Walk in the Spirit September 2020 by Pubuduwa

WALK IN THE SPIRIT September 2020 Issue 343 Commencement March 1992

"O Mary the power of the Most High will overshadow you!"

ISSN 1391-5967

Publication: Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne Kithu Dana Pubuduwa

SHARING ON PRAYER September 2020

It was a fleeting look at Jesus. He was filled, led, guided by the Holy Spirit. His whole body, mind and spirit, was under the control of the Godhead. No special discernment process was necessary for Him. He would say, ‘Yes’, ‘No’ in perfect accord with the Abba’s Will. I could be enthralled, could be mesmerized. I could fall prostrate, I could worship and adore. What else could I do in the presence of the ONE who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I could desire with all the strength I could muster to walk in Jesus’ footsteps. Fr. Siri Oscar Abayaratne

Tuesday 1st September 2020 (Green) 1 Corinthians:2/10-16 Psalm:144/8-14 (145/8-14) Luke:4/31-37

Gospel Proclamation Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. Prayerful Awareness People were amazed by the way Jesus taught, because He spoke with authority. At the synagogue when the man with the evil spirit cried out in a loud voice Jesus said “Be quiet”. He ordered the man to be quiet because Jesus did not want anyone to give publicity to Him as the Son of the Most High. Then due to the love and compassion Jesus had for the sick person, He ordered the spirit of the demon to come out of him, and the people were amazed by the power and authority Jesus had in His words. Do we live our lives as children of God

with Truthfulness and Love following the Commandments of the Lord? Jesus intercedes for such persons who follow His Commandments to send to them another Advocate to be with them always, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17). Holy Spirit helps them and guides them to live as children of God (Rom. 8:14). Jesus gave His Power and Authority to such people who love Him and follow His commandments, to spread His Word of Justice and Truth to all in the world, with His Power and Authority. Do we love Jesus and follow His Commandments? Then we should practice His Word, speak and teach His Word of Justice and Truth to others with His Power and Authority. In the First reading St. Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the Holy Spirit. He said the Spirit teaches the spiritual people a new mode of perception about everything, as it is not the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that people may understand the things freely given to them by God, like everything connected with His great Love and Mercy. We should speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual terms. The natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For, “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ. Prayer Starter Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Almighty God, we believe in You and accept You as our Saviour and Lord to follow Your Commandments. Please send to us the Holy Spirit to empower us to serve You better and to spread Your Word to all, through our lives. Amen

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Wednesday 2nd September 2020 (Green) 1 Corinthians:3/1-9 Psalm:32/12-15.20-21 (33/12-15,20-21) Luke:4/38-44

The First Proclamation And I, brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. As unto little ones in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for you were not able as yet. But neither indeed are you now able; for you are yet carnal. For, whereas there is among you envying and contention, are you not carnal, and walk according to man? For while one saith, I indeed am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are you not men? What then is Apollos and what is Paul? The ministers of him whom you have believed; and to every one as the Lord hath given. .... Gospel Proclamation And leaving the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked him about her. Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them. ...... At daybreak he departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowds were looking for him; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose." So he continued proclaiming the message

in the synagogues of Judea. Prayerful Awareness Let us read today’s Proclamations meditatively, where the central theme is the contrast between the conduct of those who are mature in the Holy Spirit, and those who are not! We become saved when we proclaim that Jesus is our Lord and Saviour, and thus set off on a journey with the Holy Spirit as Born Again babes, maturing as we go along (from a stage where we are led by the triple forces of evil, namely the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, to a stage of being led by the Spirit more and more) by the nourishment we receive from the Word of God, the Sacraments, etc., and learning to experience the Gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-11) and Fruits (Galatians 5:22-26) of the Spirit. In today’s First Proclamation St. Paul laments that the believers in Corinth are still acting like little children in their journey in the Spirit because they have split into various factions whereas the body of Christ must act as one body, one building, one Church! In today’s Gospel Proclamation we see Peter’s Mother-in-Law starts ministering to them immediately she was healed, demonstrating the readiness of those who are anointed by the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord and others. Also, we see our Lord Jesus Christ is always attuned to doing His Father’s Will rather than pleasing those around Him. Both these examples are signs of maturity in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm Our soul waiteth for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector. For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted. (Psalm 33:20-21). Amen! Alleluia! Praise the Lord!

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Thursday 3rd September 2020 St.Gregory the Great, Pope & Doctor (White) 1 Corinthians:3/18-23 people they are cut off. 'Become a fool' - through this Paul urges us to Psalm:23/1-6 be humble enough to learn. "I know (24/1-6) one thing. I do not know anything" Luke:5/1-11 (Socrates). "The identification with some party is the acceptance of slavery by those who should be rulers over all things, because they belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God." (The New The First Proclamation Daily Study Bible). The old proverb, Do not deceive yourselves. If you "He who knows not and knows that he think that you are wise in this age, knows not, is a wise man; teach him." you should become fools so that you The big cities are sometimes thought to may become wise. For the wisdom contain all the wisdom, while the little of this world is foolishness with towns are looked upon as backward God. For it is written, and unprogressive. Christ chose the "He catches the wise in their insignificant Bethlehem for the glory craftiness" and again, "The Lord of His birth; the ridiculed Nazareth for knows the thoughts of the wise, that His youth; but the glorious, cosmopolitan Jerusalem for the ignominy of His they are futile." So let no one boast about human death. "Can anything good come out leaders. For all things are yours, of Nazareth" is but the prelude to "Can whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas anything redemptive come from a man or the world or life or death or the who dies on a cross". (Archbishop present or the future - all belong to Fulton J. Sheen). Prayer Starter you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in Prayerful Awareness green pastures; he leads me beside still The root cause of destruction of waters; he restores my soul. He leads the Church, as Paul sees it, is the worme in right paths for his name's sake. ship of worldly wisdom. We may call Even though I walk through the it intellectual pride. One who harbours darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you this cannot keep silent and admire but are with me' your rod and your staff engages in arguments and criticizing. they comfort me. He cannot bear up his opinions being You prepare a table before me in contradicted or challenged and tends to prove they alone are right. All who the presence of my enemies; you anoint do not agree with, are looked down my head with oil; my cup overflows. upon, scorned. Rather than uniting (Ps:23/1-50)

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Friday 4th September 2020 (Green) 1 Corinthians:4/1-5 Psalm:36/3-6,27-28, 39-40 (37/3-6,27-38,39-40) Luke:5/33-39

The First Proclamation Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. Fix your gaze on Jesus Jesus Lord, find in me the hidden roots of sin that prevent me from experiencing the love and completeness You offer; and rectify it with Your grace and mercy.... The Apostles are but servants of Christ, yet are not to be undervalued. They have a great trust, and an honourable office. Paul had a just concern for his own reputation, but knew that he who chiefly aimed to please men, would not prove himself a faithful servant of Christ. It is a comfort that men are not to be the final Judge, and it is not the judging of ourselves as good, or justifying ourselves, that will prove

us safe and happy. We really do not know ourselves all that well! Our own judgment is not to be depended upon as to our faithfulness, any more than our own works for our justification. There is a day coming, that will bring men’s secret sins into open day, and discover the secrets of their hearts. Then every slandered believer will be justified, and every faithful servant approved and rewarded. The word of God is the best rule by which to judge as to men, and there-again, it is the heartthe inner motives-the inner workings which will be judged; not the outer manifestation thereof which could be interpreted as you please! Just reviewing a regular every-day event in our lives, and comparing notes with another will bring you to this understanding …. The other day, I was having a difficult time relating to my younger son who continued to misbehave and neglect his growing up work, choosing instead to stay with a diffused attention, more focused on passing frivolities and the gratification of the primary senses. Just observing the harm he was doing to himself, turning away from his divinely endowed potential and purpose, was eating away at my inside; I was slowly loosing my cool. The Holy Spirit awakened me as to what was really happening; I was in a judgment modeprojecting my fears in to an anticipation of what could be! Once I came to my senses, and realized that a spirit of fear was controlling me, founded on my lack of trust in the workings of the Almighty who uses even our sin to turn everything for our good, the pressure I experienced simply disappeared. Calmly, I helped the child to turn to higher ways…. Prayer Starter Search me O Lord, find in me the errors displeasing to You, and awaken me thereof....

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Saturday 5th September 2020 (White) 1 Corinthians:4/6-15 Psalm:144/17-21 (145/17-21) Luke: 6/1-5

The First Proclamation I have applied all this to Apolos and myself for your benefit, brothers and sisters, so that you may learn through us the meaning of the saying, "Nothing beyond what is written," so that none of you will be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? â&#x20AC;&#x160;What do you have that you did not receive? And if you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift? Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Quite apart from us you have become kings! Indeed, I wish that you had become kings, so that we might be kings with you! .... Gospel Proclamation One sabbath while Jesus was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked some heads of grain, rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful on the sabbath?" Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and gave some to his companions?" Then he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath." Prayerful Awareness

St. Teresa of Calcutta

sus do an unlawful act during the sabbath, according to the Jewish interpretation of the Law. But Jesus knows God the Father. Jesus responds to the criticism from the Pharisees with an example from one of King David's actions. "He went into the house of God, took the bread offered to God, ate it, and gave it also to his men. Yet it is against our Law for anyone except the priests to eat that bread." It brings to light that in God's eyes, all men are equal, and we cannot put restrictions on what God gave. If it is the Will of God, it is not for us to question. In the first reading today St. Paul elaborates on the same lines that no man is superior to the other; "Who made you superior to others? Didn't God give you everything you have? Well, then, how can you boast, as if what you have were not a gift?" It is not what you gain, but it is what you give for others, as Paul shares his own experience of hardship in the service of God. The apostles sacrificed their lives for God to preach the good news to God's people, as a father, sacrifices for his children. Our Sonship Let us reflect on ourselves. Do we also act as self-righteous people, amongst others? Do you always expect to be praised by others for doing what you are supposed to be doing? Or are we able to humble ourselves like the apostles and go through difficulties and pain to give the word of God to His people? Prayer Starter Dear Lord, overshadow me with Thy Holy Spirit, help me face the difficulties in my path ahead as I journey in service of Your Kingdom.

In the Gospel today, disciples of Je-

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Sunday 6th September 2020 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time PS Wk III (Green) and you do not speak to warn the Ezekiel:33/7-9 wicked to turn from their ways, the Psalm:94/1-2,6-9 wicked shall die in their iniquity, (95/1-2,6-8) but their blood I will require at your Romans:13/8-10 hand. But if you warn the wicked to Mathew: 18/15-20 turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life. Prayerful Awareness

Introduction The religion established on earth by Jesus Christ is based on love. Here what is meant by love is the unique love of God to man (Agape). The same noble love should be reflected even through the attitude and life principle of a Christian following Jesus who revealed this love to the world. In witnessing to such love, we would be faced with misunderstanding and various types of condemnation. Even amidst such catastrophes, only a person who experiences the love of God will be able to love others steadfastly. In love, both bearing the other's faults as well as pointing out his or her mistakes for him, for correction, should be done since even through the day's proclamations it is being expressed that a person loyal to God bringing back a wrongdoer to the correct path by humbly pointing out his mistakes would be a person most pleasing to God. Let us prepare ourselves to reflect on the proclamations for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, invoking the power to witness to such a noble love. The First Proclamation "So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the House of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, "O wicked ones, you shall surely die,"

What would have been the inner experience of the Lord Jesus who listened to the word of God by prophet Ezekiel? Undoubtedly these words would have sunk deep into the heart of the Lord. It is in accordance with the mind and wisdom of God that Jesus was bold enough not only to listen and proclaim the word of God to the people but also to call them for repentance pointing out their mistakes. The Lord who once rebuked the Pharisee and the Scribe sternly, displayed much love and kindness to the helpless poor through which He demonstrated the quality of exalting others. The Gospel Proclamation If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two or three of you agree on earth about anything you

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Gazing at the Lord It is God Himself that calls a Christian to a life of communion. Even then, today's Gospel proclamation shows us how Jesus counsels on living in unity amidst human limitations and differences. Also He gives a powerful promise to His disciples. "If two or three are gathered in my name, I will be there with them.". How much faith do we have in this promise given by the Lord Jesus who defeated death and is alive among us today so as to invite Him to our midst? Do I as a Christian experience this promise? The Second Proclamation Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet"; and any other commandment, are summed up in this word, "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. Prayerful Awareness Today St. Paul who lived among the Christian communities affirms the value of love, in order to enter Christian lifestyle. Also he who had been fully equipped with the Scriptures emphatically states that the main objective of each and every part of the Scriptures is to fulfill the obligation to love others. Therefore let us be indebted only to love one another. Towards our son-ship Am I the type of a Christian that experiences the promise of the Lord

Jesus presented through the day's Gospel proclamation? To whom so ever we unite ourselves in the Name of Christ, we are endowed with the power of inviting the Lord Jesus to make His presence there. A life experience of encountering the Lord Jesus present in unity: He was a youth who was unable to love his father since he was a drunkard and for which reason he was sent to a rehabilitation center due to many issues the family and the neighbours had been facing based on his addiction. As a youth on the Pubudu journey the above Scripture passage had a great impact on him but on his own he was unable to take any initiative. Yet this passage had such an impact on him that he tried to unite himself with his father in mind and heart in order to encounter Christ during his daily prayer. Very recently he was compelled to go to the rehabilitation center to see his father on his mother's request wherein as the father most unexpectedly moved towards him to kiss him calling "my son"; it was after so many years that he too was able to put his hand round his neck calling him "Thaththe". It was with immense joy that he shared this experience with us presenting it as a moment of encounter with the Lord present in unity. Do I have a longing to encounter the Lord Jesus who defeated death present among us? For this, let us first unite ourselves at this moment in mind and heart with the person I am reluctant to love or unite myself with. Thus united let us invite Christ to make His presence amongst us. Prayer Starter Dear God our Father, make me thirst to respond to Your invitation of calling us to come to unity within our family and community first, in order to experience Your Kingdom on earth. For this purpose, let me be indebted only to love. Amen.

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Monday 7th September 2020 (Green) 1 Corinthans:5/1-8 Psalm:5/5-6,7,12 (5/4-6, 12 ) Luke:6/6-11

The First Proclamation It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not found even among pagans, for a man is living with his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Should you not rather have mourned, so that he who has done this would have been removed from among you? For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present I have already pronounced judgment in the name of the Lord Jesus on the man who has done such a thing....... Gospel Proclamation On another sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him to see whether he would cure on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. Even though he knew what they were thinking, he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Come and stand here." He got up and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to destroy it?" After looking around at all of them, he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might

do to Jesus. Prayerful Awareness According to the tradition of the religious leaders, no healing could be done on the Sabbath. Healing, they argued, was practicing medicine and a person could not practice his or her profession on the Sabbath. It was more important for the religious leaders to protect their laws than to free a person from PAINFUL SUFFERING. Already the Pharisees had turned against Jesus. They were JEALOUS of His popularity, His miracles and the authority in His teaching and actions. The Pharisees valued THEIR STATUS in the community and chances for personal gain so much that they lost sight of their goal as religious leaders - to point people towards God. They refused to acknowledge Jesus because they were not willing to give up their TREASURED POSITION and POWER. When Jesus exposed their attitudes, Jesus became their enemy instead of their Saviour. Jesus' enemies were furious. Not only had Jesus read their minds, He also flouted THEIR LAWS and EXPOSED the hatred in their hearts. It is ironic that it was their hatred, combined with their zeal for the law, that drove them to PLOT MURDER - an act that was clearly AGAINST the LAW. Let us remember that Jesus is LORD OF THE SABBATH". He had the authority to over-rule the Pharisees' traditions and regulations because He had created the Sabbath. Prayer Starter Lord Jesus, help us to always have in mind that the CREATOR is always greater than the CREATION. Thank You Jesus for showing us the real value of the Sabbath.

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Tuesday 8th September 2020 (White)

The Nativity of the Bl. Virgin Mary

Micah:5/2-4 OR Romans:8/28-30 Psalm: 12/6 (13/5-6 ) Mathew:1/1-16,18-23 OR 1/18-23

The First Proclamation Please read Romans 8/28-30 meditatively. The Gospel Proclamation Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ..... Prayerful Awareness Today the Holy Church celebrates the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. One of the greatest incidents which took place in the history of mankind is the birth of the Blessed Mother Mary. She was born without the stain of original sin and was chosen to be the mother of our Saviour Jesus Christ. She is the true Ark of the Covenant which brought about the Incarnation.

She is the temple of God, the one who carried the Word of God, thereby brought the dawn of hope and salvation to the whole world. She fulfilled this purpose by giving herself completely to God's Will, saying, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done according to your word". That is how the child is born in Bethlehem, who will be a shepherd in the strength of God, who shall reach the ends of the earth and shall be peace. She is a mother with all virtues. The Church salutes her by naming her "Star of the Sea'. This star directs us where God wants us to go, so that we look upon the star and invoke her in danger, in distress, in doubt. She is so near to us that we could obtain her intercession. Today's first proclamation (Romans 8/28-30) highlights some of the most beautiful and important revelations in the Holy Bible. For those who love God, and He has called according to His plan, everything works for their good. The providence of the Father covers all the events of our lives. Nothing happens in the world, in our family, in our lives merely by chance or because it was so destined. From the beginning of the world, God has known us in Christ. How different from human parents who do not know their children before birth! He has known and loved us from the very moment He created us. Mother Mary's life is full with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit and so she should be the one whom all Christians should look upon as a model to imitate. Prayer Starter Like Mother Mary, let us too bow down to the Will of God and act accordingly. Also let us receive her intercession to stay firm in facing all the challenges in our life's journey. "Mother of Christ, Star of the sea, pray for the wanderer, pray for me //"

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Wednesday 9th September 2020 (Green/White) St. Peter Claver, Priest the Good News and accept Jesus as our 1 Corinthians:7/25-31 Lord and Saviour, and thus set off on a Psalm:44/11-12, 14-17 journey with the Holy Spirit, whereby our lives become transformed to be more (45/10-11,13-16) and more like Jesus! Luke:6/20-26

Responsorial Psalm Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father’s house. And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore. All the glory of the king’s daughter is within golden borders, Clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king. ... Gospel Proclamation .... Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets. ....... Prayerful Awareness Let us read today’s Proclamations meditatively, where the central theme is the importance of accepting our lot in life as is at the time we receive our saving. We become saved when we hear

In today’s First Proclamation (please read: not reproduced here), the first part is self- explanatory, where St. Paul shares his thoughts on marriage. He himself we know was a bachelor, and he says such a state helps believers to be dedicated to carry out the Mission entrusted to them without any worldly constraints, but hastens to add it is alright to get married if they feel the need to do so. The exhortation in the closing paragraph is as follows, which is very apt for us today: ‘This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short; it remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as if they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as if they used it not: for the fashion of this world passeth away.’ The advice given herein is not to be attached to anyone, anything, or even any feeling, for everything passes away, i.e. it is an exhortation to practice detachment, ‘Upeksha’ towards the things of this World! The Responsorial Psalm spells out the call of our Lord to us, the Church of believers, the bride of Christ, to leave everything and come follow Him as the way to a glorious eternal life in Him, here and now, and forever. ‘Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added on to you’ (Mathew 6:33). It is a call to surrender our lives to Jesus, and reap eternal rewards!, which is corroborated in today’s Gospel Proclamation: Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you…. for the Son of man’s sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. Amen! Alleluia! Praise the Lord!

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Thursday 10th September 2020 (Green) 1 Corinthians: 8/1-7, 11-13 Psalm:138/1-3, 13-14, 23-24 (139/1-3,13-14,23-24) Luke: 6/27-38

The First Proclamation

weak believers for whom Christ died are destroyed. But when you thus sin against members of your family, and wound their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of their falling, I will never eat meat, so that I may not cause one of them to fall. Prayerful Awareness A very elementary way of classifying actions is labelling them good, bad or indifferent. Love of God and neighbour can be called good whereas murder bad. Eating by its very nature can be said to be indifferent. "Actions that are good by their nature are condemned because they are good. Actions that are by their nature bad are forbidden because they are bad. Actions that are indifferent are good because they are commanded. Conscience is true when one judges as licit what really is licit or illicit what really is illicit. Conscience is erroneous when one judges as licit what really is illicit or one judges as illicit what really is licit. (Word of Eternal Life). "Our conduct should always be guided not by the thought of our own superior knowledge, but by sympathetic and considerate love for others. And it may well be that for their sake we must refrain from doing and saying certain otherwise legitimate things. An indulgence which may be the ruin of someone else is not a pleasure but a sin." (The New Daily Study Bible) Prayer Starter

Now concerning food sacrificed to idols; we know that "all of us possess knowledge." Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Anyone who claims to know something does not yet have the necessary knowledge; but anyone who loves God is known by him. Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists." Indeed even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth - as in fact there are many gods and many lords - yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. It is not everyone, however, who has this knowledge. Since some have become so accustomed to idols until now, they still think of the food they eat as food offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Help us to put love into all our So by your knowledge those words and actions. Amen.

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Friday 11th September 2020 (Green) 1 Corinthians: 9/16-19, 22-27 Psalm:83/3-6, 12 (84/2-5, 7-11) Luke:6/39-42

The First Proclamation In fact, preaching the gospel gives me nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion and I should be in trouble if I failed to do it. If I did it on my own initiative I would deserve a reward; but if I do it under compulsion I am simply accepting a task entrusted to me. What reward do I have, then? That in my preaching I offer the gospel free of charge to avoid using the rights which the gospel allows me. So though I was not a slave to any human being, I put myself in slavery to all people, to win as many as I could .... To the weak, I made myself weak, to win the weak. I accommodated myself to people in all kinds of different situations, so that by all possible means I might bring some to salvation. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, that I may share its benefits with others. Do you not realize that, though all the runners in the stadium take part in the race, only one of them gets the prize?.... So that is how I run, not without a clear goal; and how I box, not wasting blows on air. I punish my body and bring it under control, to avoid any risk that, having acted as herald for others, I myself may be disqualified. Fix your gaze on Jesus

both will fall into a pit? Disciple is not superior to teacher; but a fully trained disciple will be like a teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother's eye and never notice the great log in your own?...' What we should understand from this is that, we become comfortable with our own situation and thought patterns, oblivious to how bad it is in the eyes of the Lord! And yet, other forces impel us to point out the changes our brother need to make. When Jesus says, 'Hypocrite! Take the log out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter in your brother's eyes', this is a call to become aware! We have to go the journey of discovering who we really are! To stop identifying ourselves with the thoughts, concepts, beliefs, feelings, dreams and hopes we habitually associate with, in our inner world. True enough these (forces) guide us in our moment to moment life; but they should be viewed as distinct and separate from our own identify! We choose! Regardless of whether the choices made are rational, logical, emotional, habitual or instinctual, we choose the forces that propel us onwards. And the Call is to become aware of whether our choices are in accord with the Living Word! We are to choose Jesus - the Living Word, as the force to carry us forward. St. Paul seems to have realized this distinction. He holds himself as separate from 'The Good News' - the Gospel, even when aware that he is the 'Container' holding the Living Word; and the channel through whom the Word Issues Forth to the thirsting World. He holds himself fully open and accessible for God's use. We too are so called. Shall we respond? Prayer Starter

Lord, my Liberator, help me journey Jesus told us a parable, 'Can one towards my true identity in You ... make blind person guide another? Surely me aware...! "O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Saturday 12th September 2020 (Green/White) 1 Corinthians:10/14-22 Psalm:115/12-13,17-18 (116/12-13,17-18) Luke:6/43-49 OR Galatians:4/4-7 OR Ephesians:1/3-6 Psalm:Lk.1/46-46-55 Luke:1/39-47

Gospel Proclamation "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. ... "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' and do not do what I tell you? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, hears my words and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock, when a flood arose, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not act is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, immediately it fell, and great was the ruin of that house." Prayerful Awareness In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks to us “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?” Most who listen to the word of the Lord or read the word of the Lord put it aside afterwards and does not take it in seriously and act on it. This is why Jesus accuses them, no point in calling me ‘Lord, Lord,’ if they do not act on His Word. A relationship with the Lord is

The Most Holy Name of Mary only built by people who take the word in and act on it, adjusting their lives to follow His Word. In other words only such people have accepted His Word and put into practice in their lives to change their lives accordingly and have truly accepted Him as the Lord of their lives. Jesus said only such will be like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on the rock. That is to say, he or she has built up a relationship with Jesus Himself (as the rock) accepting Him as their Lord following His Commandments. It is pointless to pray ‘Lord, Lord', without changing ourselves according to His Word and follow His Commandments. In John 14:15 Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my Commandments”, and to such people He promised the Gift of the Holy Spirit. He said in John 14:16 “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you always”. Jesus knows that living a pious life in this world as a son of God is difficult due to the challenges and sometimes even threats one may be subjected to. This is why He sends the Spirit of God, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit, to be with them and within them to help and assist to face challenges in this world. In the First Reading St Paul said “My beloved ones, avoid idolatry”. Avoid all sacrifices, Christian, Jewish or Pagan and establish communion with Christ. We who participate in the Body and Blood of Christ should be His witnesses through our lives following His teaching. Prayer Starter God our Father, redeem us from sin and make us Your children in Christ who accept and depend on Him as our Saviour and Lord and follow all His Commandments. Grant us Your Holy Spirit to empower us to be Your witnesses of Love, in Jesus’ Name, Amen

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Sunday 13th September 2020

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Green)_ PS Wk V

Sirach:27/30-28/9 Psalm:102/1-4, 9-12 (103/1-4,9-12) Romans:14/7-9 Mathew:18/21-35

Introduction To err is human but to forgive is divine. Through the Eucharistic theme of the day Holy Mother the Church is calling us to experience the forgiving love. We who constantly fall into sin due to human weakness are forever subject to the pursuing love of God who is Infinite Goodness and His love is boundless with no strings attached. The first proclamation reminds us that if we are to respond to this love we should forgive the wrong done to us by our neighbor and love him. Similarly, the psalmist too invites us to sing praise to the Lord of His infinite mercies. St. Paul who had entrusted himself to the Lord in life and death, calls us also to experience the same. It is with His life experience that Jesus calls us to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven. Let us pray for the grace to follow the way of the Lord, acknowledging the value of Christian discipleship. The First Proclamation Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, yet a sinner holds on to them. The vengeful will face the Lord's vengeance, for he keeps a strict account of their sins. Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Does anyone harbor anger against another, and expect healing from the Lord? If one has no mercy toward another like himself, can he then seek pardon for his own sins? If a mere mortal harbors wrath, who

will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins? Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside; remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments. Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor, remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults. Prayerful Awareness A devout Jew called Sirach of the 2nd Century BC compiled this book, the Book, Ecclesiasticus, in order that he may bring back his people who had been misled by Hellanization and to convince them that true wisdom is simply the Law of God. Also this book is the result of an attempt to lead individuals, family and society on the correct path through right relationships which is confirmed through the first proclamation we reflected upon. How condemnatory are the resentment and anger found in man? Revenge and non-forgiveness are not in conformity with the mind of God. Highlighting their gravity we are reminded to forgive the wrong done to us by our neighbor and not keep revenge, anger and hatred within us. Also it gives instructions on leading a righteous way of life fulfilling God's commandments. The Second Proclamation We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Prayerful Awareness St. Paul who belonged only to Christ in life and death explains that it is our vocation too. If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die we die for the Lord. How deep is this piece of Good News? Christ died as well as rose again so that He might be the Lord both of the dead and

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

the living. Let us open ourselves to the invitation extended to us today to witness through a life in union with Christ. Let us witness as people living solely for Christ in our surroundings and life circumstances and through every missionary activity. The Gospel Proclamation Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.' Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me and I will pay you.' But he refused, then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?' And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or

sister from your heart." Prayerful Awareness In gazing at the Lord with a heart filled with the overflowing love of forgiveness, we come to realize the immense mercy in Him with which He replies Peter. How deeply meaningful are the words said to Peter who did not understand that forgiving is greatly beneficial to the person who forgives as well as the person being forgiven? In fact, the act of forgiveness is a great good done to both parties by themselves. The Lord points out through a parable the selfishness and the disaster that befalls a man who under the impression that being forgiven seventy times seven is simply one-sided and thus having received forgiveness thought of enjoying this benefit simply by oneself. At the same time He emphasizes that inner freedom experienced through forgiveness and being forgiven cannot be achieved through any other means. Towards us The Lord who displayed the value of forgiveness by forgiving the sinner and showing mercy to the vulnerable carried this out till His death on the cross. Thus His experience of forgiving love poses a challenge to us today. We have the right to ask for forgiveness for any wrong done, only if we are ready to forgive those who have done us wrong. We should value the inner freedom that we receive by being forgiven as well as the inner freedom received by the other who is being forgiven. Let us forgive one another and receive forgiveness from one another. Let us enter into a forgiving love that forgives not only seven times but seventy times seven, a forgiving love that is unending. And let us pray for the grace to do so. Prayer Starter Look upon us O God, Creator and Ruler of all things, that we may feel the working of Your mercy. Grant that we may serve You with all our heart. (Collect)

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Monday 14th September 2020 The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, (Red) Numbers:21/4-9 OR Philippians:2/6-11 Psalm:77/1-2,34-38 ( 78/1-2,34-38) John:3/13-17

The First Proclamation From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, .... The people spoke against God and against Moses. ... Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live." So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole, and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. The Gospel Proclamation No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be

saved through him. Prayerful Awareness

When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, God sent a plague of snakes to punish the people for their rebellious attitudes. Those doomed to die from snakebite could be healed by obeying God's command to look at the elevated BRONZE SNAKE and by BELIEVING that God would heal them if they did. Similarly our salvation happens when we look up to Jesus. He will heal us, save us. God has provided this way for us to be healed of SIN'S DEADLY BITE. To "BELIEVE" is more than intellectual agreement that Jesus is GOD. It means to put our trust and confidence in Him that He alone can save us. It is to put Christ in charge of our present plans and eternal destiny and relying on Him for the power to change. In eternal life there is no DEATH, SICKNESS, ENEMY, EVIL or SIN. When we do not know Christ, we make choices as though this life is all we have. In reality, this life is just the INTRODUCTION to ETERNITY. The entire Gospel comes to a focus in this verse "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son". God's love is not static or self-centered, it reaches out and draws others in. When you love someone dearly, you are willing to give FREELY to the point of self-sacrifice. God paid dearly with the life of His Son. The HIGHEST price He could pay. Jesus accepted "our punishment" and offered us the new life that He had bought for us. When we share the gospel with others, our love must be like Jesus' giving up our comfort and security. Prayer Starter Jesus, our Lord and Master, help us to receive this NEW LIFE by faith and begin to evaluate all that happens from an eternal perspective.

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Tuesday 15th September 2020 (White) Hebrews:5/7-9 Psalm:30/2-6,15-16,20 (31/1-5,14-15,19) John:19/25-27 OR Luke:2/33-35

The First Proclamation In his life on earth Jesus made his prayers and requests with loud cries and tears to God, who could save him from death. Because he was humble and devoted, God heard him. But even though he was God's Son, he learned through his sufferings to be obedient. When he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him, The Gospel Proclamation Standing close to Jesus' cross were his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing there; so he said to his mother, "He is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "She is your mother." From that time the disciple took her to live in his home. Prayerful Awareness Today’s Gospel proclamation tugs at our heart strings. Mother of Jesus with the other women, is standing near the cross of Jesus. Mother Mary can see the bloodied, bruised and broken body of her son hanging on that cross because of you and me. She would have remembered what Simeon said about a sword piercing her soul. “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so

Our Lady of Sorrows

that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too”. (Luke 2:34,35) Nothing can be more devastating than this and she would have known that this is sword piercing her soul as she watched her son, suffer and die. Mother Mary had treasured what was said about Him at His birth. She treasured His teachings. She treasured His miracles. She treasured how calm He remained in the midst of storms. She treasured the cries of the Palm Sunday crowds. Throughout her life her soul was pierced by the gossip in Nazareth, the flight into Egypt, the dead babies of Bethlehem. Her soul was pierced when the people of Nazareth rejected Jesus as the Messiah. She was hurt when the spiritual leaders of the people attacked and criticized and tried to entrap Jesus. She agonized when the crowds yelled for His crucifixion. Her soul was pierced when she watched her son shoulder the cross and carry it up Golgotha Hill. Jesus Sees His mother and while hanging on the cross, hands her over to His beloved disciple John. Beneath the cross of Jesus a new fellowship was created. A new community was formed. We know it as the Church. Jesus tells her she is not alone, she is part of a family that will provide for her in her time of need. Maybe you are in the same spot. Alone, scared, afraid, anxious. Beneath the cross of Jesus you are not alone. You are not on your own. You are part of a family, the family of God. Prayer Starter We thank and praise You Lord that You have chosen us to be Your children – to belong to Your family. Teach us to be like our Mother Mary to understand and accept the Will of God in our lives. Thank You Father in Jesus' precious Name.

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Wednesday 16th September 2020 Sts.Cornelius,Pope & Cyprian, (Red) Bishop, Martyrs her children." 1 Corinthians:12/31Prayerful Awareness 13/13 The central theme of today's first Psalm:32/2-5,12,22 proclamation is 'love' which is adorned (33/2-6,12, 22) with the gifts of the Holy Spirit like a Luke:7/31-35 crown beautified with shining jewels. If we could build up our lives with these gifts, we could certainly experience a glimpse of heaven with all its glory. The greatest thing in the world is The First Proclamation love. Nothing could exist in the world But strive for the greater gifts. without love, also nothing challenges its And I will show you a still more ex- power to heal, restore, mend and make cellent way. all things new. Love surpasses all other If I speak in the tongues of mor- virtues. God who is Love sends His only tals and of angels, but do not have begotten Son Jesus to the world in order love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging to save the people and to win salvation cymbal. .... If I give away all my pos- for all. God sacrificed His own Son in sessions and if I hand over my body order to bring about the Kingdom of so that I may boast, but do not have God. God's love is totally reflected in Jesus' life which feeds the whole Unilove, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind, love verse and continually renews all things. is not envious or boastful or arrogant How wonderful it is ! His love projects or rude. It does not insist on its own beyond the limits of time and space and way, it is not irritable or resentful, goes on to eternity. Jesus never ceases to it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, love. You may have committed a grave but rejoices in the truth. It bears all sin but even Christ loves you and forthings, believes all things, hopes all gives you. Let us remember what Jesus said on the cross "Forgive them Father things, endures all things. ....... for they do not know what they do". The Gospel Proclamation He came to give people access to God in "To what then will I compare the their different conditions and struggles. people of this generation, and what According to the Gospel proclamaare they like? They are like children tion, Jesus observes the differences of sitting in the marketplace and calling the people and their response to God's to one another. 'We played the flute love. Jesus makes us understand the for you, and you did not dance; we difference between childlike behaviour wailed, and you did not weep.' and being childish. Childlike faith is For John the Baptist has come simple, it is pure. It is honest. It simply eating no bread and drinking no believes. wine, and you say, 'He has a demon,' Prayer Starter the Son of Man has come eating Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, and drinking and you say, 'Look a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of be upon us, even as we hope in You. tax collectors and sinners!' Never- (Ps.33/22) theless, wisdom is vindicated by all "O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Thursday 17th September 2020 St. Robert Bellarmine, Bishop & (Green/White) Doctor 1 Corinthians:15/1-11 Psalm:117/1-2, 16,17, 28 (118/1-2,16-17,28) Luke:7/36-50

Gospel Proclamation One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city who was a sinner, ... brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him - that she is a sinner." Jesus spoke up and said to him "Simon I have something to say to you." "Teacher" he replied, "Speak." "A certain creditor had two debtors, one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he cancelled the greater debt." (Please read the entire passage ). Prayerful Awareness A Pharisee, suspecting Jesus to be a prophet, invited him to a banquet in his house, but he neither provided water to wash feet nor received Jesus with a kiss as were the traditions of that time. And when the sinful woman bathed

Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair and anointed them with the ointment she brought, the Pharisee could not bear it. This is why Jesus related the story of the two debtors who were forgiven. The sinful woman knew her sins and had wanted to receive forgiveness from Jesus and change. She had faith in Jesus as she already heard about Jesus. By her acts Jesus knew that she has truly repented and wanted to change. This is why Jesus said “Your faith has saved you; go in peace”. Pharisees were considered to be holy than the ordinary people. The esteem they have built up on themselves as holy did not allow the Pharisee to come down to the level required to accept Jesus to his house with traditions. Where are we? Do we also categorize ourselves as free of sin or do we know the sins we commit sometimes even without our knowledge. If we know them, do we accept our sins and truly repent for them before we go for a confession to obtain forgiveness for our sins from the Lord through the priest who represents the Lord at Confession. True repentance for what we have done and the need to change will help us to do a good confession. In the First reading St. Paul points out that Jesus Christ died to redeem mankind from sin and was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures. He then appeared to the twelve and to over five hundred at once and later on to St. Paul too. Prayer Starter Lord Jesus Christ, I thank God the Father for sending You to save us. I accept You as my Saviour and Lord. Please intercede for me and send to me the Spirit of God to strengthen me and guide me to praise God the Father in everything, Amen.

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Friday 18th September 2020 (Green) 1 Corintians:15/12-20 Psalm:16/1,6-8,15 (17/1.6-8,15) Luke:8/1-3

The First Proclamation Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you be saying that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ cannot have been raised either, and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is without substance, and so is your faith. What is more, we have proved to be false witnesses to God, for testifying against God that he raised Christ to life when he did not raise him -- if it is true that the dead are not raised. For, if the dead are not raised, neither is Christ; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is pointless and you have not, after all, been released from your sins. In addition, those who have fallen asleep in Christ are utterly lost. If our hope in Christ has been for this life only, we are of all people the most pitiable. In fact, however, Christ has been raised from the dead, as the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep.

Fix your gaze on Jesus

When You walked the earth in Your so human body then, You brought so much relief and 'Back to Grace Bliss' to those who encountered You Lord Jesus! It was for that experience that the Twelve followed You leaving their 'Father' and their 'Home'. It inspired Mary Magdalene who was freed from demonic possession. It motivated many others including Joanna and Susanna, who even provided for Your mission

from their own means. A simple foretaste of God's plan as to 'What Was To Come'! That was then! The question for now is different. God the Father has raised You up from the dead since, and what does it mean for us to encounter You now? Of course, the historical fact of Your being raised up, of being present in the midst of Your followers for some time, of the many deeds and miracles You manifested; these we accept today in faith. This is similar to us accepting that Sri Lanka was invaded by various European nationalities many times in the recent past. The more significant question is, what does it mean for us to encounter You now? This is what St. Paul writes to the community at Corinth about. Our redemption from the 'Fallen' state, the sinful condition we all experience, of the pain, the rejections, the alienation, the lack of harmony, the self-sabotage we indulge in, the guilt we are ridden with, in essence all the ills of our present condition is to be healed by the admittance of the Risen Christ in to our lives. The Risen Christ is the fountain-head of our hope; the linchpin on which everything pivots; the foundation on which all rest. The Living Word is the Way, the Truth and Life for all Intelligence.... humanity being the apex thereof. God's solution to bring awareness/intelligence back to S/His Creation is to give of S/Himselfthe Living Word, again and again to the created! Shall we welcome He Who Is to Awaken us?

Prayer Starter

We are astounded at Your Intelligence O Lord! Your creation is fallen asleep; is not aware of Your Eternal Presence, woven right in to our very being! Jesus, the Incarnate was the first to awaken fully in being raised up; and now the Son is coming again and again, knocking at the door of our heart to awaken us! Alleluia...!!!

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Saturday 19th September 2020 (Green/White) 1 Corinthians:15/35-37, 42-49 Psalm:55/10-14 (56/9-13 ) Luke:8/4-15

Gospel Proclamation People kept coming to Jesus from one town after another; and when a great crowd gathered, Jesus told this parable: “Once there was a man who went out to sow corn. As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, it was stepped on, and the birds ate it up. Some of it fell on rocky ground, and when the plants sprouted, they dried up because the soil had no moisture. Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up with the plants and choked them. And some seeds fell in good soil; the plants grew and produced corn, 100 grains each.” And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!” His disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant, and he answered, “The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God has been given to you, but to the rest it comes by means of parables, so that they may look but not see, and listen but not understand. “This is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God. The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear; but the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved. The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the message and receive it gladly. But it does not sink deep into them;

St. Januuaris, Bishop & Martyr they believe only for a while but when the time of testing comes, they fall away. The seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear; but the worries and riches and pleasures of this life crowd in and choke them, and their fruit never ripens. The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit. Gaze Jesus’ Sonship Here is Jesus speaking in parables to the masses. He is also making a point to his disciples. He cautions, that there are four different kinds of people in any congregation. Therefore, it is not only the quality of preaching, but much needs to be desired in the hearts of the listener. Our Sonship In the letter to Corinthians, St Paul speaks of the resurrection. He says, there are earthly bodies and heavenly bodies. In the same way, the first Adam was created as a living being and the last Adam who is the life-giving spirit who came down from heaven. The question is which category do we belong. If Jesus is our first choice, His life-giving spirit will transform us. Jesus is God’s word and He is the fulfilment of God’s promise for man about our salvation. Prayerful Awareness (Psalm 56: 10-14) The day I call to you, my enemies will be turned back. I know this: God is on my side. The Lord, whose promises I praise In him I trust, and I will not be afraid. What can a mere human being do to me? O God, I will offer you what I have promised; I will give you my offering of thanksgiving, because you have rescued me from death and kept me from defeat. And so I walk in the presence of God,

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Sunday 20th September 2020 (Green)

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time National Catechetical Sunday

Isaiah:55/6-9 Psalm:144/2-3,8-9. 17-18 (145/2-3,8-9,17-18) Philippians:1/20-24,27 Mathew:20/1-16

Introduction The First Proclamation of the day directly reveals what our stand should be before the Will of God. In the Gospel Proclamation, Jesus points out that the Kingdom values are quite contrary to the worldly values we experience daily, which means, that the justice and righteousness of God manifested in His Will are on a much higher level than the justice and righteousness we are confronted with. St. Paul in the Second Proclamation presenting the should be lifestyle of a Christ disciple out of his own experience invites the Philippian community to avoid anything in their everyday lives that would be unworthy of the gospel of Christ. Today Holy Mother the Church does extend the same invitation to us as well. Let us pray pleading with the Holy Spirit for the grace to give a positive response. The First Proclamation Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts; let them return to the Lord that he may have mercy on them, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways â&#x20AC;&#x201C; says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher

than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Prayerful Awareness Today the Lord our God is providing an answer to a question that arises in the heart of most men and women. The question is 'God, where are you'? The answer given by God is presented in the First Proclamation which clearly states the step to take to find Him. "Seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near." A person, in whatever condition, could find God as pointed out by the words, "Let the wicked man abandon his way, the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him". Today, most of us seek God only to receive favours. Rather than trying to belong to Him and His Kingdom, we seek Him to own Him for ourselves. His response is, "my ways are above your ways, my thoughts are above your thoughts"; which makes it imperative that we seek His ways and thoughts. The Gospel Proclamation For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place, and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.' When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them aso received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. ... So the last will be first, and the first will be last." Prayerful Awareness

I prefer. I am hard pressed between the two; my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel. Prayerful Awareness

Even though St. Paul had not known and associated himself with the historical Jesus, here he expounds on how he lives solely for him based on his own experience of the risen Lord. (Read this passage meditatively and in the Holy Spirit.) He explains a dilemma he was caught in between his will to live and God's will, finally deciding on discernThrough this parable Jesus Christ ing His will and living accordingly. proclaims His own experience of God Towards my son-ship the Father and His Kingdom. "I choose to pay to the last-comer as much as I "Christ will be glorified in my body, paid you." What is the Lord trying to whether by my life or by my death" says tell us through this verse? He is trying St. Paul. Leading such a way of life is to put forward the idea that when God to live within the sphere of the Kingdom is being generous out of His immense of God which means to live under the goodness He acts quite freely and dominion of God, subject to His Will independently which He emphasizes and with His Power. Thus presenting through the words, "Why be envious before the community his aim in life, he because I am generous?"; Through this requests them to avoid anything in their is affirmed what is given in the first proc- everyday lives that would be unworthy lamation. "My ways are not your ways, of the gospel of Christ. my thoughts are not your thoughts.". Let us see where we are and ask How do I see God and His Kingdom? Do the Holy Spirit to take us to where we I live in God and His Kingdom? should be which means to plead with The Second Proclamation Him to help us to get down from our It is my eager expectation and 'Towers of Babel' and to walk towards hope that I will not be put to shame in the 'Upper Room'. Throughout the Coming Week any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted On this National Catechetical Sunnow as always in my body, whether day let us pray that all those who are by life or by death. For to me, living engaged in the Catechetical Apostolate is Christ and dying is gain. If I am to may conform themselves to the Will live in the flesh, that means fruitful of God for the task of working for the labor for me; and I do not know which Kingdom of God. "O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Monday 21st September 2020 (Red) Ephesians:4/1-7,11-13 Psalm:18/2-5 (19/1-3 ) Mathew:9/9-13

The First Proclamation I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. The Gospel Proclamation As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sin-

St.Mathew,Apostle & Evangelist ners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." Prayerful Awareness Almost without exception the tax collectors were hated by the general public. What a great instance we have here, that clearly bears witness to Jesus' power to see not only what a man is but also His capability of what the person could be. Jesus had faith in the possibilities of human nature. What a nice example we have in Peter too. In Matthew the background to giving the lordship of his life to Jesus was ripe and he grabbed the opportunity. The inner urge was so intense that he forgot his position and stature in society. The way Jesus invited him is worth examining. Jesus told Matthew "Follow Me!" His answer was a direct and spontaneous one - left the tax-collector's table but took with him the pen. Jesus accepted Matthew's invitation to dinner, which the hierarchy of the society disdained. "Those who, like the Pharisees, refused to admit that they were sick with sin, did not need Him as the Physician of their souls. As a physician, He could do no good to those who were curious, or who denied guilt or called it an Oedipus complex. He came only to be a sin-bearer, and hence only the sinners and not the self-righteous would profit by His coming. (Archbishop F.J.Sheen). Prayer Starter Help us to see Your example clearly and follow Thee. Amen.

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Tuesday 22nd September 2020 (Green) Proverbs:21/1-6,10-13 children. The second aspect is in the way we Psalm:118/1,27,30,34, respond to God, we show our thankful35, 44 ness to God through our obedience to (119/1,27,30,34,35,44) His word. Therefore, we will respond to Luke:8/19-21 God’s word and change our behaviors. Prayerful Awareness (Moment of Repentance) The First Proclamation Let us ask the Holy Spirit who is in The Lord controls the mind of us to overshadow our hearts, minds and a king as easily as he directs the our inner being. Book of Proverbs recourse of a stream. You may think mind us that even though we think, what that everything you do is right but we do is right, it is the motive in which remember that the Lord judges we do that will justify our actions beyour motives. Do what is right and fore God. Our righteousness will come fair; that pleases the Lord more from the way we place our trust in God. than bringing him sacrifices. Wicked However difficult it is, let us consider people are controlled by their conceit following the virtues from God. They and arrogance, and this is sinful. Plan bring better sustenance to our lifestyles. carefully and you will have plenty; Therefore, let us become aware of our if you act too quickly, you will never own emotions, deceit, arrogance, greed, have enough. The riches you get by lethargy, avarice all that come from the dishonesty soon disappear, but not deceiver, that to some extent we enjoy before they lead you into the jaws our sinfulness. However, we know it is short lived. of death. Therefore, dear Holy Spirit of God, Gospel Proclamation we come to you with our broken hearts Jesus' mother and brothers came and minds, we desire to become true to him but were unable to join him children of God. Help us, guide us, lead because of the crowd. Someone said us to the word of God that teaches us to Jesus, “Your mother and brothers God’s ways. are standing outside and want to see Prayer Starter you.” Jesus said to them all, “My (Psalm 119: 1, 27, 30, 34-35, 44) mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Happy are those whose lives are faultless, who live according to the Our Sonship law of the Lord. Help me to understand What does it mean to be part of your laws, and I will meditate on your Jesus’ true family? We are catechized wonderful teachings. I have chosen to with the word, “you are a child of God”. be obedient; I have paid attention to How much do we comprehend the true your judgements. Explain your law to meaning of being a child of God and me, and I will obey it; I will keep it with being a brother or sister to Jesus. There all my heart. Keep me obedient to your are two aspects to our divine childhood. commandments, because in them I find One is that we have become children happiness. I will always obey your law, of God by His grace. It is not anything for ever and ever. that we did, that entitled us to be God’s

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Wednesday 23rd September 2020 (White) Proverbs:30/5-9 Psalm:118/29,72,89, 101,104,163 (119/29,72,89,101,104, 163) Luke: 9/1-6

Gospel Proclamation Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the Good News and curing diseases everywhere. Prayerful Awareness Jesus had a ‘vision’ to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God to everyone, to fulfill God the Father’s Will to save everyone whom He created. This time, Jesus sent the twelve, armed with the same power and authority that Jesus Himself has been displaying, to continue the work that Jesus has been performing. By ordering the disciples not to take anything for the journey, Jesus was teaching them of absolute detachment required of the disciples, to lead them for complete reliance on God for everything. We see how Jesus gave an initial training to the

St. Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest disciples for the work they will have to carry out after Jesus has to leave, as described in Mathew 28: 18 - 20. Jesus said, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age”. We are called to be His witnesses armed with the Spirit of Jesus, His power and authority to carry out the work entrusted to us. We can bring glory to the Lord by carrying on the tasks given to us, teaching all, to observe what the Lord has commanded. To do this, first we must ensure that we observe all that the Lord has commanded us. Do we observe all what Jesus has taught us, then, Jesus Himself intercedes for us and grants us the Spirit of God to be with us to carry out our functions with wisdom, truth, power and authority. First reading tells us that “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or He will rebuke you and prove you a liar. “Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. Prayer Starter Lord our ever loving God, forgive us our sins and help us to observe all Your Commandments and be truthful to you. Please grant us Your Spirit to know the Truth about everything and accept Jesus in to our lives as our Saviour and Lord, Amen.

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Thursday 24th September 2020 (Green) ancient prophets had arisen. Herod Ecclesiastes:1/2-11 said, "John I beheaded, but who is Psalm:89/3-6,12-14,17 this about whom I hear such things?" (90/2-6,12-14,17) And he tried to see him. Luke: 9/7-9 Prayerful Awareness

The First Proclamation Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What do people gain from all the toil at which they toil under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hurries to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south, and goes around to the north, round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they continue to flow. All things are wearisome, more than one can express, the eye is not satisfied with seeing, or the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be and what has been done is what will be done, there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, "See, this is new"? It has already been, in the ages before us. The people of long ago are not remembered, nor will there be any remembrance of people yet to come by those who come after them. Gospel Proclamation Now Herod the ruler heard about all that had taken place, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the

When Jesus was born Herod was the king. He was responsible for the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:16-18). Herod's marriage tangles were quite incredible. He married several times and in him suspicion reigned supreme. To him the Jewish saying is well suited. "It is safer to be Herod's pig than his son". From his marriage to Doris, he had a son and this son was murdered by him. Then from his marriage to Mariam, he had two sons, they too were murdered by him. What a blemished character his was! His hands were blood stained. The would-be challengers, almost all of them, met with the same destiny - murder. On hearing the news about what Jesus was doing, his curiosity was aroused. But, was it genuine. "Religion is not to be given to everyone, but only to those who are "of the truth." Though Herod was glad to see Our Lord, his gladness did not arise from noble motives of repentance. Hence, the Christ, who spoke to a penitent thief and to Magdalene and Judas, would not speak to the Galilean king, for Herod's conscience was dead. He was too familiar with religion. He wanted miracles, not as motives of credibility, but as delights to his curiosity. His soul was so blinded by appeals, including even the Baptist's that one more appeal would have only deepened his guilt. It was not his soul for salvation that Herod offered the Lord, but only his nerves for titillation. So the Lord of the word spoke not a word to the world-ling. Prayer Starter Create in us a conscience that is not dead. Amen.

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Friday 25th September 2020

(Green)

Ecclesiastes:3/1-11 Psalm:143/1-4 (144/1-4) Luke:9/18-22

The First Proclamation Children, listen to me for I am your father: do what I tell you, and so be safe; for the Lord honours the father above his children and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons. Whoever respects a father expiates sins, whoever honours a mother is like someone amassing a fortune....Long life comes to anyone who honours a father, whoever obeys the Lord makes a mother happy. Such a one serves parents as well as the Lord. Respect your father in deed as well as word, so that blessing may come on you from him; since a father's blessing makes his children's house firm, while a mother's curse tears up its foundations.... Fix your gaze on Jesus Thank You O Lord for taking us on a journey of discovery; namely, the discovery of Your creation in all its splendour, of discovering our own selves including our inner nature, and of coming to know You, the Creator beloved! Look at where Humanity presently is; despite all of it's foibles and eccentricities, none would argue that as a species we have evolved and grown. Our capability for effecting our environment is so much greater than it would have been say, a mere century ago. Our reach and command over that of 'What Is', is of a higher degree. Our life conditions have improved markedly. Despite alienating ourselves from God's creation and our own brethren in so many ways, in other

ways we of course have come closer there-to! In this creation, everything is in constant flux; everything changes, from one form to another, both in the material and energy planes; energy is bound (as in sunlight transformed in to food), energy is released (as in being metabolised), and energy changes form (as in from light to heat). This constantâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; we call it 'Change', or 'Evolution', we are slowly getting to know and understand. Oh, so much of it we still grasp but poorly, but we are surely making progress! Could this evolution be driven by an intelligence beyond our present understanding? How does all this relate to today's scripture? Good question! God points us towards understanding and aligning with the on-going creative process, in today's scripture. Let's explain this. Humanity builds it's understanding and strength foundered on that of the previous generation. Scientists call it, moving from hypothesis to hypothesis. In lay terms, we move from one faulty premise to another. How can moving from one lie to another be good? It is good simply because, from one iteration to the next, we are coming closer to the truth! To be blunt, none know the Truth. The Spirit of God is journeying (evolving) us towards the Truth. Each generation needs to use the previous generation as its springboard; this is how empires are built, and this is how our understanding progresses! Thus, the need to honour and respect the previous generation, seeing in it the 'Search for God's hand in all this'. Honour thy Father and Thy Mother...! Prayer Starter Gracious Lord, you are so beyond us! Will there ever be an end to our coming to know you? Paradoxically, you are right here with me too...and all your splendour becomes accessible right now-here too... Oh my soul, now you become aware...!

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Saturday 26th September 2020 (Green /Red/White) Ecclesiastes:11/9-12/8 Psalm:89/3-6,12-14,17 (90/3-6,12-14,17) Luke:9/43-45

The First Proclamation Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. Banish anxiety from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return with the rain; in the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly;.... The Gospel Proclamation

Sts. Cosmos & Damian, Martyrs from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. Prayerful Awareness "Let all this sink into your ears, for the Son Man will be handed over into the hands of men." Today's Gospel speaks something that the human mind finds hard to understand. It is at this point of Jesus' popularity that He says the above words to His disciples. What Jesus seems to be saying is that they are to realise there is no contradiction whatever between Jesus revealing in Himself the unlimited power of God and His being handed over powerless to the power of His enemies. Only when they can see and understand the meaning of a suffering Messiah will they fully know the way of Jesus. But, Luke tells us, they were not ready yet for this. "They did not understand what Jesus was saying. It was hidden from them and they could not see it". At the same time they were afraid to ask Him. Our sonship To what extent can we say that we understand and accept the idea of a suffering Messiah? We are used to looking at the cross of Jesus but to what degree do we see the pace of suffering in our own lives? Can we see that, without pain and suffering in our own lives and in those of others, our lives would be in many ways impoverished? Strange as it may seem, it is pain and suffering that can bring out what is most deeply human in all of us. Prayer Starter

And all were astounded at the greatness of God. While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, "Let these words sink into your ears. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands." O Lord, help us to seek Your glory But they did not understand this in all burdens, suffering and tears saying; its meaning was concealed

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Sunday 27th September 2020 26th Sunday of Ordinary Time PS Wk II (Green) your ways that are unfair? When Ezekiel:18/25-28 the righteous turn away from their Psalm:24/4-9 righteousness and commit iniquity, (25/4-9) they shall die for it; for the iniquity Philippians:2/1-11 that they have committed they shall (OR 1-5) die. Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have Mathew:21/28-32 committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. Introduction Prayerful Awareness As we step on to the 25th Sunday There is no life for the man who of Ordinary time the Holy Mother the walks contrary to the love of God. Church invites us to be eager in sub- God is patient with man, even though mitting to God in faith. Even through He sees his sin, He forgives and exalts the Eucharistic theme of the day we him. Yet man forsaking the law of God are awakened to "Fulfill the will of breaks His commandments. God at all times." We will only be He is only concerned about achievsaved according to our response that we give in our daily life to His will and ing his own desires and expectations. For this he acts in most selfish ways. our vocation. Even then God readily accepts the man The day's proclamations too impel who comes back to Him in repentance. us to be active Christians not only in He gives him a new life and he will word but also in deed. What is revealed experience the life eternal. through the proclamations is the reply From the Responsorial Psalm given by God to the Israelites who grumble against him saying that he is not being just, the witness given by St. Paul to a life of acknowledging Christ, the need for repentance for to win the kingdom of God and that the repentant sinners would inherit heaven. Let us detect the sin that constantly hinders us accomplishing the will of God and thirst for the victory of attaining heaven. The First Proclamation

â&#x20AC;ŚGood and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. (Psalm 25:8-9). The Second Proclamation

If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete; be of the same mind Yet you say, "The way of the having the same love, being in full Lord is unfair." Hear now, O house accord and of one mind. Do nothing of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not from selfish ambition or conceit, "O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.

Prayerful Awareness

The Lord Jesus Christ will indeed dwell in the person subject to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. One who finds his existence with Christ is equipped with the love of God. When there is unity Christ will manifest Himself there. Where Christ manifests Himself naturally there will be love, acceptance, mercy, respect wherein the love of God will be made manifest. And there will be no room for vanity, arrogance, sin, since the great objective is to build up the Kingdom of God making space for His Will. The one who follows Christ lives in the fear of God and glorifies Him. Thirsting for this let us enter into prayer.

The Gospel Proclamation "What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' He answered, 'I will not' but later he changed his mind and went. The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, 'I go, sir' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?' They said, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you, in the

way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him; and even after you saw it, you did not change your minds and believe him. Prayerful Awareness This parable only given by Matthew is the first of the three parables depicting the Jewish authorities rejecting Jesus. Moreover, even though the first son refused the will of the father, afterwards he repented and worked in conformity with the father's will. Yet, even though the second agreed with his father, he did not proceed with it. Accordingly, if we are to work in conformity with the mind of God, each of us has to look back on our lives sincerely which will enable us to turn to God in repentance. Tax collectors and prostitutes had been a condemned lot in that society as is ours today. The tax collectors and the prostitutes who listened to the preaching of St. John turned to God and changed their lives. Thus in the lives of those who follow the Lord there will be a genuine transformation. Today, through the Gospel proclamation the Lord is inviting us to enter into a similar experience. My son-ship (Pubudu Hymn No. 291) Turn away from your usual way of life. See the marvelous deeds of the Lord. The time is fulfilled and the hour is at hand to take a new turn in repentance. In order to experience the love of God, let us abandon the sinful life we have been engulfed in, and with repentance allow the Holy Spirit to guide us, die to our will and desires, say 'yes' to the Will of God and give Him glory. Let us daily pray for the grace to do so.

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Monday 28th September 2020 St.Wenceslaus, Martyr, St.Lawrence Ruiz & Companions, Martyrs ( Green/Red )

welcomes me, also welcomes the one who sent me. For the one who is least among you all is the greatest." John spoke up, "Master, we saw a man driving out demons in your name, and we told him to stop, because he doesn't belong to our group." "Do not try to stop him," Jesus said to him and to the other disciples, "because whoever is not against you is for you." The First Proclamation Prayerful Awareness When the day came for the heavenly beings to appear before the Lord, In this Gospel passage Jesus talks Satan was there among them. The about true greatness. The Twelve thought Lord asked him, "What have you Jesus' Kingdom was going to be an earthbeen doing?" Satan answered, "I have ly kingdom and therefore the competition been walking here and there, roaming began. But Jesus knew their thoughts and around the earth." "Did you notice gave the example of a little child. The my servant Job?" the Lord asked. ... Twelve were the chosen lieutenants of Satan replied, "Would Job worship Jesus; but this child occupied no place you if he got nothing out of it? You have of honour and held no official position. always protected him and his family Jesus was saying “If you are prepared and everything he owns. ... But now to spend your lives serving, helping, suppose you take away everything he loving people who, in the eyes of the has - he will curse you to your face!" world, do not matter at all, you are "All right," the Lord said to Satan, serving me and serving God." When "everything he has is in your power, we do a service for someone most of but you must not hurt Job himself." …. us have many wrong motives. We as One day when Job's children were hav- humans have a desire for prestige, desire ing a feast …. They killed every one of for honour. If a man is given a task or a your servants except me. .." …, "Your position or an office in the church, he children were having a feast …when a should regard it not as an honour but as a storm swept in from the desert. It blew responsibility. There are those who serve the house down and killed them all. within the church, not thinking really of ...Then Job got up and tore his clothes those they serve, but thinking of themin grief. .... He said, "I was born with selves. Then there is the desire for promnothing, and I will die with nothing. inence. Many a person will serve or give The Lord gave, and now he has taken so long as his service and his generosity away. May his name be praised!" In are known and he is thanked and praised. spite of everything that had happened, It is Jesus' own instruction that we should Job did not sin by blaming God. not let our left hand know what our right hand is doing. If we are to be disciples of The Gospel Proclamation Jesus we should follow Jesus selflessly. An argument broke out among We should serve with love. the disciples as to which one of them Prayer Starter was the greatest. Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he took a child, Protect me, God, for in you take stood him by his side, and said to them, refuge. I say to the Lord, "You are my "Whoever welcomes this child in my Lord; I have no good apart from you." name, welcomes me; and whoever (Ps.16/1-2)

Job:1/6-22 Psalm:16/1-3,6-7 (17/1-3,6-7) Luke:9/46-50

"O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Tuesday 29th September 2020 The Holy Archangels,Michael,Gabriel, Raphael (White) Daniel:7/9-10,13-14 (OR Rev.12/7-12) Psalm:137/1-5 (138/1-5) John:1/47-51

The First Proclamation As I watched, thrones were set in place, and an Ancient One took his throne, his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. ...... The Gospel Proclamation When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly a Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." Prayerful Awareness In the Gospel today, Jesus meets Nathanael and introduces him saying; “Here is a real Israelite; there is nothing false in him!”

Let us reflect on this statement; there is no deceit or duplicity in Nathanael. Jesus saw the genuineness in Nathanael, which is the opposite of deceit. He saw that the Devil did not have a hold on him because he knew that deception is the root of the evil one. In the First reading in Revelations, we see the great battle among the Angels and the defeat of the dragon. “ but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. ...ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. …” The dragon was in heaven up to that point. So, deception could be in places you do not expect it. Devil is the cause of all deception in the world, wherever it may be. We should not forget the fact that Jesus has already defeated the Devil and only through Jesus that we could obtain victory. Our Sonship

Let us be aware of our actions; let us be mindful of others. It is the Devil who causes us to deceive. But it is also the Devil who pushes us to accuse others of deception. So, let us be cautious of our actions, not to fall into the trap of the Devil. Let the Holy Spirit overshadow us to become truthful and genuine like Nathanael. Prayer Starter Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle, be our protection against the malice and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly host, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan and all evil spirits who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

Wednesday 30th September 2020 (White) Job:9/1-12, 14-16 Psalm:87/10-15, (88/9-14) Luke:9/57-62

St.Jerome, Priest & Doctor God’s silence can be deafening. While we are allowed to feel our full range of emotions, we must not lose sight of who God is. Gaze on Jesus

Being a disciple of Jesus i.e. making Jesus the most important person in our life is in direct contradiction to the The First Proclamation world’s current trends. In the gospel .... But how can a human being proclamation, Jesus’ responses to the 3 win a case against God?... God is so could-have-been disciples, commands a wise and powerful; no one can stand level of self-denial that is hard to stomup against him. … God passes by, ach. To the first, Jesus tells of the unseen but I cannot see him. He takes what reality when the crowds of people leave. he wants, and no one can stop him; To the second, He says do not keep God no one dares ask him, “What are you waiting; the spiritually dead can bury the doing?” So how can I find words to dead but you can proclaim the Kingdom answer God? Though I am innocent, of God. To the third, He says sometimes all I can do is beg for mercy from God you have to let go of your attachments to my judge. ... serve the Lord more fully. The concept of self-denial is quite scarce. Social media The Gospel Proclamation As they went on their way, a man platforms are full of people absorbed in said to Jesus, “I will follow you wher- carefully capturing and creating a beauever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes tiful or admirable image of themselves to have holes, and birds have nests, but share and be validated by the world. Yet the Son of Man has no place to lie Jesus set the ultimate example of self-dedown and rest.” He said to another nial. He allowed Himself to be stripped man, “Follow me.” But that man said, of everything, ultimately sacrificing His “Sir, first let me go back and bury life for us on the cross. Not even His my father.” Jesus answered, “Let the apostles, at the time, understood why dead bury their own dead. You go and He had to die, yet Jesus did not look for anybody’s validation before responding proclaim the Kingdom of God.” .... to God’s calling. Prayerful Awareness Surrendering our life to Christ is Today’s readings bring out a pro- not going to be glamorous. We need the found message about the singularity of constant awareness of the Holy Spirit focus needed to follow Jesus, whether to discern and deny those aspects of through the best or worst of times. Does ourselves that try to keep us with one our faith survive those moments when foot in the Kingdom and the other foot we find ourselves deeply troubled, and in the world. we feel hostage to unbearable despair? Prayer Starter Even then do we remain in the Lord? Dear Holy Spirit, Teach me the heart Even then do we seek His Will? of God. If You say; ‘it’s wrong’ then I will To follow Jesus is to have unwaver- say ‘no’; If You say ‘be still’, I will wait. ing faith in the Lord and be committed If You say to trust, I will obey I don't want to His purpose. It is a journey, a battle, to follow my own ways I’m done chasing and a full-time way of being, and today’s feelings, O Spirit lead me (adapted from readings reveal that it can be hard, and “Spirit Lead Me,” a Christian song) "O MARY! THE POWER OF THE MOST HIGH SHALL OVERSHADOW YOU"

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