Flood waters at St. Thomas English Retreat Hall on Thursday 16 August 2018 at 1.00 p.m.
The waters rose to cover the brick wall by 4.00 p.m. and rose swiftly till around 1.00 a.m.
Dear Friends in Christ
The Peace of our Lord be upon all of you.
The Kerala floods last week has been reported widely in India and overseas of the huge displacement it brought to over 700,000 people. It was the worst flooding in nearly 100 years and unfortunately Divine Retreat Centre was also overwhelmed by the raging and swiftly rising flood waters on the 16 and 17 August 2018. 2000 people were trapped in Divine Retreat Centre on both these days until the waters completely receded by the morning of 18 August 2018 - a miracle of our Merciful Lord.
A massive clean-up operation is underway so that Divine's weekly retreats in English and 6 Indian Languages can once begin weekly.
Divine Retreat Centre will be tentatively closed until 16 September 2018.
Please do take note that I will update all of you if we are able to open Divine Retreat Centre at an earlier date by God's Grace.
On behalf of the Vincentian Fathers of Divine Retreat Centre, I thank the many messages of great concern and love from so many of our beloved benefactors and past retreatants about the situation the Divine-Potta ministry is currently facing.
I shall provide all of you with a further update of the great challenges that the Divine-Potta ministry is facing currently due to this Kerala Flood disaster within the next few days.
Please continue to keep the people of the state of Kerala, all of us in this retreat centre and all our Divine Charitable Homes in your daily prayers.
"Many are the troubles of the just, but the LORD delivers from them all."
(Psalm 34:20)
Prayerfully in Christ
Director - Divine Retreat Centre
Muringoor, Kerala
India
For more information on Divine Retreat Centre's news and activities and on Divine TV, please do visit our websites:
Spirit-filled
evangelizers means evangelizers fearlessly open to the working of the
Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Spirit made the apostles go forth from
themselves and turned them into heralds of God’s wondrous deeds, capable
of speaking to each person in his or her own language. The Holy Spirit
also grants the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with
boldness (parrhesÃa) in every time and place, even when it meets with
opposition. Let us call upon him today, firmly rooted in prayer, for
without prayer all our activity risks being fruitless and our message
empty. Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with
words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence.
POPE FRANCIS - EVANGELII GAUDIUM
Chapter 5. No.259
This special Retreat is led by
Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C.
Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India
Rev. Fr. John Prince Puthanpurackal V.C.
Asst. Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India
Venue:
Divine Retreat Centre
Muringoor
Kerala, India
Dates:
FRIDAY 23 November 2018 - beginning at 10.00 a.m.
to
SUNDAY 25 November 2018- ending at 4.00 p.m.
Prior registration is NOT required
Please inform and bring your family & friends to experience God’s Call to
every Catholic to be an integrl part of the Church's New Evangelization.
For more details of this special retreat. please contact:
Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C.
Director
DIVINE RETREAT CENTRE
Muringoor P.O., Chalakudy, Kerala – 680 309
Tel: (91) 480 2708098, (91) 480 2708193
Fax: (91) 480 2708097
E-mail: augustine.vallooran@yahoo.com
For more information on Divine Retreat Centre's news and activities and on Divine TV, please do visit our websites:www.drcm.org/www.dvnonline.org
In this grace-filled
Healing Adoration, “JESUS: "I WILL COMFORT YOU'" by Rev. Fr.
Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director of Divine Retreat Centre, we experience the
Merciful and Compassionate Love of Jesus - our Divine Healer!
Fr. Augustine
prayerfully leads everyone into the Presence of Jesus.
"My dear
sisters and brothers, in this hour, we hear the Voice of God inviting every one
of us 'Come to Me! -Come to me youwho are tired and burdened. There is a burden
on our body - a burden of our aches, our ailments, burdens on our mind, all the
distress, all the frears and anxieties and above all - all the painful memories
of our past."
"Let us
bring it all to Jesus today and claim the Promise of the Lord - 'I will conmfort
you.'"
Fr. Augustine
exhorts every one of us to proclaim - 'I believe in the Power of Jesus.'"
"HEALING
ADORATION" is a weekly 60-minute TV programme conducted by the Director or
Asst. Director of Divine Retreat Centre and produced by Divine Vision - the
media wing of Divine Television Ministry.
For the past 10
years Divine Television has been telecasting 24 hours of commercial-free
Catholic Gospel programmes in UK, Europe, the Middle East, USA, Canada and in
India through Goodness TV., It is available on the Internet as DVNOnline TV in
EVERY country around the world.
Divine's HEALING
ADORATION can be viewed online weekly on www.dvnonline.org
Divine Retreat
Centre is the largest Catholic retreat centre in the world. Retreats are held
every week of the year in English and 6 Indian languages.
Over 10 million
people have attended retreats here since the Divine-Potta ministry by the
Fathers of Vincentian Congregation of India opened Divine Retreat Centre in
late December 1989.
The final video of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIESat the top of this post isby Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director, Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala, Indiawho speaks on a soul searching topic - "AM I REALLY LIVING FOR JESUS?”
In this heart-provoking sharing, Fr. Augustine challenges every Catholic – “We should really be searching our souls and ask, ‘Am I really alive? Am I really living or vegetating like trees and animals? Am I really alive with the Power of the Holy Spirit?
“I have come to give you life – life in all its fullness” (cf. John 10:10)
“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11)
“I give you peace, not as the world gives you.” (John 14:27)
“Life in the full; joy in the full, peace inthe full, love in the full. That is what our birthright is as we are reborn in Baptism – being united with our Lord Jesus Christ.”
“How real is God in your life? If God is real in your life, in my life, in our lives, then the Peace of the Lord, the Joy of the Lord, the Love of the Lord, the Life of the Lord, the Power of the Lord will flow into us. What is needed is to remain in Jesus.”
“We cannot be living for ourselves. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, like the Apostles, we will go and proclaim His Word to the ends of the earth wherever we are. We are people with a Message to this world. We are people with a mission to everyone who comes to me. I shall look at every person as a son/daughter of God the Father whom God the Father has brought to me to give him / her Jesus. We have a message of “Life in the Full…a life bubbling with the Power ofthe Holy Spirit.”
On Maundy Thursday. a Healing Adoration Service video by Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C. will be posted to guide us to continue to open our hearts unconditionally for Jesus.
Please do share this Divine Lenten 2018 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.
A weekly
spiritual video talk will be posted every Sunday on this Friends of Divine blog
until Palm Sunday - the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION
SERIES - so that every one of us will seek to live for Jesus with no
self-willed barriers in our hearts and mind but to proclaim the Glory of God.
The fifth video of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN
2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIESat the top of this post is "“ASK FOR THE FULLNESS OF HOLY SPIRIT
IN YOU”by Rev. Fr. Mathew
Naickomparambil V.C., Spearhead of Divine-Potta Ministry.
In this Spirit-filled
sharing, Fr. Matthew exhorts every Catholic to lead Spirit=filled lives. “Much
of our sorrow, sadness, guilt feelings and negative thinking disappear when we
are washed in the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Moreover, whenever we hear the Word of God, there is the descent of the Holy
Spirit coming upon us and we are filled with Joy, Peace, Love and all the
Fruits of the Holy Spirit.”
Fr. Mathew shares
his first experience when the Lord spoke to him at the age of 20 in the month
of July 1966 - “‘Ask and you shall
receive the Holy Spirit.’This is a
message for everyone who believes in Jesus. There is a great provision for you
according to the Will of God that you can be filled with the Holy Spirit to the
level of overflowing from you to others.”
“What is the
Good News of Salvation? ‘Believe in the
Lord Jesus, you and your family will be saved.’ (Acts 16:31)Jesus is in
control of everything. All we have to do is pray in the Name of Jesus over all
our difficult situations.”
“The word ‘Alleluia’
is from the Bible. It is used in Heaven to praise, thank, glorify and rejoice
in the Almighty God. Whenever we say this word of praise, we get a new
anointing and empowerment of the Holy Spirit coming upon us and consequently we
are delivered from many bondages and afflictions.”
In the final
video of the Divine Lenten 2018 Reflection series next Sunday, Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director,
Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala, Indiaspeaks on a soul searching topic -"AM I REALLY LIVING?”
Please do share
this Divine Lenten 2018 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.
A weekly
spiritual video talk will be posted every Sunday on this Friends of Divine blog
until Palm Sunday - the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION
SERIES - so that every one of us will seek to live for Jesus with no
self-willed barriers in our hearts and mind but to proclaim the Glory of God.
The fourth video
of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES at the top of
this post is “THE IMPORTANCE OF A PERSONAL SPIRITUAL LIFE”by Rev. Fr. Jacob
Arimpur V.C., Assistant Director, Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala, India.
In this heart-provoking
sharing of the Word Of God, Fr. Jacob explains with great clarity an issue many
Catholics often seek to understand:
“What do we have
to do in order to grow our spiritual life?”
Fr. Jacob points
out two very important aspects of Jesus’ life:
Jesus obeyed the rules,
regulations,, customs and tradition of the Jewish life
Jesus wasthoroughly disciplined in His Spiritual life.
“We are living
in a world where we are taught that we must be doing what we like doing. We must
be going to places that we like to go. We should not be restrictedby any rules or regulations. So it is all
about ‘I, Me , and Myself’!”
“We have to
learn to submit and surrender ourselves. If we are not interested in bringing
order to our spiritual life, let us forget about the Holy Spirit. Or let us
forget about all the desire that we are having for a spiritual life.”
“1 Corinthian
14:33 – ‘Our God is not a god of disorder.” When there is no order in our life,
when there is no discipline in our lives, we experience death in our spiritual
life. We do not experience the Power of God in our spiritual life. We become
dead from within.”
Next Sunday,
Rev. Fr. Mathew Naickomparambil V.C., Spearhead of Divine-Potta Ministry, Kerala,
India will be sharing the Word of God on an uplifting topic- “ASK FOR THE FULLNESS
OF HOLY SPIRIT IN YOU”.
Please do share
this Divine Lenten 2018 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.
A weekly
spiritual video talk will be posted every Sunday on this Friends of Divine blog
until Palm Sunday - the 6-part DIVINE
LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES- so that every one of us will
seek to live for Jesus with no self-willed barriers in our hearts and mind but
to proclaim the Glory of God.
Due a problem
with my eyes, this week there will be two videos – Sunday’s post (04 March) and
the 3rd weekly video posted today
(Wednesday, 07 March) to get back to the proper schedule.
The third video of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN
2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES at the top of this post is “EVERY CATHOLIC IS CALLED TO HOLINESS”by
Rev. Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C., Associate Director –Divine Retreat Centre, Ramsgate,
Kent, UK
In this enlightening
sharing of the Word Of God, Fr. Joseph compares the sins committed by St.
Peter, who was the 1st Pope to the sins we are committing in our
daily lives today.
“'The
Catechism of the Catholic Church make it very clear what is the aim of every
Catholic – ‘Everyone is called to holiness’. Some people believe holiness are only meant for
nuns and priests. No! Every person is called to holiness whether you are married
or single.”
Fr. Joseph
explains thethree categories of sinswhich prevent us from being holy:
Keeping a distance from Jesus
Bad
Company / Wrong Relationships
Search for momentary pleasure
“Many people say
that the more they pray and get closer to God, the more their sufferings
increases. So it is better to not get too close to God. This kind of attitude is
not from God but from evil. Evil is putting you into a comfort zone an dis not
allowing you to welcome the Heavenly Father.”
Next Sunday,Rev. Fr. Jacob Arimpur V.C., Assistant Director, Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala,
Indiawill be sharing the Word of God on an integral necessity of our faith journey – “THE IMPORTANCE OF A PERSONALSPIRITUAL LIFE”.
Please do share
this Divine Lenten 2018 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.
My apologies
that I could not post the 2nd weekly video of the 6-part Divine
Lenten 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES last Sunday (26 Feb 2018) due a painful problem with my eyes. Hence this week there will be two videos –today’s post
and the3rd weekly video will be posted on Wednesday (7 March 2018)
to get back to the proper schedule.
A weekly
spiritual video talk will be posted every Sunday on this Friends of Divine blog
until Palm Sunday - the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION
SERIES - so that every one of us will seek to live for Jesus with no
self-willed barriers in our hearts and mind but to proclaim the Glory of God.
The second video
of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES at the top of
this post is "WHY CONFESSING TO A PRIEST MATTERS"by Rev. Fr. Michael
Payyapilly V.C., Director – Tabor Divine Retreat Centre, Kalyan. Mumbai India
In this heart
provoking homily, Fr. Michael explains with great clarity that each of us need
to change and repent -then“You and and your familywill be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
There are two types of repentance
Godly repentance
Worldly repentance
"Peter and
Judas both sinned. The difference was that when Peter repented, he turned and
looked at Jesus. That is godly repentance. What did Judas do? He looked at the
30 silver coins and went to a garden where he saw a tree and hung himself –
worldly repentance leads us to death.”
“Today God is
inviting us to a godly repentance. A godly repentance is made through the Sacrament
of Reconciliation (Confession) – to confess our sins and to show we are
genuinely sorry for what we have done. We have all sinned. God our Father
embraces us despite our sins. But are we reconciled with our Father? No! We
have to confess our sins. We have to reach out to our Father. That is what Holy
Confession is all about.”
“Why do people feel bored, irritated, guilty and do not feel the Presence of God?”
“When does the Mercy f God flows through our lives?”
“When can you experience healings?”
“Jesus is asking
you today – ‘Give me the burden of your sins.’ Do not be arrogant. Be humble
and say to our Lord, ‘ Here is my burden of sin. Take it from me, Lord.’ This
can only happen during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Find your freedom, be
humble and do not be a slave to sin.”
“At the Confessional,
you see a priest but you experience Jesus!”
Next Wednesday,
Rev. Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C., Associate Director, Divine Retreat Centre, Ramsgate,,
Kent, UK will be sharing the Word of God on aSpirit-filled topic - "EVERY CATHOLIC IS CALLED TO HOLINESS".
Please do share
this Divine Lenten 2018 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.
The Holy Season of Lent
began this year on 14 February 2018 - ASH WEDNESDAY.
As of today, a weekly
spiritual video talk will be posted every Sunday on this Friends of
Divine blog until Palm Sunday - the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018
WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES - so that every one of us will seek to
live for Jesus with no self-willed barriers in our hearts and mind but to
proclaim the Glory of God.
On Holy Thursday, a
Eucharistic Adoration service will be posted.
Let us open our hearts
to the call of Pope Francis' LENTEN 2018 Message:
"By devoting more
time to prayer, we enable our hearts to root out our
secret lies and forms of self-deception, and then
to find the consolation God offers. He is our Father and he wants us to live
life well."
"Almsgiving sets
us free from greed and helps us to regard our neighbour as a brother or sister.
What I possess is never mine alone. How I would like almsgiving to become a
genuine style of life for each of us! How I would like us, as Christians, to
follow the example of the Apostles and see in the sharing of our possessions a
tangible witness of the communion that is ours in the Church! For this reason,
I echo Saint Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians to take up a collection for
the community of Jerusalem as something from which they themselves would
benefit (cf. 2 Cor 8:10). This is all the more fitting during
the Lenten season, when many groups take up collections to assist Churches and
peoples in need. Yet I would also hope that, even in our daily encounters with
those who beg for our assistance, we would see such requests as coming from God
Himself. When we give alms, we share in God’s providential care for each of His
children. If through me God helps someone today, will He not tomorrow provide
for my own needs? For no one is more generous than God."
"Fasting weakens
our tendency to violence; it disarms us and becomes an important opportunity
for growth. On the one hand, it allows us to experience what the destitute and
the starving have to endure. On the other hand, it expresses our own spiritual
hunger and thirst for life in God. Fasting wakes us up. It makes us more
attentive to God and our neighbour. It revives our desire to obey God, who
alone is capable of satisfying our hunger."
The first video
of the6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2018 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIESat
the top of this post is "REPENTANCE LEADS US TO THE LOVE OF GOD”by Rev.
Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director – Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor.
Kerala. India
In this Spirit-filled
homily, Fr. Augustine explains with insightful wisdom why Jesus'
first preaching," 'Repent! The Kingdom of God
is at Hand' (Matthew 4:17) is a message of great value for every one of us - a
message of great hope! We know the prophets of the Old Testament came down to
the people and often when they spoke , it was the language of fire and brimstone
falling from Heaven to burn the human race. A God who was waiting to punish and
eliminate the human race because of our sin."
"But the
tone of Jesus is altogether different - a tone of God's Mercy and
Forgiveness - giving you and me a great hope! We know how sinful we are. We
know there is "'unfreedom' in the very centre of our hearts."
"What does it mean
to repent? To repent means "I turn to God. I look at His Face. I turn away
from my sins...I turn away from all that is captive in my heart. I turn to God
and say, "I surrender! I place all the wretchedness in my heart in the
Hands of God. That is what repentance means"
"Often people
mistake repentance for guilt feelings. The two are very different. Repentance
comes out of love. I know my God loves me. I know that He will forgive me. But
guilt does not come from love. It comes from pride. Guilt feeling leads us to
sadness but repentance leads us to love - to believe in the God who saves
me."
Fr. Augustine explains
with enlightening clarity why true repentance of a single person bring great
rejoicing in Heaven!
Next Sunday, Rev. Fr.
Michael Payyapilly V.C., Director, Tabor Divine Retreat Centre, Mumbai, India
will be sharing the Word of God on aheart-provoking topic - "WHY CONFESSING TO A PRIEST MATTERS".
Please do share this
Divine Lenten 2018 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.
Eight days has already passed by in this New Year - 2018. For me, Advent and the the days leading to the New Year are often days of deep introspection of my life in the year gone by 2017 and the year that lies ahead 2018.
We will welcome new friends and say goodbye to dear ones. Sadly, I learnt that a very dear friend in Singapore, an ex-colleague of mine, had finished his race on earth as a pilgrim on 05 January 2018. I will now only see him in the memories of my heart. Yet, the last time I visited Joe Lim at his home in June 2017, he was very positive despite his long battle with cancer. Joe had no more regrets, he had made his peace with God and most of all, in his last few years, Joe lived his life with holy joy. He was proud to proclaim, "I am a Catholic!" and that he was definitely ready to return to God. There was great serenity and peace that radiated from Joe's face. His will was to live the Will of God. He told me that one of his greatest joys was sharing his life's testimony at a Divine Retreat in Singapore in 2013. I know it greatly touched many Singaporeans hearts because of his honesty in sharing about his life. It took immense personal courage. I know I cried listening to his testimony. It was so powerful as Joe gave witness to the Power of Jesus in his life.
Joe Lim on extreme right with his daughter Jean during Christmas 2010 Visit to Divine Girls Home
When I got the news regarding Joe's demise, I was first filled with sadness. We were not close when I was his colleague in the same company. He seemed rather quiet and at that time our age difference also played a part. I was in my mid-twenties. Neither of us knew we were Catholics because we rarely spoke of our faith at work unless we were asked directly. We became good friends when I helped coordinate the first 5-day Divine retreat in Singapore in 2010.
When I look to what 2018 and hopefully what the years ahead hold for me, that is what I would like my identity to be, "I am Catholic and I am Alive". I hope my life will exemplify the mission Jesus has given to me while I am here on earth. We are all pilgrims. Our final journey is to our Eternal Home in Heaven. I still have personal mission goals I have always felt called to since my first retreat in 1998. Have I fully answered that Call of God? To be honest, the answer is not yet. It is something, if we look really deep into our hearts, many of us will probably feel so. Does that answer mean we have failed God? I do not believe so - otherwise my nearly fourteen years of full-time ministry would have been a waste. God's Time is very different from our human time-frame. So what did Jesus teach me in my quest to live as a Catholic should - as God wants me to?
First of all, it is to change my heart and my mind from one of my human will and human goals- to a heart and mind trying my best to do God's Will. For that, each one of us must be willing to go through difficult times, to experience what St. John the Cross and Saint Mother Teresa spoke of "the dark nights' of the soul", to honestly accept and do our best to overcome our human weaknesses/failings. All these inner transformation of our heart and mind has taken all these years for me and will always be ongoing. Over the past 4-5 years, some close old friends have said they have seen a very distinct change in me. It seems, I am more at peace and more reflective and calmer about life. When I was first told that, I would joke that now I am becoming like many of the Vincentian priests and my lay friends who are serving here in Divine Retreat Centre finally - having that peaceful Divine look! On a serious note, I know the changes God has made in me and I am truly thankful to God.
I was seriously trying to discern what I am being called to to do in 2018. The answer was actually what I felt very deeply in my heart and mind while I attended the Annual CALLED...GIFTED...SENT FORTH 2017 Retreat for Priests, Religious & Lay Leaders in Ministryhere in our retreat centre from 30 July - 04 August 2017. It was to have courage to do what was needed to answer the call that Jesus had so clearly placed in me as a clear vision and vocal call I felt deep within my heart in Singapore - just one week after my first Divine retreat in 1998. Until today, it remains extremely vivid and I am reminded a few times every year in prayer. When my lay friends and I have shared about God's Call to each of us, the one thing that scares us is the lack of security when one is a lay person to serve in full-time ministry. In fact, another question is also, "How do we balance our work life and ministry life?" Serving God is a commitment. It is not only about serving when one is feeling good and happy. It is never easy but if we turn to God, we will know the answer when the choice we make brings us the kind of inner peace that cannot be explained in human words. No one can give us the right answer - only God can! The answer in my heart during the retreat last year was, "What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting for? I am with you, Susan. Do what I want you to." To be honest, I actually fell very ill immediately after the retreat and eventually after 4 days being bed-ridden, I ended up spending 5 days in hospital. So the last 2 days in hospital, I began thinking of the fragility of my own life. Would I be alive next year? if so, would I be ready like my friend, Joe to happily march on to Heaven's Gate one day soon? I knew in June 2017 when I visited Joe that it was likely the last time I would see him. It was just a strong feeling and the time we had together stayed in my mind. He was one friend who had always encouraged me to serve full-time in India. It really encouraged me that some one who knew me strongly believed what I was doing mattered. Yes, it is a very human feeling but even in ministry, one needs affirmation once in a while just as we do in half-yearly and yearly reviews in the workplace. It helps to spur us on.
Well, the good news for each of us is every day that you and I are alive is a great blessing for us to live Jesus' Call. It is about our every day life as well as other special call God places in each of our hearts. God is so amazing - He gives a unique call to each of us. We do not need to compare ourselves with each other. As St. Mother Teresa says, "Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today." I want to live my faith so that I can hopefully be a light to others around me: especially those who may not know Christ or have not had a personal God-experience yet. If I can share the great joy within me that I am a Catholic with others, then I am alive for Christ! I have to always keep the fire burning in my heart to fully answer God's Call - to never give up.
The years ahead -2018 and beyond - are going to be challenging as I answer God's Call to serve "outside the box" if I have to. To not be within the comfort zone of my nearly 14-year ministry. It is to be like the Apostles before - to venture to new avenues of evangelization as per God's Call. It is about a deep need to pray and discern and not to be afraid. To dare for Jesus and to accept the joys and at times the setbacks or disappointments in my ministry efforts. Being a Catholic is accepting gracefully the crosses you and I will inevitably face. Jesus said, "If any one wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)
What is important to remember iare the many assurances the Word of God promises each of us - you and me. Below are a few that mean a lot to me personally:
"Do not be afraid - I am with you!
(Isaiah 43:5)
"I alone know the plan I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster,
plans to bring about the future you hope for."
(Jeremiah 29:11))
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
(Philippians 4:13)
"For nothing will be impossible with God
(Luke 1:37)
The Lord, My Guardian
(Psalm 121)
On 30 December, a mission I had spent a lot of time over the past 3 months did not materialize. For about two hours I was really sad and defeated. And then I remembered something I have heard so many times during the talks in our retreat centre - "Nothing happens that is not according to God's Plan." So I literally spoke this words out in my room, "Here, Jesus , please take this failed mission effort. It is Yours now. I tried my best." Then I took an hour's nap and focussed on other mission efforts. It was not really a failed effort because I learnt some very valuable insights which will help me and all others involved in our future efforts. Jesus will definitely show the way when it is in His Time. What did I gain personally? It is getting to know lay Catholics in a different country who were/are willing to promote evangelization efforts. It is an amazing joy to know that there are lay Catholics who are committed to bring Christ to others. No one is willing to give up. They have started praying and planning for new mission efforts. On my part, I continue to pray and believe that God's Call will always happen. It is to never give up and to remember, "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised." (Hebrews 10:36)
When we look at our own personal lives, are we sharing the joy of our Catholic faith with those closest to us - our family members and friends? Often, they are the hardest to share our faith with. Why? Well, because they know us so well from childhood or our younger days. I know what I was like before my personal God-experience. The kind God wanted to spit out of His mouth, "So you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelations 3:16)" Well, it takes courage to share our active Catholic faith with others. There can be fun and non-threatening ways. One of my sisters started a chat group among the siblings where we learn through interesting fun questions about our Catholic faith or just from the daily readings or some reflections. All of us try to ask and answer the questions and it is great as we learn from each other. I love this WhatsApp chat group! We try to come up with interesting Catholic faith questions in a fun and joyful way. It works a whole lot better than trying to talk seriously about our faith as God calls each of us in a special way - it is not a case of one size fits all especially in my family. For my special-needs nephew, we share YouTube Christian hymns with lyrics as he loves to sing. So there are always ways to share our Catholic faith with our loved ones. It helps brings us closer. We also have a Prayer chat group so we can share prayers that we can pray together or for our personal needs. This has definitely brought my siblings and I closer to each other and to God.
It is important that we are open to find ways to share Christ with those around us. Let us not forget to have personal prayer time daily and to help celebrate the Holy Mass daily.
The YouTube video at the top of the post is an uplifting hymn, "I AM CATHOLIC...I AM ALIVE", the 50th Anniversary theme song by the Archdiocese of Mumbai for the 38th International Eucharistic Congress that was hosted in Mumbai in 1964.
It is a touching hymn that I pray, speaks to the heart of every member of our Friends of Divine Network, to joyfully exclaim from this New Year "I am Catholic and I am Alive!"
From all of us in Divine Retreat Centre, we thank all of you for your constant support, prayers and encouragement for the Divine-Potta's mission efforts in India and across the world. We are all God's Family!
Wishing you and your loved ones a Most Joyous, Blessed and Fulfilling New Year 2018!
This post is dedicated to my dear friend, the late Joe Lim,
