As I look back to the Divine projects that our Friends of Divine network had supported in 2012, I know without any hesitation that we can say to Jesus- ”O Lord – Thank you for Your Grace to enable us to share in the Glory of Your Kingdom here on earth!” Many of you have been praying for Divine’s urgent needs and it is with deep gratitude, I thank all the Friends of Divine who so promptly, lovingly and generously financially supported the two Friends of Divine 2012 Appeals as well as your regular support of Divine Charitable Trust’s and Divine Television Ministry’s needs.
Blessed Mother Teresa is always a personal inspiration to me. She said, - “We are all God’s children so it is important to share His gifts. Do not worry about why problems exist in the world – just respond to people’s needs … We feel what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but that ocean would be less without that drop.”
As I reflected on this quote again tonight, it struck me that is what each of us are - a vital drop of water. We are a drop of the Living Water – Jesus! Alone neither you nor I can do much. In fact, even together, we cannot solve all the world’s problems or even be able to pay for all the Divine-Potta mission needs. But there is a real reason for that. If God wanted, He could make the Divine mission debt-free and be the most financially successful retreat centre in the world. But that is not what God has done for Divine – He made Divine Retreat Centre the largest retreat centre in the world instead run by the priests of the Vincentian Congregation of India and a group of volunteers (including myself) who often remind me of the ragtag bunch of disciples that Jesus chose to be his Apostles! Jesus did not choose the Jewish scholars or judges or multi-millionaires. He chose a tax-collector, fishermen and even a thief! It just seems so incredible that they (except Judas) were the foundation of the Catholic Church that has withstood over 2000 years of attacks by evil forces. That is also what the Divine-Potta mission is all about – it is about the Power of Prayer, Faithfulness & Total Trust in God, in Sacrificing Love and it is in allowing God’s Graces to flow into us towards others. We are not at all perfect but we persevere in God’s Goodness.
The Friends of Divine network started off with just a very small group of friends in Singapore in 2005. Our network is still rather small but it has grown to include Friends in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mauritius, Qatar and even one in Canada! Jesus does not look at the numbers. That is what I have truly learned in coordinating the Friends of Divine Appeals over the years. To Jesus, it is ALWAYS our heart – He has given us the capacity to love unconditionally as He loves us. Jesus will provide for all your needs AND He will also provide for our mission needs.
We cannot all pack our bags and move off to distant lands or urgent mission fields to volunteer for God’s Kingdom – but you can volunteer your heart fulltime to God! There are many needs both in your neighbourhood, your parish and around the world. If you feel called and inspired, to also volunteer your heart to be the “drop of Living Water” to the world that the Divine-Potta Ministry is reaching out to, let us joyfully be “partners in Christ".
We need your spiritual and financial support for our Divine-Potta mission – for the long-term care of 3000 sick and needy residents of the Divine Charitable Trust Homes and volunteers and for all the evangelization works especially the Divine Television Ministry that cost millions of Indian Rupees each month to be proclaimed all over the world via satellite TV and on the Internet.
The truth in this quote of St. Francis of Assisi pierces my conscience – “The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.” God is not asking you or me to do GREAT things. All He wants is our hearts to love others not just in words but through our actions too.
To be honest, there are times I fleetingly wish I am not in fulltme ministry and to have the ample resources of working again in a large multi-national company. It seems like we are forever climbing up a ‘FUNDING’ mountain but never ever reaching the peak! There are always URGENT Divine mission needs. I have no idea the true extent of the financial burdens faced each month - what I know already causes me to be faint-hearted if I really dwell upon it!
It is then the Grace of God empowers me NOT to give up – for I know God has put into my life others whose lives (like mine) have been radically transformed because of the Divine-Potta mission. I have the ‘courage’ to share Divine’s needs because it is our shared life mission for EVERYONE to know of Jesus’ Love - just as He mercifully gave us the amazing “Divine” gift for ourselves!
What we have shared in achieving through the Friends of Divine projects in 2012 and the past years is because we believed and shared in the “fruit” of the Divine mission. And Heaven rejoiced! In this New Year 2013, let us proactively help others experience the same radical Divine transformation that has never vanished from our heart. We are all in this together.
I prepared the YouTube music video above, "YOU LIFT ME UP" by JOSH GROBAN to share some of my favourite Inspirational Quotes of Serving Others & Volunteering as a thank you to each of you – FRIENDS OF DIVINE - as we live for Christ in this New Year 2013 and onwards! Have a Blessed New Year!
“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
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