Joel Osteen’s Daily Readings from “Your Best Life Now”

Instead of picking up the whole book, I got the ‘Daily Readings from Your Best Life Now’ – with 90 Devotions, all bite sized and packaged for the reader to do one daily.

This book is especially good for everyone who complains about the lack of time – reading a “chapter” should take you a few minutes.

Yet even in those few minutes, you will get handfuls of encouragement, edification and ample good advice – everything Pastor Joel Osteen has become synonymous with.

I was especially happy with the book for two reasons:

The first was that it’s easily available in India – Hachette India sells the same for Rs. 525/- I had earlier bought Osteen’s other book ‘Become a Better You’ at three times the price off the internet (of course, that was the entire book and a hard cover as compared to this book’s soft cover).

The second is because its reading’s size makes it a good gift option for most people: I gifted it to my mother who loves it so much that she’s bought copies to gift too. And it’s always a great feeling when you gift someone a book & they love it!

3 Mistakes I’ve made at Mass

(01) Come in Late: Can you imagine if you were given the chance to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama? Regardless of what your political views are, it would be a great honor & opportunity that no one would miss. Most likely, you’d pick your clothes out carefully, if you’re a woman, you’d probably also get your hair done, you’d ‘casually’ let it slip that you were going to meet the president (or perhaps not so casually, by blogging about it!). Whatever you’d do however, this is one thing you would not do: you would not be late.

You’d probably even be very early, just so that you could get a good place if possible & to make sure the security checks didn’t make you run behind time. All this to meet with a human being.

And when we’re given the Amazing, Miraculous, Divine honor & opportunity to meet with & receive Jesus in the most Holy Sacrament of Mass, what do we do?

Often times we do it on automatic, routinely, just doing what we have to do to complete an obligation. I’ve been late to Mass one time too many. If I say I love the Lord and if I truly believe He’s really present during Mass, then how can I be late, no matter what the human justification?

To combat this area, I now pick out my clothes the night before (helps especially since I go for an early Mass on Sunday). I also aim to reach church a whole 15 minutes before Mass starts - that way even if I get 5 to 10 minutes before Mass starts, it helps me settle in & pray before, rather than run in all huffing & puffing just in time or miss anything because I’m late.

What distracts you during Mass?

(02) Paid more attention to the Punctuation & Pronunciation of the Reader than the Reading: I fancy myself a good orator. And so, many times when the lector (churcy term for the person who reads the readings during Mass) makes a mistake in pronunciation or the like, instead of letting it go & concentrating on what the Lord is saying to me, I have laughed in my head. Or wondered how “these people” can go to read.

This shameful pride of mine is just the door Satan needs to enter into me and steal away the precious gifts the Lord intends to give to me during the Reading of His most Holy Word during Mass.

To combat this area, I consciously ask the Lord to remove all pride from me & if my focus does shift off the reading to the reader, I ask the Lord for pardon & consciously try to focus on the reading again.

(03) Post Communion Fashion Parade: Am quiet ashamed to say I ever did this, but yet it is true. There was a time that after communion, I’d settle down & quite happily look at whatever everyone else receiving communion & walking down the aisle - or the fashion ramp in my head - was wearing. Worse still, I’d judge them: “too skimpy for church / what, no time to get out of tracks? / too fat to be wearing that!”

Yes, I know. I was horrible.

Mercifully the Lord pardons all sinners who’re truly repentant - which means those who are not only sorry but also make a concerted effort to not repeat the sin.

And to this extent, I now sit on the first pew & pretty much kneel & close my eyes until well after communion is over.

As an added benefit of doing this, I’m able to concentrate on praying after communion better and the whole experience of receiving the real Presence of our Lord is now a valued one.

Have noted only three mistakes, but there are so many other things we are all sometimes guilty of:

• Being distracted by the Choir / Cantor / Musicians (for no fault of theirs)
• Being judgmental about the Priest celebrating / giving Holy communion
• Being distracted by other people in Mass (again for no fault of theirs)
• Not actually praying the prayers, but only saying them automatically like a machine
• Rushing off before the last hymn is sung!
• Fussing about with children during Mass - good tip: sit near the exits so that in event of an emergency / crying baby, you can leave without a big to-do!
• Keeping Cell phones on during Mass!
• Talking to person near by during Mass
• Fussing about with hair / adjusting clothes too much

Remember Holy Mass is a Community form of prayer - if we fail to do our part, besides not receiving all the great things in store for us as Mass, we’re also letting down the whole community.

St. John Bosco’s Goodnight Talk

A small note, but worth a reflection:

St. John Bosco housed homeless boys. Before going to bed, he gave them a “goodnight talk” right after night prayers.  This drew from a event during the day and concluded with a moral lesson. It is short and entertaining - drawing from the lives of the saints or from his visions.  After that, there is the “great silence” as the boys keep a prayerful ambiance of recollection.

I do the same with my kids ages 10,8,7 & 2.  We say our night prayers together consisting of an Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be following by an examination of conscience then an Act of Contrition.  After that, I give the talk.

I used Aesop’s fables e.g. the ant and the grasshopper, Gospel stories e.g. the man who built his house on rock and the other on sand, events e.g. the dog getting groomed and then draw a simple moral lesson.  This allows me to explain to the kids the rationale for my policies and help them understand our sacrifices for them.

As St. John Bosco taught, “It is not enough to love the young.  They must know that they are loved.”

By and large, this works as the kids remember the lessons, the rules and the love.

A Sign Of Peace

Let Us Offer To One Another…
I was at mass when Monsignor turned to us and said “Let us offer to one another a sign of peace.”

Peace.

Some extended hands to each other, while others hugged. I wondered, what does it mean to offer a sign of peace? Is that what a handshake is? Or a hug? Or is there something more about “Peace”?

When you think about it, shaking hands or hugging someone shows that, at some level, your are in relationship with that person. Enemies don’t shake hands. Or hug each other. Shaking hands with someone communicates to him “I have some measure of relationship with you.” Or it can communicate “ I WANT to have some measure of relationship with you.”

Peace is all about relationship. Relationship with self, with others and with God. That’s why I believe peace begins and ends with God.

The Hebrew word for peace is  ‘shalom’, which means “covenant relationship with God.” Think about that. To be in covenant relationship with God means he does his part and we do ours — right relationship. And the fruit of right relationship is shalom- peace.

Being in right relationship with God means that there is nothing between us. That’s the fruit of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Remember, when Jesus died, “the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:38) This meant that the Holy of Holies, which, up until then, was accessible only to the High Priest, was laid open to all thru Jesus. That means God is now available to us.

In Hebrews 4:16, reminds us to “…confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.(Hebrews 4:16). Access to God is laid open by the redemptive act of Jesus.

So when we extend our hands as a sign of peace, we are saying “There’s nothing between us. We are in right relationship”.

In fact, Ephesians 2: 13-14 says:

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace he who made both one and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,…

Do you see that? Jesus is our peace - our right relationship. As one Body in Christ, we are drawn together by Jesus, OUR Peace. No wonder the Psalmist proclaims “I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD —for he proclaims peace.” (Psalm 85:9)
“Blessed Are the Peacemakers”
So Jesus sent the Twelve out, two by two,

“and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic. “ (Mark 6:8-9)

Basically, Jesus extended His authority to the Twelve as ambassadors of His Kingdom. (2 Cor 5:20) His instructions said “Trust God to meet your needs as He meets my needs.” “So they went off and preached repentance.” (Mark 6:12)

Repentance. A call to return to right relationship with God. That’s what Jesus was all about. That’s why He came. To call us and provide us the way to return to right relationship with God.

We are called to do the same. Blessed are the Peacemakers. We could say this another way:

Blessed are the ones who lead others back to right relationship with God.

So we each reach out a hand and a heart — in our church, in our families, in our workplaces…wherever we are — and call others into right relationship with God.

That, I believe, is a sign of peace.

Brazilian Midfielder Kaká testifies

“When I was eight, I moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil (from Cuiaba, Brazil) where I began to play soccer (football). I have always loved to play soccer.

I played on the Junior Team for Sao Paulo in 2000. We were in the middle of the Paulista Junior Championships when I received a yellow card. I was suspended for the following game, so I took advantage of the free weekend to visit my grandparents, who lived in Caldas Novas at the time.

My brother, my parents, my grandparents and I went to a water park. As I was coming down one of the slides into the pool, I hit my head on the bottom of the pool and my neck snapped. I fractured the sixth vertebra in my neck. At the time, I had no idea what happened.

I returned to Sao Paulo to train on Monday, as well as on Tuesday, all the while with a broken neck. On Tuesday, I called the coach and the physical trainer and told them that I couldn’t bear the pain any longer. They sent me to see a doctor at the hospital where they took another x-ray. It was in this x-ray that the fracture in the sixth vertebra was shown.

Everyone, including the doctors, told me I was very lucky that nothing more serious happened. They told me that I could have become paralyzed and lost my ability to walk and to play soccer. I believe it was not luck. I believe God was protecting me during that time from anything more serious.

Many people think that I became a Christian after the accident, but that is not true. My parents are Christians and they raised me with biblical values. The accident happened in October of 2000 while I was playing in the “base” position on the Sao Paulo junior team. Throughout November and December, I had to wear a cervical collar and could not play.

I began to play again in January of 2001, and after about 10 or 15 days, I was called to play for the Sao Paulo professional team. Because of this, I believe God had a purpose in that accident. It is something that happened just before I had the great blessing of starring as a professional in Sao Paulo and initiating my career as a professional soccer player.

As I said before, my parents always taught me the Bible and its values, and also about Jesus Christ and faith. I did not have a specific conversion experience, but little by little, I stopped simply hearing people talk about the Jesus my parents taught me [about], and there came a time when I wanted to live my own experiences with God. One of these experiences with God was when I was baptized at the age of 12. This was a very important step in my walk with Jesus and soon after many things began to happen in my life where I could experience God in a real way.

I need Jesus every day of my life. Jesus tells me in the Bible that without Him I can’t do anything. I have the gift and capacity today to play soccer because God gave it to me. The day He wants me to do something else, I will do that something else and this is why I need Jesus in my life every day.

I am successful in my financial life and in my professional life, but all this has come from God and is a gift of grace from Him for my life. All that I have, I thank Him for.

The difference Jesus makes in my life is that I know I will always have victory, I will always have joy, and I will always have success. This is independent of the situations I face or will face. This brings me great peace.

I usually tell the people who ask, that the Bible is like the user’s manual that comes when you buy a product. It has everything we need in it. It makes me happy to read the Bible every day, to study it and to be in fellowship with God and learn more and more about Jesus.

I will win many matches and I will lose many matches, but I know that in all of them, God has a plan. This is why I try to understand the plan of God for me in each moment so that I can have peace during times of pressure.

Everyone wants to be a winner, but for me, the true meaning of winning is having Jesus in my life. It is a life of prayer, a life of intimacy and a lifelong friendship, knowing that God is our Father. I can say that I am a winner and I am victorious because Jesus lives in my life. No, I will never stop following Him”

~  Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, commonly known as Kaká.

Gaurav Shroff testifies: Gregorian music led me to Christ

Written by Nirmala Carvalho for Mumbai (AsiaNews). Here is the story of conversion of a young Gujarati Hindu, who went from fascination with sacred music to discover the love of Christ on the Cross. Now he wants to become a priest and missionary.

Towering at 6 ft 3 in (191 cm), Gaurav literally looks down on people. This young Gujarati convert was captivated by Christian music of the Renaissance era, and choral music awakened in him a quest for beauty.

Gaurav Shroff was born on 30 December 1972 at Holy Family Hospital, New Delhi (“I joke with my parents that ‘Holy Family’ should have been a clue to my future!”). His early childhood was spent in Bethesda, MD (a suburb of Washington DC), when his father was working for the World Bank. The family returned to India when he was around 6 years old, and he attended St Xavier’s Loyola Hall, a school in Ahmedabad where he joined the school choir. His only knowledge of Christians was that they did not speak Gujarati or Hindi fluently and that they buried the dead, something that intrigued him.

Describing his own religious upbringing, Gaurav said, “My father worked at the World Bank and later was the editor of the Economic Times. My mother was the first woman district collector of Gujarat. While there was an emphasis was on traditional Indian values, they espoused secular humanist ideals and values. However, it was from my grandmother that I learned the ancient stories of the Hindu religion—the epics of the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita.”

“It was aesthetics,” Gaurav said. “The beauty of sacred music held me spellbound at my first ever experience of the Eucharist at St Xavier’s College, Mumbai on 15 August, Indian Independence Day and the Feast of the Assumption. The sublime music of the Mass undoubtedly assured me of God’s presence; the Gregorian chants elevated my spirits, creating in me a sense of awe for the Sacred. I was instinctively drawn by the aesthetic beauty of the Eucharist and this experience filled my heart with immense joy.”

This young man, an idealistic, Westernized 18-year-old upper caste Hindu, who was trained in Hindustani classical music, began studying Church history, in an attempt to understand “what could have inspired the genius of great musicians to compose some of the greatest classical works in honour of the Divine and place their art at the service of the liturgy.”

Gaurav spent hours poring over books at St Xavier’s Library, teaching himself Latin from the pre-Vatican II Missals to learn and understand the Latin Gregorian chants: the Credo, the Gloria, the other parts of the Mass.

So fascinated was he by the sacred music of the Eucharist, that he attended Midnight Mass the same year at Holy Name Cathedral, accompanied by his father. As he became increasingly interested in the solemn liturgies, his friends invited him to the Easter Triduum the following year, with the simple directive not to receive Holy Communion.

Therefore, in 1991, Gaurav went for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper at Holy Name Cathedral. “Nothing had prepared me for the ‘Washing of the Feet’. I watched with amazement as Archbishop Simon Pimenta disrobed and knelt down, washing the feet of 12 men. I had never witnessed such humility in a spiritual leader.” He began reflecting on the nature of these priests, this servant leadership, which was an alien concept.

At the Good Friday service, since his friends had only barred him from communion, he went for the Veneration of the Cross. “As I knelt down and kissed the Cross, I vividly remember the clear voice in my heart saying to me: ‘I died for you,’ and I began to weep unashamedly, and though I did not understand what it meant, I was certain, that the Crucified Christ loved me. Then it wasn’t about music anymore, I wanted to learn more about this Jesus. Either Jesus was completely crazy or he was God.”

He began reading everything about the Catholic faith, the Bible and regularly went for Sunday Mass. In 1993, Gaurav went to a Jesuit retreat praying alone at night before the Blessed Sacrament. “I strongly felt the presence of the Divine, the deep love of God for me, and in the darkness, I was illuminated: My life belonged to Jesus, to know him, to love him and to serve him. This was my mission and vocation. I felt called to be a priest.”

“I also had a very serious talk with my family about my decision to become Catholic and be baptised. ‘As long as you do not sever family ties and do not go aggressively proselytizing, you have our Blessings!’ was my father’s response.”

On August 15 1994, the Feast of the Assumption, Gaurav was baptised at St Peter’s Church, Bandra, surrounded by 20 friends, Hindus, Catholics, and Muslims.

Two weeks after his baptism, Gaurav arrived in the United States into an intellectual climate that bred suspicion of the Catholic Church. “God was always faithful, and under the protection of His Blessed Mother, I persevered in the Faith.”

“The next four years of my life were the time that God allowed me to see my reality; but even in crises, the calling to the priesthood hauntingly persisted. So, in order to attempt to discern God’s plan in my life, in 1998, I started a second Masters in Religious Studies, also at the University of South Carolina, and received an MA in Religious Studies, with a concentration in New Testament, in 2001.”

That same year, he started work full time at the St. Thomas More Catholic Student Center at the University of South Carolina as the Associate Campus Minister, where he was responsible for the faith formation of the small University parish. His zeal for evangelisation led him in 2006 to the novitiate of the Paulist Fathers (an American religious order), which took him to Washington, DC.

“In 2006, my father was diagnosed with late stage lung cancer. I always had a close relationship with him, and this was devastating. This was just before I entered the novitiate, and I got to spend a few months with him before I left for Washington. God’s generosity knows no bounds and I was able to be in India for the last two weeks of his life.”

In 2007, he discerned that God was calling him to the diocesan priesthood and so he moved back to the South, and applied to the Archdiocese of Atlanta. After some pastoral work in the diocese, he was sent to Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland, in 2008.

Currently, he is finishing the first of four years of Theological Studies at the seminary, and “God willing, I will be ordained to the diaconate in 2012 and the priesthood in 2013, for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.”

“The intervention of God at the foot of the cross in 1991 changed the course of my life forever. Evangelisation and the vocation of the laity will be the central passion of my ministry as a diocesan priest. I see my future role as someone who leads, sanctifies, teaches the laity, not as passive recipients”, I shall be “someone who calls out their gifts, talents, charisms, so that the Christ’s lay faithful can be equipped to bring the Gospel to the world, and share in the Church’s mission.”

“I hope, through my calling, to proclaim the Love of Christ Crucified to the people and to bring our people to connect with Jesus Christ, to get to know Him in a deep, intimate relationship,” for “he is the source of all love and happiness.”

July 2010

Daily Intercessions through the Word of God – April 2010

Sanctuary Intercessors – India Branch of FBB
International Catholic Charismatic Missionary Intercessors of the Fellowship of the Burning Bush (FBB)
The ‘Intercession Diary’ has the approval and blessings of the Bishops’ Team of the Archdiocese and contains intentions of our Cardinal and the Bishops

(Join us in agreement to intercede each day according to the Scriptures, ask the Holy Spirit how to pray to actualize God’s promises in each situation)

Day/Date Interceding According to the Mind of Christ
Thu
1/7/2010

Gen 1:1-2 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters
This month we focus our prayer for the continent of Europe. Once the wellspring of missionary zeal and deep spiritual discipline, it today finds itself plunged in pride, love of self and the things of the world - hedonism, materialism, paganism and every kind of occult practice and sexual perversion viz. fornication, adultery, live-in relationships, legalization of same sex unions, prostitution, abortion, contraception, etc. With faith and hope in our hearts, let us pray this month that the Spirit of God would transform the chaos and darkness that has engulfed Europe, to a thirst for the Living God. Let’s consecrate Europe and the Church in Europe to Our Lady of all Nations (Amsterdam) and pray the prayer she gave Ida Peerdeman (Alkmaar, Holland) for the conversion of the world - Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, send now Your Spirit over the earth. Let the Holy Spirit live in the hearts of all nations that they may be preserved from degeneration, disaster and war. May The Lady of All Nations, who once was Mary, be our advocate. Amen. This prayer is to be said before a crucifix.

Fri
2/7/2010 Ps 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving
A day of prayer, fasting and thanksgiving for all the blessings we, the church of Bombay and India, have received mainly from the missionary efforts of Europe’s sons and daughters who came here as missionaries amidst many hardships - leaving home, family and loved ones, often never returning to their homeland, only to proclaim the fullness of the Gospel. We thank God for the many saints Europe has given the church, whose example of holiness is for us to imitate. They have not only helped build the Church, but also contributed to the world at large. Let us thank God for the contribution of Europe to the world, in the field of science, medicine, engineering, music and art. As we thank God for the European missionaries still living amongst us, we pray for their good health and that their work bears lasting fruit

Sat
3/7/2010 John 20:28 Thomas answered him, My Lord and my God
Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle, also called Doubting Thomas or Didymus. He was perhaps the only Apostle who went outside the Roman Empire to preach the Gospel. He also crossed the largest area, which includes Persia and India. St. Thomas patron of India, pray for us that we would be filled with the same zeal you had to preach the Gospel. Through his intercession, let us pray that God would once again raise many young missionaries to re-evangelize Europe and spread the Good News to the ends of the earth, both from within Europe itself, as well as missionaries from other countries, especially India – where St Thomas himself brought the Good News

Sun
4/7/2010 Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God
Faith Formation Sunday – We lift up every Catholic parent in our Archdiocese who are the first formators of faith in their children; may God give them grace and understanding to realise their responsibility as parents - of learning, living and passing on the Faith. We also lift up Fr Terrance Murray and the staff of the Diocesan Catechetical Centre that prepares the programs and material for our Sunday school children as well as our Sunday school and religion teachers; may the Holy Spirit guide them so that our children, nourished and grounded in God’s Word and the Sacraments, would be equipped not only to face the many challenges that come their way but would grow in love for Jesus. We pray through the intercession of St. Saint Bridget of Sweden, Patron of Europe, mystic and founder of the Bridgettine Order, that God in His mercy would grant the gift of faith to the people of Europe to see the height, breadth and depth of God’s love in Jesus

Mon
5/7/2010 Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do
Albania had 45 years of harsh, isolationist communist rule that ended in 1991. In the past 10 years the people have experienced anarchy and poverty; It is possibly the poorest country in Europe, corruption, including drug and human trafficking, dominates the economy. The materialistic belief that possessions provide security is strong and growing, and often leads young people into lives of crime. Pray through the intercession of Blessed Theresa of Calcutta for the people of Albania that the Lord would deliver them from all their miseries

Tue
6/7/2010 Ps 104:30 When you send forth thy Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth
After the Ottomans conquered Bosnia & Herzegovina in the 15th century, many people became Muslims, mostly because they received benefits for converting. Most of the Bosnians are Muslims; many of the Serbs are Orthodox Christians, and the Croats are mainly Roman Catholic. Pray that Muslims, Orthodox Christians and Catholics would find healing from the wounds of the past and peace with one another through Christ. May God strengthen the church to be a witness of the gospel. Sts Francis de Sales and Maria Goretti, pray for us

Wed
7/7/2010 1 Tim 2:4 Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth
God wants all the peoples of Europe and the Mediterranean to hear about Jesus. An estimated 15 million Muslims live in the European Union alone, and Islam is the fastest-growing religion in Europe due to immigration and Muslim’s (above-average) birth rates. Pray that God’s Spirit will move among Muslim immigrants in Europe to draw them to Himself and that they will understand the hope found in Jesus and would have a revelation of Jesus in visions/dreams. Pray the Rosary protecting Europe from religious/agnostic/atheist invasion

Thu
8/7/2010 Isa 6:8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, Here am I! Send me
Macedonia, declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, ethnic tensions exists between Orthodox Macedonians and Muslim Albanians. Only two percent of the population follows Christ, and most of the country struggles on in hopelessness and spiritual blindness. Pray that God would remove the veil that obscures the Gospel, and that the people’s blindness would be lifted so all might see and believe in Him. Though the intercession of St Nicholas we pray that the Prince of Peace, Jesus, reign in the heart of every Macedonian

Fri
9/7/2010 1 Cor 2:5 That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
Spain - majority of its citizens are Catholics, but less than one percent of the people actually follow Christ. Due to immigration, Islam has become the second-largest religion in the country. Spain has given the church countless missionaries. Let us pray for a fresh fire of the Holy Spirit so that the church in Spain would receive new vitality. a new hope in Christ to serve the world once again and convert both lukewarm Christians and others. Pray through the intercession of St Ignatius of Loyola for a renewal in Spain, especially among the youth

Sat
10/7/2010 Ps 1:5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous
When one thinks of Germany, Martin Luther and the Reformation come to mind. Many middle-aged and older Germans have given up on the Church, and young people believe that the Church’s teachings are irrelevant. Let us Catholics not harbour bitterness due to the schism caused by Martin Luther - which split the Church and have given way to many schisms which even continue to this day. Pray for a spirit of holiness and fear of the Lord in the hearts of our German brothers and sisters. Saint Boniface, patron saint of Germany, pray for a new spiritual awakening among the people of Germany. May the work of ecumenism and Catholic Apologetics be guided by the Holy Spirit

Sun
11/7/2010 2 Tim 1:8 Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God
As we partake of the Eucharist today, let us bring to the Lord and forgive every atrocity that European colonists have done to our nation either in the name of religion/power/economic reasons. St George, pray for England; especially unity between Catholics and Anglicans

Mon
12/7/2010 1Pet 5:2 Tend the flock of God that is your charge, not by constraint but willingly, not for shameful gain but eagerly
Moldova, another one of Europe’s poorest country, is the continent’s leading supplier of underage girls for sexual exploitation. Human trafficking rings operate with impunity here, where they are for the most part under government protection and where a number of local government officials are involved behind the rings. Let us beg God for mercy as we pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet for God’s intervention in this sad and painful situation. Pray through the intercession of St John of Suceava, that Moldova be delivered from this terrible scourge

Tue
13/7/2010 Ps 54:2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth
Sin City of Europe: Amsterdam and the nation of Holland (legalised prostitution, brothels, strip clubs, sex shops, marijuana consumption) Let us pray through the intercession of St Michael and the warring angels that God may raise up many God fearing men and women as messengers of hope to those lost in sin and vice. St. Willibrord pray for the Netherlands that the bondage of sexual perversion be broken.

Wed
14/7/2010 Isaiah 9:6 And the government shall be upon his shoulder
We pray for the European Union and every government in Europe; may the Lord raise godly men and women to govern. We pray through the intercession of St Benedict and St Catherine of Siena for the re-evangelisation of Europe, especially at its ‘heart’ in Rome and Italy

Thu
15/7/2010 2 Chr 20:21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy array
When King Jehosh’aphat, in 2 Chr 20, was surrounded by enemies, he sent singers ahead of his army to declare in praise ‘Give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever’, and the armies of the Moabites, Ammonites etc. destroyed each other. In prayer, let us declare the same that the enemies of the Church in Europe would destroy each other. St Joan d’Arc and St Martin of Tours pray for France

Fri
16/7/2010 Ps 24:7 Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in
Fast with prayer that all our church properties and Catholic Housing Societies in our Archdiocese would be governed with integrity for the common good of the community and that the Lord would protect them from falling into the hands of unscrupulous brokers/builders. Lift up the falling faith levels and Church attendance in Europe where Church properties are being sold and being converted into pubs/discos

Sat
17/7/2010 Luke 1:28 ‘Hail, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’
We pray through the intercession of Our Lady of Fatima for Portugal and for the consecration of Europe to our Blessed Mother. As one of the messages revealed was ‘Penance, Penance, Penance’, we pray the rosary today for conversion of sinners

Sun
18/7/2010 1 Cor 1:20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God
Keep in prayer the ‘Inner Healing Ministry’ and the ‘Joyful Noise’ ministries in our city. May those in the grip of sin, satanic practices and satanic music in Europe and all over the world (especially in our city), find freedom and mercy in the cross of Jesus

Mon
19/7/2010 Ps 6:9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer
Croatians still remember vividly the war that ravaged their homes in 1991 when Croatia declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia. May the Lord heal the wounds of communism and equip the Catholic Church to cater to the spiritual needs of the youth

Tue
20/7/2010 Ps 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
We lift up priests and religious in Europe specially those who may be losing hope and zeal seeing the situation around them; may God empower them. We pray through the intercession of Sts Cyril and Methodius, the two Greek brothers who evangelized the Slavic people

Wed
21/7/2010 1 Tim 2:8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling
We pray for unity in the Church, among and within the various ministries, associations, initiatives – that truly Christ will be magnified. We also pray for unity in Europe under Christ, through the intercession of St Jadwiga (Hedwig) of Poland the patron saint of a Unified Europe

Thu
22/7/2010 Mark 16:9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons
Feast of St. Mary Magdalene–through her intercession pray for the conversion of youth of Europe and their victory over sexual immorality

Fri
23/7/2010 John 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet
A day of fast, as we pray lifting the Night Vigil (25th July) at St. Andrew’s College Chapel, Bandra, where the focus of intercession is praying for our Shepherds and for Europe to find her roots in Christ

Sat
24/7/2010 Ps 5:3 In the morning O Lord you hear my voice, in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation
We lift up those working towards strengthening the faith of our Catholic youth all over Europe; may the Holy Spirit grant them wisdom, discernment and strategies to help the youth to turn to Jesus. We pray for Greece, once the seat of great wisdom and faith in Christ

Sun
25/7/2010 James 2:17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead
St. James, Apostle –Feast. We pray through his intercession for the strengthening of all Fellowship of the Burning Bush groups in different parts of Europe that they may be instruments to bring about true conversion. Pray that the Lord would meet their every need for this work

Mon
26/7/2010 Sir 3:3-4 Whoever honors his father atones for sins, and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure
Feast of Sts Joachim and Anne. We pray for strengthening of family ties and values in Europe and as well as in our own country and city

Tue
27/7/2010 Gen 14:18 And Mel-chiz’edek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High
Pray through the intercession of St Padre Pio, for all discouraged, lonely and aged priests in Europe that God would reassure them of His Presence. Also pray that God would raise many holy priests, nuns and lay workers for the service of His Church in Europe and elsewhere

Wed
28/7/2010 1 Cor 16:24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples
Feast of St Alphonsa of Bharananganam, through her intercession pray for the glory of the Lord to fall over Europe so hearts would be changed, minds renewed, a hunger for the things of God restored. We pray for the countries of the erstwhile Soviet bloc and East Europe

Thu
29/7/2010 Ezek 34:4 Then he said to me, Prophesy to these bones and say to them, Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord
Pray for the Spirit of life to take hold of Europe so that death and all its agents of abortion, contraception, euthanasia, etc. be destroyed

Fri
30/7/2010 1 Cor 16:10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice
Fast and pray to scrap the proposed plans for the SEZ in the Gorai-Uttan Belt, save mangroves and open lands in Mumbai from builders. We pray for countries in Europe that have held firm to the teachings of Christ and resisted changes in laws against the teachings of Christ

Sat
31/7/2010 Phil 3:8b For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ
Feast of St. Ignatius Founder of the Society of Jesus; we lift up every Jesuit whose motto is ‘Ad majorem Dei gloriam’ ‘For the Greater Glory of God’; through his intercession may God grant them new vitality to live up to their motto to spread the Gospel, specially in Europe

Holy Father’s Intentions for the Month (Pray for these intentions daily)
General Intention: That in every nation of the world the election of officials may be carried out with justice, transparency and honesty, respecting the free decisions of citizens.
Missionary Intention: That Christians may strive to offer everywhere, but especially in great urban centers, an effective contribution to the promotion of education, justice, solidarity and peace.

—
Vetted by Fr Byron Mendonca, Assistant Parish Priest, Mt Carmel Church, Mumbai, India.
All scripture passages are taken from Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.
We suggest you print out this page & keep it in your Bible.
Please contact Royston@Glorify-God.com for any feedback.

Evangelizing the World

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you (2 Corinthians 13:13).

As I sit to write this letter to you, the catchy tune of “Waka Waka (Do it)” and the rhythmic moves of Shakira waft through the TV screen just before the match between Germany and Ghana commences. But what catches my attention more that the music is the title “This time for Africa”. However, while the attention of a football-crazy world is indeed Africa, our hymn of praise and intercession is “this time for Europe”.

This month we focus our prayers for the continent of Europe. We cry out to the Lord for the people of Europe and the Church in Europe; confident that, as we raise our voices and cry to the Lord, He will hear us (Psalm 34:7).

Thus, this July, we are praying for Europe; that the rivers of the Lord’s mercy will sweep over this land, which was evangelised in Apostolic times. “Today, after twenty centuries, the Church senses the urgency and the duty to carry on with renewed efficacy the work of evangelizing the world and re-evangelizing Europe. Today more than ever, the evangelization of the world is tied to the re-evangelization of Europe.” The words of our late Holy Father Pope John Paul II cannot be truer and more urgent.

Europe, once the wellspring of missionary zeal and deep spiritual discipline – which we all have in some way benefitted from, today finds itself plunged in sin, love of self and the things of the world - hedonism, materialism, paganism and every kind of sexual perversion viz. fornication, adultery, live-in relationships, legalization of same sex unions, prostitution, abortion, contraception, etc.

The Roman Empire, the cradle of Christianity, like Europe, collapsed not because of Christianity, as some said, but, as St Augustine argued, because the Christian virtues and values were not lived up to. “It is not that Christianity has been tried and been found wanting, but it has been found too difficult and not tried,”as Chesterton noted.

But what gives us hope is that there are striking parallels between the Roman Empire which Christianity encountered at its outset and today’s world. When St Paul went to Athens “his heart was deeply distressed to find the city so much given over to idolatry…“(Acts 17:16) Immorality was everywhere. Yet, he persevered with hope in the Lord and in the power of the Holy Spirit. And within two and a half centuries the Empire was Christian, recognizing the one true God and renouncing the immoral laws and practices.

So let us call to the Lord with confidence. As we pray for Europe, we also pray for ourselves in the Church and the city of Mumbai. That God will deliver his people from their distress (Psalm 34:7) and “restore what the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25). That the Church and the people of Europe, and Mumbai, will once again be a “light to the nations and glory of His people” (Luke 2:32). May we be constantly assured of the intercession of the saints and especially of our Blessed Mother, who appeared at times of great need (Lourdes, Fatima, etc.) to encourage and direct her children.