The Beauty of the Confessional by Freddy d'Silva

Henry Nowen who authored the book called 'Wounded Healer' was a high official in the Anglican Church. Later he left the Anglican Church and embraced Catholicism. When a journalist asked Nowen for the reason for his change of mind, he replied, "The Sacrament of Confession astonishes me. It attracts me."

After his resurrection, Confession was an everlasting gift that Jesus bequeathed to his children. He entrusted the administration of this sacrament to his apostles, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John Chapter 20 verse 23). Here the forgiving act is not done by the priests, but by God himself through the priest. It is when one confesses his sins with true repentance to the priest that the divine graces which he received during Baptism are restored to him after being lost because of the sins he had committed. Repentance, the Church teaches us, is the sorrow one feels in his heart, the hatred for sins, and reiteration that he won’t commit sins again. It is to those who unburden themselves from the weight of sin that spiritual joy and peace are given by God. “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you” (Psalms Chapter 55 verse 22).

There is no need for those who are tormented by the consequences of sin and sense of guilt to be in despair. If you decide to return to Jesus, the rest will be done by him. The words of Jesus make this amply manifest, “I have come to call not the righteous but sinners” (Matthew Chapter 9 verse 13). In order not to ruin one’s life under the bondage of sin, one should come into the love of Jesus. It is then that divine graces will grow in him. “Come now, let us argue it out, says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah Chapter 1 verse 18). The Church has given us some blueprints to her children so that they can live in unity and reconciliation with their Father.

1. REMEMBER YOUR SINS. 

If you are to remember your sins, the assistance of the Holy Spirit is essential (John Chapter 14 verse 26). People with deep repentance can recollect all the iniquities they have committed. King David said with a heavily repentant heart, “I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me” (Psalms 51 verse 3).

2. REPENT. 

The Psalms say that Kind David repented throughout his life for his transgressions. The 51^st Psalm has been written in the tears of repentance shed by David. Repentance leads us to inner transformation.

3. CONFESS YOUR SINS.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John Chapter Chapter 1 verse 8). “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John Chapter 1 verse 9). We should confess our sins to the priest with deep repentance. Only those who are humble in their heart can do it. Mother Theresa used to confess every week. She did that even when she was in her deathbed. The Sisters who were nursing her asked her, “What sins did you commit, Mother, to confess?” Listen to the reply of the Mother, “If I did not thank the doctor who examines me daily, if I don’t smile at the nurses who look after me, if I did not show compassion to the poor, won’t the heart of the Lord get wounded?” It is the person who confesses all his sins with an open heart that experiences spiritual joy and who gets remission of his sins. If a patient is too shy to disclose his wound to the doctor, how can the doctor give him the appropriate medicine to heal the wound?

4. FIRM DETERMINATION NOT TO SIN AGAIN.

Those who have made Jesus their own should live as witnesses to Jesus. The Samaritan woman relinquished her sinful life and lived as a witness to Jesus (John Chapter 1 verse 29 to 29). The instruction Jesus gives to the woman caught in adultery is noteworthy, “Do not sin again” (John Chapter 8 verse 11).

5. DO PENANCE. 

Although when a confession is made with repentance, the sin is forgiven, we have a duty to those whom we offended through our mindless transgressions. We have a duty to compensate their loss. We should grow in the knowledge that our God is a forgiving God. “I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah Chapter 31 verse 34).

The Confessional is the Cleansing Pond where we can be cleansed from our sins. It is the Pilgrimage Spot that God has given to us for getting forgiveness for our transgressions. Just like air is needed for life, Confession is essential for spiritual growth. Through this, healing is received both for the mind and body. We should confess so that we do not lose the divine grace reposed in us during our Baptism. Through Confession we ensure that we remain the children of the Most High.

Courtesy: Vachanolsavam June 2007 Issue/ Eternal Truth Network

The Art of Marriage by Father Augustine Vallooran VC

When we gave less importance to what God considers very important, it leads to destruction. Marriage and family did not originate from the idea of man. It came from God’s own mind and He instituted it. Nobility and dignity, gracefulness and sacredness of married life, as planned by God, are not considered important today. This is the main factor for the disunity in most of the families.

Unity is not equality, it is not uniformity either, not even yielding to each other’s plans but yielding to God’s purpose. In the world we have troubles but Jesus said, “Be happy for I’ve overcome the world” (John Chapter 16 verse 33).

“Be still I am your God” (Psalms Chapter 46 verse 10).

Stillness is the touch of God’s hand, not the absence of physical agitation. Stillness is the peace of God’s voice, not the absence of distracting noises. Stillness is the light of God’s smile not the absence of disturbing sights.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, sitting in a Nazi prison cell, once wrote a wedding sermon for a niece who was about to be married. In it he said, “Marriage is more than your love for each other. It has a higher dignity and power, for it is God’s holy ordinance, through which He wills to perpetuate the human race till the end of time. In your love you see only your two selves in the world, but in marriage you are a link in the chain of generations which God causes to come and to pass away to his glory, and calls into his kingdom. In your love you see only the heaven of your happiness, but in marriage you are place at a post of responsibility towards the world and mankind. Your love is your own private possession, but marriage is more than something personal, it is a status, an office”.

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR MARRIAGE

1. Thou shalt not take thy partner for granted.
2. Thou shalt not expect perfection of each other.
3. Thou shalt be patient, loving, understanding, kind and true.
4. Thou shalt tend the garden of love daily.
5. Thou shalt take great care that thy partner’s trust is never violated or diminished in any way.
6. Thou shalt not forget thy wedding vows, remembering especially those important words, ‘For better or for worse’.
7. Thou shalt not hide thy true feelings. Mutual love provides a bright sunlit room where things of the heart can be discussed freely and without fear.
8. Thou shalt always respect each other as individuals. Degrading words and a sharp tongue cause grave distortions. Endearing terms ennoble, lift up and engender peace.
9. Thou shalt give thy marriage room to grow. Both partners should be willing to face the future together with confidence and trust. Today is a better day for them than yesterday and tomorrow will find them closer still.
10. Thou shalt through all thy days reverence God, thy Creator, never forgetting that it is he who has made you.

THE ART OF MARRIAGE

- A good marriage must be created.
- In a marriage the little things are the big things.
- It is never being too old to hold hands
- It is remembering to say ‘I love you’ at least once a day.
- It is never going to sleep angry.
- It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.
- It is standing together facing the world.
- It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.
- It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful way.
- It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.
- It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.
- It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.
- It is not only marrying the right person, it is also being the right partner.

Prayer for couples:

Almighty God, in your love you created the whole universe, you created human beings in your image and likeness as male and female. You said that it is not good for a person to be alone and thus instituted the Sacrament of Marriage. You willed marriage to be the only covenant relationship in the world. Marriage was your idea; conceived first in your mind – a mystery you planned it to be.

Bless all the married couples in their onward journey and help them to accept each other as a gift from you. Bless them with children and help them to grow in your love and mercy. Be their help and support in their daily needs, protect them from all evil and temptations and fill them with your love, joy, peace and prosperity so that they may be blessed like the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. AMEN!

Article Courtesy: Divine Voice Weekly - August 2008/ Painting Courtesy: Eternal Truth Network

St Paul on Dating by Scripture Super Hero

It's true that there are answers and guidelines to all our life situations revealed in The Bible. The ways of our lives will be perfected whenever we take a sincere effort to practice these teachings. Learn these scriptures and let them glow in your hearts whenever situations demand them. The Word of God will strengthen you to face the toughest of adversities and to emerge victorious by His power and Grace. Our series on St Paul's teachings continue, this time we focus on dating:

2 Corinthians Chapter 6 verse 14 says, "Do not try to work together as equals with unbelievers, for it cannot be done. How can right and wrong be partners? How can light and darkness live together?"

2 Corinthians Chapter 7 verse 1 says, "...let us purify ourselves from everything that makes body or soul unclean, and let us be completely holy by living in awe of God."

Galatians Chapter 5 verse 22 & 23 says, "But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. There is no law against such things as these."

1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 verse 3 & 4 says, "God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality. Each of you men should know how to live with his wife in a holy and honorable way..."

1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 verse 7 says, “God did not call us to live in immorality, but in holiness."

1 Timothy Chapter 2 verse 9 & 10 says, "I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly; not with fancy hair styles or with gold ornaments or pearls or expensive dresses, but with good deeds, as is proper for women who claim to be religious."

2 Timothy Chapter 1 verse 7 says, "For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid; instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and self-control."

The Scripture references are from the GOOD NEWS BIBLE published by St Pauls

“We are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans Chapter 8 verse 37) by Maria Sangeetha.

From June 2008 to June 2009, the church celebrated the Year of St Paul – a saint being given an extraordinary status – because he has an extraordinary role in our life and purpose. He was purposeful, committed to a Life Principle and this carried him from a blinding fall at Damascus to glory for eternity. This is the first of a three part series on the path of glory St Paul points us to.

Every human person is a masterpiece carved by the perfect hands of the Master Craftsman. God makes no second grade matter. And every creation of His is made with a grand purpose. “For I know the plans that I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah Chapter 29 verse 11). Everyone has a claim to love, joy, peace and life in all its fullness. In fact Jesus would say that this was the very purpose of His coming – that we may “have life, and life in all its fullness” (John Chapter 10 verse 10).

Every one of us is born with not identical but equal facilities and opportunities for growth. “For with God there is no partiality” (Romans Chapter 2 verse 11). So when we look at those who “made it” successfully, we need to see what is it that makes the difference, the life principles that has propelled them to where they are.

“Imitate me as I imitate Christ”.

One of the greatest success stories in the history of our faith is that of St Paul of Tarsus. Though he was a contemporary of Jesus he was not among the chosen twelve. He did not even have that chance of seeing Jesus when he walked the earth. He would even count himself as “the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15 verse 9) and again as the “worst of sinners” having persecuted the very Body of Christ. After all his great striving for his ideals and faith, all he had been handled was humiliations and persecutions. So much so that he would say now that all he can and would boast about was of his weaknesses!

Yet what we see today is that the Church places and celebrates Paul alongside Peter, the prince of the Church, the rock on which the Church is built. He was a witness to the Lord and even experienced the third heavens! The bulk of the New Testament is the writings of Paul. It is considered that the theological foundations of the faith are largely drawn from the thought of Paul. Some even go to the extent of saying that Christianity as a religion was founded by Paul. This is debatable but the fact remains that Paul has been used mightily by God in guiding the Church from its very beginnings and 2000 years later the Church leans heavily on him as a model and guide for our journey to salvation.

LIFE PRINCIPLE – Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2nd Timothy Chapter 4 verse 7). St Paul was a man who made it! What was the secret of his phenomenal success that has seen him endure down the many centuries and generations to be an inspiration for us? All over the Pauline writings we see the conviction of Paul clearly and strongly echoed. The faith statement of St Paul is his life principle: “I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20). His life had a foundation – the Son of God who loved him so much to die a most horrific death all for love of this worst of sinners, His every decision and every experience was weighed and viewed by the perspective of the Son of God hanging on the Cross for love of him.

THE FAITH PRINCIPLE: “I live by faith”.

St Paul challenged kings and pagans, Greeks and Jews. Even the apostles were not spared! And today he challenges us: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”. We always see St Paul as a man of extraordinary confidence. Confidence is the one key factor for success, just as fear is the sure guarantee for failure. We are so conscious of our need to succeed that unwillingly we have placed ourselves as victims of fear. And fear destroys.

We are living in a world where success is projected as God. We cannot face failure. We often don’t even venture out because of the fear of failure. Fear of failure is what has effectively put the brakes on us doing the great things God has planned for us.

It is fear that the evil one always employ to destroy our lives. At Eden, Adam & Eve listening to the words of satan doubted the love of God and took on this unholy fear of God. In Genesis Chapter 3 verse 10 we read - “I heard the sound of Thee… and I was afraid”. Adam had begun running away from God. And he lost paradise that was placed in his hands. We will lose all that is precious just by fear of it. So dangerous is fear. So effective is fear in the hands of the enemy whose agenda is “to destroy, plunder and kill” (John Chapter 10 verse 10).

Jesus gave us the parable of the ten talents. Two of the servants invested well in what they received, got rich dividends and received grand rewards and honors from the master. The third servant, who failed and was rejected by the master, lost the little he had. And we see it all had to do with his attitude of fear that comes out in the few words he spoke, “Master, I knew you were a hard man…so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground” (Matthew Chapter 25 verses 24 & 25)

Why do we bury our talents? Why do we fail and our efforts end without bearing fruit? Why have we lost paradise? Because it is in fear that we step out. Because the image we have before us is of a God who is hostile to us.

THE FEAR FACTOR IS THE FAILURE FACTOR

Conversely we see with St Paul that the CONFIDENCE FACTOR IS THE SUCCESS FACTOR. Fear had no space in his vocabulary as he clearly declares: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self control” (2nd Timothy Chapter 1 verse 7).

FOUNDATION PRINCIPLE: “It had been founded on the rock” (Matthew Chapter 7 verse 25)

It would be a gross exaggeration to say that most of us have no faith or confidence. Everyone, including the atheist, lives by a faith, has an interpretation for everything from life to death and hence we could say even has a spirituality! Even for those whose lives are propelled by fear they have at some time or the other too lived in a confidence. But there is a vital difference.

What us the difference St Paul invites us to? For this we need to look within ourselves and find the answers.

We all live. Do we all live by faith? Surely there are many in fact who do live by faith… But the faith is in what? Am I living in the faith of the people I love… my parents, my friends, my business partners? Am I living in the faith of my influence, my popularity, my money, my talents? All these are limited and must pass away!

Again there are some who live by faith in their limitations, their bad experiences, the pattern of failures that they’ve drawn together. And some live by faith in ‘nothing’. They are like driftwood that must eventually decay and disappear.

“The price of God’s upward calling in Christ Jesus” (Philippians Chapter 3 verse 14).

Here is the difference of St Paul. He is clear about what his confidence is about. It was not about his talents or influence. It was definitely not about his righteousness. There was just one object for this faith and he spells it out clearly at every occasion. He lives by faith “in THE SON OF GOD WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR ME” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20). He is more than a conqueror by faith “through Him who loved us” (Romans Chapter 8 verse 37). He speaks of righteousness by faith “in Jesus Christ” (Romans Chapter 3 verse 22).

Jesus assured us, “If anyone walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he see the light of the world” (John Chapter 11 verse 9). We will not fail if the light of such faith in Jesus guides us. If we must reach our goal we must “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians Chapter 5 verse 7). And this faith is sure and rewarding when it is “in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20).

Maria Sangeetha serves as the Youth Co-ordinator at DRCM and have been active in the DY ministry for more than 7 years.

Courtesy: Divine Voice June 2009 Issue

St Paul on Drinking & Partying by Scripture Super Hero

It’s quite interesting, when one starts digging deep to know scriptural truths regarding situations which confront us. Having knowledge about God’s original plan empowers us to stand firm in faith. The true understanding of Scripture gives us bright reasons to live a holy life which God desires from us. This week our superhero secret points us towards being strengthened in the subject of Drinking & Partying.

Romans Chapter 2 verse 19 says, “…you are sure that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the darkness…”

Romans Chapter 13 verse 12 to 13 says, “The night is nearly over, day is almost here. Let us stop doing the things that belong to the dark, and let us take up weapons for fighting in the light. Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of the day – no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy.”

1 Corinthians Chapter 4 verse 5 says, “…he will bring to light the dark secrets and expose the hidden purposes of people’s minds.”

1 Corinthians Chapter 15 verse 34 says, “Come back to your right senses and stop your sinful ways. I declare to your shame that some of you do not know God.”

1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 verse 8 says, “…we belong to the day, and we should be sober.”

Galatians Chapter 5 verse 21 says, “…they are envious, get drunk, have orgies, and do other things like these. I warn you now as I have before: those who do these things will not possess the Kingdom of God.

Ephesians Chapter 5 verse 8 & 11 says, “You yourselves used to be in the darkness, but since you have become the Lord’s people, you are in the light. So you must live like people who belong to the light… Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness.”

Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 12, “For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.”

“No Longer I, But Christ Lives in Me” (Philippians Chapter 4 verse 13) by Maria Sangeetha

“If God is for us , who can be against us? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is Christ Jesus, who died, rather, was raised, who indeed intercedes for us.” (Romans Chapter 8 verses 31 to 34). Life is a battle where we are pitched against challenges that are gigantic as Goliath. And if we are to be conquerors in this we need know our strength – that God is on our side. This is the second of three part series on he life principle of St Paul.

Life is the most precious gift handed to us. And we must give the best we can for life. And the place we begin is at the foundations. The higher and stronger our structure is to be, the deeper and sturdier should be our foundations. If we are building our life on the passing sands, with every change, all that we are standing on will crumble. But if I build my life on the Rock of Christ I will never fail.

The fool builds his life on the superficial and slippery ground of passing fads. But the wise one goes deeper and builds his life on the one sure foundation of the love of God that is unchanging and ever providing. Storms will come, strong winds of change, but we shall remain unmoved for we remain in the shelter of the Lord’s love. “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever” (Psalms Chapter 121 verse 1). Saint Paul was clear about what was his life determined by: “I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20). The greatest love, the highest sacrifice, was there at Calvary. And he would settle for nothing less than the best he could get for his life.

THE RELATIONSHIP PRINCIPLE – “by faith in the Son of God”

From the fall of our first parents, we human beings have constantly lived in dread of the God Almighty who reigns from Heavens. We have kept the image of a distant and hard, demanding God holding the reigns of our life. Hence we have no enthusiasm for life itself but for St Paul fear had no relevance. He feared “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any creature” for he was in his own words “convinced” of one thing – that none of these are anything “will be able to separate us (him) from the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans Chapter 8 verses 38 to 39). As he looked up St Paul realized one thing in life the sacrifice was one thing to live by. “He who did not spare his own Son but handed Him for us, how will He not also give up everything else along with Him?” (Romans Chapter 8 verse 32)

And with this confidence he changed his platforms of operation. “I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself us for me” (Galatians Chapter2 verse 20).

Till this moment he was a Pharisee struggling for his righteousness. Driven by zeal and ambition, he saw perfection. But with all his resolutions he came to bemoan “I do not do the good I want, but the very evil I do not want is what I do….Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans Chapter7 verse 19 & 24).

He had realized no matter how noble his intentions, or determined his will be, even the sprit may be willing but the flesh remains weak! The answer now lay not in looking to himself and his strengths or weakness, but in looking to the Son of God who dies that we might have life, who became Sin that we may take on His righteousness. When he looked at Christ he drew strength that “if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies” (Romans Chapter 8 verse 11)

Life is a difficult struggle, a warfare, indeed. We are most constantly battling with ourselves. St Paul is not turning a blind eye to that. His spirituality is not of escapist. He was well aware that the challenges before us and the powers against us were far too great for us to tackle. “Our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens” (Ephesians Chapter 6 verse 12) and his solution: “Put on the armor of God.” Put on Christ over us.

What we see is the movement in the life of Paul FROM RESOLUTIONS TO RELATIONSHIP. From now he would urge us to do as he did himself “to put on Christ”. Christ and he had come to an union of intimacy, the desires of Jesus would become his passion, the weakness of Christ would become his strengths, the foolishness of Christ’s sacrifice would become Paul’s wisdom and power and salvation (Refer 1 Corinthians Chapter 1 verse 24 & 25). And Paul would say “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians Chapter 2 verse 20).

“He is our peace” (Ephesians Chapter 2 verse 14) – The elder brother comes to bring the prodigal home

The constant yearning of the Father has been to embrace us in love. Ever since the misunderstanding, Satan created. Time and time again God spoke through the prophets that He was ready for anything to get us back: “I formed you, Oh Israel, you will not be forgotten by me… I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud, and your sins like mist; return to me for I’ve redeemed you…Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I gave men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life” (Isaiah Chapter 44 verse 21 to 22 and Chapter 43 verse 4).

And finally God sent His Word Incarnate, His one precious Son.

Christ came down to this earth with one mission – to reconcile us to our Father. We had run away from our home, where alone we could be ever comfortable and loved. An unreal fear had taken over us – the fear of the false image of God which Satan created with a lie. But Christ tells us, “Look at the birds of the air, the lilies of the field, the loving parent, the Good Shepherd… look everywhere and see and how much He loves you. He’d give all that He has for you, even the ninety-nine good sheep for you when you have failed…” And finally pointing to Himself Jesus would conclude at the Cross “God so loves you that He’d gave His one precious Son, His one unblemished dearest lamb… all for love of you that you live and love and flourish for eternity.” Righteousness, St Paul, would declare was no more in works by law but in the relationship of faith. It is when we firmly place our hands in His hands, living moment by moment in His love, and then we shall never fall. For now we are held up in the firm hands of love that leads us to righteousness.

What the prophet had all along given as the assurance from the Lord “Fear not, I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah Chapter 41 verse 10). God is stretching out his arms from the cross to receive us and support us in His love.

Maria Sangeetha serves as the Youth Co-ordinator at DRCM and have been active in the DY ministry for more than 7 years.

Courtesy: Divine Voice July 2009 Issue

Prayer Alert: Maryam and Marzieh on Trial in Iran

In a world that is saturated with SIN and SINFUL tendencies it has always impressed me that living a life dedicated to Jesus is one of the biggest challenges that one could face. Following Christ faithfully is all a matter of choice and I have heard many times my friends and colleagues in the world telling me – “Well it would be foolishness to follow the kind of life Jesus wants us to live when we are young. Perhaps Church and matters related to holiness should be things which one should consider when one reaches his 40’s or 50’s”. Many have shrugged off the message of Love calling it way too idealistic and not realistic. But even as my scriptural super hero powers meet these kinds of direct blows, two young girls who face trial in Iran is skyrocketing my faith to unprecedented heights.

Maryam Rustampoor (27) and Marzieh Amirizadeh (30) were first arrested and imprisoned on March 5,2009 on charges of “taking part in illegal gatherings” and “acting against state security.” Maryam and Marzieh’s only crime is that they have converted to Christianity. In a court trial yesterday, Sunday, August 9, they were told to recant their faith. Even though the mandatory death sentence for apostasy did not pass the Iranian Parliament, there is still a very real danger they will be convicted of apostasy and given the death sentence.

However, Islamic law forbids the execution of virgins, which both these young women are. To get around that, unmarried female convicts are forcefully “wed” the night before their execution, gang raped all night, and then executed the following morning. Please pray earnestly these young women will be delivered from such a fate.

The following are excerpts from the trial:

Mr. Haddad, asked the two women if they were Christians. “We love Jesus,” they replied. He repeated his question and they said, “Yes, we are Christians.”
Mr. Haddad then said, “You were Muslims and now you have become Christians.”
“We were born in Muslim families, but we were not Muslims,” was their reply.

Mr. Haddad’s questioning continued and he asked them if they regretted becoming Christians, to which they replied, “We have no regrets.”


Then he stated emphatically, “You should renounce your faith verbally and in written form.” They stood firm and replied, “We will not deny our faith.”

During one tense moment in the questioning, Maryam and Marzieh made reference to their belief that God had convicted them through the Holy Spirit. Mr. Haddad told them, “It is impossible for God to speak with humans.”
Marzieh asked him in return, “Are you questioning whether God is Almighty?”
Mr. Haddad then replied, “You are not worthy for God to speak to you.”
Marzieh said, “It is God, and not you, who determines if I am worthy.”

Mr. Haddad told the women to return to prison and think about the options they were given and come back to him when they are ready (to comply). Maryam and Marzieh said, “We have already done our thinking.”

Maryam and Marzieh have already undergone severe persecution and suffer terribly due to the lack of medical care. Despite the concentrated effort of officials to pressure them into recanting their faith, Maryam and Marzieh love Jesus and they are determined to stand firm to the very end no matter whatever happens. They have demonstrated their love for Jesus and would offer their lives for Him if they were called to do so. After the August 9 court session they said, “If we come out of prison we want to do so with honor.”

Please intercede for Maryam and Marzieh. They are young as you are – they are your loving sisters in Christ.

I am also reminded of 2 Maccabees Chapter 7 which tells us about the love of a mother and her seven sons towards God and how they stood their ground against the toughest of persecutions.

More more in-depth details please visit http://intercessors.wordpress.com/

St Paul on Sexuality & Chastity by Scripture Super Hero

The Word of God is referred as the chief weapon (i.e. Sword of the Spirit) in our warfare against Worldly temptations. It is therefore essential for us to know scriptures that are specific to life situations so that we can stand firm in our faith. Consider them as your Super Hero powers to emerge as a Saint in today’s world.

Romans Chapter 6 verses 12 to13 says, “Sin must no longer rule in your mortal bodies, so that you obey the desires of your natural self. Nor must you surrender any part of yourselves to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, give yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes”.

Romans Chapter 12 verse 1 says, “Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to Him. This is the true worship that you should offer”.

Romans Chapter 13 verse 13 says, “Let us conduct ourselves properly, as people who live in the light of the day – no orgies or drunkenness, no immorality or indecency, no fighting or jealousy”.

1 Corinthians Chapter 6 verse 9 says, “Surely you know that the wicked will not possess God’s Kingdom. Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are drunkards or who slander others or are thieves – none of these will possess God’s Kingdom”.

1 Corinthians Chapter 6 verse 15 says, “You know that your bodies are parts of the body of Christ. Shall I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of the body of a prostitute? Impossible!”

2 Corinthians Chapter 12 verse 21 says, “…I shall weep over many who sinned in the past and have not repented of the immoral things they have done – their lust and their sexual sins”.

Galatians Chapter 5 verse 19 says, “What human nature does is quite plain. It shows itself in immoral, filthy, and indecent actions…”

Ephesians Chapter 4 verse 19 says, “They have lost all feeling of shame; they give themselves over to vice and do all sorts of indecent things without restraint”.

1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 verses 3 to 8 says, “God wants you to be holy and completely free from sexual immorality. Each of you men should live with his wife in a holy and honorable way, not with a lustful desire, like the heathen who do not know God. In this matter, then, no man should do wrong to his fellow Christian or take advantage of him. We have told you this before, and we strongly warned you that the Lord will punish those who do that. God did not call us to live in immorality, but in holiness. So then whoever rejects this teaching is not rejecting man, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit”.

The Scripture references are from the GOOD NEWS BIBLE published by St Pauls

“I Resolved to know nothing… except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2) by Maria Sangeetha

There is this famous painting of the Risen Lord supporting a fainting young man. Clearly visible in the man’s hand are a hammer and nail. The young man who went to crucify is the one the Lord chose to save and support. The central experience of St Paul was strikingly similar. Hence he declares, “God shows His love for us (Rm 5:8). In this last of the three part series on the Life Principle of St Paul we arrive at the core of his existence – Christ crucified – the life breath, the salvation and the proclamation of Paul.

“I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal 2:20) For St Paul, the crucified Christ testified to the personal love of God. And so sure is this testimony that one could live by it. The extreme sin within us, the deathly coldness of our hearts, the darkness of the grief and fear that we are covered by – none of these can hold out against the loving determination and power of the Lord to seek us out and bring us back to life. The Cross is a bridge by which the love of Christ stretches out over and beyond my every failure and every obstacle to reach me to salvation. God is not confined by time and distance. He is only confined by His love that knows no confines. Hence St Paul insists, ““I Resolved to know nothing… except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2)

THE BEYOND PRINCIPLE – “The Son of God who loved me”

When St Paul looked at the crucified Lord he was transported to the beyond. “What eye has not seen and ear has not heard… God has prepared for us” (1 Cor 2:9,10). Life had to be lived beyond what the senses could tell us. The senses can only limit us. “If you live according to the flesh (the limits imposed by our senses) you will die” (Rm 7:13). No wonder we are desperate and depressed! We have been living our life on limitations – the illness that is beyond cure, the wounds that are beyond healing, the complexes that are beyond change, the separations in our relationships that are beyond reconciliation, the problems in our family that have existed beyond generations, the financial burdens that are beyond our earnings, the impossible challenges and the final failures.

St Paul invites us to look with him, beyond to the God who is beyond all limitations. Our God works at a superior level of grace. We are reminded of the grand prophecy: “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so much greater are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts” (Is 55:8,9). The crucified Christ stood before St Paul to constantly remind him that the love of God was beyond all boundaries and limitations. He writes, “For I am convinced that… nothing can ever come between us and the Love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rm 8: 37-39).

The stumbling blocks in our life circumstances, the limitations or the foolishness we see within ourselves – even these can hold no resistance to the love of God. Even if the whole world is against us, there are charges established against us, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because it is He who is our advocate…who intercedes for us, pleads for our cause, acquits and stands by us. The Risen Lord came through locked doors of fear and grief to present himself to his disciples his wounded hands and torn side to touch that they might realize that death is not final, nor is any darkness. Life has conquered and we have no reason to grieve. While in the gospels and everywhere else we are promised the fullness of grace – love and joy and peace and life in superlative measure; St Paul always goes a step further and speaks of the “beyond.” The love of God is beyond our comprehension (Eph 3:18,19). Hence He gives us beyond our asking and our imagination (Eph 3:20)

THE “CRUCIFIX & I” PRINCIPLE – “The Son of God who…gave Himself up for me”

The crucified Christ was ever before the eyes of St Paul. The sacrificial death of Christ and the love behind was not a mere historical fact or even an incident in the salvation sequence but a personal experience for Paul. This is how it is meant to be for every Christian. Paul was an active participant in the Calvary event – the very reason for the crucification and death of Christ. The famed actor-director Mel Gibson was asked why he did not act in “The Passion of Christ” the movie he had made. He told the surprised hearers that indeed he did play a major role. His hands were seen as nailing Christ to the Cross.

So also Paul counted himself as intimately connected to the reason and hence to the salvation of the Cross. So he would insist, “I resolve to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). Again he would say what this cross meant for him, “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called…Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1: 23, 24)

The crucified Christ was for Paul a living and relevant reality in every aspect of present life. Apart from counting himself as the reason for Christ’s extreme step of self giving, the cross of Christ casts a shadow on every cross of the Christian’s life. The Cross of Christ transforms all our crosses. The cross dismissed as a stumbling block and foolishness is now transformed by the overwhelming love of God into the very power and wisdom. So also every suffering, every obstacle, every shameful failure is transformed into an occasion to witness the power and wisdom of God. There is no room for regret. The apostle assures us that therefore, “ALL THINGS shall work for the good” (Rm 8:28). And he would now declare that his glory is his sufferings. Boasting in his persecutions and rejections, his humiliations and heartbreaks, St Paul obviously saw these as vents through which the power of God could enter into his life and mission. The Cross is not merely to be revered, hung up and decorated or the sacrifice of the Cross simply to be praised. St Paul leads us beyond these to embrace the Cross of Christ and unite to it all our crosses. It is for all of us to recognize and acknowledge the presence of the power and wisdom of God in our daily trails. A mentally retarded child, a paralyzed parent, a shameful failure, a heartbreaking tragedy – all these are sacraments of God’s presence in our life. All these by my worldly logic would be foolishness and stumbling blocks. But when I acknowledge the Cross of Christ as my salvation, I need to accept that very power of God operating through these wounds in my life.

We have been lost to the fear of sufferings and grieved over the curse of pain. St Paul invites us to share in the victory of Christ by building our life on the Rock of Calvary. For it is at the Cross that I am assured that God moves beyond the boundaries and walls, that have deprived me of the light of day and life. It is at the Cross that I know that God reaches out to me even beyond my sin and fears. It is at the Cross that my crosses are transformed into sites of graces. I am the reason for Christ being raised up on the Cross. And in me is the reward of His grand sacrifice.

Maria Sangeetha serves as the Youth Co-ordinator at DRCM and have been active in the DY ministry for more than 7 years.

Courtesy: Divine Voice August 2009 Issue/ Painting Copyright: Thomas Blackshear II

0002 - DY Spiritual Formation - Topics: ‘Jesus Savior’ , ‘Lordship’ & ‘Evangelisation' by Fritz Mascarenhas

When it comes to Christian discipleship,  Fritz Mascarenhas is the man to reckon with. Through out India and abroad Fritz is known for his unparallel love and devotion towards Jesus and the mission Jesus himself has entrusted to his followers – i.e “…in his name the message of repentance and the forgiveness of sins must be preached to all nations…” (Luke 24:47).  Fritz and his wife Diana have been actively involved with the ICPE mission since 1999. ICPE operates from Bangalore and they also offer many discipleship programs for those who are thirsty to know more about Jesus.

Fritz gave three powerful talks during the recently concluded 4^th IYC (Power 2009) on the topics – ‘Jesus Savior’ , ‘Lordship’ & ‘Evangelisation. The download links for these talks would be made available soon!

0001 - DY Spiritual Formation - Topic: 'God's Love' by Fr.Augustine Vallooran V.C

On the second day of the 4^th IYC, Fr.Augustine Vallooran V.C gave one of the most stirring talks on ‘God’s Love’. A heart of Love is essential to live in the richness of effective Christian Life. Fr.Augustine draws our attention to look at the source of Infinite love to live a life distinguished by great confidence. 

Click on the following Rapidshare link (or copy paste the link to a new browser window) to download the talk in MP3 format: 

http://rapidshare.com/files/271333176/01.4IYC_02Fr.Augustine_Valloran_God_s_Love.mp3 

Divine Youth Blog

Welcome to Divine Youth Blog – your new door to the world of enriched spiritual formation. We have once again seen the might of our Lord God at work during the 4^th International Youth Conference that was blessed with the presence of Internationally reputed Catholic Preachers, Priests and Praise & Worship bands.

(Intense Worship: FAITH Band, Goa in performance)

Our spiritual journey should be a thrilling experience where we should be able to bring more and more people into the precious love of Jesus Christ. As young men and women we have a greater role to fulfill. We are the next generation and therefore it’s extremely important that we take this great message of love to the ends of the world, touching millions and transforming many.

(Fantastic Four: Kuba, Joe Zambon, Glen & Tresa leading Praise & Worship)

Keep checking back this blog for more spiritual Manna and share the messages with your friends and invite them to be part of the community. Make use of the ‘Download Links’ in the sidebar to obtain materials that would be helpful in you and your friend’s spiritual formation. As the first download link we have a set of 336 Images shot during the recently concluded 4^th IYC (POWER 2009)

Please do note that most of the download links would lead you to Rapidshare server. Download the files from the server and extract them using WinRar or WinZip.

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Photography Credits -  deu: photography (Mumbai & Cochin)