Tag Archives: faith

AWAITING YOUR REQUEST

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Thursday 9th March – Thursday of the 1st week of Lent

Reflection: Matthew 7: 7-12

AWAITING YOUR REQUEST

If you had the privilege of growing in a Christian home, one of the first things you would have learnt as a child is how to pray. Whether you were taught to recite prayers or to use your own words, it all boiled down to talking to God and asking Him for your needs for the most part.

Indeed, prayer is a very vital part of our lives as Christians and many of us know that. We often remember to ask the Lord for our material needs and maybe the needs of our families and our society and this is in fact laudable. Our Lord reassures us in today’s reading that He awaits our request. He wants us to come to Him asking, seeking and knocking and he promises that we would never go back empty handed.

As we go through Lent, why not consciously make prayer a priority? Take a step further, make a habit of asking the Lord for help as you encounter challenging moments in day to day living. Take a moment to tell him about what bothers you and remember to offer a prayer of thanksgiving as you encounter the day’s success. God longs to hear your voice and awaits your requests.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the assurance that you will hear me when I call upon you. Please help me to always bear I mind that you are only a prayer away. Amen.

Faith Pearls: YOUCAT 490 – Is it enough to pray when you feel like praying?

No. Someone who prays only when he feels like it does not take God seriously and will leave off praying. Prayer thrives on faithfulness.

Hide a Treasure: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 RSV-CE

Today’s Readings: Esther 4:17; Psalm 138: 1-3,7-8; Mt 7:7-12

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KNOWING JESUS

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Monday, 8th February – Monday of week 5 of the Year
Reflection: Mark 6:53-56 KNOWING JESUS 

“It is he, Jesus Christ, the true life, who gives hope and purpose to our earthly existence”

        -Pope St. John Paul II

God never promised a smooth ride for his children but he assures us of a glorious destination. A life without this in mind will always be in fear and defeat from the adversary of our soul. This was why God sent his son to show us the way to our end, the truth about our calling as his children and the life of God himself who works his wonders in our lives.

Today’s reflection is centered on the power of God which is made manifest by an encounter with his Son Jesus Christ. Having fed the 5,000 men not counting on women in an earlier episode of the scripture that brought the people’s longing for Jesus in our reading, Jesus continued his mighty deeds in their lives by healing their diseases of various kinds. The people’s faith was so great that they knew only a touch on Jesus’ cloak would meet their needs. What an outbreak of Gods power in action. What made this possible was the fact that they knew who Jesus was. They had encountered him before and wanted more of his presence.

Our worship today is filled with liturgies that is making no impact on us because we have failed to leave the benchmark of our past experiences with Jesus and build a new and fresher one with him if we had one before. Are you seeking to encounter Jesus daily or are you contented with what you know about him? Beloved, knowing Jesus is eternal life and eternal life is our glorious destination. We will fully know and encounter him when we meet him but this is so tied to how well we desire to know him more daily. This is the greatest miracle we must desire and cherish. All other cares and worries only need his presence in our lives and they would bow to his power. Let us praise his glory and thirst to always renew our walk with God daily.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, fill my life with your presence. Let your power dispel my infirmities and heal me. Amen

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 10 – With Jesus Christ, has everything been said, or does revelation continue even after Him?

In Jesus Christ, God himself came to the earth. He is God’s last Word. By listening to Him, all men of all times can know who God is and what is necessary for their salvation.

HIDE A TREASURE: “….I am the Lord, the one who heals you” Exodus 15:26b GNB

Today’s Readings: 1 Kings 8:1-7.9-13; Ps. 132:6-7.8-10; Mark 6:53-56

TAKE THAT STEP

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Friday 1st January – Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

Reflection: Luke 2: 16-21

TAKE THAT STEP

Each day of our lives presents us with information which needs to be backed up by actions. Sometimes, the appropriate action may be to wait patiently or to get into a discussion with someone or even to make a change in our own personal lives. God chose to bring His Son into the world in the most humble way. He was born of peasants in a manger in the lowly town of Bethlehem and though most of mankind was unaware of the great event that was taking place, God chose to reveal it to the most unlikely of persons: shepherds watching their flocks.

God could have chosen to reveal this wonderful event to the chief priests or religious leaders but He didn’t instead He chose lowly men and these men did not disappoint. As soon as they heard the great news of joy the angels brought, they took the appropriate step – went in search of the new born infant Jesus. Thus, they became instruments of evangelisation to all who heard their message (Lk 2:18). Their response was similar to Mary’s when she heard that Elizabeth was to have a baby and Joseph’s when He was asked by the angel in a dream to take Mary as his wife without fear. Beloved, in what ways did God prompt you in the past year? Did you take the required step? Did He prompt you to intensify your prayer life or to evangelise a friend or to attend daily Masses more regularly? Did He prompt you to change some bad habits or be more loving in your words and deeds? How did you respond?

This New Year offers us a wonderful opportunity to begin again. It offers us the opportunity to make a decision not to delay in acting on the promptings God sends to us. Don’t remain in your comfort zone, take the required step and like the shepherds, you will be playing your part in God’s big plan for your life or the life of others and His blessings are sure to remain with you as you walk in obedience to Him.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for the opportunity you give me to play a part in my salvation and in those of others. Please help me to respond appropriately to your promptings always. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 22 – How does one go about believing?

Someone who believes is seeking a personal union with God and is ready to believe God in everything that he shows (reveals) about himself.

HIDE A TREASURE: “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land” Isaiah 1:19 RSV-CE

Today’s Readings: Num 6:22-27; Psalm 67: 2-8; Galatians 4: 4-7; Lk 2:16-21

REMEMBER, IT IS ONLY A GIFT

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Tuesday 22nd December

Reflection: 1 Samuel 1: 24-28

REMEMBER, IT IS ONLY A GIFT

When science fails to solve our puzzles, medicine fails to heal our wounds and our efforts are apparently futile; it is only natural to turn even to the most “illogical” solution. When faced with unnerving problems even the staunchest atheist (as they proudly profess) might consider talking to the God; he had consistently tagged non-existent. It is amazing what promises we are willing to make when they earnestly desire something. Just then, we are reminded that God is our ultimate help.

When we ask in faith and humility; God our loving Father would not deny us anything we need for our salvation and well being. This is the assurance Christ has given us: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him” (Matthew 7 :11). It is however saddening to know how many turn a cold heart to God after He has dried their tears.

Hannah, whom the Lord had saved from the shame of childlessness, was indeed grateful. She did not cling to Samuel her only son. She saw him as a gift from God and though he was still an infant whom she had just weaned, she was willing to fulfil her promise to God as difficult as it appeared to be. In gratitude, she exalted God, recounting His power to supply the needs of the weak and dejected, and humble the proud and she joyfully gave her son back to God (1 Samuel 1:28). God increased her joy, giving her five children in the place of one which she had requested for (1 Samuel 2:21)

Beloved, let us constantly remember that every answered prayer is a gift from God; who is able to do immeasurably more. When we do this, we would show enough gratitude to fulfil our vows to Him and our obligation of love to our neighbour. Remember everything you have is only a gift, and you will not forget the giver.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you have given me so much; please give me one more thing – a grateful heart. May I never forget that You are the source of my life and happiness. Amen.

KNOW YOUR FAITH: YOUCAT 488 – Why should we thank God?

Everything that we are and have comes from God. Paul says, “What have you that you did not receive?” (1 Cor 4:7). Being grateful to God, the giver of all good things, makes you happy.

The greatest prayer of thanks is the “Eucharist” (“thanksgiving” in Greek) of Jesus, in which he takes bread and wine so as to offer in them to God all of creation, transformed.

HIDE A TREASURE: “What have you that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if it were not a gift?” 1 Corinthians 4:7 RSV-CE

Readings for Today: 1 Samuel 1: 24-28; 1 Samuel 2: 1, 4-8 (Canticle); Luke 1 : 46-56