The Word of God

 

Word of God, 10th Nov 2024

Lord Jesus, you became an humble servant to wash the feet of your disciples 

   Jn 13: 12-16 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments again he went back to the table. ‘Do you understand’, he said, ‘what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you. ‘In all truth I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the one who sent him. Before the celebration of Passover, Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and apostles. Jesus is actually asking if we understand why he did this because, in a human manner, we cannot comprehend his humility in washing his disciples' feet. In this way, Jesus taught them how to serve others with humility and gentleness. Jesus taught us that even as masters, we should assist the poor. Since Jesus is the Master and Lord and was willing to wash the apostles' and disciples' feet, he is urging us to emulate him when we serve others, even if we are superior to them. Jesus taught that no servant is greater than his master, and since he was sent by the Father in heaven, we may observe how a master is serving his servants in this instance. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 7th Nov 2024

Lord Jesus, we believe that you and the Father are One 

   Jn 12: 44-50 Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me, sees the one who sent me. I have come into the world as light, to prevent anyone who believes in me from staying in the dark any more. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them faithfully, it is not I who shall judge such a person, since I have come not to judge the world, but to save the world: anyone who rejects me and refuses my words has his judge already: the word itself that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day. For I have not spoken of my own accord; but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and what to speak, and I know that his commands mean eternal life. And therefore what the Father has told me is what I speak.  Jesus claims that anyone who believes in him will also believe in God the Father, who is in heaven. Because they are One God, anyone who sees Jesus will also see the Father. The most crucial factor in following Jesus' example is our faith. When Jesus entered the world, he brought light and taught us to live in it rather than in darkness. Therefore, we must pay attention to what Jesus teaches us, and if we do not put what he says into practice, then his own words will condemn us. Jesus declares that he came to redeem us and grant us eternal life, and not to judge. We are condemned by our own disobedience when we reject Jesus' teachings, and as a result, we will be judged on the last day. According to Jesus, the Father is speaking through him and he is speaking what the Father has instructed him to say, not his own words. Lord, Jesus we believe that you and the Father is One God. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 5th Nov 2024

Jesus prayed “Father glorify Your Name” The Father said: “I have glorified it and I will again glorify it”

   Jn 12: 27-31(NJB) Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say: Father, save me from this hour?   But it is for this very reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name! A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will again glorify it.’ The crowd standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours. ‘Now sentence is being passed on this world; now the prince of this world is to be driven out.

   Jesus said that the hour he must endure is causing his spirit to be tormented. However, he was aware of the hour of his death and sacrifice on the Cross. He made this selfless sacrifice in order to follow the Father's plan to save the entire universe. In addition to establishing the Everlasting New Covenant and overcoming all prior Covenants, God the Father desires for all of humanity to know Him and follow His commands. A voice from heaven said, "I will glorify it," in response to Jesus' prayer to the Father to exalt His name. A voice of thunder echoed across the crowd around him. Jesus wants to remind the crowd, that the Heavenly Father is calling them to come back to Him from their sinful ways. Again he reminded them the time is very near for him and the prince (Evil) of this world to be driven out by his own sacrifice. I remember how this verse was touched me by Jesus. It was in the beginning stage of my conversion and Jesus allowed me or gave me the grace to pray constantly. While I was reading this particular Chapter 12 of Gospel of John., then while reading the verse of Jn 12: 29 and 30, a great sound of thunder clap with lightning came above our home, it was rainy season in Kerala. I was so amazed by this sound and remembered the voice of God the Father to Jesus “I will glorify it”. My wife so afraid and she told me she never heard such huge sound of such thunder in her life, and I told her this sound came from our Lord for our conversion. Then after one week both of us went for another retreat and it was a turning point in my life to become a Catholic in full manner and sense. My conversion was happened before the birth of my daughter (Francine Mary) and she is so special as she was born after my conversion and embracing Catholicism. One Word of God is enough for God to make our entire life to change. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 3rd Nov 2024

Jesus loved his apostles and disciples till the end. 

  JN 13: 1-2 Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, having loved those who were his in the world, loved them to the end.

   Jesus never left the apostles and disciples because he loved them. He was caring for them and showing them the path to eternal life. He disclosed the mysteries of heaven and knew who loved him the most. Jesus experienced a lot of things during his life before he left this world. The Jews were plotting Jesus' murder. He spoke boldly about God's kingdom while performing several miracles and wonders. He advocated using the abandoned to drive out bad spirits and free souls from slavery.

  Jn 11: 47-53 Then the chief priests and Pharisees called a meeting. ‘Here is this man working all these signs,’ they said, ‘and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and suppress the Holy Place and our nation.’ One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, ‘You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people, rather than that the whole nation should perish.’ He did not speak in his own person, but as high priest of that year he was prophesying that Jesus was to die for the nation— and not for the nation only, but also to gather together into one the scattered children of God. 

  Chiapas foretold that Jesus would be killed and offered as a sacrifice for the entire country, as we can see from the words above. The Jewish authorities were powerless to stop spreading the teachings of Jesus.   

  In another incident, Jesus was saying that, while Mary was anointing the feet of Jesus Judas was saying Jn 12:5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor” But Jesus told Judas and all those present there, ‘Leave her alone; let her keep it for the day of my burial.” Here also Jesus mentioned about his passing away from this world 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 31st, October 2024

Lord, let us seek the Heavenly things 

   Lk 13: 18-21 NJB What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it with? It is like a mustard seed which a man took and threw into his garden: it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air sheltered in its branches.’ Again he said, ‘What shall I compare the kingdom of God with? It is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’ As Jesus explains here, the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. Here, he teaches humility, and everything is shown in a modest manner. Jesus reminded Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world and that it was in the Spirit of God. The mustard seed, which is so little, symbolizes how we ought to become insignificant and lowly before both God and the people. The Lord will grant us the ability to carry out our earthly and heavenly purposes, once we have humbled ourselves. We shall be able to partake in God's Kingdom by His own way. This grace, which is God's gift, which will enable us to  do God’s will in our life. 

  God will use us in a variety of ways to share the Kingdom's good news, according to our faith in Him. God will use us in a variety of ways to share the good news of His kingdom, which will attract many souls to His love. Without humility and adherence to Jesus' teachings and God's commandments, no one can view the heavenly things. 

The Word of God

Word of God, 28th October 2024

Lord Jesus, let us see the glory of God. 

   Jn 11: 40-44 Jesus replied, ‘Have I not told you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?’ So they took the stone away. Then Jesus lifted up his eyes and said: Father, I thank you for hearing my prayer. I myself knew that you hear me always, but I speak for the sake of all these who are standing around me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me. When he had said this, he cried in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his feet and hands bound with strips of material, and a cloth over his face. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, let him go free.’ Jesus promises that we will see God's grandeur when we believe in him. Jesus commanded the people to take away the stone from the tomb where Lazar was buried. However, Jesus waited to reveal God's splendor among them. Jesus confidently prayed to the Father and thanked him for always hearing the request he made.  In addition to demonstrating to the people that he and the Father are one, Jesus hopes to accomplish the miracle of raising Lazar from the dead for the glory of God the Father in heaven. "Lazarus come out!" he called loudly, and they were all amazed when Lazarus emerged from the grave alive. Jesus commanded them to liberate Lazarus from his bonds. Jews had never witnessed such a miracle in their lives, and many of them believed in Jesus. 

The Word of God

Word of God, 26th October 2024

Jesus we believe, you give life, and the life in fullness 

  John 11::25-27 Jesus said: I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world. We never die when we believe in Jesus because he is the resurrection and the Heavenly Father has given him the power to grant life to anybody. Jesus is asking everyone of us if we believe that, as he is the only Son of God, he will give us life in abundance. We never die when we accept Jesus as the Lord because he lives inside of us. Martha declared that Jesus is the Son of God and that she believed Lazar would rise on the final day. She believes that Jesus is the Messiah who comes into the world to save everyone. To believe that Jesus is the Son of God, we must have confidence in him.  

The Word of God

Word of God, 22nd October 2024

Lord, we believe You are Son of God 

 John 10: 36-38 Yet to someone whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ because I said, ‘I am Son of God.’ If I am not doing my Father’s work, there is no need to believe me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for certain that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. Jesus is the Son of the Almighty God who sent him into the world. If someone claims that we are blaspheming when we acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, then they do not believe that Jesus is the Christ. Therefore, their beliefs are incorrect and they reject God the Father and His Only Son. We realize that the Father and the Son are One God. Jesus is carrying out whatever work the Father has given him for God's honor. Jesus is the Son of God, and we should never deny this. When we observe what Jesus is doing among us, we should understand that it is always the Father's activity. We would never refuse to believe Jesus is Son of God, this is what St Peter proclaimed Jesus is Son of God, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Mt 16:16. When we observe what Jesus is doing among us, which is innumerable, we realize that it is all the Father's doing. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are One and only God.

The Word of God

Word of God, 19th October 2024

Lord, make us always listen to Your voice, which may lead us to eternity

  Jn 10: 27-30 The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from my hand. The Father, for what he has given me, is greater than anyone, and no one can steal anything from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one. Jesus declares that those who pay attention to his voice will follow him. They will never follow the world and all of its illusory goals, but those who pay attention to Jesus' kind teachings will bear fruit. We will receive eternal life when we pay attention to the voice of the Lord and heed his kind instructions. The Lord has promised that no one can take anyone away from Jesus since we are all the property of our heavenly Father. Jesus is telling and assuring us in this way that nothing can be taken from the Father's hands. We must put our trust in Jesus and the Father because they are the One and Only God. 

 

 

 

 

Word of God

Word of God, 16th October 2024

Lord, You gave us life, by sacrifice Your own life  

John 10: 17-18(NJB)The Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me; I lay it down of my own free will, and as I have power to lay it down, so I have power to take it up again; and this is the command I have received from my Father. Jesus is the only Son of the Heavenly Father; the Father loves Jesus, and Jesus gave his life as part of the Father's purpose to grant us life—life in all its forms and life eternal. Jesus selflessly sacrificed his life to save all of humanity. Jesus has been given permission by God to take a life and give it to himself, others, or whoever he chooses. Let us always join forces with Jesus in order to live life to the fullest till the end of time. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 14th October 2024

Lord, allow our hearts to overflow with love for You. 

Eph. 2:8–10NJB). Because it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith; not by anything of your own, but by a gift from God; not by anything that you have done, so that nobody can claim the credit. We are God’s work of art, created in Christ Jesus for the good works which God has already designated to make up our way of life. God's grace and our faith in Christ Jesus are what save us. Nothing that we acquired was possible without God's mercy and grace. God gives grace as a gift, therefore we are unable to claim it or give it credit. We are called to labor for our Lord since we are God's artistic creation. Therefore, we must pray to discover what God's will is for our lives. He will assign us a lot of tasks to complete in order to elevate and beautify our lives. The amount of benefits and gifts He has in store for us is indescribable and immeasurable. Lord, allow our hearts to overflow with love for You. 

 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 10th October 2024

Lord, make us worthy to praise You, adore You and glorify You  

   Sir 43: 27-33NJB We could say much more and still fall short; to put it concisely, ‘He is all.’ Where shall we find sufficient power to glorify him, since he is the Great One, above all his works, the awe-inspiring Lord, stupendously great, and wonderful in his power? Exalt the Lord in your praises as high as you may—still he surpasses you. Exert all your strength when you exalt him, do not grow tired—you will never come to the end. Who has ever seen him to describe him? Who can glorify him as he deserves? Many mysteries remain even greater than these, for we have seen only a few of his works, the Lord himself having created all things and given wisdom to those who are devout. The Lord's deeds cannot be exalted by our words alone. Only He is Mighty and the Great One, and He alone can give us the will and strength to exalt His mighty deeds. Above all the creations in the universe, he is the Creator. He is the source of God's awe and love for us. God has unfathomable power and strength. Let us exalt and give thanks to our Lord in His powerful presence. We could never grow weary of praising Him because there is no end to the good deeds we perform for Him. We never see Him, but through our Lord Jesus Christ, whom the Father loves most, we have come to know Him. The best-ever work The greatest thing He has ever done for us is to have sent His only Son to die on the cross so that we can become His sons and daughters. Because we are only human, we have only witnessed a small portion of His works in the brief time we have been on Earth, and none of them can compare to the magnitude or worth of His accomplishments. Many secrets remain unsolved for us, but as long as we live a virtuous and obedient life, He grants us permission to accept His wisdom. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, 10th October 2024

Lord, how rich is Your wisdom, knowledge and glory among Your holy People. 

Eph 1: 17-18(NJB) May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, how rich is the glory of the heritage he offers among his holy people. The mysteries of the kingdom of God can only be revealed by the Lord. God will send the Holy Spirit to give us knowledge and wisdom. The Lord will open our eyes so that we can continue to put our trust and hope in Him, regardless of the type of calling He has given us. For this reason, the Scripture explains how rich is God's glory among His holy people. 

The Word of God

Word of God, 6th October 2024

Lord, show us what You have given us to accomplish for the sake of Your Kingdom. 

Gal 1: 15-16 But when God, who had set me apart from the time when I was in my mother’s womb, called me through his grace and chose to reveal his Son in me, so that I should preach him to the gentiles. According to St. Paul, he knows what the Lord called him to do. The Lord had given him the mission of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles. Everybody is called to carry out a task that the Lord has given them. The Lord has given us a community in which we can grow in our faith and passionately love Lord Jesus. To bring us together in Him, God must make His Son known to us. Lord, show us what You have given us to accomplish for the sake of Your Kingdom. 

The Word of God

Word of God, On 24th September 2024

Lord, bless us by hearing and listening the unadulterated Word of God 

(Ga 1:6–9 NJB). I am astonished that you are so promptly turning away from the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are going over to a different gospel— not that it is another gospel; except that there are trouble-makers among you who are seeking to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we ourselves or an angel from heaven preaches to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let God’s curse be on him. I repeat again what we declared before: anyone who preaches to you a gospel other than the one you were first given is to be under God’s curse.

In the preceding verses, St Paul discusses how we fall away from God's grace. We should have a single way to live our spiritual life. The Gospel and Holy Scriptures, which we have learned from our spiritual teachers or fathers, should not be ignored. We got a specific Charism from them, and each Charism is unique. Furthermore, some preachers may distort God's Word when preaching the gospel. 2Cr 2: 17 At least we do not adulterate the word of God, as so many do, but it is in all purity, as envoys of God and in God’s presence, that we speak in Christ. Br Shaji always quote this Scriptural verse (Word of God) in his preaching. We have our Brothers to give us the knowledge and wisdom necessary to enter the Charism of Word of Grace, which Br Victor bestowed upon us. We can all grow in this very pertinent and particular Charism that Lord Jesus has bestowed upon Br Victor. All of us must adhere to this Charism in order to grow spiritually in the love of God. So hearing the Holy Scriptures, the unadulterated Word of God, from the Brothers has given us a great grace. We shall go wrong by listening to and practising other preachers' methods of teaching the Scriptures, and as a result, we will lose our Charism and grace. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, On 20th September 2024

Lord, let us fulfil our pledges to You by giving up our desires

 We must observe certain days and periods for the Lord, which are pleasant to Him. We can fulfill our pledges to the Lord by giving up our desires. Everything we do should be for the glory of the Lord. Whatever we eat and drink contributes to the glory of the Lord. Many fleshly sins may persuade our bodies to turn us away from the Lord. Fasting, prayer, and penance are vital for our mortification in Christ Jesus, which provides us with the ability to overcome temptations. Abstinence is another sort of spiritual formation in Christ that honors God. There are numerous ways to keep the abstinence, mortify ourselves by bringing reverence to the Lord, which will empower us to grow spiritually.. Rm 14: 6 . He who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 

The Word of God

Word of God, On 18th September 2024

Lord, bind us together with love and peace of Christ 

  Ep 4: 1-6 (NJB) I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you therefore to lead a life worthy of the vocation to which you were called. With all humility and gentleness, and with patience, support each other in love. Take every care to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as one hope is the goal of your calling by God. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all, over all, through all and within all.

We are all for living a devoted Catholic Christian life. Whatever vocations we chose, we must be answerable to God. We can choose to be priests, religious, married, or live as lay people consecrated to Christ. St. Paul claims to have been a prisoner for Christ in order to live his life for the Lord. When we are for the Lord, we live as prisoners for Him, not in the worldly sense, but in a pious manner. It is like a chamber we live in with all goodness of Lord, but we should strive for that to enter this narrow gate.  “As far as I can understand, the door of entry into this castle is prayer and meditation”. St Therese Avila said in interior castle. We are required to live a life of holiness and in all virtues in order to practice spiritual life in Christ Jesus. Always have to be joined in the Spirit of God, which can be bound with the love and peace of Christ. Everything is in God, in all of its fullness, through one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. When we associate with the Lord, He will provide us with numerous brothers and sisters who are not born of flesh but of God Himself. Jn 1: 12-13 But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believed in his name who were   born not from human stock or human desire or human will but from God himself

The Word of God

 

Word of God, On 9th September 2024

Lord, let us love our brothers and sisters with deep affection

Rm 12: 10-13 In brotherly love let your feelings of deep affection for one another come to expression and regard others as more important than yourself. In the service of the Lord, work not halfheartedly but with conscientiousness and an eager spirit. Be joyful in hope, persevere in hardship; keep praying regularly; share with any of God’s holy people who are in need; look for opportunities to be hospitable. 

We should love our brothers and sisters, not just biological ones, but also spiritually united ones, as well as our neighbours. Always think of them as more important than ourselves. They may be given preferences in the Lord's ministry to carry out activities for God's Kingdom. 

Never approach our Lord empty-handed; rather, sanctify ourselves before entering His sanctuary, His Temple. Always visit Him with a penitent heart to please Him, and if we are in grave sins, confess them before we hug and receive Him.

Pray for our brothers and sisters to help them grow spiritually, share our knowledge and abilities with them, and empower them. We should be glad in our hope and confidence in the Lord. Perseverance is essential in dealing with all of life's difficulties and pain. Never complain about our hardships, persecutions, rejections, or humiliations; these are all part of our spiritual life. 

Share our wealth and abilities with holy individuals who are affiliated with us, particularly our spiritual fathers and instructors, as well as our spiritual associates in our community. When serving our brothers and sisters, we should always be welcoming and generous. Look for opportunities to be hospitable in our community so that we can show them our love and support. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, On 5th September 2024

Lord, give us Your grace to fulfil Your mission on earth 

Romans 12:3-5 (NJB): And through the grace that I have been given, I say this to every one of you: never pride yourself on being better than you really are, but think of yourself dispassionately, recognising that God has given to each one his measure of faith. Just as each of us has various parts in one body, and the parts do not all have the same function: in the same way, all of us, though there are so many of us, make up one body in Christ, and as different parts we are all joined to one another.

  We all have the grace of Jesus Christ, as St Paul says, and certain requirements exist to live a life in Christ Jesus. We should never be proud of ourselves or believe that we are superior to others. Our faith is the measure by which the Lord can bestow favor on everyone of us. We all have distinct parts in our bodies, just as Jesus has the mystical body that is the church he established. In communion, we all share Jesus' body with him. By attending or participating in Holy Mass, we devour His Body and Blood, and He transforms our bodies and souls to connect us with Himself. This way, we are part of his body, and each of us has distinct personalities and abilities to utilize it worthily to build His Body, the Church. This is how our Lord is using the grace that He has given us. 

The Word of God

 

Word of God, On 2nd September 2024

Lord, let our love towards others without any pretence 

Rm 12: 6-9 Then since the gifts that we have differ according to the grace that was given to each of us: if it is a gift of prophecy, we should prophesy as much as our faith tells us; if it is a gift of practical service, let us devote ourselves to serving; if it is teaching, to teaching; if it is encouraging, to encouraging. When you give, you should give generously from the heart; if you are put in charge, you must be conscientious; if you do works of mercy, let it be because you enjoy doing them. Let love be without any pretence. Avoid what is evil; stick to what is good

The spiritual gifts that we possess will differ depending on the grace that Jesus has bestowed upon us. How we prophesy or preach will be determined by the measure of our faith. We cannot preach to the audience what we do not possess. We serve the Lord in a variety of ways, some of which are practical. Whatever we do, whether it's teaching, helping, or encouraging, we should do it with devotion and thankfulness in our hearts. If we are allocated or granted authority for a unique mission or task, we should carry it out diligently. We may appreciate performing acts of compassion or mercy. Our love for others should be genuine, so that the fragrance of Jesus' love can spread to everyone. Always avoid evil behaviors that may impede our spiritual advancement, and instead focus on doing good.