3 Christian Fiction Book Reviews

These three books I read had common authors, all of them written by Deborah Bedford & two of them co-authored by Joyce Meyer, so I decided to review them together. Another thing I think they all had in common, is that they’ll make for good gifts - especially for people who’re not “into” the whole Christian scene & you’re trying to reach out to.

Deborah Bedford’s ‘When You Believe’ had an excellent plot that moved at quite a fast pace - It’s a story about a teacher Lydia Porter, who for professional reasons has kept her engagement to a fellow teacher, Charlie Stains, a secret. Right in the beginning of the book, a student confides in her, that Staines has sexually molested her. The book follows Porter’s subsequent conflict about doing “the right thing” and what exactly that entails.

‘The Penny’ by Joyce Meyer & Deborah Bedford - sees Meyer (author of over 70 Christian non fiction books) foray into Christian fiction. The protagonist of the book is a sexually abused African American girl living in the racially charged mid-1950s America - and how a simple chance action (of her stoping to pick up a penny dropped on a sidewalk) set a whole new set of things in motion. The book is well written & the plot well developed. Definitely worth reading.

Any Minute by Joyce Meyer & Deborah Bedford - The plot had the potential to be a good read - a story of a workaholic woman’s near-death experience, which brings her to appreciate the actual good things of life. It is a tad slow in the first half  (I found myself wishing the protagonist had her near-death experience already & was done with it!) though it picks up pace a little afterwards. Not as good as the first two books reviewed here - but could be gift option to a workaholic family member or colleague, otherwise worth the miss.

Spiritual Vitamins: A TO Z

Remember to take your vitamins every day!

August 2010

Do join us in saying just a one line prayer, every day of the month. Each prayer backed with a special line from the Bible. We KNOW that prayer changes things, do join us in making a positive change in the world we live in!

Day/Date Interceding According to the Mind of Christ

Sun
1/8/2010 Psalm 110:4 The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.’
This month we focus our prayer on two key themes – for our priests and for true freedom that the Holy Spirit gives us. This week we pray for our priests. Today we pray that our priests constantly reflect upon the indelible character of the sacrament of Holy Orders, which cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily (CCC#1582). We pray that each priest truly lives in this blessed knowledge and assurance

Mon
2/8/2010 Rev 2:4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first
We lift up priests from our Archdiocese and across the world; that God would give them grace to seek Him above everything and to come back to their first love - that they would be filled with compassion be other Christs to the flock, filled with a gentleness and meekness to encourage the weak and the wayward back to Christ and filled with a revelation and trust that Christ is with them to the end of the age

Tue
3/8/2010 Jer 3:15 And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding
As we lift up our priests to the Lord, let us pray that He fills them with the spirit of knowledge and understanding to be true shepherds to the flock, living out their lives with a spirit of self sacrifice, penance and prayer - feeding the faithful with the Bread of Life and the Word of God, binding the wounds of the hurting and encouraging the flock to walk in holiness and a close relationship with Christ

Wed
4/8/2010 Matt 9:38 Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest
Feast of St. John Mary Vianney; through his intercession let us pray for vocations in our Archdiocese and for holy priests, as we address the Father in prayer through Jesus His Son - My Dear Jesus, you desire that we pray the Lord of the harvest that He send zealous laborers into His harvest. Deign to raise up in your Church, and especially in this diocese, numerous and holy priests who, taking your Divine Heart as their Model, will, in the exercise of their holy priesthood, promote the glory of your heavenly Father and the salvation of those souls whom you have redeemed with your Precious Blood. Give us truly holy priests who, inflamed with the fire of your Divine love, seek nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. O Mary, Queen of the clergy, pray for us; obtain for us a number of holy priests

Thu
5/8/2010 1 Sam 3:10 And the Lord came and stood forth, calling as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, Speak, for thy servant hears
Pray for a spirit of holiness and self denial for our diocesan seminarians who have joined the Seminary this year, namely; Joel Fernandes, Leander Gonsalves, Rosario Fernandes, Mattew Joseph, Jean Justine, Charles D’Cruz, Savio Lobo, Sanjay Fereira, Cajetan Rodrigues. Pray that they are filled with a spirit of wisdom, knowledge and understanding, so that they would build their ministry on Christ the Rock

Fri
6/8/2010 Matt 17:2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light
A day of fast and prayer for our priests and especially our Cardinal Oswald Gracias. May the Lord continually strengthen and empower him with His Spirit. May his motto “To reconcile all things in Christ” inspire all our priests in our Archdiocese to lives of service, justice, reconciliation and bridge-building through the intercession of Mary. On the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, we pray that each person in our Archdiocese truly strives to be transformed into another Christ, so as to witness to this city by our love and our lives.

Sat
7/8/2010 Matt 18:18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven
“We now ask, why the drop in Confession? Hearing confessions place a heavy demand on the generosity of a priest. To tell not just one sin, but all of them and, if they are grave, with all their attending circumstances, this takes time. And on the part of the priest it takes a lot of patience. The priest must be convinced that it is worth the effort”, writes Fr John Hardon SJ. Pray for our priests- for grace to preach the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to freely give their time at the confessional and the grace to frequent the sacrament himself

Sun
8/8/2010 Heb 7:26 For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens
Vianney Sunday – We offer today’s Eucharist to thank God for our priests. Let us find some way to show them our appreciation. Through the intercession of Mary and St John Vianney, we pray that Jesus, the Eternal High Priest, always leads, blesses and keeps them in His care

Mon
9/8/2010 2 Cor 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom
This week we pray for freedom. Freedom that only the Risen Christ can give, who broke the chains of sin and death. For too long we have allowed ourselves to live in bondage – in our relationships with God, others and ourselves. Today we pray for freedom for ourselves. For those of us bound in habitual sin – lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and the pride of life, that the Holy Spirit will set us truly free

Tue
10/8/2010 John 8:36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed
We pray for freedom in our relationships with others. Pray fervently that we may love as He loves; and that we may forgive as He forgives

Wed
11/8/2010 John 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth
Today we pray for freedom in our relationship with God. Often our prayer lives have become merely routine or ritualistic or even non-existent because we are filled with the anxieties and pressures of daily lives. Today, through the intercession of St. Clare, Co-foundress of the Order of Poor Ladies, whose feast we celebrate, we pray for a renewed fire of the Holy Spirit to stir up our hearts to true worship

Thu
12/8/2010 Gal 5:1 For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery
We pray for those who have been delivered and set-free from the clutches of sin and satan, that they may be strengthen by the Spirit and may receive the grace to be faithful to their new life in Christ. May the Lord use us to build one another up in service and fellowship

Fri
13/8/2010 Phil 3:16 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
A day of fast and prayer for Bishop Bosco Penha. May God empower him with strength to carry out the various functions entrusted to him. May every obstacle that comes his way be removed in the power of the Risen Christ, so that there is smooth functioning in the zone as well as the various portfolios under his pastoral care.

Sat
14/8/2010 Gal 5:13 You were called to freedom; do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence but through love become slaves to one another
We pray for a true spirit of servanthood and discipleship among each one of us, that we may count the other better than ourselves and actively seek to be at the service of the other, however painful it may be at times. It is hard – but the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose feast we celebrate today and who gives us a wonderful example of Christ-like selfless love, we also pray that God may grant our priests a spirit of self denial and fortitude to grow in holiness

Sun
15/8/2010 John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me
As we celebrate Independence Day, we remember with gratitude to God, the freedom won by people who sacrificed much, some at the cost of laying down their lives. We pray very specially through the intercession of Mary, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that God would grant the peoples of our nation a revelation of knowing who Jesus truly is - the Way, the Truth and the Life

Mon
16/8/2010 Ps 40:11 Do not thou, O Lord, withhold thy mercy from me, let thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness ever preserve me
We lift up our priests who are sick and ailing, especially those in the Clergy Home, that God would bless them with His comforting presence and healing touch, that even in their loneliness and pain, they would have grace to partake in the liberating suffering of Jesus

Tue
17/8/2010 John 15:8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples
We lift up the initiatives which are focused on bringing the Good News to the peoples; we pray for the members of the Proclamation Cell, the Apologetics Cell, the Inner Healing team and Joyful Noise – that they be fruitful and the blood of Jesus protect them and their families

Wed
18/8/2010 John 3:20 For every one who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed
We pray that all our church properties and Catholic Housing Societies in our Archdiocese 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. Also pray that God would expose the nefarious activities between the builders lobby and politicians in our city. May God give wisdom to our politicians to plan our city so that the infrastructure is not overburdened and that open spaces are spared for recreation and sports

Thu
19/8/2010 John 15:7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you
We pray for Christian marriages and homes across our Archdiocese, that Christ be the center of the home and that time is devoted daily to family prayer and sharing of the Word. May our homes truly be the domestic Church and may fruit be borne in us and in our children

Fri
20/8/2010 2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching
Today we fast and pray for Bishop Percival Fernandez; may the Lord empower him with wisdom and discernment that all he does bears much fruit in his Zone and in the various portfolios he holds. Through the intercession of St. Bernard, Abbot and Doctor whose feast we celebrate today, we pray that God would grant our shepherds special grace to discern, expose and remove all erroneous teachings like he exposed in his time and bring the lay faithful to the beauty of knowing Christ personally and following Him wholeheartedly

Sat
21/8/2010 John 15:16 You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last
On this day, the Feast of St. Pius X, we pray for all seminarians and those preparing for religious life; through his intercession we pray that the years our seminarians spent studying philosophy and theology would only lead them to appreciate Christ more deeply as the only Lord and Saviour and that they receive a new revelation of growing in faith and understanding of His love for them as they study His Word.

Sun
22/8/2010 Rev 2:10b Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life
Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary; we pray that the Lord would grant each of us the grace to be conquerors and overcomers in every situation, ready to stand steadfast in faith, to endure suffering for the gospel and to fulfill the role the Lord has given

Mon
23/8/2010 Rom 8:18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us
This week we pray for the suffering Christians/Churches in the Middle East; they trace their roots back to the first Apostles, but over the years the local Christian community has shrunk, and even disappeared in some areas. Pray for freedom to worship and build churches, for protection of the churches, homes and lives of the Christians in the region, for perseverance for the churches to witness for Christ even in difficult circumstances and for their non-Christian neighbours to have a better understanding of what Christianity is and to be led to Christ

Tue
24/8/2010 Ps 31:5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God
We read about Catholic bishops murdered in Iraq and Turkey, machete-armed fanatics attacking Egyptian Copt worshipers, churches torched in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Let us intensify our intercession as we pray for God’s intervention in these places that in the midst of the darkness the Light of Christ would shine and bring conviction and repentance to these perpetrators of violence to Jesus and His flock

Wed
25/8/2010 Ps 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May they prosper who love you
We pray for peace in Jerusalem. For everyone involved; we pray, for governments and peoples, Jews and Palestinians, we ask for your kingdom to come and rule over the land. Protect the soldiers and civilians from bloodshed. May your truth and light shine in the darkness. Where there is only hatred, may your love prevail. Bring your salvation to Israel, I make this prayer Father God in Jesus’ Name, Amen

Thu
26/8/2010 John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free
Pray for Christians in Saudi Arabia that they would be protected from harm and from being deported. Pray that the Christian message would be heard and received by all. Pray for expatriate Christian workers who are currently in prison for holding worship services there

Fri
27/8/2010 Ps 6:9 The Lord has heard my supplication; the Lord accepts my prayer
Let us fast and prayer for Bishop Agnelo Gracias, that Christ’s presence would always be in all he does in his Zone and across his various portfolios and initiatives. Feast of St. Monica, we pray through her intercession, that the Lord constantly guides and sustains him. We also lift up Frs. Anthony Fernandes & Walter D’souza, Director/Assistant Director – Youth & Vocations, and every priest involved with the youth apostolate, that God would bless them with special grace to challenge our youth to embrace the values of the Gospel. Keep in prayer the pilgrimage to the Holy Land – October 17th to 28th organized by Fr. Byron Mendoca for God’s favour to rest on all the preparations

Sat
28/8/2010 2 Tim 2:21a If any one purifies himself from what is ignoble, then he will be a vessel for noble use
Feast of St Augustine, Bishop and Doctor; through his intercession we pray for all the youth in our Archdiocese. May the Holy Spirit help them in their relationships, studies and careers. We especially pray and ask God to bring our wayward youth in the Diocese back to Him. World Youth Day 2011, August 15-21, in Madrid, Spain - The Pope described it as ‘not just a mass gathering but a privileged occasion’ for the young people of the world ‘to be conquered by the love of Christ Jesus, the Son of God and of Mary, the faithful friend, the victor over sin and death’. Pray that youth attending this event would come back with a deep experience of the power and love of the risen Lord

Sun
29/8/2010 Ps 2:8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession
A call to pray for our city and our nation that the Lord will defend those who are witnessing to others about the person of Jesus Christ and bringing the Good News to the broken hearted. May the proclamation effort at Mount Mary’s Basilica in Bandra bear abundant fruit

Mon
30/8/2010 Heb 4:14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession
Lebanon’s once politically powerful Christian community has already shrunken almost beyond recognition. Thirty years ago, Lebanon was 60% Christian; today it is barely 25%. The growing political power of Iran-backed Hezbollah is encouraging further departures. Pray for our brother/sister Christians in Lebanon for wisdom in this difficult situation and grace to withstand the onslaught of the enemy

Tue
31/8/2010 2 Tim 2:9 The gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered
We pray for our persecuted missionary priests and religious all over the world, and especially in our country, that truly they may be empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim with boldness the Gospel, not fearing those who ‘can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul’

Holy Father’s Intentions for the Month (Pray for these intentions daily)
General Intention: That those who are without work or homes or who are otherwise in serious need may find understanding and welcome, as well as concrete help in overcoming their difficulties. Missionary Intention: That the Church may be a ‘home’ for all people, ready to open its doors to any who are suffering from racial or religious discrimination, hunger, or wars forcing them to emigrate to other countries.

—
This ‘Intercession Diary’ has the approval and blessings of the Bishops’ Team of the Archdiocese and contains intentions of the Cardinal and Bishops of Mumbai. Vetted by Fr Byron Mendonca, Assistant Parish Priest, Mt Carmel Church, Mumbai, India. All scripture passages are taken from Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition. Please contact Royston@Glorify-God.com for any feedback.

Independence Day Special!

Happy Freedom!

What a strange greeting this may sound to most. We are used to be wished many things, but ‘Happy Freedom’ may clearly not be one of them. Well, today and this month of India’s independence, and for ever, I wish you (and myself) this.

“For freedom, Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1). What a curious line. But in it, I believe, is hidden the mystery of God’s love, human suffering, human destiny, the incarnation of the second person of the Most Holy Trinity and much else. How easy it would be for the Great Creator to make us mere puppets or robots. So that we could be ‘programmed’ to “know Him, to love Him and to serve Him”. But there in lies the foolishness (1 Cor 1:25) and the wisdom of God.

“God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel (Sirach 15:14), so that he might of his own accord seek his creator and freely attain his full and blessed perfection by cleaving to him” (Gaudium et Spes 17 § 1; CCC# 1730 and 1743).

This month, as we remember, with gratitude to the Lord, and celebrate our nation’s freedom, we bring to mind our own freedom, won for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Our intercession this month, thus focuses on raising our hearts and minds to God, that He may safeguard us in His Word which “will set us free” (John 8:32).

We pray for freedom in our relationship with God, others and self. For too long we are held in bondage by our sins, our past, fears, by the evil in and around us. We pray for the grace of the Holy Spirit in whose presence “there is freedom” (2 Cor 3:17).

This month, as we celebrate Vianney Sunday, we pray for our priests and, in a special way, we fast and pray for our Bishops in our Archdiocese of Bombay. We pray that our priests constantly be assured and empowered by the Holy Spirit that “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4). May our priests constantly reflect upon the indelible character of the sacrament of Holy Orders (CCC#1582). We pray that the ‘ministerial priesthood’ truly be at the service of the people (‘baptismal priesthood’) through “the grace of the Holy Spirit proper to this sacrament (which) is configuration to Christ as Priest, Teacher, and Pastor”. (CCC 1585)

May our Blessed Mother, whose Assumption into Heaven we celebrate this month, pray for us her children, that we may be transformed (and ‘transfigured’) into ‘other Christs’. We make the opening prayer of the Roman Missal, 32nd Sunday, our own,
Almighty and merciful God,
in your goodness take away from us all that is harmful,
so that, made ready both in mind and body,
we may freely accomplish your will.

St. John Bosco took the tiger out of the woods and the woods out of the tiger

You can take the tiger out of the woods, but you can’t take the woods out of the tiger.  While the young can be taken away from dangerous surroundings, there are innate tendencies that will still be a source of temptation.  St. John Bosco is aware of these that is why he took the tiger out of the woods, away from the occasions of sin like places and persons.  Moreover, he tried to take the woods out of the tiger.