THE WORK OF DARKNESS

Romans 13:12-13 “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light, Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy”.  We see that drunkenness is listed along with lust. Bible tells us that it is the work of darkness, and hence it is the work of Satan.

THE WORK OF FLESH               

Galatians 5:19-21 “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, [fn] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, [fn] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Again we see that Drunkenness is considered as the work of flesh. We read in Romans 8:8 “So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God”.

THEY SHALL NOT INHERIT HEAVEN

 Galatians 5:21 “Just as I also told [you] in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Also in 1 Corinth 6:10 “nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revelers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God”. There is no element of doubt here. The Bible very clearly warns that those who are in bondage of alcohol will not inherit the kingdom of God.

  SPIRIT OF DRUNKENNESS

Hosea 5:4 “They do not direct their deeds toward turning to their God, For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst, And they do not know the LORD”. If the spirit of harlotry is present in a harlot, then the spirit or demon of alcohol is present in an alcoholic as well. So when you reject the holy Spirit and be addicted to alcohol your body becomes the dwelling place of demons.

        TWISTING OF WORD

2 Peter 3:16 “as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable [people] twist to their own destruction, as [they do] also the rest of the Scriptures”. Here St Peter tells us that the things which St Paul has written according to the wisdom given to him has been twisted by people for their own personal benefits and enjoyment. Hence the Bible never ever promotes alcoholism in any ways.

 BE BLAMELESS BEFORE GOD 

2 Peter 3:14 “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless” Yes the Bible want us to be aware of these things and it’s the lords wish that we be blameless on this issue.

                                                                             PRAYER   

Oh Heavenly father, I thank you for this gift of life you have graciously given me. Father I am stumbled on to alcoholism and cannot restrain myself from its addiction. I now look upon your mercy and grace. Loving Jesus, I believe that your precious blood can save me from this sin. Please pour your precious blood on this sinner, make me whole and remove this bondage from me and my family. Give me the grace to live in you and to live a very holy life. Thank you lord for hearing my prayer. Amen.

Lord God, I thank you today for the gift of my life, and for the lives of all my brothers and sisters. I know there is nothing that destroys more life than abortion, yet I rejoice that You have conquered death by the Resurrection of Your Son. I am ready to do my part in ending abortion. Today I commit myself NEVER to be silent, NEVER to be passive, NEVER to be forgetful of the unborn. I commit myself to be active in the pro-life movement, and never to stop defending life until all my brothers and sisters are protected, and our nation once again becomes a nation with liberty and justice not just for some, but for all, through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Dear Brother & Sisters, You can do your part to save the life of these innocent babies who are murdered in their mother womb. I would like to introduce to you ” 40 days for life” . I came across this wonderful community based campaign that draws attention to the evil of abortion through the use of three point program, 1) Prayer & fasting 2) Constant Vigil 3) Community Outreach. Shown below is the link to their website. Remember just by sharing this info to others, you are doing your part to bring this evil to an end. Come on saints act now…

40 days for life –   www.40daysforlife.com

  God Bless you All…

   Mental Disorder / Emotional Instability.

If a family have repeated history of people with mental sickness, if it is a thing that recurs frequently in a family then it said to be in bondage and the family is for sure under a curse. Emotional instability or Confusion and depression are two key indicators of this family curse.

Hereditary Family Sickness.

All Sickness are not demonic. But Certain types of sickness are hereditary and passed on  from generation to generation. This is an indication of curse operating in the family.

Barrenness / Impotence etc.

In Genesis we see that God bless Adam & Eve to be fruitful and multiply. If there is something that blocks this blessing, then it’s a bondage. If there are many in the family with the same problem, then it is surely a curse.

Breakdown of Family / Marriage.

This curse operates in family in many ways, when there is divorce, when there is fighting within family, fighting among relatives etc. God wants us to stay united. Any thing that brings division is not from God. God Blessed man and woman to be together. Divorce rates and the number of fatherless children are very large in number in certain countries. They are for sure living in bondage of this curse.

Financial Instability.

We hear some people say about their financial crisis. It’s about the crisis that has been going on from generation to generation. Example an agricultural land supposed to give good yields, continuously being destroyed by pests or some nature forces. Here we see there is financial bondage’s in the family.

History of Unnatural death, Suicides, Being accident prone.

There are situations where we see suicides or unnatural deaths in a family. Or there are people who have unusual number of strange accidents. These also are signs of evil forces and curses operating in the family.

Galatians 3:13
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

Jesus Christ has taken our curse and sets us free from the bondage’s of sin. All we have to do is call upon his name and be washed in the precious blood of the lord. Every generational Curse will be broken by the power and authority of his name. Remember the most important thing is in identifying if these forces are operating in your life and breaking its influence in the name of Jesus. God Bless. 

   Saint Gerard Majella is the  saint whose intercession is requested for children (and unborn children in particular), childbirth, mothers (and expectant mothers in particular), motherhood, falsely accused people. He was beatified in Rome on January 29, 1893, by Pope Leo XIII. He was canonised less than twelve years later on December 11, 1904, by Pope Saint Pius X. 

Prayer

O great Saint Gerard, beloved servant of Jesus Christ, perfect imitator of thy meek and humble Savior, and devoted child of the Mother of God, enkindle within my heart one spark of that heavenly fire of charity which glowed in thee and made thee a seraph of love.

O glorious Saint Gerard, because when falsely accused of crime, thou didst bear, like thy Divine Master, without murmur or complaint, the calumnies of wicked men, thou hast been raised up by God as the patron and protector of expectant mothers. Preserve me from danger and from the excessive pains accompanying childbirth, and shield the child which I now carry, that it may see the light of day and receive the the purifying and life giving waters of baptism, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today, very little is taught in regular catechism classes about Purgatory, about the suffering that the Poor Souls experience in order to be completely purified to be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Yet Purgatory does exist, and the sufferings that the Poor Souls experience there are real.

Since 1940 (she was then aged 25), a privileged soul, named Maria Simma, has had regular visits from the souls in Purgatory to explain their sufferings and to ask for prayers and Masses to be released from Purgatory. Her local Bishop and parish priest told her she could make known these visitations as long as there were no theological errors. 

 The following are excerpts from the interview of Sister Emmanuel of Medjugorje with Maria Simma, taken from a booklet entitled: The Amazing Secret of the Souls in Purgat0ry, Published by Queenship Publishing Co., P.O. Box 220, Goleta, CA 93116, USA (Phone 800-647-9882, Fax: 805-967-5843):

(Note: Maria Simma died on March 16, 2004, in Sonntag, at the age of 89.)

Maria, can you tell us how you were visited for the first time by a soul in Purgatory?

Yes, it was in 1940. One night, around 3 or 4  o’clock in the morning, I heard someone coming into my bedroom… I saw a complete stranger. He walked back and forth slowly. I said to him severely: “How did you get in here? Go away!” But he continued to walk impatiently around the bedroom as if he hadn’t heard. So I asked him again: “What are you doing?” But as he still didn’t answer, I jumped out of bed and tried to grab him, but I grasped only air. There was nothing there. So I went back to bed, but again I heard him pacing back and forth.

I wondered how I could see this man, but I couldn’t grab him. I rose again to hold onto him and to stop him from walking around; again, I grasped only emptiness. Puzzled, I went back to bed. He didn’t come back, but I couldn’t get back to sleep. The next day, after Mass, I went to see my spiritual director and told him everything. He told me that if this should happen again, I shouldn’t ask, “Who are you?” but “What do you want from me?”

The following night, the man returned. I asked him: “What do you want from me?” He replied: “Have three Masses celebrated for me, and I will be delivered.”

So I understood that it was a soul in Purgatory. My spiritual director confirmed this. He also advised me never to turn away the poor souls, but to accept with generosity whatever they asked of me.

And afterwards, the visits continued?

Yes. For several years, there were only three or four souls, above all in November. Afterwards, there were more.

What do these souls ask of you?

In most cases, they ask to have Masses celebrated and that one be present at these Masses. They ask to have the Rosary said and also that one make the Stations of the Cross.

Maria, do the souls in Purgatory have, nevertheless, joy and hope in the midst of their suffering?

Yes. No soul would want to come back from Purgatory to the earth. They have knowledge which is infinitely beyond ours. They just could not decide to return to darkness of the earth. Here we see the difference from the suffering that we know on earth. In Purgatory, even if the pain of the soul is just terrible, there is the certitude of living forever with God. It’s an unshakeable certitude. The joy is greater than the pain. There is nothing on earth which could make them want to live here again, where one is never sure of anything.

Maria, can you tell us now if it is God who sends a soul into Purgatory, or if the soul itself decides to go there?

It is the soul itself which wants to go to Purgatory, in order to be pure before going to Heaven.

Maria, at the moment of death, does one see God in full light or in an obscure manner?

In a manner still obscure, but, all the same, in such brightness that this is enough to cause great longing.

Maria, can you tell us what the role of Our Lady is with the souls in Purgatory?

She comes often to console them and to tell them they have done many good things. She encourages them.

Are there any days in particular on which She delivers them?

Above all, Christmas Day, All Saints Day, Good Friday, the Feast of the Assumption, and the Ascension of Jesus.

Charity covers a multitude of sins

Maria, why does one go to Purgatory? What are the sins which most lead to Purgatory?

Sins against charity, against the love of one’s neighbor, hardness of heart, hostility, slandering, calumny — all these things.

Here, Maria gives us an example which really struck her which I would like to share with you. She had been asked to find out if a woman and a man were in Purgatory. To the great astonishment of those who had asked, the woman was already in Heaven and the man was in Purgatory. In fact, this woman had died while undergoing an abortion, whereas the man often went to church and apparently led a worthy, devout life.

So Maria searched for more information, thinking she’d been mistaken — but no, it was true. They had died at practically the same moment, but the woman had experienced deep repentance, and was very humble, whereas the man criticized everyone; he was always complaining and saying bad things about others. This is why his Purgatory lasted so long. And Maria concluded: ”We mustn’t judge on appearances.”

Other sins against charity are all our rejections of certain people we do not like, our refusals to make peace, our refusals to forgive, and all the bitterness we store inside.

Maria also illustrated this point with another example which gave us food for thought. It’s the story of a woman she knew very well. This lady died and was in Purgatory, in the most terrible Purgatory, with the most atrocious sufferings. And when she came to see Maria, she explained why.

She had a female friend. Between them rose a great enmity, caused by herself. She had maintained this enmity for years and years, even though her friend had many times asked for peace, for reconciliation. But each time, she refused. When she fell gravely ill, she continued to close her heart, to refuse the reconciliation offered by her friend, right up to her deathbed.

Maria, please tell us: who are those who have the greatest chance of going straight to Heaven?

Those who have a good heart towards everyone. Love covers a multitude of sins.

What are the means which we can take on earth to avoid Purgatory and go straight to Heaven?

We must do a great deal for the souls in Purgatory, for they help us in their turn. We must have much humility. This is the greatest weapon against evil, against the Evil One. Humility drives evil away.

Maria, can you now tell us what are the most effective means to help deliver the souls in Purgatory?

The most efficient means is the Mass.

Why the Mass?

Because it is Christ who offers Himself out of love for us. It is the offering of Christ Himself to God, the most beautiful offering. The priest is God’s representative, but it is God Himself who offers Himself and sacrifices Himself for us. The efficacy of the Mass for the deceased is even greater for those who attached great value to the Mass during their lives. If they attended Mass and prayed with all their hearts, if they went to Mass on weekdays — according to their time available — they drew great profit from Masses celebrated for them. Here, too, one harvests what one has sown.

 A soul in Purgatory sees very clearly on the day of his funeral if we really pray for him, or if we have simply made an act of presence to show we were there. The poor souls say that tears are no good for them: only prayer! Often they complain that people go to a funeral without addressing a single prayer to God, while shedding many tears; this is useless.

There is another means, very powerful, to help the poor souls: the offering of our sufferings, our penances, such as fasting, renunciations, etc., — and of course, involuntary suffering, like illness or mourning.

Maria, you have been invited many times to suffer for the poor souls, in order to deliver them. Can you tell us what you have experienced and undergone during these times?

The first time, a soul asked me if I wouldn’t mind suffering for three hours in my body for her, and that afterwards I could resume working. I said to myself: “If it will all be over after three hours, I could accept it.” During those three hours, I had the impression that it lasted three days, it was so painful. But at the end, I looked at my watch, and I saw that it had only lasted three hours. The soul told me that by accepting that suffering with love for three hours, I had saved her twenty years of Purgatory!

Yes, but why did you suffer for only three hours to avoid twenty years of Purgatory? What did your sufferings have that was worth more?

It is because suffering on earth does not have the same value. On earth, when we suffer, we can grow in love, we can gain merits, which is not the case with the sufferings in Purgatory. In Purgatory, the sufferings serve only to purify us from sin. On earth, we have all the graces. We have the freedom to choose.

All of this is so encouraging because it gives an extraordinary meaning to our sufferings. The suffering which is offered, voluntary or involuntary, even the smallest sacrifices we can make, suffering or sickness, mourning, disappointments… if we live them with patience, if we welcome them in humility, these sufferings can have an unheard-of power to help souls.

The best thing to do, Maria tells us, is to unite our sufferings to those of Jesus, by placing them in the hands of Mary. She is the one who knows best how to use them, since often we ourselves do not know the most urgent needs around us. All this, of course, Mary will give back to us at the hour of our death. You see, these sufferings offered will be our most precious treasures in the other world. We must remind each other of this and encourage each other when we suffer.

Let me add something important: the souls in Purgatory can no longer do anything for themselves; they are totally helpless. If the living do not pray for them; they are totally abandoned. Therefore, it is very important to realize the immense power, the incredible power that each one of us has in our hands to relieve these souls who suffer.

We wouldn’t think twice about helping a child who has fallen in front of us from a tree, and who had broken his bones. Of course, we would do everything for him! So, in the same way, we should take great care of these souls who expect everything from us, attentive to the slightest offering, hopeful for the least of our prayers, to relieve them from their pain. And it might be the finest way to practice charity.

Maria, why can one no longer gain merits in Purgatory, when one can on earth?

Because at the moment of death, the time to earn merits is over. For as long as we are living on earth, we can repair the evil we have done. The souls in Purgatory envy us of this opportunity. Even the angels are jealous of us, for we have the possibility of growing for as long as we are on earth.

But often, the suffering in our lives leads us to rebellion, and we have great difficulty in accepting and living it. How can we live suffering so that it bears fruit?

Sufferings are the greatest proof of the love of God, and if we offer them well, they can win many souls.

But how can we welcome suffering as a gift, and not as a punishment (as we often do), as a chastisement?

We must give everything to Our Lady. She is the one who knows best who needs such and such an offering in order to be saved.

We should not always consider sufferings as a punishment. It can be accepted as expiation not only for ourselves, but above all for others. Christ was innocence itself, and He suffered the most for the expiation of our sins. Only in Heaven will we know all that we have obtained by suffering with patience in union with the sufferings of Christ.

Maria, do the souls in Purgatory rebel when faced with their suffering?

No! They want to purify themselves; they understand that it is necessary.

What is the role of contrition or repentance at the moment of death?

Contrition is very important. The sins are forgiven, in any case, but there remains the consequences of sins. If one wishes to receive a full indulgence at the moment of death — that means going straight to Heaven — the soul has to be free from all attachment.

Maria, I would like to ask you: at the moment of death, is there a time in which the soul still has the chance to turn towards God, even after a sinful life, before entering into eternity — a time, if you like, between apparent death and real death?

Yes, yes! The Lord gives several minutes to each one in order to regret his sins and to decide: I accept, or I do not accept to go and see God. Then we see a film of our lives.

I knew a man who believed in the Church’s teachings, but not in eternal life. One day, he fell gravely ill and slid into a coma. He saw himself in a room with a board on which all his deeds were written, the good and the bad. Then the board disappeared as well as the walls of the room, and it was infinitely beautiful. Then he woke up from his coma, and decided to change his life.

Maria, does the devil have permission to attack us at the moment of death?

Yes, but man also has the grace to resist him, to push him away. So, if man does not want anything to do with him, the devil can do nothing.

Maria, what advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a saint here on earth?

Be very humble. We must not be occupied with ourselves. Pride is evil’s greatest trap.

Maria, please tell us: can one ask the Lord to do one’s Purgatory on earth, in order not to have to do it after death?

Yes. I knew a priest and a young woman who were both ill with tuberculosis in the hospital. The young woman said to the priest: “Let’s ask the Lord to be able to suffer on earth as much as necessary in order to go straight to Heaven.” The priest replied that he himself didn’t dare to ask for this. Nearby was a religious sister who had overheard the whole conversation. The young woman died first, the priest died later, and he appeared to the sister, saying: “If only I had the same trust as the young woman, I too would have gone straight to Heaven.”

Maria, are there different degrees in Purgatory?

Yes, there is a great difference of degree of moral suffering. Each soul has a unique suffering, particular to it; there are many degrees.

Maria, are the sufferings in Purgatory more painful than the most painful sufferings on earth?

Yes, but in a symbolic way. It hurts more in the soul.

Maria, you know, many people today believe in reincarnation. What do the souls tell you concerning this subject?

The souls say that God gives only one life.

But some would say that just one life is not enough to know God and to have the time to be really converted, that it isn’t fair. What would you reply to them?

All people have an interior Faith (conscience); even if they do not practice, they recognize God implicitly. Someone who does not believe — that doesn’t exist! Each soul has a conscience to recognize good and evil, a conscience given by God, an inner knowledge — in different degrees, of course, but each one knows how to discern good from evil. With this conscience, each soul can become blessed.

What happens to people who have committed suicide? Have you ever been visited by these people?

Up to now, I have never encountered the case of a suicide who was lost — this doesn’t mean, of course, that doesn’t exist — but often, the souls tell me that the most guilty were those around them, when they were negligent or spread calumny.

At this moment, I asked Maria if the souls regretted having committed suicide. She answered yes. Often, suicide is due to illness. These souls do regret their act because, as they see things in the light of God, they understand instantly all the graces that were in store for them during the time remaining for them to live — and they do see this time which remained for them, sometimes months or years —– and they also see all the souls they could have helped by offering the rest of their lives to God. In the end, what hurts them most is to see the good that they could have done but didn’t, because they shortened their lives. But when the cause is illness, the Lord takes this into account, of course.

Are there priests in Purgatory?

Yes, there are many. They didn’t promote respect for the Eucharist. So Faith overall suffers. They are often in Purgatory for having neglected prayer — which has diminished their Faith. But there are also many who have gone straight to Heaven.

What would you say, then, to a priest who really wants to live according to the Heart of God?

I would advise him to pray much to the Holy Spirit — and to say his Rosary every day.

Have you been visited by souls who, on earth, practiced perversions? I am thinking, for example, about the sexual domain.

Yes, they are not lost, but they have much to suffer to be purified. For example: homosexuality. This truly comes from the Evil One.

What advice would you give, then, to all those people afflicted by homosexuality, with this tendency in them?

Pray a lot for the strength to turn away from it. They should above all pray to the Archangel Michael; he is the great fighter par excellence against the Evil One.

What are the attitudes of heart which can lead us to losing our soul for good, I mean going to Hell?

It is when the soul does not want to go towards God, when it actually says: “I do not want.”

Jesus said that it was difficult for a rich person to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Have you seen such cases?

Yes! But if they do good works, works of charity, if they practice love, they can get there, just like the poor.

What do you think of the practices of spiritism? For example: calling up the spirits of the departed, Ouija-boards, etc.?

It is not good. It is always evil. It is the devil who makes the table move.

What is the difference between what you are living with the souls of the departed, and the practices of spiritism?

We are not supposed to summon up the souls — I don’t try to get them to come. In spiritism, people try to call them forth.

This distinction is quite clear, and we must take it very seriously. If people were only to believe one thing I have said, I would like it to be this: those who engage in spiritism (moving tables and other practices of that kind) think that they are summoning up the souls of the dead. In reality, if there is some response to their call, it is always and without exception Satan and his angels who are answering. People who practice spiritism (diviners, witches, etc.) are doing something very dangerous for themselves and for those who come to them for advice. They are up to their necks in lies. It is forbidden, strictly forbidden, to call up the dead. As for me, I have never done so, l do not do so, and I never will do so. When something appears to me, God alone permits it. (End of interview.)

Source: www.michaeljournal.org . Address – Michael” Journal, 1101, Principale St, Rougemont, QC, Canada — J0L 1M0.     Ph No: Rougemont: (450) 469-2209

Today we find many Christian denominations, and one would be confused in choosing which denomination he need to follow or which Church really follows what the bible teaches. Here I point out 5 things which I believe to be powerful and important in being a Catholic. I know this might not help or be of any interest to the Non Catholics, but still I feel these are important and these could really be of interest to some one who came to know about Christ recently and is willing to know more about the Catholic Church. 

1)      Word & Flesh

2)      Unity In Diversity  ( Led by Pope )

3)      Sacrament of Confession.

4)      Intercession of Mary & Saints

5)      Praying for the dead.

Word & Flesh.

“ John 1: 1,2 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning.”

“John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”.   The Bible very clearly points out the importance of word and flesh in the Gospel of John. It says that word was God, and it also says word became flesh. I believe Word and Flesh are two very important elements that constitute to the basis of our faith and I  would rather prefer to say that both word and flesh are equally important. Many Churches focus on the word and the flesh part is just a remembrance service for them. Here  is where the Catholic Church has been blessed by the lord. Mathew 13:11 “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”  Yes the Importance of  flesh has been revealed to the Catholic Church and the holy Eucharistic Service reminds us that we are the beneficiaries of this life-giving grace. It reminds us that the lord is with us, or is in us when we receive the holy communion.  It Reminds us that our body is the temple of God.

 Unity In Diversity

Mathew 16 :18  “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Imagine a Church, reporting more than billion members, around 3000 Bishops, over two hundred thousand priest, 30 Roman Catholic denominations, 22 different Liturgies within the Roman Catholic Church and 8 between 66 independent schisms, people from different countries, different cultures, different language all led by the Pope, the successor of Peter.  Is it not an amazing grace from the lord? Is it not the fulfilment of the word?. Yes it is indeed as today when we find people are not able to lead a small group, this is truly a heavenly intervention and a heavenly guidance allowing the successor of peter to lead the Church. 

             Sacrament of Confession

The Sacrament of Penance,  commonly called Confession, is one of the seven sacraments recognized by the Catholic Church. It is being instituted by Christ himself and is not an invention of the Catholic Church. After his resurrection, he appeared to his apostles and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained”(John 20:22-23).  The sacrament of confession allows us to acknowledge our sins, to repent on them and to ask for God’s forgiveness. James 5 :16 further assures us that when sins are forgiven, healings may take place. If that is the case, then we need not only forgiveness of sins, but assurance that our sins have been forgiven. Here is where the sacrament of confession has been a blessing. It removes the guilt from the person and helps him to have a born again experience and thus helps to lead a very good Christian life.

Intercession of Mary & Saints

 The Intercession of Mary and Saints even though not acceptable by many Christians, we Catholics are privileged as we are blessed to know this power of intercession.  Rev 12: 1 “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars. Mary is our intercessor like all the rest of the Saints and prays for us. She is a Secondary intercessor ( First being Christ as per the word ) and optional in our prayer to God but nevertheless she plays an important role in our lives.  If you recall the Wedding at Cana, Mary approaches her son to plead the case that there was no more wine. Jesus responds to her, “Woman, how is this of concern to me. My time has not come.”…. YET, because the plea came from HIS mother, he performed the miracle. This very clearly shows the power of Our blessed Mothers intercession. Rev 5 :8 “And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. Yes the Saints do have power to intercede for us.

 Praying for the Dead.

Many People are in bondage or living a very sinful and stressful life because of the influence of the sins of their ancestors. Exodus 20:5 “for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me”. The Sins of ancestors do have very much influence in our life. This is indeed a topic to be discussed in very detail as it involves “ Healing  the Family Tree “. Catholic Church  have realised this fact, or I would say this is one of the mighty revelation to the Church where we are made known the importance of praying  for both the living and the dead. 2 Maccabees 12: 43, 44 “And making a gathering, he twelve thousand drachms of silver to Jerusalem for sacrifice to be offered for the sins of the dead, thinking well and religiously concerning the resurrection, For if he had not hoped that the that were slain should rise again, it would have seemed superfluous and vain to pray for the dead”. Old Testament scholars agree that the Jews firmly believed that prayer for the dead is good and valid. So where is prayer for the dead in the New Testament. The clearest example is from St Paul 2 Timothy 1:16-18. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me; he was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me eagerly and found me – may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that Day – and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus
The point here is that Onesiphorus was already dead. And St. Paul clearly prays, “may the Lord grant him to find mercy.” St. Paul was praying that a dead man receive mercy. 

God Bless You…

 ¹⁹There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ²⁰And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ²¹And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.²²And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;²³And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.²⁴And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.²⁵But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.²⁶And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.²⁷Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:²⁸For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.²⁹Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.³⁰And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.³¹And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

This is a parable that Jesus told us. All what we know about hell, we know it from Jesus. And if we read the gospel we will be surprised that Jesus has spoke more about hell than heaven. Well it is not to frighten them but to warn them. One thing we know for sure is that heaven is a reality, if so then Hell is also a reality. Well after going through these scriptures, i very much longed to ask Jesus this one question. What was that terrible sin the rich man did that he ended up in hell. I really wanted to know. Well the reason why i need to know the mistake that the rich man had committed is because i do not want to commit the same mistake what he had done. Yes i really want to know so that i can refrain from the same mistake which he had committed. Well i know now that many of you want to know that too. Let us go to each verse from 19 to 31.  Verse 19 says that he was rich. Well i do not believe that being rich would be a reason to be in hell. Even though the Bible says it is difficult for a rich man to enter heaven, the Bible also tells us that God made Abraham rich, and he blessed Job with riches, and he blessed Solomon with riches. Riches can be blessing when u become rich righteously and you give God according to what the Bible commands. So let me tell you it is not because he was rich that he went to hell. Now the Bible again tell us that he was clothed in purple and fine linen. Well may be he was very fashionable. May be he loved to wear beautiful clothes every day and he had a fine collection of clothes. Well now again i don’t think this was a reason why we would end up in hell. Lets read on further. We understand that the rich man had plenty of food, because the poor man lazarus knew he could get something that would fall from his table. May be he had eaten a lot. Maybe he wasted a lot. But still i don’t find it convincing to believe that he went to hell because he ate much food or he ate the best food. Now let us move out of the palace. Here we see the poor man lazarus. He was in a very terrible condition. he had sores all around his body. The Scriptures very clearly says that dogs licked from his sores. If you can visualize that in you mind, now you know what state he was in. Well he was indeed suffering day and night. Scripture says he was at the gate of the rich man. The Bible never said that the poor man said his daily prayers or the bible never mentioned he praised God amist his troubles. Well we find no reason why the poor man went to heaven or Abraham’s Bosom in the word. 

                               Having read all what i have written above, i am sure by now u really want to know the terrible sin that he had commited. I too want you to know what that was. Before that let me tell you one thing. I couldn’t find a single mistake from the rich man by his life style and by what he did. Nor did i find a good thing that the poor man has done to be in heaven. 

                            Well dear brothers and sisters, it is not that he did a bad thing, that he ended up in hell, But it is the good things that he din’t do that got him there in hell. Yes many of us live a life not hurting others, not being a trouble for others, not bothering others. You believe you live a good life because you stay away from others. Remember what Jesus said to us, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink, I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.”  Well if this is the case then how many of us would be condemned. I think the Rich man was too kind enough to let the poor man lie near his gate as people nowadays would not even bother to allow a man of this agony anywhere near by.  

                          Dear Brothers and Sisters,  living a life not troubling others alone won’t help you attain eternity. But to live a life what Jesus wants us to live would indeed help us inherit the Kingdom prepared for us from the foundation of the world. May God Open your minds to Understand the Scriptures and help you live the way he wants us to live. 

  Mark 16: 15-18       ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; ¹⁸ they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

 Second Saturday Convention In Birmingham

Experience God’s amazing power in Europe through the Holy Catholic Church where retreats are conducted by Fr Soji Olikkal Assistant Chaplain of Syro-malabar Catholics, every second Saturday in Birmingham. Thousands participate in this mighty convention every month and testify God’s amazing grace which brought healing’s, deliverance, financial breakthrough and so on..Come and experience the healing power of Christ. Venue: Bethel Convention Centre, Kelvin Way, West Bromwich, B70 7JW. Time: 8am to 5pm. Confession & spiritual sharing will be held throughout the day.

There are many definitions for the word priesthood. But in Catholic Church priest is one who offer the sacrifice of the Mass. It is very important that the sacrifice of the Mass be offered from every altars around the world until the end of time. Therefore it is important to pray for the priest and below is a wonderful prayer by  St. Therese of Lisieux. 

                                    

 

                                    O Jesus, eternal Priest, 

keep your priests within the shelter of Your Sacred Heart, where none may touch them. 

 Keep unstained their anointed hands, 

which daily touch Your Sacred Body. 

 Keep unsullied their lips, 

daily purpled with your Precious Blood. 

 Keep pure and unearthly their hearts, 

sealed with the sublime mark of the priesthood. 

 Let Your holy love surround them and 

shield them from the world’s contagion. 

 Bless their labors with abundant fruit and 

may the souls to whom they minister be their joy and consolation here and in heaven their beautiful and 

everlasting crown. Amen.

 

1. Introduction Song. ( A Welcome song to Holy Spirit ) .
2. Prayer for Forgiveness and mercy. Mark 11:24 . 
3. Recite Psalms 51. 
4. Song 1.
5. Recite Psalms 32.
6. Recite the Rosary.
7. Song 2. ( Devotion Song to Mary ).
8. Recite Chaplet of Divine Mercy. 
9. Psalms 23.
10. Song 3.
11. Praise & Worship.
12. Psalms 150.
13. Intercession Prayers.
14. Read the Word. ( Message from lord ).
15. Psalms 91.