaves who had been freed by Rome and had formed their own synagogue in Jerusalem. These men lied about Stephen, causing him to be arrested and brought before the Jewish council. The Sadducees, the dominant party in the Council, accepted and studied only the writings of Moses. In their VIEW, to speak blasphemy against Moses was a crime. But from Stephen's speech (ch. 7) we learn that the accusation was false. Stephen based his review of Israel's history on Moses' writings. When Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin (the Council of religious leaders) the accusation against Stephen was the same that the religious leaders had used against JESUS (Matthew 26:59-61). The group falsely accused Stephen of wanting to CHANGE Moses' customs, because they knew that the Sadducees, who controlled the Council, believed ONLY in Moses' LAWS. Stephen's life and death enlighten us to ask ourselves, "How many risks do we take in being Jesus' followers? Would we be willing to die for Him? Are we really willing to live for Him? By the Holy Spirit's power, we can exercise the gifts God has given us. Prayer Starter

The most important pre-requisite for any kind of CHRISTIAN SERVICE is to be filled with FAITH and the POWER of the Holy Spirit. By the Spirit's power, Stephen was one Dear Lord, give us the faith to of seven leaders chosen to supervise trust You, to see Your hand along our food distribution to the needy in the road of life.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Tuesday 17th April 2018 Acts:7/51-8/1 Psalm:30/3-4,6-8,17,21 (31/2-3,5-7,16, 20) John: 6/30-35 The First Proclamation You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. ....You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it. When they heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. .... Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him, and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him. ..... The Gospel Proclamation They replied “what miracle will you perform so that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our ancestors ate manna in the desert, just as the scripture says; He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” I am telling you the truth, Jesus said. “What Moses gave you was not the bread from heaven; it is my Father who gives you the real bread from heaven. For the bread that God gives is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Sir, they asked him, give us this bread always. I am the bread of life, Jesus told them. Those who come to me will never be hungry; those who

believe in me will never be thirsty. Prayerful Awareness Jesus refuses to answer the question which they have asked. He reminded them that it was not Moses who had given them the manna; it was God. He told them that the manna was not really the bread of God; it was only the symbol of the bread of God the one who came down from heaven and gave men not simply satisfaction from physical hunger, but life. Jesus was claiming that the only real satisfaction was in him. He speaks of bread which endures to eternal life - the Son Himself, whom the Father gives for the world. The crowds fail to hear about this wonderful gift, they are focused on what they could or should or must do, rather than on what God is doing right in front of them. The work of God is belief, which is made possible only by giving the Son - the bread from Heaven. The crowd apparently want a sign from the old days repeated. But the true giver is not Moses, but the Father; the true giving was not in the past, but in the present; the true bread was not the manna, but is the bread of God that has now come down from Heaven in the person of Jesus Christ. They have wrongly associated Jesus with Moses, rather than associating Jesus with the bread from Heaven. In the final verse of this text, Jesus makes one more attempt to clear their eyes and ears: He says "I am the bread of life." Prayer Starter Heavenly Father please grant us the grace to have faith in Your beloved Son our Saviour and Lord who is the bread of life which You have given the world. Help us to share this bread with others so that they can be spiritually nourished and increase their faith and have a closer relationship with You and know how much they are loved, in Jesus name I pray. Amen.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Wednesday 18th April 2018 Acts:8/1-8 Psalm:65/1-7 (66/1-7) John: 6/35-40

of Christ to the manna consists in this, that while manna satisfied only bodily needs for a time. Jesus is the bread for our souls as Jesus said, "One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of The Gospel Proclamation God.’” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus satisfies Jesus said to the crowds, "I am our spiritual needs for ever as it is said, the bread of life; whoever comes to whoever believes in Jesus will have eterme will never hunger, and whoever nal life (John 3:16). He calls us to love believes in me will never thirst. But I one another as He Loves us (13:34) and told you that although you have seen follow all His commandments if we love me, you do not believe. Everything Him (John 14:15). It is very sad to see that the Father gives me will come to some of our religious and morally upright me, and I will not reject anyone who people also so hopelessly lost in the sin comes to me, because I came down of this world going after wealth of this from heaven not to do my own will but world breaking commandments of the the will of the one who sent me. And Lord, that they will reject even the best this is the will of the one who sent me, reasons to believe. In Rev. 22:11-13 it is that I should not lose anything of what said, “Let the wicked still act wickedly, he gave me, but that I should raise it and the filthy still be filthy. The righteous on the last day. ....." must still do right, and the holy still be holy. Behold, I am coming soon. I bring Prayerful Awareness with me the recompense I will give to Bread is treated as food for life, as a each according to his deeds. I am the person can live for many days taking only Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, bread as food. In the desert, when people the beginning and the end.” In John grumbled against Moses and Aaron, 3:19-21 it is said that the Light came into Lord gave bread from heaven daily, for the world, but people preferred darkness people to eat (Exodus 16:4). Jesus said to light, because their works were evil. in John 6:49 &51, “Your ancestors ate For everyone who does wicked things the manna in the desert, but they died’ hates the light and does not come toward and “I am the living bread that came the light, so that his works might not be down from heaven; whoever eats this exposed. But whoever lives the truth bread will live for ever; and the bread comes to the light, so that his works may that I will give is my flesh for the life of be clearly seen as done in God. the world.”Jesus’ words were an appeal Prayer Starter for people to come to Him and believe in Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Lord, Him and His Word. Jesus is the Lord of the Word (John 1:1).The Word focused Grant me the Holy Spirit to know all my in the Old Testament, the one on Whom sins, to repent for every such sin, not Moses wrote in the law, and also the to commit such sins hereafter and enter prophets (John 1:45). Christ offers Him- into the Sacrament of Reconciliation to self as the living bread that gives eternal purify my soul, totally accept You, and life to all who believe in Him. Jesus says be able to join in the Sacrament of the that if we will come to Him and believe in Eucharist, as You have asked us to do Him, He will eternally satisfy and sustain in John 6:53 to become as part of Your us spiritually and the believer shall ex- body and receive Salvation, In the name perience the continual satisfaction of his of the Father, and of the Son and of the highest spiritual needs. The superiority Holy Spirit, Amen.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Thursday 19th April 2018 Instructor directly. No one can approach Acts:8/26-40 Psalm: 65/8-9,16-17,20 God. That is why an Envoy, "the Word" is necessary and He alone has direct contact (66/8-9,16-17, 20) with God for "the Word was with God." John:6/44-51 (1:1) He whose heart is open hears the

The Gospel Proclamation Please read John 6/44-51 prayerfully.

Gaze on Jesus

Jesus was engaged in a conversation about His role in the plan of salvation with some Jews whom He had nourished earlier. They murmured about Jesus because He had said that He is the bread that has come down from heaven. They kept on saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Were Christ not who He is, they would be justly aroused, for what He is saying is unheard of. With the sensitiveness of those raised in the jealous belief in the one God, they notice immediately that a 'monstrous' claim is being made and they attempt to ward it off with sharp realism. Jesus, however faces the attack. "Do not complain among yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I will raise that person up on the last day .... Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me." In other words, you stand apart, watching from a distance, hence what I say sounds blasphemous to you. You can understand only by coming over to me, but this only he can do, who is enabled to by the Father who sent me. To be sent and to be called to him who is sent belongs to one and the same work of redemption. The prophets have said the Lord will teach all. Now the moment has come, God will indeed instruct all who are ready to learn, and all who are willing to understand will understand and come to Him, for they cannot approach the

Father in the Son, sees the Father in Jesus, and if he believes, is given eternal life. And again the symbol of the bread: "I am the bread ... will not die" (vs. 4850). And then comes a new and unheard leap in the thought. "And the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world." Jesus had already proclaimed that He is the bread of life, that the 'eating' of the bread was faith; now He intensifies sharply the challenging literalness of the symbol. Instead of "I am the living bread' He says, "and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world." He also strengthens the metaphor by saying: "Amen Amen, I say to you .... raise him up on the last day." (vs.55-58) This thought is underlined again, "For my flesh .... will live forever." (vs.53,54) Consummation of Jesus' flesh and blood is closely bound to His own relationship to His Father. "As the living Father has sent me, and as I live because of the Father, so he who eats me, he also shall live because of me." The Holy Eucharist is the final link in the sacred chain of life-giving nourishment reaching from the remoteness of God into the here and now of human existence.

The First Proclamation

Here the Holy Spirit leads Philip towards a man who was neither a Jew nor a Samaritan, the first person of another race to receive the gospel.

Prayer Starter

Lord Jesus, may You grant us the grace to conform our lives according to Your teachings at all times.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Friday 20th April 2018 Feast of St.Agnes of Montepulciano, Virgin Acts: 9/1-20 Psalm: 116/1, 2 (117/1-2) John: 6/52-59

sion story in history. It was Saul who took care of the belongings of Stephen when he was stoned to death! The way Stephen faced death must have lingered in Saul's mind. He could not banish that feeling. In order to get away The First Proclamation from that feeling he involved himself Meanwhile Saul still breathing more vigorously in persecuting Christhreats and murder against the dis- tians. As he was nearing Damascus, ciples of the Lord, went to the high Christ who had calmed a storm, spoke priest and asked him for letters to to him in a storm. The Mystical Body is the synagogues of Damascus, so that Christ's prolonged Self. St. Paul came if he found any who belonged to the to understand this truth. Perhaps no Way, ... he might bring them bound one has ever lived who hated Christ to Jerusalem. Now as he was going more than Saul. The early members of along and approaching Damascus, Christ's Mystical Body prayed that God suddenly a light from heaven flashed would send someone to refute Saul. around him. He fell to the ground God heard their prayer; He sent Paul to and heard a voice .... Saul, Saul, why answer Saul. (Archbishop F.J.Sheen.) Not a sudden conversion but a do you persecute me?" He asked, "Who are you, Lord?" The reply surrender, an unconditional one. came, "I am Jesus, whom you are When he started from Jerusalem he persecuting. But get up and enter was a persecutor of Christians, but the city, and you will be told what he came to Damascus as a changed man - a Christian. Christians are those you are to do." .... Now there was a disciple in Da- who give the lordship of their lives mascus named Ananias. The Lord to Jesus Christ and cease to do what said to him in a vision, "Ananias,"" they want to do. They give priority to He answered, "Here I am, Lord." ... doing what Christ wants them to do. "Get up and go to the street called Christ spoke about forgiving. He gave Straight, and at the house of Judas it utmost priority that He included it look for a man of Tarsus named in the Lord's Prayer. Ananias and Saul Saul. At this moment he is praying, were bitter enemies, but in Christ they and he has seen in a vision, a man became brothers. "Into Paul's life had named Ananias come in and lay come a shattering change and for a time his hands on him so that he might he had to be alone with God. Before regain his sight.".... "Go, for he is him stretched a different life, and he an instrument whom I have chosen needed two things: guidance for a way to bring my name before Gentiles that was totally strange, and strength and kings and before the people of for an almost overwhelming task that Israel; I myself will show him how had been given to him. He went to God much he must suffer for the sake of for both. (The New Daily Study Bible) Prayer Starter my name." .... Not our will but Thy Will be done. Prayerful Awareness Amen. This is perhaps the greatest conver-

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Saturday 21st April 2018 Acts: 9/31-42 Psalm:115/12-17 (116/12-17) John:6/60-69

St. Anslem to experience the exhilaration of real

living...empowered and liberated...

The First Proclamation The churches throughout Judaea, Galilee and Samaria were now left in peace, building themselves up and living in the fear of the Lord; encouraged by the Holy Spirit, they continued to grow. It happened that Peter visited one place after another and eventually came to God's holy people living down in Lydda. There he found a man called Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, 'Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you: get up and make your bed.' Aeneas got up immediately; everybody who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they were converted to the Lord. At Jaffa there was a disciple called Tabitha, or in Greek, Dorcas, who never tired of doing good or giving to those in need. But it happened that at this time she became ill and died, ...the disciples ... sent two men to urge him, 'Come to us without delay.' Peter went back with them immediately, and on his arrival they took him to the upper room, where all the widows stood round him in tears, ... Peter sent everyone out of the room and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the dead woman and said, 'Tabitha, stand up.' She opened her eyes, looked at Peter and sat up.... The whole of Jaffa heard about it and many believed in the Lord. Fix your gaze on Jesus Praise You O Holy Spirit of God; You constantly re-orient us towards the Living Word-Jesus! Thus do we come

Looking at the conduct of Peter, we are amazed at how focused he was on his Lord and Master...the name of Jesus was constantly on his mind and lips. It is quite clear that he received life and vigour from this constant channelling of the Living Word through him. The Word empowered him with power and grace not experienced by ordinary humans. He had come to experience the essence of being a 'Child Of God'! He was extraordinary; most gifted; able to receive Love unconditionally, and pour Love out unconditionally. Mercy and healing poured forth through him. Acceptance and Empowerment coursed through him! Not enamoured by selfishness, always ready to be of service to the brethren, just as Jesus the Christ was when he trod the earth in his human form. But then, isn't that the way we all are called to be? We who have received the gift of faith, are anointed with the Holy Spirit of God, have received the empowerment necessary to be Priestly, Kingly and Prophetic. Just as St. Peter was. Have we allowed the truth to seep in to our innermost self that, “It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer.”, and opened up ourselves to the Unitive Consciousness? Bridged the chasm from our aloneness to being One with All That Is? Connected with the Ever-Flowing Creative Renewing Source of All? Prayer Starter Ponder O my Heart on the unceasing flow of Creative Source surrounding me, and become connected there-to; and repeat with the apostles, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the message of eternal life, and we believe; we have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”...

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Fourth Sunday of Easter World Day of Prayer for Vocations The Gospel Proclamation Acts: 4/8-12 Psalm:117/1,8-9,21-23 I am the good shepherd. The 26, 28-29 good shepherd lays down his life (118/1,8,9,21,26,28-29) for the sheep. The hired hand, who 1 John 3/1-2 is not the shepherd and does not John:10/11-18 own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and the wolf snatches them Entrance Antiphon ad scatters them .The hired hand The earth is full of the goodness of runs away because a hired hand the Lord, by the Word of the Lord the does not care for the sheep, I am heavens were made Alleluia! the good shepherd. I know my own Our contact with the Lord who and my own know me, just as the conquers death, introduces us to a Father knows me and I know the new way of life, that makes us see, Father. And I lay down my life for hear, touch, taste, take in and enjoy the sheep. I have other sheep that do everything and all in an altogether new not belong to this fold. I must bring way. Pain, suffering, even death, takes them also, and they will listen to my on new meaning. Nothing can stand voice. S there will be one flock, one in our way, provided we are blessed shepherd. For this reason the Father with the gift called Faith and we make loves me, because I lay down my life use of it to the full. It is a matter of in order to take it up again. No one receiving, accepting, appropriating takes it from me, but I lay it down and using. On Easter Sunday we cel- of my own accord. I have power to ebrated the great event that opened the lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this doors to this new experience. Today, the 4th Sunday of the bless- command from my Father. Flocks of sheep and shepherds ed time called Easter, we are assured of the company o a guide â&#x20AC;&#x201C; leader, who do not fall within the experience of is called the Way, the Truth and the our way of life in Sri Lanka. A good Life. He will shepherd us in the jour- shepherd would witness to the care, ney of life to the bosom of the Father. nurture, supervision and attention he Let us begin our meditation with has to bestow on each of his flock. For Jesus to call Himself the good the prayer of the day. shepherd challenges us to take a look Almighty and ever-loving God give at ourselves as members of His flock. us new strength from the courage of We could picture the Lord paying Christ our shepherd, and lead us to special attention to each and every join the saints in heaven, where he one of us, with none to feel, he/she as lives and reigns with you and the Holy been excluded, despite the fact that Spirit one God, for ever and ever. Sunday 22nd April 2018

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

He would pay more attention to the weaker and poorer ones. Prayerful Awareness I see Jesus besides me always from morn till night and through the night too. He shows concern lest I falter, fall and get lost. May the Holy Spirit help me to experience this caring presence in a very special way in the week to come. The Second Proclamation The experience of the love and care of the Good Shepherd Jesus, leads us to the source of all love that is the Father. Let us call Him Mother. Let us call Her Father. The Father would call His sons/ daughters. He/She would lavish His love on us, His beloved children. We have the firm assurance that despite the rejection and pain that we might suffer at the hands of outsiders, the promise is given of a future that glows in unimaginable brightness. “See what love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called children of God! Yet that is what we are. The reason the world does not recognize us is that it never recognized the Son. Dearly beloved, we are God’s children now, what we shall later be has not yet come to light. We know that when it comes to light we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” The First Proclamation

boundless love of the Father. It is ours through Luke’s report in the Acts of the Apostles. The magnanimous love of the Father peaks with the sacrifice of His Son, who is raised up by Him to live for ever. Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit spoke up: “Leaders of the people! Elders! If we must answer today for a good deed done to a cripple and explain how he was restored to health, then you and all the people of Israel must realize that it was done in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean whom you crucified and whom God raised from the dead. In the power of that name this man stands before you perfectly sound. This Jesus is the stone rejected by you the builders which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved. Prayer Starter Father, You are our Mother too. We are wholly beholden to You for the gift of Jesus. He is unique in His shepherding, in that it is Your Guidance, He is extending to us. He is the WAY to You. He has taken upon Himself the task even of leading us on the Way for He is the WAY. Help us in the power of the Holy Spirit to be ever open to His loving shepherding.

The Holy Spirit leads us still further into a deeper understanding of the

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Monday 23rd April 2018 St.George, Martyr, St.Adalbert, Bishop & Martyr and if we do He will enter and dine Acts: 11/1-18 with us (Rev. 3:20), share His Love Psalm: 41/2-3;42/3-4 with us. Jesus says I am the Shepherd (42/1-2;43/3-4) of the sheep and also the Gate of the John:10/1-10 sheepfold. It is only through Him that we could enter His sheepfold, the selected ones, the ones who believe and The Gospel Proclamation accept Him as Saviour and Lord, the Jesus said:"Amen, amen, I say to ones who follow all His commandyou, whoever does not enter a sheep- ments, for whom He intercedes and fold through the gate but climbs over send from the Father the Holy Spirit, elsewhere is a thief and a robber. the Spirit of the Truth (John 16:14), to But whoever enters through the gate guide us and live our lives according is the shepherd of the sheep. The to the Will of the Father, the ones who gatekeeper opens it for him, and the then will be called “children of God” sheep hear his voice, as he calls his (Rom. 8:14), for whom there is no conown sheep by name and leads them demnation as ones who are in Christ out. When he has driven out all his Jesus (Romans 8:1). Such sheep will own, he walks ahead of them, and enter the sheepfold through the sheep the sheep follow him, because they gate and follow all commandments of recognize his voice. But they will the Lord and will be under the pronot follow a stranger; they will run tection of the Lord as long as we stay away from him, because they do not in the sheepfold. I have listened to recognize the voice of strangers." many stories on shepherds. Shepherd Although Jesus used this figure of of a flock of sheep loves his sheep, speech, they did not realize what and will do everything possible to save he was trying to tell them. So Jesus the life of every single sheep. Sheep said again, "Amen, amen, I say to know their shepherd and his voice and you, I am the gate for the sheep. All similarly the shepherd knows each who came before me are thieves and one of his sheep and could call them robbers, but the sheep did not listen by their given name and they always to them. I am the gate. Whoever follow the shepherd. enters through me will be saved, Prayer Starter and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal Jesus Christ, the eternally begotten and slaughter and destroy; I came so Son of Almighty God our Ever Loving that they might have life and have it Father, I accept You as my Saviour more abundantly." and Lord. Intercede for me and send to me the Holy Spirit to live my life Prayerful Awareness within all Your Commandments and to God only works with Love, and love others as You Love me. Thank You Jesus the Son, the visible form, the Lord for saving me from eternal death True image of the invisible God also and help me to focus my life in You and the part of this Great Love, acts with serve You all the time, in the Glory of this Great Love. He never tries to enter the Father, and of the Son and of the into anyone’s heart by force but only Holy Spirit, Amen knocks, for us to open for Him to enter,

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Tuesday 24th April 2018 St.Fidelis of Sigmaringen, Priest & Martyr Acts: 11/19-26 Psalm: 86/1-7 (87/1-7) John:10/22-30 The First Proclamation Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, and they spoke the word to no one except Jews. But among them were some men of Cyprus and Cyrene who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists also, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord. News of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. when he came and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast devotion, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith . And a great many people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch,.... The Gospel Proclamation At that time the festival of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was Winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me, but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep, My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. What

my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." Gaze on Jesus Jesus wants to convince the Jews of His Divinity, specially the fact that He is God. "I and the Father are one." At the beginning of this Gospel in John ch.1, John, Christ's beloved disciple says the "Word" who is referred to as the "Word of God" co-existed with God and further that the "Word" or Jesus is God Himself - and that the two are one and the same God. They together with the Holy Spirit form the Triune God of the Blessed Trinity. Jesus says that all the miracles He has performed are a witness to His Divinity. As examples Jesus has cured the deaf, the blind and the lame who were in that state since birth. Furthermore, He has raised some dead people too, like Lazarus who was dead and entombed for four days. This is an impossible task which no human had achieved so far. This proves beyond doubt that such a thing is impossible in the human world and miracles can be performed only by the power of God. "My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow me and I give hem eternal life." This is a reference to the "Faith" that Jesus wants us to have in Him and that "Faith" is essential for our salvation. The voice of Jesus is also embedded in the Holy Bible and we should believe the Bible and have it interpreted by the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, let me thank You most profoundly for the gift of faith which You, in Your eternal plan concerning me has bestowed on me. May I never fail to live up to Your expectations at all times and under all circumstances.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Wednesday 25th April 2018

St. Mark, Evangelist

1 Peter 5/5-14 Psalm: 88/2-3,6-7,16-17 (89/1-2.5-6,15-16) Mark:16/15-20

cope with life that others do not possess. So we see that the Church is not left alone to perform its diverse tasks. The Holy Spirit helps it to accomplish what Christ has placed before it. It is the Holy Spirit that works with and The Gospel Proclamation through it. Please read Mark 16/15-20 prayerGaze at my sonship fully. As Christians we are expected to Gaze at Jesus humble ourselves before God - under Of the three synoptic gospels His mighty hand. 'His mighty hand' (Mathew, Mark and Luke), St. Mark's - is used in connection with the deis the earliest and the most important, liverance which God wrought for His we possess. Mark was the son of a people (in Jesus Christ). We must cast rich lady (Mary) from Jerusalem. His all our anxiety upon God. "Cast your house was a meeting place of the early burden on the Lord" (Ps. 55:22). "Do Church. So he was brought up in an not be anxious about tomorrow". area where Christianity flourished. (Matthew 6:25-34). We can do this Mark accompanied Paul on a mission with confidence because He always journey. It was an unfortunate one for keeps His promises. We must never Mark and he returned home. A man give in to the temptations of the evil called Papias, who liked to get and one, that always tries to ruin souls. We send out information about the early are expected to clothe ourselves with days of the Church, tells us that Mark's the strength of Jesus Christ, to face gospel is nothing other than a record the snares of the devil bravely. Then of Peter's preaching, "Mark my son" there is the law of Christian suffering. (1 Peter 5:13). So we see Mark was When we fully go through suffering, near and dear to Peter. Mark was not which God has allowed and is under a disciple of Jesus. Mark wrote down His control, there is the crown in store whatever he heard from Peter without for us in heaven. As children of God any attempt to give the Lord's works where are we expected to be? Through systematically. This gospel was writ- various daily experiences, with people ten just after Peter's death in 65 A.D. and incidents, He directs and changes The picture presented here is the us to where we should be. But how far duty of the Church. Surely Jesus has do we let Him mould us fully to His committed certain tasks to His Church. divine plan? Don't we often run away First it is to tell everyone everywhere from suffering, seeking comfort and the story of the Good News of Jesus. satisfaction in temporal things? Prayer Starter Then there is the task of healing. This has direct contact with man's body and Lord of mercy and compassion! mind. Jesus wished to bring health Do not let Thy servant go astray. Keep to the body and soul. The source of me safe in Your loving care. Make me power which the Church experience a child who willingly submits to You is the Holy Spirit, guiding the Church whatever You ask of me. and His followers with a power to

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Thursday 26th April 2018 Acts:13/13-25 Psalm: 89/1-2,20-21, 24,26 John: 13/16-20

The First Proclamation Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Pera in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem, but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisilia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people give it." So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak. "You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen. The Gospel Proclamation Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture. 'The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me." Gaze at Jesus

of you all; I know whom I have chosen; ...." He seems to be very keen and earnest in communicating this particular message, that there are some who are chosen to be sent as servants who should not expect anything less than what happened to their master who sent them. It is those who ate the bread He provided that turned against Him. But after all that the servants have to go through there is a reward that awaits them. Jesus says that He and His Father considers anyone who receives those who are chosen to be sent as receiving Him and His Father. In other words the Father and the Son identifies with the ones they send, and considers them as their own. Prayerful Awareness Let me become aware of my being chosen to be sent by the Son. Some times we are obsessed with asking ourselves the question as to who we are and what our purpose in life is. Isn't the Lord telling us today that the purpose of our life is beyond and transcends our mere human and this worldly existence. We who represent and are ambassadors of God who is Love are chosen to be carriers of Christ Jesus, the Sacrament of God's love. Our encounters with each other is in other words encounters with God in Christ. Prayer Starter I will sing of your steadfast love, O Lord, forever, with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

Jesus says "I am not speaking

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Friday 27th April 2018 Acts:13/26-33 Psalm: 2/6-11 John: 14//1-6 St. Zita She was born in 1218 at Monte Sagrati, near Lucca in Italy. As a child, she was pleasing to God. Her elder sister was a Cistercian nun and her uncle a saintly hermit. At 12, she entered the service of the Fatinelli family of Lucca where she remained until her death on 27th April 1279. She performed her duties faithfully. She rose up at night for prayer, attended Mass daily at the Church of St. Frediano, fasted often and distributed her portion of food. She even went so far as to sleep on the bare ground, having given up her bed to a beggar. Her co-servants misunderstood and ill-treated her. They even prejudiced her employers against her for some time. She managed to overcome all these with the love of God and forgiving attitude. Inspite of her daily chores, she managed to find time for charity. Canonized: 5th September 1696. Declared the patron of domestic workers on 26th September 1913. The Gospel Proclamation Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Prayerful Awareness When the goals of life crumble and

Feast pf St. Zita, Virgin the world around us collapse, what should our reaction be? Not to panic or lose trust in God. "God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble." (Ps.46:1). "Lord, You are the One Who protects me and give me strength; You help me in times of trouble.." (Jeremiah 17:19). When sickness and disheartenment engulf us very often our reaction is to lose heart, wear a long face, get into our shells ..... But there is the glimmer of light, the unbearable becomes bearable. God the Father, who did not even keep back His Son but sent Him to the cross to redeem us, is willing to give us everything. The proof is in Jesus Christ. "Your constant love reaches above the heavens; Your faithfulness touches the skies." (Ps.108:4) When storms of life engulf us can we be true to a faith that is unwavering? Our blessed Lord left the world without leaving any written message. His doctrine was Himself. Ideal and history were identified in Him. The truth that all other ethical teachers proclaimed, and the light they gave to the world, was not in them, but outside them. Our divine Lord, however, identified divine wisdom with Himself. It was the first time in history that it was ever done, and it has never been done since." (Archbishop F.J.Sheen). "For a Christian, believing in God cannot be separate from believing in the One He sent His "Beloved Son", in whom the Father is "well pleased"; God tells us to listen to Him. The Lord Himself said to His disciples;' "Believe in God, believe also in me." We can believe in Jesus Christ because He is Himself God, the Word made flesh. "Because He has seen the Father", Jesus Christ is the only One who knows Him and can reveal Him. (C.C.C.151) Prayer Starter Guide us, help us O Holy Spirit as divine truths can be lived only by living in You. Amen.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Mary de Grignion de Saturday 28th April 2018 St. Peter Chanel, St.LouisMontfort, Priest

Acts:13/44-52 Psalm: 97/1-4 (98/1-4 ) John: 14/7-14 The First Proclamation The next Sabbath almost the whole town assembled to hear the word of God. When they saw the crowds, the Jews, filled with jealousy, used blasphemies to contradict everything Paul said. Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out fearlessly. 'We had to proclaim the word of God to you first, but since you have rejected it, since you do not think yourselves worthy of eternal life, here and now we turn to the gentiles. For this is what the Lord commanded us to do when he said: I have made you a light to the nations, so that my salvation may reach the remotest parts of the earth.' It made the gentiles very happy to hear this and they gave thanks to the Lord for his message; all who were destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread through the whole countryside. But the Jews worked on some of the devout women of the upper classes and the leading men of the city; they stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them and went off to Iconium; but the converts were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. Fix your gaze on Jesus O Spirit of God, may we be blessed to look at and learn from the spirit You endowed St. Paul and Barnabas with …. The Jews were adamantly opposed to the Good News the apostles preached; and when they could find no objection, they blasphemed Christ and his gospel.

The habits of our minds are such that those who begin with contradicting, end up blaspheming. This is an almost automatic process within, and very few persons develop the mental discipline necessary to control or avoid the hostility generated within. It takes awareness and inner work to develop the discipline to “Disagree without being Disagreeable”. But when adversaries of 'Christ's Cause' are daring, its advocates should be the bolder. And whilst many who judge the 'Good News' as erroneous and even blaspheme resulting in themselves becoming unworthy of eternal life, others, who appear less likely, desire to hear more of the glad tidings of salvation. This is according to what was foretold in the Old Testament. What light, what power, what a treasure does this gospel bring with it! How excellent are its truths, its precepts, its promises! It is good to see people becoming honourable and devout; but it is sad, when, under the colour of devotion to God, they try to show hatred to Christ. Listen, could we understand the simple truth that we cannot follow and experience a God of Love, by habouring hatred or any form of rejection of the brethren within. The sin, the error, the faulty belief, the tainted desires you should reject, but the brother, no, No, NO! We become divine only to the extent we follow God Given (divine) thoughts, beliefs. The more we align our inner processors to the divine, the more we will experience the comforts and encouragements within the power of godliness; and the better prepared we will be to face difficulties in the sharing of this godliness. Prayer Starter Bring us to awareness O Holy Spirit of God; take us towards who we really are!

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Fifth Sunday of Easter Sunday 29th April 2018 Ps. Wk.I

Acts: 9/26-31 Psalm:22/25-27,29-31 1 John: 3/18-24 John:15/1-8 We begin our meditation today with the soulful acclamation: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds, he has revealed to the nations his saving power, Alleluia. The Gospel Proclamation The Holy Spirit in us and beside us leads us to take a look at Jesus presented to us directly in the Gospel or the last reading of the day (John 15/1-8). Last Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word directed us to celebrate Jesus as our Good Shepherd. He is there visibly as if it were, to be our guide, our powerful comforter and consoler, on our journey to the bosom of the Father. This Sunday we come to know that Jesus is not only our shepherd beside us, helping us along, but so intimately united to us that He Himself is within us – in us. Jesus seems to be looking for stories – metaphors to tell us who we are. Let us read John 15/1-8. “I am the vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes, to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, nei-

ther can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers, such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. Prayerful Awareness I need to pause for a while to let this revelation take over and be immersed in Him, so that I could go in the manner of Paul and exclaim: “I live now not I but Christ liveth in me.” His life pulses thro’ me. I am a branch of the Vine that He is. I see plenty of fruits in the branch that I am. I see birds feeding on me. I see people too being nourished by the witness of my life. I stop at the words whereat I remain for a while: “Remain in me” "Cut off from me you can do nothing” “It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit" “And then you will be my disciples” The Second Proclamation The intimate experience of Jesus as the Vine and I a branch occasions a sense within of the leading of the Holy Spirit to stop and ponder for a while on

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

1 John 3/18-24. As I proceed to stop at each verse and allow the meaning of the word to sink in, I am overwhelmed by the revelation: My children, our love is not to be just words or mere talk, but something real and active; Only by this (love) can we be certain that we are the children of the truth and active; Only by this (love) can we be certain that we are the children of the truth His commandments are these: We believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ We love one another Let me join the chorus of the angels and saints in heaven and Make Your home in me, as I make mine in You. Whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia! First Proclamation It looks unbelievable for the disciples of Jesus to see Saul, a virulent persecutor, making an attempt to be one with them. Saulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conversion to Paul and all that followed thereafter is a call to the followers of Jesus today to cross over from their normal, human conclusions, about anything to a higher level of measuring and judging human events and experiences in the Light of Faith. Such a change can lead us to experience, according to Luke, freedom from fear and positively the consolation of the Holy Spirit. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. He spoke and argued with the Hellenists, but they were attempting to kill him.

When the believers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus. Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. Prayerful Awareness Though some may do share an experience like that of Paul, I cannot posit or claim for such an encounter with Jesus, but I do know that there has been an initial experience that I cannot gainsay, nor could others who have seen the quiet and almost imperceptible transformation that has taken place in their lives. I take note of the value system that has begun to change. The three Pâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Power, Possessions and Prestige is losing its grip on me. I see that I have a long way still to cover, but I do entertain the inner conviction that the Holy Spirit has taken over and is taking me along the path of Truth and empowering me in the following of Jesus the Christ. I join the thousands who would be praising the Lord in the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 22: My vows I will pay before those who fear him The poor shall eat and shall have their fill They shall praise the Lord those who seek him May their hearts live for ever and ever!

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

Monday 30th April 2018

Acts: 14/5-18 Psalm:113/1-4,15-16 (115/1-4,15-16) John:14/21-26

The First Proclamation And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews,... to mistreat them and to stone them, the apostles learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe... and there they continued proclaiming the good news. In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked ... He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet" And the man sprang up and began to walk. .....

Gospel Proclamation

“Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. My Father will love those who love me; I too will love them and reveal myself to them. “Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “Lord, how can it be that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world? “Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and my Father and I will come to them and live with them. Those who do not love me do not obey my teaching. And the teaching you have heard is not mine, but comes from the Father, who sent me. “I have told you this while I am still with you. The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and make you remember all that I have told you.”

St. Pius V, Pope

Prayerful Awareness In this gospel passage Jesus speaks of three vital and interconnected points. It is Love, Obedience and Fellowship with the father. Without one there cannot be the other. The evidence of loving Jesus is obeying His commandments. Going for daily mass and saying; I believe in Jesus, I have accepted Him as my Lord is not sufficient and is hypocritical. One has to make a deliberate decision, not just verbally but from the very depths of his heart to obey the Lord. It is my friends not a very easy task. To us born of sin living in a sinful world it is very difficult though a self-righteous few think it is very easy! But yet we try daily, and know it every time we fail Him and ask for his forgiveness. The only proof of love is obedience and it will lead to the revelation of God. There is always a moral basis for it; it is to the man who keeps his commandments that Christ reveals Himself. It is only to the man who is looking for Him that God reveals Himself, and it is only to the man who, in spite of failure, is reaching up that God reaches down. Fellowship with God and the revelation of God are dependent on love; and love is dependent on obedience. The more we obey God, the more we understand Him; and the man who walks in His way inevitably walks with Him.

Prayer Starter

We are sinful Lord and only with Your grace and help can we be obedient to You. We want to prove our love to You and have a closer relationship with You and the Father but we fail so miserably. Help us to be like Mary Your Mother and be focused on being obedient and pleasing God in everything we do and say.

"Reveal Your Holy Will to us O Lord!"

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