Wed, 01 Dec 2004 09:58:40 +0530
Matthew 15:29-37
Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way."
Lord Jesus, help me to spend these few minutes with you. Help me to leave aside my worries and concerns and go up the mountain to seek you out.
My Jesus, help me to recognize and thank you for your gift of self to me in the Eucharist.
The Bread of Life. The miracle that Jesus works in multiplying the loaves is a prelude to an even greater miracle he plans to bring about. Jesus knows the longings of our hearts and he knows that material food has its limits, even when it is as abundant. St Augustine states, “You made us for yourself, Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” The Eucharist is truly Christ’s greatest gift to humanity, sustaining us on our earthly pilgrimage. Our Holy Father affirms––in his recent apostolic letter “Mane Nobiscum” (Stay with Us, Lord) written for the Year of the Blessed Eucharist––that the Bread of Life is the supreme fulfillment of Christ’s promise to be with us always, to the end of the ages.
Dialogue with Christ:
My Jesus I have a very wayward heart. I know that you are the only one who can fulfill the longing of my soul, and yet I so often seek after the fleeting things of this world. Set my heart straight and keep me going up the mountain where I will find you and all I desire.
Resolution:
I will pause sometime during the day––perhaps before lunch––and make a spiritual communion by inviting Christ into my heart and thanking him for the gift of himself in the blessed Eucharist.
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Wed, 01 Dec 2004 09:58:54 +0530
Matthew 15:29-37
Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way."
Lord Jesus, help me to spend these few minutes with you. Help me to leave aside my worries and concerns and go up the mountain to seek you out.
My Jesus, help me to recognize and thank you for your gift of self to me in the Eucharist.
The Bread of Life. The miracle that Jesus works in multiplying the loaves is a prelude to an even greater miracle he plans to bring about. Jesus knows the longings of our hearts and he knows that material food has its limits, even when it is as abundant. St Augustine states, “You made us for yourself, Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” The Eucharist is truly Christ’s greatest gift to humanity, sustaining us on our earthly pilgrimage. Our Holy Father affirms––in his recent apostolic letter “Mane Nobiscum” (Stay with Us, Lord) written for the Year of the Blessed Eucharist––that the Bread of Life is the supreme fulfillment of Christ’s promise to be with us always, to the end of the ages.
Dialogue with Christ:
My Jesus I have a very wayward heart. I know that you are the only one who can fulfill the longing of my soul, and yet I so often seek after the fleeting things of this world. Set my heart straight and keep me going up the mountain where I will find you and all I desire.
Resolution:
I will pause sometime during the day––perhaps before lunch––and make a spiritual communion by inviting Christ into my heart and thanking him for the gift of himself in the blessed Eucharist.
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Wed, 01 Dec 2004 09:58:59 +0530
Matthew 15:29-37
Jesus summoned his disciples and said, "My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way."
Lord Jesus, help me to spend these few minutes with you. Help me to leave aside my worries and concerns and go up the mountain to seek you out.
My Jesus, help me to recognize and thank you for your gift of self to me in the Eucharist.
The Bread of Life. The miracle that Jesus works in multiplying the loaves is a prelude to an even greater miracle he plans to bring about. Jesus knows the longings of our hearts and he knows that material food has its limits, even when it is as abundant. St Augustine states, “You made us for yourself, Oh Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” The Eucharist is truly Christ’s greatest gift to humanity, sustaining us on our earthly pilgrimage. Our Holy Father affirms––in his recent apostolic letter “Mane Nobiscum” (Stay with Us, Lord) written for the Year of the Blessed Eucharist––that the Bread of Life is the supreme fulfillment of Christ’s promise to be with us always, to the end of the ages.
Dialogue with Christ:
My Jesus I have a very wayward heart. I know that you are the only one who can fulfill the longing of my soul, and yet I so often seek after the fleeting things of this world. Set my heart straight and keep me going up the mountain where I will find you and all I desire.
Resolution:
I will pause sometime during the day––perhaps before lunch––and make a spiritual communion by inviting Christ into my heart and thanking him for the gift of himself in the blessed Eucharist.
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Thu, 02 Dec 2004 08:06:13 +0530
Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, ´Lord, Lord,´ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. "Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house, but it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house, and it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord Jesus I don’t want to be a Christian in name only. I want my faith to be a reality that affects my whole life and every aspect of it. Help me to lay the foundations that will make me a better follower of yours.
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Fri, 03 Dec 2004 08:17:29 +0530
Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, "Son of David, have pity on us!" When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I can do this?" "Yes, Lord," they said. Then he touched their eyes and said, "Let it be done to you according to your faith." And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, "See that no one knows about this." But they went out and spread word of him throughout all that land.
Lord grant me substantial humility and contrition of heart.
Dialogue with Christ:
Oh Lord Jesus, I love you with all of my heart and soul. Please heal my soul of spiritual blindness, caused by pride, vanity and sensuality. Lord, I do believe that you can do this. I need you. I trust in you. Help me to admit my faults and come to you often in the sacrament of confession for healing and forgiveness. Please heal my soul and the souls of my loved ones when we receive you in the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Resolution:
I will do an examination of conscience this evening to determine how I lived my day, asking Our Lord for forgiveness and the grace to be more faithful tomorrow.
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Sat, 04 Dec 2004 09:37:37 +0530
Matthew 9:35—10:1, 5a, 6-8
"Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then he summonded his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and evey illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instucting them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. "
Dialogue with Christ:-
Lord Jesus, just as you sent out your first apostles to preach your Kingdom and do good to all, please fill me with your grace to fulfill my mission of being an authentic witness to you before others. Holy Mary, accompany me in this mediation.
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Sun, 05 Dec 2004 10:02:56 +0530
Matthew 3:1-12
"John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him theat the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: "A voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths." A Message Coming from the Desert. John the Baptist went to the desert in order to be closer to God. The Israelites learned to depend on God while in the desert. He gave them manna and quail to nourish them in their hunger and from a rock came water to quench their thirst. In the desert, John the Baptist learned to depend on God, and through him the cry to repent and make straight the paths to God would again resound. The four hundred year silence is broken as God makes known that his kingdom is at hand. Oftentimes, there are moments in our lives that seem like a desert, but it is in these moments that God brings us closer to him. We should not be afraid of experiencing dryness or difficulties in prayer because it is then when God helps us trust more in him.
Resolution: I will take a few more moments after Mass to give thanks to God for the gift of the Eucharist.
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Mon, 06 Dec 2004 09:23:10 +0530
Luke 5:17-26
One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. And some brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.”
One of the greatest things in life is becoming aware of the gifts we have received from God and using them for the good of others. We often can wonder about the paralyzed man and how he became so. Was he born paralyzed? Maybe he had an accident? Was he responsible for the situation in some way? Did it come suddenly or was it gradual? In our spiritual lives, we can unfortunately become paralyzed. Sometimes our human respect and vanity confines us to our stretcher and comfort zone. Christ wants to be my everything and can help me overcome the tendency to vanity.
Dialogue with Christ:
Jesus, I realize today that your love is forgiving and that you truly can forgive my sins through the sacrament of reconciliation. You know that I have not always appreciated this sacrament as I ought. Help me to understand and trust more in your mercy and love. Help me prepare for your coming and make a good confession always and on a regular basis.
Resolution:
I will set aside time in my schedule in order to go to confession this week, and today I will start preparing for this encounter.
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Tue, 07 Dec 2004 08:38:13 +0530
Matthew 18:12-14 Jesus said to his disciples: “What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.”
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, I realize that at times I can be separated from you because of my pride, vanity and sensuality. Grant me the grace to see the occasions of sin in my life and give me the resolve to firmly reject them. Let me experience your presence in my day and help me bring others to experience you.
Resolution:
Today I will be attentive in my conversations to bring out only the good and positive in others.
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Wed, 08 Dec 2004 09:36:40 +0530
Luke 1:26-38
And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
Let It Be Done to Me. Mary’s answer was one that all of creation waited for. Once Gabriel proposed God’s will to her, he waited for the answer with great eagerness because all creation needed her to say “Yes”. But would she? Everyday, we receive numerous opportunities to choose whether or not to follow God’s calling or inspirations. It wasn’t always easy for Mary to believe, yet it was her faith that made her follow God’s will until the end of her life. Here, I need to contemplate her, move my heart and will to decide always for Christ, and give witness to my faith and my Catholic identity in every moment of the day. Let it be done to me….
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Thu, 09 Dec 2004 09:26:47 +0530
Matthew 11:11-15
Jesus said to the crowds: “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Are You Willing to Accept it? John preached with mighty words to the point of entertaining dignitaries, soldiers and tax collectors; he wasn’t boring. Important people came to hear him speak. John’s message was one of repentance for personal sins and of believing in the future message of the Messiah. He had no message of his own creation. His message was genuine, sincere, and bold, as if coming from God himself. Yet some were not willing to accept it. All who did hear the message of repentance and renewal would become free. “Those who have ears ought to hear,” but they will not be forced.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, how many times do I make decisions without you? I want to cast aside my pride so that I might spend my life solely teaching your love to others. I need your grace, for I can’t do anything on my own. Reach down to me in my littleness and raise me up to be great in your eyes. I despise the things of the world that attract me away from you. Bring me to accept your message of repentance in my life today and every day until I may join you in heaven.
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Tue, 14 Dec 2004 08:42:13 +0530
Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people: "What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ´Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.´ He said in reply, ´I will not,´ but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ´Yes, sir,´ but did not go. Which of the two did his father´s will?" They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not later change your minds and believe him."
He Changed His Mind and Went. Why did he change his mind? Because he loved his father. His love is expressed precisely in the act of reflecting on the situation, acknowleging the truth, adjusting his decision accordingly, and then setting out to work. He did not “feel” like doing what his father asked, just as you and I do not always feel like doing what we know we ought. His love for his father was such that to leave him unaided was more than he could bear. There was no peace. This is guilt in the healthy sense, rooted not on fear of punishment but in love for a person. The voice of conscience and the compassion of love moved him to do the right thing. We call this love “responsible.”
Dialogue with Christ: Jesus, you know how much I need your grace to do your holy will. Grant it to me Lord, in the measure of my needs. Mother Most Pure, make my heart only for Jesus.
Resolution: Today I will look to do one act of kindness towards that particular person that I have been avoiding.
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Wed, 15 Dec 2004 09:15:54 +0530
Luke 18b-23 At that time Jesus cured many people of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. And Jesus said to them in reply, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me."
Jesus, help me to find your hand in my daily life.
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Fri, 17 Dec 2004 09:34:44 +0530
Matthew 1:1-17 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. ..... Thus the total number of generations from Abraham to David is fourteen generations; from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations; from the Babylonian exile to the Messiah, fourteen generations.
Of Her Was Born Jesus Who Is Called the Messiah. The Divine Child was born of Mary. Please sit with this truth for awhile. It brings me to another mystery. As a priest, Jesus daily becomes flesh in my hands, and I beg Our Lord never to let me take this gift for granted. This powerful truth reveals the tremendous dignity of the priest because it is God himself who chooses to enter the world daily through a priest’s hands. Jesus, called the Messiah, born of Mary, comes to us daily in the Eucharist. Is there possibly anything in my life that this boundless love is truly unable to support and heal?
Resolution: Today I will invite someone to join me in making a fervent visit to our Lord in the Eucharist.
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Sat, 18 Dec 2004 10:22:45 +0530
Matthew 1:18-25 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel," which means "God is with us." When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home. He had no relations with her until she bore a son, and he named him Jesus.
Prayer St Joseph, teach me your example of loving obedience.
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Mon, 20 Dec 2004 08:16:27 +0530
Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, how blessed I am to have a Mother like Mary who accepted a change in her own plans for my good. I want to learn from her example. Help me to imitate her example of humility and obedience.
Resolution:I will say a special prayer to Mary today, asking her for help in imitating her.
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Tue, 21 Dec 2004 10:54:51 +0530
Luke 1:39-45
Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, "Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."
She Greeted Elizabeth. Mary did not wait for Elizabeth to come to her, rather she went to Elizabeth. Upon entering Elizabeth’s house, she does not wait to be served by the host, instead she seeks to serve the host. See what joy she brings by serving. Elizabeth marvels at what Mary is doing, and she intuits that she is doing all this because she believed in God’s word to her: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Luke 1: 45).
Dialogue with Christ:
Mary, help me to be unafraid in coming out of myself. I want to practice charity. Help me to be charitable to those around me.
Resolution: I will perform one act of charity for someone in my family.
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Wed, 22 Dec 2004 10:05:56 +0530
Luke 1:46-56
Mary said: "My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, help me to practice the virtue of gratitude. Even though so few people practice this virtue, I want to be one who does.
“My Spirit Finds Its Joy in God My Savior.” Mary’s “soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” (Luke 1:46) because she does God’s will. There, she finds her happiness. The new path that her life has taken, the excitement of being part of the salvation of mankind, is due to God alone. Happiness, true happiness, comes from doing God’s will. Mary’s soul is joyful because she is faithful to what God asks of her. She believes, even though not everything is clear to her. Nevertheless, she finds joy in her faith in God, because God will never lead anyone astray or to misery.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, thank you for being my God and my all. I rejoice for what you have done, and I hope to imitate you. Guide me on my path to holiness, for I know that this is the greatest way that I can show my gratitude.
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Thu, 23 Dec 2004 09:39:08 +0530
Luke 1:57-66
When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, "What, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him. "
Lord, I believe that you had a plan for John the Baptist. Likewise, you are preparing me for the coming of your Son. Open my eyes to see your plan in my life.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, you have sent John the Baptist to prepare me for Christmas. Help me to get ready.
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Fri, 24 Dec 2004 09:41:41 +0530
Luke 1:67-79
Zechariah his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:.... " You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, to give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God, the dawn from on high shall break upon us, to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Introductory Prayer:Lord, you loosed Zechariah’s tongue to remind us that you have not forgotten us. Help us to turn to you, knowing that you have a plan for us to fulfill.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, you have not let us down. How great you are, and how little we recognize your greatness. You have loved and looked after us so that we might have eternal life. Prepare me for your coming.
Resolution:
I will arrive at least five minutes before Christmas Mass starts to thank the Lord for not forgetting us and for sending his Son to save us.
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Wed, 29 Dec 2004 08:56:13 +0530
Luke 2: 22-35 when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: "Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared i!
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, I know I am not alone. You are here with me. You are not a God who stands far off, but a God who is committed to showing your love in my life. Help me to discover your presence more and more everyday and to increase my wonder at your closeness. May my heart be more and more a tabernacle where you can dwell, and may my life invite others to open themselves to your gentle kingship.
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Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:49:44 +0530
The twelve-year old adult Jesus already knows that his mission is to be in his Father’s house and be about his Father’s business. From the test-run he did in Jerusalem earlier that day, it was clear that he was already capable of doing it very well, because “all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers” (v. 47).
The puzzle then is this: If Jesus, already at the age of twelve, was ready to begin his public mission, and was evidently well prepared for it, why would he go down with his parents and spend the next eighteen years in the obscurity of a carpenter’s shed only to begin his public ministry at the age of thirty? Were those eighteen years wasted years? Certainly not! In a way that is hard for us to understand, Jesus’ hidden life in Nazareth was as much a part of his earthly mission as his public life. We are reminded that it was at this time that “Jesus increased in wisdom and in years, and in divine and human favour” (v.52).
And when we reflect on the fact that for every one year of his public life Jesus spent ten years in family life, then we shall begin to understand the importance and priority he gave to family life.
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Fri, 31 Dec 2004 08:35:08 +0530
Transform all families in to holy families
We have two lives, a private or family life and a public or professional one. These two lives should be in harmony but very often they are in tension. Whereas Jesus resolved the tension by giving priority to his private life, we, unfortunately, often try to resolve it by giving priority to our professional life, leaving our family life to suffer. Rose Sands writes about the unhappy man who thought the only way he could prove his love for his family was to work hard. “To prove his love for his wife, he swam the deepest river, crossed the widest desert and climbed the highest mountain. She divorced him. He was never home.” The holy family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus reminds and challenges us to value and invest in our private life with our families before our professional life, even when our job is as important as saving the world.
Let us close with a prayer
Dear Jesus, give all parents your wisdom and grace. Protect our children. Transform all families in to holy families.
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Friday, December 31, 2004
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Achan's Note 2
Mon, 01 Nov 2004 09:29:03 +0530
Verse of the day
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." -- 1 Peter 5:8 and 9
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ALL SOULS' DAY- Book of remembrance.
The Church has a long tradition of remembering those who have died, to the love and mercy of God. We do this in a special way on the Feast of All Souls Day, and throughout November. In many churches around the world, there is a Book of the Names of the Dead, as a continuing reminder of our prayer.
I offer you an online book of remembrance. Please email me the names of your beloved departed ones, so that I can pray for them in a special way in my Holy Mass during the month of November.
Joyachan
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Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.
As we renew our faith in your Son, whom you raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in this resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
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Tue, 02 Nov 2004 09:43:29 +0530
Verse of the day"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." -- Ephesians 1:18
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Wed, 03 Nov 2004 09:44:17 +0530
Verse of the day"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." -- 1 Peter 2:9
May God Bless you
Joyachan
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Wed, 03 Nov 2004 09:58:59 +0530
May all that I am today, all that I try to do today, may all my encounters, reflections, even the frustrations and failings all place my life in your hands.
Lord, my life is in your hands. please,
let this day give you praise..
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Wed, 03 Nov 2004 20:38:19 +0530
Pope Prays That Faithful Will Respond to Call to Holiness
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 2, 2004 - John Paul II's prayer intentions for November are that the faithful will respond to the call to holiness.
This is the general and missionary intention published by the Apostleship of Prayer, which the Pope makes his own every month, offering his sacrifices and prayers together with thousands of faithful worldwide.
The general intention for which the Holy Father is praying this month is that Christians will respond with generosity to the divine call and progress in holiness in their environment.
In addition, the Pope is praying "that all those who work in the missions will never forget that personal holiness and intimate union with Christ are the source of the efficacy of evangelization," the missionary intention states.
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin commented to the Fides agency about on the Pope's missionary intention.
The "Christian, 'charged with the mission,' … who has received the command to proclaim the Gospel, cannot forget that life bears fruit only if it is attached to Christ, like a branch to the vine," the cardinal explained.
"Personal holiness is an inward effort renewed day after day by God's grace to keep always intimately bound to Christ," he said.
And the "spirit of Christ is a spirit of fidelity, love in perfect obedience to the Father and, therefore, to duties as a baptized Christian, a consecrated person, a missionary at the service of the Gospel," the cardinal added.
--------------------------------
Thu, 04 Nov 2004 09:58:06 +0530
Verse of the day"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." -- Romans 13:1
Have a blessed day!
Joyachan
------------------------------
Thu, 18 Nov 2004 10:00:08 +0530
Luke 19:11-28
The first came forward and said, ´Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.´ He replied, ´Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.´ .....
Introductory Prayer:
I give you thanks, Lord, for the myriad of talents and abilities you have endowed me with. At times I am tempted to think I have been short-changed or disadvantaged, especially when I see your glory shining through the life and abilities of one of my brothers or sisters. I know that your love for me is equally as strong. You are great in your gifts.
Petition:Help me to develop my talents to the full, Lord, so that I can love you more with them and proclaim your glory to all peoples.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I know that the gifts you have given me need to be invested. They are not mine but yours to be administered. Help me to know how to invest them wisely. Help me not be stingy and miserly in their use but share them with all. May they bring a great return to the interests of your kingdom.
Resolution: I will share one of my talents with someone else today.
------------------------------
Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:22:06 +0530
Matthew 14:22-33 At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I often get that sinking feeling. It is easy for me to lose hope in life, in my abilities, even in you. Help me to never despair. I know you have the words of eternal life. I know that I sometimes need to be tried in my faith in order to grow stronger and mature in it. Lord, help me choose faith in you over doubt and pessimism.
Petition:Help me live in the optimism of your love, Jesus.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I have gone through many ups and downs. I feel I am in a continual flowing into and out of trust in you. May each new discovery of you leave a permanent deepening of my faith. May each venturing out away from you be shorter and less distanced from you. May I finally learn to live in constant reference to you and your love.
Resolution: I will hand over to God one of the areas I least trust him in. I will never mistrust him in that matter again. In everything that happens to me, my prayer will be: “Thy will be done.”
--------------------
Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:23:01 +0530
Luke 19:45-48
Jesus entered the Temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, "It is written, ´My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.´"
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I often get distracted and caught up with my own affairs. I only want to serve you. Whenever I serve myself I find emptiness. When I turn to you I find a love that grows and fills me. You have been so caring for my welfare. I want to show my love now for you.
Petition:
Lord, remind me daily of your love for me. I only want to care for you.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, I thank you for your lessons to me. There is always a danger that I can make you into a “tailor-made” god that suits my tastes and sensibilities. I thank you for reminding me of the truth. I want to adhere more to that truth than to a false idea of it that can sometimes take over in me. Help me to love with the same zeal and fervor as you do.
Resolution: I will analyze my soul and see if there is love for anything that keeps me separated from God. I will take concrete steps to root it out.
----------------------------
Sun, 21 Nov 2004 07:58:39 +0530
Luke 23:35-43
“Let Him Save Himself If He Is the Chosen One.”
Petition: Grant me, Christ our King, a renewed and active faith that seeks your will and trusts your forgiveness.
“Let Him Save Himself If He Is the Chosen One.” How often we fall into testing God! “If you are God free me from this trial and suffering.” “If you are God, bless me with human success in this important endeavor.” In other words, prove to me that you are God, and prove it by doing things my way. The ultimate abuse hurled at Christ is precisely to come down and not be God. Rulers, soldiers, even common criminals … the whole world repeats the same challenge: “If you are the King… save yourself.” Yet, Jesus has not come to be saved or to do what we would do. He has come to give his life, undo our disobedience, and offer salvation to those who are willing to believe. God becomes man so that he can reach men’s hearts. He has come to reveal who God is to those made in his image. And to our surprise God is love, self-sacrifice, Christ crucified; he is not one who “saves himself.”
Dialogue with Christ: Dear Lord, increase my faith! I want to see your merciful face and believe in your love and good will. Help me to embrace my crosses, trusting in your goodness, knowing that you remember me. I want always to be aware of my own misery and need for your forgiveness and strength. Make my heart sincere and humble before your face. Turn my heart so that I never demand things for myself, but offer myself for others out of love for you.
Resolution: I will prepare and make a good confession (before asking anything more of God). -------------------------------------
Mon, 22 Nov 2004 08:55:10 +0530
Luke 21:1-4
When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I believe that you have granted me life and all the good things I enjoy. I trust that your grace will help me always to judge people and things as you do. I trust that only you are my rock and my refuge. I love you and want to give you more and more of myself in prayer and in deed.
Petition:Lord, grant me enough confidence in you so to share more freely the goods of my life.
Dialogue with Christ:
Dear Lord Jesus, teach me to give of myself with a generous heart. May sacrifice and suffering never limit what I offer you; rather may they be the constant currency of my gift. Help me place my hope and confidence in you, and not in the fragile possessions I hold in this life.
Resolution: I will prepare a gift for someone in my life, which will cost me a sacrifice of love. -------------------------------------
Tue, 23 Nov 2004 08:35:39 +0530
He Gave Them Ten Gold Pieces:
A Relationship The Lord has given each one of us “gold pieces” for a concrete mission in life. Our mission is to invest in the Kingdom. The gold coin he gives me is still his. It is a loan. It does not really belong to me. The gifts I have received from God, natural and supernatural, are God’s property. I have these gifts, but do not own them.
The most profound and important value of this “gold,” more than its face value or the responsibility that accompanies it, lies in the relationship that it constitutes. In virtue of the entrusted gold I have a special relationship with the Lord. His act of entrusting me with his gold reveals his personal confidence and trust in me. Even more, since he has entrusted his gold to me, he has trusted in me as more than a servant. “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father” (John 15:15).
The generous gift of gold betokens personal friendship and love. But the maturing of these more precious values depends on my response. My use of and care for his “gold” will determine the quality of my friendship and love for the Lord.
Dialogue with Christ: Dear Lord, you have entrusted me with so much. Help me to give all I can back to you, multiplied by faith, as an _expression of my love. Grant that I never waste your gifts, especially the gift of time. May my love have no limits as I strive to serve you and the souls you entrust to me.
Resolution: I will ask God in prayer for one change he wants me to make in my life and pursue it with joy for love of him.
----------------------------------
Wed, 24 Nov 2004 08:53:56 +0530
“Because of My Name.” The name of Jesus Christ is powerful. It has cast out demons and cured illnesses. It has brought great consolation and intense love to so many throughout history. But this occurs when it is met by faith. Why wonder then that when met by rejection or resistance, a similarly strong effect follows, only antagonistic in nature? No one can long remain neutral before the name and person of Christ. His taking my sins upon himself and then rising to new life are not something I can ignore. He comes to challenge my way of living. He came and loved me with an extreme and total love before I was born. To consider a response and option for him provokes a spiritual revolution, self-denial and repentance from sin. So his call finally threatens my habits, lifestyle, priorities, loves and security.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, grant me the desire to love you with all my life. Help me to see that every moment, especially moments of suffering, is when you want my love. I do not want to live my faith in private, hiding your gift and friendship. Grant me the inspiration and courage to speak your name with my life and give testimony with my words.
Resolution: I will give testimony of my faith by enduring in silence the next time my faith brings me suffering.
-------------------------------------
Thu, 25 Nov 2004 08:05:21 +0530
Luke 21:20-28
Introductory Prayer:I believe in you Lord, that you are present in my life and always working to lead me to yourself. I trust that you will transform my suffering and struggles into power and life, if I can only give them to you. I love you Lord, for you work always for my good, despite my repeated failures and lack of love. Help me to love you more today than yesterday. Raise my spirits to share my life more willingly and generously with you.
Petition: Grant me, Lord, hope and confidence in your presence and strength, especially in the midst of my trials.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, I want to offer you my entire life, with all its sufferings, failures and sin. Grant me the grace to see beyond the pain of the present moment and believe in your redemption. Bless my hope so that I will keep you, my powerful King always before my eyes. I trust that you are with me and that nothing I live or suffer is indifferent or foreign to you. Above all, keep me from turning my heart from you. Break me of my resistance to your will and grace by the power of your love.
Resolution:
For the salvation of one more soul, I will offer my most difficult cross today to Christ, with faith, confidence and joy, not giving in to discouragement and complaints
--------------------------------------
Sat, 27 Nov 2004 11:18:07 +0530
Luke 21: 34-36 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."
Drowsy Hearts. What does it mean for our hearts to become drowsy? The cause of this drowsiness is an “escapist” lifestyle. We were created to live life and to live it to the full. A full Christian life is a life of self-giving and sacrifice for love. This is what our heart was made to do, give itself for others. Sin and the deviations of disordered living corrupt and frustrate the heart’s action. Instead of giving to others, it begins to turn in on itself. A cycle of selfishness robs the heart of healthy renewal; giving to myself leads to stagnation. Finally, we lose the ability, or at least the facility, to love. A drowsy heart is old and tired, grown insensitive to love and lies isolated in its own self-satisfaction. God is no longer at the center of a drowsy heart, nor will such a heart reach out to God when the moment of tribulation comes. This is the heart whose life of faith and love has been suffocated by the thorns and brambles of worldly cares. The frightening fact is that a heart does not become drowsy overnight; rather a slow process of self-seeking leads to the final heart attack. How awake is my heart?
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord Jesus, awaken my heart to your friendship and the challenges of bringing your Kingdom to other hearts. Help me to fight each day to be faithful and overcome the temptations to selfishness and discouragement. Where am I failing to fight or compromising my faith? Keep me from self-deception. Teach me to grow deep roots of virtue that will stand the test of trial and suffering. Purify and form my conscience so that I can stand before you each day with confidence, confident in your grace rather than in my strength.
Resolution: I will place myself deliberately and consciously before the Lord as I begin my nightly conscience examen.
-------------------------------------
Sun, 28 Nov 2004 07:53:21 +0530
Matthew 24:37-44
Introductory Prayer:
Lord Jesus allow me to spend this time in prayerful dialogue with you. Permit me to place all of my worries and cares aside to prepare myself for your coming during this Advent season.
Am I Prepared to Welcome Him? Advent is upon us and the celebration of the birth of Christ is just around the corner. How much our hearts long for the joy and peace that the angels foretold the night of Jesus’ birth! Will Jesus find a place to be born this year? Like that first Christmas he will go from door-to-door, in the womb of Our Blessed Mother, seeking a place to stay. Maybe like that first Christmas years ago, there will be some houses where no room will be available for Jesus. Perhaps they will be too filled up with the concerns of the festive moment. Yet, while all the mansions and palaces may be booked up, there will be other humbler places for the little Lord Jesus to stay: simple hearts littered with straw and afire with burning love on a cold winter night. Offer Jesus your heart; just leave the door open a crack and he will find his way in.
Dialogue with Christ:
My Lord Jesus, I know that I am not worthy of the great love you have for me. I get so caught up in the concerns of the moment that at times I forget about what is most important. When you knock on my door this Christmas I desire to be awake with my candle burning, prepared to receive you into my heart.
Resolution: I will arrive five minutes early to Mass and prepare my soul for Jesus’ coming in the Blessed Sacrament
-----------------------------------
Mon, 29 Nov 2004 08:30:59 +0530
Matthew 8:5-11
When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centrurian approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurian said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject me. And I say to one, ´Go,´ and he goes; to another, ´Come here,´ and he comes; and to my slave, ´Do this,´ and the slave does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from east and west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”
Faith Moves Rain Clouds. If it can be said that Jesus had a weakness for something, it would seem that Christ’s “weakness” showed itself when he perceived faith in others. He never worked a miracle without first demanding faith from the one to receive it, and he never refused anyone who asked anything from him with faith. Jesus says that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains. Although I personally have never seen anyone move mountains, I surely have seen prayer move smaller things, like rain clouds for instance. Alright, you can be skeptical if you want, but if you need mountains, rain clouds or anything else to be moved, ask for it with faith, and you will really touch Jesus’ weak spot. Direct your prayer of petition to Our Lord with confident faith and love for his will. He really listens and he can move whatever needs to be moved.
Dialogue with Christ:
Christ Jesus let me ask you for the faith that you demand from me. Help me to see your guiding hand in all the moments of the day and to recognize you in those who seek my aid.
Resolution : I will act charitably today, looking to see Christ in my neighbor.
---------------------------
Tue, 30 Nov 2004 08:23:19 +0530
Luke 10:21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Introductory Prayer:Lord help me to turn to you in this moment of prayer with childlike faith and simplicity. I really want you to spend this day with you. Help me to rejoice in you.
Petition:Lord grant me the simplicity of a child so that I can marvel at your Father’s plan.
Dialogue with Christ:
Christ Jesus I want to see everything with the wonder of a child. Allow me to avoid complicating life and to grow in simplicity and love of you.
Resolution:
I will be cordial and simple with Jesus during my moments of prayer today.
----------------------------
Verse of the day
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings." -- 1 Peter 5:8 and 9
-------------------
ALL SOULS' DAY- Book of remembrance.
The Church has a long tradition of remembering those who have died, to the love and mercy of God. We do this in a special way on the Feast of All Souls Day, and throughout November. In many churches around the world, there is a Book of the Names of the Dead, as a continuing reminder of our prayer.
I offer you an online book of remembrance. Please email me the names of your beloved departed ones, so that I can pray for them in a special way in my Holy Mass during the month of November.
Joyachan
------------------
Merciful Father, hear our prayers and console us.
As we renew our faith in your Son, whom you raised from the dead, strengthen our hope that all our departed brothers and sisters will share in this resurrection, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
--------------------------
Tue, 02 Nov 2004 09:43:29 +0530
Verse of the day"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints." -- Ephesians 1:18
-----------------------------
Wed, 03 Nov 2004 09:44:17 +0530
Verse of the day"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." -- 1 Peter 2:9
May God Bless you
Joyachan
---------------------------
Wed, 03 Nov 2004 09:58:59 +0530
May all that I am today, all that I try to do today, may all my encounters, reflections, even the frustrations and failings all place my life in your hands.
Lord, my life is in your hands. please,
let this day give you praise..
------------------------------
Wed, 03 Nov 2004 20:38:19 +0530
Pope Prays That Faithful Will Respond to Call to Holiness
VATICAN CITY, NOV. 2, 2004 - John Paul II's prayer intentions for November are that the faithful will respond to the call to holiness.
This is the general and missionary intention published by the Apostleship of Prayer, which the Pope makes his own every month, offering his sacrifices and prayers together with thousands of faithful worldwide.
The general intention for which the Holy Father is praying this month is that Christians will respond with generosity to the divine call and progress in holiness in their environment.
In addition, the Pope is praying "that all those who work in the missions will never forget that personal holiness and intimate union with Christ are the source of the efficacy of evangelization," the missionary intention states.
Cardinal Bernardin Gantin commented to the Fides agency about on the Pope's missionary intention.
The "Christian, 'charged with the mission,' … who has received the command to proclaim the Gospel, cannot forget that life bears fruit only if it is attached to Christ, like a branch to the vine," the cardinal explained.
"Personal holiness is an inward effort renewed day after day by God's grace to keep always intimately bound to Christ," he said.
And the "spirit of Christ is a spirit of fidelity, love in perfect obedience to the Father and, therefore, to duties as a baptized Christian, a consecrated person, a missionary at the service of the Gospel," the cardinal added.
--------------------------------
Thu, 04 Nov 2004 09:58:06 +0530
Verse of the day"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." -- Romans 13:1
Have a blessed day!
Joyachan
------------------------------
Thu, 18 Nov 2004 10:00:08 +0530
Luke 19:11-28
The first came forward and said, ´Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.´ He replied, ´Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.´ .....
Introductory Prayer:
I give you thanks, Lord, for the myriad of talents and abilities you have endowed me with. At times I am tempted to think I have been short-changed or disadvantaged, especially when I see your glory shining through the life and abilities of one of my brothers or sisters. I know that your love for me is equally as strong. You are great in your gifts.
Petition:Help me to develop my talents to the full, Lord, so that I can love you more with them and proclaim your glory to all peoples.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I know that the gifts you have given me need to be invested. They are not mine but yours to be administered. Help me to know how to invest them wisely. Help me not be stingy and miserly in their use but share them with all. May they bring a great return to the interests of your kingdom.
Resolution: I will share one of my talents with someone else today.
------------------------------
Fri, 19 Nov 2004 10:22:06 +0530
Matthew 14:22-33 At once Jesus spoke to them, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I often get that sinking feeling. It is easy for me to lose hope in life, in my abilities, even in you. Help me to never despair. I know you have the words of eternal life. I know that I sometimes need to be tried in my faith in order to grow stronger and mature in it. Lord, help me choose faith in you over doubt and pessimism.
Petition:Help me live in the optimism of your love, Jesus.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, I have gone through many ups and downs. I feel I am in a continual flowing into and out of trust in you. May each new discovery of you leave a permanent deepening of my faith. May each venturing out away from you be shorter and less distanced from you. May I finally learn to live in constant reference to you and your love.
Resolution: I will hand over to God one of the areas I least trust him in. I will never mistrust him in that matter again. In everything that happens to me, my prayer will be: “Thy will be done.”
--------------------
Sat, 20 Nov 2004 10:23:01 +0530
Luke 19:45-48
Jesus entered the Temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, "It is written, ´My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.´"
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I often get distracted and caught up with my own affairs. I only want to serve you. Whenever I serve myself I find emptiness. When I turn to you I find a love that grows and fills me. You have been so caring for my welfare. I want to show my love now for you.
Petition:
Lord, remind me daily of your love for me. I only want to care for you.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, I thank you for your lessons to me. There is always a danger that I can make you into a “tailor-made” god that suits my tastes and sensibilities. I thank you for reminding me of the truth. I want to adhere more to that truth than to a false idea of it that can sometimes take over in me. Help me to love with the same zeal and fervor as you do.
Resolution: I will analyze my soul and see if there is love for anything that keeps me separated from God. I will take concrete steps to root it out.
----------------------------
Sun, 21 Nov 2004 07:58:39 +0530
Luke 23:35-43
“Let Him Save Himself If He Is the Chosen One.”
Petition: Grant me, Christ our King, a renewed and active faith that seeks your will and trusts your forgiveness.
“Let Him Save Himself If He Is the Chosen One.” How often we fall into testing God! “If you are God free me from this trial and suffering.” “If you are God, bless me with human success in this important endeavor.” In other words, prove to me that you are God, and prove it by doing things my way. The ultimate abuse hurled at Christ is precisely to come down and not be God. Rulers, soldiers, even common criminals … the whole world repeats the same challenge: “If you are the King… save yourself.” Yet, Jesus has not come to be saved or to do what we would do. He has come to give his life, undo our disobedience, and offer salvation to those who are willing to believe. God becomes man so that he can reach men’s hearts. He has come to reveal who God is to those made in his image. And to our surprise God is love, self-sacrifice, Christ crucified; he is not one who “saves himself.”
Dialogue with Christ: Dear Lord, increase my faith! I want to see your merciful face and believe in your love and good will. Help me to embrace my crosses, trusting in your goodness, knowing that you remember me. I want always to be aware of my own misery and need for your forgiveness and strength. Make my heart sincere and humble before your face. Turn my heart so that I never demand things for myself, but offer myself for others out of love for you.
Resolution: I will prepare and make a good confession (before asking anything more of God). -------------------------------------
Mon, 22 Nov 2004 08:55:10 +0530
Luke 21:1-4
When Jesus looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, "I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood."
Introductory Prayer:
Lord, I believe that you have granted me life and all the good things I enjoy. I trust that your grace will help me always to judge people and things as you do. I trust that only you are my rock and my refuge. I love you and want to give you more and more of myself in prayer and in deed.
Petition:Lord, grant me enough confidence in you so to share more freely the goods of my life.
Dialogue with Christ:
Dear Lord Jesus, teach me to give of myself with a generous heart. May sacrifice and suffering never limit what I offer you; rather may they be the constant currency of my gift. Help me place my hope and confidence in you, and not in the fragile possessions I hold in this life.
Resolution: I will prepare a gift for someone in my life, which will cost me a sacrifice of love. -------------------------------------
Tue, 23 Nov 2004 08:35:39 +0530
He Gave Them Ten Gold Pieces:
A Relationship The Lord has given each one of us “gold pieces” for a concrete mission in life. Our mission is to invest in the Kingdom. The gold coin he gives me is still his. It is a loan. It does not really belong to me. The gifts I have received from God, natural and supernatural, are God’s property. I have these gifts, but do not own them.
The most profound and important value of this “gold,” more than its face value or the responsibility that accompanies it, lies in the relationship that it constitutes. In virtue of the entrusted gold I have a special relationship with the Lord. His act of entrusting me with his gold reveals his personal confidence and trust in me. Even more, since he has entrusted his gold to me, he has trusted in me as more than a servant. “I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father” (John 15:15).
The generous gift of gold betokens personal friendship and love. But the maturing of these more precious values depends on my response. My use of and care for his “gold” will determine the quality of my friendship and love for the Lord.
Dialogue with Christ: Dear Lord, you have entrusted me with so much. Help me to give all I can back to you, multiplied by faith, as an _expression of my love. Grant that I never waste your gifts, especially the gift of time. May my love have no limits as I strive to serve you and the souls you entrust to me.
Resolution: I will ask God in prayer for one change he wants me to make in my life and pursue it with joy for love of him.
----------------------------------
Wed, 24 Nov 2004 08:53:56 +0530
“Because of My Name.” The name of Jesus Christ is powerful. It has cast out demons and cured illnesses. It has brought great consolation and intense love to so many throughout history. But this occurs when it is met by faith. Why wonder then that when met by rejection or resistance, a similarly strong effect follows, only antagonistic in nature? No one can long remain neutral before the name and person of Christ. His taking my sins upon himself and then rising to new life are not something I can ignore. He comes to challenge my way of living. He came and loved me with an extreme and total love before I was born. To consider a response and option for him provokes a spiritual revolution, self-denial and repentance from sin. So his call finally threatens my habits, lifestyle, priorities, loves and security.
Dialogue with Christ: Lord, grant me the desire to love you with all my life. Help me to see that every moment, especially moments of suffering, is when you want my love. I do not want to live my faith in private, hiding your gift and friendship. Grant me the inspiration and courage to speak your name with my life and give testimony with my words.
Resolution: I will give testimony of my faith by enduring in silence the next time my faith brings me suffering.
-------------------------------------
Thu, 25 Nov 2004 08:05:21 +0530
Luke 21:20-28
Introductory Prayer:I believe in you Lord, that you are present in my life and always working to lead me to yourself. I trust that you will transform my suffering and struggles into power and life, if I can only give them to you. I love you Lord, for you work always for my good, despite my repeated failures and lack of love. Help me to love you more today than yesterday. Raise my spirits to share my life more willingly and generously with you.
Petition: Grant me, Lord, hope and confidence in your presence and strength, especially in the midst of my trials.
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord, I want to offer you my entire life, with all its sufferings, failures and sin. Grant me the grace to see beyond the pain of the present moment and believe in your redemption. Bless my hope so that I will keep you, my powerful King always before my eyes. I trust that you are with me and that nothing I live or suffer is indifferent or foreign to you. Above all, keep me from turning my heart from you. Break me of my resistance to your will and grace by the power of your love.
Resolution:
For the salvation of one more soul, I will offer my most difficult cross today to Christ, with faith, confidence and joy, not giving in to discouragement and complaints
--------------------------------------
Sat, 27 Nov 2004 11:18:07 +0530
Luke 21: 34-36 Jesus said to his disciples:
"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man."
Drowsy Hearts. What does it mean for our hearts to become drowsy? The cause of this drowsiness is an “escapist” lifestyle. We were created to live life and to live it to the full. A full Christian life is a life of self-giving and sacrifice for love. This is what our heart was made to do, give itself for others. Sin and the deviations of disordered living corrupt and frustrate the heart’s action. Instead of giving to others, it begins to turn in on itself. A cycle of selfishness robs the heart of healthy renewal; giving to myself leads to stagnation. Finally, we lose the ability, or at least the facility, to love. A drowsy heart is old and tired, grown insensitive to love and lies isolated in its own self-satisfaction. God is no longer at the center of a drowsy heart, nor will such a heart reach out to God when the moment of tribulation comes. This is the heart whose life of faith and love has been suffocated by the thorns and brambles of worldly cares. The frightening fact is that a heart does not become drowsy overnight; rather a slow process of self-seeking leads to the final heart attack. How awake is my heart?
Dialogue with Christ:
Lord Jesus, awaken my heart to your friendship and the challenges of bringing your Kingdom to other hearts. Help me to fight each day to be faithful and overcome the temptations to selfishness and discouragement. Where am I failing to fight or compromising my faith? Keep me from self-deception. Teach me to grow deep roots of virtue that will stand the test of trial and suffering. Purify and form my conscience so that I can stand before you each day with confidence, confident in your grace rather than in my strength.
Resolution: I will place myself deliberately and consciously before the Lord as I begin my nightly conscience examen.
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Sun, 28 Nov 2004 07:53:21 +0530
Matthew 24:37-44
Introductory Prayer:
Lord Jesus allow me to spend this time in prayerful dialogue with you. Permit me to place all of my worries and cares aside to prepare myself for your coming during this Advent season.
Am I Prepared to Welcome Him? Advent is upon us and the celebration of the birth of Christ is just around the corner. How much our hearts long for the joy and peace that the angels foretold the night of Jesus’ birth! Will Jesus find a place to be born this year? Like that first Christmas he will go from door-to-door, in the womb of Our Blessed Mother, seeking a place to stay. Maybe like that first Christmas years ago, there will be some houses where no room will be available for Jesus. Perhaps they will be too filled up with the concerns of the festive moment. Yet, while all the mansions and palaces may be booked up, there will be other humbler places for the little Lord Jesus to stay: simple hearts littered with straw and afire with burning love on a cold winter night. Offer Jesus your heart; just leave the door open a crack and he will find his way in.
Dialogue with Christ:
My Lord Jesus, I know that I am not worthy of the great love you have for me. I get so caught up in the concerns of the moment that at times I forget about what is most important. When you knock on my door this Christmas I desire to be awake with my candle burning, prepared to receive you into my heart.
Resolution: I will arrive five minutes early to Mass and prepare my soul for Jesus’ coming in the Blessed Sacrament
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Mon, 29 Nov 2004 08:30:59 +0530
Matthew 8:5-11
When Jesus entered Capernaum, a centrurian approached him and appealed to him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.” He said to him, “I will come and cure him.” The centurian said in reply, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man subject to authority, with soldiers subject me. And I say to one, ´Go,´ and he goes; to another, ´Come here,´ and he comes; and to my slave, ´Do this,´ and the slave does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, "Amen I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from east and west and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the banquet in the kingdom of heaven.”
Faith Moves Rain Clouds. If it can be said that Jesus had a weakness for something, it would seem that Christ’s “weakness” showed itself when he perceived faith in others. He never worked a miracle without first demanding faith from the one to receive it, and he never refused anyone who asked anything from him with faith. Jesus says that if you have faith the size of a mustard seed you can move mountains. Although I personally have never seen anyone move mountains, I surely have seen prayer move smaller things, like rain clouds for instance. Alright, you can be skeptical if you want, but if you need mountains, rain clouds or anything else to be moved, ask for it with faith, and you will really touch Jesus’ weak spot. Direct your prayer of petition to Our Lord with confident faith and love for his will. He really listens and he can move whatever needs to be moved.
Dialogue with Christ:
Christ Jesus let me ask you for the faith that you demand from me. Help me to see your guiding hand in all the moments of the day and to recognize you in those who seek my aid.
Resolution : I will act charitably today, looking to see Christ in my neighbor.
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Tue, 30 Nov 2004 08:23:19 +0530
Luke 10:21-24
Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."
Introductory Prayer:Lord help me to turn to you in this moment of prayer with childlike faith and simplicity. I really want you to spend this day with you. Help me to rejoice in you.
Petition:Lord grant me the simplicity of a child so that I can marvel at your Father’s plan.
Dialogue with Christ:
Christ Jesus I want to see everything with the wonder of a child. Allow me to avoid complicating life and to grow in simplicity and love of you.
Resolution:
I will be cordial and simple with Jesus during my moments of prayer today.
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Sunday, October 31, 2004
Achan's Note 3
Sat, 30 Oct 2004 07:16:10 +0530
A WORD a day keeps the evil away !
Read it;
Repeat it;
Ponder over it;
By heart it;
Live it;
&
Share with at least one person today.
WORD FOR THE DAY:
"How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to God's word" (Psalm 119:9)
Have a peaceful day!!
Joyachan
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Fri, 29 Oct 2004 08:08:06 +0530
Have you ever tried to feel your breath in & breath out?
Have you ever thought of making your each breath a prayer?
Do you want to try today while you drive?
Then...... Pray in your heart- When you breath in - - "Lord Jesus Christ" when you breath out- - "Have mercy on me." This prayer is know as 'Jesus Prayer.' Have a peaceful day!!
Joyachan
--------------
Sat, 30 Oct 2004 07:34:39 +0530
Hi Friends,
Glory to God in the highest!
Today is really a blessed day. Why can't we pray for a very good cause?
PRAYER FOR VOCATION
Lord, You told us that "the harvest indeed is great but the laborers are few. Pray, therefore, the Lord fo the harvest to send laboreres into His fields." We ask You to strengthen us as we follow the vocation to which You have called us. We pray particularly for those called to serve as priests, sisters, brothers and deacons: Those whom You have called,Those You are calling now,Those You will call in the future. May they be open and responsive to the call of serving Your people. We ask this through Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prescription:- ONNU VEETHAM MOONNU NERAM, AHARATHINU MUNPU!!
-------------------
Sun, 31 Oct 2004 08:40:09 +0530
A WORD a day keeps evil away !
Read it;
Repeat it;
Ponder over it;
By heart it;
Live it; &
Share with at least one person today.
WORD FOR THE DAY:
"Are any among you in trouble? They should pray. Are any among you happy? They should sing praises. Are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of the Lord.This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore them to health, and the sins they have commited will be forgiven."(James 5:13-15)
Have a wonderful Lord's day
Joyachan
-----------------
A WORD a day keeps the evil away !
Read it;
Repeat it;
Ponder over it;
By heart it;
Live it;
&
Share with at least one person today.
WORD FOR THE DAY:
"How can young people keep their way pure?
By guarding it according to God's word" (Psalm 119:9)
Have a peaceful day!!
Joyachan
------------------
Fri, 29 Oct 2004 08:08:06 +0530
Have you ever tried to feel your breath in & breath out?
Have you ever thought of making your each breath a prayer?
Do you want to try today while you drive?
Then...... Pray in your heart- When you breath in - - "Lord Jesus Christ" when you breath out- - "Have mercy on me." This prayer is know as 'Jesus Prayer.' Have a peaceful day!!
Joyachan
--------------
Sat, 30 Oct 2004 07:34:39 +0530
Hi Friends,
Glory to God in the highest!
Today is really a blessed day. Why can't we pray for a very good cause?
PRAYER FOR VOCATION
Lord, You told us that "the harvest indeed is great but the laborers are few. Pray, therefore, the Lord fo the harvest to send laboreres into His fields." We ask You to strengthen us as we follow the vocation to which You have called us. We pray particularly for those called to serve as priests, sisters, brothers and deacons: Those whom You have called,Those You are calling now,Those You will call in the future. May they be open and responsive to the call of serving Your people. We ask this through Christ, our Lord, Amen.
Prescription:- ONNU VEETHAM MOONNU NERAM, AHARATHINU MUNPU!!
-------------------
Sun, 31 Oct 2004 08:40:09 +0530
A WORD a day keeps evil away !
Read it;
Repeat it;
Ponder over it;
By heart it;
Live it; &
Share with at least one person today.
WORD FOR THE DAY:
"Are any among you in trouble? They should pray. Are any among you happy? They should sing praises. Are any among you sick? They should send for the church elders, who will pray for them and rub olive oil on them in the name of the Lord.This prayer made in faith will heal the sick; the Lord will restore them to health, and the sins they have commited will be forgiven."(James 5:13-15)
Have a wonderful Lord's day
Joyachan
-----------------
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