Jesus is Alive. Need Proof?

I’m just back from a Special English Growth Retreat held at Tabor. The last Growth Retreat was held about a month ago.

It was during that retreat, on the 27th of August, to be precise, that a miracle took place during the Holy Mass.

It was a Holy Mass being concelebrated by one of the resident priests, Fr. Joby and by Fr. Anto, a priest who happened to be attending the retreat that week.

During the Epiclesis (part of the prayer of consecration), Fr. Joby noticed that there was suddenly many drops of water and blood falling on the altar cloth. He immediately announced to the congregation that Jesus was pouring out His Blood and Water and continued with the Holy Mass.

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How to come out of a Spiritual Downward Spiral

The beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11–32) opens our eyes towards not only the immense, unconditional & everlasting love of the Father for us - but also to the fact that nothing - no sin - can ever separate us from this love of His (Romans 8:38-39)

Recently I worked myself a disastrously deep pit and I subsequently found myself spiritually spiralling downwards.I knew all the answers, knew exactly what to do to get out of it – indeed I had even counseled so many people in similar situations – and yet, I was falling. And, faster than I knew what to do about it.

The months that passed by saw me attempt so many things to reconnect with God but somehow despite everything I did, nothing seemed to be working.Deep down inside though, I knew what needed to be done.

I had been locked into a situation I did not know how to get out of. Time & time again, I heard the Lord saying to me, “Walk in the Light”, but the light seemed out of my reach.

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A Fattened Calf for me.

To all that come by here every month, to all that I’ve preached retreats to, to all my family, to all my friends, to even the stranger-friend who lands here just ‘by chance’…

I write this months column with the hands of a child who has walked to the ends of the earth and who has come back to the loving hands of an ever forgiving unconditionally loving Father.

I started this year off with a simple prayer for me and for everyone I knew “Lord, may we get closer to You this year”.

This prayer meant a lot of me especially since this year I would celebrate 10 years of being born again of the Spirit (April 25th 1996 - 2006).

And yet - the year turned out to be the very worst year I have experienced since meeting the Lord.

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Glorify God in Your Body

Since this site is dedicated to Glorifying God in everything we do, instead of writing this month’s column, below is a sermon by Cardinal Justin Rigali on this topic. You can read more of his columns (& access lots more resources) at The Catholic Standard and Times.

I have also introduced a (permanent) link on the left column to Setting Captives Free, an online resource center where one can enroll for very pratical and biblical courses on how to permanently break free out of a variety of bondages.

I encourage everyone who desires to walk in the light to do a course relevant to your need and make a serious attempt with the grace of God to glorify God in your thoughts, body and every action.

Blessings,

Melody

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My Invisible Tattoo

For a long time I’ve wanted to get a tattoo. The only thing that stopped me was that I was not sure it was “alright” with God.

After searching online, I found out that most people must be equally confused because there are a lot of Christians who say it’s ok among the many who say it’s not.

When it came down to me, I put my faith in the Bible - Leviticus 19:28 - that says “Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.”

This however doesn’t seem to be enough for all Christians. Many seem to think that because it’s ‘Old Testament’ it somehow excuses them from following it.

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He Understands

Last week as I sat with my one of my closest friends & confidants, Janice, I felt the need to ask her for prayers for a particular issue I was facing. The two of us sat together in her living room & the Presence of the Lord came upon us mightily.

Tears started flowing in steady stream, actually surprising me because I too did not realize the amount of hurt I had been carrying inside. And the Lord was whispering words clearly to me in my ears, only to have them voiced out by Jan in her vocal prayers. So great & so tangible was His Presence that night in our midst.. “Where two or three are gathered in My Name.”

Among the many prayers, nothing touched me more than this one little line she prayed: “Jesus, You understand exactly what Mell is going through; You feel every bit of pain that she feels”

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‘Having it All’ = Having Jesus

This month opened with every newspaper in India headlining the suicide of television actress/model Kuljeet Randhawa.

Kuljeet was on her way to making it “big” in Indian television with lead roles in several serials. She was beautiful. She had money, fame & popularity. At the tender age of 30, Kuljeet had already achieved quite a bit of what the world terms “success”.

When ex-Miss India/model/actress Nafisa Joseph committed suicide in the same manner two years ago, people asked the same question they’re asking now -

“Why would she, who had it all, do this?”

Media and society - indeed, the world in general - teaches us that beauty, wealth, fame & popularity are to be sought after - ‘If we gain these, then we will be happy’

The Bible offers us very different answers on how to be happy.

For starters, it doesn’t condemn all the things of the world. These things (like money, beauty, fame etc) can be enjoyed by man and in fact will be given to man by God if we seek first His kingdom.

The problem is that we buy into the lies of the world that we can achieve happiness without God, if we have these things. The truth is that without God, we will never be happy.

The Bible tells us in John 15 that apart from Jesus we can do nothing, we have nothing.

It is only in knowing the one true trinitarian God - Father, Son & Spirit -that we will truly be happy.

Knowing God will enable us to use the things the world has to offer rightly and hence derive happiness from them.

For example; for those with God, money can be used for the welfare of others besides self & the result is true happiness. For those without God, no amount of money satisfies, the result is a greed for ‘more’.

I wish to say at this point, that no one can or should judge Kuljeet or Nafisa - judging them would be a sin.

I only use their premature deaths as an example to drive home the fact that there is more to happiness than what the world tells us.

There is a hymn which states:

I could wish you joy and peace.
To last a whole life long.
I could wish you sunshine.
Or a cheerful little song
Or wish you all the happiness.
That this life could bring.
But I wish You Jesus, more than anything.
I could wish you leaves of gold.
And may your path be smooth.
I could wish you treasures.
Or that all your dreams come true.
And I could wish you paradise.
That every day be spring.
But I wish You Jesus, more than anything.
‘Cause when I wish you Jesus,
I’ve wished you everything.

My wish and prayer for everyone who reads this, as well as everyone who seeks happiness is:

“May you have Jesus, because apart from Him we have nothing and in Him alone you will have everything”. Amen.

Be happy and be blessed in Jesus.

New Resolutions this New Year

At the end of a year people get retrospective about the year gone by and many look back and realise that they haven’t achieved as much as they would have liked to or done the things they wanted to.

It causes most people start the New Year full of good resolutions; resolutions to pray more or to see more of the world or to spend more time with loved ones.

Fear also plays a big part about making new resolutions. The fear for one’s physical, mental, emotional & spiritual health cause people to make resolutions to stop smoking or drinking, to take an exercise class, to read new books, to give up a bad relationship or to try get closer to God.

For most people however, New Year’s resolutions as we know it, rarely make it through the month of January. They are either abandoned as “impossible” or “given up until later date” or plain forgotten.

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Persevere!

A while ago a young boy, who had attended a retreat I preached, approached me and said, “I know what your favorite word is!”

“And what would that be?” I asked him, smiling in my head at this boy who seemed so confidant.

“Persevere”

He was right! ‘Persevere’ would definitely be on my list of favorite words, if indeed such a list existed.

The reason is simple - I myself have had many troubles walking the Christian walk. Many times I have labeled myself a failure. But through God’s mercy & grace, I have been able to persevere and try once again.

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Trust in the Lord!

Four days ago, as I sat before the Blessed Sacrament praying, I felt the Lord telling me “Tell ‘X’ that I love him very much”.

‘X’ happens to be someone I knew - a gentleman, early sixties. Recently after retirement he started attending Holy Mass daily. Though I never would label him the ‘religious’ kind, it pleased me more & more to see him at daily Mass & once or twice I’ve even spotted him before the Blessed Sacrament.

Nevertheless, when the Lord said these words to me, I was a little hesitant. ‘X’ was not in the renewal & would wonder what was wrong with me… surely he’d think I was mad!

Still, that evening I looked out for him after Holy Mass & was a bit relieved he was not there. The whole thing soon slipped out of my mind.

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