Pope's Visit to Angola: Special Posting

Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, centre, walks with Pope Benedict XVI past a guard of honor at Luanda International Airport in Angola on Friday (20 March, 2009)

20 March, 2009

Part of Angolan Audience awaiting the Pope

(LUANDA, Angola) — Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in the southern African country of Angola on the second leg of his African tour. A band played and an official delegation greeted Benedict as he descended from his chartered plane at Luanda's airport. The pope has a busy schedule ahead Friday (20, March), meeting with the country's president, its diplomatic corps and bishops. More than 60% of Angolans are Catholic, or about 8.5 million people. Portuguese missionaries baptized the continent's first Catholic convert there in 1491. Benedict arrived in Angola after a four-day visit to Cameroon, where he met Friday morning with about 15 pygmies who presented him with a live turtle that Vatican officials said would be taken to Vatican City.

"The pope, who has great authority to speak, would influence the powers that be in Angola by drawing greater attention to the poor," he said. "But the regime wants a sort of papal benediction, so that its authoritarianism will not be seen as an absolute dictatorship but a symbolic enthronement as a divinely inspired power." Angola is rich in diamonds and oil, but war and mismanagement have left most Angolans in poverty. Pestana says some of the country's bishops have spoken out in courageous pastoral letters condemning the use of multibillion-dollar oil revenues for personal enrichment while citizens remain poor. He says the bishops are divided between those who would see the church reinforcing its status by cementing a strong alliance with the government and those who warn that this would be corrupting. Pestana fears the papal visit will profit only the government because "the benefits for the image of those in power does not necessarily translate into benefits for the population or into social progress." Benedict indicated he was not looking for confrontation, telling reporters before he left for Africa: "The church does not pursue economic, social and political objectives. The church announces Christ, certain that the Gospel can touch the hearts of all and transform them."

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In Angola, pope encourages postwar spiritual and material recovery

Arriving in Angola on the second stage of his African pilgrimage, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the country to continue on the path of reconciliation after a devastating civil war. As Angola recovers spiritually and economically from the conflict, it must not forget its own poor, the pope said after landing at Luanda's airport March 20. "The multitude of Angolans who live below the threshold of absolute poverty must not be forgotten. Do not disappoint their expectations!" the pope said. Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos met the pontiff as he disembarked from the Alitalia charter plane that brought him from Cameroon. When a young woman who was presenting the pope with flowers lost her white cap, the pope promptly put it back on her head. Then the president led the 81-year-old pontiff past a long line of dignitaries in torrid midday heat that brought handkerchiefs to many brows. The pope did not appear to be bothered by the warm temperatures, and he smiled as a crowd cheered and ululated from the airport rooftops. Angola, a former Portuguese colony that became independent in 1975, was evangelized by missionaries more than 500 years ago. Today, about 57 percent of the population is Catholic, one of the highest percentages in Africa. Angola's civil war lasted 27 years, ending with a peace agreement in 2002. The fighting between government forces and a rebel movement supported by the United States left an estimated 500,000 dead, 80,000 maimed and the country's infrastructure shattered. In his arrival speech, the pope said that as someone who grew up in Germany during World War II he understood what war can do to a country and the need for moral and material rebuilding. He also referred to Germany's postwar division, with oppression caused by "destructive ideologies." "You can therefore understand how keenly aware I am of dialogue as a way of overcoming every form of conflict and tension and making every nation -- including your own -- into a house of peace and fraternity," he said. Addressing all Angolans, the pope said the church would do its part in the country's recovery, and that it shared in the common mission of "building together a freer and more peaceful society, marked by greater solidarity." The pope's comments about not forgetting Angola's impoverished sectors of the population touched on a sensitive topic in the southern African country. In recent years, Angola has emerged as an important supplier of crude oil, resulting in an economic boom that has created a growing rich-poor gap. "Unfortunately, within the borders of Angola, there are still many poor people demanding that their rights be respected," the pope said. He emphasized that the whole of Angola needs to be involved in the country's healing and revitalization. The pope added a particular appeal on behalf of flood victims in southern Angola, where torrential rains left some 20,000 people homeless a week before his arrival. He expressed his solidarity and his encouragement for their reconstruction efforts. Dos Santos, who has been in power 30 years, told the pope that the entire country was looking forward to what he had to say during his visit. He said his government's goal was to build a "spiritually harmonious and tolerant nation, able to assume its responsibilities in defense of human dignity and honor, justice, solidarity, freedom and universal peace." The church should have a key role in this process, he said. When the pope left the airport, his motorcade was engulfed in a sea of chanting, waving people, many of whom ran alongside the popemobile for blocks. The crowd extended all the way into the city center. Later in the day the pope was scheduled to pay a formal visit to Dos Santos at the presidential palace, address foreign diplomats and meet with the country's bishops. - http://www.catholicnews.com/

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Compassionate Mother

Way of the Cross of Jesus

The Fourth Station

Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother

My Jesus, it was a great sorrow to realize Your pain caused Mary so much grief. As Redeemer, You wanted her to share in Your pain for mankind. When You glanced at each other in unutterable suffering, what gave you both the courage to carry on without the least alleviation - without anger at such injustice?It seems as if you desired to suffer every possible pain to give me an example of how to suffer when my time comes. What a humiliation for You when Your mother saw you in such a pitiable state - weak - helpless - at the mercy of sinful men - holiness exposed to evil in all hideousness.Did every moment of that short encounter seem like an eternity? As I see so much suffering in the world, there are times I think it is all hopeless. There is an element of lethargy in my prayers for mankind that says "I'll pray, but what good will it do? The sick grow sicker and the hungry starve. " I think of that glance between You and Mary - the glance that said, "Let us give this misery to the Father for the salvation of souls. The Father's power takes our pain and frustration and renews souls, saves them for a new life - a life of eternal joy, eternal happiness. It is worth it all." Give perseverance to the sick so they can carry the cross of frustration and agony with love and resignation for the salvation of others.Amen

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http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/stations/stat4.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ vmalpan@gmail.com

Pope's Visit to Cameroon and Angola: Special Posting

Pope Benedict XVI in Cameroon (19 March, 2009)

"Sons and daughters of Africa, do not be afraid to believe, to hope, and to love; do not be afraid to say that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and that we can be saved by Him alone. ... 'Hoping against hope': is this not a magnificent description of a Christian? "Africa", he added, "is called to hope through you and in you! With Jesus Christ, who trod the African soil, Africa can become the continent of hope! We are all members of the peoples that God gave to Abraham as his descendants. Each and every one of us was thought, willed and loved by God. Each and every one of us has a role to play in the plan of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. "If discouragement overwhelms you, think of the faith of Joseph; if anxiety has its grip on you, think of the hope of Joseph, that descendant of Abraham who hoped against hope; if exasperation or hatred seizes you, think of the love of Joseph, who was the first man to set eyes on the human face of God in the person of the Infant conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary". "Like Joseph, do not be afraid to take Mary into your home, that is to say do not be afraid to love the Church. Mary, Mother of the Church, will teach you to follow your pastors, ... to heed what they teach you and to pray for their intentions. ... Those preparing for marriage, treat your future spouse as Joseph did; those of you who have given yourselves to God in celibacy, reflect upon the teaching of the Church, our Mother: 'Virginity or celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of God not only does not contradict the dignity of marriage but presupposes and confirms it. Marriage and virginity are two ways of expressing and living the one mystery of the Covenant of God..."

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POPE IN ANGOLA

Luanda in Angola

Angolans pour into Luanda for pope's visit

T-shirts, badges and rosaries celebrating Pope Benedict XVI's visit dot the streets of Luanda, as tens of thousands of pilgrims flock to the city hoping to catch a glimpse of him. "We have T-shirts, headscarves, rosaries, badges, sarongs -- all things for people to remember this special visit," said 55-year-old vendor Fatima Domingo, hawking her wares outside a church downtown. "We are very happy because he's going to bring the word to us Christians here in Angola," she said. Benedict arrives Friday from Cameroon on the first papal visit here since Pope John Paul II came in 1992, during a lull in the civil war that ended nearly seven years ago. Images of that trip are replaying endlessly on television, showing groups of women and children clapping and chanting "Papa, Amigo, Angola esta contigo" -- "Pope, my friend, Angola is with you." The airport is already decorated with pink and white flags bearing his face, and thousands are expected to gather at the terminal for his arrival, among them, Isabel Kinanga. "When the last pope visited Angola, I was in hospital having my son by Caesarian, so I don't want to miss any of this visit," the 36-year-old told AFP. "We're going to the airport and then we'll be following the pope around the city. We are just so happy for Benedict to be coming here and to have chosen Angola. He brings a blessing for all of us." The pope will be driven around Luanda in a specially-imported white Mercedes "Pope Mobile", on roads the government is rushing to repair and clean before the weekend. Angola, whose people live in poverty despite the nation's oil riches, is believed to have spent millions of dollars on new pavements as well as lighting systems outside churches and on the routes where Benedict will pass. New lawns and shrub gardens have sprung up, with litter swept away and graffiti scrubbed from walls. More than 12,000 police officers have been mobilised and security will be tight around the city, with many main routes expected to be closed to allow the Pope Mobile to pass. In his last Sunday Vatican address before flying to Africa, Benedict said he wanted to wrap his arms around the entire continent, with "its painful wounds, its enormous potential and hopes." Angola has been at peace for nearly seven years, but physical and mental scars remain from the decades of conflict which claimed half a million lives. The bishop of Cabinda, Dom Filomeno Vieira Dias, said the pope's arrival would "animate the faithful". Politicians, artists and community leaders have all welcomed the visit and the pontiff's message of peace. Tens of thousands of people from around the country are being bused and flown into Luanda to take part in the pope's visit, which includes an open air mass for half a million on Sunday and a meeting with young people at a football stadium. For those unable to access the events, giant television screens are being put up across the capital and in other provinces to beam live coverage of his remarks to everyone. "The Church is the only salvation we have in this world and we are very happy Pope Benedict is coming here to see us in Angola," said Eduardo Gonga, 53, as he clutched his souvenir poster on his way for a lunchtime prayer. "The visit is a good thing because it will bring a lot of happiness. We have just finished a period of war and we are now in a time of peace and this peace can be prolonged, I think, with the words that the pope will bring."http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Suffering with Jesus

Compassionate Suffering

Way of the Cross III Station

Jesus Falls the First Time

My Jesus, it seems to me, that as God, You would have carried Your cross without faltering, but You did not. You fell beneath it's weight to show me You understand when I fall. Is it pride that makes me want to shine even in pain? You were not ashamed to fall- to admit the cross was heavy. There are those in world whom my pride will not tolerate as I expect everyone to be strong, yet I am weak. I am ashamed to admit failure in anything.If the Father permits failure in my life just as He permitted You to fall, then I must know there is good in that failure which my mind will never comprehend. I must not concentrate on the eyes of others as they rest upon me in my falls. Rather, I must reach up to touch that invisible hand and drink in that invisible strength ever at my side.Weak Jesus, help all men who try so hard to be good but whose nature is constantly opposed to them walking straight and tall down the narrow road of life. Raise their heads to see the glory that is to come rather than the misery of the present moment.Your love for me gave You strength to rise from Your fall. Look upon all those whom the world considers unprofitable servants and give them the courage to be more concerned as to how they stand before You, rather than their fellowmen.Amen

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/stations/stat2.htm

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vmalpan@gmail.com

March 19 Feast of St. Joseph

GO TO JOSEPH In Pope John Paul II's thinking - as set out in his 1989 encyclical Redemptoris Custos ("On the Person and Mission of Saint Joseph in the Life of Christ and of the Church") - St Joseph is set within the plan of redemption. Inserted directly in the mystery of the Incarnation, the Family of Nazareth has its own special mystery. In this family Joseph is the father: his fatherhood is not one that derives from begetting offspring; but neither is it an 'apparent' or merely 'substitute' fatherhood. Rather it is one that fully shares in the authentic human fatherhood and the mission of a father in the family. St Joseph is seen in the Gospels as the humble but exalted instrument of God's great designs in the redemptive Incarnation; he is the spouse, the husband of Mary, the guardian of her honour, lending his name to her Child: "Is not this the son of Joseph?" (John 6:42). These two aspects are closely related: "... it was from his marriage to Mary that Joseph derived his singular dignity and his rights in regard to Jesus". ----------------------------- ----------------------------- Way of the Cross

The Second Station

Jesus Carries His Cross. How could any human impose such a burden upon Your torn and bleeding body, Lord Jesus? Each movement of the cross drove the thorns deeper into Your Head. How did You keep the hatred from welling up in Your Heart? How did the injustice of it all not ruffle your peace? The Father's Will was hard on You - Why do I complain when it is hard on me?I see injustice and am frustrated and when my plans to alleviate it seems futile, I despair. When I see those burdened with poverty suffer ever more and cross is added to cross my heart is far from serene. I utterly fail to see the dignity of the cross as it is carried with love. I would so much rather be without it.My worldly concept is that suffering, like food, should be shared equally. How ridiculous I am, dear Lord. Just as we do not all need the same amount of material food, neither do we need the same amount of spiritual food and that is what the cross is in my life, isn't it - spiritual food proportional to my needs.Amen

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/stations/stat2.htm

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Pope's Visit to Cameroon: Special Posting

Pope Benedict XVI's First Visit to Cameroon

Yaoundè, Cameroon [Though Benedict XVI’s brief comments about condoms in response to a reporter’s question seem likely to dominate international headlines on day one of his maiden voyage to Africa, here in Cameroon, a country once rated by Transparency International as the most corrupt on earth, it was another tough papal line that actually raised more eyebrows. In effect, the pope called on Christians to challenge the endemic corruption that many observers see as a central obstacle to development in African societies. “In the face of suffering or violence, poverty or hunger, corruption or abuse of power, a Christian can never remain silent,” the pope said during a welcoming ceremony at the airport in Yaoundè, the national capital. ----- Many Cameroonians say the Catholic church here has at times played a lonely role in demanding greater transparency and democratization, pointing to a string of unsolved murders of priests, nuns and even an archbishop as the price that such outspokenness can sometimes exact. Benedict also used blunt terms to describe the wider difficulties of Africa. “Regional conflicts leave thousands homeless or destitute, orphaned or widowed,” the pope said. “In a continent which, in times past, saw so many of its people cruelly uprooted and traded overseas to work as slaves, today human trafficking, especially of defenseless women and children, has become a new form of slavery. “At a time of global food shortages, financial turmoil, and disturbing patterns of climate change, Africa suffers disproportionately,” Benedict said. “More and more of her people are falling prey to hunger, poverty, and disease.” To be sure, the pope praised Cameroon for its peacefulness,

its record of inter-ethnic and inter-religious harmony,

and its strong defense of unborn life.

(Abortion is illegal here.)

Nonetheless, his challenge on corruption can hardly

have been what Biya was hoping for;

massive billboards plastered

throughout Yaoundè trumpet a “perfect communion” between the two figures, a narrative

that the pope’s debut does not quite support...]

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Excerpts from an E-Mail report

sent by Rev. Ashley Maurice

Hekima College, Nairobi - Kenya

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Following Jesus in His pain

Way of the Cross

Opening Prayer

Mary, my Mother, you were the first to live the Way of the Cross.You felt every pain and every humiliation. You were unafraid of the ridicule heaped upon you by the crowds. Your eyes were ever on Jesus and His Pain. Is that the secret of your miraculous strength? How did your loving heart bear such a burden and such a weight? As you watched Himstumble and fall, were you tortured by the memory of all the yesterdays-His birth, His hidden life and His ministry? You were so desirous of everyone loving Him. What a heartache it wasto see so many hate Him - hate with a diabolical fury. Take my hand as I make this Way of the Cross. Inspire me with those thoughts that will make me realize how much He loves me. Give me light to apply each station to mydaily life and to remember my neighbor's needs in this Way of the Pain. Obtain for me the grace to understand the mystery, the wisdomand the Divine love as I go from scene to scene. Grant that my heart, likeyours, may be pierced through by the sight of His sorrow and the misery andthat I may determine never to offend Him again. What a price He paid to cover my sins, to open the gates of heaven for me and to fill my soul with Hisown Spirit . Sweet Mother, let us travel this way together and grant that thelove in my poor heart may give you some slight consolation. Amen.

The First Station

Jesus Is Condemned To DeathMy Jesus, the world still has You on trial. It keeps asking who You are and why You make the demands You make. It asks over and over the question, If You are God's Son, why do You permit the world to be in the state it is in? Why are You so silent?Though the arrogance of the world angers me, I must admit that silently, in the depths of my soul, I too have these questions. Your humility frustrates me and makes me uncomfortable. Your strength before Pilate as You drank deeply from the power of the Father, gives me the answer to my question - The Father's Will. The Father permits many sufferings in my life but it is all for my good. If only I too could be silent in the face of worldly prudence - steadfast in the faith when all seems lost - calm when accused unjustly - free from tyranny of human respect - ready to do the Father's Will no matter how difficult.Silent Jesus, give us all the graces we need to stand tall in the face of the ridicule of the world. Give the poor the strength not to succumb to their privation but to be ever aware of their dignity as sons of God. Grant that we might not bend to the crippling disease of worldly glory but be willing to be deprived of all things rather than lose Your friendship. My Jesus, though we are accused daily of being fools, let the vision of Quiet Dignity standing before Monstrous Injustice, give us all the courage to be Your followers.Amen Reflections written by Mother M. Angelica, P.C.P.A.

http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/stations/face.htm

Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) was launched on August 15, 1981

Africa: Papal Visit

AFRICA : Papal trip (March 17-23)

Pope Benedict XVI opens a new chapter in his papal travels when he visits Cameroon and Angola in mid-March, a trip designed to highlight the church's message of hope on a continent beset by problems.

The visit March 17-23 will mark the first trip to Africa for a pope who has sometimes been described as Eurocentric, and it launches a series of important church events in 2009 focusing on the African continent. For Pope Benedict, who is completing work on his first social encyclical, the trip will bring him closer to populations that are struggling daily against poverty, disease, corruption and armed conflict.

The global financial crisis is aggravating the burden on Africa's poor, and the pope's words on economic justice may offer a preview of the encyclical's themes.

The trip will unfold in two parts.

In Cameroon, the pope will meet with bishops from the entire continent and hand-deliver the working document for the Synod of Bishops for Africa, which will take place in Rome in October. The synod's theme is justice, reconciliation and peace, and it offers the pope a seemingly endless choice of topics for the seven speeches and homilies he'll deliver during his four days in Cameroon. Certainly he will touch on the ethnic and political tensions that have afflicted areas like Darfur in Sudan, Somalia and the Great Lakes region, and address the responsibilities of governments to promote dialogue, reduce corruption and respond to the human needs of their populations.

But rather than read a laundry list of challenges, the pope is more likely to zero in on the church's specific mission to be a community that heals, reconciles, forgives and encourages. The point is to move evangelization past the stage of bringing people into the church, and toward the goal of witnessing the Gospel in personal lives and the life of society.One small but significant event in Cameroon will be the pope's visit to the Cardinal Paul Emile Leger Center, also known as the National Center for the Rehabilitation of the Handicapped. Even more than the synod document's thousands of words on pastoral strategy, this is where the pope sees the church eloquently expressing the faith and affecting lives, through charity in action.In Cameroon, the pope will also meet with representatives of the country's Muslim community, which comprises about 22 percent of the population. At this encounter and in meetings with the African bishops, the pope is expected to emphasize the need for interfaith collaboration in tackling the moral and material problems of the continent.

In Nigeria, which borders Cameroon, attacks between groups of Christians and Muslims have left hundreds dead in recent months, although church leaders have emphasized that the violence has been primarily political and not religious.

The second part of the pope's trip takes him to the Angolan capital of Luanda for a series of encounters with political and government officials, church leaders and groups of the faithful. Here the emphasis is on the 500th anniversary of Christian evangelization in a country where the faith arrived with Portuguese missionaries in the late 15th century. Angola is still recovering materially, politically and spiritually from a disastrous 27-year-long civil war that ended in 2002. The first postwar presidential elections are scheduled for later this year, and many Angolans believe the pope's visit could bring a spark of hope and encouragement to the country as it continues to reconcile and rebuild.One key event will be the pope's Mass with young people in a soccer stadium in Luanda. Trip planners realize that the papal program in Africa will be largely consumed by meetings with groups of bishops, and they want to make sure the pope also has an opportunity to build bridges to younger generations.On his last full day in Angola, the pope is taking time to meet with Catholic movements that promote women's welfare. The encounter underlines the church's concern about the many forms of continuing discrimination and violence against women in Africa, and it offers the pope a chance to make clear church teaching on gender equality. Health care is a major concern in Angola and throughout Africa, and the AIDS pandemic in particular has devastated the continent. The disease now kills about 1.5 million people in sub-Saharan Africa each year, and has left more than 11 million children orphaned. When it comes to the church and AIDS, the media often focus on the church's distrust of condoms as the answer to AIDS prevention. Pope Benedict has never mentioned the condom issue explicitly, but he spelled out his thoughts on AIDS in a talk to African bishops in 2005, noting that the church is in the forefront in treatment of this "cruel epidemic" and saying the "only failsafe way" to prevent its spread is found in the church's traditional teaching on sexual responsibility. The German pope has made 10 trips so far, six of them to Europe (seven if one counts Turkey as part of Europe).

This year his attention has turned to Africa. In addition to his March trip, the October synod and a major pre-synodal meeting of African church leaders in Rome, the pope has been meeting with groups of African bishops on their "ad limina" visits to report on their dioceses. Under Pope John Paul II, the church in Africa grew by 160 percent and the number of priestly vocations tripled. Pope Benedict has spoken less of numbers and more about proper formation and a deepening of the faith -- in a sense, quality control. That's likely to be his focus in Cameroon and Angola, too. What do African Catholics expect from the pope's visit? Certainly they'll be listening to the pope as he speaks about their problems and the gifts they bring to the church.

But African bishops say the importance of a papal visit is more than the sum of his speeches, sermons and liturgies. "The Holy Father, wherever he goes, carries along with him this aura of God's representative on earth," Nigerian Bishop Michael Odogwu Elue of Issele-Uku told Catholic News Service. "His nearness to us is almost equated with God's nearness to us. We do not talk about his political figure ... it's his spiritual presence that gives us a lot of encouragement and strength in the faith," he said. Beyond the pope's message, many Africans will be looking for his blessing. - http://www.catholicnews.com/

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Vision of Heaven

[Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.] Revelation 21: 1-4

Vision of Heaven (Poetry by Jim Wilson)

"I submit and surrender

To a love so sweet and tender

I find it difficult to express My intense feelings of joyfulness. This fantastic feeling of love Is sent by angels from above As I feel like I’m on cloud nine Basking in brilliant sunshine. In my ear I hear a cherub sing Like a skylark on the wing. As I listen to this heavenly sound There are angels all around Joining the chorus of the cherub’s song In a vision of the heavenly throng! " ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Jim Wilson lives and works in Aberdeen, Scotland. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ vmalpan@gmail.com

Law of God and Love of God

My friends - the law should always be interpreted by love - Jesus himself pointed this out when he stated that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath; but for those who have accepted the new covenant that has been offered to us in Him, this does not mean that the law can be watered down and then finally discarded. Jesus refused to walk the path of compromise when it came to the law - indeed he pointed out the Spirit of the Law of Love is far more demanding than the written letter of the law. Where the ten commandments outlaw adultery, Jesus outlaws even the thought of adultery, where the ten commandments outlaw murder, Jesus outlaws even the hateful intent. If we wish to ignore the law of God - or just to water it down in the name of love then let us not pretend to the name of Christ - to the name of the one who kept the law perfectly.. The law is given to us out of love. It is designed to keep us safe and provide us with guidance and light as we navigate the minefield of this world. The law is part of the covenant that God has made with us to be our God. That covenant is not harsh or harmful; it is loving and forgiving, it is merciful and kind. So merciful and kind is that covenant - the covenant that we have in Christ, that a promise is made to us - the promise that when we break the law, and then realize what we have done and are repentant, that God will forgive us - and heal us, that God will reckon to us the perfect righteousness of Christ.. The law should not be a cause of despair for us, but rather a cause for joy - for it is the expression of God's love for us every bit as much as Christ's death on the cross is an expression of God's love for us. The law which God has given us to guide us in the ways of love can be found in this book, The love of Christ which forgives us and saves us - the love which we are called to show to one another, the love which embodies the fulfilment and completion of the law - that love is found in every one who believes in him and seeks to walk as he walked, trusting in God and in his word. Listen to that love - listen to the Lord your God - and be faithful. Praise be to God - now and evermore. Amen LET US PRAY The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.

By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. We give you thanks O God for your love and for the law you give us to guide us in your ways. Help us to live as you have shown us.

Lord hear our prayer. And in your love answer. Amen!

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Courtesy: http://www.rockies.net/~spirit/sermons/b-le03su.php

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vmalpan@gmail.com

3rd Sunday of Lent: Year B

Liturgical Readings: Exodus 20: 1-17 or Exodus 17: 3-7

1 Cor 1:22-25 or Romans 5:1-2, 5-8

John 2:13-25 or John 4: 5-42

The Ten Commandments Homily, March 15th, 2009

"This Sunday, the first reading is of the Ten

Commandments. How well do you know them? Here’s a good quiz for the family. Give each person a piece of paper, and ask them to write down the Ten Commandments. See who can get all ten. I bet some of them put down ‘Love your neighbour’ which isn’t one of then. And I also bet that few of them put down about coveting - and might not even know what the word means (it means jealously wanting to have what others have, sort of keeping up with the Jones’. In many ways our society is built on covetousness). Now we can deplore the fact that few know the Ten Commandments off by heart, and still fewer understand them, and yes, there is a point to be made, but the reciting of words is not quite the same as living them. It’s not that the words aren’t important, of course they are, but far more important than to know the words by heart is to live them from the heart. It is one thing to know it is wrong to tell a lie - it is quite another to be outraged by the temptation to benefit from a convenient untruth. It is one thing to know it is wrong to steal - but it is another to turn our backs on the odd scam or bargain from a questionable source. It is one thing to know that we should keep each Sunday by going to mass - yet another to rejoice in the celebration of our faith. Now then, when people hear the story which is Sunday's Gospel reading - the story of Jesus clearly angry, entering the temple, overturning the money changers’ tables and driving them out with a whip - some ask how can this be? Isn't it a sin to be angry? Well anger itself is not mentioned in the Ten Commandments. And in any case, Jesus’ apparent anger is a zeal for truth, a thirst for honest dealing and a yearning for a faith that comes from the heart - not words only, but words that are expressed in deeds. "

Courtesy: frpeter.blogspot.com '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

JOHN 2:13-22 (NIV)

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" His disciples remembered that it is written: "Zeal for your house will consume me." Then the Jews demanded of him, "What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

This is the Gospel of our Lord... Praise be to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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