Walk in the Spirit January 2019

WALK IN THE SPIRIT January 2019 Volume 01 Issue 16

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

ISSN 1391-5967

Publication: Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

SHARING ON PRAYER January 2019 ‘Baptism’ of Jesus is the anointing that He shares with us.

“Come follow me” is a call to participate in the experience that He went thro’ in the river Jordan. Our personal baptism, whether as an infant or adult, is where it all begins for us.

The fullness of the baptism that He receives on the cross is the Baptism of Blood.

We too have to begin with the Baptism of water that should culminate in the baptism of blood. Death and resurrection is the spelling out of the beginning and end of Baptism – What a Sacrament it is!

Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

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Tuesday 1st January 2019

Mary the Mother of God

Circumcision presumed that the person circumcised was a sinner. The Babe was now taking the sinners' place - something He was to do all His life. Mere human birth did not bring a child into the body of God's chosen people. In the Old Testament it was a prefiguring of Baptism in the New Testament. The first was done The Gospel Proclamation by wounding the body; the second by When the angels had left them cleansing the soul. The first incorporatand gone into heaven, the shepherds ed the child into the body of Israel; the said to one another, "Let us go now to second into the body of the new Israel Bethlehem and see this thing that has or the Church. The term 'circumcision' taken place, which the Lord has made was later used in the scriptures to reveal known to us." So they went with haste the spiritual significance of applying the and found Mary and Joseph, and the cross to the flesh through self-discipline. child lying in the manger. When they Moses spoke of circumcising the heart. saw this, they made known what had Jeremiah also used the same expression. been told them about this child, and all St. Stephen in his last address before who heard it were amazed at what the being killed, told his hearers that they shepherds told them. But Mary trea- were uncircumcised in heart and ears. sured all these words and pondered (Archbishop F.J.Sheen). them in her heart. The shepherds The First Proclamation alerts us to returned, glorifying and praising God the timely fulfilment of God's promfor all they had heard and seen, as it ise to mankind. The result of sin, the had been told them ... original sin, was that mankind became Prayerful Awareness mere children, under the tyranny of the law. After centuries of setting the fitting What a wonderful thing is this, that background Christ came and released the greatest joyful news is announced to them from the said tyranny. "From the the shepherds first. In the social ladder beginning until the fullness of time", they were in the last rung. They were the joint mission of the Father's Word despised by the hierarchy of the day. One and the Spirit remained hidden, but it reason for doing so was that they were is at work. God's Spirit prepares for the unable to keep the details of the Law like time of the Messiah. Neither is fully meticulous hand washing and rules and revealed but both are already promised, regulations. The demands of their job to be watched for and welcomed at their were such that they were virtually forced manifestation. So, for this reason, when to forego most of the minor details of the Church reads the Old Testament, she the Law. No wonder the hierarchy of the searches there for what the Spirit, "Who society looked down on them. And it is has spoken through the prophets" wants to such downtrodden, ill-treated people to tell us about Christ. (C.C.C.7802). that the joyful tidings were first revealed.

What a blessing - the lost sonship is ours How wonderful it is to see that shepherds again. We can cry to the Father "Abba". were chosen to visit the Lamb of God. Prayer Starter The selection of the heavenly choir and not an earthly one befits the divine Son. Look down on us with kindness, so "Circumcision was the symbol of the that the whole world may know Your covenant between God and Abraham and Will, so that all nations may know Your his seed and took place on the eighth day. salvation.

Numbers:6/22-27 Psalm: 66/2-3,5-6,8 (67/1-7) Galatians: 4/4-7 Luke:2/15-21

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

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Wednesday 2nd January 2019 Sts. Basil the Great & Gregory Nazianzen of reality, we have erroneously made 1 John:2/22-28 it so. O humanity, humanity, what will Psalm: 97/1-4 you craft for yourself!

(98/1-4) What value should we put upon gospel truth! It is incalculable! Thereby, John: 1/19-28 is the promise of eternal life made sure.

Bottom line - we are essentially The First Proclamation spiritual being, experiencing a material Who is the liar, if not one who state of being. The promise God makes, claims that Jesus is not the Christ? suitable to his own greatness, power, This is the Antichrist, who denies and goodness, breaks through to the both the Father and the Son. Who- material state imbued with sentience ever denies the Son cannot have the in humanity. The Spirit of Truth will Father either; whoever acknowledges not lie; and he teaches all things in the the Son has the Father too. Let what present dispensation, all things necesyou heard in the beginning remain sary to our knowledge of God in Christ, in you; as long as what you heard in and their glory in the gospel. The prothe beginning remains in you, you cess the Spirit is conducting through will remain in the Son and in the the central event of the Living Word Father. And the promise he made you becoming ‘Incarnate/Material’, is to himself is eternal life. So much have give sight and hearing to ‘Deaf/Blind/ I written to you about those who are Numb’ material level intelligence! Isn’t trying to lead you astray. But as for this Great News! you, the anointing you received from Let's not fear our spiritual state, him remains in you, and you do not but embrace it; we are not meant to need anyone to teach you; since the be in this ‘Body’ for long! This mateanointing he gave you teaches you ev- rial shell, shall we call it ‘a tent’, is a erything, and since it is true, not false, temporary shelter for us in our preparemain in him just as he has taught ration for the great destiny ahead…. you. Therefore remain in him now, and therefore, embrace this training children, so that when he appears we period gladly, and practice being ‘in may be fearless, and not shrink from love’ every moment of this phase. Any him in shame at his coming. moment you detect yourself as being Fix your gaze on Jesus ‘Out of Phase’ with Love, Turn! Stay Dearest Spirit of God, anoint us a-tuned to Jesus the Risen Christ, the here and now that we may perceive the Living Word- the Intelligence of God; Good News the Creator, our Maker get to know Him for the dear Friend He is, and you will not be derailed! wishes to impart....

Remember- God is faithful!

The Truth – that Christ, abiding in Prayer Starter us, is the means, and the way, the path to erase the error- to eliminate sin from Thank You O Holy Spirit of God us, thus journeying us forth to realize for opening our eyes and ears. Pray our destiny- to be sons of God, in unity continue to sensitize us to Your on-goand harmony with God. Not that we ing process... Your Will - Your Word were/are/will ever be truly separate O Most Precious! from God, but in our own perception

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

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Thursday 3rd January 2019 1 John:2/29-3/6 Psalm:97/1,3-6 (98/1, 3-6) John: 1/29-34 OR Philippians:2/1-11 Psalm: 8/4-9 Luke: 2/21-24 The Gospel Proclamation After eight days had passed, it was time to circumcise the child; and he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord"), and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of Lord, "a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons."

Prayerful Awareness Today, the Mother Church celebrates a very important feast, viz. "Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus". The Name of Jesus has been foretold by the angel at the An- nunciation to Mother Mary. This feast is named to impress on us Christians the dignity of the Holy Name of Jesus.

The Jews had the highest respect for the Name of God, reverence that finds continuation in the "Our Father, Hallowed be Thy Name".

The persons who played prominent roles in the history of salvation often receive their names from God Himself.

The name should express mission. By virtue of this holy name, Paul says we ourselves have become sons of God. He places all his hopes of doing good in the power of the Holy Name.

The Most Holy Name of Jesus According to the Gospel, Mary and Joseph went to the Temple to fulfill a ritual of the Jewish religion. Besides, Jesus being the first born male, He must be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the Law of the Lords.

According to the First Proclamation, in the letter to the Philippians Paul writes, to observe humility with all in the community and imitate Christ. The Lord Jesus desired to identify Himself with the most humble, the most afflicted and so Jesus' attitude must be with His followers too.

"Let what was seen in Christ Jesus be seen in you" It is worthwhile to reflect on what Paul says about virtues which we have to cultivate.

Humility and Unity. Jesus emptied Himself and united with the people. "His state was divine, yet He did not cling to His equality with God".

Today the Church also needs unity and humility. We need to understand that following Jesus means following Him as a servant and to be humble.

Encouragement - Lifting of other's spirit. Paul says Jesus has encouraged us by being united to us. We as the parts of His Body should be united and then only Christ's Body will be perfect and complete Comfort and Consolation: We are intensely loved by God, whatever the situation we would be in. Let us also not call to mind the shortcomings of others.

Tender and Compassion: We have to show sympathy and mercy to others and be a source of love.

Our sonship Let us start from now on to associate Jesus closely and influence the neighbourhood we live in.

Prayer Starter O Lord, our sovereign, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

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Friday 4th January 2019 1 John 3/7-10 Psalm: 98/1, 7-9 John: 1/35-42 The Gospel Proclamation The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.

When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

He said to them, "Come and see."

They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was abut four o'clock in the afternoon. One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are to be called Cephas' (which is translated Peter).

Prayerful Awareness John the Baptist's job was to point people to Jesus, their long awaited Messiah. Today, people are looking for someone to give them security in an INSECURE world. Our job is to point them to Christ and to show that He is the ONE whom they seek.

The two disciples who followed Jesus were Andrew and the other was probably John (the writer of this book).

Why did these disciples LEAVE John the Baptist? Because that is what John wanted them to do - he was pointing

the way to Jesus. These were Jesus' FIRST disciples along with Simon Peter. Andrew accepted John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus and immediately went to tell his brother Simon about Him. There was no question in Andrew's mind that Jesus WAS the MESSIAH. These new disciples used several names for Jesus, "Lamb of God", 'Rabbi", "Son of God" and "King of Israel". As they got to know Jesus, their appreciation for Him GREW. The more time we spend to know Jesus, the more we will be drawn to Him, for His teaching.

We see that when the two disciples began to follow Jesus, He asked them "What do you want?" Jesus' answer is for ALL. "Come and you will see". This is a valuable invitation for SEEING IS BELIEVING. Following Christ is not enough, we must follow Him for the right reasons. To follow Christ for our own purposes would be asking Christ to follow us - to align with us to support and advance our cause, NOT His. We must examine our motives for following Him. Let us ask ourselves - Are we seeing His glory or ours?

When Jesus saw Simon, He knew, not only who he was but who he would become. That is why Jesus gave him a new name Cephas in Aramic, Peter in Greek (the name means "a rock"). Peter became a solid rock in the days of the early Church, as we learn in the book of Acts. By giving Simon a new name, Jesus introduced a change in character.

Jesus knows each one of us personally as He knew everything about Peter.

Let us surrender ourselves to Jesus to change our character too.

Prayer Starter Heavenly Father, help us to live in such a way that Your Name will be honoured wherever we go. Let our lives speak louder than our words.

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

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Saturday 5th January 2019 the message of Cain killing his brother because his works were evil and his brother’s works were righteous. He said “Do not to be amazed if the world hates us, as we know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers, and whoever does not love remains in death.” He further said “everyone who Gospel Proclamation hates his brother is a murderer, and you Jesus decided to go to Galilee, He know that no murderer has eternal life found Philip and said to him, "Follow remaining in him. We came to know love me." ... Philip found Nathanael and was that He laid down His life for us; so told him, "We have found him about we ought to lay down our lives for our whom Moses in the law, and also the brothers. If someone who has worldly prophets wrote, Jesus, son of Joseph, means sees brother in need and refuses from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him compassion, how can the love of him, "Can anything good come out of God remain in him? Children, let us love Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come not in word or speech but in deed and and see". When Jesus saw Nathanael truth. Now this is how we shall know that coming toward him he said of him, we belong to the truth and reassure our "Here is truly an Israelite in whom hearts before Him in whatever our hearts there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked condemn, for God is greater than our him, "Where did you get to know hearts and knows everything. Beloved, me?" Jesus answered, "Before Philip if our hearts do not condemn us, we have called you I saw you under the fig tree." confidence in God.” Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you Then, we receive whatever we ask, are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered, "Do you because we keep His Commandments believe because I told you that I saw and do what pleases Him. We are called to love others as we are you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said born in the image of God, who is Love to him, "Very truly I tell you, you will and because of our connection to Him as see heaven opened and the angels of His adopted sons through Jesus Christ, God ascending and descending on the our Saviour and Lord who paid for our sins and ordered us to love others as He Son of Man" Loves us. Let us bring glory to God as we Prayerful Awareness belong to Him and created to bring glory Fig Tree, known as a place where to Him and His great Love. Let us thank people sat and studied the scriptures. Je- and praise Him with joy for all what He sus saw Nathanael as the honest searcher has done for us.( Re: Isaiah 43 : 7 and 1 at this place of learning, and Nathanael Thes. 5 : 16 -18). could say He was the Son of God, and Prayer Starter King of Israel. As we get to know Jesus God our Loving Father, I thank You we are brought into the mystery of sufferand praise You for Your great love for me ing and death in a big way, and this gives and for every one, and for all Your help meaning to our sufferings and sorrows in life. This helps and guides us to prayer to and blessings to strengthen me and to be seek help for the sufferings of our lives full of Your Wisdom to worship You and love You with all my heart and with all and the lives of others. my might to live according to all Your In the first reading St. John refers to Commandments in Jesus’ Name, Amen

1 John: 3/11-21 Psalm:100/1-5 John: 1/43-51

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Sunday 6th January 2019

The Epiphany of the Lord

over you. Nations shall come to your Isaiah:60/1-6 light, and kings to the brightness of Psalm:72/1-2,7-8,10-13 your dawn.

Ephesians: 3/2-3, 5-6 Lift up your eyes and look Mathew:2/1-12 around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice, because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you, the wealth of the nations shall Introduction come to you. A multitude of camels Today, the Holy Mother the shall cover you, the young camels of Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Midian and Ephah; all those from Lord. Epiphany means manifestation Sheba shall come. They shall bring or revelation. In the ancient times, gold and frankincense, and shall with the fall of our first parents (as a proclaim the praise of the Lord. result of not listening to the voice of Prayerful Awareness God), the people drifted away from We find this Scripture passage in light and fell into an abyss of darkness. With the coming of Christ light the final chapters of the book of Isadawned on them once again. Jesus iah, written around the 4th Century Christ was the great light that the BC, during the post exilic period. It people encountered. The Solemnity states how Jerusalem; under the spewe celebrate today reminds us that cial concern of God would become a the glorious coming of Christ is for kingdom of peace and justice. Further the glory of the whole of humanity. it proclaims that even though the other The gifts He bestowed on us are not nations and regions continue to live silver and gold but forgiveness, peace in the dark, many nations and kings would come to Jerusalem, the city of and redemption.

Proclamations of the day further God's special favour. The prophet with affirm that the Good News of Christ his statement, "seeing this you will has reconciled Jews and Gentiles in- grow radiant and your heart throbbing viting the whole world to receive the with joy" instills in the hearts of the people under persecution great hope. inheritance it offers.

Whatever circumstance they faced The First Proclamation and perceived through human senses, Arise, shine; for your light has the ultimate fulfillment of the hope come, and the glory of the Lord has placed in the word of God testifies risen upon you, For darkness shall to the fact that His Word is alive and cover the earth, and thick darkness active. To come to this stage the chothe peoples; but the Lord will arise sen people of God had to walk a long upon you, and his glory will appear journey in faith and hope.

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The Gospel Proclamation

frankincense and myrrh. Gold is the In the time of King Herod, after gift for a king, frankincense the gift Jesus was born in Bethlehem of for a priest and myrrh the gift for one Judea, wise men from the East came who is to die. Thus the coming of the to Jerusalem asking, "Where is the Magi was the first sign and symbol of child who has been born king of the world conquest of Christ and His the Jews? For we observed his star manifestation to the world.

The Second Proclamation at its rising, and have come to pay him homage". When King Herod for surely you have already heard this he was frightened, and heard of the commission of God's all Jerusalem with him, and calling grace that was given me for you, and together all the chief priests and how the mystery was made known scribes of the people he inquired of to me by revelation, as I wrote above them where the Messiah was to be in a few words, born. They told him, "In Bethlehem In former generations this mysof Judea, for so it has been written tery was not made known to humanby the prophet 'And you, Bethlekind as it has now been revealed to hem in the land of Judah, are by his holy apostles and prophets by no means least among the rulers of the Spirit that is, the Gentiles have Judah, for from you shall come a become fellow heirs, members of ruler who is to shepherd my people the same body, and sharers in the Israel." .... When they had heard the promise in Christ Jesus through king, they set out, and there ahead the gospel. of them went the star that they had Our sonship seen at its rising until it stopped over the place where the child was.

Let us claim the light â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our light When they saw that the star had who is Christ Jesus manifesting stopped, they were overwhelmed Himself to the world today. Let us with joy. On entering the house, dispel the darkness reigning within me they saw the child with Mary, his caused by inner wounds, capital sins, mother and they knelt down and compulsions, unhealthy habits and paid him homage. Then, opening behavior patterns through His light. their treasure chests, they offered Prayer Starter him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrhâ&#x20AC;Ś.

God Our Father, as we celebrate the Epiphany of Your Son let us identiPrayerful Awareness fy the obstacles within and without that The narrative of the Magi referred hinder His manifestation through our to in the Gospel proclamation for life. And enable us to rise victorious today is found only in the gospel of in proclaiming the good news of Your St. Matthew and it relates to the birth revelation to whosoever we come in of Jesus. Here the Wise Men come contact with. to pay homage to Jesus guided by a star and the gifts brought were gold,

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

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Monday 7th January 2019

St. Raymond Penafort spread throughout Syria, and those

1 John:3/22-4/6 who were suffering from diseases Psalm: 2/7-8,10-11 and painful complaints of one kind or Mathew:4/12-17,23-25 another, the possessed, epileptics, the

paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, Introduction the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Let us read today’s Proclamations Transjordan.

Prayerful Awareness meditatively, where the central theme is God’s Kingdom, and Kingdom values.

“The people that lived in darkness The First Proclamation have seen a great light; on those who And we receive from him whatever lived in a country of shadow dark as we ask, because we obey his command- death a light has dawned.”

The above passage refers to Isaiah ments and do what pleases him.

And this is his commandment, that 9:2. What a profound prophetic descripwe should believe in the name of his tion of our Lord’s presence in Galilee, a Son Jesus Christ and love one another, place considered lowly in human percepjust as he has commanded us. All who tions. Lord Jesus came into the world at obey his commandments abide in him, a level where He could live amongst the and he abides in them. And by this we poor and marginalised sections of society know that he abides in us, by the Spirit in order to raise them up to God’s sonship, yes, a beacon of light for people that he has given us. living in darkness, as prophesied some The Gospel Proclamation seven centuries before Christ! Jesus Hearing that John had been ar- says ‘repent’ to enter God’s Kingdom. rested he withdrew to Galilee, and ‘Repentance’ has a very wide meaning, leaving Nazareth he went and settled and has been summarized as a call to in Capernaum, beside the lake, on the journey from where one is (our sinful borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. This state of doing our own will) to where was to fulfil what was spoken by the one ought to be (carrying out God’s Will in our lives and constantly living in His prophet Isaiah: eternal presence!).

Land of Zebulun! Land of NaphSong of Praise: tali! Way of the sea beyond Jordan.

Psalm: 2/7-8,10-11 Galilee of the nations! The people I will tell the decree of the Lord,: He that lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who lived in a said to me, "You are my son, today have I country of shadow dark as death a fathered you. Ask of me, and I shall make light has dawned. From then onwards the nations your heritage, and the ends Jesus began his proclamation with the of the earth your possession. message, "Repent, for the kingdom of Now therefore, O kings, be wise; Heaven is close at hand. be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve He went round the whole of Galilee the Lord with fear, with trembling kiss teaching in their synagogues, pro- his feet, or he will be angry, and you claiming the good news of the kingdom will perish in the way; for his wrath is and curing all kinds of disease and quickly kindled. Happy are all who take illness among the people. His fame refuge in him.

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

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Tuesday 8th January 2019 1 John:4/7-10 Psalm: 72/1-4, 7-8 Mark: 6/34-44

St. Severin of Noricum Nothing definite is known about the antecedents of St. Severin. He spent a part of his early life in the deserts of the East before opting to preach the Gospel in Noricum (Astura) When he first came to Astura, he met with harshness from the people. He warned them about the punishment God had reserved for them. His prophecy soon came to be true when the Huns invaded the city and destroyed it.

He became famous among them because his prophecy came true. He established two monasteries, one at Biotro and the other at Passau. He foretold his death long before he fell ill on 15th January 482.

The Gospel Proclamation ... he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, .... When it grew late, his disciples ... said, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late, send them away so that they may ... buy something for themselves to eat." But he answered them, "You give them something to eat." .... "How many loaves have you? ... "Five, and two fish." ... Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people and he divided the two fish among them all. And all ate and were filled and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish.

Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.

Prayerful Awareness This miracle is so important that all

St. Severin of Noricum, Abbot four Evangelists mention it. Jesus wanted to be alone with His disciples as they had just come back from their missions.

The divine compassion is evident here. A hard-earned rest or privacy - yes, no one would like others to invade or disturb such a rest. How would we react if our pre-planned rest or vacation is disturbed by boisterous and unruly elements?

Very often we resent our rest being disturbed. For Jesus it was not so - as He saw through the human need of people who called on Him. His attitude towards who called on Him was one filled with unconditional love and compassion. Time and place were irrelevant to Him. Jesus placed His own needs behind that of others. His outlook on others was one worthy of paying attention, divinely good and a beautiful one. For Him one's position, colour and creed were irrelevant. They are mere labels and for Him everyone is a son or daughter of God. This is His yardstick. The reaction of the apostles was devoid of depth, faith and understanding of Jesus. 'In the reckoning of men there is always a deficit; in the arithmetic of God there is always a surplus." (Archbishop F.J.Sheen) In the first proclamation, we have the greatest single statement about God in the whole Holy Bible - 'God is love'. As it is God cannot exist in isolation, that is, He must have someone to love "And now we will make human beings; they will be like us and resemble us." (Genesis 1:26). It is clear that He has equipped men with His own nature - love. Because He is love, His creating act is followed by His constant care. When man sinned, a gulf was created between God and man. And to bridge that gulf God sent His own Son so that through Him man is given fullness of life; the lost sonship is back with us now.

Prayer Starter Thank You Lord for the way You love us. You are really the God of surplus.

Amen.

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Wednesday 9th January 2019 1 John: 4/11-18 Psalm:72:1-2,10, 12-13 (72/1, 2,10-13) Mark:6/45-52

The First Proclamation My dear friends, if God loved us so much, we too should love one another.

No one has ever seen God, but as long as we love one another God remains in us and his love comes to its perfection in us. This is the proof that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us a share in his Spirit. We ourselves have seen and testify that the Father sent his Son as Saviour of the world.

Anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in him and he in God. We have recognised for ourselves, and put our faith in, the love God has for us. God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. Love comes to its perfection in us when we can face the Day of Judgement fearlessly, because even in this world we have become as he is. In love there is no room for fear, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear implies punishment and no one who is afraid has come to perfection in love.

Fix your gaze on Jesus

O Holy Spirit of God, carry us in further on to the bosom of Love.....

Fears...anxieties....phobias....these affect all of us on a day-to-day basis.

Humanity has been plagued by these ills right throughout history. This is however not the natural state God intended for us.

Our Creator designed for us to be in a state of Love, to be in relationship, with S/ Him, S/His Creation and each other. We're embedded in to this existence, yet like a

fish in water would not notice the water it cruises in, are not quite conscious of the fabric of existence we are woven in to. We choose in our hearts and minds to stand apart from the very existence we are in!

This is the fallen state we have inherited due to our fore-parents fallen beliefs; that we are separated, alienated, not One with the existence and Creator; that we are somehow incomplete, not quite correct; that we are Not-OK. Based on this error, they accepted the belief that eating the forbidden fruit will somehow make us complete and equal to God! Believed that somehow, the power to make us complete, lies outside of ourselves! This is completely contrary to what the Lord God wants us to believe.

Jesus came specifically to convey to us that despite circumstances (or rather our assigning of various meanings there-to), God is for us; that S/He is our Loving and Caring Father, with whom we are to exist in unity and relationship. Our binding with S/Him in Love will cast out all the fears and anxieties that plague us. We would be healed and experience the joy and peace of having 'God For Us' at all times! Tossed in the stormy seas (as the disciples are in today's Gospel), we would still experience Jesus with us and be (challenged, yet) OK. After all the saying goes, 'skilled sailors a smooth sea does not make...', and our faith life too is to grow step by step, ever stronger...

Prayer Starter

Dearest Lord Jesus, thank You for being with us at all times. Just open our faith sight to see You by our side, guiding and being the way for us to get back to the bosom of Love!

Lord Holy Spirit, please speak to us, reveal Yourself to us, render us receptive to Your still small voice so that we may transcend our present stage of the journey.....

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

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Thursday 10th January 2019 ness of God and called to follow Him is 1 John: 4/19-5/4 commissioned with the noble vocation Psalm: 72:1-2, 14-15, of loving, forgiving, as well as pleading 17 forgiveness. It involves the invitation to follow Hsim with perseverance rooted Luke:4/14-22 in the divine son-ship inherent to every human being.

The First Proclamation Let us pause for a moment to gaze on the Lord through the Gospel procWe love because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," lamation and allow Him to own us at and hate their brothers or sisters, least for a little while. Jesus returning are liars. for those who do not love to Galilee after being baptized in the a brother or sister whom they have river Jordan, inspired by the Holy Spirit seen cannot love God whom they accomplished the mission entrusted to have not seen. The commandment Him by the Father, preaching the good we have from him is this: those who news of salvation. With the anointing love God must love their brothers of the Holy Spirit He enkindled the flame of love and filled the people with and sisters..... amazement, the great love He had to The Gospel Proclamation free the poor, those in captivity, the Then Jesus, filled with the power blind and the oppressed and to reveal of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and the mysteries of the Kingdom. Those a report about him spread through all who received Him, praised God expethe surrounding country. He began riencing the joy of the Kingdom within. to teach in their synagogues and was Our Sonship praised by everyone.

Let us praise and thank God now, for When he came to Nazareth, ... he the gift of divine inheritance received went to the synagogue on the sabbath at baptism and kindle in our hearts a day, as was his custom. He stood up great longing to witness to the vocation to read, and the scroll of the prophet of following Him as a people anointed.

Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled Let us come to realize the significance the scroll and found the place where of "love" and desire offering others it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord the "agape" love or the love divine is upon me, because he has anointed that could be ours through forgiving me to bring good news to the poor. and being forgiven, the result of which He has sent me to proclaim release to would be inner harmony, peace and joy. the captives and recovery of sight to Just as the people hearing the the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's message of the Lord were filled with amazement let us partake in and rejoice favor' .... in the joy of the Kingdom.

Prayerful Awareness Prayer Starter "If you love me, you will keep my May his name endure forever, his commandments" (John 14:15). It is fame continue as long as the sun. May from Jesus Himself that we have received the commandment to love. Thus, all nations be blessed in him, may they the man created to the image and like- pronounce him happy. (Ps. 72/17...)

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Friday 11th January 2019 1 John: 5/5-13 Psalm: 147/12-15, 19-20 Luke: 5/12-16 The Gospel Proclamation Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean." Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, "I do choose. Be made clean." Immediately the leprosy left him. And he ordered him to tell no one. "Go," he said, "and show yourself to the priest, and, as Moses commanded, make an offering for your cleansing, for a testimony to them." .....

Prayerful Awareness Jesus attends to everyone's needs and then goes alone to pray and is absorbed in prayer. He stays in the presence of His Father God for a long time and listens to what His Father says. Each and every word He treasures in His heart. Then He leaves prayer to preach the gospel.

All seek Him, even the lepers, outcasts and public sinners. A leper approaches Him and says, "If you choose, you can made me clean". Jesus moves in pity and touches him. This is what Jesus has come for, to preach holiness and justice, to be merciful and to draw all to Him. Today's Good News throws a ray of light. The leper came to Jesus kneeling and begging he pleaded the Will of Jesus in order to be healed by Him. "If you wish you can make me clean." He had great faith in the power of Jesus to heal him completely. Instead of distancing Himself from the leper Jesus came close to him and going still further touches him. Jesus goes beyond the

strict observance of the law to execute the perfect law of love. "I do will it. Be made clean". This is how Jesus healed and that was His prayer.

Are our hearts hardened with sin, with habits of insensitivity and selfishness? Have we gone astray and fallen away from God? No matter how terrible our sin or how distant we feel from God, Jesus loves us, forgives us and wants to heal us completely. Let us seek Him with confidence as did the leper because we believe He loves us and has compassion for us. Let us approach Him with true sorrow for our sins and without fear.

If we do so, He will stretch out His hand and touch us.

The Epistle of John reveals to us a very important Good News. He reminds us through Jesus, that God has offered us the gift of eternal life. This is what He wants for us "Who has overcome the world? The one who believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. What has God said? That He has granted us eternal life and this life is in His Son. The one who has the Son has life, those who do not have the Son of God do not have life.

Our sonship How frequent do we associate Jesus? He is our living God who is ever prepared to meet us and build a loving and lasting relationship with Him. So, let us be in His abiding presence as often as we could and witness His love to our neighbourhood. We should ask and hope for Jesus' touch and words or we should offer these words and touch the others in need.

Prayer Starter Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion! For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. He grants peace within your borders; he fills you with the finest of wheat.... (Ps. 146/12-15)

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Saturday 12th January 2019 1 John:5/14-21 Psalm: 149/1-6, 9 (149/1-6 ) John: 3/22-30 The First Proclamation And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. If you see your brother or sister committing what is not a mortal sin, you will ask, and God will give life to such a one - to those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin that is mortal; I do not say that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not mortal.

We know that those who are born of God do not sin, but the one who was born of God protects them, and the evil one does not touch them. We know that we are God's children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ.

He is the true God and eternal life......

The Gospel Proclamation After this, Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he spent some time with them and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because water was abundant there; and people kept coming and were being baptized - John, of course, had not yet been thrown into prison.

Now a discussion about purification arose between John's disciples and a Jew. They came to John and

said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing and all are going to him." John answered "No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven.

You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, "I am not the Messiah, but I have been sent ahead of him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease."

Prayerful Awareness If our prayers are to be answered it should be in accordance with the Will of God. John lays down what might be called the conditions of prayer. One is obedience. We receive whatever we ask because we keep His commandments.

Secondly if we abide in Him and His words abide in us, we will ask what we will and it will be done for us. Thirdly, the closer we live to Christ, the more we shall pray aright; and the more we pray aright, the greater the answer we receive. He says to pray in His Name is a condition of prayer.

In context of the First Proclamation, it must be remembered that, when we have prayed for such a man, we have to speak to the man himself.

We must not only speak to God about him, we must also speak to the man about himself. God needs a channel through which His grace can come and an agent through whom He can act; and it may well be that we are to be His voice in this instance.

Prayer Starter Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.

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of Our Lord Sunday 13th January 2019 FirstBaptism Sunday of Ordinary Time

Isaiah:40/1-5, 9-11 Psalm: 104/1-4,24-25 Titus:2/11-14, 3/4-7 Luke:3/15-16, 21-22

Introduction Holy Mother the Church most appropriately celebrates the feast of the Baptism of our Lord at the beginning of the year. The Lord steps into the river Jordan, receives baptism or rather the baptism of repentance from John the Baptist whereby He receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit. With this He bids farewell to His hidden life of 30 years and starts His public ministry, the mission entrusted to Him by God the Father. The foundation for His experience at baptism is ; 'You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased..

We too have entered into as well as inherited the same experience at baptism. Therefore at the very beginning of the year let us step into the journey of prayer pleading for the grace to live out this experience of being the beloved son throughout the year.

Entrance Antiphon After the Lord was baptized, the heavens were opened, and the Spirit descended upon him like a dove, and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

The First Proclamation Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: "In the wilderness, prepare the way for the Lord, make

straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear, say to the cities of Judah, "Here is your God!" See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. he will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

Prayerful Awareness Second Isaiah was a prophet of the Exile about 540 BC and his words are preserved in chapters 40-55.

First of all he brings them a message of consolation and hope. It was a fitting response to the prevailing crisis of faith, a promise of a time of liberation that sheds immense light even to the world today.

Accordingly it presents the work of the precursor, John the Baptist preparing the way of the Lord. Here is the Lord coming with power; was real good news to a people under persecution, a proclamation of the immense love of God. He like a shepherd feeding His flock, gathering lambs in His arms, holding them against His breast and leading to their rest the mother ewes further reveals the mercy and kindness available to us through Christ the Lord.

The Gospel Proclamation As the people were filled with

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expectation and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying "I baptize you with water, but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am e pleased."

Prayerful Awareness

for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we had done, but according to his mercy, through the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit Prayerful Awareness

Let us be open to the invitation extended by St. Paul through the above proclamation containing an exhortation which is a call for repentance. Let us read the words several times meditatively for a deep experience of repentance.

Let us take to heart the words, "You Towards our Son-ship are my Son, the Beloved; my favour Through Baptism all of us have been rests on you." What sort of impact did these words have on Jesus? Let us focus called to acknowledge Jesus Christ as our on Him through the Holy Spirit. He was only Lord and Saviour. It is to cast off most captivated by the words, that He the old and embrace the new life. Now, surrendered Himself totally to the hands at this moment or daily when we submit of the Father. He came to the realization ourselves to the guidance of the Holy that the inheritance of son-ship was a Spirit through repentance and enter a new pure gift from God. Neither was it earned life we would hear the voice of Abba Father "You are my son, the beloved, my nor an achievement on His part.

Let us turn to ourselves. Experi- favour rests on you." So, let us pray for encing the Beloved son-ship of God is the grace to be a servant son or daughter our inheritance too, bestowed on us at totally dedicated for the cause of the Baptism. Yet, in order to own it we have Kingdom, experiencing the dignity, to enter into a life of total surrender for security and communion inherent to our which the Holy Spirit has to empower us. divine son-ship and thus together with Thus we would be equipped for the task the Holy Mother the Church to enlighten of engaging ourselves in the mission of and empower us to redirect our nation being a true servant son and daughter of speeding downhill.

Prayer Starter God our Father.

The Second Proclamation Bless the Lord, O my soul, O Lord my For the grace of God has appeared, God, you are very great. You are clothed bringing salvation to all, training with honor and majesty, wrapped in light us to renounce impiety and worldly as with a garment. You stretch out the passions, and in the present age to heavens like a tent, You set the beams of live lives that are self-controlled, up- your chambers on the waters, you make right, and godly, while we wait for the the clouds your chariot.... O Lord, how blessed hope and the manifestation of manifold are your works! In wisdom you the glory of our great God and Savior, have made them all, the earth is full of Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself your creatures. (Ps.104/1-4 24-25)

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Monday 14th January 2019 Hebrews: 1/1-6 Psalm: 97/1-2,6-7, 9 Mark: 1/14-20

First Proclamation Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds. He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact imprint of God's very being, and he sustains all things by his powerful word. ...

For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son; today I have begotten you?" Or again, "I will be is father, and he will be my Son"?....

Gospel Proclamation Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the good news of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." As Jesus passed along the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea - for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; who were in their boat, mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.

Prayerful Awareness

Let us read today’s Proclamations meditatively, where the central theme is God’s Kingdom and Kingdom values,

the chief of which is Love! We know that Almighty God created the universe/s for the purpose of sharing the Love relationship the Creative Force (Father) has with the Son (Word), with the spirit of constant flowing active giving and receiving becoming a binding Holy Spirit of Love manifesting as a third personage, in the Holy Alliance/Trinity. God created the most precious creation MAN to be on equal terms with Him as an extension of Himself as part of a God Family and gave man the ability to procreate to enlarge the Family! The Creation must operate on a set of rules for its sustenance, i.e. universal, sacrificial, humble/serving, and constant unconditional Love, which we observe in nature, everything being cyclically inter-connected.

Our first parents lost God’s family status when they willingly chose to disobey these rules by being misled by Satan the Devil, and we now pay the price of disease, destruction, decay, and death.

But our merciful Abba Father had a plan from the beginning for the redemption of mankind through Himself paying the price for mankind’s collective sin by offering His life in sacrifice in the form of the second personage in the Holy Trinity, His Only Begotten Son, the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ, who released His Spirit upon the creation at His death & Resurrection whereby Son-ship is now restored to whosoever believes, repent, and surrenders his/her life willingly to the Lord!

Song of Praise The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice, let the many isles be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. Fire goes before him, and consumes his adversaries on every side. His lightnings light up the world, the earth sees and trembles. ....

The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.....

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Tuesday 15th January 2018

St. Paul, the first Hermit, Confessor

Hebrews:2/5-12 Psalm: 8/1,4-8 Mark:1/21-28 St. Paul the first Hermit He was a native of Thebes in Egypt.

He was orphaned at 15 but grew up to be wealthy and highly educated. Fearing the tortures of a horrible persecution might endanger his Christian perseverance, he retired to a remote village. He placed himself in divine providence and was amply rewarded. Even when the persecution abated he did not return to his village but having tasted great delight in prayer and penance he opted to remain there in prayer and meditation for the rest of his life. His existence was miraculously revealed to St. Anthony who found him after 3 days. The raven that used to bring Paul his allowance of bread brought double the allowance.

Having spent a whole night in prayer Paul told Anthony that he was about to die. He also told Anthony that he wished to be buried in the cloak given to him by St. Athanasius. When Anthony returned with the cloak he saw Paul's soul rise to heaven in glory. He found the body kneeling as if in prayer. He died at the age of 113. Patron of weavers.

The First Proclamation

he might taste death for everyone......

Prayerful Awareness Psalm 8 sings of the glory of human beings. When God created the world man was created a little less than Him. He gave him dominion over everything in the world. "Have many children so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds and all the wild animals." (Genesis 1/28-29). Although man and woman were meant to have dominion over everything, they fell short of that target.

They sinned and the result is they were defeated by their temptations, frustrated by their circumstances and weaknesses.

The ones who were destined to be masters became slaves. The demands of the situation were such that God sent His only Son. "By the grace of God" Jesus tasted death for everyone." in His plan of salvation, God ordained that His Son should not only "die for our sins" but should also "taste death", experience the condition of death, the separation of His soul from His body, between the time He expired on the cross and the time He was raised from the dead. The state of the dead Christ is the mystery of the tomb and the descent into hell. It is the mystery of Holy Saturday, when Christ lying in the tomb, reveals God's great sabbath rest after the fulfilment of man's salvation, which brings peace to the whole Universe." (C.C.C. 624) "I pray not only for them, but also for those who believe in me because of their message. I pray that they may all be one. Father ! May they be in us just as You are in Me and I am in You." Prayer Starter

.... "What are human beings that you are mindful of them, or mortals, that you care for them? You have made them for a little while lower than the angels, you have crowned them with glory and honor, subjecting all things under their feet." ... As it is, we do not yet see everything in subjection to them, but we do see Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels, now crowned with glory We thank Thee O Lord for giving us and honor because of the suffering back the sonship we lost through sin. of death, so that by the grace of God Amen.

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Wednesday 16th January 2019 Isaiah:52/7-10 Psalm: 96/1-3, 6-8, 10 Acts:20/17-18,28-32,36 Mark:16/15-20

The First Proclamation How beautiful on the mountains, are the feet of the messenger announcing peace, of the messenger of good news, who proclaims salvation and says to Zion, 'Your God is king!' The voices of your watchmen! Now they raise their voices, shouting for joy together, for with their own eyes they have seen Yahweh returning to Zion. Break into shouts together, shouts of joy, you ruins of Jerusalem; for Yahweh has consoled his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.

Yahweh has bared his holy arm for all the nations to see, and all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Fix your gaze on Jesus

I'm truly perplexed Lord, confused in my ways of thinking; but then I remember that, 'Your thoughts are not like mine, being higher even as the sky is beyond the earth...

Let me explain; when I read your exhortation to â&#x20AC;&#x153;break in to shouts of joy, since you have bared your holy arm to redeem us and bring salvation to all of earthâ&#x20AC;?, it brings to mind beautiful images of you showing your strength and majesty on our behalf and conquering and subjugating the evil doers who have/are making our lives miserable and painful and stressful. You'd save us from the evil oppressors; those who'd use us for their betterment in myriad ways, without offering/sharing a proper portion of the reward/

St. Joseph Vaz earnings with us.

My/our enemy against whose unrighteous ways we have been waging an unsuccessful effort/war, will be sundered, is the pleasing image we perceive in hearing your exhortation.

The salvation however (read today's Gospel please) came in the form of Jesus, who was handed over to Pilate, Barabbas preferred over him, crowned with a ring of thorns, tortured in the best practices of that day, dressed over in purple to be mocked, and led away to be crucified and killed.

And my perplexity grows.

Until I come to the next phase of the plan; the Abba Father raises Jesus from the dead! The spirit of Jesus that is ever-lasting returns to the mangled body, and it is rejuvenated. How cool is that!

Contemplating the redemption so wrought, I realise that our thinking is foundered on a faulty premise; we are so in to thinking that we are our body, and concluding that somehow there is a separation between us and God; between us and God's creation; between me and my brother ... Looking at what transpired, it becomes so much clearer that we are the breath/spirit of God, and that God resides not only in heaven (out there as perceived by us!), but also totally inside of me, empowering and enabling me to face all circumstances brought before me to lift me to this realisation, the realisation that we are One/in Union, salvation to be experienced here and now....Alleluia...!

Prayer Starter

Humbly do I accept that my/our thinking and beliefs are tainted with error.

Now teach us Your ways / thinking, so that Jesus the Christ who is Your Word will become incarnate within, and we will image Your Son ever so more faithfully...

Your Word...O Precious...

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

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Thursday 17th January 2019 Hebrews:3/7-14 Psalm: 95/6-11 Mark:1/40-45

The Gospel Proclamation A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, "If you choose, you can make me clean!" Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, "I do choose.

Be made clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country, and people came to him from every quarter.

Prayerful Awareness Christ, forever being filled with the love of the Father loved others with the same. Healing of the leper was simply an act of love. He never expected praise from others for whatever was accomplished but glorified God through everything. A leper was a man rejected and alienated by the society, experiencing utter loneliness.

Yet, even in the state of utter despair there was a streak of faith virtually shining through that made him declare, "If you want you can heal me."

And his faith cured him.

St. Anthony, Abbot My Sonship With the dawn of a new year our hearts are vibrant with joy. You and I would have definitely expressed in words our resolution to make Christ the only Lord and Master of our lives throughout the year. Yet, when we come across unforeseen circumstances can we fulfill this heart's desire.

What is going to be my response when I am confused, fall ill and face financial difficulties? Like the leper, can we say, "Lord, if you want to, you can heal me?" Do we have that much of faith? Or else am I a person who getting discouraged, tend to go after other gods, complaining and murmuring against the Lord, forgetting the promise given and acting contrary to our Christian way of life? Let us be aware, repent for our sin and move from where we are to where we should be. His is a love divine, most complete with no shadow of imperfection. If so, successful or unsuccessful, whatever situation we are faced with, let us believe that God is present within us. In our journey of life we are beset with many a temptation over which we will not have any control if we do not listen to the Holy Spirit and totally depend on Him. When we are beset with evil, only the Spirit of the Lord could come to our aid.

Prayer Starter Lord, enlighten us as to always remain in the shade of Your wings and share the good news of the day with others.

Let us not neglect the poor and the vulnerable but share with them the love of God.

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Friday 18th January 2019 Hebrews:4/1-5, 11 Psalm: 78/3-4. 6-8 Mark: 2/1-12 Gospel Proclamation .... Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,..., and he preached the word to them.

They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ....they opened up the roof above him. ... they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, "Child, your sins are forgiven". ...Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, "Your sins are forgiven, or to say, "pick up our mat and walk"? .... "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." ...., "We have never seen anything like this" Prayerful Awareness Simon Peter’s home at Capernaum was like the second home of Jesus. The large gathering that had come made it impossible to bring the paralytic to Jesus through the door, so they opened the roof and let down the paralytic on a mat to Jesus for healing. Scribes in the Old Jewish society were people whose job was to record or write copies of the Old Testament books for various purposes, and therefore knew God’s Word well.

They knew that only God has the power to forgive sins, but they did not accept or believe that Jesus Christ was the one to come as referred to in the Word and did not want to accept the miracles which Jesus did that could only be done with the power of God. They also could not accept Jesus as

he was known as Jesus of Nazareth, and according to the Word the Messiah was expected to be born from Bethlehem. It was a secret not known by people, an act of God removing baby Jesus from Bethlehem in order to save his life from King Herod. We see how God had hidden all these facts from people who expected Messiah from an aristocratic family as He was to come from the generation of King David (St. Joseph as well as Holy Mother were descendants of King David through different genealogies ). How God had ensured His Word, and how God protected and raised Jesus the Son of God to fulfill the Mission for which he descended from heaven. We too are brought into this world for a purpose, to Accept and enjoy the Great Love of God given free, free of any condition and to share this Love with others, to raise them and educate them to know God (His Great Love) and get closer to Him to know Him personally to know His Word to know the Lord of the Word, Jesus Christ who elevated all of us who accepted Him, to become adopted sons of God and be guided by God’s Spirit (Holy Spirit). We are called to share this Word and His great love with others, the Great love we receive acting as real sons and daughters of our Ever Loving Father, to live pious lives with joy and happiness following His teachings, always depending on Him in prayer, for Wisdom, Strength, Help and Protection, until the day we leave to join Him. Let us praise Him with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer Starter Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy, Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy, Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I always may be holy, Grant me these in Jesus’ name, Amen

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Saturday 19th January 2019 Hebrews: 4/12-16 Psalm: 19/8, 9, 10, 15 (19/7-9, 14) Mark: 2/13-17 The Gospel Proclamation Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in Levi's house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples - for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard this he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."

Gaze on Jesus Jesus was always attuned to the Will of the Father and it was this Will that guided Him to the tax collector who was engaged in tax collecting work. His disciples who were with Him would never have expected Him to extend a call to a tax collector who was hated by the Jews because he served a foreign power.

The tax collector would never have met Jesus before but there was some power behind Jesus' words which made him to leave behind everything and answer the call to follow Him. Jesus made this an occasion for His other disciples to lay aside the prejudices they had against the tax collectors and be one with them by

sitting at the same table and eating with them. In this place also there were the teachers of the Law who had been sent there by the Pharisees to pry on Jesus and when they accused Jesus of eating with tax collectors and sinners Jesus tells them that He has been sent by the Father to call the sinners to repentance so that they too can be made to experience the forgiving, redeeming and unconditional love of the Father.

Prayerful Awareness To enter into the family of God, we have to change some of those deep-rooted values. This conversion takes place within one's inner self and is not so conspicuous as participation in devotional practices, but is much more valuable. We have to free ourselves from prejudices according to which we classify people into good or bad, those we can greet and those we cannot, those we can help and love and those we cannot. We have to bear in mind that God does not hate anyone, for His merciful plan covers the salvation of all. The tax collectors were despised by the people not only because they served the Romans but because they also collected over and above what is due and which they kept for themselves. Even the beggars avoided them. There is also the case of Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector who took great pains to see Jesus and when Jesus made Himself a guest in his house, a total transformation took place within him. "The Son of Man has come to seek and save the lost." (Luke 19/10) Prayer Starter Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Ps.19/14)

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Sunday 20th January 2019 Isaiah:62/1-5 Psalm: 96/1-3, 7-10 1 Corinthians:12/4-11 John:2/1-11

Introduction On this second Sunday of Ordinary time the Church brings before us a glimpse of the immense love and mercy of God on all His creatures.

The first proclamation sets forth how the people will be liberated from captivity promising them a time of consolation and courageous living.

Similarly, the Gospel proclamation through the life of our Lord Jesus Christ who committed His life totally to the Will of God along with Mother Mary who inflamed with faith, hope and love lived a life of unwavering determination poses a great challenge.

Through the second proclamation St. Paul awakening us to our vocation of a Spirit filled Christian reminds us of the duty of spending the gifts received for the common good.

Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to empower us that we may not only be hearers of God's word but also doers who act with zeal as befitting to our baptismal commitment.

The First Proclamation For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn and her salvation like a burning torch. The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory, and

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time PS WK II you shall be called by a new name, that the mouth of the Lord will give Prayerful Awareness The first proclamation for the day, namely Isaiah Chapter 62 is taken from the third or the final section of the Book of Isaiah. The narrative it contains is first hand information from an unknown prophet called the third Isaiah according to several scholars of the second half of the 18th century. Thus the author addressing the concerns and challenges of the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem tries to boost up hope in God's future manifestation and in the coming of His royal rule; For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet.....

The Gospel Proclamation

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine."

And Jesus said to her, "Woman what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come."

His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." â&#x20AC;Ś. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, "Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward."..."Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now." Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

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Prayerful Awareness Miracles, according to the Gospel of St. John are 'signs' to reveal Jesus' glory of divine Son-ship and Messiah-ship. Through His first miracle Jesus reveals His longing for total adherence to the plan and Will of God. "Woman my hour has not yet come." This statement could be considered as a rebuke for the human effort of trying to accelerate the plan of God. John uses this to show forth what Jesus had in mind concerning His 'hour' of suffering, death, resurrection and ascension through which He would be glorified.

The Lord with His conviction that even through His mother endowed with the gifts of faith and hope, God could reveal Himself, allows the mother to have her way showing respect to her unique experience as well by way of manifesting His glory even though His "hour" has not yet come.

The Second Proclamation Now there are varieties of gifts but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone.

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to anther faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Al these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots

to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

Prayerful Awareness

St. Paul receiving the greatest gift, the Holy Spirit through his Christ encounter, gives a powerful message to the Corinthian community â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whatever we do should be done for the glory of God for it is the same God who dwells in everything and working in all of them. We should bear in mind that whatever talents and gifts we have received are for mutual benefit. Accordingly we should not try to accomplish anything aiming at our own glory for we are helpless and inadequate by ourselves unless the Spirit works in us. It is quite evident that St. Paul in keeping with his guidance to the Corinthian community was constantly aware of as well as allowed the Holy Spirit to work in him.

Our sonship

The invitation extended through all of the above proclamations including the psalm is to enjoy the blessings bestowed on us by allowing the Spirit to work in us. Both God's word and His Will is a fire. The calling today is to gaze on the Lord Jesus and Mother Mary whose only hope and desire was to see the hour of God being manifested in their life.

Let us turn towards us. What is our response? Isn't it a time for conversion and be filled with an inner thirst to experience the Kingdom of God?

Prayer Starter

Abba Father, help us to be in constant awareness of the Holy Spirit that we may follow the Lord Jesus and Mother Mary who committed themselves totally to Your Word and Will at every moment of their life.

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Monday 21st January 2019 Hebrews: 5/1-10 Psalm: 110/1-4 Mark: 2/18-22 The First Proclamation Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. .... And one does not presume to take this honor, but takes it only 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", ....

The Gospel Proclamation Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast? Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.

"No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, otherwise the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins, but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins."

Prayerful Awareness John's disciples fasted, as a sign of mourning for sin and to prepare for the Messiah's coming. Jesus' disciples did not NEED to fast because Jesus is the Mes-

St. Agnes siah and WAS WITH THEM. Jesus did not condemn fasting - He Himself fasted.

John had two goals to lead people to repent of their sins and to prepare them for Christ's coming. John's message was sobering, so he and his followers fasted. Fasting is both an outward sign of humility and regret for sin, and an inner discipline that clears the mind and keeps the spirit alert. Fasting empties the body of food, Repentance empties the life of sin.

Jesus emphasized fasting with the right motives. The Pharisees fasted twice a week to SHOW others how HOLY they were. Jesus experienced that if people fast only to impress others, they will be fasting TWISTING the purpose of fasting.

A wineskin was a goatskin sewn together at the edges to form a watertight bag. New wine expanding as it aged, stretched the wineskin. New wine therefore could not be put into already stretched wineskin or the taut skin would burst.

The Pharisees had become rigid like old wineskins. They could not accept faith in Jesus, that would not be contained or limited by man-made ideas or rules.

Jesus compared Himself to a BRIDEGROOM. In the Bible the image of a BRIDE is often used for God's people, and the image of a Bridegroom for the God who LOVEs them. How much 'LOVE'? Unlimited. Because He forgives us without CONDITIONS. He died a 'gruesome death' to compensate for our sins. To give us eternal life after death.

There is no greater love than to lay down His life for a friend!

Prayer Starter Thank You Father for Jesus. Help us to accept the new life that Christ offers us in the life-changing truths of Jesus Christ. Help us to focus on Christ not on Law.

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Tuesday 22nd January 2019

St. Vincent Pallotti, Confessor

Prayerful Awareness Hebrews: 6/10-20 The reference here is to the hard Psalm:111/1-2,4-5,9-10 struggle they had to endure, the sufferMark:2/23-28 ings they had undergone and the compassion shown to the fellow-Christians.

"I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, although it was not really my own doing but God's grace working St. Vincent Pallotti with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). The He was born in Rome on 21st April opportunities made available to us, the 1795. He is called a second Philip Nehri talents God has given us plus knowledge because of his tireless labours both in and good will - yes, all these have to be the confessional and the pulpit and his put to good use to save our neighbours. boundless charity towards the poor, The good we have done thus and are the sick and the unfortunate. He even still doing will never be forgotten by gave away the very shoes and clothes God. The Christians to whom this letter he was wearing. Later he was made is addressed have failed to grow up in confessor of Propaganda College. He Christian faith and knowledge and also founded the society of the Catholic have been falling away from the original Apostolate (Palottines) and the Sisters enthusiasm. Yet, something worth nothof the Catholic Apostolate. He died on ing is that they have never given up the 22nd January 1850. Beatified by Pope practical side of their service. The great Pius XII 100 years later. Canonized by practical truth we can see is this. In our Pope John XXIII on 20th January 1963 Christian life at times, we feel listless or dreary and keep away from Church during Vatican Council II activities, such as committees, choir, The First Proclamation various services etc. The result - someFor God is not unjust; he will not times we give up everything. If so we get overlook your work and the love that lost. If we decide to carry on regardless, you showed for his sake in serving the determined to see the silver line of the dark cloud, the light of the world will saints, as you still do. ....

When God made a promise to make us beacons, carriers of His word.

Abraham, because he had no one We must not lose hope in such times but greater by whom to swear, he swore say this little prayer, "For this, I have by himself, saying, "I will surely bless Jesus". The divine plan is clear - He is you and multiply you." And thus there watching with out-stretched hand.

Abraham, having patiently endured, On our part we have got to let Him take obtained the promise. Human beings, full control of the arid situation. What of course, swear by someone greater nice examples we have in saints. They than themselves, and an oath given endured tribulations, overcame dangers as confirmation puts an end to all and won the crown. The path they have disputes. In the same way when God trodden is clear and let us allow the desired to show even more clearly Holy Spirit to carry us on to victory.

Prayer Starter to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, Lord, be our anchor in times of trials he guaranteed it by an oath, .... and tribulations.

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Wednesday 23rd January 2019 Hebrews: 7/1-3, 15-17 Psalm: 110/1-4 Mark: 3/1-6 The First Proclamation Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, came to meet Abraham when he returned from defeating the kings, and blessed him; and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, 'king of saving justice' and also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace'; he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God. He remains a priest for ever.... This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is a priest not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life. For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek.

Fix your gaze on Jesus Lord, guide us to delve in to Your heart, to experience what You did looking upon the man with the withered limb and the Pharisees intent on trapping You for any perceived error...

The man was experiencing a piteous state of being; having a withered hand that disabled him from working for his living, he was undoubtedly a most proper object for charity; an icon of the Needy, of the Poor.

The Creator is biased towards empowering; of evolving awareness / consciousness from insensate material state to the spiritual relational state.

Look upon His work: transforming raw

elemental material (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen etc.), combining them to form complex molecules that thereafter themselves band together to build up the DNA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the aggregates that somehow are self-conscious in varying degrees!

The Creator is the prime empowerer; Jesus, the incarnate Word, the singular channel there-for. So, let those (and that is everyone and everything) be helped that cannot help themselves.

The Lord will be the energy, the living substance, the ultimate nourishment, the life and purpose for all that is!

Let everyone and everything stand receptive to the evolving creative opus of the Creator. The nature of the Lord is Love; a relational spiritual state of being, whilst somehow material at the same time.

The great healing (empowering) day in the Gospel is the Sabbath, and the place the house of prayer. The mechanism is clear: though our hands are withered, yet, we need to stretch them out (seek the relationship). Otherwise, it is our own fault that we are not healed. But if we are healed, Christ, His power and grace, must have all the glory.

The stubborn, they hear what is said amiss, and see what is done amiss; and refuse the relationship. Christ looks at the root of bitterness in the heart, the blindness and hardness of that, and is grieved. Let hardâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;hearted sinners tremble to think of the anger with which he will look upon them shortly, when the day of his wrath comes.

Prayer Starter Bravo...!Alleluia to my new found relationships with my brethren, with the creation, and the all embracing Creator... I'm now connected... I feel loved ... I'm at peace ... I'm now lifted up ... Amen...

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrñ' ud l< hq;= l=ula±hs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Thursday 24th January 2019 Hebrews: 7/25-8/6 Psalm: 40/7-9, 17 (40/6-9, 16) Mark: 3/7-13

The First Proclamation And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them. Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself. The Law of Moses appoints men who are imperfect to be high priests; but God's promise made with the vow, which came later than the Law, appoints the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

The Gospel Proclamation

Jesus and his disciples went away to Lake Galilee, and a large crowd followed him. They had come from Galilee, from Judea, from Jerusalem, from the territory of Idumea, from the territory on the east side of the Jordan, and from the region around the cities of Tyre and Sidon. All these people came to Jesus because they had heard of the things he was doing. The crowd was so large that Jesus told his disciples to get a boat ready for him, so that the people would not crush him. He had healed many people, and all the sick kept pushing their way to him in order to touch him.

And whenever the people who had evil spirits in them saw him, they would fall down before him and scream, “You are

St. Francis de Sales the Son of God!” Many times he sternly forbade them to make him known.

Prayerful Awareness

The First Proclamation speaks of the goodness, the benevolence and the holiness of Jesus. He was set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. Jesus tirelessly worked for the goodness of man, healing and teaching. People from all over came to see Jesus and to be healed. It was a time of difficulty for the Jews under the Roman occupation and they were yearning for a deliverer. But Jesus didn’t want them to know that he was the Messiah. The Jews idea of Messiahship was quite different from the popular idea. Jesus saw in Messiahship a way of service, of sacrifice and of love with a cross at the end of it.

The popular idea of the Messiah was of a conquering king who, with his mighty armies, would blast the Romans and lead the Jews to world power. But now Jesus faced a problem. The demon possessed men somehow felt that Jesus was of God; they felt that in the presence of this nearness to God the demons could not live and therefore they were afraid. And Jesus didn’t want to be known as the Messiah at that time. If a rumour were to go out that the Messiah had arrived, the inevitable consequence would have been rebellions and uprisings. Jesus Messiahship was of love; not Jewish nationalism and they had to be taught carefully. That is why he silenced the evil spirits.

Prayer Starter

Then I said, "Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation, see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. (Ps.40/7-9)

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Friday 25th January 2019 Acts: 9/1-22 OR 22-3/16 Psalm: 117/1-2 Mark:16/15-18 Today Holy Mother the Church celebrates the feast of the conversion of St. Paul. Saul of Tarsus was a Jew educated under Gamaliel according to the strict observance of the Law. To this dependable and responsible young man Jews had entrusted the difficult task of eliminating from their communities the new and suspicious doctrine of the Christians and he does this with great utmost zeal for the good of his religion.

Thus obtaining letters to the synagogues of Damascus that would authorize him to arrest and bring to Jerusalem the faithful witnessing to Jesus of Nazareth he sets forth on his errand. On the way, a great light flashes around him and he hears a voice saying to him "Saul, Saul!

Why do you persecute me?"

To the question "Who are you Lord?" the reply he received was, "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting."

By then, he had fallen to the ground and when he got up he was blind yet seeing for he had encountered Christ.

After meeting Jesus Paul was a different person. The arch-persecutor became the arch-witness chosen by the Lord to carry His name to the ends of the earth.

The Gospel Proclamation And he said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe; by using my name they will cast

Conversion of St. Paul out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.

Gaze at Jesus Lord Jesus after His Resurrection before going to the Father bestowed on His disciples the Holy Spirit so that they would bring to completion the mission entrusted to Him. It was a sharing of His power of Son-ship to equip them for the task of proclaiming the Good News to all creation. As such, the Acts of the Apostles clarifies this through the great event in the upper room at the gathering of Mother Mary with the community of disciples in prayer. The disciples faithfully accomplished the mission entrusted to them by their Master. People were amazed at the wonders and miraculous signs they performed. Thus, with the self sacrifice and dedication of the first Christian community endowed with the power of divine son-ship the work has been carried down through the ages to the present day. It was simply the sonship they inherited that enabled them to walk up even to the point of sacrificing their own lives.

If we turn to ourselves we too have received the same power through our Baptism. And our vocation is to proclaim and share with others the good news while experiencing the risen Lord in our lives. Even today, through the feast of the conversion of St. Paul the invitation extended to us by Holy Mother the Church is to engage in this missionary activity of being a Christ bearer to the whole world.

Prayer Starter Praise the Lord all you nations (Psalm 117:1).

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrñ' ud l< hq;= l=ula±hs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Saturday 26th January 2019 2 Timothy: 1/1-8 OR Titus: 1/1-5 Psalm: 96/1-3,7-8, 10 Luke:10/1-9

Gospel Proclamation After this Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, there is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in his harvest.

Go! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Don’t take a purse or a beggar’s bag or shoes; don’t stop to greet anyone on the road. Whenever you go into a house, first say, Peace be with this house. If a peace-loving person lives there, let your greeting of peace remain on him; if not take back your greeting of peace. Stay in that same house, eating and drinking whatever they offer you, for workers should be given their pay. Don’t move round from one house to another.

Whenever, you go into a town and are made welcome, eat what is set before you, heal the sick in that town, and say to the people there, The kingdom of God has come hear you.

Gaze at Jesus Let us reflect on a few salient points from today’s gospel about Jesus. First, the gospel says, Jesus sent the 72, in pairs to towns and places ahead of him.

It also indicates that He was planning a following visit. Secondly, He sent them without possessions. Third point is he sends them two by two or as little communities. During their travel, he instructs them to go to houses that would accept them willingly and to receive their hospitality unconditionally with respect.

Sts. Timothy & Titus Our sonship One of the very important missions in Christian outreach is visiting homes.

Jesus tells us to go with least possessions because it helps to focus on the kingdom of God and allows God to work his plan through us. In this situation too, when the 72 reported back, they were completely overwhelmed in the way God had worked miracles through them.

Secondly, they were sent in small communities. In His ministries, Jesus promises to work powerful miracles where two or three gather in His name.

Therefore, when there are two, there is always strength in unity.

Lord also gave the 72, the freedom to walk away from those who did not welcome them, instead Jesus instructs them to invest more time in houses where they are more welcome. In such homes they would share their hospitality unconditionally with respect. This is a way forward for community building.

These three concepts are very important in Christian fellowship. However, they are also the least addressed for lack of time and understanding. All the communities such as Pubuduwa, Legion of Mary, Sacred Heart society SVP in the Catholic Church are entrusted with the mission of visiting homes.

Therefore, today let us pray for all the church communities to work endearingly towards achieving God’s purposes through their individual charisms in their parishes.

Let us also pray for priests, that they may have the enlightenment to make use of these communities for greater purposes of God’s kingdom and they will work as one body of Christ understanding their diversity.

Prayer Starter Lord unite us for Your kingdom purposes, in Your Holy name we pray.

Amen!

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Sunday 27th January 2019 Nehemiah:8/2-6,8-10 Psalm: 19:8, 9, 10, 15 (19/7-9, 14) 1 Corinthians:12/12-30 Luke:1/1-4; 4/14-21 OR Deuteronomy:6/1-9 Psalm: 128/1-5 Colossians: 3/12-21 Mark: 10/13-15 Introduction in our search for happiness as human beings we discover a need for belonging.

Usually our family, place and country of birth give us the initial sense of belonging. The people of Israel had a strong tradition which told them that they were the chosen people of God. Their belief helped them to face whatever came their way with an assurance which went beyond who and what they were as a nation in the world. Their confidence was not so much in themselves but in the Lord God who had chosen them as His own.

The Entrance Antiphon for today was a constant refrain from within their hearts.

Sing a new song to the Lord, all the earth. Truth and beauty surround Him. He lives in holiness and glory.

The First Proclamation On the first day of the seventh month, therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand. Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak till midday, in the presence of the men, the women, and those children old enough to understand; and all the people listened attentively to the book of the law. Ezra the scribe stood

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time PS WK II

on a wooden platform that had been made for the occasion, at his right side stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maseiah, and on his left Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, Meshullam.

Ezra opened the scroll so that all the people might see it (for he was standing higher up than any of the people), and, as he opened it, all the people rose. Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, "Amen, amen!" Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the Lord, their faces to the ground. Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it so that all could understand what was read. Then Nehemiah, that is, His Excellency, and Ezra the priest scribe (and the Levites who were instructing the people) said to all the people, "Today is holy to the Lord your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep" for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. He said further, "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared; for today is holy to our Lord. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the Lord must be your strength.

Prayerful Awareness It is said that the people of God had their teachers and prophets to instruct them. The first proclamation of today is the first of one of the rare instances where the scroll containing the law of the Lord was read for all to hear. It moved the people who were listening to tears.

They heard as if the Lord Himself was speaking to them They would have realized in their hearts it was the obedience to these laws that knit them into being a people. They belonged to one another.

To recognize in others their own brothers

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and sisters was cause for celebration.

Rejoicing to the Lord who chose them to be His people was indeed their strength.

The Gospel Proclamation Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by these who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.

Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought p, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. To let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Gaze at Jesus As Jesus stood up to read, a passage from the prophet Isaiah was given to Him. It was a passage about the coming Messiah. Jesus is in fact announcing that He Himself is that Messiah. He applied the words of the prophet to

Himself. "The spirit of the Lord has been given to me (at His Baptism), for he has anointed me." He identifies His mission as specifically to the poor, the captives or prisoners, the blind and the oppressed.

These are the ones who are in need of a savior. The law in the scriptures gave peoplehood to those who kept the law.

The promises contained in the scriptures gave them hope. Jesus presents Himself as the promise fufilled. Jesus Christ invites us to become more than a people.

Let u s read the Second Proclamation.

The Second Proclamation For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - Jews or Greek, slaves or free - and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Indeed the body does not consist f one member but of many.,,,, If all were a single member, where would the body be As it is, there are many members, yet one body. ...Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.....

Our sonship The problem with our lives is that it is so individualistic. We try to manage things on our own. And that is even true of the way we try to live our Christian lives. St. Paul through divine revelation tells us that we are one body in Christ.

Each member interacts in a constant giving and receiving. For it is in mutual giving and receiving as one Body that we enable each other to experience the freedom of oneness which Jesus wishes us to have.

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus Christ! The thirst for union and communion is the gift you give us through the Holy Spirit. May we become constantly aware and be submissive to His direction.

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

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Monday 28th January 2019 Hebrews: 9/15, 24-28 Psalm: 98/1-6 Mark: 3/22-30 Gospel Proclamation The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come.

But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man, then indeed the house can be plundered. ....

Prayerful Awareness Jesus knew who He was, the Son of God, who became man to fulfill the Will of Father to redeem mankind. He also knew that He drove out demons to heal such sick people, by the power of God’s Spirit (The Holy Spirit) incarnated on Him. How humble Jesus was not to get perturbed by the statement made by the Scribes. Instead, He summoned them and drew attention to their ignorance and weakness for wrong thinking against simple logic, and further pointed out to them that whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit (The Spirit of God’s Love) will be guilty of an everlasting sin.

Scribes in the olden Jewish society had an authority over the Old Testament writings and acted as they knew everything in connection with God’s Word. Most people with authority forget that they are called to do their duties with God’s Love to share this Love with everyone, especially with the ones to whom they are

called to serve. Instead most try to show their power and use their position to mistreat others due to their weaknesses.

Jesus said if one wants to be a leader he should work as the most humble person and serve others with Love, Love that we receive so free from above.

First Reading tells us that Christ is the mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. He entered heaven and now appear before God on our behalf. He does not have to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own. But once for all Jesus appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by His sacrifice.

Jesus Loved mankind so much that He suffered and died to save them from sin to renew the relationship with God the Father. Due to this great love Jesus could suffer again and again to save man from the worldly sin, but that is not necessary as He had paid in full and it is now over.

Now it is the man appointed by Jesus, His disciples and His followers who should take forward these acts to save mankind from the worldly sin by sharing the Gospel Message with everyone and teaching them to love everyone as Jesus loved us and ordered us to do. Thus we have a duty to perform. Let us ask for help of the Holy Spirit to fulfill this duty.

Prayer Starter Come Holy Spirit my Counsellor and Advisor, help me to accept God’s great Love, granted so free of any condition.

Help me to love Him in return by loving others whom He created to be sons and daughters of the Loving Father as my duty, putting aside pride, selfishness, greed, lust and all other sins, in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord, Amen

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

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Tuesday 29th January 2019

Feast of St.Apollinaris Claudius, Bishop & Martyr

Hebrews:10/1-10 Psalm:40/2,4 7-8 10, 11 (40/1,3,6,7,9,10) Mark:3/31-35 St. Apollinaris Claudius He was Bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia (Central Turkey). Being well known for his defence of the Church's doctrines, he merited the title of "The Apologist" for his apology in defence of the faith which he addressed to Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He remained the Emperor of the victory he obtained through the prayers of the Christians and implored his protection for them.

Though he lacked courage to abolish the laws already in force he forbade anyone to accuse a Christian on account of his religion. As a result, many Christians suffered martyrdom including St. Apollinaris.

The First Proclamation Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach.

Otherwise, would they not have ceased being offered, since the worshippers, cleansed once for all, would no longer have any consciousness of sin? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin year after year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me, in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.

Then I said, "See, God, I have come to do your will, O God' (In the scroll of the book it is written of me). When

he said above, "You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings... then he added, |See. I have come to do your will...." He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And it is by God's will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Prayerful Awareness The purpose of religion is to bring people close to God, help them to a deeper, closer relationship with God. The sacrifices of that era wre able only to provide a distant and occasional contact with God. The Book of Leviticus mentions offerings which were made according to the economic and social position of the giver. A man who could afford it would bring a bullock, a poorer man a lamb and the poorest doves."

(Archbishop F.J.Sheen).

"The Son of God, who came down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the Will of Him who sent Him" said on coming into the world "Lo, I have come to do Your Will, O God". "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all." From the moment of His incarnation the Son embraces the Father's pan of divine salvation in His redemptive mission: "My food is to do the will of Him Who sent me, and to accomplish His work." The sacrifice of Jesus "for the sins of the whole world" expresses His loving communion with the Father. "The Father loves me, because I lay down my life" said the Lord, "for I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father."

(C.C.C. 606) Prayer Starter How I love to do Your Will my God! I keep Your teaching, my God! I keep Your teaching in my heart. Amen.

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

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Wednesday 30th January 2019 Hebrews:10/11-18 Psalm: 110/1,3,6,7,9,10 (110/1,3,6,7,9,10) Mark:4/1-20

The First Proclamation Every priest stands at his duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking away sins.

He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his seat for ever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all who are sanctified.

The Holy Spirit attests this to us, for after saying: No, this is the covenant I will make with them, when those days have come. the Lord says: In their minds I will plant my Laws writing them on their hearts, and I shall never more call their sins to mind, or their offences. When these have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

Fix your gaze on Jesus The Lord our God is complete and whole....moving from perfection to perfection...let us stay before the dynamic perfection of our Lord God....

We humans, even when we endeavour to be our best, yet will be incomplete. Thus so, the priests offering what they could, yet never

reaching that pinnacle required for erasing the 'Fall'. If we look at king David, we see that though he was king, he yet stayed open to the revelations the Lord makes through the prophets.

In today's language, he does not become a 'control freak' with a bloated ego. He recognises that he is part of a body; i.e. though the mind decides and issues the instructions to the body, yet it depends on the eyes to see and the ears to hear. How relevant this is for us today! Staying open and receptive to the guidance of the Holy spirit is a prime requisite for all of us. It is the Holy Spirit that will plant God's Law in our hearts and minds. It is of this necessity that the Lord Jesus speaks of in today's 'Parable of the Sower'. Our hearts and minds have to become like a 'Rich Soil' before the ministration of the Holy Spirit of God. It is only the Holy Spirit of God who knows the completeness- the Whole of God; and knowing so, can provide us the best-optimal guidance for the situation before us. That again, considering the present state we ourselves are in; the 'Sitz im Laben'. How fortunate we are when we are able to stay flexible and open before the ministrations of the Whole Spirit of God! Prayer Starter Lord, help us realise how blessed we are when we become more and more open to thy guidance and ministrations...guide us in breaking down the defences we have created within, these crafted defences now preventing our realisation of this blessed state...!

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

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zzY=oaOd;auhdfKkS" uu Tnjykafiag jkaokd kuialdr lrĂą' ud l< hq;= l=ulaÂąhs ug wK l< uekjZZ

Thursday 31st January 2019 Hebrews:10/19-25 Psalm:24/1-6 Mark:4/21-25 The First Proclamation Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. ......

The Gospel Proclamation He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed, nor is anything secret, except to come to light. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!" And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear, the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given, and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."

Prayerful Awareness Jesus Christ is the Light that has come into the world, His Light shines and takes away all darkness that destroys the happiness of all mankind. Jesus came into the world to put an end to the results of sin which bring misery and suffering to a beautiful world which Almighty God

St. John Bosco created out of love for all mankind. So, Jesus, the Light of the world, should be revealed and manifested, made known by all His followers. Jesus has said "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation". (Mark 16:15) This shows that one who wants to remove darkness will not put a lamp under a bed so that the light from the lamp will have no effect on the darkness, but instead the lamp will be set up on a high stand so that it can light up the whole place. In the same way if we believe that Jesus Christ is the only one who can bring salvation to the human race, we should make Him known to those we know, by ways and means that we can make use of. We can get them to read the Holy Bible or get them to listen to the Word of God by inviting them to our Prayer Services, by enlightening them about Jesus and Christianity and by praying for them. For what we cannot accomplish on our own, Jesus will help us to do if we ask Him. At the end of the Gospel passage Jesus says that we shall receive the same amount or even more that we give. It is a reference to the love of our neighbour.

If we love our neighbour and help him to be happy in whichever way we can, e.g. by helping him in his needs such as feeding a hungry man, consoling one who is lonely and sad, praying for those who are ill or suffering, then when we too need help Jesus will come to our aid in the form of a friend or even a stranger.

God wants us to do His Will always.

Prayer Starter Who will ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their soul to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the Lord, and vindication from the God of their salvation. (Ps. 24/3-5)

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

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