Friends of Divine: LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION NO.6: "EVERY SUFFERING IS A CALL FROM GOD" by Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C.

Have you pondered what kind of faith you have? Is it deeply rooted in the Word of God or is our faith planted in loose soil of worldly expectations? Can I stand in the Presence of God and declare that I have picked up my cross and followed Jesus in my life?  

The final video of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES at the top of this post is "EVERY SUFFERING IS A CALL FROM GOD" – by Rev.  Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India.

In this heart-provoking homily, Fr. Augustine explains with insightful wisdom how our faith is moulded by the sufferings we face in our lives and the importance for us to have a Christian character.

"Often our faith is very shallow. When I ask for something, I want it immediately. I want it right then. If God does not give it to me, I will go to another god….My life is centred o me, my agenda, my plan and my timetable. Faith is the opposite. Faith is centring my life on God. I do not understand God’s Plan but yet I wait for God’s Plan to be revealed God could be disciplining our faith to make us become perfect. In Romans 5:5, St Paul tells us, ‘When there are problems, do not become disheartened because afflictions bring us endurance, endurance brings us character and character brings us hope A hope that will never fail us.’”

“What is Christian character? Christian character is the way we continue trusting in God.”

“Every moment of pain and every moment of struggle is when we share in the Cross of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:15) It means God is so close to me He said, ‘Take up your cross and come after me.’ (Matthew 16:24)  I take the cross and go after Jesus step by step. ‘Come after me’, Jesus said. What does that mean? It means Jesus is in front of you He walks in front to Calvary – from there to the Glory of the Resurrection.” 

“For those of us baptized in Jesus Christ, there is nothing called Ancestral Curse. Romans 8:1 – ‘If you are in Christ Jesus, you are not under a curse.’”

“The Bible teaches us that every drop of tear, every but of pain offered with the Cross of Jesus will bring salvation to someone we love who is close o us – someone we are praying for That is what is called Intercessory Prayer.”

“Therefore, a moment of suffering is not a moment of curse. It is a moment of a Call. God is calling you to be united with Jesus….Mothers and Fathers, Husbands and Wives, Brothers and Sisters, if you choose to love, that means you choose to save. If you choose to save, that means you choose to suffer.”

“A moment of pain is a moment the Lord is calling us to the Cross as a co-saviour – ‘Come! Take up your cross and follow me.’”

On Maundy Thursday, the Healing Adoration Service, “COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE BURDENED AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST (Matthew 11:28)” conducted by Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C. will be posted as we surrender our lives to Jesus this Holy Week.

We give thanks to God for the proclamation of His Word through the Divine Lenten 2017 Weekly Video Reflection series. Please share this post with your loved ones, prayer groups and friends to make this sacred season of Lent a truly transforming experience in our Christian life.

FRIENDS OF DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION NO.5: "THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH" by Rev. Fr. Jacob Arimpur V.C.

Have you ever thought seriously of the meaning of your life on earth? Have you truly made reaching Heaven the ultimate goal in your life?  If these questions have not been something that crossed your mind, then it is time to do so. For our life on earth is just a short journey. The ultimate destination of every Christian is to reach Heaven – our Eternal Home.

The fifth video of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES at the top of this post is "THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH” by Rev. Fr. Jacob Arimpur V.C., Assistant Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India. In this Spirit-filled sharing, Fr. Jacob exhorts each of us - “Jesus is posing a very important question today to all of us.  ‘Is your life earth-bound or Heaven-bound?’ It is a very important question that Jesus is asking each one of us .In Philippians 3:20, we are reminded that 'Our citizenship is not of this world.’ We are living in this world – that is the reality. But Jesus is reminding us, ‘Let the world not enter into your life.’”

“Jesus is not saying the world is evil or that the world is bad. Whatever God has created is good. But often what happens is we start abusing what God has created. It is there that the problem lies. We are not able to use these gifts of Graces that God has given us in the proper way. That is the root cause of many of the problems we are facing today.”

“Jesus is asking us to short or re-orient our focus from the world to Heaven which is our ultimate decision. “

“We are not realizing that we are dying every moment. What we are not seeing is this: we are not able to see Heaven – the ultimate reward of what God will give us.”

“Let us go beyond the ordinary way of looking at things. If we want to experience joy and peace in this world, we have to do it. Jesu sis asking us to lift our perspective to Heaven from this earth.”

“A true Christian says, ‘What is mine is a gift of God so I will share it.’”

“The Lord is giving us a foretaste of Heaven – how beautiful it would be if we reach Heaven!  Your life is not to end here. There is life after death.”

Next Sunday, Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director of Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India will be sharing the Word of God on "EVERY SUFFERING IS A CALL FROM JESUS”.

Please do share this Divine Lenten 2017 Weekly Video Reflection series with your loved ones, prayer groups and friends to make this sacred season of Lent a truly transforming experience in our Christian life.