Have
you ever experienced a faith crisis? Are you facing one now? It is very
difficult when you or someone close to you has doubts about God. There are
questions like “Who is God? Where is He? Why is God allowing all these painful
situations to happen? Why is Jesus not there for me?”
The
fourth video of the 6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES at
the top of this post is"OVERCOMING
OUR FAITH CRISIS - OUR FAITH HAS TO BE TESTED"by Rev. Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C.,
Associate Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Ramsgate, Kent, UK.
In
this heart-provoking sharing, Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C., challenges each of us to
look into our hearts and mind – “It is good to reflect on one aspect of our
life – faith crisis. Especially in this modern world, people are facing a lot of
faith crisis. Their faith is tested.”
“Our
faith has to be tested - otherwise it will not be proved! In the moments of
crisis, if you leave your faith or if you question: ‘Why God? Why did you allow
this?’ That means your faith is being tested and you are proving yourself that
your faith is not strong.”
“When
John the Baptist was in prison, he slowly began to have a faith crisis. He started
to think like this: “I worked hard for Jesus. I prepared the way for Jesus. I
preached about Jesus. I baptized Jesus! Now I am in a crisis - I am in prison.
But where is Jesus? Why is He not coming to me? Why is he not helping me? Why
is He not consoling me?’ The crisis John the Baptist faced in his life is just
like the common faith crisis everyone goes through at least once in their lives. Why is God so active in other people’s lives
but so silent in my life?”
“There
are 2 ways to get out of your faith crisis. Firstly, think of the past in your
life when God intervened - the mighty interventions of God in your life where
God protected you. You have witnessed it and experienced it in your own life.
Secondly, listen to the Word of God. Read the Word of God – Romans 10:17."
“If
you have faith, your faith should be tested. Only then will you be able to
prove your faith.”
“God
will never give you any test beyond your capabilities.”
“After
every crisis in your life, there will be a mighty blessing for you. You have to
prove your faith.”
Next
Sunday, Rev. Fr. Jacob Arimpur V.C., Assistant
Director of Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India will be sharing
the Word of God on "THERE IS LIFE
AFTER DEATH”.
Please
do share this Divine Lenten 2017 Weekly Video Reflection serieswith your loved
ones, prayer groups and friends to make this sacred season of Lent a truly transforming experience in our Christian life.
Does God speak to us in our daily life? Many of us do not think so. However, just like the prophet Samuel when he was a young boy, it is because we are not familiar with the Voice of God. (1 Samuel 3:7) God desires to speak to each and every one of us. We need to learn how to listen to God's Voice. The third video of the6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIESat the top of this post is "CAN YOU HEAR GOD's VOICE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?'– by Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director - Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Kerala, India.
In this anointed homily - "CAN YOU HEAR GOD'S VOICE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?",Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., explains how we must prepare our hearts so that we can recognize and become familiar with the Voice of God speaking gently to us in our daily life. Fr. Augustine exhorts us to stay focussed on Jesus - "In the midst
of distress, we might not be able to recognize the Face of Jesus. What we need
to do is - even in such difficult moments of our life is to know that Jesus
will walk with us."
"There are moments in our life when we feel lost and abandoned - even
abandoned by God! We have no reason to live anymore. Everything has turned
against us and we wonder why everyone is determined to misintepret the best of
our intentions. Even in such difficult moments of our lives, our God is on our
side. The Promise of God "I will never abandon you. I will never leave
you alone.'(cf. Jeremiah 1:8) This is a Promise that Jesus will keep. He is faithful to His
Promises." Fr. Augustine reminds us - "It is not enough just to read the Bible - the Word of God. The
Word of God must become the Voice of God spoken to our hearts."
"How does the Word of God become alive as the Voice of God?"
Next Sunday, Rev. Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C.,Associate Director of Divine Retreat Centre, Ramsgate, Kent, UK will be sharing the Word of God on "OVERCOMING OUR FAITH CRISIS - OUR FAITH HAS TO BE TESTED."
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.
Many
of us call Jesus as God. We proclaim Jesus as God. We acknowledge Jesus as God.
But deep within our hearts is Jesus actually God? Are we depending - is our
total dependence on Jesus?
The second video of the6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIESat the top of this post is "WHO IS GOD TO YOU?” (Acts 16:31)– By Fr Michael Payyapilly V.C., Director - Vincentian Missionaries, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
In
this Spirit-filled homily - "WHO IS GOD TO YOU?", Rev. Fr. Michael
Payyapilly V.C., challenges every Catholic - Who is Jesus for each of us? Do you really know and
can you clearly share with deep conviction who and how is God's Presence
manifested in your life?
"When
we look into our lives, we realize that our total dependence is not on God. Our
total dependence would be on things of the world - it could be on material
pleasures or it could be on human beings. Whenever we lean on material things
or we lean on human beings, we are making those material things or human beings
our god. Without realizing it, many of us have created little gods in our
hearts - things we depend on."
"Is
your talents your god? Are you totally dependent on your talents for everything
you do in your life? If you are totally dependent on your talents, then your
talents have become your God."
Fr.
Michael reminds us - "The Word of
God tells us, 'Sanctify Christ as Lord." (1 Peter 3:15)
"When
you hold on to the things of the world and start depending on it, it will give
you momentary pleasure. These are all superficial things. Let us look into our
hearts - are we sanctifying these superficial things and holding them for dear
life?'
"Give
Jesus a chance to bring you out of this! There is NOTHING impossible for the
Lord if you give Him a chance! The sad fact is many of us have not given the
Lord a chance. We give the world a chance. What have that led you to today?"
"Look
into your heart today - what are the things you have given more priority than
Jesus? Who or what else have you sanctified as God?"
Next Sunday, Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C., Director of Divine Retreat Centre, Kerala, India will be sharing the Word of God on "CAN
YOU HEAR GOD’s VOICE IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?”
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.
The Holy Season of Lent began this year on01 March 2017 - ASH WEDNESDAY. Why are we on this earth? God has a mission or each of us. The sacred season of Lent is a holy time of grace for every Catholic to look deep into our hearts - what is the state of our heart for Jesus to live in us?
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 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIES- is to help us truly prepare our heart and our life to be in union with the Merciful Love of Jesus. Our lives must be transformed not just during the Holy Season of Lent but in our every day living until we return to outr Heavenly Home. On Holy Thursday, a Eucharistic Adoration service will be posted.
Let us truly reflect deeply on Pope Francis' LENTEN 2017 Message:
“Lent is a favourable season for deepening our
spiritual life through the means of sanctification offered us by the Church:
fasting, prayer and almsgiving. At the basis of everything is the Word of God,
which during this season we are invited to hear and ponder more deeply.”
“Dear friends, Lent is the favourable season for renewing our encounter with Christ, living in His Word, in the Sacraments and in our Neighbour. The Lord, who overcame the deceptions of the Tempter during the forty days in the desert, shows us the path we must take. May the Holy Spirit lead us on a true journey of conversion, so that we can rediscover the gift of God’s Word, be purified of the sin that blinds us, and serve Christ present in our brothers and sisters in need.”
The first video of the6-part DIVINE LENTEN 2017 WEEKLY VIDEO REFLECTION SERIESat the top of this post is"WHY DID GOD CREATE US?byRev. Fr.Mathew Naickomparambil V.C. - Spearhead of Divine-Potta ministry.
Fr. Mathew shares -"What is the purpose of our creation? "We are created by God and for God." (Colossians 1:16)We are created for the Glory of God. How are we going to glorify God? When people around us see our life, witness our life and experience love, mercy and compassion through us, they start thinking of the God we proclaim. They start thinking highly of the Lord who we are living for!"
This inspiring video by Fr. Mathew produced by Divine TV USA practically explainshow each of us can live our daily lives witnessing for our Lord Jesus as purpose-driven people of God.
Next Sunday, Rev. Fr. Michael Payyapilly V.C., Director of Vincentian Missionaries, Melbourne, Australia will be sharing the Word of God on “WHO IS GOD TO
YOU?” (Acts 16:31) 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.
It is nearly the end of the first day of the brand new Year 2017 as I begin to write this post. It seems now that 2016 just flew past swiftly...and another year of my life is history. Makes me wonder what 2016 means when I am one day hopefully at Heaven's gates!
I do not make New Year resolutions the way I used to in my pre-Divine days. Even then, I was not one who made many New Year resolutions personally like some of my friends who actually had a list of New Year resolutions. I made a few in my mind and that essentially provided the impetus or zeal in what I tried to achieve in that year.
The older I get the more I value the potential of what each New Year could mean. Perhaps it is because when I was younger, death was like some distant destiny and there was so much to do and to live for. For some reason, I never entertained the thought that I could also die young until my elder sister did - when she was 43.
By then, I had started thinking on and off about what the meaning of my life was but it were little episodes in a hectic lifestyle I was leading in the corporate wold.
Until God decided that I should be aware that I have a plan to fulfil for Him too!
God has a plan for each of us. Yet how we choose to respond to God's Call is entirely up to each of us. Once we say "YES", how we choose to live for Christ is based on our journey of faith and our deepening personal relationship with Jesus. It cannot be static. I know the difference of my relationship with Jesus when I first realized He has a plan for even for me (during my 1st Divine retreat in February 1998) and now nearly 19 years later! Like in any relationship, we need to commit our time and heart to Jesus and learn to do His Will. Learning to do God's Will and not our own is the difficult part. It is easy to say but difficult in reality to live purely to do God's Will. First we need to let go of our pride, ego, personal will and learn humility and being a handmaid/servant of Jesus.
The last month of the year is always an intense time of prayer and reflection of how I have lived my life for Jesus and what should I focus on in the New Year. It is a difficult time as it is also the busiest period of my ministry where I am really exhausted each day. It is the time that I most want to "hear" what God wants of me and to get assurances from Him - that there is no reason to be afraid. God is in control. This is something many of my Catholic friends overseas have also shared with me regarding their careers and of their church/apostolic ministries. How do we know if God wants us to continue with our ministry, which ministry should we focus our efforts, should we look at taking up new ministry initiatives and so forth. We want to have the security of God showing us a clear sign of what we should do. Yes, it would make our choice easier if we know what is in store for us.
For me, I have found the need at year-end to seek the spiritual guidance of a priest. Somehow in having to articulate my fears, concerns and personal ministry initiatives for the New Year, I feel Christ's Peace and very often clear signs and "revelations" during the year-end Divine Thanksgiving Adoration service and the New Year Vigil homily. Spiritual guidance is crucial because sometimes we are too close to our problems/concerns to recognize the "root" of what could be troubling us or the need to refocus on our spiritual call. Our focus is on the "worry" and not "what" could be causing the "worry" and of trusting God in a tangible way
When we we choose to live God's Plan for our lives, I have found personally some areas I must always be aware of:
Daily Personal Prayer and Bible Reflection
Ongoing discernment of how I am living for Christ.
Whose will am I living for? God's Will or my will?
The courage and honesty to share my own personal weaknesses, anxiety and concerns in living God's Call to me with a Spiritual Director.
Listening and being ready to recognize when God is speaking to my heart. It may feel like God is not saying anything. Yet Jesus reveals to me what I need to know.
Do I trust God enough to believe in His Providence?
When I say "YES" to God's Call, I need to truly trust He is going to be there with me through the good and bad times. I am never abandoned.
Whether we are serving in church ministry, full-time ministry or in our personal life as a committed Catholic, I am reminded in a very powerful way this year by the Word of God that discipleship is costly. However, God's Providence which is what truly matters is promised to me - to gain the crown I hope for eternity:
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself,
and take up his cross and followMe.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it;
but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
(Matthew 16:24-25)
The hymn at the at the top of this post "MY HANDS, MY HEART, MY VOICE" by SELAH - spoke so powerfully to my heart when I heard it for the first time tonight. I encourage you to please take the few minutes to let the lyrics flow into your heart to be touched, anointed and strengthened in how you will live with deep commitment and purpose for Jesus in 2017.
As 2017 begins, I take thisspecial opportunity to thank God for all our Friends of Divineespecially those who have stepped forward in helping Divine's evangelizatiion and charitable initiatives. There is much I have learnt and gained personally in coordinating Divine's 2016 evangelization missions in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore from the parish priests, dedicated retreat organizing team members, and many Catholics who have stepped forth for new Divine evangelization initiatives in Asia-Pacific. Each of you have added a depth to my personal ministry in Divine. The Friends of Divine network that we have is a vibrant and integral part of our Divine-Potta ministry - your prayers and deep commitments make the Christian difference to many other hearts in your parish, country and the world to have a God-experience.
May each of you, Friends of Divine, be blessed mightily to be Christ's ambassadors to the world!
Have a Joyous and Fruitful 2017! To God be all Glory!
Advent has a
twofold character: for it is a time of preparation for the Solemnities of
Christmas, in which the First Coming of the Son of God to humanity is
remembered; and likewise when, by remembrance of this, minds and hearts are led
to look forward to Christ’s Second Coming at the end of time. For these two
reasons, Advent is a period for devout and expectant delight
Universal Norms on the Liturgical Year and the
Calendar, 39
In this sacred season, may God's Grace help us to prepare our hearts to receive Christ worthily in the upcoming 4-Day Advent Retreat [02-05 December 2016] at the St. John Paul II Formation Centre, Kennedy Town, Hong Kong.
RETREAT THEME:
"EMMANUEL - GOD IS WITH US" (Matthew 1:23)
[Talks in English with simultaneous Cantonese Translation]
Led by
Rev. Fr. Michael Payyapilly V.C. Director - Vincentian Missionaries Australia
and
Rev. Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C. Associate Director - Divine Retreat Centre Ramsgate Kent, UK
The word "Advent" comes from the Latin "advenio", "to come to", and refers to the coming of Christ. Let us thank God for this special grace to prepare our souls to receive Christ worthily in the upcoming 3-Day Advent Retreat [10-12 December 2016] at the Church of Holy Family, Kajang, Selangor
RETREAT THEME:
"EMMANUEL - GOD IS WITH US" (Matthew 1:23)
Led by
Rev. Fr. Michael Payyapilly V.C. Director - Vincentian Missionaries Australia
and
Rev. Fr. Joseph Edattu V.C. Associate Director - Divine Retreat Centre Ramsgate Kent, UK
Praise & Worship by:
Jude Amalraj
Divine Retreat Centre Somersby
Australia
Venue:
CHURCH OF HOLY FAMILY
No. 11, Jalan Gereja 43000 Kajang Selangor Darul Ehsan
For Registration information: please contact: Church Office: 03-8733 1154
Brian Jude: 016-905 7816
Helena Netto: 014-679 1145 Mary Fernandez 012-975 6766 or email team at: HFKAdventRetreat@gmail.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We request you to inform your family and friends in Selangor of this Divine Advent retreat conducted by the Vincentian Fathers of the Divine-Potta ministry during this sacred season of Advent.
