Year End Musings

As I sit to write this year’s last letter on a day which many celebrate as Thanksgiving Day, my mind rejoices with the psalmist who says “I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart” (Ps 138:1). Indeed there is so much to praise and thank God for, as we come to the end of this year.

Some interesting thoughts come to mind: For a finite year we thank an infinite God, for a year coming to an end we thank a God who is from everlasting to everlasting (Ps 103:17), as the year becomes ‘old’, our God’s mercies are ever new (Lam 3:23). How blessed we are! Halleluiah!!!

“Behold, I make all things new” (Rev 21:5) our Lord assures us, as we come to the end of the old year. We pray for a renewed heart and renewed spirit (Ps 51:10), a renewed mind (Rom 12:2) and renewed bodies. In addition, this month, we pray for a renewed sense of responsibility as citizens; both as citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20) as well citizens of our planet Earth.

Pope Benedict XVI’s opened this year 2010 by choosing the theme: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation.As we come to the end of this year, it is for each of us, especially those in Mumbai where the Archdiocese has adopted the theme ‘Care for Creation’, to examine our role in this regard. To the 3 Rs of ‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’ our Pope adds a fourth, ‘Respect’.

“Respect for creation is of immense consequence”. Our Pope continues “Man’s inhumanity to man has given rise to numerous threats to peace - wars, acts of terrorism, and violations of human rights. Yet no less troubling are the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural goods that God has given us. For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen “that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying””.

This month as we celebrate the birth of the firstborn of all creation (Col.1:15) we bring to the manger our promise to respect creation. How amazing that He, through whom and for whom all things in heaven and on earth were created (Col.1:16), chose to be born in an ‘eco-friendly’ manner – a cave for his shelter, straw for his bed, animals for company, the night sky with the bright star overhead. May we too uncomplicate our Christmas celebrations.

Santa Claus didn’t die on the cross for us. May we always remember that Jesus is the reason for the season. May we, in this season of giving, celebrate Him who sent us His Son (John 3:16), celebrate Him who emptied Himself (Phil 2:7) and celebrate Him who gives us a variety of gifts (1 Cor 12:4).

O Come let us adore Him. Christ the Lord. Happy Christmas and a Blessed New Year.

The Story of Santa Claus

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. Nicholas’ parents died in an epidemic when he was just a teenager. His parents left him a lot of money which made him a rich young man. He went to live with his uncle who was a priest.

Nicholas heard about a man who had lost all his money in the same village. He had three daughters who were old enough to get married. But in those days young women had to have money in order to get married. This money was a ” dowry” and it was used to help the new family get started. If you didn’t have dowry money, you didn’t get married. This family was so poor they had nothing left to eat. The daughters were going to be sold as slaves because they couldn’t live at home any longer. They were very sad. They wouldn’t be able to have families of their own. And they would have to be slaves—no longer able to decide where they would live or what they would do.

The night before the oldest daughter was to be sold; she washed her stockings and put them in front of the fire to dry. Then all of them went to sleep—the father and the three daughters. In the morning the daughter saw a lump in her stocking. Reaching in, she found a small, heavy bag. It had gold inside! Enough to provide food for the family and money for her dowry. Oh, how happy they were! In the same way Nicolas helped the other two daughters to have joyful future life. Many pictures show him with three golden balls represent three bags of gold that he gave to the impoverished maidens.

Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Nicholas continued helping people. When there wasn’t any food, he found wheat; so no one went hungry. He always helped people in trouble. All his life Nicholas showed people how to love God and care for each other. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian (Roman Emperor from AD 284-305), who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea (in AD 325; the first ecumenical council; called to preserve unity of the church which was threatened by competing definitions of Jesus). He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church.

Through the centuries many stories and legends have been told of St. Nicholas’ life and deeds. These accounts help us understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered as protector and helper of those in need. To this day people say that St. Nicholas, or Santa, is the special friend of children.

The real story of Christmas is the true story of Jesus: God’s one and only and most precious son- the greatest gift anyone could ever receive. Our Heavenly Father is the real giver of gifts and may St Nicholas be an inspiration and wonderful example to all of us for sharing our gifts with less fortunate around us.

Priests: Can we live without them?

Do we know a person who was at our Baptimisal table; at Holy Confession, as celebrant at Holy Mass, as one who conducts the marriage of near and dear ones, present at the anointing of sick and at the last rites of dear ones who have departed from us? Yes you have guessed it right. It is none other than a Priest! A priest is the only person who is with us, in our joyous moments (be it baptism, or marriages) and console us with words of divine strength while we are in sorrows.

Similarly all the sacraments and important elements of our life cannot happen without a Priest. Thus being a catholic our lives are centered around our Shepherds –our priests; who not only nourish us spiritually but also lead us to a Christ centered life.

Last year our Holy Father, Pope Benedict, XVI, announced the special “Year of the Priests” from June 19, 2009 to June 19, 2010. This was an opportunity for every Catholic to reflect upon the importance of the contributions and dedication of our priests, support and encourage the vocation of priesthood, and acknowledge and appreciate the tremendous services they provide to God’s people.

In the Priesthood a priest devotes his life in performing sacred ministries of worshiping God and the salvation of souls. A Priest is ordained to act in the Person of Christ as we seen in 1 Tim 2:5:
“For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and mankind together, the man Christ Jesus”. Thus Christ Jesus is represented or symbolized by an ordained Priest in every important occasions of our life.

The Year of the Priests evoked in us deep admiration for the unique gifts a priest provides to his flock. He represents the Church and reaches out to the people with the good news of God’s love and mercy, helps his congregation grow through worship and helps them explore and strengthen in their faith. The priest is also a leader in the catholic community and providing unstinting support to his people in need.

Following are the important functions of a Priest as a shepherd for his flock:

• Proclaiming the Gospel;
• Remitting sins;
• Celebrate the Eucharist;
• Gathering and leading a community.

The concept of Priesthood implies the notion of sacrifice. And only the Priest who receives the sacrament of Holy Orders is authorized and empowered to stand in the person of Christ in the Eucharistic sacrifice and repeat the words he uttered over the bread and wine as in the night before Jesus died. Only the ministerial Priest consecrates bread and wine and transforms them into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Archbishop Fulton Sheen in his book “The Priest is Not His Own,” narrates us that the priest has the awesome power of taking bread and wine into the Living Flesh and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Priestly Journey
The challenging journey of a Priestly vocation starts in his early days for each candidate. Following stages are common among various religious orders during the formation journey of each Priest. While spending time in seminaries, a person continues to pray and discern God’s will for his vocation to serve Lord Almighty.
Stages; Approx Period*
Minor Seminary / Novitiate 2-3 years In this stage the student in Minor seminary (novice) will learn about himself, Jesus Christ, the Church and the religious society (which he joined) in the secular world through: retreats, community living, pastoral work, prayer and discernment of Spirits etc. Here, he will refine and deepen his initial response to God’s call to the vocation.
Philosophy 3-4 years After the simple perpetual vows, he spends his first year developing his eloquence and skills communication. He then focuses his attention on the study of philosophy - “the science of wisdom”.
Regency 1-2 years The Priestly candidate is missioned to serve in “real life” apostolic situations. While working in a mission/parish, he is given immense opportunities to experience the life of a “fully fledged” Priest - a foretaste of the future.
Theology 4 years The Person studies Scripture, Tradition and teachings of the Church, moral theology etc. He is also trained to preach God’s Word and is exposed to different cultures and realities of the world - he grows in wisdom.
*The no. of years varies depending on the religious congregation the person joins.

The seminarians are ordained at the end of Theology and take the parish responsibilities as per their religious orders. However some religious congregations continue their Tertianship journey as an attempt to integrate the seminarians fully to their religious formation for couple of more years (for example Jesuits continue for approximately 5 yrs).
The priesthood, therefore, is unique institution that Christ Himself established when He ordained the Apostles on the Holy Thursday night. Every priest in the Catholic Church traces his origin to that first ordination by Jesus at the Last Supper. This was further reinforced by the Catechism of the Council of Trent which says “In all ages, priests have been held in the highest honor; yet the priests of the New Testament far exceed all others. For the power of consecrating and offering the Body and Blood of our Lord and of forgiving sins, which has been conferred on them, not only has nothing equal or like it on earth, but even surpasses human reasoning and understanding.”

What are laity responsibilities towards our Ordained Priests?
A Catholic priest as ordained bishop has authority to guide and govern the people of God by the unique authority which they receive in Priestly ordination. Being our spiritual guides and teachers, we laity can support them in our earthly pilgrimage to the eternal life by:

• Praying for our Priests and Spiritual guides;
• Expressing our gratitude by acknowledging and thanking them for all the blessings we received through them;
• Supporting them in their priestly responsibilities and spiritual growth;
• Encouraging youth and our children for the Priestly vocation.

It is worth remembering the words of Pope Pius XII,(”Menti Nostrae”, 1950 A.D.) “The priest in all his activities seeks nothing beyond the good of souls, and looks toward no one but Christ to whom he consecrates his energies and his whole self.” Let us give glowing tributes to our dear Priests during the ‘Year of Priests’ whom lead us to Jesus our Xavier.

The Story behind “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”

A man named Bob May, depressed and brokenhearted, stared out his drafty apartment window into the chilling December night. His 4-year-old daughter Barbara sat on his lap quietly sobbing.

Bobs wife, Evelyn, was dying of cancer.

Little Barbara couldn’t understand why her mommy could never come home. Barbara looked up into her dad’s eyes and asked, “Why isn’t Mommy just like everybody else’s Mommy?” Bob’s jaw tightened and his eyes welled with tears.

Her question brought waves of grief, but also of anger. It had been the story of Bob’s life. Life always had to be different for Bob.

Small when he was a kid, Bob was often bullied by other boys. He was too little at the time to compete in sports. He was often called names he’d rather not remember. From childhood, Bob was different and never seemed to fit in. Bob did complete college, married his loving wife and was grateful to get his job as a copywriter at Montgomery Ward during the Great Depression. Then he was blessed with his little girl. But it was all short-lived. Evelyn’s bout with cancer stripped them of all their s avings and now Bob and his daughter were forced to live in a two-room apartment in the Chicago slums. Evelyn died just days before Christmas in 1938.

Bob struggled to give hope to his child, for whom he couldn’t even afford to buy a Christmas gift. But if he couldn’t buy a gift, he was determined to make one - a storybook! Bob had created a character in his own mind and told the animal’s story to little Barbara to give her comfort and hope. Again and again Bob told the story, embellishing it more with each telling.

Who was the character? What was the story all about? The story Bob May created was his own autobiography in fable form. The character he created was a misfit outcast like he was. The name of the character? A little reindeer named Rudolph, with a big shiny nose.

Bob finished the book just in time to give it to his little girl on Christmas Day. But the story doesn’t end there.

The general manager of Montgomery Ward caught wind of the little storybook and offered Bob May a nominal fee to purchase the rights to print the book. Wards went on to print,_ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer_ and distribute it to children visiting Santa Claus in their stores. By 1946 Wards had printed and distributed more than six million copies of Rudolph. That same year, a major publisher wanted to purchase the rights from Wards to print an updated version of the book.

In an unprecedented gesture of kindness, the CEO of Wards returned all rights back to Bob May. The book became a best seller. Many toy and marketing deals followed and Bob May, now remarried with a growing family, became wealthy from the story he created to comfort his grieving daughter. But the story doesn’t end there either.

Bob’s brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, made a song adaptation to Rudolph. Though the song was turned down by such popular vocalists as Bing Crosby and Dinah Shore, it was recorded by the singing cowboy, Gene Autry. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was released in 1949 and became a phenomenal success, selling more records than any other Christmas song, with the exception of “White Christmas.”

The gift of love that Bob May created for his daughter so long ago kept on returning back to bless him again and again. And Bob May learned the lesson, just like his dear friend Rudolph, that being different isn’t so bad In fact, being different can be a blessing.

The fact checking website Truth or Fiction.com, verifies the above story as being the truth!

The popular Christmas story of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” was written by Robert L. May in 1939. According to editorial reviews at both the Amazon and Barnes and Nobel web sites, the book was written at the request of May’s employer, Montgomery Ward & Co. for a give away promotion, That year Montgomery Wards department stores distributed 2,400,000 copies of the book .

Various biographies on the internet confirm that May had a wife, Evelyn, who died in 1938 and say that he created the character of Rudolf to bring hope and comfort to his grieving daughter, Barbara.

The story of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer has been released world wide in twenty-five languages.

In 1949 Johnny Marks, May’s brother-in-law, adapted the story to music and Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer was immortalized by singing cowboy star, Gene Autry (see cover in picture above). Over two million copies of the recording sold.

December 2010

Would you please join us in saying just a one line prayer, every day of the month? Each prayer here is backed up 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

Wed

1/12/2010
Luke 2:7And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn

This month we travel to the manger and meditate on how the Lord of all creation chose to be born in the midst of creation, a cave for His home, the warmth of the animals to keep away the cold, a manger for His crib. Let us ask Him to give us the grace to forsake greed and wisdom to overcome our selfish attitude, causing the present perils of global warming and disruption in global climate conditions
Thu

2/12/2010
Luke 2:14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased

Let our Christmas celebrations be one where we open our festivities to the Prince of Peace – Christ our Lord. May we put Christ back into our celebration giving Him all the glory, honour and praise that is due to Him and Him alone. As we pray, ‘Come, Lord Jesus and fill my heart with Your peace’, let us pray specially for our Catholic Gymkhanas and other organizations that plan events and activities this festive season, that the focus is on Jesus rather than fun and revelry which could lead many, specially our youth, into sin
Fri

3/12/2010
Matt 16:26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life

Feast of St. Francis Xavier, principal patron of our Archdiocese. Through his intercession, may the Church see her role as proclaimer of the Good News to unbelievers in word and deed,that the Gospel be relevant to those seeking the truth. We pray for misguided youth focussed on making money and career their god; may the truth set them free. We also pray for boldness, wisdom, discernment and compassion for all those involved in the Proclamation Outreach praying with non-Christians every Sunday at Mt Mary’s Basilica, Bandra
Sat

4/12/2010
Rom 8:22 We know that the whole creation is groaning in travail together until now

Pope Benedict XVI’s theme for World Day of Peace was: If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation. Let us pray that we take the Pope’s message to heart: ‘Respect for creation is of immense consequence, not least because ‘creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works’, and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind’ and pray that all men may become sensitive to the threats arising from the neglect – if not downright misuse – of the earth and the natural resources God has given us
Sun

5/12/2010
Rom 8:21 Because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God

Second Sunday of Advent. We lift up to God the degradation of the environment by some groups of peoples who exploit the environment; may we as Christians reflect today on the message of our Pope on World Peace Day - For this reason, it is imperative that mankind renew and strengthen ‘that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the creative love of God, from whom we come and towards whom we are journeying’, and pray that as we protect the environment it reflects our love for the Creator who we will meet one day
Mon

6/12/2010
Psalm 68:5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling

Feast of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him; through his intercession we pray that God gives us a generous heart this season and always, to reach out to widows/orphans and those in need, bringing cheer to their lives. May we always remember that ‘God loves a cheerful giver’.
Tue

7/12/2010
Rom 8:19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God

In his Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict XVI notes that integral human development is closely linked to the obligations which flow from man’s relationship with the natural environment. Let us pray that world leaders and policy makers from every nation may see the environment as God’s gift to all people, and that the policies they make benefit all men especially the poor, knowing the responsibility they have as stewards of natural resources which are to be shared with all humanity, especially the poor, and future generations
Wed

8/12/2010
Luke 1:48 For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed

Feast of the Immaculate Conception - In the Apostolic Constitution ‘Ineffabilis Deus’ of 8 December, 1854, Pius IX pronounced that the Blessed Virgin Mary ‘in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the human race, was preserved exempt from all stain of original sin’. We pray we too, by grace, may be kept from sin now and at the hour of our death. Pray that those who are ensnared in sin and vice may experience the liberating love of Jesus
Thu

9/12/2010
Luke 1:50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation

” I am your merciful mother, the merciful mother of all of you who live united in this land, and of all mankind, of all those who love me , of those who cry to me, of those who seek me, of those who have confidence in me.” Feast of St. John Diego, to whom our Lady appeared in Mexico City as Our Lady of Guadalupe. Her apparition was the turning point in the Americas where thousand upon thousand were baptised and came to the knowledge of Jesus. Through her intercession, we pray for our city to experience the saving power of the Gospel and come to the knowledge of Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Fri

10/12/2010
Ps 8:4-5 When I look at your heavens, the work of your hands, the moon and the stars which you have established; what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him

Contemplating the beauty of creation inspires us to recognize the love of the Creator that Love which ‘moves the sun and the other stars’ – extract from the message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the World Day of Peace. Let us pray for atheists, especially among the intelligentsia, that as they behold creation, they may recognize God as the author of it all.
Sat

11/12/2010
Col 1:5 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation

We pray for all those displaced, those people who are forced by the degradation of their natural habitat to forsake it – and often their possessions as well – in order to face the dangers and uncertainties of forced displacement. Many have become ‘environmental refugees’; may we not close our eyes to their plight but join hands with those engaged in fighting these human rights issues, so that the rights of the affected people may not be trampled upon. Let us rise in prayer and action
Sun

12/12/2010
Isa 9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined

Third Sunday of Advent. Also the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of America. In 1531, a ‘Lady from Heaven’ appeared to a humble Native American at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of what is now Mexico City. Through her intercession we pray for the youth of America that they may be enlightened, be saved from the ills and excesses of their culture and offer their lives in the service of the church. Pray for the leadership in America that they lead the developed economies, by example, in reducing their carbon footprint and emissions
Mon

13/12/2010
Isaiah 58: 10 If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness

We lift up the ‘Inner Healing Ministry’ and the ‘Joyful Noise’ ministry helping many to be free from various types of bondage and darkness; may God grant grace and protection to the ministry members
Tue

14/12/2009
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse

(Source:LINK) What happens to your plastic bags and your disposable coffee mugs, mug caps, disposable forks, knives, spoons, plates, boxes and all the other plastic that you throw away on a daily basis? Consider these statistics: Over time they break down into smaller, more toxic petro-polymers (CNN). Some end up in land fills. Plastic bags find their way into the sea via sewage pipes, choke and kill coral reefs by blocking sunlight, birds become terminally entangled (World Wildlife Fund), Plastic bags account for over 10% of the debris washed up on the Coastline. Pray that God would enlighten our hearts and minds to use items that need not be discarded on a daily basis, but those that can be re-used repeatedly. Lord begin with me
Wed

15/12/2010
Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them

Biblical Revelation made us see that nature is a gift of the Creator, who gave it an inbuilt order and enabled man to draw from it the principles needed to ‘till it and keep it’ - Extract from the message of his holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the world day of peace 1 January 2010. Let us pray that man would act as God’s co-worker rather than setting himself up in place of God, thus ending up provoking a rebellion on the part of nature, and thus bearing its adverse consequences. Let us also pray that we would exercise responsible stewardship over creation, to care for it and to cultivate it
Thu

16/12/2010
Gen 1:31a And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good

The Church has a responsibility towards creation, and she considers it her duty to exercise that responsibility in public life, in order to protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator meant for everyone, and above all to save mankind from the danger of self-destruction - Extract from the message of his holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the celebration of the world day of peace 1 January 2010. Pray that those in authority in our communities may be torchbearers giving us an example by leading the way and helping our young people be good stewards of creation
Fri

17/12/2010
Gen 2:19 So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name

In fast lift up the FBB and the members of the Sanctuary Intercessors for protection from every evil force, pray for the world wide ministry of the FBB operating in many countries, that God would raise up many intercessors for the church and that all provisions and needs be met
Sat

18/12/2010
Matt 25:36b I was sick and you visited me

We lift up the sick, lonely and home bound members of our community; during the festive season may they feel the presence of God as we visit and reach out to them. Pray especially for those who have lost a loved one and will feel the deepest pain at Christmas time
Sun

19/12/2010
Matt 25:45 Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me

Fourth Sunday of Advent. For all the times that we have ignored Christ in our brethren rising out of selfishness and hurt, we pray for those of us who find it difficult to forgive, that God’s mercy and the grace of the Holy Spirit may lead us, during this season of peace and goodwill, to break dividing walls and mend relationships even if it means dying to oneself and saying sorry
Mon

20/12/2010
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth

Pray that the light of God would expose scams in our city where there is corruption and also nexus between builders and politicians
Tue

21/12/2010
Gen 1: 3 And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light

Today let us thank God for the light we enjoy each day, that we might behold and cherish all of His creation
Wed

22/12/2010
Gen 1:10a God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas

Give glory and praise to God for all of His creation, the beautiful planet earth we live in and the water and air that He provides for us
Thu

23/12/2010
Gen 1:12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit

Today thank God for the provision He has made for the earth to bear the different fruits we enjoy and the crops that form our daily bread
Fri

24/12/2010
Gen 1:20 And God said, let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens

Glorify the Lord for the beauty of the different varieties of birds and fishes each with a different colour and beauty that He has made
Sat

25/12/2010
Luke 2:19 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them

Nativity of our Lord. This Christmas, like the shepherds who on receiving the good news went to worship Him, may we too find time from the hustle and bustle of the day and spend time worshiping and adoring our Lord incarnate, who is the TRUE and ONLY ‘reason for the season’. May we cherish the gift of family today
Sun

26/12/2010
Luke 2:33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him

Feast of the Holy Family. We pray that truly the Holy Spirit will reign in our homes and that rooted and grounded in love and strengthened on the Word and Sacraments, our families will grow strong in the One who saved us. Let us tell our loved ones today, ‘I appreciate you’
Mon

27/12/2010
John 20:8 Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed

Feast of St John, Apostle and Evangelist. Through his intercession, we pray for a personal encounter of each Christian with Christ this Christmas time. May we encounter Him in the silence of our hearts as well as in sharing our festive joy with the least, the last and the lost
Tue

28/12/2010
Mt 2:18 A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children;… because they were no more

Feast of the Holy Innocents. We pray for the unborn child, the voiceless and most innocent victim in today’s world, that all those in the ‘abortion industry’ may be convicted by Christ about their wrongdoings and may they find mercy in Him. Pray for the persecuted Church.
Wed

29/12/2010
Luke 2:27 The parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him what was customary under the law

Pray for the grace for families to make a resolution to commit time for family prayer in the new year. May the Holy Spirit empower them
Thu

30/12/2010
Luke 2:40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him

Pray for grace for those, especially youth, resolving to give up evil habits/addictions in the new year. May the Holy Spirit empower them
Fri

31/12/2010
Psalm 106:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever

As we complete this year with its ups and downs, one thing is constant – the steadfast love of the Lord. Let us pray ‘Thank You Lord’ and always have a heart of praise as we welcome the Lord of Eternity into this New Year and always. Maranatha. Come Lord Jesus, Come!

Holy Father’s Intentions for the Month (Pray for these intentions daily)
General Intention:That our experience of suffering may help us better understand the pain of the many people who are alone, sick or aged, and stir us to generous help.

Missionary Intention: That the peoples of the earth may open their doors to Christ and to his gospel of peace, brotherhood, and justice.

—
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.