KERYGMA - MAKING CHRIST KNOWN

SAINT OF THE DAY - FRANCIS DE SALES St Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622) He was born 🚼 near Annecy, in Savoy, studied the law, and was ordained to the priesthood despite the opposition of his father. His first mission was to re-evangelize the people of his home district (the Chablais), who had gone over to Calvinism. Always in danger of his life from hostile Calvinists, he preached 🎤 with such effectiveness  that after four years most of the people had returned to the Church. He was then appointed bishop of Geneva, and spent the rest of his life reforming and reorganising the diocese, and in caring for the souls of his people by preaching and spiritual guidance. St Francis taught that we can all attain a devout and spiritual life,  whatever our position in society: holiness is not reserved for monks and hermits alone.  He wrote that “religious devotion does not destroy: it perfects,” and his spiritual counsel is dedicated to making people more holy by making them more ...

THE ATTITUDE OF THOMAS Today, the second Sunday of Easter, the gospel presents us with Jesus post resurrection appearance first to the apostles without Thomas and secondly to all including Thomas (Jn. 20:19-31). This morning let’s reflect on the attitude of Thomas in this gospel pericope. Thomas was one of the disciples who loved the Lord with all his heart. After the crucifixion of our blessed Lord he was so heart broken that his “Lord and his All” has been taken from him.  Out of this brokenness he made one mistake many Christians continue to make. He withdrew from the Christian fellowship. He sought loneliness rather than togetherness. And because he was not there with his fellow Christians he missed the first appearance of Jesus to his disciples (Jn. 20:24ff).  We miss a lot when we separate ourselves from the Christian fellowship (church) and try to be alone. When life presents us with a lot of sorrow, bitterness and sadness, we often tend to shut ourselves up and refuse ...

  "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins" I John 4:10 NKJV Our opening verse shows us one of the ways in which God has manifested His Love towards us. In the measure of His love He gave- He gave His only begotten Son to be the sacrifice to take away our sins. The New Living Translation Bible puts it this way; "This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins" (1 John 4:10 NLT). Beloved, nothing can compare with the promise we have in God's love. He shows us his love even when we are quite unlovable. In fact He sent his son to die for us while we were even still sinners.  Although we might be puzzled  by situations that are beyond us or be frustrated by problems we don't understand, just know this, God is on our side and because of this who can be against us.  God loves you souch my dear, STOP the WORRY and put a smil...

  THE FOURTEENTH STATION: JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB L.     We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you A.    B ecause by your cross you have redeemed the world MEDITATION Lord Jesus, at your birth, you prepared for yourself the virginal womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary; at your death, your friends procured for you a 'virginal' tomb.   How wonderful you are! As you were laid in the tomb, you seemed powerless and helpless - you who were able to accomplish much more for the survival of others. But you deserve no pity at all - death does.  Death must have been the most miserable adversary. For, it walked off with a short-lived victory which lasted only three days. After this came its perpetual ruin through your ressurection, O Lord Jesus Christ. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, you died painfully for our sake. In this, you sought to solicit for our faith and hope in you. You promised that you will rise again, we know how true and unfailing your promise is, ...

  THE TWELFTH STATION: JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS L.     We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you A.   B ecause by your cross you have redeemed the world MEDITATION When Jesus’ hour had finally arrived, he said, "It is finished," and bowing his head gave up his spirit (pause). In the eyes of bystanders another young life had just been wasted; he had died for nothing at all. His own disciples, overcome by disappointment and fear, sought to hide.  We could just as easily miss the point when we fail to see that a death so longed for and a suffering so freely embraced could not have been a misguided vocation. Later, they understood more clearly, that God’s ways are not human ways; that Christ breathed his last, so that in him, we might draw the breath of new life, and that unless we too die to our flesh and to sin, there can be no glory for us. PRAYER: Lord Jesus, by your death on the cross you gave us new life. As we contemplate your demise, grant that we m...

  THE ELEVENTH STATION: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS L.     We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you A.   B ecause by your cross you have redeemed the world REFLECTION Jesus had all the power there is to save himself from being nailed to the cross. He had the power to disappear from the midst of the soldiers as they derided him and nailed him, spat on him, gave him a crown of thorns and nailed him to the cross.  He had the power, as he himself told us, “to ask his Father and he will send him, at once, more than twelve legions of angels.” And yet, with all the power willingly allowed himself to be nailed to the cross.  Of course, he felt the pain when they drove the nails through his palms, yet he did not fight the soldiers. For love of us and obedience to his Father, he allowed himself, freely and willingly, to go through all this excruciating pain that you and I may be saved.  Jesus, in this act, teaches us how to embrace, freely and willin...