As we look back .............

As time creeps toward rebirth I’m spending some time looking back at this year. It’s something of a tradition now to take this time between Christmas and New Years to reflect on our predictions for the year and how things came out. For the past few years I’ve taken this week as vacation and do some mini pilgrimages to my favourite shrines in the city such as to St Joseph's church , the church of The Sacred Heart and St Anthony's , a time I really look forward to. I don’t “work” this week, but this is the exception…although I don’t really think of my blog as work anyway.
2010 was a year of change for all sorts as we came out of a very tough 2009 and tried to redefine ourselves and what we called the “new normal”. The way we build and consume issues is changing. Maybe even more important the way many sources “do” their work is changing.

“But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
The Lord told Mary that life was getting ready to change in a big way. Her world was going to be turned upside down. And Mary did not turn away or refuse the will of God. Are'nt we thankful today that Mary was so faithful?
Mary was an amazing young woman and she did one thing that no one else has – give birth to and raise the son of God. While we are'nt Mary, we still should have one very important thing in common with Mary – we are all called to be faithful in carrying out the will of God.

" A BLESSED NEW YEAR TO ALL " !

Prayer of the day

Relax your mind and humble your heart to focus on Christ. Allow God to be the only person on your mind while you read this prayer. If we can take the time to read long jokes, stories, etc., we should give the same respect to this prayer.

Dear Lord, I thank you for this day.

I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning.

I'm blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God.

You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.

Forgive me this day for everything I have done, said or thought that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness.

Please keep me safe from all danger and harm. Help me to start this day with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.

Let me make the best of each and every day to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.

Please broaden my mind that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper over things I have no control over.

Let me continue to see sin through God's eyes and acknowledge it as evil.

And when I sin, let me repent,

and confess with my mouth my wrongdoing,

and receive the forgiveness of God.

And when this world closes in on me,

let me remember Jesus' example --

to slip away and find a quiet place to pray.

It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits. I know that when I can't pray,

You listen to my heart.

Continue to use me to do Your will.

Continue to bless me that I may be a blessing to others.

Keep me strong that I may help the weak.

Keep me uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.



I pray for those who are lost and can't find their way.

I pray for those who are misjudged and misunderstood.

I pray for those who don't know You intimately. I pray for those who will delete this without sharing it with others.

I pray for those who don't believe.

But I thank you that I believe.

I believe that God changes people

and God changes things.

I pray for all my sisters and brothers.

For each and every family member in their households.

I pray for peace, love and joy in their homes that they are out of debt and all their needs are met.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God.

Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly...

This is my prayer.

In Jesus' Name, Amen.

My greetings and wishes for you friends

Dear friends ,

Recently , Pope Benedict XVI in his speech addressed to more than 100 ,000 young people gathered at St Peter's square , " You must never adapt yourself to a love reduced to a commercial good , to be consumed without respect for oneself and for others , incapable of chastity and purity . Much of the love proposed by the media and the internet is not love but selfishness and closure " .

As I reflected on those words of the Holy Father , I knew in an instant that he was talking to me . I do admit that I too have been caught up with the materialistic world and things that this sinful world had to offer me despite trying my very best to live a noble and humble life that I’m brought up to be . And I’m still working hard at it . This year thus far has been a rather challenging and downtrodden one but nevertheless , I never stopped singing my praises to the heavens above and can’t never stopped counting my blessings ( not too little not too many ) in any way . One of the main highlights of this year and my all time favourite , was my three week long trip to Europe and once in a life time opportunity ( adventure ) – to go on a mountain hiking trip at St Martin’s , Italy – thanks to my sister and her family . What an experience I must say ! And as in the coming years , I will be continuing with my studies since time is on my side and while my brain is still in the learning ‘ mode ‘ of gaining additional knowledge – I thought this is after all – a chance to broaden my horizon beyond the surface . I guess I will not bore you with my bitter moments that this year had to come by me .

So , where did the year go ? Suddenly it is December ...............again - and we realize with giant strides we started in January and within a blink of an eye , 2010 is on it's back !

A big " THANK YOU " to you all for the huge impact you had on my life this year . Especially for all the support and e-mails I received ...........................without you , I'm sure that 2010 would have been extremely boring.

I wish you a magical Christmas filled with abundance of loving wishes and wonderful thoughts .

May 2011 BE FILLED WITH JOY AND PROSPERITY ^_^ !

Should you be travelling during this time.....please take care!

With warmest regards & greetings

Blessed Christmas everyone !

Mary Did You Know

th

A mother's concern

A Mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He
didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling
that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an
idea of how to handle it.

She asked a neighbor, Mrs. Goodnest, if she would please follow him to
school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't
notice her. Mrs. Goodnest said that since she was up early with her
toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed.

The next school day, Mrs. Goodnest and her little girl, Marcy, set out
following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor boy
he knew. She did this for the whole week. As the boys walked and chatted,
kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady
was following them as she seemed to do every day all week.

Finally he said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us to
school all week? Do you know her? " Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I
know who she is." The friend said, "Well, who is she?"

"That's just Shirley Goodnest" Timmy replied, "and her daughter Marcy."
"Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us?"
"Well", Timmy explained, "every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm
with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much.
And in the Psalm, it says 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me
all
the days of my life,' so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!"

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon
you,
and be gracious to you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you,and give
you
peace. Numbers 6:22-26

May "Shirley Goodnest" and "Marcy" be with you today, and always

I asked GOD...................

I ASKED GOD

I asked God to take away my pride,

And God said, “No.”

He said it was not for Him to take away,

But for me to give it up.


I asked God to make my handicapped child whole,

And God said, “No.”

He said her spirit is whole,

Her body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience,

And God said, “No.”

He said patience is a by-product of tribulation,

It isn’t granted; it’s earned.


I asked God to give me happiness,

And God said, “No.”

He said He gives blessings,

Happiness is up to me.


I asked God to spare me pain,

And God said, “No.”

He said, “Suffering draws you apart from worldly cares

And brings you closer to Me.


I asked God to make my spirit grow,

And God said, “No.”

He said I must grow on my own,

But He will prune me to make me fruitful.

I asked God if He loves me,

And God said, “Yes.”

I asked God to help me love others

As much as He loves me,

And God said, “Ah, finally you have the idea.”

2nd Sunday in Advent

The Gospel today according to Matthew ( 3 : 1- 12 )



In due course , John the Baptist appeared ; he preached in the wilderness of Judea and this was his message ;

" Repent , for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand " . This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said :


A voice cries in the wilderness ;

Prepare a way for the Lord ,

make his paths straight .


This was John , wore garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey . Then Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole of Jordan district made their way to him and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan , they confessed their sins . But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them , " Brood of vipers , who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming ? But if you are repentant , produce the appropriate fruit and do not presume to tell yourselves , " We have Abraham for our father , ' because , I tell you , God can raise children for Abraham from these stones . Even now the axe is laid to the roots of the trees , so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire . I baptise you in water of repentance , but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am , and I am not fit to carry his sandals ; He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire . His winnowing-fan is in his hand ; he will clear his treshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn ; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out " .

A man who talked to everybody

Karol Wojtyla'a ability to reach people was aided by his ability to speak a number of languages . Born into a Polish-speaking home , he began learning German at age 10 ; Latin at age 13 ; and Greek at age 14 . During World War II , while doing manual labor and acting in and directing underground patriotic theater , Wojtyla engaged a tutor to teach him French.

When he became enamored with the writings of mystical saints , he learned Spanish by studying a German- Spanish dictionary ; he wanted to read St John of the Cross more authentically . The future pope acquired passable Italian and English while obtaining his theology doctorate in Rome . Eventually , he became fluent in both . In seminary , he also studied Hebrew though he never fully mastered it .

By the time he became pontiff , the pope has mastered eight languages. Later in life , John Paul II learned Portuguese and numerous Slavic languages. When he visited a nation whose language he had not mastered , he prepared for weeks with a tutor so he might make small talk with dignitaries and punctuate his speeches with important sentences in the native tongue. When he cried out in Japanese , " Never again Hiroshima , " the people of that nation wept .

Prayer for our faithful departed

We pray for the dead because we believe in the resurrection that leads to life without end. We pray also because in the communion of saints the Lord welcomes our fraternal assistance . Our hope overcomes our pain and we can say with St Augustine ; " If you only knew the immense mystery of heaven where we shall live eternally ! The thought that pervades us is ; would you cry if you loved me ? I am in the warm embrace of an infinite good God . The things of earth are so little in comparison . I will continue to love you , to tenderly walk with you even though you do not see me , for I now live in unspeakable joy .

In the anxieties of life , think of this eternal home where you will be united with your loved ones who are living in joy and endless bliss . Do not cry if you really love me " .

The Lord of Life

Lord of life , true friend of humanity , you were moved at the grief of the widow of Naim and you restored her son to life for her . You wept at the tomb of Lazarus your friend and gave him back to his beloved sister. Yet in your great love for us you did not hesitate to die on the cross that we might be free from sin and selfishness . Grant that the memory of all those who have preceded us to their heavenly abode may not be a source of sadness and resignation but rather an impetus to serve our suffering sisters and brother that one day we may all come to live with you forever in heaven . Amen .

Let us pray ;

O God , Jesus our Saviour shines as the bright hope of a blessed resurrection . When we are saddened by the certainty of dying , He consoles us with the promise of future immortality . Lord , for your faithful people , life is changed , not ended and while the abode of our earthly dwelling is destroyed , an eternal resting place is prepared for us in heaven. We therefore rejoice that though death is our common inheritance we are assured that one day we shall come to live with You for all eternity in heaven . AMEN .

First Sunday in Advent 2010 - O Come Divine Messiah

The Souls In Purgatory

It is very lamentable that so many Christians forget and neglect the souls in Purgatory. If is possible that some of our dear friends are suffering in these dreadful fires , waiting , waiting for our prayers and help - which we could so easily give them and do not give them.

We have pity for the poor whom we see in the streets , for the hungry and for all those who suffer . None suffer so terribly as the souls in Purgatory , for the fire of Purgatory , as St Thomas tells us , is the same as the fire of Hell !

How often , do you pray for the Holy Souls ? Days and weeks and perhaps months pass and you do little , perhaps nothing for them !

You can easily help them if you will say frequently the Name of Jesus because you thus offer for them the Precious Blood and suffering of Jesus Christ as we have explained and you gain 300 days indulgence every time you say " JESUS " . Having the custom of repeating often the Holy Name , you can like St Mechtilde , relieve thousands of souls who will thereafter never cease praying for you with incredible fervor.

Answers To Prayers In Faith

" Have faith in God . Truly I tell you , if you say to this mountain , ' be taken up and thrown into the sea ' , and if you do not doubt in your heart , but believe that what you say will come to pass , it will be done for you . So I tell you , whatever you ask in prayer , believe that you have received it , and it will be yours . "
( Mark 11 : 22-24 )


" If you abide in me and my words abide in you , ask for whatever you wish , and it will be done for you " .
( John 15 : 7 )

Prayer in Honour of Mary , Mother of God

Hail Mary , Mother of God , venerable treasure of the whole universe , lamp that is never extinguished , crown of virginity support of the true faith , indestructible temple , dwelling of hm whom no place can contain , O Mother and Virgin ! Through you all the Gospels call blessed the one whom comes in the name of the Lord.
Hail , Mother of God . You enclosed under your heart the infinite God whom no space can contain . Through you the Most Holy Trinity is adored and glorified , the priceless cross is venerated throughout the universe. Through you the heavens rejoice and the angels and archangels are filled with gladness. Through you the demons are banished , and the temper fell from heaven . Through you the fallen human race is admitted to heaven.
Hail , Mother of God . Through you kings rule , and the only-begotten Son of God has become a star of light to those who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Saint Cyril of Alexandria , Bishop and Doctor.

The God who provides

' As surely as the Lord you God lives , ' she replied ,
' I don't have any bread - only a handful of flour in a jar and
a little oil in a jug .........'
Elijah said to her , ' Don't be afraid......
For this is what the Lord the God of Israel says ;
" The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry
until the day the Lord gives rain on the land " ' .

1 Kings 17 : 12 , 13 , 14



Andrew , Simon Peter's brother spoke up ,
' Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish ,
but how far will they go among so many ? '
Jesus then took the loaves , gave thanks ,
and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted .
He did the same with the fish .

John 6 : 8 , 9 , 11

Just let me say HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU

If Only God Permits

He call us to build an entire house , not just a foundation !



Therefore , let us leave behind the basic teaching about Christ and advance to maturity............And we shall do this , if only God permits . ( Hebrews 6 : 1-3 )

If there's one constant theme in the New Testament , it's the call to become more and more mature in our Christian lives . For instance , St Paul wrote " I continue my pursuit towards the goal , the prize of God's upward calling , in Christ Jesus . Let us , then who are ' perfectly mature ' , adopt this attitude " ( Philipians 3: 14-15 ) .
Likewise , the author of Hebrews urges his readers to ' advance to maturity ' and not to settle for a constant diet of spiritual ' milk ' alone . The author is confident that his reader can grow up - " if only God permits " ( Hebrews 5:13 ; 6:1-3 ) . In other words , their growth in the spiritual life is not dependent only on their determination . Without God's grace , it will never happen .
If only God permits .This can sound like nothing more than a token mention of God , as one would offer a casual God bless you to a friend . But this is not the case . If the call to maturity is meant to inspire us , then these four words hold the key to the transformation we are looking for . These four simple words tell us that we cannot do anything on our own. They tell us that we must depend on the all-powerful , all-knowing and all-governing God .

Lord , Hear Our Prayer ! ( Lessons from Daniel's ' prayer of the faithful ' )

by Craig E.Morrison , O.Carm


At every Sunday Mass , after the Creed , the celebrant leads the congregation in the Prayer of the Faithful . By this point , we have heard God's word and listened to a homily about it. Now , as a community , we dare to address God directly ; " Lord hear our prayer ! "

In these prayers , we ask God for help with the concrete events of our daily lives as we pray for the church , for our nation , for those who are suffering and for the needs of our own community. We might also include personal prayers for a family member , for deceased loved ones , for ourselves and so much more .

Jesus assured his disciples that when we agree on our petitions to God , they will be granted ( Matthew 18:19 ) . But have you ever wondered why one of your personal " prayers of the faithful " was not granted as requested ? Have you questioned whether God was really listening ? If you have , then the centuries-old story of the wise man Daniel can speak to you today .

Burden !

Habits that help

At the dawning of a new day and before the setting sun ,

Make some time to always pray to God the three in one.



Be thankful for His mercy and His goodness and His love ,

And for sending down His precious Son with blessings from above .



Give God the things that pull you down and all that lurks within ,

Ask Him to purify your heart and cleanse it from all sin .



Let go of pride and selfishness and look for higher ground ,

Choose faith today instead of fear and spread His word around .



Surround yourself with Godly friends and cheer for one another ,

And share with sinners this great truth , above Him thereafter no others .



Rejoice in what God has done for you and always pass it on ,

Live strong in Christ and share His love before the time is gone ,



Forget the past and move ahead and keep your eyes on Christ ,

For He desires that You will be - His living sacrifice .



Reach out and take folks by the hand and let them see your heart ,

Be real in all you say and do and God will His part .



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Romans 12: 1 -2



And so dear brothers and sisters , I plead with you to give

your bodies to God because of all He had done for you.

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice , the kind He will

find acceptable .

Do not copy the behaviour and customs of this world , but let

God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think .

Then you will learn to know God's will for you , which is good and pleasing

and perfect .

Pope Benedict XVI in UK for historic visit, meets Queen in Scotland

Sin !

Priceless & Yet Free for us !!!

A Christian's possessions

A tax officer came one day to a poor Christian to determine the amount of taxes he would have to pay. The following conversation took place ; " what property do you possess ? " asked the assessor .

" I am a very wealthy man ," replied the Christian .

" List your possessions , please , " the assessor instructed .

The Christian replied :

First , I have everlasting life , John 3:16
Second , I have a mansion in heaven , John 14:2
Third , I have a perfect conscience & peace that passes all understanding , Philipians 4:7
Fourth , I have joy unspeakable, 1 Peter 1:8
Fifth , I have divine love which never fails , 1 Corinthians 13:8
Sixth , I have a faithful wife , Proverbs 31:10
Seventh , I have a healthy , happy obedient children , Exodus 20:12
Eight , I have true and loyal friends , Proverbs 18:24
Ninth , I have songs in the night , Psalms 42:8
Tenth , I have a crown of life , James 1:12

The tax assessor closed his book and said " Truly you are a very rich man , but your property is not subject to taxation . "
I pray that all of us will have this kind of tax free ' wealth ' .


Author unknown !

PSALM 51

What is faith ???

- Faith is what we do with our lives in response to our encounter with the divine . Faith is a lifelong process of response .
- Listen to what give you joy ; pay attention to what delights your heart at its deepest level and then choose that with all your might .

What will you do with your life ?
- Is there a secret blueprint in the sky we must discover and follow if we are to be faithful to God and to achieve happiness in our lives ?

Let us ponder on and acknowledge the Spirit to lead us on this journey .

Shepherd me O God - written by Marty Haugen

God can forgive us through Christ

Since we have a great high priest
who has gone through the heavens ,
Jesus the Son of God ,
let us hold firmly to the faith we profess ,
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses ,
but we have one
who has been tempted in every way ,
just as we are - yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence ,
so that we may receive mercy
and find grace to help us
in our time of need . Hebrews 4:14-16


Therefore , there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus ,
because through Christ Jesus
the law of the Spirit of life set me free
from the law of sin and death .
For what the law was powerless to do
in that it was weakened by the sinful nature ,
God did by sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful man
to be a sin offering .
And so he condemned sin in sinful man . Roman 8:1-3

God's post it notes !

The Cross

A young man was at the

end of his rope ,

seeing no way out

dropped to his knees in prayer .

" Lord , I can't go on , " he said.

" I have too heavy of a cross to bear ".

The Lord replied ,

" My son , if you can't bear its weight ,

just place your cross inside this room .

Then , open that other door

and pick up any cross you wish . "

The man was filled with relief said

" Thank you Lord , ' and he did as

he was told .

Upon entering the other door ,

he saw many crosses ,

some so large the tops were not

visible . Then he spotted a

tiny cross leaning against a far wall .

" I'd like that one Lord , "

he whispered .

And the Lord replied ,

" My son , that is the cross

you just brought in . "

When life's problems

seems overwhelming ,

it helps to look around and see !

what other people are coping with .

You may consider yourself far more

fortunate that you imagined.

YOUR CROSS

Whatever your cross ,

whatever your pain ,

There will always be

sunshine after the rain.

Perhaps you may stumble ,

perhaps even fall ,

But God's always there

to help you through it all.

The Prayer

I prayed God above be our eyes and watch us where we go ,
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know ,

Let this be our prayer when we lose our way ,
Lead us Lord to the place , guide us with your grace ,
To the place where we'll be safe .


I pray we'll find God's light and hold it in our hearts ,
When stars go out each night ,
Remind us Lord where you are ,
Let this be our prayer when shadows

Fill our days ,
Help us find the place , guide us with
Your grace ,
Give us faith so we'll be safe .

A world where pain and sorrow will be ended And every heart that's broken will be mended And we'll remember we are all God's children , reaching out to touch You , Reaching to the sky . We ask that life be kind and watch us from above , We hope each soul will find another soul to love , Let this be our prayer , just like every child .

Who needs to find the place , guide us with your grace , Give us faith Lord so we'll be safe , Needs to find the place , guide us with your grace , Give us faith Lord so we'll be safe .

23rd Sunday In Ordinary Time - Luke 14 ; 25-33

Great crowds accompanied Jesus in his way and he turned and spoke to them , " If any man comes to me without hating his father , mother , wife , children , brothers , sisters , yes and his own life too , he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. "
" And indeed , which of you here , intending to build a tower , would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it ? Otherwise , if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work , the onlookers would all start making of him and saying , " Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish . " Or gain , what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand ? If not , then while the other king was still a long way off , he would send envoys to sue for peace . So in the same way , none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions . "

Prayer For The Grace Of Vocation

JESUS CHRIST , full of mercy and love , you have shown sympathy with poor men and You have fulfilled their request for a man who would lead them on the rough path to light and life.
You know the hearts of men . Let me know whether You have chose me to such a high and sublime office . Enlighten my mind that I may appreciate the inestimable grace of vocation , fortify my will that I may pass victoriously through all the temptations of the world . Help me not to perish in paralysing pleasure and in the misty depths of passion . Let me not shrink from sacrifice but climb the bright heights of Your eternal Priesthood .

Lord of the Sabbath

" Come to me all you are weary and burdened , and I will give you rest " [ Matthew 11:28 ] .

Could any words be more refreshing , more welcome , to women and men weighed down by the struggles of this life , especially the death-dealing burden of sin ?
This invitation , from Jesus Christ himself , promises what we all need most - respite from the evil ways of the world , release from the death penalty our sins have earned us and reunion with the One from whom true peace and every good pleasure flow.
In Jesus , Christians luxuriate in the most blessed kind of rest. We worship our Saviour and typify this spiritual rest in one of our central practises , the celebration of the Sabbath.
In our Sabbath observances , we pause from our normal work to focus on our Maker . We submit to God as Sovereign over creation . We honor the practise of Jesus Christ , who observed the Sabbath as God in the flesh . And we focus , week by week , on the ultimate rest with which God favours us , thanks to Jesus' saving work .

My Lord and My God

Jesus Christ is the key to salvation. All Christian doctrines , beliefs and practices uphold Him as Lord . The seventh-day Sabbath is a perfect example .

What Is The Purpose of Life ?

Old Catechisms asked , " Why did God make you ? " The answer ; " God made me to know him , to love him and to serve him in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next . " Here , in just 26 words , is the whole reason for our existence . Jesus answered the question even more briefly , " I came so that you might have life and have it more abundantly " [ John 10:10 ] .
God's plan for you is simple , your loving Father wants to give you all good things - especially eternal life . Jesus died on the cross to save us all from sin and the eternal separation from God that sin causes . When he saves us , he makes us part of His Body , which is the Church [ 1 Corint. 12: 27-30 ] . We thus become united with him and with Christians everywhere ( on earth , in heaven , in purgatory ) .

Are You Guaranteed Heaven ?

Some people promote an especially attractive idea ; All true Christians , regardless of how they live , have an absolute assurance of salvation once they accept Jesus into their hearts as " their personal Lord and Saviour " . The problem is that this belief is contrary to the Bible and constant Christian teaching. Keep in mind what Paul told the Christians of his day ; " if we have died with him ( in baptism ; see Romans 6 : 3-4 ) , we shall also live with him ; if we persevere we shall also reign with him ( 2 Timothy 2: 11-12 ) . If we do not persevere , we shall not reign with him . In other words , Christians can forfeit heaven .
The Bible makes it clear that Christians have a moral assurance of salvation ( God will be true to His word and will grant salvation to those who have faith in Christ and are obedient to Him - 1 John 4 : 19-24 ) , but the Bible does not teach that Christians have a guarantee of heaven. There can be no absolute assurance of salvation .
Writing to Christians , Paul said , " See , then the kindness and severity of god ; severity towards those who fell , but God's kindness to you , provided you remain in His kindness , otherwise you too will be cut off " [ Romans 11 : 22-23 , 1 Corint 15 : 1-2 , Hebre 10:26-19 & 2 Peter 2 : 20-21 ]

Note that Paul includes an important condition ; " provided you remain in His kindness . " He is saying that Christians can lose their salvation by throwing it away . He warns , " whoever thinks he is standing secure should take care not to fall " [ 1 Corint 10 : 11-12 ].

If anyone asks you if you have been " saved " , you should say , " I am redeemed by the blood of Christ . I trust in Him alone for my salvation " . And as the Bible teaches , I am working out my salvation in fear and trembling ( Phill 2 : 12 ) , knowing that it is God's gift of grace that is working in me " .

A Legend from the mini series , " The Thornbirds "

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life , most sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth . For the moment it leaves the nest , it searches for a thorn tree - this beautiful bird . And it would not rest until it has found a thorn tree . Then , singing among the thorns , the savage branches , it pierces its breast upon the longest sharpest spine and dying , it rise above its agony to ourcarol , to outsing the lark and the nightingale. Once superlative song , existence the price . But the whole world stills to listen and God in His heaven smiles , for the best is only bought at the cost of great pain ! So , says the legend............

But now , a true story ;

Once upon a time , there was a man . And he decided to sing the world's most beautiful LOVE SONG . He loved so greatly , that he allowed his friends to pierce him upon the sharpest spine - the sharpest thorn .

Dying upon that thorn - upon that spine , he sang the most beautiful LOVE SONG . And while he sang this most beautiful love song , the world in its stillness and silence listened as this harmony burstforth to the very depths of the earth and God in His heavens smiles because LOVE WAS BOUGHT - at the cost of great pain !

JESUS invites you to join in this Love Song . The Son of God has allowed Himself to be pierced on the sharpest spine in the sharpest thorn in order to sing this beautiful Love Song - a song which says , I LOVE YOU ! The lives and the tears through all the centuries of many a man and woman has been moved , has been lifted by this Love Song ................. What is your respond ?

" For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that who soever believeth in Him , will not perish but will have eternal life " John 3:16

St Augustine , pray for us !

Today , August 28 , the church celebrates the feast of St Augustine of Hippo , bishop and doctor of the church . Many of us know him as the the son of St Monica whose feast day was celebrated yesterday , August 27 and who begged for God's mercy and strength for the conversion of her son Augustine . We also know him to be the rebellious lawyer who many a times in his life , faltered and fell into the horrendous web of sin by even fathering a child out of wedlock .

The turning point of his life was just after the death of his mother St Monica that St Augustine , at the age of 31 , Augustine had a supernatural experience " as if a light of relief from all anxiety flooded into my heart " . It was then that " all the shadows of doubt were dispelled " and he accepted God as part of his life .

Life of St Augustine

Although Augustine would become a great man of faith , he continued to struggle with the obvious pain , suffering and evil allowed by God . In his first book , On Order ( 386 AD ) , Augustine wrote : -

' There is nothing that even the most gifted people desire more than to finally understand how , taking into account the amount of evil in this world , one can still believe that God cares about human affairs ' .

For the next forty years , Augustine grappled with the reality of this paradox. He focused on God's nature in scripture and God's apparent desire for humanity . He determined that God created us for a relationship with Him and that authentic relationship is impossible with puppets. Apparently , God wanted us to have the capacity to freely choose love or hate - good or evil . After four decades of writing on the subject , Augustine concluded that " God judged it better to bring good out of evil than to suffer no evil at all " .

Famous quotes of St Augustine

" He who sings , prays twice " .

On his journey

" Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee (GOD) " - Confession 1.1

Prayer

O great Augustine , our father and teacher ,

who knows the shining paths of God ,

and also the crooked paths of men ,

we admire the marvels that divine Grace

has worked in you

making you a passionate witness

to truth and goodness ,

at the service of your neighbour.

AMEN

by John Paul II

A blessing !

Thanksgiving For Mary Our Mother

O Jesus , Divine Master , I thank and bless Your most merciful Heart for having given us Mary most holy our Mother , Teacher and Queen . From the cross , You placed us all in her hands . You gave her a great heart , much wisdom and immense power . May all mankind know her , pray or her ! May all permit themselves to be led by her to You , the Saviour of mankind ! I placed myself in her hands , as You placed Yourself . With this Mother I want to live now , in the hour of my death and for all eternity . AMEN.

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

" Thank you , Mary , for saying ' YES ' to God. I want to follow the path that you paved. Please pray for me , so that I will know the same heavenly triumph that you know now " .

Why JESUS ?

JESUS was born ,
that I might be born twice .
HE became poor,
that I might possess wealth.
HE became homeless ,
that I might have mansions.
HE was stripped ,
that I always should have clothes.
HE was forsaken ,
that I always should have friends.
HE was bound ,
that I might have perfect liberty.
HE was sad ,
that I might have full of joy.
HE descended ,
that I should be lifted up.
HE became a servant ,
that I might be a son forever.
HE was hungry ,
that I should always have food.
HE was made sin ,
that I should share HIS righteousness.
HE dies ,
that I should never taste eternal death.
HE will come down ,
that I might go up.
All of this - that HE might display in me the riches of HIS grace and be the companion of God in the heavenlies.


~~~Author Unknown ~~~

Faith issues

Does Prayer Change Things ?

They say that prayer change things , but does it REALLY change anything ? Oh yes ! It really does !
Does prayer change your present situation or sudden circumstances ?
No , not always , but it does change the way you look at those events .
Does prayer change your financial future ?
No , not always , but it does change who you look to for meeting your daily needs .
Does prayer change shattered hearts or broken bodies ?
No , not always , but it will change your source of strength and comfort .
Does prayer change your wants and desires ?
No , not always , but it will change your wants into what God desires !
Does prayer change how you view the world ?
No , not always , but it will change whose eyes you see the world through.
Does prayer change your regrets from the past ?
No , not always , but it will change your hopes for the future.
Does prayer change the people around you ?
No , not always , but it will change you - the problem isn't always in others.
Does prayer change your life in ways you can't explain ?
Oh yes , always ! And it will change you from the inside out !

So , does PRAYER REALLY change ANYTHING ?
YES ! It REALLY does change EVERYTHING !

~~~Author Unknown ~~~

FAITH

For Spiritual Health

Take :

the root of faith
the leaves of hope
the rose of charity
the violet of humility
the lily of purity
the wormwood of contrition
the myrrh of mortification
the wood of the Holy Cross

Tie them all together into a bouquet with the string of resignation. Put them on to boil over the fire of Divine Love in the vessel of prayer , together with the mystic wine of holy joy and the mineral water of temperance , all securely covered with the lid of silence ; put it on in the fresh air of meditation and then take a cup of it in the morning and in the evening and you will enjoy spiritual health !

A blessed weekend !

Let Go - Let God

Shortly before Jesus was crucified , He fortified His disciples with many teachings and assurances. His discourse gave us one of the greatest passages in the Bible ; John chapters 14-17 . And it began with one of the greatest exhortations , found in John 14:1 .

Oh , the hearts of so many people in this world , even Christians , are troubled ! They are full of anxiety , oppressed by depression and worry. But Jesus said , " Now stop it. Let go of all that anxiety . Trust in God ! Trust also in thyself !

Oh ! what a blessed day !

" This is My Body "

What Christ gives us is quite explicit if His own words are interpreted according to their Aramaic meaning . The expression " This is My Body " means ' This is Myself " .


Karl Rahner , S.J








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Bible quote ;


Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. But if a widow has children or grandchildren , these should learn first of all to put their religion into practise by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents , for this is pleasing to God . - 1 Timothy 5:3-4

PARDONED

Spiritual Dryness by - Henri J.M.Nouwen

from Henri J.M.Nouwen's Bread For The Journey

Sometimes we experience a terrible dryness in our spiritual life. We feel no desire to pray , don't experience God's presence , get bored with worship services , and even think that everything we ever believed about God , Jesus and the Holy Spirit is little more than a childhood fairy tale !

Then it is important to realise that most of theses feelings and thoughts are just feelings and thoughts , and that the Spirit Of God dwells beyond our feelings and thoughts. It is a great grace to be able to experience God's presence in our feelings and thoughts , but when we don't , it does not mean that God is absent . If often means that God is calling us to a greater faithfulness . It is precisely in times of spiritual dryness that we must hold on to our spiritual discipline so that we can grow into new intimacy with God.

Reflection from Bread for the Journey

Never Give Up On Anything

It's Madness -
To hate all roses , because you got scratched by one thorn ,
To give up all your dreams , because one did not come true ,
To lose faith in prayers , because one was not answered.

To give up on your efforts , because one of them failed ,
To condemn all your friends , because one of them betrayed ,
Not to believe in love , because someone was unfaithful.

Remember that another chance may come up .
A new friend , A new love , A new life .

Never give up on anything !


Author unknown

Mother Teresa