Prayer for healing

Lord, the prayers I have for two families, equally dear in my life, I leave in your hands. Grant them this day Lord, total resolvement and healing Oh God. Provide for them, let your Spirit guide them that they walk in the right path, Father. All things come from you Lord God, nothing can be made straight, unless you grant it Lord, bless them with the means and the ability to carry out the healing process Father. In Jesus's name Amen.

Marie says Thanks

To the lovely person who read the thoughts and blog of Marie, enjoyed them and left a lovely comment of encouragement. God Bless you.
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Marie also thanks a very Catholic parishioner who went out of the way to arrange for Marie to receive a copy of this week's bulletin since all had been snapped up and there were non available in the boxes. Unbelievable that at this age and time, there are still people who could be such a good neighbour!! Thank you bros!!!

Family Value

One of the greatest attraction of the Catholic faith, Christianity as a whole, is its great family value. God as head of every home- and the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph and the Holy Infant Jesus. And that calls for love and mutual respect within the family unit-the practice of putting their trust and faith in God in everything they do.The concept that the family that prays together, stays together. The family who looks to God for guidance, grows in faith and family harmony and that will include honouring Father and mother; an institution that loves and respect their elders and in turn earn the respect and love of their children and that tradition and culture will be passed on from generations to generations and gather strength.

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Yours truly, firmly believes that faith moulds the character of children and keep their paths straight, that they not only grow up with clear insights what they should do in life but they become cherish and useful members of home, society and community.

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Question is, will children continue to keep God in their hearts and soul and will Church remain a valued part of our children's lives?? It is so sad to see good family values fading away. Church has become unfashionable in the Western world, will that darkness influenced our children in the future ??? People! let us at least try to prevent the rot, let us give faith and good character formation as gifts to our children. Let us keep the image of the Holy Family shining in our homes to instill family values in the hearts and minds of our children. Believe me, the world will be a better place to live in, if each and every parent does their part.

Psalm 127-Success Depends on the Lord

I was going through the Lourdes Jubilee Souvenir and found this beautiful psalm:- (This quote from the Revised standard version)

Unless the Lord builds the house

Those who build it labour in vain

Unless the Lord watches over the city

The watchman stays awake in vain

It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil

for he gives to his beloved sheep

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Lo, sons are a heritage from the Lord

the fruit of the womb a reward

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are the sons of one's youth

Happy is the man who has

his quiver full of them

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies

in the gate.

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How absolutely true!! Everything comes from the Lord God, whatever we have, it is through God's grace and blessings,- our directions, where we are, our friends, our careers, our family, our peace, joy, happiness, our rewards, our everything-they all come from our Father in Heaven. Folks take some time and reflect on this beautiful psalm, indeed success and fruitfulness does come from the Lord God. Let us therefore, Pray, believe and Trust in the God of Creations, for only He knows what tomorrow holds for us; only He, God can smoothen and light up our paths in life.

A Wonderful Christmas Lunch Party with Friends and Relatives

A wonderful Christmas bash! The gathering of relatives and friends. Even those back from overseas made their way to this beautiful home of ours! A Bash that lasted right up to 8.30p.m. And it started around 11a.m.! Tiring but such a joy! In the early morning, it looked like rain but the good Lord, kept the weather beautiful- clear but not too hot and no rain! Can you believe that?? Wow!!Praise and thank you Lord God! We were worried the food may not be enough initially but at the end of the day, my fridge was jammed so tight, there is enough food to last us right into the Chinese New Year!!!! The blessing of the five loaves and two fishes!

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This will be the last time, I would be throwing "open house" functions and large gatherings of any sort folks. The spirit may be willing but the flesh and the body is weak. The old bones cannot stand the strain. 2009 onwards, it shall be strictly family affairs. Private rebonding sessions within the family itself.

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Father, I am immensely grateful for such a successful bash. Thank you for making possible this beautiful day.. Family togetherness ..rekindling of family ties and friendships...Cherish, lovely memories, lighting up my book of life....

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A Christmas Surprise -Mon 22nd Dec 08

The year is certainly closing with a lot of bangs, shockers and surprises for me! I had just taken my bath, and was just settling down to an assignment date with my computer dressed in my comfortable, and worn out night clothes, when suddenly from outside came the horns hooting and the voice of our BEC coordinator James Surin, yelling, carolling!! carolling!! Folks, you shocked the life out of me!! I was expecting no carollers to come by!! But to see such a big group, announcing the arrival of Christmas,especially the sweet and innocent faces of children! That melted my heart. Wow!! that was something- and the Christmas greetings, that was worth more than all the gifts in the world. Unexpected , a surprise but on reflection, sweet and Christian! Christmas and the heralding in of the season of Peace!

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GOD BLESS AND

MERRY CHRISTMAS FOLKS !!!!

In You Oh Lord, I surrender All

Into your hands Oh Lord God, I concrete my peace. my livilihood , my dreams, my rewards, my All. Father, that your strong bosom shelter and comfort me .Made smooth my paths and let peace and Joy fill all the days of my life., Lord. In Jesus Holy Name, Amen

Christmas

Christmas, cannot be Christmas, without the birth of Christ Jesus , the birth of a miracle called JOY, so associated with this Season of celebrations, the birth of Peace, Reconciliation and Love into the World. Folks, when you feel Joy, it really means:-

JESUS

Loves

You

Christmas, a time of reconciliation, not only with the Father in Heaven but our brethen here on earth, siblings, friends and yes, even those who hurt us. A time to forgive and forget and become friends once again.A new life.

Christmas also reminds me of the great faith and absolute trust Mary, the Holy Mother has in God, when she uttered "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word" Luke 1:38. She is the vessel who brought Christ into the world that sins may be washed cleaned, that the re-concilation process could begin in fulfilment of God 's plan for the world. Through her, Christmas was born, Christianity came into being, through her son Christ Jesus and for that, our gratitude should be boundless. To worship and love the Son, we must also appreciate and honour His mother. .

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MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL. HAVE A VERY

BLESSED NEW YEAR AS WELL!!!

A Salute for a sick relative. Request for Prayer

I visited a close relative yesterday in hospital and was given the bad news that he had only six months to live since his stomach was eaten away by cancer and food can only go in through a tube and discharged by tube as well. What amazes me was the way he took the news, so calmly and without any bitterness. His philosophy is,if it is time to go, go, after all life is only a role, a responsibility, and footsteps leading home and if the task is done and God calls, so be it.

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It is the attitude , I admire. While previously, I was annoyed that he would not rest but goes back to work after each discharge from hospital, now I understood and admire his spirit. Knowing the worse, he does not want to lie sick at home and just waste away. He wants to get as much done as possible. He wants to remain useful and strong until the last moment. He does not want to burden his family in any way. Death, it is nothing to to fear about. It is just the journey home to a better life and he seems to agree with me. But then with the precious time remaining, I do hope he and his family would spend cherish moments together to smell the roses and just enjoy each others' company. Of course he still harbours hopes of an alternate cure and I shall pray that he will find it in traditional cure. He is after all still young at sixty three, considering his mum at 88 is still around.

I pray that his steps home will be without pain and sufferings and God willing, it need not be the last lap and that he does find his cure and live for many more years ....God I pray for your mercy your comfort and your healing grace for a brave cousin stricken with cancer. In Jesus name Amen .Please say a little prayer folks, those who chance upon this blog, Thank you and God Bless!!!!!

A House and Home Blessed

A very funny thing happened today. We, the kids and I were fully expecting our very rev. parish priest for house blessing between 12 noon -1p.m. We thought we had all the time in the world to spruce up the house so we took our time tidying up. Slightly after 10.30a.m, the daughter of the house was busy scrubbing the dirt at the back portion of the house while the mother was busy putting the clothes in order upstairs. No way, we were going to let our VIPs see the untidy side of us! Or so, we thought!!!

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All doors,and windows were shut securely and we were about our tasks,when all of a sudden, Ding Dong!! the gate bell rang. The mother frozed. And So did the daughter. The son had a shocked look on his face.....Surely...this cannot be.. ....Then the bell rang again, this time a little more persistently. The mother, took a peep from upstairs and there standing outside the gate, was the parish priest and his buddy assistant, warm smiles spreading all over their.faces, despite having to stand out in the hot sun, waiting for our frozen limbs to react and spring into action to unlock the gate for them to enter. Omigosh!!All hell broke loose. The daughter and the son were yelling, " Mum,mum.... Father John is here, Father John is here....", come down quickly...and then she dashed to open all the windows and on the lights while the mother hurriedly rushed out to greet the much awaited VIPs, leaving the kitchen floor wet, sticky and dirty while upstairs, the clothes were hanging in disarray. It was in a cleaner and neater state before we started our operation " create " good impression stunts. Guess the warning our Lord gave us "to be prepared at all times, " took on an added significance today.. Last minute preparation works is a no no....

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We expected certain hours but obviously , the Holy Father in Heaven has other plans. I could just picture Him laughing at our antics. Running up, down and around like the cartoon figures you see in your comic strip..Children...children.. He must be saying, I know everything there is to know about you, what secret can you keep from Me and from my trusted servant? There is absolutely nothing you could hide from me. "My trusted servant shall come earlier than expected to your home... ." And so, He did, his trusted servant did come at a most unexpected time and methinks, he also saw more than we intended him to see.

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So there we were, sheepishly standing to attention before the altar, hair unkempt, body sweaty and clothes messy, praying together with our very patient parish priest and his very dear brother assistant.

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Simple and meaningful prayers inviting God's presence and blessings into this very beautiful home of ours and the continuous intercessions of our Holy Mother. Although our plans "to give a good impression" and at least offer some fruits to our VIPs did not happened, because we were found lacking in readiness, nevertheless, it could not take away the joy of having our house and our home blessed. Just Beautiful! Wonderful! Thank you and Praise You Lord, God! Despite the misadventure, if it could be called that, yours truly was in seventh heavens, .....finally the house was blessed after nearly two years....

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Thank you Father John for your patience and the simple but very meaningful house blessing and thank you Bro. Tony Mark for your kindness in bringing Father John over to bless our House and Home. God bless you both!!

A Prayer for Blessings

Oh God, that your loving presence resides and fill this house and this home for ever. Bless this family,Oh God, this beautiful house and home, Let your love surrounds us and provide our every needs; strengthen and substain us all the days of our lives, Oh God. Let peace , love, harmony and happiness fill us, every day of our lives. Grant us this day, Lord, understanding and care for one another, Bless us Loving Father, the rewards and the fruits of heaven and the earth. Let joy flow into our lives, let us grow strong in our Love of You God, Father. Let your light , guide and lead us through this valley of life, Father. In Jesus name, Amen. Mary, Mother of God, pray for us. .Amen

Thanksgiving

The paths that you have chosen for me, the plans you had designed for me, Lord, let your spirit guide me and your hand lead me on... Thank you and Praise you Lord!

Thank You Lord for a Wonderful 2008 ..Year End Charismatic Gathering, Tuesday 9th December 08

Advent a period of waiting and preparing for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, a significant time for every Catholic… The true meaning of Christmas!

Fresh from one power packed healing mass into another spirit filled session, Lord, my grateful heart brims with love for you... Let my worshipping heart adore , glorify and thank you Lord, all the days of my life..

Draw me close to you Lord and let me soar like an eagle in your love…My Charismatic sisters and brothers, in Christ, you have outdone yourselves again. Did you hear how joyous, how enthusiastic and how powerful the voices of worship were tonight??? Maybe, I am still charged up from the previous healing session, maybe the thrash had been evicted leaving space for goodness and the love of God to flow in that for one very intense moment, I actually felt the warm glow and the presence of the Holy Spirit hovering over the congregation . I am still wondering .. but whatever it is, folks, you have to agree with me that our closing session for the year was really electrifying -so filled with the Spirit that all our hearts were bursting with love and praise for God who came to be in our midst.. Praise the Good Lord, our God.!
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What a fabulous close to a year with promises of a better year ahead . And the spread of pot luck goodies- wow!! not only gratifying to the taste bud and the stomach but bonds the hearts and spirits of the charismatic children of God closer together.

Thank you people! God Bless!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! & A Very Happy New Year!

Till we meet again ! Tuesday, 6 January 2009!

Our Lady of Lourdes Church Klang, 80 years today, Feast in Honour of our Holy Mother, Mary the Handmaiden of the Lord God

It was raining but when I reach the church building a good ten minutes before the Healing Mass started at 10.00a.m, the parking lots were jammed full, so it had to be parking out in the rain in the small vacant lot behind the church building. The church was packed as well; but thank goodness, I managed to secure two seats . Appears, I was late.

The large turnout tells me how beloved, the Blessed Mother is in the lives of each and everyone of us. I guess, even if it floods, we will find people with umbrellas, wading their way into the church building, to thank her and appeal for her intercessions , especially on this day, 80th anniversary of Our Lady of Lourdes Church Klang.

I felt an air of expectancy, in church this morning, there must be a lot of people wanting to be healed, that their wishes and needs had transformed into a powerful prayer before the Holy Mother, and be carried up to our Lord, Jesus Christ and answered by the Holy Father in heaven. Father John, our parish shepherd was right to the dot when he said, people have come in with varied needs and prayers for different healing in their lives. It need not be anything physical like illnesses, it could be hidden pain and conflicts within the inner self, family, unforgiveness and unspeakable baggages in our lives. There is nothing, we cannot bring before Jesus, before God and surrender them at his feet. With the Holy Mother praying for us, miracles will certainly take place. Those of us who run to the Holy Mother for comfort will attest that her intercessions , does indeed get our prayers answered. So people, if you have come in with expectations today, it means, you have come with faith and that faith will heal you, whatever your needs. Just don't go looking for proof or signs of healing, let the power of God work for you in His own way and before you know it, that baggage or burden will be gone; perhaps even without you consciously knowing it.

We have four priests on hand to serve and lead us through our healing session. The Parishioners of our Lady of Lourdes Church , Klang are indeed blessed. Thank you Rev Fathers. Even the bells that announced the start of the healing mass, resounded with joy. I don't know about you folks, but I heard the powerful joyous ringing and closed my eyes, to let the musical tones fill my heart. It did and I was gladden. The Lord's Prayer-The Our Father was especially powerful this morning. I must have said this prayer a thousand and one times or even more but nothing was so beautiful, as it was, this morning. Every phrase, every word came alive in the spiritual presence of God. I must thank our parish priest Father John and his dedicated team of brother priests, for leading us through this particular healing process with use of simple but powerful, soul touching words to expose the sicknesses from within so that the roots that chains us to our pains, dislodged themselves from our hearts -and we surrender them to God. At your feet, Lord, we unburden our pains and baggages!! That moment of release, allows the comfort and love of God to flow into our hearts, that our spirits breaks forth in praise and worship of our Lord God.The Healing Mass today is indeed power packed, Praise the Lord!

The Healing hymns too were so appropriate, that it touches the hearts of many. I heard many sniffs around me. People were shedding tears of release. We asked that God gives us the grace to forgive others for the wrongs they do to us and we ask that He forgives us of our own sins. It was awesome! Just recalling the beautiful moments, teared me. Those who were not at the Healing mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Klang, this morning, you have missed out on something very extraordinary. Perhaps next year...

Marie Lee thanks the Holy Mother for the awesome moments of joy and release experienced during the Healing Mass this morning. It could only be, your smiles upon me dear Mother of God .. Thank you for your love and never ending intercessions.

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In our gratitude and praise of the Holy Mother, let us remember to give due thanks and glory to God always for his everpresence in our lives. That is what the Holy Mother would want us to do- to be reconciled with God and keep him in our hearts, mind and soul.. always. Glory be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever, Amen.

My Thoughts -An Inspiring Homily by Father Philip & Sharing of What is and Why

Why do we put up the Christmas Tree to celebrate the birth of Christ every 25th day of December? That tree was chosen because, despite the cold and the snow and when everything else seemed to wither away, the Christmas Tree stood tall , proud and resilient, untouched by the snow and the cold. A beautiful symbol of strength, representing new life. I did not know that, although I had wondered what the connection was between the birth of Jesus and the Christmas Tree. And why was 25th December picked to celebrate the birth of Christ, when studies showed that Christ Jesus, was born in warmer months instead of in winter? There was no snow and yet we had always associated the birth of Jesus with snow and the cold. According to the old texts, it was because, 25th of December was a day when light triumph over darkness and as Christ Jesus conquered death by rising from the dead, this particular day was picked, signifying and symbolising the power of light over darkness. And so Christmas on 25th of December was born. Awesome!

Will the significance and promise of Christmas still continue to touch the hearts of the world, as deeply as before? To many in the Western world, Christmas has become very commercial,' much of the religious significance is lost. To me, Christmas is more than festive, but then the festive part of it is good as well, for this is a time of family togetherness and a time of bonding, a time to remember our loved ones, a time to reach out to the less fortunate and bring a little joy into the lives of others. A time to extend peace and received peace in return.. A day to reflect with gratitude and thanksgiving, the magnitute of God's love for mankind . For Christ Jesus, his human birth, the Holy Mother and the impact she has in our lives ; the forgiveness of sins , and the reconcilation of mankind with God, opening the way for our salvation.. Amazing isn't it that God should love the world so much that he is willing to send his only son into this world to die for us that we may be saved?.

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The eloquence and the evangelist brilliance of our visiting priest, Father Philip during his homily this Sunday, morning, cannot be captured on paper, you will have to be there to grasp the essence of the message and be awakened by the many soul searching questions posed to the parishioners. Are we walking in the like of Christ Jesus in our daily lives? I especially like the part, "start from your own home". To me, Christmas will always signify a time of hope, a promised fulfilled and renewed Faith of the life to come. Most important of all ,the Great Love a Father has for us..

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Thank you Father Philip for a bringing new meaning to Christmas during this very special time.The sharing of peace at the begining of mass, takes a little getting use to, but, it certainly brings more meaning to a Echaristic celebration. The "Peace be to you" greetings -brings to essence God into our lives, because God Himself is Peace..

A Morning Prayer

Lord, that I may honour, love and worship you all the days of my life. I pray for continued faith and strength. I pray my dreams, you walk with me, I pray, a Father's love so true, A Refuge so strong, the world could not help but smile upon me! Others Lord, are not even a shadow to thee!

A Thorn in the Flesh-A Charismatic Sharing by Sister Getrude- Tuesday 2nd Nov 08

Bless the Lord for an amazing sharing, striking a chord to the innermost feelings and touching the raw of the heart!!. A Passionate and powerful delivery appealing to the senses and spirit within! Certainly, a powerful Healing session, bringing to realisation how weak, our human flesh and blood is and how much we need our God in our lives. .....

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The thorn in the flesh, it is not only the pain caused by others, but also, the pain we caused others. Food for thought and a good point to reflect upon. That evening as I was leaving home, I was driven to anger by a thorn in my heart and I raged at the source. Yes, I did, but after the sharing, I thought to myself, "What was that all about?. Nothing very much really-. Nothing that really matters" . So I pulled a cotton bud and plug it to the wound and hey! it became a no issue. The power of sharing and reflections!

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Though, I have heard the story of the footprints so many times, the beautiful narration touches me immensely. Strange isn't it, even after knowing we are never alone, the human side of us still breaks down sometimes and we lament, not being loved and cared enough. Truly, the flesh is weak and we need prayers to lift us up.

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The charismatic group has certainly matured and grown. Yes, Bro Ron,the Charismatic Group of Our Lady of Lourdes, Klang can be proud of the fact, that among the regulars, there are many kids and young people who delights in being part of this prayer group.

Rite of First Acceptance (RCIA)

Today's rite of first acceptance holds so much meaning and joy to me that I teared a little when the hymn, "I chose to follow Jesus", was sung. I couldn't help it, the words were so appropriate and I found myself reaffirming my acceptance of Christ Jesus and thanking God for the gift of faith to my children. The joy of every parent, knowing that a responsibility is done; the gift of new life is passed on. And after that, Lord, let your voice be heard and your light shines bright for these children who have placed their faith and trust in you. Lord, I marvel in your great works!!!

Birthday Greetings

MarieLee and her family joins the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes, Klang in wishing Father John a very Happy Birthday. Folks, do join me in praying for the health of our resident priest who has worked tirelessly for this parish and we certainly want him vibrant and healthy for a long long time. Us parishioners are proud of you and appreciates all your efforts.

Thank you Father John and God Bless.

The Choice of Revered Term to call God

The controversy over the right to call God "Allah" in the national language, Malay, is again taking centre stage, with the ongoing legal proceedings (Bob Teoh-Mysinchew and Malaysiakini and reproduced in the Catholic Weekly-the Herald). It is causing an emotional drain and pricky feelings in certain quarters. Since the shift of policy from English medium to the National language for schools, our children speak and breathe the National Language which is Malay and hence people are more conscious of terms used. "Allah" is considered the correct and more precise term to call God, in Malay, our National Language however the usage of "Allah" to refer to God, has met with serious objections from relevant bodies.

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To me, as a ordinary person and a church going person, it really does not matter whether God is "Tuhan" or ""Allah" in the national language because by whatever term, He is God, our Creator and our Father in Heaven. To me, life has been given us, and through the gift of life, we are given a chance to prove our worth in this material world. From the very moment of life, the journey , back to the spiritual world -the return home to the Creator and the Father begins. All of us have been given the right of choice-and that choice will determine our pathway home, but ultimately, I believe, in the final lap, it will converge into just one passage leading before God. I believe there is only one Supreme Being, only one God, irrespective of our choice in religion, irrespective which passage, we chose to travel in.

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The draining of peace and good relations and the ugly emergence of resentment and misunderstanding, over the use of one term. What a complete waste of good energy. "God," "Allah", "Tuhan", it is just a revered term to acknowledge the Supreme Lord and Father. What matters is the Faith, the Heart, the Belief , the Worship and Reverence of the heavenly Father. Lord, grant us this day, the gift of a generous heart that we may reach out to one another and share in your love for us.

Wisdom from the Sunset mass homily

Indeed Lord, the things that we do as a faith community, the things that we do as people of God, may make no sense to people around us, except that we know ourselves and they, do as well that we are people of Christ and what we do, we do in faith for the love of our Lord God. The total acceptance to the will of God and our deep belief that God has a plan for this Universe and his designs cannot be denied. Though there are so many unspeakable things -that is turning the world from light into darkness, we as people of God, are called to walk in a manner that our footsteps shine and glow that others around us and after us may see and be guided.

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And yes, I too advocate prayer with conviction and deep faith that the words may touch God above and heal us through Christ our Lord.

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Lord Jesus, we proclaim you King of our lives and the Universe . Let your body and blood strengthen us in our individual journey through life.

The Voices of the Oppressed calls out to you, Oh Lord!!

The persecutions arising everywhere against Christians saddens me. What is it about this way of life that attracts hatred and vicious attacks. What is so wrong living a life of love that arouses the anger in others.? The ministry of care, the giving to neighbour, the poor, the homeless, the sick and the comfort to the lonely and unwanted?? Is it our belief that God is one, that his love transcends to all that disturbs the peace in people's hearts?? We will never know will we, we will never comprehend because we are so human.

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We fear pain, we fear death, we fear being driven out into the cold. Turning the other cheek, non retaliation and yet continue to love always , is such a tall order in the face of such adversities. And often I wonder aloud and asked God, why do you allow such atrocities to fall upon your people Lord?? Do you not hear the cries of your people, Lord, do you not see their pain and their tears?? Is it the time of darkness that must have its course of way?? Yes, you did warn us to watch for such signs and wars and unrest, for that will be sign that the end is near and yet Lord, our spirits are weak and we fall so easily Lord. Will you not send deliverance to your people who had fled their homes - out hiding in the wilderness,facing such hardships-the Christians of Orissa; and elsewhere in the world-those who had to endure such hardships because they chose the path of Christ Jesus???

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Let our prayers touch you Lord, that your mercy flows adundantly and heal the spirits of the persecuted , transformed the hearts of their aggressors that they may receive the spirit of compassion and care ; transform their hostility into love that they will in turn reach out and embrace the people of Christ Jesus that all may live together side by side in peace and harmony. Whichever way of life, we are all your children Lord- brothers and sisters coming from the same Father in Heaven. For the love of your people Lord, shower your peace and love upon those who have not yet known the saving grace, that their eyes and hearts may be opened to see and accept all man as children of One God and live together as One -in the grace of Peace.

I Marvel at your great works Lord!!

A friend of mine found God only just recently and I just marvelled at the praise and worship of God in everything she utters. A woman of the material and corporate world, the lingo of, money, power, assets-very much on the go , different faith and beliefs and that nothing was more unexpected and alien to her character than her sudden and total acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ., out of the blues. I was amazed by her transformation. Now she speaks the language of love; what could be more life changing than the change in language and values in life?. Now she involves herself to ministry work and takes great pride in what she does. Going deep into the jungles to minister to the underpriviledged, days on end, giving warmth to orphans....

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Lord I truly marvelled at your great works.; your healing grace!!!

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Perhaps, one day soon, I will also have that kind of strength and grace to go into ministry works. , but really, time is not at my side. As a little girl, I had two passions one to travel the world doing missionary works and the other to write, write and write.... I was always creating stories and fairy tales and telling them to my younger sisters....The passions became a hidden dream, packed and stored away, when the cares of life's journey obscured its call from me. And now suddenly, I am awakened once again to that call to write,; my wish to travel the world , once more alive.

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The confines of family obligations still ties me down, making it impossible for me live out my dreams in full, but God gave me a gift, a great gift of the pen -and perhaps, through this gift, I could travel the world in a different way, I could proclaim to the world the love of God, I could share with others -His everpresence and His care - through writing, through words. And I take this moment of realisation once again to thank you Lord for your love, wisdom and ever presence by my side. Nothing is impossible with God. The dreams that I had and the dreams that I now have, I hand them over to you my Lord God.

In Worship of You Lord God

On this glorious joyful morning, I renew my trust in you, my Lord and God. There is such a need and such an urge to reach up and say, thank you Lord, yes, thank you Lord, for the peace and calm in my life. Let your love flows upon me Lord, for that's the food, my soul needs. Amen

Heart of Worship- An Evening with the Charismatic Prayer Group

A very lovely hymn of worship; turn our hearts into hearts of worship that we may humble ourselves and worship the Lord our God. Wonderfully healing. Praise the Lord! Youths, being youths, they have their own unique style of animating prayer meets. Certainly , there is great power in group prayers whatever the needs -and with an earnest combination of heartful prayers , raised up in unison -surely,the presence and power of the Holy Spirit is invoked.

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It would have been electrifying if the words of the prayers could be heard clearly so that each individual may identify and relate to each prayer and lift up their hearts to God with their needs ,that the spirit of healing may descend upon each and everyone and work their miracles. Nevertheless , I am immensely grateful for this night; and came away reassured, in the knowledge that Yes, Lord God you are right by my side.

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And Lord shower your blessings upon all those who have in one way or the other, went out of their way to bring joy into my life and prayed so much for me. Thank you people!!

One Day at a Time Lord..

"Help me Lord, to take one day at a time." I had never felt the need to send up this ardent call -to "take one day at a time".,more than now. At this particular time, of frenzied activities and a self instrumented change of direction in my life, I have never felt the need more than now, for the spirit of trust and confidence to descend and fill me so that I am able to take "one day at a time." I always marvelled, how the Lord knows exactly when to send little signs to let me know that he is around and exactly what to pray, the exact words to use, when confusion sets in. Strange but true!

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It is the talents, you had given me Lord , and I fear , I do not have the time to make good those gifts; you had entrusted me -that I decided to go along with the swift current; only as I spin down stream, I took my focus off you and I became anxious, whether I could reach my destination safely and more vibrant than ever.

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I had been like the miserable servant who had buried the one talent and was contented to hold on fast to it, too afraid to take any risk nor multiply what was given me. Complacent and really not bothered, not being able to see beyond the family fence. Only just recently, I was awaken to the call of the "talents". I see none of my footprints imprinted -raising prominently in my passage of life. What has become of the precious talents given me? When it is time to discard my body and my spirit stands looking back at the journey taken, will there be any notable footprints, which will appear in Life's Book that will justify me before God???

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With the realisation came more understanding that the teachings of our Lord Christ Jesus ,really does have relevance to every step of our journey through life,- people, if only we were to digest and let its wisdom sink in that we may be awaken to greater actions in our life. In fact, when I really sit down and read the Bible with understanding, folks, I realise that the "secret" to just about everything under the sun- to success, to happiness, to peace, to family harmony, even the secret to financial independence had all been given us in the Bible. Only, our eyes and mind had been closed and knowledge and understanding evaded us. We spent thousands to gain wisdom and know-how from motivational and other workshops and yet such fundamentals and wisdom lies right before our eyes, the Holy Bible- the Word of the Lord.

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How strange that it took me a life time to understand this simple fact. And now I believe the words in Ecclesiastes 3:1 "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under the heaven". Truly, your thoughts and your deeds are beyond our comprehension Lord and I entrust everything to you.

God is Peace

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending a prayer session in conjunction with the international prayer day, -organised by our Christian brethen to pray for persecuted and oppressed christians of the world.Their praise and worship was indeed powerful and I could see why many of our youths were drawn to this type of enviroment.

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The focus was powerfully on Jesus , very intense, love was in the air. I was really drawn , but I really do not agree with their pastor's views that it is a mistake to pray for peace. Timothy was quoted that if one wants to be closed to God, there must be persecution. I really do not agree with that interpretion. Our God is a God of love and Peace and if we want to live harmoniously in a multicultural, multiracial and multienthic= country and world, we need to constantly pray for peace; that the understanding, the compassion and love for neighbour will fill our hearts and souls so that the gift of peace will reign and the Kingdom of God is opened to us.

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We do not need persecution to be near God, and certaintly we do not want persecution. We want peace, we want to be able to reach out to others and they to us, and live in an enviroment of mutual respect , acceptance and love that we may move forward in harmony. The world needs more messengers of peace and prayers for peace is every individual's responsibility.

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I left in the middle of the intercessory prayer, (un-noticed I hoped) because my heart was not at peace but certainly they do have a little something we Catholics, could learn from , the passion and the intensity of praise and worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. The commitment....A pity though, that their pastor believes in the need for persecution; that it is a mistake to pray for peace.

Question

If God is everywhere, why do we need to go to church? Yes, I too, had asked myself of that particular question many times in my own journey of life, ....you know, moments of arrogrance, moments of weakness, moments when the material world robs me of the time to be with my Lord God, but ultimately, it is my own longings for Him, that leads me back to the House of God, and humbles myself before Him. Lord, you have made me so human. It is only you who can protect me from my human weaknesses, grant that I will always want to walk in the strength of your grace.

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The last two days, has been hectic days with seminars from early mornings to late night and I am completely worn out. This morning when I woke up, the words of the hymn, sung during the Eurcharistic celebrations- Sunday morning, was playing in my mind .."come and I will give you all the waters you need, all you who are thirsty. Why do you spend your money on ...something to the effect of "worthless things in life". I do not actually remember the lyrics of the words, but those were the words , that awoke me to a fresh new morning. And now, I wonder, what I was doing scuttering around.... doing so many things at one time and tiring myself out needlessly; perhaps it is time to slow down and focus on just one activity, my passion..... writing. and let God take care of the rest......

Searching

My soul is troubled; my spirit searching...
My vision clouded and dim
This maze that stretch before
and around me..
Oh God, Lead me and guide me..
For I know not where to turn

I hear your voice, I see your light
And yet they seemed so distant
Hold my hand, my guiding light,
And Steer me out of the snares
and cares of this material world
That threatens my peace
and sanity....

My heart is heavy,
My strength failing ..I am weary.....
Stretch out your Hands Lord
And bless my journey-
That I may continue travelling
on more fruitful grounds
Where fruits and joy abounds
Where true friendship and love,
Smiles ....
Where peace,goodwill
and all blessings
fills the days of my life.....


NB: Marie would like to assure all friends and readers that all is well
that she is just caught up in the passion of writing. Marie is in the
midst of writing and compiling a mini book of poems, therefore book
materials will no longer appear on h er blog in future.Praise and Thank you Lord!

The Cross Road

It's a cross road I have reached;
Two paths leading to different directions
Which path shall I turn my footsteps,
That I walk with a free spirit
Confident that my choice
Is guided by the light
That shines from above?

It does not matter which direction
I choose to take, so long as
It is the Spirit that leads me
For that will be the path
The Father would want me to take
To fulfil the destiny He has
Designed for me.....

Amazing Grace, the Hymn

Amazing Grace Lyrics
John Newton (1725-1807)Stanza 6 anon.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.

And Grace, my fears relieved.

How precious did that Grace appear

The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come;'

Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far

and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.

His word my hope secures

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun.

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind, but now I see.

I have always loved this hymn, because it reflects the grace of God in my life; my hopes and my faith in my Lord God. I believe that deep down, every Christian feels the same way because, it is an out pouring of thanks and gratitute to the Lord God for lighting up our passage of life; for the peace, the joy and the grace in our lives.. And it holds such great promise for a joyous life at journey's end.

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I don't know about you friends, but were we not lost, were we not blind, until He gave us sight ? Were we not like wretches drifting along journey's path, lost and miserable until He showered us with His grace and strength? Without the presence of God in our lives, what would life be?

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The good Pastor is right, "Amazing Grace," is for every occasion, especially when we want to re-unite and rekindle our love to the Lord, our God. The lyrics, brings forth such a passionate realisation of our deep need for God in our lives. Yes, Friends, take time to reflect and bring to life ,the total lyrics of this very beautiful hymn.... you will realise, you are actually thanking God from the depths of your hearts for His wonderful presence and love in your lives...in our lives...

IN MEMORY OF MY MOTHER

It has been twenty six years since you were gone ,

And yet the memories of caring moments and
togetherness lingers,
A mother's love, A mother's care
Tender and warm,
Enshrined in a daughter's heart forever...

Our rustic hometown of yester-years,
our old home.. your presence,
Laughters, Sharing.... simple meals,
Meaningful moments together
The memories are all part of you...

Life was simple and tough but ..
They were beautiful and wonderful years....
Family gatherings, festive joys
Comfort, wise words....
The family complete ;
Held together ...
Through a mother's love

But somehow, we did not fully see
how bright your Light and Strength
were..mom
Until it ceased to shine..
But ever since then, every year,
as we, ourselves grow older
We understand much more;
How it had been for you-
And our appreciation of you grows. ..


Thank you mom..
Rest in the peace of the Lord

Prayer for the Day

In you my Lord and my God,
I place all my trust.
Give protection oh God,
against all evil and harm.

Keep safe Oh God,
My spirit, my soul
and my physicial being
From those who seek
to plunder and cause
discord; those who used
the power of darkness
to shut out my light

And in you, my Lord and my God,
I concrete the harmony, love
and peace in my household
That the joy, you have given
me may remain intact forever.

I love Him who strengthens me

Yes, Lord, immensely. How could we not, when it is your strength which props us up; your loving presence which protects us; the wisdom and radiance of your Holy Spirit which lights up our paths in life?

From the protected sanctuary of Paradise, to the harsh unpredictability of life outside the safe haven, arising from that one instance of disobedience. One man brought sin into the world..And every since then , mankind was thrust out into the unknown to face the harsh elements, the cold, the hunger, the thirst, survival out in the wilds and what it may bring- .... Mankind was to suffer, feel pain, cry, stricken with sickness, age and then die.

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And we, children born with the stains of that original sin unfortunately, also inherit the natural human tendencies to sin , to seek the pleasures of life .Our eyes are easily drawn and seduced by the glitters of life- We find it hard to resist the call of power and material wealth.. and in so doing, move further away from the light and the kingdom of God. The consequences, as many of us know, is often grief, lack of peace and sufferings. Folks, it does not mean that because we are such sinners, we cannot turn back to God for solace and healing, it does not mean that we cannot be with God. On the contrary, our God and Father, is all knowing and all seeing. He sees our weakness; he knows our faults. He knows everything there is about us, there is no hiding from Him. He has no anger, only compassion . In Micah 7: 18-19: We are told that God " "does not retain his anger for ever because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion for us, He will tread our iniquities under foot and cast all our sins into the depths of the sea." All that is required of us is to believe in the Word., His Word... . We are further reminded by Jesus in Matt 9:13, " I have not come to call the righteous but sinners".

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The Father and the Creator does not want his children to continue walking in darkness and in pain. In his mercy, He gave us the gift of reconciliation. He sent His Love and Strength in the form of His Son, Christ Jesus, into the world, to heal the rift cause by our first parent, that we may all receive forgiveness of our sins; and be brought back into the safe sanctuary of his kingdom. One man, Adam, brought sin into the world , closing the doors to the Kingdom of God. Another man, Christ Jesus was sent into the world, out of Love, to show Mankind, the Light and the Way, to die for the forgiveness of sins that all who believe, may find life, and enter the Kingdom of God.. The new covenant, of renewed love between a Father and his children.....

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Peace abounds in His kingdom. The teachings of the Saviour- " Love the Lord, thy God with your whole heart and soul" and "Your neighbour as yourself". Two simple commandments which forms the basis and foundation leading into the kingdom of God. The wedges of sin weakens our mind,body, and soul that without God's Love and strength, we cannot see the path which leads us into the valley of peace and wisdom. We are here because He call us, He has chosen us, He wants us to take our place in the safe sanctuary of His Kingdom. Folks, we are privileged to be chosen people of God. Let us pray for those who have yet to know the Love of God. May their ears and hearts be opened to receive the gift of Faith that they too see the glory of God and be saved.

Make disciples of all Nations Matt 28:19

God sends his only son into the world to cleanse mankind of their sins , thereby opening the Kingdom of God, to those who have ears to hear, eyes to see and hearts to believe and accept Christ Jesus as their Way in to the Journey of Life. He has come , He has given us the teachings, the fundamentals , the directions, and the commandments which will bring the Spirit of Truth into our lives. He had shed his blood for us , died, was buried and had risen and now resides with the Father in Heaven. In his place He had sent the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit to be among us so that the New Way of life may be empowered and made known to the ends of the earth. John 14:26. " Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Matt 28: 19-20.

The new covenant made it possible for salvation to be opened to all believers, that all who believe and accept Christ into their hearts and souls may become children of God. Yes, Faith has the power to open the way back to the Father. Romans 8:15- "When we cry "Abba! Father! it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our Spirit that we are children of God". We are not adopted children of God, because, we are already His children -from the beginning:- Gen 1:1-"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." We are part of His creation and so are a part of Him. And His love is so great that He had commanded that salvation be brought to the uttermost parts of the earth... Acts 13:47. From the Jews to the Gentiles.. ... That all who believes may enter the kingdom of God and have salvation.
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From Paul and the first apostles, to the present day ..the task of evangelising and spreading the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ, continues and will continue till the end of time; for the Lord had come not only for a chosen few but that all may be saved.. Today and as always, the parish calls for more disciples and apostles to reach out and guide lost sheep back into the fold. Through BEC activities; community services and every day living, we are called to live the life of Christ Jesus, that others may be touched and inspired thus give glory to God and in so doing, accept the way of the cross and into the Kingdom of God. It is not enough to be Catholics and Christians in name; it does not count how piously you carry out your religious obligations - but if you do not love your neighbour as yourself , then you are not true disciples of Christ Jesus.
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The harvest is great but the labourers are few and there is an urgent call for more faithful, to come in and help with the harvest. Listen to the wisdom of the Spirit within you and make use of that special talents given you. It may be contributions for the Lord in writing, teaching, providing comfort ..care .or the listening ear.. anything. It could simply be a Christian action - stop gossiping and making unkind remarks about another person. Stop being judgemental etc.....The Act of Christ. in us....Have you started emulating Christ Jesus ? Have you reach out to a neighbour today? Have you shown kindness to someone today? Have you stopped causing hurt to others today? There are many more "have you"- folks but the self examination and the change must come from within you . The desire to do good deeds emerge from yourself without the push from anybody, except the personal desire to be Christlike...

In Him who strengthens us, all things are possible!

This morning, I am thankful, another member of my family made the decision to attend the early mass celebrations, despite returning home from work way past midnight.. The "Thank You" that was sung as the Thanksgiving hymn , became very significant....Yesterday, when I was caught in massive traffic jams coming back from a workshop, and that had prevented me from reaching Klang until, well - 7.00p.m., I was raging mad but then, this morning, I was grateful. Yes Lord, a bright new day had started.......

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Around noon, when I opened the Catholic Daily -Herald, the words , " We can do all things in Him who strengthen us", caught my attention. A friend had forwarded an email to me a few days back and I had totally ignored it, until just before I read the Herald and when I opened the mail, it carried the story of how a child born prematurely and declared, as having a very limited life span, by the doctors, miraculously survived to lead a perfectly healthy, normal life, albeitly, after some months of anxiety. Years later, this very chatty little girl, sitting on her mother's lap, out of the blues, asked whether she, the mom, could smell anything... her mother could only smell rain coming and told her so, but the little girl announced loudly, " No, it smells like Him- It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest."

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The mother was overwhelmed, her daughter's words confirmed what she and all members of her extended family had known, in their hearts, all along, that during those long anxious days and nights, when her daughter's life hang on a thread, God had been holding her little girl on His chest and it was His loving scent that she remembers so well. There was this little message attached to the email which says, " I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." It may be just a coincidence but it certainly appears to be sending me a strong message- " We can do all things in Him who strengthens us". Normally, I would just delete "forwards" which bore any resemblance to a chain letter, without even reading them but today, something made me read the story right to the end and it sorts of, lit up the grey matters, a lot more.... Yes people! "We can do all things in Him who strengthen us."

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It also brought back grateful memories of those dark days of drought, especially, the one time, when I was really, down and out. The car was not road worthy and I had to travel far and so I prayed- everyday, to the Holy Mother that she prays together with me,that God protects the vehicle, kept it running and trouble free until, such time, there was funds to carry out the repairs. Folks, believe it or not, the car functioned and behaved well enough, until the day, funds came in. That very day, it just refused to move anymore, but it took me home safely first, before it well , in a very conversational term " died-ed " on me.. Folks, what could it be, if not, the grace, the mercy and love of God? The mechanic had to be called to move the vehicle to the workshop which was thankfully near my home. Something about some "arm" ???!! being broken and it was a wonder I did not .....Frightful words.....In my heart, I knew , it was God, who had kept a protective arm round me, God, who had kept a strong grip on my vehicle and had kept me safe. So many instances, so many occasions for me to say "thank you" Lord. Even though, I travelled through so many deserts, you had always made sure there were oasis of respite for me... Yes, Thank You Lord and Thank You Blessed Mother for praying alongside me...

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Where would we be without Him? Indeed, "We can do all things in Him who strengthens us".

The Power of Deep Conviction and Prayer

"Lord made fruitful , our labour, our aspirations in this life", the gist of a good shepherd's opening' prayer for his congregation, the sheep under his care. A beautiful prayer to start off a new week with trust, with confidence, with belief and grace of God in our hearts. Be still and Listen, allow the words to flow in and together as a congregation lift up the prayer to the Heavenly Father...., such conviction and passion....surely a Father will not turn away but shower his blessings upon all his people gathered to worship Him.

We may not be liked for certain comments but sometimes these thoughts needed to be voiced out. I do not know whether people agree with me when I say that sometimes , when a mass is celebrated as a routine ritual ; the passion and the worship is sometimes missing and we go away just fulfilling our weekly obligations, we partake of the Eucharist without experiencing the presence of the Living Christ, in us. John 4:23-24 reminds us " True worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him; God is Spirit and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and Truth." Folks, do you agree with me, that rituals without the deep passion of faith and belief are like words fluttering aimlessly in the air,without a destination and that will vanish- pooh! away without so much of a trace and that will do nothing for us spiritually?. But a worship session, a mass celebration, focusing and believing in the living presence of Christ Jesus in the celebrations itself , will surely turn the bread into the body and blood of Christ Jesus , that those who partake of His Body and Blood shall be blessed and strengthen . . The commandment " Do this in memory of me" shall come alive and the significance of this act shall live on in our hearts, that the world may know us as people of faith...and children of God..

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I am thankful to God, for our veteran Shepherds who still celebrates the Eucharist with deep conviction and ardent worship that it emits great power for God's blessings and healing upon the whole congregation. When we gather together as one body, to worship our God, is it not true that we want his love to embrace us, for Him to remove all our anxieties in life and for Him to take care of our every needs? When a Resident Shepherd of any parish raises his voice to pray for his congregation, with conviction and sincerity, that passion will touch God, and that congregation will be blessed indeed.. Is it not true that when a man of deep faith and much loved by God prays for us, our prayers are often answered? May God bless our Parish and Shepherd and keep alive ,the eternal love and promise of God in our hearts.

Transformation

That I was curious how this topic would be handled is an understatement. We are talking about the last session of the Spirit Seminar. The topic for the evening - Transformation.

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How do we define Transformation in the Christian context? It is centred on the perfect and eternal love of God. "For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but has everlasting life." John 3:16 God sends his Only Son to give us enlightenment, to open our hearts, eyes and ears that we may receive the Spirit of Wisdom and be transformed into the New Way and the New Life, He has shown us, that we may rise above the turmoil , the darkness, the fear and entrust ourselves fully, to the care of the Loving Father in Heaven. The gift of a faith that will move mountains and give new life.

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Our talented and dynamic speaker for the night, SisterGetrude banged the nail straight on the head when she said that, it is crucial that transformation must start and begin from within, one must have the desire, to want change and start to action change before any good could flow out to touch and transform others... our thoughts, our words, our actions and deeds..- Christlike . . .

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When we experience Transformation, we become aware of our sinful state, and our heart and soul cries out in repentance. Our eyes are opened to our own imperfect state, and we become more humble and tolerant to the imperfections in others. We become less judgemental; more generous; we become more willing to come down to the level of others; reach out and embrace others and in so doing, unleashed the power of goodness, peace and love to radiate outwards...bright enough to touch the hearts of each and everyone in this universe to bring about positive and powerful changes ....for that universal transformation. Remember the world is made up of ticking hearts and souls....

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How wonderful it would be if every individual in this universe experiences this positive transformation , if our mindset changes for the better; if each and everyone of us are empowered with the wisdom of choice and that choice leads us into the kingdom of God. The world then will be a much better place to live in and the Peace which God intends us to have , fills and brims over, filling the whole wide world ....

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Yes, I echo the thanks and acknowledgement to all members of the prayer group, the powerful musicial voices of the Youth Group .....and to you, yourself sister.....the sharing, the total WOW factor! Hey people you were great!! Till the next LSS!!

Touched by the Spirit

I woke up well before the alarm this morning, a call not to be late for the early morning service at 6.30a.m. I felt it would be a special day and indeed, I felt the gracious presence of the Lord, the moment I knelt down to pay homage; one of those blessed days. I know He is truly in the midst of the congregation, because there is such a stirring in my heart, each time a hymn was sung, words of worship uttered and mercy asked for. The words just sprung forth a fresh meaning ...... to became a two way bonding with the Lord. . Doesn't happen all the time, but , this morning, it was a wham! Maybe it was because, of the early hour, Maybe, it was the mass itself....I really do not know....

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The letters of St Paul is truly remarkable in that it was Spirit inspired and enpowered not only to teach,impart wisdom and guidance but also to provide a pathway to action the legacy, Christ left for us, Love God and in so doing , shower love upon the whole wide world , because God is Love itself. Paul was called to be the apostle of the Gentiles, from whence the seeds of the Word shall spring up and multiply to all corners of the world , thrive and gain strength.. Acts 13:47. "I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the world."

To me, God intents that love and charity should begin at home....For those who chose higher love and devotion to God, ...over -marriage and human needs, great will be their blessings in heaven, to them the task of a good sheperd had been entrusted. But for those who chose to raise a family, theirs is a another kind of blessings, and a different set of responsibilities.... committment to provide love, care and safe sanctuary to those they call their own. In so doing, they build a house of stone from where they plant and nuture good family values, attitudes and love in their young ones, building a strong foundation of love, values and peace which will ultimately flow outwards to all people -church, community, society and to the whole universe --irrespective of race, culture, religion or creed. We are brothers and sisters..... children of one God. Peace, and joy and loving one another starts from a good home , whatever choice our young children make in life, whatever paths, they later walk in life..believe it or not, it starts from a home planted seed.

Charity begins at home

In touching on " charity begins at Home," a young man from the charismatic prayer group , touched briefly on his own awakening of this beautiful virtue from within , realising that caring must begin first from home before allowing it...the spirit of love and charity to flow out into the community at large. He is learning to look after the needs of his mom first before venturing out to fulfil his obligations to the community .. As a mom myself, I was deeply touched. It is every woman's dream, to have good God fearing husbands and children , what more... if our husbands or children, took good care of our needs first before flying off to tend to the needs of the world. Not many people realised that, in order to help others, they will first need to take good care of their own household.....- many were just too busy building bon fires to warm the whole wide world, not realising that the people who matters most, in their lives, their loved ones at home, were freezing to death.

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And I praise and thank God, for this awakening in our bro's heart....... Folks, I can just see the smile in a mom's face and the happiness her heart. If you are a mom yourself, you will know what I mean.

Church -Sunday 21st Sept 08

Wonderful! The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes Klang has an email address. Praise the Lord! We are finally in keeping with the knowledge world. These days, if you are not connected to the internet, ..if you do not have at least a parking lot in the cyber world, well , the world just passes you by, you are like those still riding the bicycle while everybody else is driving and flying....

I am inspired by the quotes from this week's church bulletin in celebration of Catechetical Sunday - "The Catechist's Hands." Let me share some of the soul searching and inspirational words with you .. Here goes:-

• I look at my hands with discovery new. Such awesome gifts, they are and yet challenging too! God sealed them forever with God's powerful grace, that I might give blessings and anoint in God's place.
• 
  
  I look at my hands ....Have I made them God's own....have I raised them in prayer? Were they eager to serve and more willing to share?
• 
  
  I look at my hands...(deep within self .. writer's own interpretation)...are they quick to Forgive? Or do I pass judgement about how others live?


• I am content to receive what's delightful and free. But I need to take hold of all God sends to me.
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  I look at my hands..could they pen words to say "God's love is eternal", with conviction this day?
• 
  
  I look at my hands used to take food and eat. Bread blessed and then broken becomes communion treat
• 
  
  Hands must freely unclasp and palms must open wide. For them to be transformed by Christ's dweling inside.
• 
  
  When will I look at my hands and see not only mine, but hands moulded with love formed into Christ's sublime?

Beautiful yet gently heart and soul searching for an answer. A Christian call to to serve . Acts 20:35. " In all things, I have shown you that by so toiling, one must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive".

Pray for our Catholic Sister

A Catholic Sister in Christ is in distress and is in great need of our prayers. Let us all pray that the storm will soon blow over and all the misunderstandings will be cleared up and she comes back to us soon, safe and sound. Lord, we place our Sister Teresa into your care. Watch over her and bring her home safely Lord, in Jesus Name, we pray Amen. Can I call upon everyone to say a little prayer for our sister in our heart. Just a little prayer and the Lord will surely be with her . Bless you people!

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An Update Sat 20th Sept 2008: Thanks be to God for prayers answered.

The Spirit Seminar-Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Do I believe in the Holy Spirit? Absolutely! And the atmosphere at the culmination of the Spirit Seminar was highly charged up after powerful praise and worship. I sense great anticipation- from the crowd- a certain expectation -the question in everyones' mind -"will something extraordinary touch me tonight?"

I remember my first Spirit Seminar three or was it four years ago? I was sick, down, weepy and very disorientated. Some one mentioned that the LSS, the Spirit Seminar was on in the Holy Redemeer Church and invited me along to experience the healing touch of the Holy spirit. I remembered, feeling very very heavy inside out on the first day, barely able to follow the worship session but somehow the praise and worship, flowed in and lifted me up a little and I went home more cheerful. On the second day, I was joining in the worship abeitly very self-consciously. I stood very still, with hands hanging stiffing by my side, singing almost to myself, while the others in the packed church were lifting and waving their hands up in the air, singing and praising God with their whole heart and soul. On the third day, amazingly, I found myself swaying with the rest, letting go and trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit. Yes, I wept a little; and that is, release- friends..... unloading, unburdening, helped along by the powerful prayers of others in the Seminar.

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I felt very much better after that and when it was time for the "Praying over" by the Prayer Group, I found myself eagerly moving forward, with great expectation. BUT, nothing extraordinary happened to me that day, or so, I thought but friends, after that day, my recovery began, body, spirit and soul. God did not light fireworks for me that day, but his healing spirit touched me gently, and lifted me out of the quick sand of destruction. He let me know in His own way, that He is always by my side. Oh yes, I still stumble and fall. I still lose my way sometimes. Sometimes?!! Most of the time, is nearer truth. I get angry with Him, I grumbled but hey you know what friends? God is no more someone distant, high up where I cannot reach Him. He is no more someone to be feared. He has become a loving Father, an indulgent Father who is ever forgiving and ready to comfort., that's why it has become a joy talking to him.

If you did not experience anything spectacular at "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" night, friends do not think that you have not been blessed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is very much present and has become a part of you, I assure you. You will find many subtle changes in your life with things moving more positively in your life. Now is the time to dust away the cobwebs, remove the rubbish which kept the Spirit dormant and allow the Holy Spirit to rise forth and shine in your lives. Like Bro Mervin said, Unleash the Spirit from within you and walk in the brillance of his guiding grace.Remember to focus on the Heavenly Giver and everything else will fall into place. God bless you friends. May your faith bring you peace.

Catholic to Catholic and to All

I chance upon the Catholic Forum whilst browsing the net and wow! the Catholic community is a huge, huge family. People are ready with words of encouragement, and love. To a person down and alone, it is a lifeline. Believe me. Just knowing that others are listening to you, caring for you, makes a great difference. It does. I wished I had chanced upon this site earlier when I was at pit bottom but thank the Lord, I managed to keep on unloading my burdens at his feet and thus retained my peace. Now, I find that I could share my own experiences with those who are going through troubled patches in their lives and needed a listening ear. I am learning that every man and woman is frail in their own ways, everyone has their high and low points. Nobody has it all. Brothers and Sisters, there are alot of people out there who have a great need of God in their lives and yet do not know how to reach out to find the peace. So the next time, you feel that the world is treating you bad, think agan- there could be someone out there who may be going through tougher times. We should really count our blessings and thank God, for watching over us all the time. Pray that others too may receive the gift of His Healing touch and the grace of his guiding light to find peace in their hearts.