Do you know the steadfast love of the Lord?

Lamentations 3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

God's love endures forever because he is a covenant-making God who keeps his promises (Psalm 89:2-4). God showed special favor to David when he anointed him to be king of Israel. After David had established peace in the land and wanted to build a house for God, God reassured him that he would build David a house, not made of stone but of flesh, that would last forever (2 Samuel 7:12,16). This royal house would be no ordinary dynasty because God himself promised to raise up an heir to David's house, another "man after God's own heart" - a Savior and King who would bring healing, pardon, and lasting peace for his people.

A new era of grace and salvation begins with the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus

We begin to see the fulfillment of this prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21).

This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God's promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most High" and "King" and his name shall be called "Jesus" (Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).

Mary believed God's word and gave her unqualified "yes" to God's will

How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the �mother of God� because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. Jesus, whom the Father sent from heaven, is true God and true man.

God gives us the grace to say "yes" to his will and to his transforming work in our lives

When we pray the ancient Nicene Creed (325 AD) we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: "For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man." God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?

source: Don's Daily email ~ Kairos-EME

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Christmas Season

gif image source: WWW.REDDIT.COM

HOPE

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God�s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

PEACE

1 Peter 3:10-12

For �He that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile; let him turn away from evil and do right;let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.�

JOY

1 Peter 1:6-9

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.

LOVE

1 Peter 1:22-23

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

How precious is the spirit of generosity and sacrifice

Love grows with gratitude and generous giving

Jesus taught that real giving must come from the heart. A gift that is given with a grudge or for display loses its value. But a gift given out of love, with a spirit of generosity and sacrifice, is precious. The amount or size of the gift doesn't matter as much as the cost to the giver. The poor widow could have kept one of her coins, but instead she recklessly gave away all she had! Jesus praised someone who gave barely a penny - how insignificant a sum - because it was everything she had, her whole living.

Nothing given in love is worthless

What we have to offer may look very small and not worth much, but if we put all we have at the Lord's disposal, no matter how insignificant it may seem, then God can do with it and with us what is beyond our reckoning. Do you give out of love and gratitude for what God has already given to you?

source: Don Schwager emailed by Kairos-EME

Love others selflessly and unconditionally

The love of God compels us to give our best

How can we love others selflessly and unconditionally? Scripture tells us that God himself is love (1 John 4:16) - he is the author of life and the source of all true relationships of love and friendship. He created us in love for love, and he fills our hearts with the boundless love that gives whatever is good for the sake of another (Romans 5:5). If we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12).

source: Kairos-EME

Fear, love and trust in God by living the Ten Commandments

In following the Ten Commandments we show that we fear, love and trust in God.

Exodus 24:12
The Lord said to Moses, �Come up to Me on the mountain and be there; and I will give you tablets of stone, and the law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them.�

John 14:15
If you love Me, keep My commandments.

John 15:14
You are my friends if you do what I command you.

Mark 3:35
Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.

The Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:2-17)

1. I am the LORD your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.
Love God more than anyone or anything else; for anything we love more than God becomes our God instead of Him.

2. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.
Do not curse, swear, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon His name at times of trouble, worship, praise, and give thanks.

3. Remember to keep holy the LORD'S Day.
God rested on the seventh day after His six days of work when He created the heavens and the earth, therefore God instructed His people not to work and rest on the Sabbath day.

4. Honour your father and your mother.
Do not despise or anger our parents, elders and with higher authority, but honour, serve, obey, love and cherish them.

5. You shall not kill.
No to take someone's life, not only by murdering but also when we anger someone and wish that the person will die.

6. You shall not commit adultery.
Avoid all sexual sins and sexual acts outside of marriage.

7. You shall not steal.
Unjustly taking, using or damaging worldly things belonging to someone else.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Never say anything about another person that isn't true, or gossip about others.

9. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife.
Do not envy (desire) the living forms (of flesh and blood) that belongs to another.

10. You shall not covet your neighbour's goods.
Do not envy (desire) the worldly things (goods) that belongs to another.

Revelation 21:8

But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.�

Matthew 19:16-17

Then someone came to him and said, �Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?� And he said to him, �Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.�

Romans 13:9

For the commandments, �You shall not commit adultery,� �You shall not murder,� �You shall not steal,� �You shall not bear false witness,� �You shall not covet,� and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, �You shall love your neighbor as yourself.�

Therefore faithfully keep the Commandments, let us often reflect on them, on the duties they impose upon us, and examine our conscience as to how we observe them, in what points we transgress them, and how we may avoid further transgressions. Let us imitate David, who loved the Commandments, because he loved God; who constantly meditated upon them, in order to be guided and ruled by them. He exclaims: "O how have I loved thy law, O Lord!

Love is ....

�Love is not something you say, 

it's something you do.� 

 ~ Blessed Mother Teresa ~

"Spread love everywhere you go. 

Let no one ever come to you 

without leaving happier." 

 ~ Blessed Mother Teresa ~

"Love begins at home, 

and it is not how much we do... 

but how much love 

we put in that action." 

 ~ Blessed Mother Teresa ~

"Love is a fruit 

in season at all times, 

and within reach of every hand." 

~ Blessed Mother Teresa ~

"Love is never defeated, 

and I could add, 

the history of Ireland proves it." 

~ St. John Paul II ~

I Love JESUS

I Love Jesus; He's my King;

Of His mercy I will sing;

I will follow in His paths of light,

Till I see Him in His glory bright.

Merciful Love of Christ

By Blessed John Paul II, Pope

Merciful Love, we pray to You, do not fail!

Merciful Love, be tireless!

Be constantly greater than every evil 

which is in man and in the world. 

Be greater than that evil 

which has increased in our century 

and in our generation!

Be more powerful with 

the power of the crucified King!

"Blessed be His Kingdom which is coming."

Love ~ the secret of Christian living

Only LOVE fills the empty spaces caused by evil. 

~ Pope Francis @Pontifex

Mother Mary, I love You

Mother, we put all our trust in you. 

We rely entirely upon you because we love you sincerely.

Teach us to love Jesus and pray for us.

Act of Compassion and Love ~ Pope Francis hugs and kisses a man suffering from severe facial disfigurement and skin disorder

during his audience in St. Peter�s Square on 6 November, 2013 (Wednesday). Pope Francis, prayed and blessed the man similarly St. Francis of Assisi, who also embraced a leper. This was truly beautiful an act of compassion in the likeness of Jesus healing the leper in Matthew 8-1-4. 

Act of compassion and love,

is what Christ wants each of us to do.

The man was as suffering from neurofibromatosis, which causes great pain and can result in paralysis, impaired vision, deafness, mental retardation, migraines and even cancer. Treatment of the condition is very complicated. People with this disease, which is genetic and not contagious but often face discrimination because of their appearance.

Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, �Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.�

3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. �I am willing,� he said. �Be clean!� Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, �See that you don�t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.�

God's Love and Faithfulness NEVER FAILS

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, 

for he who promised is faithful.

Faithfulness or fidelity allows us to persevere in living out an unswerving commitment. The Lord is committed to us in a bond of unbreakable love and fidelity. That is what covenant means, keeping one's word, promise, and commitment no matter how tough or difficult it gets. Faithfulness is a key character trait of God and one that he expects of us. Fortunately God gives the grace and strength to be faithful. He also rewards faithfulness.

Exodus 14:14

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Lord Jesus, you are faithful even when I fail. Help me to persevere in faithfulness and not shrink back in the face of challenges or difficulties. May I never forget your presence with me and may I always be ready to receive you when you call me to your home.

1 Thessalonians 5:24

The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Greater Love and Appreciation for the Rosary

O Lord Jesus Christ, 

our mediator with the Father, 

Who has been Pleased to appoint 

the Most Blessed Virgin, Your mother, 

to be our mother also, 

and our mediatrix with You, 

mercifully grant that whoever comes to You 

seeking Your favours may rejoice 

to receive all of them through her. 

Amen.

Love God and love the people around you.

The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.

And the second is, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

There is none other commandment greater than these.

Below we observe, a beautiful divine/human moment in which Jesus responds in a totally human way while expressing the amazing love and grace of God. Jesus demonstrate 'Empathy' which is brings out the his feeling of compassion towards the mother's grief for her only son. Empathy is when we allow ourselves for a moment to feel what that person might be feeling.

Luke 7:11-17

11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out�the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, �Don�t cry.�

14 Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, �Young man, I say to you, get up!� 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.

16 They were all filled with awe and praised God. �A great prophet has appeared among us,� they said. �God has come to help his people.� 17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country.

Mary, excite in our hearts love ....

Mary, 

Mother of God, 

excite in our hearts love 

for thy virtues, and inflame them 

with the same holy sentiments 

with which thou art unceasingly inflamed.

AMEN.

Lenten Campaign 2013, FAITH = LOVE + ACTION (Diocese of Penang)

"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." as written in the Letter of St.James (2:26), therefore the Penang Diocesan has adapted the theme of "FAITH = LOVE + ACTION" for the Lenten Campaign 2013.

Let us love God, let us love people around us ("love one another as I love you. Greater love has no one, as to lay down one�s life for one�s friends." John 15:12-13)  especially the needy and give generously prove that we have Faith and are the disciples of Christ Jesus.

Parishes within the Diocese of Penang will mobilize it's parishioners to form the �Love Squad� at their respective parish level, consisting of youth and Parish Human Development Committee members in support to the Lenten campaign. The Love Squad will be responsible for organizing and promoting the Lenten campaign throughout the Lent 2013 season.

Banner

Poster

Please contact the below address or website for further information on  the Penang Diocesan Lenten Campaign.

Pusat Keuskupan Katolik
2nd Floor, 
290, Jalan Macalister,
10450 Penang,
Malaysia.
Tel : 604-2273405
Fax : 604-2283870

or

visit
http://pohd.penangdiocese.org/

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

~ Deuteronomy 7:9 ~

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart.

~ 1 Peter 1:22 ~

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

~ 1 John 4:12 ~