Walk in the Spirit February 2019

WALK IN THE SPIRIT February 2019 Volume 02 Issue 16

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

ISSN 1391-5967

Publication: Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

SHARING ON PRAYER February 2019 The Holy Spirit led me to enter into the heart of Jesus. He taught us to pray thus – ‘Holy be Your Name” ….

His teaching on Prayer was firmly grounded on His own prayer life. I could see Jesus immersed in the mystery of God, which is yet another way of saying that God is holy, that He is totally different from man’s way of thinking, seeing and doing.

He transcends the limitations of the created; He is the Creator.

Jesus allows the “mystery of the Abba to take over, His whole life. He could do naught else but surrender. He would not allow anything, not even the cross to stand in the way of total submission.

“Abba, Holy be Your Name” Amen.

Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

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

Friday 1st February 2019 Hebrews:10/32-39 Psalm: 36/3-6,23-24, 39-40 (37/3-6,23-24,39-40) Mark:4/26-34 Gospel Proclamation .... "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, ... But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."

He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God,...? It is like a mustard seed, ...., is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can made nests in its shade."

Prayerful Awareness Kingdom of God is where God’s Love prevails in everything we do. God is Love and Love alone. He is full of Mercy due to this great Love and wants to forgive all sins we do provided we are ready to change.

That is, to accept our sins and repent for sins we have committed against His great Love. Jesus explained this to people by the parable of the “Prodigal Son”, for us to know the nature of God. Father in the parable wanted son to come back, and was waiting for his return to embrace and accept him. God wants every one of us to be with Him all the time and finally join Him in everlasting life, to be with Him forever. By this parable Jesus invited everyone to accept this great Love, live in it and share this with others since God created man (human being) to His own image, image of Love. Isaiah 43:7 says "Everyone who is called by my name

whom I created for my glory whom I formed and made”. God wants every human being created to His own image as His own (to be His as adopted children since we are not directly born of Him as His own begotten Son). This is why He loves us so much. Do we accept this and accept His great love granted equally to everyone, and then are we ready to change and put aside our bad qualities, bad attitudes, bad manners, bad thoughts, bad habits and ready to love others equally whatever the differences they have, as brothers and sisters in the same way Jesus loves everyone. Ones who has accepted His Love knows how great it is and what wonders this Love has done to their lives.

Accepting a bit of His Love and allowing it to work in our hearts is like planting a mustard seed in our hearts, that will grow and change our lives to produce fruits of love as children of God. This helps us to love God and talk to Him as our Father and to keep all His commandments and accept Jesus, His Son whom the Father sent to redeem us from sin as our Saviour and Lord, our Elder Brother, our Leader and as our Friend and help us to be humble and pious like Him in our lives, to continue the work He started on earth, to share the Word of the Gospel with everyone as He requested us to do.

The First Reading refers to what the disciples and followers went through to spread the Word of the Lord and what sufferings they endured due to the faith they had on the great Love of God which helped them to love and forgive others, even the ones who prosecuted them.

Prayer Starter God our Loving Father, I accept Your Love. Give me wisdom to know Your Love and raise me to accept Your Word and Your promises and to show my love by following all your commandments and live my life with joy and prayer, giving thanks in all circumstances in the Name of Jesus Christ our Saviour and Lord, Amen.

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Saturday 2nd February 2019 Malachi: 3/1-4 OR Hebrews:2/14-18 Psalm:24/7-10 Luke: 2/22-40 (OR 2/22-32)

The Gospel Proclamation 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. .... and they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Messiah.

Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying, "Master now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel."

Prayerful Awareness In today's technically advanced world that we live in, everything needs to be analysed, rationalised, planned, understood and then executed. Everything ought to be tangible.

But today's reading indicates some-

The Presentation of the Lord thing to the contrary. There is an unseen hand that is at work. It cannot be understood, rationalised, and is not tangible, in the real sense of the word. We see this happening in the life of a man who lived at the time of Jesus called Simeon.

It is said that ".... the Holy Spirit was upon him." (vs. 25), "... revealed to him by the Holy Spirit" (vs. 26)," ...

He came in the Spirit" (vs. 27) Yes, it is this Holy Spirit that is the "unseen", "intangible", reality. Holy Spirit is the power unseen that influences our lives, influences the events in our lives. As we read this narrative, let us meditate, how this "unseen" hand was working in the life of Simeon.

Let us reflect .... First, he was filled with the Spirit ... (vs.25). This Spirit works in his life. In this instance, this Spirit has revealed something to Simeon (vs.26). This Spirit is motivating Simeon to do something (vs. 27). Yes, this Spirit of God who lived in Simeon was an active force or rather an active person, in the form of a bodiless Spirit.

We are no different to Simeon. At Baptism, we too were filled with the Holy Spirit. When we received the Sacrament of Confirmation, we had a boosting of this Spirit.

My sonship Do I too experience this movement of the Holy Spirit acting within me?

Am I conscious of the Holy Spirit living inside of me? Or am I too a person, who depends on rationalisation and modern technological devices to govern my life.

Prayer Starter Lift up your heads O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle. (Ps.24/7,8...)

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

Sunday 3rd February 2019 Jeremiah:1/4-5,17-19 Psalm:70/1-6, 15, 17 (71/1-6, 15-17) 1 Corinthians:12/3113/13 OR 13/4-13 Luke: 4/21-30 Introduction Same as at the very beginning of the New Year, even today Holy Mother the Church invites her children to take the Gospel message to the world. The First Proclamation clearly presents prophet Jeremiah being chosen to receive this vocation, calling, and the nature of his mission. St. Paul in the Second Proclamation affirms faith, hope and love as the core foundation of the Gospel of which love is the greatest. Similarly, the Gospel Proclamation for the day declares Jesus, Himself the Good News, engaged in His mission in conformity with the Will of God amidst ridicule and slander, praise and appreciation.

Taking these to heart let us enter into prayer pleading with the Lord for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to accept our vocation and to stay strong and steadfast in carrying it out.

From the First Proclamation …"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I commanded you. Stand up and tell them all I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. And I, for my part, have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall against the whole land - against the king of

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time PS Wk IV

Judah, its prince: the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you says the Lord, to deliver you - …..

Prayerful Awareness It is quite certain that you and I living in the present state of Sri-Lanka are given the same invitation as that of Jeremiah. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you came to birth I consecrated you; I have appointed you as prophets to the nations." We heard this invitation at our very baptism. As an inhabitant of this island of multi-national, multi-cultural and multi-religious society, are you ready to accept the calling, "I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations"? This prophetic vocation is to tell them all he commands. And who are they? Through prophet Jeremiah it clearly reveals that they are the state authorities, religious leaders as well as the whole nation. We are being encouraged and empowered for the task with the words, "I, for my part, today will make you into a fortified city, a pillar of iron, and a wall of bronze to confront this land. …for I am with you…."

From the Gospel Proclamation Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.|" All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, 'Is not this Joseph's son?' He said to them, 'Doubtless you will quote to me, this proverb, 'Doctor cure yourself!' And you will say, "Do here also in your hometown, the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum" …. When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might

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hurl him off the cliff. but he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Prayerful Awareness The statement of Jesus, 'This text is being fulfilled even as you listen' is with reference to the passage, 'The spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and to announce the Lord's year of mercy.'

Thus while He works among the people with overflowing love joining both the Old and the New Testaments, inspired by the same love, He moves further so as to challenge them. Though people at the level of human reasoning were amazed at His words of wisdom, they weren't ready to accept them. His life threw a real challenge not only to the society of the time but it has the same influence on the present as well as the future society. In accordance with the words of Simeon, forever He stands as a sign of contradiction. Yet, in the light of the Holy Spirit He is the secret of our salvation, hope of our redemption, result of our faith and the true image of love.

The Second Proclamation But strive for the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions. and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind, love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it

does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Prayerful Awareness Let us ask for the Holy Spirit to open our hearts and minds to penetrate the depths of love revealed by the Spirit through St. Paul. According to St. John, God is Love (1 John 4:8). Referring to the theme of love, St. Paul expounds on its characteristics. The Son, fully revealing the God who is love, reveals the nature of love through his life and his existence on earth. Thus, St. Paul filled with the experience of the Son, who fully experienced the purest love of the Abba Father proclaims: 'â&#x20AC;Śthen we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known.'

Towards our son-ship 'Love bears all things.' Gazing on the Lord Jesus, seeing him embrace the consequence of sin with much love amidst insult, ridicule, slander and rebuke enter into the bleak loneliness and despair of the entire universe to overcome death through resurrection and win for us eternal salvation, we come to offer him our constant praise. Similarly, as beloved sons and daughters pleasing to Abba Father, let us be carriers of His perfect love to those alienated. From heart to heart, from door to door let us go forth carrying the God-self to fill their void. â&#x20AC;˘ Let us go in search of those encountering physical, mental and spiritual emptiness, free them through the love of the Lord and thus continue the mission of St. Joseph Vaz on this land.

Prayer Starter Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"

But I am poor and needy, hasten to me, O God! You are my help and my deliverer.

O Lord, do not delay! (Ps. 70/4-5)

"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

Independance Day of Sri Lanka Monday 4th February 2019 Feast of Our Lady of Lanka

many forms of sin, especially the seven Isaiah:43/1-3,5,10-13 deadly sins of anger, jealousy, pride, Psalm: 95/1-3, 7-10 greed, lust, avarice, and sloth. We are also Acts:1/12-13; 2/1-2, slaves to many forms of cravings and addictions. Further, we are slaves of mem4-8, 11 ories and inner hurts and wounds which Mathew: 2/1-2, 7-12 Prayerful Awareness In today's First Proclamation of God's love we read of God's promises to His chosen people (us) that He will rescue and save us.

Abba Father's saving grace is granted to us through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit guides us to Jesus, using various and appropriate means of communication, to guide those whom He has pre chosen to be His people. His chosen people are no longer the Jews only, but extends to all of mankind. Even in the days of the Old Testament, we see how God touched people of various nationalities.

In the Gospel Proclamation of today we read of how the Wise Men from the East were guided to Him through the sign of a star. We also see how He guides them to make appropriate gifts to the Holy Babe, of gold (symbol of royalty, of His eternal Kingdom, frankincense (fragrance, symbol of His Divinity, of His Priesthood, God's grace to His people on earth), and myrrh (symbol of His Prophetic role, of the unpopularity of His message which leads to His being put to death, death which is a precursor to new life, symbol of resurrection, through which all things will be made new).

Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Lanka, Patroness of Sri Lanka, because it is the Independence Day, the day Sri Lanka celebrates obtaining Independence from the British Empire.

However we believe that we need help from the Holy Spirit for the true liberation of man. This is because, we are, by our very human nature, slaves to

we have accumulated over the years especially at the time of our conception and the period we were in our mother's womb and early childhood. We are also driven by the strengths and weaknesses of our particular Personality Type.

In order to experience true liberation we need to rise above all these human frailties and subjugation to the powers of the Devil, the World and the Flesh.

To start on this journey towards true liberation we need the empowerment and guidance from the Holy Spirit without which we will not be able to overcome these obstacles. 'My Hour' prayer experience, and constant awakening to the Holy Spirit, coupled with the awareness that we are constantly in the presence of Abba Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ (in other words all these persons of the Holy Trinity) are all means of fortifying ourselves with the necessary armour to ward off the temptations around us.

In the Second Proclamation of God's Love, we see the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles, whereby the disciples of Jesus who were all huddled up in a room afraid of what was to become of them after the Ascension of Our Lord Jesus Christ are emboldened to step out into the world loudly proclaiming the Good News to the people, and are ready to even by martyred than be silenced! Reading further on, we also see how their lives were transformed into one of closely knit communities bound in love for one another with the empowerment they received from above.

Prayer Starter Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! (Ps.1....)

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Tuesday 5th February 2019

St. Agatha, Virgin & Martyr

Hebrews:12/1-4 Psalm:21/26-28, 30-32 (22/25-28, 30-31) Mark: 5/21-43

The Gospel Proclamation When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered round him and he stayed by the lake. Then the president of the synagogue .., named Jairus, and seeing him, fell at his feet and begged him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter is desperately sick. Do come and lay your hands on her that she may be saved and may live." Jesus went with him and a large crowd followed him; ... Now there was a woman who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years; …. She had heard about Jesus, and she came up through the crowd and touched his cloak from behind, thinking, "If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved." The bleeding dried up, and she felt in herself that she was cured of her complaint. ..., Jesus turned round in the crowd and said, "Who touched my clothes?"…. Then the woman came forward, frightened and trembling because she knew what had happened to her, and she fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. "My daughter," he said, "your faith has restored you to health; go in peace and be free of your complaint." While he was still speaking some people arrived from the house of the president of the synagogue to say, "Your daughter is dead; why put the Master to any further trouble?" But Jesus overheard what they said and he said to the president of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only have faith."; And he allowed no one to go with him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. …. and, taking with him the child's father and mother and his own companions, he went into the place where the child lay. And taking

the child by the hand he said to her, "Talitha kum!" which means, "Little girl, I tell you to get up."; The little girl got up at once and began to walk about, for she was twelve years old. …..

Prayerful Awareness Let us read today’s Proclamations meditatively, where the central theme is the importance of persevering in faith in order to achieve the desired result. This message is reinforced beautifully and meaningfully in today’s First Proclamation as follows: ‘…we too, then, should throw off everything that weighs us down and the sin that clings so closely, and with perseverance keep running in the race which lies ahead of us. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which lay ahead of him, he endured the cross, disregarding the shame of it, and has taken his seat at the right of God's throne.

Think of the way he persevered against such opposition …and then you will not lose heart ….

Let us also meditate on the following facts which draw our attention in today’s Gospel Proclamation: - Faith and humility shown by Jairus, President of the Synagogue, to fall at Jesus’ feet and beg of Him! Jairus’ faith and humility would have struck Jesus, and He was filled with love and compassion for Jairus and his situation, and immediately set out with him - Praiseworthy faith shown by the woman who was instantly healed of a persistent haemorrhage, demonstrating also the importance of claiming healing in faith.

- The lack of faith of the masses, onlookers - Jesus took only those who had faith into the inner chamber because lack of faith can be a hindrance to the process of healing!

Prayer Starter Lord, help us to believe and claim all of the promises given to us in Your Word!

Amen!

"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

Wednesday 6th February 2019 Hebrews:12/4-7, 11-15 Psalm:102/1-2,13-14, 17-18 (103/1-2,13-14, 17-18) Mark: 6/1-6 The Gospel Proclamation He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "... Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their own kin, and in their own home." And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. ...

Prayerful Awareness What a nice example we have here for the proverb 'familiarity breeds contempt'. But here in this passage it is a mistaken contempt. To the people of Nazareth Jesus was too close, familiar - as an ordinary villager, Joseph and Mary's Son, a carpenter. Outward appearance or look and the experience of the day to day activities were the yardstick used to assess a person. Jesus was despised by the people of Nazareth because He was an ordinary working man.

When God came to earth, or became one like us, He did not claim exception. To Christians it is His glory. Neither did He want to be placed on high pedestals. His true worth - He did not place that on His birth, pedigree and future. "Generally a man is believed when he speaks the

St. Paul Miki & Companions truth; now it is the truth which causes disbelief. Truth can be hated when it reveals falsity within. Though they rejected Him, He challenged them to point to one blot on His sinless character. Even Judas after the betrayal would call Him "innocent".

He taught His disciples to pray "Forgive us our trespasses", but He never prayed thus; rather He did forgive the trespasses of others. If sin be slavery, then sinless is perfect freedom. Freedom is not in its essence release from foreign yoke; it is really a release from the captivity of sin. He was not a Teacher discouraging about liberty; He was a liberator - and from a greater kingdom than Rome.

"The Son makes you a free man" We have got to be aware not to evaluate others by their native worth, external and incidentals. Instead of familiarity breeding a growing respect, sometimes it breeds an easy-going and increasing one. At times we are too near someone we don't see his or her greatness. The atmosphere in Nazareth was not there, because of their lack of faith in Him. In Him the door is open for everyone to come to Him. His loving arms are wide open. "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, and your mind. The second most important commandment is like it: "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." (Mat.22/37 & 39). Even the widely separated ones can come together in Christ. Seek ways and means to love each other and leave the results to Him. "God has placed me here not to be successful but to be faithful." (Mother Theresa). The work of Jesus Christ, His Kingdom - yes, that responsibility is laid on us. We can either be carriers of His divine message or slam the door in His face. Whatever you ask in prayer believe that you receive it, and you will. Such is the power of prayer and of faith that does not doubt." (C.C.C. 2610) Prayer Starter Lead me on O Lord! to where I belong to. Amen.

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Thursday 7th February 2019 we receive from infancy- you are either male or female; for me or against me, we are taught....

Now, what has this got to do with Jesus’ lesson today? He is trying to get through to the disciples who were experiencing reality primarily through their material state of being, to make them aware of their spiritual nature; to make them conscious of this ‘other dimension The Gospel Proclamation of their being’, so to say! We relate to Then he summoned the Twelve ‘What Is’ primarily through the five and began to send them out in pairs, senses our physical bodies are equipped giving them authority over unclean with. But like a fish being unaware of spirits. And he instructed them to take the water in which it lives, we too are nothing for the journey except a staff mostly unaware of the role played by -- no bread, no haversack, no coppers Intelligence, and it’s role in the guiding for their purses. They were to wear of the continuous transformation of ensandals but, he added, 'Don't take ergy underlying the operation of these a spare tunic.' And he said to them, ‘senses’. The ‘data stream’ from the 'If you enter a house anywhere, stay senses parade before our consciousness there until you leave the district. And much like a film screened before us. if any place does not welcome you and So, we have to be ‘told’ that we have people refuse to listen to you, as you been given power over ‘evil spirits’! walk away shake off the dust under In different words, we have to be made your feet as evidence to them.' So aware that we are ‘powerful spirits’! they set off to proclaim repentance; Go, practice your power, we are told; and they cast out many devils, and the more you use it, the more it will anointed many sick people with oil grow; in other words, flow through and cured them. you without hindrance; you becoming Fix your gaze on Jesus a cleaner channel for God’s loving power to flow through. ‘Take no bread Jesus Lord, you are the greatest! for the journey’ we are told; get over Utterly focussed on the Father’s will, this mind-set of certitudes founded on singular in purpose; yet completely reliance on material sustenance; jump sensitised to ‘What Is’, the ‘Need of over to the reality where you are able the Moment’! Looking within, we'd find to create required bodily sustenance that in our minds, these orientations are through what you sow….even where contradictory! When we are focussed you fail momentarily, remember- ‘Man on any purpose or objective in life, this does not live by bread alone’….This is for us necessarily means shutting out the challenge and the call before us! other distractions; becoming numb, deaf Prayer Starter and insensitive to the other ‘issues’. We Lord, let me be a channel of Your can’t run in three different directions at the same time, we tell ourselves...and love and healing to a world obstructed this becomes our truth! May be we are to receiving Your beneficence by sin! too habituated in our ‘Dualistic mode’ Clean me up of these detritus and sludge of thinking; the primary mental training blocking Your flow....

Hebrews:12/18-19, 21-24 Psalm: 47/2-4,9-11 (48/1-3,8-10) Mark: 6/7-13

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

Friday 8th February 2019 St.Jerome Emiuliani,St.Josephine Bakhita the first proclamation to experience with steadfast faith the unlimited love of the risen Lord who lives forever.

According to the First Proclamation the people at that time saw a close resemblance between Lord Jesus and John the Baptist. The words "John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why The First Proclamation miraculous powers are at work in him" Let mutual love continue. Do not imply that they identified even Jesus as yet neglect to show hospitality to strangers, another prophet. Though people came to .... Remember those who are in prison, recognize the nobility of John he did not as though you were in prison with them; perform any miracles. The name of Jesus those who are being tortured, as though was well-known for His words and deeds. you yourself were being tortured. Let Seen in Him was the dominion of God's marriage be held in honor by all, and let Kingdom that John spoke of. the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for Further, the similarity the Lord Jesus God will judge fornicators and adulterbore to John the Baptist was not because ers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you He came to accomplish a difficult task but have; for he has said, "I will never leave because of the cruel and calumnious death He was subjected to. Though crucified on you or forsake you." .... a cross He overcame death through His The Gospel Proclamation resurrection and surpassing every prophet King Herod had heard of it for won the sovereignty inherent to the Son Jesus; name had become known. Some of God. were saying, "John the Baptist has been Our sonship raised from the dead, and for this reason The vocation to bear witness as a these powers are at work in him." But others said, "It is Elijah". And others Christian is a gift from God. Therefore, said, "It is a prophet, like one of the let us search for opportunities to love like prophets of old." But when Herod heard brothers and to own the habit of showing of it, he said, "John whom I beheaded, hospitality as a result of receiving the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Allowing the word of has been raised."......

God to take root in our hearts let us entreat Prayerful Awareness Him for the grace to radiate qualities of "The Risen Lord Jesus Christ is the divine son-ship, of love, just as Christ same today as He was yesterday and as through His words and actions emanated He will be forever." Love of the risen Lord the joy of the Kingdom. is eternal. He who loved the entire human Prayer Starter race with an unchanging love is the Love O Lord, I love the house in which you in communion who shows forth to those lost in pain, suffering and disappointment dwell, and the place where Your glory that God's love is everlasting. As stated abides. Do not sweep me away with sinin Deuteronomy 31:6, "Be strong and of ners, nr my life with the bloodthirsty, those good courage, do not fear or be in dread of in whose hands are evil devices and whose them." An invitation is extended through right hands are full of bribes. (Ps.26/8-10)

Hebrews:13/1-8 Psalm: 26/1,3,5,8-9 (27/1,3,5,8,9) Mark: 6/14-29

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Saturday 9th February 2019 through terrifying dangers such as dense forests, attack of wolves and thick dark nights providing them with every need (food, guidance and security). The sheep know the voice of the master. The proclamations of the day speak to us of shepherding. As a true shepherd, the Lord was sensitive to the bodily as well as spiritual needs of the people. Further, both Chapter 34 of Prophet Ezekiel The First Proclamation and Chapter 10 of St. John 39;s gospel present Jesus as "the good shepherd"; Through him then, let us continu- and a model to follow. Through his ally offer a sacrifice of praise to God, sacrifice on the cross as the culmination that is, the fruit of lips that confess point of shepherding the Lord pointed his name. Do not neglect to do good out that a true shepherd would even lay and to share what you have, for such down his life for his sheep. Just as the sacrifices are pleasing to God. proclamations speak of Jesus as our only Obey your leaders and submit to shepherd, they also invite us to take part them, for they are keeping watch over in the shepherding role of Jesus. We will your souls and will give an account. be able to witness to this type of shepLet them do this with joy and not with herding only to the extent we maintain a sighing - for that would be harmful deep relationship with the Lord. to you.

Our sonship The Gospel Proclamation * In taking responsibility at family, The apostles gathered around community and parish level am I being Jesus, and told him all that they had a true shepherd? done and taught. He said to them, * Is my behavior the same as an "Come away to a deserted place ordinary shepherd in the material orall by yourselves and rest a while." der working for one's own benefit or For many were coming and going, different? and they had no leisure even to eat. * Today, throughout the world, we And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now see people suffer politically, socially and many saw them going and recognized even in religious circles as sheep without them, and they hurried there on foot a shepherd. Can we pose a challenge to from all the towns and arrived ahead this issue as true shepherds of the Lord? of them. As he went ashore, he saw a * Let us pray for Pope Francis facgreat crowd, and he had compassion ing various challenges at present in the for them, because they were like sheep process of shepherding. without a shepherd, and he began to Prayer Starter teach them many things.

In you our ancestors trusted, they Prayerful Awareness trusted, and you delivered them. To you Christ is the true shepherd. In the they cried, and were saved, in you they Jewish background, a shepherd is the trusted, and were not put to shame. leader, who guides his flock safely (Psalm 22/4-5)

Hebrews:13/15-17, 20-21 Psalm: 22/1-6 (23/1-6 ) Mark: 6/30-34

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

Sunday 10th February 2019 Isaiah:6/1-2, 3-8 Psalm:137/1-5,7-8 (138/1-5,7-8) 1 Corinthians:15/1-11 OR 15/3-8, 11 Luke: 5/1-11

Introduction As Christians it is our prime duty to bear witness to our Christian discipleship in the society, family, parish, place of employment, school and land we live in.

Yet within the existing social structure as well as in the political arena we tend to be selfish concentrating on working solely for our own benefit. And it is time to wake up. Let us set aside the selfishness and rights that we consider to be me, mine and my family, become aware of the vocation of a true Christian to be prophetic, kingly and priestly. Let us not undermine the vocation received for it is to cultivate the sphere of the Kingdom.

Let us launch the strategy of conferring Christ to our family, parish and nation thus bearing witness to the risen Lord.

The First Proclamation …. I saw the Lord sitting on a throne; ... Seraphs were in attendance above him'; each had six wings; with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts' the whole earth is full of his glory." The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said, "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!"

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time PS WK 1 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal .... The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I, send me!"

Prayerful Awareness God calls prophet Isaiah bestowing on him the authority of speaking to the people on His behalf. The Ark of the Covenant placed in the Holy of Holies was considered to be the throne of God on earth as well as the symbol of the heavenly throne and seraphs were heavenly spirits serving God. Further, the prophet has an experience of the utter holiness of God by the fact that the word holy being repeated thrice, for in Hebrew language thrice holy meant supremely holy. And when a person or a thing comes in close contact with God it is made holy by Him who is holy. Therefore if a person is called for the service of God, he or she will invariably be endowed with His gifts.

The Second Proclamation … For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received; that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the

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contrary, I worked harder than any of them - though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Prayerful Awareness

Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!" .... Then Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid, from now on you will be catching people." When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and Based on the Scriptures St. Paul followed him. affirms the Resurrection of Christ and Prayerful Awareness clarifies the Christian position to the Corinthian community referring also to the Our Lord distinctly incarnates Himeye witnesses of the risen Christ as well self in the environment. When He had as to his own encounter with the risen finished preaching He says to Simon to Lord. The lives of those who encounter go out into the deep and lay down their the Lord and maintain close contact with nets. Saying "yes" he goes out with his Him change their lives experiencing co-workers in obedience and the unexrenewal. Christ Himself bestows on pected happens. They catch such a huge them this new life and their speech and number of fish that their nets begin to tear. preaching is centered wholly on Christ It was a great miracle. "Lay down your while His indwelling will remain with nets"; was a statement at the calling of those who believe in Him. Indirectly it the first disciples. points out that all are called to serve in Based on this He lays down nets in the Lord's vineyard. Further, St. Paul the deep waters of the Kingdom. His was actively engaged in the cause of the words were so touching that the disciples Kingdom. His argument is that whoever leave everything. even their livelihood. is called to work for the Kingdom would to follow Jesus. Such is the power of the invariably receive the grace of God. word. This miracle enabled them to folClaiming this gift let us generously low Him and at the same time the word contribute to the spread of the Kingdom, of St. Peter, "I am a sinner", expresses encounter the risen Lord, maintain close his awareness of his vulnerability and contact with Him, live in Him, bear wit- sinfulness. Only one thing is necessary ness to Him and emulating St. Paul gather and that is repentance.

God's people to the Church.

When you repent and convert yourThe Gospel Proclamation self, there you will encounter Christ. The Once while Jesus was standing result would be dedicating oneself and beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the working for the Kingdom. Therefore let crowd was pressing in on him to hear us take a turn from where we are, with the word of God, he saw two boats repentance follow the Lord, thirst for it there at the shore of the lake; ... He got and pray incessantly. into one of the boats the one belonging When we respond to the vocation of to Simon and asked him to put out a bearing witness to the Resurrection of little way from the shore. Then he sat Christ, we would invariably be equipped down and taught the crowds from the with the grace of God. Therefore, let us boat. When he had finished speaking fully commit ourselves and dedicate he said to Simon, "Put out into deep ourselves totally for the cause of the water and let down your nets for a Kingdom as true followers of Christ. catch." ... "Master, we have worked Prayer Starter all night long but have caught nothing.

If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my Yet if you say so, I will lay down the nets." When they had done this they right hand wither! Let my tongue cling to caught so many fish that their nets the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember were beginning to break. .... But when you .... (Ps.. 137/5. 6...)

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

Monday 11th February 2019 Genesis:1/1-19 Psalm:103/1-2,5-6,10, 12, 24, 35 (104/1-2,5-6,10, 12, 24, 35 ) Mark: 6/53-56 OR Isaiah:66/10-14 Psalm :(Judith)13/1819 John:2/1-11

The First Proclamation ''In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep...... Then God said '' Let there be light''; and there was light and God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

And God said, ''Let there be a dome in the midst of the water, and let it separate from the waters.....

God called the dome sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.......

Gospel Proclamation

begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.

Prayerful Awareness Gennesaret was a small fertile plain located on the West side of the sea of Galilee. Capernaum, Jesus' home sat at the Northern edge of the plain.

The people recognized Jesus as a great HEALER, but how many understood who HE TRULY was? They came to Jesus for PHYSICAL healing, but did they come for SPIRITUAL healing? They came to prolong their lives on earth but did they come to secure their eternal lives? People may seek Jesus to learn valuable lessons from his life or in hopes of finding RELIEF from PAIN. But we miss Jesus' whole message if we seek Him only to heal our bodies, but NOT our SOULS, if we look to Him for help only in this life, rather than for His eternal plan for us. Only when we understand the REAL Jesus Christ can we appreciate how he can truly change our lives.

When we dread and are anxious about our troubles around us, let us remember Christ's presence and ability to help us. He is the ONLY ONE who can really help. We who know and recognize Jesus, must give others the Good News. The Bible tells us that people brought ALL their sick to Him, wherever He went. They begged, to let-them just touch the edge of His cloak. All who touched Him were healed. BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH. Not from Jesus' cloak Prayer Starter

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into Father God, strengthen our faith villages or cities or farms, they laid in Jesus Christ, Your Son, and always the sick in the marketplaces, and believe in His Good News and love.

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Tuesday 12th February 2019 Genesis:1/20-2/4 Psalm:8/4-9 (8/3-9) Mark:7/1-13

Prayerful Awareness Let us meditatively read today’s First Proclamation which describes the creation process and how Almighty Creator God created everything perfect and saw that it was good. Then God created man, the pinnacle of creation, in His own image, with potential to be God’s own offspring.

The gift of free choice was given to man because God didn’t want man to be like robots but to love Him as our true Father of our own free will. Man could live in love in paradise (even now) as long as man followed God’s instructions and His selfless ways, or man could decide to live on his own selfish strength (born of pride, foremost of the seven deadly sins) at his own peril, and face the consequences of disease, decay, destruction, and death, because the wages of separation from God (sin) is death. Man chose to tread his own path, and all of the world’s exploitation, extortion, pollution, wars, death and destruction are the result of man’s bad choice.

How Awesome is God’s Creation!

And what a mess it has come to be in under man’s stupid, selfish, arrogant and stubborn (bad) governance. Let us read today’s Gospel Proclamation to see some evidence of man’s stupidity and arrogance in action, where man is more concerned about following traditions and interpretations of his own making than understanding the spirit of Love in God’s Law.

Gospel Proclamation The Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered round him, and they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with unclean hands, .... For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, keep the tradition of the elders and never eat without washing their arms ...; and on returning from the market place they never eat without first sprinkling themselves. ... So the Pharisees and scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not respect the tradition of the elders but eat their food with unclean hands". He answered, "How rightly Isaiah prophesied about you hypocrites in the passage of scripture: This people honours me only with lip-service, while their hearts are far from me. Their reverence of me is worthless; the lessons they teach are nothing but human commandments. You put aside the commandment of God to observe human traditions."; And he said to them, "How ingeniously you get round the commandment of God in order to preserve your own tradition! For Moses said: Honour your father and your mother, and, Anyone who curses father or mother must be put to death. But you say, "If a man says to his father or mother: Anything I have that I might have used to help you is Korban (that is, dedicated to God),"; then he is forbidden from that moment to do anything for his father or mother. In this way you make God"s word ineffective for the sake of your tradition which you have handed down. And you do many other things like this."

Prayer Starter What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. (Ps. 8/4, 5)

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

St.Catherene dei, Ricci Wednesday 13th February 2019 Feast ofVirgin

goes into a person from outside cannot Genesis:2/4-9. 15-17 defile, since it enters, not the heart but Psalm:103/1-2,27-30 the stomach, and goes out into the (104/1-2,27-30) sewer?" (Thus he declared all foods Mark:7/14-23 clean). And he said, "It is what comes

St. Catherene dei Ricci She was born on 23rd April 1522 in Florence, Italy. She was the daughter of an old patrician family of bankers and merchants. She liked solitary prayer and was received into the Dominican Convent of strict observance in the neighbouring city of Prato, where she took the name of her deceased mother.

After five years, during which she was much misunderstood and calumniated against; her holiness was recognized and she was advanced to novice mistress.

Her famous "Ecstasy of the Passion" which would last from Thursday noon until 4 pm on Friday, began in 1542 and continued each week for 12 years. At her own request it ceased. The reason being that the visitors seriously disrupted the religious life of the convent. She is known to have engaged in conversation with contemporary saints like St.Philip Nehri in Rome and St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi in Florence - neither of whom she never met - without leaving her own convent in Prato. Died - 2nd February 1590. Canonized in 1746.

The Gospel Proclamation Then he called the crowd again and said to them, "Listen to me, all of you, and understand; there is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile."

When he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about the parable. He said to them, "Then do you also fail to understand? Do you not see that whatever

out of a person that defiles. For it is from within, from the human heart that evil intentions come, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."

Prayerful Awareness

Jesus' target was to show how rigid adherence to the traditional law can actually mean disobedience to the Law of God. The most startling thing is that He declares that nothing that goes into a person can possibly cause defilement as it is passed into the body and is sent out of the body in the normal physical way. "Going even further, Jesus perfects the dietary law, so important in Jewish daily life, by revealing its pedagogical meaning through divine interpretation: "Whatever goes into a man from outside cannot defile him. What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts ...." In presenting with divine authority the definitive interpretation of the Law, Jesus found Himself confronted by certain teachers of the Law who did not accept His interpretation of the law, guaranteed though it was by the divine signs that accompanied it.

This was the case, especially with the Sabbath laws, for He recalls often with rabbinical arguments, that the Sabbath rest is not violated by serving God and neighbour, which His own healing did."

(C.C.C. 582).

Prayer Starter Everything that coms out of our hearts - yes, Lord! touch and correct them. Amen.

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Thursday 14th February 2019 Sts. Cyril,Monk & Methodius, Bishop Genesis:2/18-25 Psalm:127/1-5 (128/1-5) Mark: 7/24-30

The First Proclamation Yahweh God said, 'It is not right that the man should be alone. I shall make him a helper.' So from the soil Yahweh God fashioned all the wild animals and all the birds of heaven.

These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild animals. But no helper suitable for the man was found for him.

Then, Yahweh God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And, while he was asleep, he took one of his ribs and closed the flesh up again forthwith.

Yahweh God fashioned the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. And the man said: This one at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh! She is to be called Woman, because she was taken from Man. This is why a man leaves his father and mother and becomes attached to his wife, and they become one flesh. Now, both of them were naked, the man and his wife, but they felt no shame before each other.

Fix your gaze on Jesus Thank you O Lord for coming to us today as the Living Word, bringing upliftment and consolation, of healing and freedom from guilt....

Our initial condition, the way we were created by our Maker, was without blemish, perfect for that stage of human evolution. When asking our selves the question as to who we truly are, we need

to remember the origin. The bodies that we presently reside in, that which we perceive as ourselves, is made from the soil; from basic material. Then God's breath / the spirit / the Intelligence / the Living Word came to abide therein; and the material body became infused with life. It is the spirit of God, the breath, the intelligence that brings the host body to life, with varying degrees of self-awareness.

With awareness comes a host of benefits. Two of them are, the illusion of separateness and the ability to self-program; to learn from life, to adapt to the environment, and improve on the experience of life; not only to survive, but to thrive; to give and take, to come back together/ become one with your environment.

A study text in the early stages of Neuro Linguistic Programming comes to mind here! It is called, 'I am Okay, You are Okay'; Let's translate this in to 'Good News' language; 'I am blessed abundantly, and so are you! Let's rejoice...'. This essentially is what the scriptures are implying to us today, that there is absolutely no need for us to be ashamed of our present stage; that the Lord created us in a blessed state, and that we should stay a-tuned to the Lord who is doing 'Great Things' for us! Wasn't this the attitude of the woman in the Gospel today who went to the Lord Jesus seeking relief for her daughter oppressed by an evil spirit?

Despite societal perceptions of been an outcast, she owned up to being 'looked after', and Jesus' testing of her attitude found her true. Praise the Lord!

Prayer Starter Thank You Good Lord for giving us life, for making us aware! Now make us more and more aware of Your constant presence within and without, sensitising us to the created whole and bonding us back to our earlier state of being One with All...

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

Friday 15th February 2018 Genesis:3/1-8 Psalm:31/1-2, 5,-7 (32/1-2, 5-7 ) Mark:7/31-37

The First Proclamation Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God say, 'You shall not eat from any tree in the garden?" ...."We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.' But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, ... she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband, ...

The Gospel Proclamation

Jesus then left the neighborhood of Tyre and went on through Sidon to Lake Galilee, ... Some people brought him a man who was deaf and could hardly speak, and they begged Jesus to place his hands on him. So Jesus took him off alone,..., put his fingers in the man's ears, spat, and touched the man's tongue. Then Jesus looked up to heaven, gave a deep groan, and said to the man, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Open up" At once the man was able to hear, his speech impediment was removed, and he began to talk without any trouble. Then Jesus ordered the people not to speak of it to anyone; but the more he ordered them not to, the more they told it. ....

Prayerful Awareness Today’s Gospel tells us that the man was deaf, he couldn’t hear anything. He had a mouth, but he couldn’t express himself. This passage talks about more than just physical healing. There are many who have physically sound ears and mouths but are unable to hear and talk. They are spiritually deaf and mute.

They are those who hear and see but can’t perceive and understand. If they understand and perceive they will accept and be forgiven. Spiritually deaf are also those who hear but don’t obey.

Since deaf can’t hear anything his sense becomes dull and his heart is hardened.

Likewise spiritually deaf people hear with their ears but they don’t listen. Spiritually mute is to not speak up for God and the truth when we have opportunity or obligation to do so. Remember Peter on the night of Jesus’ arrest? Peter was spiritually mute. He could not speak up for Jesus. In this story Jesus gave this man his special attention by taking him away from the crowd. Jesus gave him his personal touches on his ears and mouth, Jesus understood the man’s agonies and wounds in his heart and helped him in the best way.

When Jesus said, “Be opened” suddenly the man began to hear everything clearly. He could understand what people were talking. His hearing problem was gone. When his ears were opened his mouth was opened too. He began to speak plainly and fluently. Most of all he could talk freely about what Jesus had done for him and live a life that glorified God. Prayer Starter In you, O Lord, I seek refuge, do not let me ever be put to shame' in your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily. Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me. (Psalm 31/1. 2.)

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Saturday 16th February 2019 Genesis:3/9-24 Psalm:89/2-6, 12-13 (90/2-6,12-13) Mark:8/1-10

From the First Proclamation The Lord God called to the man.

"Where are you?"; he asked, "I heard the sound of you in the garden"; he replied "I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid."; ….The woman replied, "The serpent tempted me and I ate." ….The man named his wife "Eve"; because she was the mother of all those who live. …..

From the Gospel Proclamation A great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat. So Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them, "I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and they have nothing to eat. If I send them off hungry they will collapse on the way; some have come a great distance."; ….Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground, and he took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute; They had a few small fish as well, and over these he said a blessing and ordered them to be distributed also.

They ate as much as they wanted. ….(Please read the whole proclamation.)

Prayerful Awareness

implicitly displays the deep sensitivity and the compassionate heart that Jesus possessed. Christ is the spiritual food of humanity. Yet, the passage clearly depicts His concern about the food that satisfies a man's physical hunger.

Further, whenever the Son had an opportunity to give glory to the Father He responded to the occasion instantly. Christ entered into the deep faith experience of "whatever you ask from the Father, you will receive it." This word of God also contains a deep inner meaning. "He took the seven loaves, and after giving thanks he broke them" …has Eucharistic connotations of Christ being the food of love. Thus this miracle reminds us of the experience of breaking down his body to give us life giving bread. Love of God is eternal and this word reveals that his love is everlasting.

Towards us Though I have come to acknowledge Christ as my Lord and Master, how much do I experience His perfect love? In this material world I live in am I still in the pursuit of human love that passes away? If so, we are fools since human love can never satisfy us.

It cannot fill our hearts but can only hurt us often for human love is conditional and has its own limitations. Let us come to believe in the unparalleled love of God that never fades away and make our hearts spacious enough to receive it.

Prayer Starter

I will sing of thy steadfast love, O Lord, for ever; with my mouth I will proclaim thy faithfulness to all generations.

For thy steadfast love was established O Holy Spirit, help me see the inte- for ever, thy faithfulness is firm as the rior heart of Jesus. heavens.

The Gospel proclamation of the day

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

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time PS WK II sending out its roots by the stream.

Jeremiah:17/5-8 It shall not fear when heat comes and Psalm:1/1-4, 6 its leaves shall stay green, in the year 1 Corinthians:15/12, of drought it is not anxious, and it 16-20 does not cease to bear fruit.

Luke:6/17, 20-26 Prayerful Awareness

Sunday 17th February 2019

Introduction As Christians all our hope is in God and only in Him will all our desires be fulfilled. What is presented through the Eucharistic theme for today is how those who turn to God and place their hope in Him will eventually receive His graces and blessings.

One who turns to God though he might have to go through adverse circumstances and defeat in the eyes of the world, is richly blessed with regard to wisdom that surpasses the rational mind. For the living presence of the Lord Jesus, the lamb put to death by man, is really the work of God that stretches far beyond human wisdom and understanding. Even today, He dwells in and among us. Reflecting on the word of God as Christ's disciples in constant contact and encounter, let us prepare ourselves for the Eucharistic celebration.

The First Proclamation Thus says the Lord, Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn aawy from the Lord. They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes. They shall live in the parched places of th wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree plated by water,

Through the first proclamation the prophet presents facts comparing the man who puts his trust in man to the one who puts his trust in the Lord. Our Lord who listened to these prophetic words of the Old Testament had firm faith in God whereby He came to experience the unending blessings of the Lord.

Throughout His life even in His most agonizing journey of the cross, He held on to this unwavering faith that He continuously showed forth His life as a fruitful tree that never ceased to bear fruit and Cursed is the man who puts his trust in man, who relies on things of flesh. Blessed is the man who puts his trust in the Lord. Is this my experience too? Have I wavered in faith in facing struggle and suffering?

Do I experience the blessedness in my life journey of suffering for the sake of Christ realizing that it is not simply a matter of keeping faith in Christian doctrine? Do I experience the blessings involved with accomplishing the Will of God with adherence to His word in keeping with the theme of the year.

The Second Proclamation Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?

For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

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Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

Prayerful Awareness As Christians our faith rests on the fundamental truth "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile."

Therefore as believers in Christ let us ask the Lord for the power to hope in receiving the divine inheritance in time to come while journeying on earth with the blessing of encountering the risen Lord in facing life experiences.

The Gospel Proclamation He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem and the coast of Tyre and Sidon.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.

Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for surely, your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophetsâ&#x20AC;Ś.

Gaze at Jesus Challenging is the word from the mouth of the Lord. Sharing of His word without any conformity whatsoever with the listening community certainly and undoubtedly would have been a contradiction and a threat

to the social strata as well as to the renowned of that society. Let us now enter into the inner life of Jesus who embodying the Will and the word of the Father throws a challenge at the existing unjust activities of the time.

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand" (Mark 1:15). The good news thus proclaimed is fulfilled at the dawn of the reign of God in the hour determined by Him. Yet looking at the poor and vulnerable gathered round him, He proclaims "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." These words came out of Him since He was fully convinced and owned the experience of seeing that the Father's unchanging love did extend to all the people. The Kingdom He spoke of was unique and substitutive. Let us listen to Him today.

Our sonship If a person, family or a society is to change, to face a challenge and to desire freedom from the existing order, he or she has to see at least one other person stepping out of it with an alternative vision. If not, how can there be a response to a similar vocation or word or will anybody dare to accept the Good News proclaimed by the Lord?

The Lord Himself was and is the alternative way presented by Him. He is the archetype of the Kingdom, life giving source and light, the Kingdom incarnated.

Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, bestow on me a repentant heart that I may experience the blessedness and the blessing proclaimed by You so that through my life it may be proclaimed to others as well. Grant me the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to be in constant encounter and close contact with You that I may experience the Kingdom so that my life may be a witness to Kingdom values.

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

Monday 18th February 2019 Genesis:4/1-15, 25 Psalm:49/1, 8, 16-17, 20 (50/1-8,16-17,20-21) Mark:8/11-13 Gospel Proclamation The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign?

Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation". And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.

Prayerful Awareness Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh whose only aim was to establish the Kingdom of God and the kindling fire of the Spirit in Him was a blessing to all. Through healing and forgiving those who came to Him, He performed many miracles. While a set of people following Him embraced righteousness another sector namely, Priests, Pharisees and Sadducees were fully against Him. The Pharisees being well acquainted with the Jewish religion, observed the Laws, religious rites and rituals to the letter, at the same time persuading people to follow them yet they themselves trying to evade the main issues. Since the Good News of the Lord was not coherent to their learned minds and was perceived as contrary to the religion they had been so familiar with they couldn't help but oppose Him. The Gospel today refers to an incident where the Pharisees started a discussion with Him demanding for a sign from heaven to test Him. As the esteemed Son of God He knew what

was in their hearts. Further the Gospel says that He sighed. The miracles performed by Him were simply for the glory of God and not to satisfy their own demands. We read that Jesus seeing the darkness of their hearts left them and went away to the opposite shore.

The God of gods, the Lord, has spoken and summoned the earth, from the rising of the sun to its setting (Psalm 50:1). Just as in the ancient times, even today Jesus speaks to us through people, events and nature. Let us thirst for discerning and heeding His voice. Not to go in search of wondrous deeds but in conformity with Him we shall come to see great deeds being manifested in our lives as we grow in intimacy with the Lord.

Our Sonship Endowed with the gift of divine son-ship through Baptism we are called to a journey of fulfilling His Will in accordance with His plan. It is in the light of faith that we step on to a life of witnessing that could only be realized by being enraptured in the fire of the Spirit. Only solution presented should be the experience of deep communion with the Lord as a family, community, parish and a nation. In the face of problems and challenges that crop up in our life journey let us walk His way of life for solutions that surpass miracles. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to fill us with faith and wisdom.

Prayer Starter Do not be afraid when some become rich, when the wealth of their houses increases. For when they die they will carry nothing away their wealth will not go down after them.

Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.

(Ps.49/16, 17, 20)

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Tuesday 19th February 2019 Genesis:6/5-8; 7/1-5,10 Psalm: 28/1-4, 9,10 (29/1-4,8-10) Mark: 8/14-21 The Gospel Proclamation Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread, and they had only one loaf with them ... And he cautioned them, saying "Watch out beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." They said to one another, "It is because we have no bread." ... Jesus said to them, "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?

When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand , how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?"

They said to him, "Twelve". And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" And they said to him, "Seven." Then he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?"

Prayerful Awareness How deep was the desire in Christ the Lord to experience God as his loving Father? Thus he insists on the disciples to experience through him the same experience of the Father. Just as much the Pharisees were seeking to test him, he knew that even his disciples could be easily misled by them. Therefore he warns them to keep their eyes open and be on their guard against the crafty teachings of the Pharisees. Not only was Jesus conscious of the shrewd nature of the Pharisees but also safeguarded one's self against their malicious words for he well knew their minds and hearts.

He was also aware that when they fail in their efforts to capture him with his own words they would certainly try to mislead his disciples. He took pains to convince them through his own actions of fulfilling even their bodily needs the importance of experiencing the Father and having total dependence on him.

Through the first proclamation the author of Genesis emphasizes the fact that God sees the wickedness of men and how their thoughts fashion wickedness.

He also speaks of God grieving over creating man on earth. Yet, when he sees the righteousness of Noah he shows him mercy. It was by experiencing God in his life and believing in him with total dependence that Noah found favour with God. Our sonship Christian life is a vocation to experience God just as Christ the Lord experienced God the Father. For to respond to this noble vocation, we have to reach God the Father through Christ himself. Since Christ is the way, the truth and the life let us make him our way of life and thirst journeying on this way. Through Christ our Lord let us come to experience God. God looks kindly on those who draw closer to him, fills them with noble virtues and make them righteous. It is purely a gift from God. Our task is to attempt deepening our Christian vocation day by day. The deeper we enter into this experience we will inherit peace, joy and inner healing.

We will be empowered to consider every obstacle on a Christ centered journey as chaff and live a life of communion entering into a deep prayer life. "Give the Lord the glory of his name."

Prayer Starter To You O Lord, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit (Ps.28/1)

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

Wednesday 20th February 2019 Feast of Sts.Francisco & Jacintha Marto, The Seers of Fatima Genesis:8/6-13, 20-22 Psalm:115/12-15,18-19 (116/12-15,18-19) Mark: 8/22-26 Sts. Francisco & Jacintha Marto It was the 13th of May in the year 1917. It was at Cova de Iria, away from the fertile regions of Fatima, some 110 miles North of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, where there took place an event that was to change forever the lives of 3 youngsters. It was a sunny morning but a powerful flash of lightning tore through the sky and the Virgin Mother of God was there before them. The recipients of the vision were Lucy, Francisco and Jacintha. They saw the vision for the next 5 months. The trio was asked by the Blessed Mother to learn to read and write, to pray the rosary for peace in the world, for sinners and for conversion of Russia. They experienced the power of God's grace in their lives until the end. Doubt, suspension, beatings and imprisonment were their lot. At the last apparition of Our Lady at Fatima no less than 90,000 people virtually witnessed the miracle of the sun and all that accompanied the miracle.

The Gospel Proclamation They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?" And the man looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking." Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, ... Then he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even go into the village."

Prayerful Awareness This is yet another miracle that was worked by Our Lord at Bethsaida. The other was curing of the disabled man at the pool, who had been there for 38 years.

It was one of the six miracles worked by Our Lord on the Sabbath. This miracle, curing the blind man, is mentioned only

by Mark and it is an extremely interesting one. The man would have been bewildered if he had been given his sight in the middle of a crowd. Our Lord wanted to be alone with him, so He took him out of the village so that He might be alone with him. Unlike in many other miracles, He wanted the blind man to experience the thrill of seeing step by step, break the good news less suddenly. All of us know the healing power of spittle. When a finger is cut or burned our immediate reaction is to put it into our mouth as first aid and to ease the pain. Instead of using words Jesus used this method to cure the blind man, and it was not above the experience of ordinary people. There is a marked difference in this miracle - it happened gradually, whereas the others happened instantly, completely. Often our spiritual sight is partial. We do not see the spiritual truths clearly or not at all.

We have to ask the Holy Spirit to help us and make us see clearly and distinctly the heavenly realities. "Signs taken up by Christ". In His preaching the Lord Jesus often makes use of the signs of creation to make known the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. He performs healings and illustrates His preaching with physical signs or symbolic gestures. He gives new meaning to the deeds and signs of the Old Covenant, above all to the Exodus and the Passover for He Himself is the meaning of all these signs." '(C.C.C.1151) Prayer Starter You cure our spiritual sickness of pride, anger, sensuality, envy, gluttony etc. Help us to be aware of it and co-operate with You.

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Thursday 21st February 2019 Genesis:9/1-13 Psalm: 101/16-23, 29 (102/15-22, 28 Mark: 8/27-33

The First Proclamation God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, 'Breed, multiply and fill the earth.... Every living thing that moves will be yours to eat, no less than the foliage of the plants. I give you everything, with this exception: you must not eat flesh with life, that is to say blood, in it. And I shall demand account of your life-blood, too. I shall demand it of every animal, and of man. Of man as regards his fellow-man, I shall demand account for human life. He who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God was man created. Be fruitful then and multiply, teem over the earth and subdue it!' God spoke as follows to Noah and his sons, 'I am now establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants to come, and with every living creature that was with you: ...And I shall maintain my covenant with you: that never again shall all living things be destroyed by the waters of a flood, nor shall there ever again be a flood to devastate the earth.'...I now set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Fix your gaze on Jesus

You are awesome Lord, and the earth and the sky proclaim your glory...

Thank you Lord for assuring us through Noah that we shall not only survive, but thrive on this beautiful and nurturing earth given us! We are indeed grateful for this benevolent cradle given us, enabling us to reach for the potential

St. Peter Damian, Bishop & Doctor we're infused with.

Together therewith, the Lord has also vested on us the responsibility of being stewards towards the mother-ship we're travelling the creation in! No other creature is above us (not to be interpreted as all other creatures are below us- mind you that we do NOT make this a worthiness contest, as all creatures are God's beloved children); and we are assigned a role is managing the system, making us now co-creators and heirs of the Creator's abundant blessings. The term ' teem over the earth and subdue it' is not to be interpreted as 'to plunder and rape the system'. That faulty thinking is foundered on the flawed premise that we are 'separate' from 'WhatIs'; that we can build walls to separate us from what we deem unsavoury; that we can escape the consequences of 'WhatWe-Sow'. We see the ugly result of this insensitive and flawed / erroneous thinking today. We humans have to urgently upgrade our thinking to become 'One' with 'What-Is', if our progeny are to receive this mother-ship in a liveable condition.

The Lord will not punish us, we will be doing that to ourselves, on our own, due to our wrong choices. The crass consumerism we live, our inherent habitual and flawed thinking to project the power to make ourselves happy to the outside, will cause the whole system to fail. Can we look to the 'Good News' and upgrade our thinking to 'Rejoice in all circumstances'? Re-program ourselves to the original 'thought patterns' we were created with? Get back to the truth of the Spirit of God's eternal in-dwelling presence...?

Prayer Starter

We have hope Lord, since our potential is your definitive will. Turn us from going our own ways, back towards your desires / thinking for us, to think like God, as Jesus said to Peter ...

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

Friday 22nd February 2019 1 Peter:5/1-4 Psalm:22/1-6 (23/1-6) Mathew:16/13-19

The First Proclamation Now as an elder myself and a witness of the sufferings of Christ as well as one who shares in the glory to be revealed, I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it - not for sordid gain by eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd appears, you will win the crown of glory that never fades away.

Prayerful Awareness

Chair of Peter, the Apostle

Christ's church continued this patters of leadership. Elders carried great responsibility, and they were expected to be GOOD EXAMPLES. Peter, one of Jesus'' twelve disciples, was out of the three who saw Christ's glory at the Transfiguration.

He was often the SPOKESMAN for the apostles. Peter witnessed Jesus' DEATH and RESURRECTION, Preached at Pentecost and became a pillar of the Jerusalem church. But writing to the elders, he identified himself as a fellow elder, NOT a superior. We see here, where authority is based on service not power.

Peter describes several characteristics of good leaderships in Church.

1. They realise they are caring for God's flock, not their own.

2. They lead out of eagerness to sere, not out of obligation.

3. They are concerned for what they can give, not what they can get.

4. They lead by example, not force. All of us lead others in some way. Even in our own homes, school, workplace, church, societies.

Whatever our role, our leadership should be in line with the above characteristics. "The Chief Shepherd" is JESUS Christ. This refers to HIS Second Coming, when He will judge ALL PEOPLE. Prayer Starter

Jesus encouraged Peter to care for the Church as a shepherd tending the flock. Hence, Peter gives some special instructions - 'Elders should care for God's flock'.

ELDERS were Church officers providing SUPERVISION, PROTECTION, DISCIPLINE, INSTRUCTION and DIRECTION, for the other believers. "Elder" simply meant "OLDER. Both Greeks Lord, help us follow as You lead, and Jews gave positions of great and serve others in Your Name. honour to WISE older men; and

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Saturday 23rd February 2019 Hebrews: 11/1-7 Psalm: 144/2-5, 10-11 (145/1-4, 10-11) Mark: 9/2-13 Gospel proclamation Six days later Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain, ... And he was transfigured before them, ... And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; ... Then a cloud overshadowed them and from the cloud there came a voice, "This is my Son, the Beloved, listen to him!"

Suddenly when they looked around, they saw no one with them any more, but only Jesus.

As they were coming down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one about what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead could mean. Then they asked him, "Why do the scriptures say that Elijah must come first?" He said to them, "Elijah is indeed coming first to restore all things. How then is it written about the Son of Man, that he is to go through many sufferings and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written about him.

Prayerful Awareness Let us visually enter the experience as did the three disciples, Peter, James and John. For a moment they were removed from reality to experience a moment of supernatural enlightenment. The disciples at that moment did not comprehend what transpired. However, there was one

St. Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr command that came from God that may have captured their full attention. That was the voice of God. “This is my dear son – listen to Him”.

The command from God, transposed them from their human position to experience something that they may not have paid full attention to before. That was about the divinity of Christ. It would have brought them to the full realization that this was Messiah, God with them.

In Hebrews, we are also awakened to our life of faith. It says “To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God’s approval.

It is by faith we understand that the universe was created by God’s word, so that what can be seen was made out of what cannot be seen. It was faith that made Abel offer to God a better sacrifice than Cain’s. Through his faith he won God’s approval as righteous man, because God himself approved of his gifts.

By means of his faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead (Hebrew 11: 1 -5).

Prayer starter Lord, transpose our human experience to one that is divine through our faith. We acknowledge that You are eternal, and Your desire is to ensure our journey to eternity.

Help us dear Holy Spirit to completely surrender our lives to God’s commands that is manifested through Jesus. We know him as the divine messiah who understands our human experience.

Therefore, help us to commit our lives to Jesus. He is identified, not only as the son, but also as the word of God who brought the total creation into being.

Dear Holy Spirit give us also the power of understanding and discernment about the will of God that is in the word.

Help us place our implicit faith in the word. Amen!

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

Sunday 24th February 2019 1 Samuel: 26/2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23 Psalm: 102/1-4,8,10, 12, 13 (103/1-4,8,10,12, 13) 1 Corinthians:15/45-49 Luke:6/27-38

Introduction As Christian disciples endowed with the gift of being followers of Christ, we are engaged in a journey of encountering him. Solemn is the way the Holy Mother the Church takes us through the liturgical year from time to time nourishing us with the word of God as required. On this seventh Sunday of ordinary time we are awakened to the God who allows his plan to unfold by way of providing discipline. "Today the Lord put you in my power, but I would not raise my hand against the Lord's anointed."

The psalmist reminds us of the mercy shown to man by the Lord who is so compassionate. Also it is quite obvious that even the heavenly inheritance revealed in the letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians does raise us to a new level of experience. The words of St. Luke "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate" too awaken us to our Christian vocation. Hence, believing in His mercy and kindness let us live out our Christian discipleship pleading with him for the graces needed.

Entrance Antiphon

The First Proclamation So Saul rose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph So David and Abishai went to the arm by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him.

Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice." But David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him, for who can raise his hand against the Lord's anointed and be guiltless? ......

Prayerful Awareness Today in the first proclamation we could see how God reveals His plan to the person chosen by Him, through the power of his mediation and protection.

David gets a second chance to kill Saul, who comes in search of him accompanied by three thousand men considered to be his fulltime army, yet he decides to let him go free convinced of his vocation of experiencing the plan of God being fulfilled in his life. "Let me not harm the Lord's anointed!"

The Gospel Proclamation

But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you, and if anyone takes away O Lord, I trust in your merciful love. your goods, do not ask for them again.

My heart will rejoice in your salvation. Do to others as you would have them I will sing to the Lord who has been do to you. bountiful with me.

If you love those who love you,

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what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.

If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven, give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap, for the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Prayerful Awareness

Adam, became a living being"; the last Adam, became a life-giving spirit.

But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust, the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Prayerful Awareness

"I say this to you who are listening."

How challenging are the words stated by the Lord solely based on His own experience of always listening to the Father. Who on earth could do, let alone think of loving his enemy, doing good to those who hate him, praying for those who treat him badly, turning the other cheek to the man who slaps him? No one will be able to accomplish such a task unless he receives and allows the power from above to guide him. It is really the grace of divine son-ship that enabled Him to act grounded on the Will of God that is quite different from the ordinary thinking pattern of a human being but judging with wisdom and good counsel.

Let us also be true followers of Christ who listen to Him attentively.

Second Proclamation Thus it is written, "The first man,

In the life of a Christian disciple, the greatest gift we have received is the inheritance of claiming divine son-ship.

The proclamations of the day repeatedly remind us that we too are chosen by God. They point out the readiness of God to show His love and protection plus His continuous intervention in the life of His chosen ones. Let us always praise God for the gift of experiencing His compassion and love, ask for the grace to be in constant awareness of His holy plan and listen to the Lord.

Prayer Starter

As this earthly man was, so are we on earth; and as the heavenly man is, so are we in heaven. And we, who have been modeled on the earthly man, will be modeled on the heavenly man.

St. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, reminds us of the earthly as well as the heavenly nature that we possess.

In the so called earthly nature that we have inherited, let us accomplish the mission expected of us experiencing the heavenly nature in the hope of attaining eternal life.

Our sonship

Abba Father, may Your word make us see the way of wisdom that grounds us in truth. Give us a proper understanding of Your divine plan in meditation and guide us to reach the promised eternal life.

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

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

Monday 25th February 2019 Sirach: 1/1-10 Psalm: 92/1-2, 5 (93/1-2, 5 ) Mark: 9/14-29

Gospel Proclamation When they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and some scribes arguing with them.

When the the whole crowd saw him, they were immediately overcome with awe and they ran forward to greet him. He asked them, “What are you arguing about with them?”...

“Teacher, I brought you my son; he has a spirit that makes him unable to speak; .... and I asked your disciples to cast it out, but they could not do so." He answered them, "You faithless generation, how much longer must I be among you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him to me." .... When the spirit saw him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell to the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the father, "How long has this been happening to him?" ... "From childhood.

It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him, but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us." Jesus said to him, "If you are able! - All things can be done for the one who believes." Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together he rebuked the unclean spirit, ... "You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!" After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."

But Jesus took him by the hand and

lifted him up, and he was able to stand.

When he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?| He said to them, "This kind can come out only through prayer."

Prayerful Awareness The incident in the Gospel happened just after the Transfiguration. A father had brought his son who was an epileptic to the disciples. The disciples had been unable to deal with his case, and that had given the scribes their chance to belittle not only them but their Master. That made the situation delicate, and that is what makes every human situation so delicate for the Christian. His conduct, words, ability or inability to cope with the demands of life, are used as a yard-stick, not only to judge him, but to judge Jesus Christ. To the father of the boy Jesus stated the conditions of a miracle. "To him who believes," said Jesus, ";all things are possible.". The whole attitude of the father of the boy is most illuminating.

He had come seeking for Jesus himself.

Since Jesus was on the mountain top he had had to deal with the disciples and His experience of them was discouraging.

His faith was badly shaken, that when he came to Jesus all he could say at first was, "Help me, if you can."; then, face to face with Jesus, suddenly his faith blazed up again. "I believe" he cried. "If there is still some discouragement in me, still some doubts, take them away and fill me with an unquestioning faith” When the disciples wanted to know why they had failed Jesus simply said that they need to pray. God may have given us a gift, but unless we maintain close contact with God it may wither and die.

Prayer Starter It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night.... (Ps.92/1, 2....)

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Tuesday 26th February 2016 us, enabling us to reach for the potential Sirach:2/1-11 we're infused with.

Psalm:36/3-4, 18-19, Together therewith, the Lord has 27-28, 39-40 also vested on us the responsibility of (37/3-4, 18-19,27-28, being stewards towards the mother-ship 39-40) we're travelling the creation in! No other creature is above us (not to be interpreted Mark: 9/30-37 The First Proclamation God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, 'Breed, multiply and fill the earth .... Every living thing that moves will be yours to eat, no less than the foliage of the plants. I give you everything, with this exception: you must not eat flesh with life, that is to say blood, in it. And I shall demand account of your life-blood, too. ... Of man as regards his fellow-man, I shall demand account for human life. He who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God was man created.

Be fruitful then and multiply, teem over the earth and subdue it!' God spoke as follows to Noah and his sons, 'I am now establishing my covenant with you and with your descendants to come, and with every living creature that was with you: ...And I shall maintain my covenant with you: that never again shall all living things be destroyed by the waters of a flood, nor shall there ever again be a flood to devastate the earth.'...I now set my bow in the clouds and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Fix your gaze on Jesus You are awesome Lord, and the earth and the sky proclaim your glory...

Thank you Lord for assuring us through Noah that we shall not only survive, but thrive on this beautiful and nurturing earth given us! We are indeed grateful for this benevolent cradle given

as all other creatures are below us- mind you that we do NOT make this a worthiness contest, as all creatures are God's beloved children); and we are assigned a role is managing the system, making us now co-creators and heirs of the Creator's abundant blessings. The term ' teem over the earth and subdue it' is not to be interpreted as 'to plunder and rape the system'. That faulty thinking is foundered on the flawed premise that we are 'separate' from 'What-Is'; that we can build walls to separate us from what we deem unsavoury; that we can escape the consequences of 'What-We-Sow'. We see the ugly result of this insensitive and flawed / erroneous thinking today. We humans have to urgently upgrade our thinking to become 'One' with 'What-Is', if our progeny are to receive this mother-ship in a liveable condition.

The Lord will not punish us, we will be doing that to ourselves, on our own, due to our wrong choices. The crass consumerism we live, our inherent habitual and flawed thinking to project the power to make ourselves happy to the outside, will cause the whole system to fail. Can we look to the 'Good News' and upgrade our thinking to 'Rejoice in all circumstances'? Re-program ourselves to the original 'thought patterns' we were created with? Get back to the truth of the Spirit of God's eternal in-dwelling presence...?

Prayer Starter We have hope Lord, since our potential is Your definitive Will. Turn us from going our own ways, back towards Your desires / thinking for us, to think like God, as Jesus said to Peter ...

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

34

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Our Lady of Wednesday 27th February 2016 Feast of St.Gabriel of Sorrows

John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterwards to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us.

Prayerful Awareness

were responsible for mental and physical illnesses. The commonest way to drive them away was to command them in the name of a more powerful evil spirit. In the incident in focus we see apostle John trying to stop a man using Our Lord's Name to achieve the end. he tried to stop him because he was not a disciple of Jesus. But the attitude of Jesus was a different one - no one could do a great deed in His Name and be altogether His enemy. He drew the disciples' attention to the great principle - Whoever is not against us is for us.' (Mark 9:40) Here we have a nice lesson in tolerance. Our tendency is to condemn what we do not understand. We have a right to think and sort out things. We can come to our own conclusions and beliefs. Every individual has that right and it should be respected.

Right to one's own thinking and the right to speaking - we must concede these.

Liberty of speech reigns supreme of all democratic rights. Surely there are limits.

Ideas expressed and spread with a view to destroy morality and to remove the foundations from civil and Christian society have to be and must be combated. here one has to be careful - here the action is not to eliminate them by force but to prove them wrong. In the First Proclamation we have personification of wisdom. It is an attribute of God and is identified with Him. Our Blessed Mother is the Mother of Wisdom and Jesus Christ Himself is the Wisdom.. Wisdom enables us to judge correctly. It also enables us to discern correctly between what is necessary and what is not, between what is false and what is true, between what is essential and what is not so essential, between what is true and what is false.

Today we have or are lost in a multitude of theories, ideas and opinions. Are they all true, acceptable. correct?

Prayer Starter

Even in the time of Jesus people believed in demons and these evil forces

We must be children of wisdom. For this we have Jesus. Amen.

Sirach:4/11-19 Psalm:118/165,168,171, 172,174,175 (119/165,168,171, 174,175) Mark:9/38-40

St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows When he was only four he lost his mother, a woman of sterling qualities.

Francis was highly obsessed with the trappings of social life with its endless rounds of dramas, operas and converts.

However, the outbreak of cholera put an end to all these. The result was that he ended up by joining the Passionists at Morovale as Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows. Extremely meticulous in observing every detail of the rule both in letter and spirit, he possessed a prodigious memory and nursed a deep spirit of prayer. He had a high devotion to Our Lord's Passion, the Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin. But when he was ready to be ordained, having received minor orders in 1861, the social disorder made it unsafe for him to be sent to his bishop. Died: 27th February 1862, Beatified: 31st May 1908. Canonized: 13th May 1920 in the presence of his aged brother.

The Gospel Proclamation

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

35

Thursday 28th February 2019 Sirach: 5/1-8 Psalm: 1/1-4, 6 Mark: 9/41-50

The First Proclamation Do not put your confidence in your money or say, 'With this I am self-sufficient.' ... And do not say, 'Who has authority over me?' for the Lord will certainly give you your deserts.

Do not say, 'I have sinned, but what harm has befallen me?' for the Lord's forbearance is long. Do not be so sure of forgiveness that you add sin to sin.

And do not say, 'His compassion is great, he will forgive me my many sins'; for with him are both mercy and retribution, and his anger does not pass from sinners. Do not delay your return to the Lord, ... for suddenly the Lord's wrath will blaze out, and on the day of punishment you will be utterly destroyed. ...

Fix your gaze on Jesus Thank you Lord, for you are indeed Good; indeed Great! I would give you thanks for your benevolence every day of my life...

Let us constantly remind ourselves that we are 'Spiritual Being experiencing a human condition'. In other words, we are Intelligence and Power/Energy, housed 'for now' within a material body.

Our life experience (taste) is primarily based on our choices within; the thought patterns we habitually select, that which we consider to be true and valid, generates the 'Life Taste'.

The scriptures say that 'As a Man Thinketh in his heart, so is he'; the Lord Buddha says 'What you think, you become'. This reveals to us that 'Our inward thinking, our choices as to the thoughts and beliefs we select, matter a great deal'.

Thus, the need to become aware of our

momentary choices becomes critical for us to generate/ create a better life taste.

With that in mind, let's look at today's scripture. God, our beloved Creator, our Maker, who knows us completely (much better than we know ourselves), is trying to convey to us, His creatures, what and how to think. S/He is sad to see the sorry state we're in, due to faulty thinking patterns.

Let us examine a few of the instructions given. 'Do not put your confidence in your money or say, 'With this I am self-sufficient.' This thinking is based on the premise that money can buy security and happiness. Meaning, the 'power' to make you happy rests on things / persons / circumstances outside of yourself. Were we to follow this belief, and act accordingly, we are sure to find a few instances of fulfilment; but you definitely won't find lasting gratification or satisfaction.

So we would search for 'another something' to taste that satisfaction. Again and again, we will meet with fleeting experiences of gratification. This is likened to chasing a mirage. This is the promise of the Liar who holds out a seeming truth, but which is in reality an empty promise.

The truth in this respect is two-fold.

In our interactions with our fellow-man, we create value, and money is a result of that value creation. We are the creators, and we should abstain from worshipping our own creation. Secondly, happiness is an inner choice, which we need to consciously exercise. Our fallen thinking; that of projecting the power to make us happy to the outside, has to be changed, so that we could 'Rejoice in all things' as St. Paul explains the experience. If you want to be happy in all circumstances, just change your thinking!

Prayer Starter Thank you O Lord for creating us to be powerful. Now, evolve us towards exercising this power and experiencing it in our day-to-day lives! Your word indeed is a blessings....

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

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