WORD 2day: 30th January, 2017

Who is your Hero?

Monday, 4th week in Ordinary Time

Heb 11:32-40; Mk 5:1-20

The Letter to the Hebrews lists today a set of heroes, heroes of valour and vigour, heroes in history on whom the people pinned their hopes! But they were all gone in the way of their fathers. Today we too have our own heroes - persons or role models or absolute values or needs or priorities - heroes of various kind. It is important to ask ourselves who is our hero? 

With what Jesus did to the people of Gerasenes, they should have made him their hero. Jesus solved their years of problem in a moment. He just sent the legion of demons away from their living quarters...but was Jesus their hero? No! They asked Jesus to leave - may be because they felt their loss (of the swines) was too much! No, they had some other things as their hero. The question is back: who is your hero?

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 9

30th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man who lives on in his holiness 

Our Challenge: That we come to understand our special calling from the Lord, live our life to the full and march ahead towards sanctity

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who lives on even today in his holiness, even after over two centuries. You gave him the grace to realise his special calling and dedicate his entire life for the salvation of the young. Grant that we may be attentive to the Spirit that we may understand our calling, feel your inspiration and march with determination towards sanctity, by serving those to whom you send us. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen

Being HIS People

Humility, Integrity and Sincerity

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time: 29th January, 2017

Zeph 2:3, 3:12-13; 1 Cor 1:26-31; Mt 5:1-12

Once again we have the beatitudes to reflect upon, a splendid description of a true people of God, the real people of the Reign, the people who can belong to God and make present God here and now!

Seek the Lord, Seek humility, Seek Integrity...Zephaniah summarises the entire message of today in those words. Being poor in spirit, peace makers, humble of heart, vulnerable in spirit - those are the true characteristics of a person of the Reign... and today we can put them all into one single call - the call to be HIS people...to be Humble, Integral and Sincere people!

Humble: Humility is to attribute praises to God from one's heart! We are today living in a context where people claim to be almost gods, or greater than even God. There are people living with us who are regular visitors to heaven (according to their claim) or even form part of the council of saints there! Jesus when he lived on earth, though he could have claimed credit for everything he did or said, he declared: 'All that I speak, I do not speak on my own; all that I do, I do not do it all on my own!' That was the Son of God.

Integral: Integrity is to have no discrepancy whatsoever between one's words and one's life! We see today people who live in total divided selves. They seem to be crying bitterly, but rejoicing in their hearts; they seem to be slogging for the good of others, but actually plotting against everyone to make their own way up.

Sincere: Sincerity is to accepting what one is and putting on no appearances! It is to be what one is and manifest just that to everyone around. There are people who have two or three lives lived simultaneously. They do anything that they can to make people believe their false selves. What do they gain by it - except that they end up never living their lives. 

We are called to be HIS people, humble, integral and sincere people, people of the beatitudes, people of the Reign!

NOVENA TO DON BOSCO - DAY 8

29th January, 2017: Don Bosco - A Man with Divine qualities 

Our Challenge: That we as youth ministers can see through the hearts of the youth to accompany them and as youth to be open to the divine guidance.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who could see through the hearts of the youth in order that he could accompany them. May our love for the young, be as strong as his, that we may see, hear and understand the exact needs of the young, leading them to the salvation you have prepared. Grant us the grace to be sensitive to every one around us bringing them to feel your tender loving care. We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord. Amen