Walk in the Spirit October 2018

WALK IN THE SPIRIT October 2018 Volume 10 Issue 16

"Your Word, Your Will A Fire & A Blessing"

ISSN 1391-5967

Publication: Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

SHARING ON PRAYER October 2018

Awareness of the Holy Spirit, within and beside me and operative everywhere is the beginning of “Praying always”. It’s got to be an enjoying of a PRESENCE that is extraordinary. Can today, this day be such a one.

Experience of Presence, would lead me to speak under His inspiration, that is with an underlying feeling that Someone is guarding my conversation, my talk and my responses.

It would lead me to feel’ that ‘Someone’ is directing my writing, my thinking, my walking, yes, every moment of mine as a ‘son of man’

Holy Spirit of God, may this day belong to You, in all that I think, say and do.

Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

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Monday 1st October 2018 Isaiah:66/10-14 Psalm: 131/1-3 Mathew:18/1-4 From the Biography of the Saint While still young she entered the Carmelite monastery. She wanted to dedicate her life as a missionary and work for the Kingdom but she never got the chance to go out of the cloister for this purpose. Within the convent what she did was to engage in various penitential acts and prayer mediating for the missionaries and sinners and glorify God by offering what she didn't like as well as every little thing in utter humility and love. She fulfilled only the Will of God, through a lifestyle of her own called "the Little Way" in humility as that of a little child. She who loved Jesus immensely is also called "the Little Flower of Jesus." Offering help with the spiritual development of the other sisters of her community she was instrumental in saving souls and having a great impact on the world through her silent and prayerful lifestyle that inspired the Church to honour her as the Patron Saint of Missionaries.

From the Gospel Proclamation At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?'

He called a child, whom he put among them and said,"Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Prayerful Awareness Jesus Christ who always committed His life to the guidance of the Holy

St. Therese of the Child Jesus Spirit, completely emptying and losing Himself with total abandonment, depended on God in perfect submission as a little child. Thus deeply experiencing the love of the Father He surrendered Himself totally for the task of fulfilling His Will and solely made His presence in the world, the Kingdom of God. Being the beloved Son of the Abba Father He claimed the highest place even in heaven. Christ speaking to the disciples who were arguing about earthly leadership in utter ignorance of the nature of the Kingdom, with His exemplary life invites them to be humble like little children, depend on God, and acknowledge the Kingdom in repentance to be born anew.

The invitation extended in the First Proclamation through prophet Isaiah is to own the words proclaiming the fraternal and maternal love of the Father to find consolation and to rejoice in Him. Our Sonship Let us with true repentance be born anew and enjoying the comfort of the love of God, experience His Kingdom.

Let us go in search of those running after worldly pleasures, imprisoned in various bonds of slavery, lost in utter poverty and alienated from society and help them enjoy the comfort of the love of God. Let us educate people on pornography, vain fashions and advertisements that mislead children.

Prayer Starter "O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; my soul is like the weaned child that is with me." (Ps. 131/1-2)

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Tuesday 2nd October 2018

The Holy Guardian Angels

Jesus used a child to help His self Exodus:23/20-23 centered disciples get the point. We Psalm: 90/1-6,10-11 are not to be CHILDISH (like the (91/1-6, 10-11) disciples arguing over petty issues) but rather CHILDLIKE with humble Mathew: 18/1-5, 10 and sincere hearts. Let us ask ourselves "Are we being childlike or childish?"

The First Proclamation The disciples had become so preI am going to send an angel in occupied with the organisation of front of you, to guard you on the way Jesus' earthly kingdom that they had and to bring you to the place that I lost sight of its DIVINE purpose. have prepared. Be attentive to him and listen to his voice; do not rebel Instead of seeking a place of SERagainst him, for he will not pardon VICE, they sought POSITIONS of your transgression; for my name is ADVANTAGE. It is easy to lose our ETERNAL perspective and compete in him. for promotion or status in the Church.

But if you listen attentively to his It is difficult to identify with 'CHILvoice and do all that I say, then I will DREN" - WEAK and DEPENDENT be an enemy to your enemies and a people with no status or influence. foe to your foes. ....

Children are trusting by nature.

The Gospel Proclamation They trust adults and through that trust At that time the disciples came to their capacity to trust God grows. God Jesus and asked, "Who is the great- holds parents and adults who influence est in the kingdom of heaven?'' He children accountable for how they called a child, whom he put among affect these little ones' ability to trust. them, and said, "Truly I tell you, Jesus WARNED that anyone who unless you change and become like turns little children away from FAITH children, you will never enter the will receive SEVERE punishment. kingdom of heaven. Whoever beOur concern for children MUST comes humble like this child is the match God's treatment of them. Cergreatest in the kingdom of heaven. tain angels are assigned to watch over Whoever welcomes one such child children and they have direct access in my name welcomes me. to GOD. These words ring out sharply "Take care that you do not in cultures where children are taken despise one of these little ones; for lightly, ignored or aborted. If their I tell you, in heaven their angels angels have constant access to God, continually see the face of my Father the least we can do is to allow children to approach us easily inspite of our far in heaven." too busy schedules.

Prayerful Awareness Prayer Starter From Mark's Gospel we learn that Jesus our Lord and Master, help us Jesus precipitated this conversation by to help the young ones or new believers asking the disciples what they had been discussing among themselves earlier to avoid anything that would cause them to stumble in their faith.

(Mark 9/33-34).

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Wednesday 3rd October 2018 Job: 9/1-12,14-16 Psalm: 87/10-15 (88/9-14) Luke: 9/57-62 Gospel Proclamation As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered him, "Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." And to another he said, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, let me go first and bury my father."

But he answered him, "Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God." ....

Prayerful Awareness It was only a few days prior to this occurrence that Jesus summoned the twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and proclaim the Kingdom of God and heal the sick ( Luke 9:1 - 3), and He also carried out the miracle of feeding five thousand from five loves and two fish. Some people seeing and hearing all what took place would have thought of becoming disciples of Jesus, without knowing the gravity of the call.

This is why in Luke 9:23 Jesus said to all “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). We are called to leave everything aside and be detached from everything and accept Jesus as our Master and Lord, the Son of God the Second Person in the Holy Trinity of Almighty God, who came down to earth to save mankind from sin, and also to show people the path of Salvation. Have we already accepted this call, or are we

ready to accept Jesus’ call to follow Him, or do we belong to any one of the three categories of persons who could not accept this call. Let us pray and ask for help from Jesus to overcome the problems we have. Let us ask for the intervention of the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us and raise us to meet all the requirements.

In order to be called disciples of Jesus we should adopt the following: Carry our daily crosses happily, depending on our Lord in prayer for strength, helping others on our way and thanking God for all His Blessings, as stated in 1 Thes.

5:14-18. Focus only on Jesus as our Lord, “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master". (Matthew 10:24 ). Be free from all other encumbrances, the disciple of Jesus Christ must put his Master above those nearest and dearest to him. “If anyone comes to me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). We must be ready to face the opposition from the world, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). We should always depend on Jesus for help: “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Lord, anoint me to become a disciple and follow You where ever You go and do whatever You entrust me to do.

Strengthen me and empower me by Your Holy Spirit to take up my cross and be Your Agent in spreading the Good News of Salvation offered to everyone. Thank You Jesus, Amen

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Thursday 4th October 2018

St. Francis of Assisi

enty two’ is also divisible by twelve, denoting the same, for salvation comes from Jesus, Son of Man, from Israel!

The Lord also says, ‘the harvest is rich, but the labourers (transformed believers who are ever willing to do His Will) are few. Let us reflect, am I The Gospel Proclamation serving the Lord to bring salvation to After this the Lord appointed as many as possible? as He yearns us seventy-two others and sent them out to do, because His heart aches to see so ahead of him in pairs, ... And he said many of His precious children being led to them, 'The harvest is rich but the astray by the triple forces of evil, i.e. the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of flesh, the world, and the devil, because the harvest to send labourers to do there are too few people willing to do his harvesting. ... I am sending you His Will? Whilst the end is ever nigh? out like lambs among wolves. Take He also wants His people to use the no purse with you, no haversack, no gifts of the Holy Spirit to bring healing, sandals. Salute no one on the road.

Whatever house you enter, let your exorcism, etc. to set the people free first words be, "Peace to this house!" from their afflictions. Are we doing that And if a man of peace lives there, in the areas we serve?

The Lord says ‘whatever house you your peace will go and rest on him; if not, it will come back to you. ... enter, let your first words be ‘Shalom’ Whenever you go into a town where (Peace to this house)!’ and if accepted, they make you welcome, eat what is use it as your centre for that area withput before you. Cure those in it who out moving from house to house. I feel are sick, and say, "The kingdom of this is said because one could be tempted to move from house to house looking God is very near to you." .... for more comfort as we are prone to do.

Prayerful Awareness This is an invitation to live as the Spirit Let us meditate on the Gospel guides you, moment to moment, taking Proclamation. It starts with the words life as it comes and being happy always ‘After this’ because the Lord had earlier praising God for everything, both good sent out the twelve on a similar mission and bad (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). to proclaim the Kingdom of God is at Also read today’s First Proclamation hand, to prepare the people to receive where Job is able to praise God even in Him when He visits them. He repre- his afflictions! Amen! Alleluia! Praise sented the Kingdom of God on earth, the Lord! whilst today it is represented by the Prayer Starter Body of Christ, made up of ‘born again’ Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud, be (transformed) believers who accept gracious to me and answer me! "Come" Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives, my heart says, "seek his face!" Your giving foremost place to do His Will! face, Lord, do I seek. Do not hide your The Twelve represented the twelve face from me. Do not turn your servant tribes of Israel, descendants of the away in anger, you who have been my twelve sons of the Patriarch Jacob, who help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake was renamed ‘Israel’ by the Lord. ‘Sev- me, O God of my salvation! (Ps.27/7-9)

Job: 19/21-27 Psalm: 26/7-9, 13-14 (27/7-9,13-14) Luke: 10/1-12

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Kowalaska, Friday 5th October 2018 Feast of St.Maria Faustina Virgin, Visionary Job: 38/1,12-21; 40/3-5 Prayerful Awareness Psalm:138/1-3, 7-10, Jesus reproaches towns of Chorazin, 13-14 Bethsaida

and Capernaum. He had done (139/1-3,7-10,13-14) mighty deeds in them. What is shocking is we do not have accounts of these in Luke: 10/13-16 St. Maria Faustina She was born on 25th August, 1905 in Glogowiec, Poland. She was named Helena. In order to help her family she worked as a domestic since the age of fourteen. She entered the Congregation of Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy at Warsaw. There she attended to daily chores.

Jesus made her His secretary, messenger and confidant in a vision on February 22, 1931. He also wanted her to paint an image according to the profile she saw. The mystical experiences she has had were all put down in a "Diary" at the behest of her spiritual director and Jesus Himself.

She made her final profession in 1934.

Though she was dogged by ill health and faced with hostility and humiliation in the convent on account of her visions, she was ever obedient to the dictates of conscience, the superior and the Lord.

Died: October 05, 1938. Canonized by her compatriot, Pope John Paul II on 30th April in the Jubilee Year 2000.

The Gospel Proclamation "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me."

any of the four gospels. Neither the words spoken or the deeds done there are recorded. Gospels are not biographies. "There are many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written."

(John 21:25) In the final verses of the passage, we have important things about the Word and the Listener. The preacher or the carrier is expected not to be cluttered up with worldly things and must travel light. To know or to have heard His word is a responsibility - a great one indeed. We are expected to bear fruit, fruit that lasts.

"He breaks off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that does bear fruit." (John 15:2).

The preacher is expected to concentrate on the work in hand and also not to greet anyone on the way. This is because great things call him and he is not to linger on the lesser things. "Labourers are worthy of their hire, but the servants of a crucified Master cannot be seekers after luxury."

(The New Daily Bible) Jesus unites them to the mission He received from the Father. As "the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but receives everything from the Father who sent Him, so those whom Jesus sends can do nothing apart from Him, from whom they received both the mandate for their mission and the power to carry it out. Christ's apostles knew that they were called by God as "ministers of a new covenant", "servants of God", "ambassadors for Christ", "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God." (C.C.C. 859) Prayer Starter Help us to give priority to continuation of Your mission. Amen

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Saturday 6th October 2018 Job: 42/1-3, 5-6,12-16 Psalm:118/66,71,75, 91 125, 130 (119/66,71,75,91, 125, 130) Luke:10/17-24 The First Proclamation This was the answer Job gave to Yahweh: I know that you are all-powerful: what you conceive, you can perform. I was the man who misrepresented your intentions with my ignorant words. You have told me about great works that I cannot understand, about marvels which are beyond me, of which I know nothing....Before, I knew you only by hearsay but now, having seen you with my own eyes, I retract what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.....Yahweh blessed Job's latter condition even more than his former one. He came to own fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand she-donkeys. He had seven sons and three daughters; his first daughter he called 'Turtledove', the second 'Cassia' and the third 'Mascara'. Throughout the land there were no women as beautiful as the daughters of Job. And their father gave them inheritance rights like their brothers.

After this, Job lived for another one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and his children's children to the fourth generation.

Fix your gaze on Jesus Lord, that we may turn anew even as Job did, and stay open to receive thy blessings....

Job recognised his error, his guilt; he would no longer excuse himself; he abhorred his sin, for growing estranged from those dear to him, his brethren,

and his own given body, and especially for murmuring against God, and turned back from his ways. When understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of grace, our knowledge of Divine things grows beyond measure. By the teachings of men, God reveals His Son to us; but the completeness comes from the inspiring of His Spirit, where He reveals His Son in us, and changes us into the same image.

We need to be deeply humbled for the recognised sins. Loathing of ‘The Error’ followed, is ever the companion of true repentance. The Lord brings those whom He loves, to adore Him in self– abasement; and true grace always leads to confessing sins without self–justifying or rationalising.

In the beginning we knew of Job’s patience when in trouble, and for our encouragement to follow that example, we have his happy end. His troubles began in Satan’s malice, which God restrained; his restoration began in God’s mercy, which Satan could not oppose. Mercy did not return when Job was disputing with his friends, but when he was praying for them. God is served and pleased with our warm devotions, not with our warm disputes. God doubled Job’s possessions.

We may lose much for the Lord, but we shall not lose anything by Him. Whether the Lord gives us health and temporal blessings or not, if we patiently suffer according to His Will, in the end we shall be happy.

The blessing of the Lord is that He that gives us the power to get wealth, and success in honest endeavours. We, created in His image, create our reality with our choices….

Prayer Starter Thank You Lord for creating us in Your own image; now help us experience and practice these gifts/talents in that we co-create our collective being in accord with your desires...

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27th Sunday of Ordinary Time Sunday 7th October 2018 Ps. Wk III

a helper as his partner. So the Lord Genesis: 2/18-24 God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Psalm:127/1-6 the man and he slept, then he took (128/1-6 one of his ribs and closed up its place Hebrews: 2/9-11 with flesh. And the rib that the Lord Mark:10/2-16 OR God had taken from the man he made 10/2-12 into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last Introduction is bone of my bones and flesh of my The result of the overflowing love flesh; this one shall be called Woman, of the Triune God, Father Son and the for out of Man this one was taken.."

Spirit is the creation of the entire Uni- Therefore a man leaves his father and verse. Man is the head of all creation. his mother and clings to his wife, and The first proclamation today presents they become one flesh.

Prayerful Awareness the second creation story in the book of Genesis wherein unfolds the plan God creates Adam, the first man and of God from the beginning regarding gives him the responsibility of naming married life. The Gospel of St. Mark the birds and animals etc. created by announces the initiative taken by Christ God implying the authority given to to fulfill the divine plan on marriage. him over the whole of creation. Seeing Though it seems that the second procthat it is not good for man to be alone lamation has no connection with the He creates the first woman with a rib above proclamations, actually it awaktaken out of Adam validating the fact ens us to see the redemption brought by that man is created for a life of unity, Jesus Christ and the fulfillment effected love and communion. The words, "This through His passion, death and resurbone from my bones and flesh from my rection. Today the opportunity opens flesh is to be called woman" further before us to be deeply aware of the confirms the union and equal dignity mutual connection between married life inherent to man and woman in a family. and the saving mystery of Jesus Christ.

"This is why a man leaves his father and From the First Proclamation mother and joins himself to his wife, Then Lord God said, 'It is not and they become one body" clearly set good that the man should be alone. I forth the love of a husband and wife that will make him a helper as his partner. surpasses the love between children and So out of the ground the Lord God parents, simultaneously pronouncing formed every animal of the field and the Will of God concerning marriage every bird of the air, and brought as monogamy.

The Gospel Proclamation them to the man to see what he would call them, and whatever the Some Pharisees came, and to test man called every living creature, that him they asked, 'Is it lawful for a man was its name. The man gave names to divorce his wife?' He answered to all cattle, and to the birds of the them, 'What did Moses command air, and to every animal of the field; you?' They said, "Moses allowed a but for the man there was not found

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man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her." But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation, 'God made them male and female.' For this reason a man shall leave father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.

Prayerful Awareness The Gospel today presents how Jesus takes the initiative in fulfilling the plan of God regarding marriage.

In the Jewish society at that time, man was permitted to divorce his wife even in minor matters. Pharisees question Jesus on divorce simply to test Him. The Lord who identified their ulterior motive proclaimed, "What God has united, man must not divide" indicating that man cannot meddle with what God has ordained and bring it to destruction.

Simultaneously, explaining the sinful situations that man is faced with in marriage He teaches the unity and sacredness of it expounding the plan of God on marriage.

The Second Proclamation but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower, than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not

ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, Prayerful Awareness The author of Hebrews paints before us the figure of Jesus now crowned with glory and splendor because He submitted to death and since by God's grace He had to experience death for all mankind. The same Lord who overcame death through His resurrection is alive and present today throughout the Universe. The reason behind this is love. Love transforms everything and makes them new. He who came to this world as the new man in human flesh being one with us overcame evil and won life through which God brought the entire universe to its intended completion. This proclamation affirms that we are children of one Abba Father since the Savior who came to this world was from Him and was for the purpose of redeeming the whole human family.

Gaze at my Son-ship Jesus invites us to love one another as He has loved us. He proclaims His love by offering Himself up on the cross for our sake. In the Eucharist, out of the same love He bestows on us His flesh and blood thus inviting us to show forth the same in our family and community. Thus, aren't we supposed to move beyond our own communities to the larger society inviting others to join in this journey of loving one another in self sacrifice?

Prayer Starter Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil, for he gives sleep to his beloved. (Ps.127/13....)

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Monday 8th October 2018 Galatians:1/6-12 Psalm:110/1-2,7-10 (111/1-2, 7-20) Luke: 10/25-37 Gospel Proclamation There was a scholar of the law ..., "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" .., "What is written in the law? ... "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, ..., and your neighbor as yourself."; ... "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live". ..."And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. ... But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.

Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers; victim?"

He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy". Jesus said to him, Go and do likewise."

Prayerful Awareness “what must I do to inherit eternal life?" How do we love our God? Do we bring Glory to God in everything?.

In Mathew 7:21, Jesus said only the ones who do the Will of God will enter heaven. In 1 Thes. 5:15-17 St. Paul said “always see what is good for each other

and for all, Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing, In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the Will of God for you in Christ Jesus”. In John 14 :15 Jesus said, 'If you love me, you will keep my commandments', and In Isaiah 43;7, it is said “Everyone who is named as mine, whom I created for my Glory, whom I formed and made”. Therefore we must do everything to bring Glory to God (not for our self) and according to God’s WILL, in prayer and in total dependence without breaking any of the Commandments. We must love God and also our neighbor, for Lord wants us to love others as He loves us. Around six years ago I started praying, for Lord to raise me to be able to preach like St. Paul.

One day I had to take another to the Colombo General Hospital to get some kidney tests done on him and was walking towards the hospital when suddenly, it started to rain and I hurried up to the bus stand for shelter. On the pavement there was an old lady dressed in a nice looking night dress crawling on the pavement unable to walk (a very unusual sight).

People just passed taking no notice of her.

My heart and soul wanted to get her to some shelter, but the bus stand was full, and I did not want to get wet and spoil my dress as I had to go into the hospital.

I too like others passed her and went to the bus stand. Due to my misery I wanted to pray for her. One young person in his thirties passing stopped and tried to help her but could not as she was too feeble.

I felt terribly ashamed of me and knew that I have failed the first test and I acted the same way as the Levite in the parable.

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, Help me to love You following all Your Commandments and pray in faith to raise me to love others in the same way You love me. Grant me Holy Spirit to help me to bring glory to God in everything I do, in every word I speak and in every thought. Thank You Jesus, Amen

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Tuesday 9th October 2018

Sts. Denis, Bishop & Companions

Each day we are so busy with a lot Galatians:1/13-24 Psalm:138/13,13-15 of entanglements as if we are running a rat race. Do we allow a little time (139/1-3.13-15) to be silent and calm, to be with the Luke:10/38-42 presence of God, a time to experience His warmth and love and a moment of heavenly bliss?

The Gospel Proclamation Once Pope St. John Paul II told Now as they went on their way, a religious group "You are so much he entered a certain village, where taken up with the work of the vineyard a woman named Martha welcomed that you have no time for the Lord of him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's the vineyard." The best way to serve feet and listened to what he was say- the Lord is to listen to His words and ing. But Martha was distracted by put them into practice. People who her many tasks; so she came to him habitually spend time with the Lord and asked, "Lord, do you not care in prayer are not likely to lose sight of that my sister has left me to do all the the Lord even when they are busy for work by myself? Tell her then to help the people.

Like Martha, all of us must learn me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried that the better part is to care for those and distracted by many things, there who have been the victims of violence is need of only one thing. Mary has and those who are despised because chosen the better part, which will not they have spoken the truth, as the good Samaritan did to his enemy and as be taken away from her."

Jesus will do for all of us.

Prayerful Awareness According to the First ProclaJesus was on His way to Jerusa- mation Paul's enemies criticized his lem, having completed successfully authority; he is not an apostle like the His mission which was entrusted by ones Jesus selected. But Paul not only His Father. He was going to face the saw the Resurrection of the Lord, and final and biggest challenge of His life. also discovered Him intimately present He was going to die, on behalf of all within him. In the very moment he was mankind. This was a moment where called and also understood the essence His whole being was filled with the of faith in a total way. intensity of the inner battle to carry Prayer Starter out the task ahead of Him. When Jesus came to the home in Bethany it was a great joy and Martha was eager to celebrate it by laying on the best the house could give. With the cross before Him and the inner tension in His heart, He decided to go to Bethany to find calm, away from the demanding crowds, if only for an hour or two and that is what Mary gave Him.

Let us reflect on our Christian life Are we able to balance the time allotted to our work and prayer? Are we able to give time to God, amidst all the work load of the day?

Help us Lord to be like Mary, to give time for the Word of God and experience His love at day break and from time to time during the day.

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Wednesday 10th October 2018 Galatians:2/1-2, 7-14 Psalm:116/1, 2 (117/1-2) Luke:11/1-4 The First Proclamation Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up in response to a revelation.

Then I laid before them.... the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure that I was not running, or had not run in vain.

On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised...., and when James and Cephas and John, who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. They asked only one thing, that we remember the poor, which was actually what I was eager to do.....

The Gospel Proclamation He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."

He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. And do not bring us to the time of trial."

Prayerful Awareness This is often called the Lord's Prayer because Jesus gave it to the

disciples. It can be a pattern for our prayers. We should PRAISE God, pray for His work in the world. Pray for our needs, and pray for help in our DAILY needs and struggles.

The phrase "Our Father in heaven" indicates that God is not only MAJESTIC and HOLY, but also personal and loving. The first line of this model prayer is a statement of praise and COMMITMENT to hallow, or honour God's holy Name. We honour God's name by being careful to USE it respectfully.

The phrase "YOUR KINGDOM COME" is reference to God's SPIRITUAL REIGN, not Israel's freedom from Rome. God's reign will be completed when all evil is destroyed and God established the new heaven and new earth.

(Revelation 21:1) When we pray, 'YOUR WILL BE DONE" we are not resigning ourselves to fate, but praying that God's PERFECT purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as in the next.

When we pray 'GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD", we acknowledge that God is our SUSTAINER and provider. We must trust God DAILY to provide what HE knows, we need. God's provision is daily, not all at once. God does not lead us into temptation, but sometimes He allows us to be tested by them. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He made "forgiveness" the corner stone of their relationship with God. God has forgiven our sins.We must now forgive those who have wronged us. To remain unforgiving shows we have not understood that we ourselves deeply need to be forgiven.

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, give us a willingness to seek reconciliation with others and show God's heart to them.

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Thursday 11th October 2018 how our Lord Jesus Christ introduces Galatians:3/1-5 the Holy Spirit to the disciples: ‘If you Psalm: Luke:1/69-75 love me, you will obey my commandLuke: 11/5-13 ments. I will ask the Father and He The Gospel Proclamation ... 'Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the middle of the night to say, "My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer him;" and the man answers ... "Do not bother me. The door is bolted now, and my children are with me in bed; ..." I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it to him for friendship's sake, persistence will make him get up and give his friend all he wants. '... Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. ...What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? .... If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!'

Prayerful Awareness Let us read today’s proclamations meditatively which is all about the goodness of our Abba Father who has lovingly adopted us as His children not because of any qualifying actions on our part but by His own free Will and mercy and grace, to bring all of His Creation together in our Lord Jesus Christ!

In relation to today’s First Proclamation, the gist of it is in the last verse (Galatians 3:5), as follows: ‘Would you say, then, that he who so lavishly sends the Spirit to you, and causes the miracles among you, is doing this through your practice of the Law or because you believed the message you heard?’

Let us read John 14:15-17 to see

will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. He is the Spirit who reveals the truth about God. The world cannot receive Him, because it cannot see Him or know Him. But you know Him, because He remains with you and is in you’ In today’s Gospel Proclamation, our Lord tells us, 'So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; ….how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!' In Mathew 7:7 the same is said, but without the mention of the Holy Spirit, and I have heard and seen many who have become disillusioned by thinking that the Lord is promising to give anything and everything asked for (which is a wrong understanding) whereby they ask for everything their heart lusts after and become disillusioned when the Lord in His goodness does not grant their requests, because granting their every whim and fancy would lead them further away from the straight and narrow path of salvation!

Those who ask and receive the Holy Spirit become God’s children by His grace (Romans 8:14) and will become mature members of His body by experiencing the fruits (Galatians 5:22-26) and gifts (1 Cor.Ch.12) of the Spirit!

Song of Praise (Luke 1:69-75) ‘And he has established for us a saving power in the House of his servant David, just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times, that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all those who hate us, and show faithful love to our ancestors, and so keep in mind his holy covenant. ... Amen! Alleluia! Praise the Lord!

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Friday 12th October 2018

Feast of St. Wilfrid of York - Bishop, Confessor

Galatians:3/7-14 Psalm: 110/1-6 (111/1-6) Luke: 11/15-26 St. Wilfrid of York He was born of noble stock. He is best remembered for his part in championing the supreme ecclesiastical authority of Rome. He founded the monastery of Ripon and though aged only 24, became its first Abbot. later he was ordained priest. At the famous Synod of Whitby, in 664, he was able to persuade the majority to accept for all of England the Roman usage concerning Easter and the Tonsure. Shortly after he was made Archbishop of York. He was instrumental in founding many Benedictine Monasteries. He appealed to Rome when King Egfrid and St. Theodore proceeded to divide his archdiocese into three parts.

He won his case but when he returned to his archdiocese, he was imprisoned and exiled by the king. Reconciliation was effected and he returned to York. Died: 24th April, 709.

The First Proclamation so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, "All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you." For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. ... Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for "The one who is righteous will live by faith." But the law does not rest on faith, on the contrary, "Whoever does the works of the law will live by them."

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the laws by becoming a curse for us for it is written, "Cursed is everyone

who hangs on a tree" - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith.

Prayerful Awareness In order to grasp an idea the easiest way would be to see it embodied in a person. "In order to gather together scattered humanity, God calls Abram from his country, his kindred and his father's house, and makes him Abraham, that is, "the father of a multitude of nations." "In you all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." (C.C.C. 59) The people descended from Abraham would be the trustee of the promise made to the patriarchs, the chosen people, called to prepare for that day when God would gather all the children into the unity of the Church. They would be the root onto which the Gentiles would be grafted, once they came to believe. (C.C.C. 60).

At a time when law did not exist, Abraham took God at His word which was a great act of faith. To the descendants of Abraham the promise of blessedness was made. A true descendant is one who makes the same venture of faith. It is by repeating Abraham's act of faith in God that we can inherit the promise made to Abraham . "Against all human hope, God promises descendants to Abraham, as the fruit of faith and of the power of the Holy Spirit. In Abraham's progeny all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

This progeny will be Christ Himself, in whom the outpouring of the Holy Spirit will "gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad." God commits Himself by His own solemn oath to giving His beloved Son and 'the promised Holy Spirit (Who is) the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it." (C.C.C. 706) Prayer Starter Help us, as true sons of Abraham, to share Abraham's faith. Amen.

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Saturday 13th October 2018 Galatians:3/22-29 Psalm:104/2-7 105/2-7 Luke:11/27-28 The First Proclamation As it is, scripture makes no exception when it says that sin is master everywhere; so the promise can be given only by faith in Jesus Christ to those who have this faith. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law, locked up to wait for the faith which would eventually be revealed to us. So the Law was serving as a slave to look after us, to lead us to Christ, so that we could be justified by faith. But now that faith has come we are no longer under a slave looking after us; for all of you are the children of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus, since every one of you that has been baptised has been clothed in Christ. There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither slave nor freeman, there can be neither male nor female -- for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And simply by being Christ's, you are that progeny of Abraham, the heirs named in the promise.

Fix your gaze on Jesus

by Him the true way of justification and salvation, which is only by faith in Christ.

The vastly greater advantage of the gospel state is shown, under which we enjoy a clearer discovery of Divine grace and mercy than the Jews of old.

Most continue to be shut up as in a dark dungeon, in love with their sins, being blinded and lulled asleep by Satan, through worldly pleasures, interests, and pursuits. But the awakened sinner discovers his dreadful condition, and feels that the mercy and grace of God form his only hope. The terrors of the law are often used by the convincing Spirit, to show the sinner his need of Christ, to bring him to rely on his sufferings and merits, that he may be justified by faith. Then the law, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, becomes his loved rule of duty, and his standard for daily self–examination. In this use of it he learns to depend more simply on the Saviour.

Real Christians enjoy great privileges under the gospel; and are no longer accounted servants, but sons; not now kept at such a distance. Having accepted Christ Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and relying on him alone for justification and salvation, they become the sons of God. It is not outward forms or profession that secures these blessings, but inner conviction; for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. In baptism we put on Christ; therein we profess to be his disciples, dying unto sin, and walking in newness and holiness of life, as Jesus pointed out to the admiring woman.

Prayer Starter

It is indeed great news dear Lord, ‘Great News’ indeed! All of us, without our human created differences and barriers, are now empowered to enter in to our faith journey...!

The law did not teach a living, saving knowledge; but, by its rites and ceremonies, especially by its sacrifices, it pointed to Christ, that they might be Lord, may we be practised in walkjustified by faith. And thus it was a tool, leading to Christ, as children are led to ing our talk; trusting in and abiding in school by servants who cares for them, Your word; therein, experiencing Your that they might be more fully taught love...!

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Twenty-eighth Sunday in ordinary Time PS WK III increase them. Rather, what he asked Wisdom:7/7-11 from God was wisdom to rule the Psalm:89/12-17 people. Once wisdom is gained there (90/12-17 develops a right vision, knowledge as Hebrews:4/12-13 well as self discipline, receives correct guidance, an understanding of what to Mark:10/17-30 OR say and what not to say together with 10/17-27 wisdom for accurate judgment, overcomes human standards endowed with Introduction the ability to say yes to the Will of God. Proclamations of the day explain Therefore what is essential would be the depths of God's word and also to listen to the voice of God and work present the splendor of the Scriptures. in conformity with the mind of God. Holy Mother the Church points out Wisdom from God is more precious that God the Father, the Son and the than everything else in the world. The Spirit are three persons. We receive person who sold all he had, received from the Holy Spirit gifts as well as the treasure hidden in the field with fruits wherein He bestows on us the immense joy. In order to receive the wisdom of God as a gift. Whoever wisdom of God let me give up whatevreceives this opens for himself a path er is in me that man considers of value way to eternal life for having a correct and listen to the voice of God. Let us vision he builds his life in a true light empty ourselves of self and totally thus arriving at the Kingdom of God. depend on God. Thus enter into prayer Let us enter into prayer pleading for invoking the gift of the Spirit. the power of the Spirit that enables us From the Second Proclamation to achieve this goal.

Sunday 14th October 2018

From the First Proclamation

Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases. All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth.

Prayerful Awareness King Solomon did not put his trust in riches or power. Neither did he try to

Indeed, the word of God is living and active: sharper than any twoedged sword piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Prayerful Awareness How powerful is the word of God? The word of God surpasses and overcomes everything. Prophet Jeremiah says, "If I say, 'I will not mention him, or speak anymore in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot" (Jer. 20:9) which shows that we cannot either hide the word of God or keep it

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only for ourselves. The whole Universe is pregnant with it. The Word of God is a fire that consumes everything and creates something new out of it. Also it is a blessing and a grace. Therefore let us follow Jesus who is the Word, surrender ourselves to Him and wholly belong to Him. From the Gospel Proclamation As he was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, and knelt before him and asked him, 'Good Teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life?'Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone, You know the commandments. 'You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal .... He said to him, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth." Jesus looking at him, loved him, and he said, 'You lack one thing; go, sell what you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.' When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ''How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God‌.."

Prayerful Awareness According to St. Luke this person is a leader and a ruler. Mark and Matthew present him simply as an ordinary human being. He was rich and when Jesus invited him to leave everything and follow Him he would have felt sad because he was so attached to his riches. Further, keeping the commandments alone is not in conformity with the mind of God which shows that it is more important to lift up our whole

selves to the Lord. Eternal life is the Kingdom of God and attaining eternal life is to enter heaven. Jesus says that you cannot have both worldly riches and eternal life at one and the same time. Worldly riches are transient and one day they will disappear. The invitation is to own what is eternal. It is not easy to say 'yes' to this invitation. The rich man went away sad. Seeing this, our Lord declares, 'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' We cannot grasp this at once purely with our human mind. Yet, what is impossible to man is possible with God. Therefore, whole heartedly, let us turn to God who can accomplish all things and follow His ways.

My Sonship Let us wake up. True peace and joy can be found only in the Lord. With the Psalmist let us ask for the wisdom 'Make us know the shortness of our life that we may gain wisdom of heart,' feed on the word of God as our daily bread through which we receive correct guidance from the Lord.

Let us allow the Holy Spirit to guide us – expressing our willingness to be filled with His spirit, to be consumed by His fire, to be immersed in His waters and thus to shine in His light.

Prayer Starter You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne, steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

Happy are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance, they exult in your name all day long, and extol your righteousness. For you are the glory of their strength by your favor our horn is exalted.

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Monday 15th October 2018

St. Teresa of Jesus, Virgin & Doctor

Galatians:4/22-24,26-27, 31-5/1 Psalm:112/1-7

(113/1-7) Luke: 11/29-32 Gospel Proclamation When the crowds were increasing; he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation; it asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be to this generation. The queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, because she came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and see, something greater than Solomon is here. The people of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the proclamation of Jonah, and see, something greater than Jonah is here!

Gaze at Jesus Jesus was Messiah who was born of the Holy Spirit and took a human form. He was totally obedient to the mission that was entrusted to Him and therefore He completely dedicated His life to the purpose of saving man from sin. Therefore, man can enjoy the gift of salvation by his acceptance of Jesus as their Savior. The word “salvation” can be fulfilled in one’s life through repentance which brings much joy.

Our Sonship Let us gaze at some of the sayings by St. Therese of Avila. She experienced implicit joy, freedom and peace through her relationship with her Savior.

Here are two quotes that are relevant

to today’s word.

“I was living an extremely burdensome life, because every time I prayed, I became more clearly aware of my faults.

On the one hand, God was calling me.

On the other, I was following the way of the world. Doing what God wanted made me happy; but I felt bound by the things of the world”.

“What value is there in faith without works? And what are they worth if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only good”.

Let us pause to reflect on the theme of sin and salvation as described by St. Paul to the Galatians. He speaks of two sons born to Abraham. One by Hagar who was a slave woman and the other

by Sarah a free woman whose child fulfilled a promise by God to Abraham.

According to Paul they represent two covenants, one that stands for present Jerusalem in slavery and the other represents Heavenly Jerusalem.

St. Therese and St. Paul both lead us to Jesus who is our hope for redemption and invites us to accept Jesus into our lives through repentance.

Prayerful Awareness Let us once again gaze our eyes towards Jesus, the heavenly gift. As St. Therese of Avila says “what are they worth, if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only good” Prayer Starter Therefore, let us raise our supplications to God through the Holy Spirit who will intercede on our behalf according to the purpose of God (Romans 8:26) and gift to us a new life in union with Christ. Let us trust that in our new life we have hope that Lord’s Spirit will continue to guide and counsel to us so that we can maintain our wellbeing in the Spirit of Christ.

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, Tuesday 16th October 2018 St. Hedwig,St. Margaret Mary Alacoque Virgin shipped in Spirit and Truth. The truth Galatians:5/1-6 about myself is that more often than Psalm: 118/41, 43, 45, not, I am animated by my flesh. The 47, 48 action can be good, bad or evil. The (119/41, 43-45,47-48) fact remains, the motivation arose from the flesh.

Luke: 11/37-41 Let us look at today's First Proclamation. Saul the Pharisee now become The Gospel Proclamation Paul the apostle is led by the Holy SpirWhile he was speaking, a Phar- it to say that the rite of circumcision isee invited him to dine with him; is not a pre-requisite to be a follower so he went in and took his place at of Jesus. Those who are familiar with the table. The Pharisee was amazed the Bible will know that circumcision to see that he did not first wash be- was introduced by God Himself as a fore dinner. Then the Lord said to sign of His covenant with Abraham him, "Now you Pharisees clean the and the subsequent generations. The outside of the cup and of the dish, Church of Jesus as spreading after the but inside you are full of greed and Pentecost and the Jews insisted that wickedness. You fools! Did not the Gentiles who wished to embrace the one who made the outside made the Way had to follow the Jewish initiation inside also? So give for alms those into the covenant. Even Peter was not things that are within, and see, ev- bold enough to stand firm against this view. This was the bone of contention erything will be clean for you. between Peter and Paul.

Gaze at Jesus Gaze at my sonship Jesus is speaking. A Pharisee is St. Paul writes "For in Christ Jesus impressed by Jesus and invites Him to dine with him. Jesus accepts the neither circumcision nor uncircumciinvitation. The Pharisees of Jesus' time sion is of any avail, but faith working had worked out an elaborate washing through love." ritual before meals. Jesus wants no Today circumcision is no longer an part of man made rituals. Jesus knows issue in the Church. But the principle the Scripture. He well knows there is of working out any issue is FAITH absolutely no basis for the washing WORKING THROUGH LOVE. rituals introduced by the Pharisees.

Do I spend quiet times in prayer Most probably He just washed His working and thinking through the fingers and sat at the dining table. Jesus issues that hinder my growth? I have reads the astonishment on the Pharisee only one hope. That Jesus Christ has who invited Him. He rebukes the man. promised and undertaken to deliver me He is obviously animated by the Holy from all evil. Shall we pray.

Spirit. The Holy Spirit drives Jesus to Prayer Starter place the hard facts of real worship to the learned Pharisees.

Let Thy steadfast love come to me Prayerful Awareness O Lord. Thy salvation according to Thy promise. (Ps. 119/41) God is Spirit. He must be wor-

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Wednesday 17th October 2018 Galatians:5/18-25 Psalm: 1/1-4, 6 Luke: 11/42-46 Gospel Proclamation "But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and herbs of all kinds, and neglect justice and the love of God; it is these you ought to have practiced, without neglecting the others. Woe to you Pharisees!

For you love to have the seat of honor in the synagogues and to be greeted with respect in the market places. Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without realizing it."

One of the lawyers answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too." And he said, "Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them.

Prayerful Awareness Jesus, as the person come to fulfill the law in love, Jesus denounces the religious leadership guiding the people to observe the law acting with no love.

Christ was a challenge to the pattern of life they had been used to since He saw through their inner desire for honour, power and prestige that caused such action.

The First Proclamation But if you are led by the Spirit you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissension, factions, envy, drunkenness, carous-

St. Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop & Martyr ing and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before, those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

Gaze at my sonship The Lord God has chosen and called us to leave aside the lifestyle of a nominal Christian who participates at the Sunday Eucharist merely to fulfill an obligation and accept Christ as our Lord and Master and become a people of renewal, who relates and experiences Him. God's desire for us is to have constant self awareness, in order to know what is really going on inside us and uncover and repent for the many temptations of the flesh, the world and the devil, to magnify the Lord through a life subjected to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Through the Gospel proclamation of the day, the Spirit awakens us to penetrate within and see if we are stuck in the desires of the flesh and ensnared in a comfortable life style of our own that we have been used to thus setting aside making the dream of God a reality.

Prayer Starter O Holy Spirit, enlighten me to free myself from the outward clamour and observe the true state of my inner condition. Empower me and us to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires in order to pass on the flame of love in the society as a true son and daughter of Christ.

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Thursday 18th October 2018

St. Luke the Evangelist

Jesus was sending 36 teams of two 2 Timothy: 4/10-17 to reach the multitudes. They were Psalm: 144/10-13,17-18 not to try to do the job without help, (145/10-13,17-18 rather they were to ASK GOD for more Luke:10/1-9 workers.

In Christian service, we know, there is no unemployment. God has enough The Gospel Proclamation work for everyone. We should look for After this the Lord appointed ways to help with the harvest.

Because they would meet with opseventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town position, Jesus said, He was sending His and place where he himself intended disciples out 'LIKE LAMBS AMONG to go. He said to them, "The harvest WOLVES". Disciples must be alert and is plentiful, but the laborers are few; remember to face enemies, not with therefore ask the Lord of the harvest AGGRESSION but with LOVE and to send out laborers into his harvest. gentleness. A dangerous mission needs Go on your way. See, I am sending sincere commitment. you out like lambs into the midst of Jesus' direction to stay in one house wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no avoided certain problems. Shifting from sandals, and greet no one on the road. house to house could offend the families Whatever house you enter, first say, who first took them in. There could be 'Peace to this house!' And if anyone competition for their presence and some is there who shares in peace, your might think they were not good enough peace will rest on that person, but if to hear their message. not, it will return to you. Remain in Jesus told His disciples to accept the same house, eating and drinking hospitality GRACIOUSLY because whatever they provide, for the labor- their work entitled them to it. Ministers er deserves to be paid. Do not move of the Gospel deserve to be supported about from house to house. Whenever and it is our responsibility to make sure you enter a town and its people wel- they have what they need. Encourage come you, eat what is set before you, those who serve God, in His church. cure the sick who are there, and say First see that they have adequate salato them, The kingdom of God has ry. Second, see that they are supported come near to you. emotionally. Appreciate their work.

Prayerful Awareness Give them cheerfully and generously.

Far more than 12 disciples had been Jesus gave two rules for His disciples to following Jesus. Here Jesus designated Eat what was set before them, that is, to a group of 72 to prepare a number of accept hospitality without being choosy towns for Jesus' later visit. These dis- and they were to heal the SICK. People ciples were not unique in their qualifi- would be willing to listen to the gospel cations. They were not better educated, because of the healings.

Prayer Starter more capable or of higher status than Lord, please help us trust Your other followers of Jesus. What equipped them for this mission was their aware- abundant love and generosity, so we ness of Jesus' power and their vision to can give to others, as You so faithfully give to us reach all the people.

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Friday 19th October 2018

Sts. John de Brebeuf & Isaac Jogues, St. Paul of the Cross

Ephesians: 1/11-14 Psalm:32/1-2,4-5,12-13 33/1-2,4-5,12-13 Luke:12/1-7 St. Paul of the Cross He was the first of 16 children of an impoverished noble family in Lombardy, Italy. He was born on January 3rd, 1694 and was much given to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. At 26, he was shown by Our Lord in a vision that he was to found a new religious Order in honour of the Passion. He drew up the rule in 1720 for the "Discalced Clerks of the Cross and Passion. He was ordained seven years later. He started community life and soon others joined him. Much against his will he was selected Superior General and remained so until his death. God favoured Paul's work with numerous miracles. Consummated by his penance, Paul died in Rome on 18th October 1775. Canonized by Pope Pius IX on 29th June 1867.

The First Proclamation In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God's own people, to the praise of his glory.

Prayerful Awareness "Paul's letter to the Ephesians is concerned first of all with "God's plan .... to bring all creation together, everything in heaven and on earth, with Christ as head"

(1:10). It is also an appeal to God's people to live out the meaning of this great plan for the unity of mankind through oneness with Jesus Christ (Introduction - Paul's letter to the Ephesians).

God's plan of salvation has Christ the Truth, for its substance. This truth is not a private property of any one and as devout Christians we are bound to take this message to others. We Christians are marked with a seal - Holy Spirit. A proprietary mark is put on things to claim ownership. God marks out the believer in Christ as His own property by the gift of the Holy Spirit at Baptism. "The seal is a symbol close to that of anointing.

"The Father has set His seal" on Christ and also seals us in Him. Because this seal indicates the indelible effect of the anointing with the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders, the image of the seal has been used in some theological traditions to express the indelible "character" imprinted by these three unrepeatable sacraments." (C.C.C. 698) "The Holy Spirit has marked us with the "seal of the Lord" "for the day of redemption". "Baptism indeed is the seal of eternal life."

The faithful Christian who has "kept the seal" until the end, remaining faithful to the demands of his Baptism, will be able to depart this life "marked with the sign of faith", with his Baptismal faith, in expectation of the vision of God - the consummation of faith - and in the hope of resurrection." (C.C.C. 274). Suppose we want to get a suit tailored, we go to a tailor and he will take the necessary measurements and ask for an advance money, as guarantee. It is a pledge that the work will be done. The Holy Spirit is the guarantee that God will grant the possession of eternal life.

Prayer Starter "Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord; happy are the people He has chosen for His own. Amen. (Ps. 33/12)

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Saturday 20th October 2018 Ephesians:1/15-23 Psalm: 8/2-7 (8/1-6) Luke:12/8-12 The First Proclamation That is why I, having once heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and your love for all God's holy people, have never failed to thank God for you and to remember you in my prayers. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, how rich is the glory of the heritage he offers among his holy people, and how extraordinarily great is the power that he has exercised for us believers; this accords with the strength of his power at work in Christ, the power which he exercised in raising him from the dead and enthroning him at his right hand, in heaven, far above every principality, ruling force, power or sovereignty, or any other name that can be named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as he is above all things, the head of the Church; which is his Body, the fullness of him who is filled, all in all.

Fix your gaze on Jesus Holy Lord, we but only faintly comprehend the wonder of Your mighty works in this creation at a material level, even though we proclaim that

the ‘Heaven and Earth express Your glory’; we could not even begin to imagine the glory of Your Being, to which state You desire to evolve us to!

May Your holy name be magnified….

God has laid up spiritual blessings for us in his Son the Lord Jesus; but we have to choose and draw closer! A requirement for us to experience these blessings is for us to draw them out and fetch them in by prayer. True believers greatly want heavenly wisdom. Do you find that the best of us are unwilling to come under God’s yoke, though there is no other way to find rest for the soul? Do we not for a little pleasure often part with our peace? Were we to rebel less, and prayed more with and for each other, we should daily see more and more of what the hope of our calling is, and the riches of the Divine glory in this inheritance. It is highly desirable to really experience this feeling of the mighty power of Divine grace carrying on the work of faith in our souls.

We are nothing without Him; but everything, with Him. Though it is difficult to bring a soul to believe fully in Christ, and to venture its all in the hope of eternal life, the realization of every blessing hinges upon His righteousness. By being partakers of Christ himself, we come to be filled with the fullness of grace and glory in him.

Prayer Starter I hear the refrain today, ‘Sow in accord with what you (really, really) wish to reap.....’

Let us start by sowing the Living Vibrant Word of God in our minds and hearts today, appealing to the Lord of the Hosts to make our hearts fertile and fruitful....

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Sunday 21st October 2018 Isaiah:53/10-11 Psalm: 32/4-5,18-20,22 (33/4-5,18-20,22) Hebrews:4/14-16 Mark:10/35-45 OR 10/42-45 OR Isaiah: 2/1-5 Psalm: 19/1-4 Ephesians: 3/2-12 Mark:16/15-20 Introduction Whoever listens to the word of God and does His Will is a true disciple. In taking leadership at different levels there are times that we do not demonstrate even discipleship, let alone servant leadership. Although this has been revealed through the Proclamations for the World Mission Sunday, even Proclamations of the Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time do affirm it. "Anyone who wants to become great among you must be your servant." (Mark 10:48) The First Proclamation Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days, through him the will of the Lord shall prosper. out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

29th Sunday of Ordinary Time PS Wk I Prayerful Awareness Revealing the servant leadership of Christ, stated above, is an extract from the second part of the servant song found in the book of Isaiah, the great prophet who lived in Jerusalem between B.C. 742 and 687.

Picturing the figure of a servant suffering for the people it further reveals what sort of a person we should take as our role model for leadership.

Gospel Proclamation James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."

And he said to them, "What is it you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They replied, "We are able."

Then Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared."

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, "You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them,

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and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.

For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Prayerful Awareness What is the first thought that comes to our mind about the request of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, also called the sons of thunder? Our instant response could be condemnatory and we would fully agree with the guidance given by the Lord. Yet this passage awakens us to recall moments in which we fell into competition with others unconsciously when working together and holding responsibility: The Son of Man Himself did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).

A life experience: A few years back I got on to a long distance bus through the front door, carrying a rather heavy load along with a travelling bag hanging from my shoulders. A middle aged gentleman occupying the seat reserved for priests offered me his seat, kept standing for so many miles, got down from Wennappuwa and went away saying ;Jesu Pihittai!; After about one year I went to a church nearby at the end of a Pubudu meeting to participate at Mass. To my surprise, the celebrant was the gentleman who offered me the seat. When I met him thereafter what he said was, you deserved the seat more than me.

We are priests to serve and not to be served. Isn't it a joy to get an opportunity to be of service?

The Second Proclamation Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Prayerful Awareness The author of Hebrews through his letter sets before us a distinctive sermon on the priesthood of Christ, the servant who fully accomplishes the Will of God. Expressing the supremacy of His priesthood in the New Testament, it also shows the responsibility of our common priesthood received in baptism as that of being a servant leader.

Prayer Starter Abba Father, the common priesthood received in baptism reflects the mission of sanctifying the world.

Bestow on us the grace of the Holy Spirit to fulfill the tasks allotted to us as Christ's disciples of being salt and leaven in our society. Inflame in us the longing to sacrifice ourselves in bearing witness through our lifestyle, word and deed.

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St. John Paul II, Pope

Monday 22nd October 2018 Ephesians:2/1-10 Psalm:99/2-5 (100/1-5) Luke:12/13-21

The Gospel Proclamation Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me." But he said to him, "Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?"

And he said to them, "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions." Then he told them a parable: The land of a rich man produced abundantly. And he thought to himself, 'What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?'' Then he said, 'I will do this, I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves, but are not rich towards God." Prayerful Awareness The gravity of sin results in breaking down the God-man relationship.

In order to restore this harmony God the Father sent down to us His only begotten Son. The first proclamation shows how God has created us in Christ Jesus, raised from the dead and made present among us - for the good works which

He has prepared beforehand, that we should devote ourselves to Him. The Lord awakens us to our innate desire and impulse to gratify our senses knowingly or unknowingly, willingly or unwillingly. The parable sets out the gravity of being selfish in an attempt to satisfy our longings. Accordingly, though man may plan headlong what will materialize would be the plan of God. We received our breath from Him and only He has the power to take it back. 'Before I took shape, your eyes saw me, and before any one of my days came to be they were written in your book' (Ps. 139:16). If so, isn't it inviting us to concentrate on healing our soul rather than pleasing the body bound for decay?

The society today is in an upside down position. Freeing oneself from God's dominion man is running fast as slaves to their own whims and fancies, under the authority and manipulation of man-made designs and discoveries in pursuit of success in this short span of life. In this context, undoubtedly the parable mentioned does disturb us. Let us open ourselves to the theme of the year, to provide space for the word of God, to meditate on it and to accomplish His Will personally, in our family, community and society.

Being aware of the emptiness, surrender and the listening capacity of our blessed Mother, let us invoke the Holy Spirit for the grace to take her as our role model in order to possess a listening heart that could always discern the voice of God, whatever situation we are in.

Prayer Starter Extol the Lord our God; worship at his footstool, Holy is he! (Ps. 99/5)

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Tuesday 23rd October 2018 Ephesians:2/12-22 Psalm: 84/9-14 (85/8-13) Luke:12/35-38 The First Proclamation .... But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

For he is our peace, in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile both groups to God in one body through the cross, thus putting to death that hostility through it. .....

The Gospel Proclamation "Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes, truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

Prayerful Awareness Out of His infinite love for man Christ became flesh and shedding His blood and offering Himself on the cross redeemed man from the bonds of sin, thus conferring divine inheritance.

The Gospel Proclamation today mentions the Second Coming of the Lord who brought salvation to the people once in darkness.

St. John Paul II, Pope If the Lord comes in an unexpected hour can He be pleased with our actions?

Can I be contended with my lifestyle, the way I love others, how I deal with my family members and neighbours as well as my behavior and manner of speech?

When the Lord who once brought us out of darkness to the path of light comes again and sees me, if at that moment I am to say, "Lord, I have done Your Will," I should daily surrender myself to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and build my lifestyle accordingly. If not and if I am still caught in the rat race trying to compete with others for positions and social status, if I am craving for riches and power undermining others and stepping on them in order to climb up the ladder, the Lord is waking me up to cross over and fulfill His expectation of being a son or daughter pleasing to Him. If we have built up a personal relationship with the Lord, the Holy Spirit dwelling in us will guide us to lead a life pleasing to Him. When we are alert to the action of the Holy Spirit we come to distinguish between good and bad. The Spirit always helps us to avoid what is bad. At the same time we cannot live alone since the Lord is love universal and that love overflows challenging us to show others the same love in communion. We cannot simply be blind to the poverty, slavery or helplessness of another without moving towards him or her in love. It is the Holy Spirit who guides us thus in taking initiative.

Since we are no longer slaves but children of divine inheritance, let us claim our heritage and step into a life of being alert to the voice of God. Prayer Starter Lord, we praise You for we were once in the dark and You have redeemed us.

Anoint us with Your Spirit to enjoy this new found freedom and continue walking under the shadow of Your wings.

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Wednesday 24th October 2018 Ephesians:3/2-12 Psalm:Issaiah:12/2-6 (Isaiah:12/2-6) Luke:12/39-48 The Gospel Proclamation Please read Luke 12/39-48 prayerfully.

Gaze on Jesus Here Jesus relates the parable of the servant awaiting the return of the master. He wants His disciples also to be in readiness all the time for the coming of the Son of Man who will come at a time when they do not expect Him. They should be like the master of the house who remains awake and so the thief could not enter the house. When it is said that the Son of Man will come like a thief it may not refer only to the day of judgement at the end of time and those who live in grace need not entertain any fear about it. God comes all the time through events which unexpectedly ruin our plans. Therefore the Church must not rely too much on planning its activity.

The Church should see to its prayer and its availability so that the Lord will let her be in the best situation when He shakes our little Universe. St. Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians (vs. 5:2) also speaks of the Lord's coming like a thief in the night. The disaster will suddenly come upon those who feel secure and at peace and they will not escape, but for those who live in the Light, this day will not be a surprise. In the Book of Revelation vs. 3/20 Christ says that He stands at the door and knocks. If anyone hears His call and opens the door then He will come in to him and have supper with him.

Prayerful Awareness

await Him, doing our work and living our lives. One aspect of our commitment to Christ is our commitment to the Christian community, our Church. This means our participation in common prayer, in the Eucharist and in other devotions. As we participate in these commitments there is not only one but several 'comings' of Christ. He comes to us giving us strength and wisdom. He comes to us through prayer, giving us the inner certainty of His presence. He also comes in our day to day living. He will be with us in unity.

"Where two or three are gathered in my Name I am there with them." Precisely because Jesus comes to us in our daily events, we have a commitment to serve our contemporary world. As lay people the major part of our commitment to Christ is expressed through the affairs of the world - in our jobs, family, social and political endeavours and there each one in his own way has to be "alert".

The First Proclamation Paul writes this letter from jail in Rome. He is not only prisoner "because of Christ", but also a prisoner of Christ.

He cannot do anything other than make Him known (1 Corinthians 9:16). Moreover, in prison Paul suffers as Christ (Colossians 1:24). Thus he can say that his suffering is "glory". Paul emphasizes what he has meditated on in jail, what seems most new in the works of Christ.

This is the "mystery" or God's plan calling all people to become a single body, without any racial distinctions. Jesus has proclaimed this equality in the story of the workers in the vineyard but the early Christians needed several divine interventions before they were convinced (Acts 10). God manifests His glory in His poor and the Saints through the Church.

Prayer Starter

In several parts of the Gospel, Jesus God indeed is my salvation. in Him I invites us to be vigilant while waiting for His arrival. It is true that we will meet trust and am not afraid, for the Lord is my the Lord when we die. Nevertheless Jesus strength. He is my song; He has become comes to us in several ways while we my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)

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Thursday 25th October 2018 Ephesians:3/14-21 Psalm:32/1-2,4-5,11-12 18-19 (33/1-2,4-5,11-12,18-19) Luke:12/49-53 The First Proclamation .... I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, ... I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. .....

The Gospel Proclamation

blaze. Jesus would like to spread this fire on earth to burn evil and sin and to enlighten our minds and warm our hearts.

In the history of salvation, the tongues of fire at Pentecost is the beginning of the universal expansion of the faith and love of Jesus. It is through the Holy Spirit, the salvation He acquired for us in His death and resurrection will reach all countries and generations.

This baptism is the shedding of the blood of Jesus on the cross. When people repent, their sins are wiped away and the fire of the Holy Spirit envelopes them. Jesus desires to see a real change in the society. Real change is always disruptive, because some people do not like to lose something they hold dear and valuable. In order to change an unjust system, Jesus must bring division into their very structures. Division enables people to choose real values. Those who choose Gospel values will surely meet with opposition and rejection, even from one's own loved ones, but will face them with courage.

In the first proclamation the Apostle Paul seems to be more anxious lest the believers of the community at Ephesus would be discouraged and faint about his tribulations, than for what he himself had to bear. He eagerly asks for spiritual blessing, strength from the Spirit of God in the inner man, strength in the soul, the strength of faith to serve God. Prayer Starter

"I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three, they will be divided; father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-inlaw against mother-in-law."

Lord, help me to be aware of my self.

Prayerful Awareness Guide me to be set on fire with the Holy Spirit to lead me in matters concerning What is the fire that Jesus is speak- the family, the parish, the prayer groups ing about? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to and the country. I know that they can reveal the mind of Jesus and also help cause division as a result of my seeking us to understand the Baptism He has to and pursuing Kingdom values in prefundergo. erence to worldly values. Lord Jesus I The words of Jesus fit well with promise to take some time daily to listen the missionary intention of this month to You in order to grow spiritually and of October. Fire is light, warmth and a thereby enlighten others.

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Friday 26th Octber 2018

Feast of St. Evaristus, Pope, Martyr

Ephesians:4/1-6 Psalm: 23/1-6 (24/1-6) Luke: 12/54-59 St. Evaristus He was the fifth Pope and very little is known about his life. Believed to have been the son of a Jew from Bethlehem who settled in Antioch, he succeeded St. Clement about the year 100 and reigned until 107. According to the sixth century "Book of Popes," it was St. Evaristus who divided the city of Rome into 25 parishes or "titles", each under its own Presbyter. He also decreed that when ever the Pope preached he was to be surrounded by 7 deacons, to give greater glory to God. He regulated the formal ceremonies for the consecration of churches. It was during this Pope's reign that the last of the apostles, St. John the Evangelist died at Ephesus.

The First Proclamation I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ....

Prayerful Awareness The Lord's calling on us is a high one. "He calls each one by name" (Isaiah 40:26) "God called you out of darkness into His own marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). God's divine power has given us everything we need to live a truly religious life through our knowledge of the one who called us to share in His own glory and goodness." ( Peter 1:3).

The fellowship of the Christian Church demands a kind of life from the faithful.

The life of a virtuous Christian should be

studied with virtues like humility, gentleness, love, long-suffering and meekness. In Christianity we see that humility comes from setting our lives beside that of Jesus Christ and in the demands of God. "You must be perfect - just as your Father in heaven is perfect." (Mathew 6:48). We can compare ourselves with our neighbours and come out with flying colours; but the Christian standard is Jesus Christ and the Father - the Father's perfection. Against that standard there is no room for pride. The person who is angry at the right time but is never angry at the wrong time is the one who is meek. Jesus was angry at what He saw in the temple sellers of various things and money-changers (Math. 21:12-17) His anger was a holy and right one directed solely at the wrong act only. Then the virtue of long-suffering which does not give in, in the face of defeat, misunderstanding and disaster. Christian faith is such that it never admits defeat and cannot be broken in any way. It persists to the end. In the New Testament we have three definitions of love of God - (1) His unconditional love to mankind, (2) His forgiveness to the one who repents, (3) His offer of salvation is free to man. The divine love should be evident in man in three ways - (1) engage in righteous acts without expecting rewards, (2) forgive the sins of others in the way God has forgiven our sins, (3) serve others irrespective of colour, creed or caste. "Let charity be genuine .... Love one another with brotherly affection. Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. This catechesis also teaches us to deal with cases of conscience in the light of our relationship to Christ and to the Church.

(C.C.C. 1971).

Prayer Starter Guide us to a world filled with Your Love. Amen.

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Saturday 27th October 2018 Ephesians:4/7-16 Psalm: 121/1-6 (122/1-5) Luke: 13/1-9

The First Proclamation On each one of us God's favour has been bestowed in whatever way Christ allotted it. That is why it says: He went up to the heights, took captives, he gave gifts to humanity. When it says, 'he went up', it must mean that he had gone down to the deepest levels of the earth. The one who went down is none other than the one who went up above all the heavens to fill all things. And to some, his 'gift' was that they should be apostles; to some prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; to knit God's holy people together for the work of service to build up the Body of Christ, until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. ....

Fix your gaze on Jesus

Thank you dear Lord for the uncountable treasures heaped upon us, Humanity, the apex of your creation. The more we become aware of the magnificence of your creation, the more we fall in love with you....and the better our life taste further becomes; life becomes an endless 'NOW� to be experienced and enjoyed, to be loved and to love in return, to work in the best way we each are uniquely and differently enabled, towards the betterment of ourselves and our brethren, our environment, our fellow creatures, the whole of this living sphere we presently call earth....

The above is of course the Truth or Reality for those of us who choose to become aware. Aware that we all are truly connected, in ways known, as well as not yet comprehended. It's a choice we make, on a moment to moment basis, to refuse the lie of separation, the lie of being the centre of the universe (where everyone and all things are purported to serve this entitled awesome 'Me' person).

The question then becomes, where are you presently? This question can only be answered by introspection; becoming aware of the inner processors of thought selection, the creation of feelings, the desires, the hopes, the impulses and the compulsions that drive our inner being....

The tree is judged by the fruit it engenders; so too is our behaviour the result of these inner processors. We are all to realise unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. In other words, the 'Mind of the Christ'- His way of thinking, has to replace our present 'Each to his/her own ways'. Then will we live by the truth and in love, our life experience becoming as depicted above.

Otherwise, we experience a wholly different life taste, for the most part quite disliked, unproductive and bad. Jesus explains the outcome then in his parable of the Vineyard owner cutting down the unproductive tree. Do we choose to be cut down as unproductive and useless and maybe even destructive on the whole, or nourish ourselves in the 'Living Word' and bear good fruit?

Prayer Starter

Lord, search me within, and help me to come before the truth of my being; to identify and align with Your desires and expectations, turning me anew towards your ever present presence, and bringing me to awareness....

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Sunday 28th October 2018

30th Sunday of Ordinary Time PS WK II

Jeremiah:31/7-9 Psalm: 125/1-6 (126/1-6) Hebrews:5/1-6 Mark: 10/46-52 "Let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice; turn to the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face."

Entrance Antiphon – Psalm 104:3-4 You set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.

Introduction A Christian is a follower of Christ.

Today's entrance antiphon invites us to seek the Lord and his strength. As inhabitants of this earth, in the midst of our daily struggles, problems we are faced with and worry and anxiety about tomorrow, do we constantly seek His refuge and strength? Simultaneously, the Entrance Antiphon awakens us to another invitation and that is "to always turn to the Lord." Do we, the people of God of the New Testament, thirst for an encounter with the Lord at all times? Am I in an ongoing experience of the Lord along with the Eucharist, through Prayer as well as in moments of loneliness and despondency?

Today's Gospel proclamation sets before us how the blind Bartimaeus in utter helplessness happened to experience the power of Jesus in his life. He sought refuge in Jesus and the moment he met Him was an opening for a new life. Aren't we supposed to experience the gift of faith presented by the theme of today, just as Bartimaeus by the side of the road did that day? Let us enter into the day's proclamations asking the Lord to enlighten us with the gift of faith that

empowers Christian life.

From the First Proclamation For thus says the Lord: Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, "Save, O Lord, your people, the remnant of Israel." See. I am going to bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, those with child and those in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here. With weeping they shall come, and with consolations I will lead them back. I will let them walk by brooks of water,, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I have become a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Prayerful Awareness The first proclamation affirms the fact that God will never forsake His chosen people, the Israel. It is only praise that we can offer Him in return for His persistent love. Similarly, the covenant of God with Israel is depicted in a Father-son relationship. The love of God thus revealed in the Old Testament sees its fulfillment in the New Testament. People experienced this through the Incarnation and the Cross of His Son along with the divine Sonship they inherited enabling them to gain access to a Father-son relationship.

Responsorial Psalm • What Marvels the Lord worked for us!

• Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

From the Gospel Proclamation They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout

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out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you." So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again,." Jesus said to him, "Go, your faith has made you well."

Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

Gaze at Jesus The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God Incarnate was fully aware of His mission of preaching the Good News to the poor, proclaiming release to the captives and recovering sight to the blind. He would have been in constant awareness of the fact that the prophecies revealed in the Old Testament should come to their fulfillment in Him. He possessed such sensitivity of heart that even among the tumult and commotion of the people He could hear the voice of the helpless seeking refuge in Him. The beggar Bartimaeus was healed no sooner than he uttered the words, "Master, let me see again," through the deep faith he had.

The Gospel event unfolded before us points out how the Lord Jesus mindful of His mission, wherever He went and whatever He did, was eager at every moment to praise God as well as to bestow on people the love of God the Father.

From the Second Proclamation

when called by God just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek."

Prayerful Awareness From the time of the Old Testament, it is God Himself who has chosen high priests for the service of the people. The Lord Jesus in the New Testament, offered Himself as the victim and sacrifice for the whole humanity thus being the most pleasant sacrifice of all that had been offered since the ancient times. This sacrifice was a bond of reconciliation, in building up the broken relationship between God and man. Thus it came to be the greatest sacrifice of love upraising the entire humanity to the level of divine son-ship due to the fact that He Himself was both the victim and the sacrifice.

Towards Our Son-ship

Where are you and I who have been called to a life of proclaiming the glory inherent to our divine son-ship? Although blind Bartimaeus was weighed down by his physical weakness, experiencing total freedom through faith in Jesus Christ started following him full of praise and gratitude. Compared to him how about our faith? The voice Jesus heard then was, 'You are my son, today I have become your father.' Let us long to make this experience our own, even amidst our human limitations by way of claiming our divine inheritance precisely at this moment as well as throughout the week.

Every high priest chosen from Prayer Starter among mortals is put in charge of Dear God our Father, You have called things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices us to inherit a life of divine son-ship. for sins. He is able to deal gently with Many impediments and human limitathe ignorant and wayward, since he tions hinder us from proclaiming Your himself is subject to weakness, and glory through this life inherent to us. Let because of this he must offer sacrifice me overcome all obstacles and long to be for his own sins as well as for those of born anew. Inflame in me the gift of faith the people. And one does not presume intact to trust that this is the moment of to take this honor, but takes it only my pass-over. Amen.

"Your Word, Your Will A Fire & A Blessing!"

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Monday 29th October 2018 Ephesians:4/32-5/8 Psalm: 1/1-4, 6 Luke: 13/10-17

Gospel Proclamation Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.

When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity. He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage? "When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Prayerful Awareness

Jesus was full of compassion when He saw the woman crippled by a spirit unable to stand erect. Although Sabbath day belongs to the Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus Christ, people did not want to believe Him and accept Him and therefore could not see God and God’s qualities in the acts He carried out. Sabbath day dedicated to God should be full of acts of Love to raise others, to help and to share this Love with others to praise and bring glory to God for His Great Love and Mercy.

The First Proclamation Please read Ephesians 4/32-5/8 prayerfully.

Prayerful Awareness

St. Paul’s letter to Ephesians advises us to be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven us in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed Himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place. Be sure that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ( As children of God led by the Holy Spirit - Rom 8 : 14 ).

Psalm 1:1-4 & 6 tells us how blessed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked, nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night.

He is like a tree planted near running water, that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

Prayer Starter

Holy Spirit help me and raise me to be full of God’s Love and Mercy to be able to love others and help others as Lord loves me and helps me, Thank You Lord, Amen

"Your Word, Your Will A Fire & A Blessing"

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Tuesday 30th October 2018 Ephesians: 5/21-33 Psalm: 127/1-5

(128/1-5) Luke: 13/18-21 The First Proclamation

and gave Himself up for her, to make her holy, having cleansed her with the baptism by the word, that He might present the Church to Himself in all its radiance, without stain or wrinkle or any blemish, but holy and blameless." As Christians, how much do we live up to this expectation? The Kingdom of God now become a huge tree that has spread its branches far and wide, at the start was simply a tiny seed. Therefore, in order to fulfill His expectations of a Church without blemish, shouldn't we take at least small steps personally as well as at communal level?

Gaze at myself

… For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a great mystery; and I am applying it to Christ and the church.

Am I a person still finding fault with .....

the Catholics caught in the trap of funThe Gospel Proclamation damentalists rejecting Christ present in He said therefore, "What is the the Blessed Sacrament? Have I put the kingdom of God like? And to what blame on Church leadership and washed should I compare it? It is like a my hands off and chosen to lead a life mustard seed that someone took and apart from community, calling myself a sowed in the garden: it grew and be- pious Catholic? Yet, it is not too late to came a tree, and the birds of the air start from small beginnings as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ to work made nests in it branches." for the cause of the Kingdom. Praise And again he said, "To what gathering, basic Christian community of should I compare the kingdom of the Parish, the street where I live in could God? It is like yeast that a woman took be the starting point. The Christian left and mixed in with three measures of alone at home is in need of somebody flour until all of it was leavened." to talk to, listen to, who could show Prayerful Awareness some interest, acceptance and underThrough the Gospel proclamation of standing in order to experience love and today and with the parables of leaven and brotherhood. What is required is not an the mustard seed the Lord shows forth elaborate sermon. Let us get to know our the spread of the Kingdom of God – how neighbours, our brothers and sisters in it starts in a small scale and spreads far Christ without going straight home after and wide. Similarly, through the First fulfilling our Sunday obligation. Let us Proclamation St. Paul points out how talk to each other, recognize their needs Christ as its head is united to the Church and what they are really burdened with, in existence for the cause of the King- and start sharing our experiences of faith. dom. The life of husband and wife in Let us get together and visit those sick the sacrament of matrimony is depicted and who are in need – pray, share and as the relationship between Christ and introduce them to a new Life in Christ.

Prayer Starter His Church.

What does Christ expect of the Unless the Lord builds the house, Church? "Christ loved the Church those who build it labor in vain.

"Your Word, Your Will, A Fire & A Blessing"

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Wednesday 31st October 2018 Ephesians: 6/1-9 Psalm: 144/10-14 (145/10-14) Luke: 13/22-30

The Gospel Proclamation Please read Luke 13/22-30 prayerfully.

Gaze on Jesus Jesus teaches in the towns and villages as He makes His way to Jerusalem.

What He taught may have made this person to reconsider his views about salvation and so he puts this question to Jesus. The Jews consider themselves to be the "Chosen people" of God and that they only will be saved, if they fulfill the demands of the Law and make offerings to God. Jesus has not said at any time that only a few will be saved .He has however said many times that very few would be chosen from the many called.

This would mean that among the many people privileged to meet Him, very few would experience the values of the Gospel and bring forth fruit in themselves and for others. The chosen or approved are those who persevere and strive for perfect freedom. Man chooses the road leading to perdition. They stray from leading a life in which Jesus is everything for them. They waste the gifts of God entrusted to them and apparently become useless for the Kingdom. Even so, they are not deprived of God's mercy.

Not all will be lost. Jesus also tells them that people come from the East and West, from North and South. People from all nations will be converted and come into the church while the Jewish people - for the most part - will remain outside.

Prayerful Awareness The rich man in Matthew 19:16, Mark 10:17 and Luke 18:78 who wished to know what he should do to win eternal

life went away sad when Jesus wanted him to dispossess himself of his riches and follow Him. In regard to this case, Jesus tells His disciples that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus says that no one can serve two masters and that one can not at the same time serve God and money. Jesus wants us to be free, not of concerns but of all worries in order to serve God. Jesus affirms that money is a false god, because it offers happiness and security for the future, but robs us of our only riches, that is, the present time. Caught up in making money we are unable to live truly and freely, we neglect our personal growth and family life keep silent before evil and lie. We ignore our neighbour and grovel before the powerful.

The First Proclamation It is seen that Paul dislikes disorder and lack of discipline within families and also in communities. He gives parents solid principles of education: be patient, try to know and understand your child, and educate him in a Christian way, according to the spirit of the Beatitudes, without tyranny or laxity - the two pitfalls of formation. Paul reminds the slave of his nobility and wants him to live with dignity, without servility; this is the first step towards genuine liberation.

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, every time we recite the 'Our Father' which You taught Your disciples, our attention is focused on the words "Thy Kingdom come', Lord Jesus we believe that the Kingdom has already come and it is for us to live the values of the Kingdom from moment to moment. May we praise and thank You for giving this prayer which also draws our attention to the Will of the Father.

"Your Word, Your Will A Fire & A Blessing"

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"Your Word, Your Will A Fire & A Blessing!"