Our lives, the only Bible (?)

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.

It is really a wonder to know how much people watch us as Christians, and will put us to the test!

Always be on guard...!

and remember --

You carry the name of Christ

on your shoulders

when you call yourself a Christian .

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Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. @@@@@@@@ If you don't pass this on to anybody, nothing bad will happen to you;

but, if you do, you will have ministered to someone. The Will of God will never take you to

where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you... Stay FAITHFUL

and Be GRATEFUL!

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Feast of St. Augustine of Hippo

Augustine of Hippo.

St. Augustine - (354-430), Bishop of Hippo and "Doctor of the Church" Accepted by most scholars to be the most important figure in the ancient Western church, St. Augustine was born in Tagaste, Numidia in North Africa. His mother was a Christian, but his father remained a pagan until late in life. After a rather unremarkable childhood, marred only by a case of stealing pears, Augustine drifted through several philosophical systems before converting to Christianity at the age of thirty-one. At the age of nineteen, Augustine read Cicero's Hortensius, an experience that led him into the fascination with philosophical questions and methods that would remain with him throughout his life. After a few years as a Manichean, he became attracted to the more skeptical positions of the Academic philosophers. Although tempted in the direction of Christianity upon his arrival at Milan in 383, he turned first to neoplatonism, During this time, Augustine fathered a child by a mistress. This period of exploration, including its youthful excesses (perhaps somewhat exaggerated) are recorded in Augustine's most widely read work, the Confessions. During his youth, Augustine had studied rhetoric at Carthage, a discipline that he used to gain employment teaching in Carthage and then in Rome and Milan, where he met Ambrose who is credited with effecting Augustine's conversion and who baptized Augustine in 387. Returning to his homeland soon after his conversion, he was ordained a presbyter in 391, taking the position as bishop of Hippo in 396, a position which he held until his death. Besides the Confessions, Augustine's most celebrated work is his De Civitate Dei (On the City of God), a study of the relationship between Christianity and secular society, which was inspired by the fall of Rome to the Visigoths in 410. Among his other works, many are polemical attacks on various heresies: Against Faustus, the Manichean; On Baptism; Against the Donatists; and many attacks on Pelagianism and Semi-Pelagianism. Other works include treatises On the Trinity; On Faith, Hope, and Love; On Christian Doctrine; and some early dialogues. St. Augustine stands as a powerful advocate for orthodoxy and of the episcopacy as the sole means for the dispensing of saving grace. In the light of later scholarship, Augustine can be seen to serve as a bridge between the ancient and medieval worlds. A review of his life and work, however, shows him as an active mind engaging the practical concerns of the churches he served. ~~~~~~Courtesy:http://www.ccel.org/a/augustine/

Happy Feast!

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Year of the Priests

"Let us celebrate this Jubilee Year for the Priests! You have given yourself to God and served Him faithfully through the flock that has been entrusted to your care. You have shared with us your time and energy through confession, mass, counseling and encounters. You have been part of our spiritual life. With gratitude and love in our hearts for all your services and sacrifices, we wish to recognize your presence in the celebration of Priests’ Day".

"Dear Lord, we pray that the Blessed Mother wrap her mantle around your priests and through her intercession strengthen them for their ministry. We pray that Mary will guide your priests to follow her own words, "Do whatever He tells you" (Jn. 2:5). May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary’s most chaste spouse. May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross. May your priests be holy, filled with the fire of your love seeking nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen."

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From well wishers of priests.

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vmalpan@gmail.com

Graciousness of God

Enough reason to thank the Lord for what you see below...

It is good to get lost occasionally... That can be a prelude to genuine discovery... __________________ vmalpan@gmail.com

Feast of St. Bartholomew - Apostle

Tradition has it that St.Bartolomeo was skinned alive for proclaiming the word of God in Armenia. ++++++++++++++++ Saint Bartholomew is one of the Twelve Apostles, mentioned sixth in the three Gospel lists (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:14), and seventh in the list of Acts (1:13). The name (Bartholomaios) means "son of Talmai" which was an ancient Hebrew name.Besides being listed as an Apostle, he is not otherwise mentioned in the New Testament. At least not under the name Bartholomew: many ancient writers, and Catholic tradition have identified Bartholomew as Nathaniel in the Gospel of John (John 1:45-51, and 21:2). The Gospel passage read at Mass on the feast of Saint Bartholomew is precisely this passage from John (1:45-51) where Nathaniel is introduced to Jesus by his friend Phillip, and Jesus says of him "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him (1:47)." We are presented with the Apostle's character in this brief and beautiful dialogue with the Lord Jesus. He is a good Jew, honest and innocent, a just man, who devotes much time to quiet reflection and prayer - "under the fig tree (1:48)" - and has been awaiting the Messiah, the Holy One of God. At Jesus' mention that "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you (1:48)," Nathaniel responded "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel (1:49)!" Being "a true child of Israel," Nathaniel was a man well-read in the Scriptures and knew what they said of the Messiah and where he would come from. This is why he is skeptical of Phillip's claim that Jesus is the Messiah, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth (1:46)?" But Nathaniel was lacking "duplicity" - that is, his heart was undivided, his intentions pure - his openness to reality was always ready to recognize and surrender to the truth when he encountered it. He remained open to his friend Phillip's invitation to "Come and see (1:46)." In encountering Jesus and hearing His words, he found himself face to face with the Truth Himself, and, like John the Baptist's leap in his mother's womb at the Lord's presence, Nathaniel's words lept out of his own heart in a clear and simple confession of faith, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus, in Matthew 5:8, says, "Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God." In Nathaniel we have an example of the pure man who sees - recognizes - God when confronted with Him, and on seeing Him believes in Him, and upon believing in Him follows Him. Nothing is known for sure about the life of Nathaniel/Bartholomew after the Ascension of Jesus. But tradition has it that he preached in the East and died a martyr's death in Armenia, being flayed alive for having won converts to the Lord Jesus. ******************* vmalpan@gmail.com

Contending for the Faith in a Hostile World

Uplook Ministries - Contending for the Faith in a Hostile World - John Lennox You are invited to click on "Uplook Ministries" and follow the instructions to listen to the audio "Contending for the Faith in a Hostile World". I am sure you will enjoy listening to these inspiring talks on this Sunday of rest and relaxation. May you be blessed!

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vmalpan@gmail.com