Faith Blog: My God and My All, Let Thy Name Be Glorified!

The world's greatest love story ever told and will be told for ever in the future, which stood as a testament between heaven and earth that marked the human history is the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the God second person the son of God in human nature. It all started with the human first sin that separated human from the divine presence in the garden of Eden. The loving heavenly Father was heart broken by human behavior whom he created for a loving relationship in to His image and life. It is by that rare gift of God's image and life the human has the capacity to invent, discover, create, and show love to the creations. Father considered human as not merely a creation but as His loving image in the world and He loved human immensely. He would do anything to redeem the derailed human nature. In order to redeem the fallen and corrupted senses and actions of human, He challenged the enemy and promised a savior to the world which is recorded in the following verse in the Bible. T...

Psalm 104 Praise of God the Creator Bless the Lord, O my soul.     O Lord my God, you are very great. You are clothed with honor and majesty,     wrapped in light as with a garment. You stretch out the heavens like a tent,     you set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you make the clouds your chariot,     you ride on the wings of the wind, you make the winds your messengers,     fire and flame your ministers. You set the earth on its foundations,     so that it shall never be shaken. You cover it with the deep as with a garment;     the waters stood above the mountains. At your rebuke they flee;     at the sound of your thunder they take to flight. They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys     to the place that you appointed for them. You set a boundary that they may not pass,     so that they migh...

God's presence in this world is a promise from God Himself as Jesus Christ assured his appostles that he will be with them to end of the earth. God's presence is intertwined, interclated, and mingled in every thing in the world from nature to the human being and in all creations. St. Fancis of Assisi and St. Antony appreciated God's presence in nature. They preached to the human through words and their life role model and they also preached to the nature including animals when human were sturborn to listen. In bibilical account we can see numerous incidence where God' s presence was eminently and explicitly revealed through nature. In the desert, Moses and the Isrealites were lead by the clouds and even the red sea divided and made path for their escape from Egypt.Prophet Elijah was nourished by the help of a raven in the wilderness. Hungry lion refused to eat Daniel in the den. Likewise nature reveals God's goodness and presence all the time. In the sameway, Go...

Father, I thank you for all: The past, present and future blessings The associations, relations, and bonding you have entrusted me with knowing my unworthiness The lessons learned and to be learned in my path of life Thy omnipresent will that guides me through this life The steady path and even for the narrow crooked unstable turnings The opportunities and even for the ever present needs Thy love and your presence! Thank you! Thank You! Thank You!.......................Thank you infinitely............. " Praise the Lord with all my heart I will thank the lord in the assembly of his people. How wonderful are the things the Lord does! All who are delighted with them want to understand them. All he does is full of honor and majesty His righteousness is eternal!" Psalm 111/ 1-3 HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

In human's life, an individual spends most of his life in searching for the basics needs. Basic needs includes, physical, mental, social, ego achievement, and environmental needs.There is no human need that could be achieved for ever or could be satisfied to the optimum level, or would never return. Every need has a drive and motive that initiates and control human behaviors. Depending upon the situation and nature of urgency the needs take priority in human life. Every man makes decisions in life giving consideration to these basic details in hierarchy. In the hierarchy of needs, one who achieved lower levels of needs moves to the higher levels and move from bottom to the top or top to the bottom, or oscillate in between constantly. Needs exist with human life, which is the basic necessity for the human actions and being. Due to the nature of ever existing needs in the life, there is no limit to the achievements, opportunities, accomplishments, trials, and temptations in human lif...

Lately, I am learning to look at life from a traveler's perspective. A traveller do not consider any place he visits as a home. In the same way, this earthly life is a travel. It can be described as equal to a running river, which do not stop but keep running as living water. This life is filled with numerous and limitless surprises, turning points, changes, twists,tangles, relations, associations, influences, and experiences. Some of them make permanant impressions, others make a temporary impressions, and rest make no differences in ones life. But in all the situations and changes God' presence is constant. I remember my father's advice in my early childhood as he said, " Do not stay in any place where there is no church, and make prayer as a constant in your life."  Thinking back, I can say that advice is time tested to be true. Things will change, surprises will come when one is off gaurded and unprepared, almost anything is not certain or permanant in this wo...

Presence of God brings light and guidance, which enlightens the human heart. God' s presence among humanity is described as, "Emmanuel" which means God is with us  and he dwells among us. Human heart is a beutiful creation of God. It is programed to love God and His creations. The very purpose of human creation is to love and proclaim the love of God to the creations. However, in due course the human heart was corrupted by the deciving thoughts that lead the human astray from God's presence in the garden of Eden. From then on, it became the rebellious source and origin of all sins and sinful actions against God and His creations, if a man choose to do so. The beautiful creation became a deceiving treasurey and it lost it's purpose and goal of life. In contrary, by nature human heart is tuned to be guided and nourished by the presence of God. All the more it can be satisfied and contented only by God's presence, other than the mentioned state all other state br...

God's presence brings honour to humanity. Where ever human life is protected, fostered, and promoted there is God's presence. Adam the father of the entire humanity was the first human being to enjoy Father God's presence. God loved Adam and the entire a humanity very dearly, that he adorned him with freedom. He loved Adam so dearly that he created entire world and the comfort before creating Adam. He brought Adam in to the world as a guest to enjoy the comforts with peace. In addition, God honoured Adam with the great previlage of naming His creations. He also blessed Adam with His fatherly presence. By this we know that God treated human with honour and dignity. His presence brings honour to the humanity.

God's presence is love and Love is forgiveness. Only the love ignited by the God's presence can forgive. Such genuine love forgives the person/s or situation/s, which lead to disappointment, betrayal, insults, humiliation, frustration, injuries, and heartaches etc...... There is no list of injury that love can not forgive. The model of this love was demonstrated by Jesus forgiveness of the humanity  at cross. He forgave the people who betrayed Him, insulted Him, rejected Him, wounded Him, humiliated Him, and stripped Him. This kind of love cannot be earned, or educated, but only possible through God's mercy and grace. This is a precious gift of God that can be attained by asking and praying. One who has attained this level in love will be able to give excuse to the actions of brethren. He will be a blessing to whom ever he serve. Where there is love there is a sense of security and freedom. Where there is freedom there is growth and prosperity. Where there is love there i...

Work and gift of work are God's blessings. Work or the job or the duty and responsibilities goes beyond the earning of one's life means. Work is a channel of God's provision for the family and to the society. A job well done with dedication reveals the action of participating in the preservation of this world, and blessing the world with goodness. Work place is a ground where oneself can experience the mighty presence of God, while serving fellow human needs. Here I present some verses related to work from bible. WORK IN THE BIBLE What the Bible says about Work [Gen 2:15] The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. [Gen 3:19] In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return." [Exod 20:9-12] Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you,...

This week has been a festival week, which was adorned by St. Joseph's prayers on Labor day and Mary the Mother of God's birthday on September 8th. This blog celebrated St. Jospeph and Virgin Mary the mother of God's blessings through prayers and photos of celebration. St. Joseph and Virgin mary laid foundation for Holy family and they became a holy model for all the families.They nurtured Jesus Christ the saviour of the world who redeemed the world. The humble, simple,and  loving care of Joseph towards his family is a role model for all the fathers. Providing nurturing environment includes parents become one in body, mind, and spirit. children feel safe when parents are happy and loving. The family who aspire to provide a safe and nurturing environment for children strives to adjust, cooperate, and compromise the differences and tries to find the joy within the purpose of the family. The holy family, Jesus mary and Joseph, became the model for ideal family and brought for...

Luke 1:39-56 [39] At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, [40] where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. [41] When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. [42] In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! [43] But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" [46] And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord [47] and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, [49] for the Mighty One has done great things for me -- holy is his name. [50] His mercy extends to those who fear ...

 Prayers to St. Joseph the Worker "Dear Patron of God's Church, you are honored by her as the Worker, the humble carpenter of Nazareth . According to St. Theresa of Avila , you are universal in your intercessions. Inspire workers of all kinds to walk ever in your footsteps as faithful servants coupling charity with justice and becoming true followers of Jesus. However, I have another prayer to St. Joseph the Worker that I find particularly inspiring: Prayer for the Spirit of Work Glorious St. Joseph, model of all who pass their life in labor, obtain for me the grace to work in a spirit of penance to atone for my many sins; to work conscientiously, putting the call of duty above my own inclinations; to work with gratitude and joy, considering it an honor to use and develop by my labor the gifts I have received from God; to work with order, peace, moderation, and patience, without ever recoiling before weariness or difficulties. Help me to work, a...

PRAYER TO OUR LADY: Remember, O most loving Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, we turn to you, O Virgins of virgins, our Mother. To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, do not despise our petitions, but in your mercy hear us and answer us. Amen. THE ANGELUS V- The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary. R- And she conceived of the Holy Spirit. (Hail Mary....) V- Behold the handmaid of the Lord. R- Be it done unto me according to thy word. (Hail Mary....) V- And the Word was made Flesh. R- And dwelt among us. (Hail Mary....) V- Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God. R- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. Pictures of the feast of Our Lady of Velankanni, India.

Mary said, " My heat praises the Lord; My soul is glad because of God my saviour, for he has remembered me, his lowly servant!" Luke 1: 46 - 48

Last blog, I pondered on an idea that parents are gift from God and they have a call to fulfill towards their children. In this blog, I am going to develop on that idea, in relation to parenthood responsibility. Parenthood is a responsibility, which takes man and woman decisions and God's blessings to accomplish.Parenthood consists of a human father and mother and the Holy spirit. Their triune union brings the child to the world. If we reflect upon creation account in Genesis 2, " Then the Lord God took soil from the ground and formed a man out of it; He breathed the life giving breath in to his nostrils and the man began to live." Accordingly, a child's flesh is a combination of man and woman being the soil and flesh which belongs to the soil in nature and the life comes from God. Many verses from Isaiah supports this concept such as, " The Lord says, " Listen now, Israel my servant, my chosen people, the descendants of Jacob. I am the Lord who created yo...

From the website: http://www.vailankannichurch.org/ "Our Lady of Good Health, popularly called "Our Lady of Vailankanni" is in the small town of Vailankanni (5000 residents) located on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. It is located 150 miles south of Madras in Tamil Nadu and 5 miles south of Nagapattinam. Our lady chose this place to dispense her miracles to mankind. A strong oral tradition attests to Our Lady’s apparitions at Vailankanni(Velankanni). The tradition is built around the following three significant events: First Miracle Hindu Boy and Annai Vailankanni Sometime during the sixteenth century, Our Lady with her infant son appeared to a Hindu boy carrying milk to a customer’s home. While he rested under a Banyan tree near a tank (pond), Our Lady appeared to him and asked for milk for her Son and the boy gave her some. On reaching the customer’s home, the boy apologized for his lateness and the reduced amount of milk by relating the incident that occurr...

" I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him. I will praise Him for what He has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad! Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness; let us praise his name together!" Psalm 34 Every man and women is surrounded by the nurturing presence of God. In the beginning of a human life, the nurturing presence of God is reflected through the parental love and protection for their child.Parents or the fostering system for a child brings the divine love to the child. No man can decide for himself about his birth. No one can choose their biological parents before their birth. Biological parenthood is a gift from God and the biological parents are God's nurturing presence.Therefore a relationship between a child and a parent is divine destiny for a man designed by God. Same theme or explanation can be applied to siblings too. There are numerous fostering parents in this world who excel and exceed the expectations to love th...

"Clap your hands for joy, all peoples! Praise God with loud songs." Psalm : 47 There is joy in God's presence. There is peace in God's presence. There is unity in God's presence. There is love in God's presence. There are many natural sanctuaries of God, which has the resonance, radiance, and reflection of God's presence in this world. Among them the supreme master piece of God's creation is family. The founder,creator,provider, and protector of the family is God Himself. The first family was instituted and blessed by God in garden Eden (Genesis chapter 1). And the Lord visited the family regularly to see to their welbeing ( Genesis chapter 2). By this we can know that the presence of God was present in origination and sustaining family. Do we acknowledge the presence of God in the family? Do we understand God's presence is essential to protect and sustain the family? Do we know family is a sanctuary of God? Do we know that in marriage, it is not j...

"As a deer longs for a stream of cool water so I long for you. o God. I thirst for you, the living God; When can I go and worship in your presence?" Psalm: 42 Saints have shown the model of life which has been illuminated with God's presence. Living in God's presence means that a human subjects himself voluntarily to the will of God, while he lives in this earth. One who lives with the strength derived from the presence of the Lord gives glory to God in all his achievements, and consider, acknowledge, pray, and surrender his own weaknesses to God as an opportunity for demonstration of God's mercy and strength in his life. In this state of mind or attitude, glory and defeat in the life have the same value for the saints because both brings forth God's glory. Living in God's presence is an extension of church experience in to the day today life situations. This is a deliberate action where the man invites heavenly Father's presence in his day to activit...