Fr. Francis Lobo

PRAYER: Eternal rest, grant unto Fr. Francis oh Lord! And let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul rest in peace. Amen.

My Christmas Wish. Part 2

Continuation from Part 1 of Christmas Wish.

Day 2^nd December, 2017 – First Saturday, Our Lady of Fatima. Fr. Ashlyn.

Day 3^rd December, 2017 – My brother Andrew’s birthday.

10:15 am Fr. Reuben’s mass-I enjoyed the celebration of the mass.

Day 7^th & 9^th December, 2017  

Roce and Wedding in the family - I got to meet most of my family members. Praise God!

Day 11^th December, 2017 – Fr. Leslies Birthday.

Day 24^th November, 2017 – Fr. Byron’s Birthday.

Birthday remembrance intention.

Day 28^th November, 2017 – Prayer at St. Josephs. Fr. Francis & Fr. Ashlyn.

It’s been a couple of weeks that I have waited with Violet to reach her home. It’s not easy to catch a rickshaw. It takes about 30 minutes or so to get one. And Violet keeps wanting to cross the road and try from the other side which can be really tiring and frustrating. Sometimes we have crossed twice or thrice the roads, which is quite risky because I have to worry for her and she insists. Today she tells me how she loves people who smile and she has a favourite person because she smiles all the time and looks so pretty. I understood what she meant. We got into a rickshaw and she continued to talk and tell me the importance of a smile. I said to myself ‘I am a donkey’ I continue to say this till I reach home. I do things out of kindness and love and there is no understanding.

I walk with her to her second floor home. I find this most difficult. Being an asthmatic climbing stairs can be tiresome. Love is never understood. I tell myself ‘I am a donkey’

Day 5^th December, 2017 – Prayer at St. Josephs. Heavy rains in the afternoon. Fr. Ashlyn.

Her friend is always with her. I know she would wait with Violet and help her into the rickshaw. Today I tell Violet that I am walking home and I leave.

Day 12^th December, 2017 – Prayer at St. Josephs. Fr. Francis & Fr. Ashlyn.

Violet comes to where I am praying and tells me that she would wait for me outside. I told her that I will go home walking. Then I felt bad and I told her that today I would come with her but it won’t be possible the next week on.

Day 19^th December, 2017 – Prayer at St. Josephs. Fr. Francis & Fr. Ashlyn.

Nearly a year back violet asked for my number and I had given it to her. I asked her for hers and she just kept silent about it. Two months after giving my number another lady asked her if she had a cell and she said yes but she did not want to give her number to anyone. I did not feel bad. To each his own.

Today, Violet calls on my cell number and my brother answers the call and she asks him if I would be going for the prayer service and if I am then I am to drop in at her place and pick up the petition and place it in the petition bag. I told my cousin, I have for myself never placed a petition ever. I was bugged that she took me for granted that she came to accept the fact that my life has no significance or my time means nothing to me.

I know I am nothing but for another person to think my life means so little is terribly wrong.

After the prayers I met my cousin outside the gates. He greeted me with the words there is good news in the family. I looked at him with a hope. He continued to walk and I waited patiently and unable to hold I asked him tell me what is the good news. He then told me of how he spoke to my brother for 10 minutes. And that he seemed excited. I was so extremely overjoyed. Words were unspeakable.

My brother Anthony goes through terrible depression. It surfaced only years later and after my Brother Adrian’s death. I knew the reason of his depression but this is what he told mom for the first time.

During this time of depression, my brother would not talk to anybody. He would just answer a question as yes or no or a nod. We could not talk to him at all. If he spoke even the word yes that would be such a wonder and to speak a whole 10 minutes is nothing short of a miracle. It is a miracle.

The reason I go for the Tuesday prayers is I get nearly 3 hours to be with Jesus. This is my world.

There are no words that can spell how Awesome God really is. 

Thank You, Abba Father.

Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You, Holy Spirit.

Day 26^th December, 2017 – Prayer at St. Josephs. Fr. Francis & Fr. Ashlyn.

Violet again through someone sent that person to where I was seated tells me that she is waiting out and I tell her that I will be going walking home. All the elderly women sitting around looked at me with disapproval.

Honestly I was glad to have that walk. I got to go to St. Peter’s church and see the lighting work. I have longed to do so since years. And today I did. 

Day 23^rd December, 2017.

07:30 p.m. Fr. Lenny

During the mass, I feel absolute Peace and wonderfulness and I ask of Jesus to let me remember this feeling when I am in Purgatory. Jesus tells me that I have waited for you an eternity. I will be with you and take you to Heaven -- -- ------. I think myself as muck; I mean mud is also still clean. I am a wretched, wretched sinner and why should Jesus say something like this to me. There are so many saints? What am I rather who am I? I am nothing absolutely nothing.

Day 23^rd December, 2017. 
It surprised me that for the first time I had forgotten Fr. Alvaro's birthday, that is until Fr. Lenny made the announcement at the mass. It is then I understood as to how God got me to come for the evening mass. Thank God Almighty and thank God for Fr. Lenny.

Fr. Alvaro’s Birthday.

Day 24^th December, 2017.

09:30 p.m. – Choir singing by the 09:30 am Sunday mass.

They had 2 singer’s male and female who were exceptional. And together (10-15 people, I am not certain of the number) they set a new record that will be in my memory for a long time. They sang well.

10:00 p.m. – Christmas celebration mass.

Main celebrant – Fr. Daniel (and homily) with Fr. Reuben and Fr. Alvaro and Fr. Lenny.  

When I saw Fr. Reuben come to give communion, I whispered a prayer before communion, for the first time regarding something like this, I prayed Jesus if it be Your will, I would want to receive You from Fr. Reuben. And I did.

Day 25^th December, 2017.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

10:15 a.m. – Fr. Daniel.

Day 23^rd December, 2017.

I was looking for something and it is always most difficult to find. But today there were so many of them. I selected what would be useful. When the bill was given a bell also came along with it. My brother told me that they gave the bell as a gift. He told me to look at it and since I love Christmas decorations I did not think much of it at the time. It was a different colour but that did not seem to bother me. After reaching home I realized it could have come along with the item or it was simply put there. My brother told me it did not look as accidental. Strange things happen at times. I would have had it returned but then I noticed one of the bells was broken, chipped off a little bit at the side. So I will take it for now as something borrowed. It has two beautiful Blue Bells with a Merry Christmas on it. Divine Providence at work as always.

I was having a cup of tea and as I looked at these little plastic flowers that I had made, I started to think what more can I do for that flower.

And this one particular flower had all the right shades of Christmas. Certain parts of the flower were transparent. And I realize that more could be filled in, which led me to understand the following:-

When one is say stubborn, angry or proud then one is most certainly filled with themselves.

When we are filled with ourselves there is very little room for anything else.

To be stubborn – is to see my way, my will.

To be angry – is to be unreasonable while trying to prove a point. One is always blind when one is filled with anger/rage. When one hates someone, one becomes the person one hates. So if you are angry with ‘B’, you begin to with time hate ‘B’ you become ‘B’. Anger always leads to hate.

To be proud – is to esteem one higher than the others. To be extremely talented is most excellent. It is a gift of God like all other gifts of God. But pride means that you think that your talents are your doings and not God’s blessings. Because if you really considered them as God’s blessings, you would know there is nothing to be proud of and nothing to look down on others at. 

All these things that fill the person are negative traits and they take away a lot of space. Let’s say if God wants to bless us with the best gifts, virtues-but there is no room in our heart for Him and if there be, we are so blinded that we won’t notice God or His gifts. One can’t be filled with goodness when ones heart is always doing bad. 

God can fill us with His best when we are completely empty of all of our negative traits. All that is not God needs to be emptied. God can fill us with Himself only when we let go of the world and worldly desires.

The experience with Violet or the hurting things that people throw on me, the bitter things that they say, they are all instances that if I write, would be numerous – but that must with the grace of God be surrendered to God. Bitterness must not be allowed to grow.

Maybe you are exceptional. You could be what the people call a Mr/Miss/Mrs Perfect. Let’s keep in mind that only God is perfect, we can in this lifetime try. You don’t need to proclaim-advertise your attributes to the world. God must bring it to the fore-front. When I say you don’t advertise, what I understand is, you let others walk ahead of you, even though you have the potential-you will treat the other person as better than you. John 14:12 says - “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.

 

No bias here. Jesus never sits with the attitude that I am the greatest. Look at His words, they are so simple. Jesus says, ‘and greater works than these will he do, because I go to the Father.’ It simply means that Jesus will intercede on our behalf. Jesus did not keep the miracle working power to Himself. He shared His ability to heal and do good to whosoever believed in Him.

We are here to proclaim the glory of God to one and all. We are not put here on Earth to proclaim about ourselves or our attributes. That is not Christ like at all. That is vain glory. We don’t need to grab the light or makes ourselves to be seen. The light must come from within. And when it is, you don’t have to do a thing. Jesus gave up His life, in obedience to His Father. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11

In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus could have said Abba Father, look at all the wonderful things I have done in Your name. He could have asked for a change of will as the only Son of God?

When troubles come, we fear to say ‘thy will be done’ It becomes all the more difficult? We think what if things get more complicated? What then?

Jesus knelt down and prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. (He knows, exactly what is to follow and He asks His Father) "Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

 

Being a Star means you are in the limelight always. The more you are in it the more you begin to crave. It becomes you. Talent is God given-and must be acknowledged as so. That is precisely the moment when you must lay it down. John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease." Surrender and wait on God to bring you, the talent, to His greater glory. It is not for me to raise myself to the highest pedestal but whatever I do must be to the glory of God. I must not seek to glorify myself. But every moment that comes must be from the hand of God. When it does, it is the glory of God that raises one from the ashes to shine like a brilliant flame in the dark. That light will never diminish. Look at all the Saints, how they lived and how now they live in eternity. It is the honour given to them by God.

From a human point of view, people came from all over to listen to Jesus. Jesus touched the hearts of people-touched so many lives, the blind could see, the deaf could hear, the lame could walk, the dead were given life. Mighty work that Jesus did. As a person this would be the height of fame and as a God-man, to know what is to come ahead and knowingly to surrender to the plans of the Father and pray ‘thy will be done’. 

It is extremely crucial to remember – that this is what we are meant to do. To lay down our life – surrender it to God – no matter who you are or where you are from, at the height of fame or at the height of everything that is wonderful around us. To bow down and pray ‘Thy will be done.’Amen.

Day 31^st December, 2017.

10:15 a.m. – Fr. Reuben. I enjoyed the celebration of the mass.

10:00 p.m. – Holy Hour conducted by Fr. Daniel.

11:00 – Celebration of the mass

Main Celebrant - Fr. Reuben with Fr. Daniel, Fr. Lenny and Fr. Alvaro.

Fr. Reuben gave an amazing homily. He spoke so beautifully on Mary. I think the more, I heard on Mary, the more interesting the topic got. All I can say is I enjoyed it. And what is more amazing is I got to hear Fr. Reuben again.

I think there was no camera recording at the mass and if is so then it is wonderful.

Day 1^st January, 2018 at the 10:15 am mass. I loved the homily. Fr. Reuben.

Thank You, Abba Father.

Thank You, Jesus.

Thank You, Holy Spirit.

 

I hope for each one of us a year that is filled with HOPE that is what CHRISTMAS is all about. I hope that each one of us can reach the inner child in us and sense that Joy and love that makes this life all so colourful and beautiful like the Rainbow in the Sky. I hope that Love fills each one of our heart and I hope it surrounds you leaving you with a feeling that you are never alone. I hope for you the Stars and the Moon. All this that I have hoped with you and for each one of us are little signs of love from God!

I wish each and every one a very Happy New Year 2018! God Bless each and every one of us.

With all my love,

For Love Prevails!

AnitA.

PRAYER: Abba, Father, keep me obedient and always faithful. Remember, this your servant.

Mama Mary keep me humble, I pray. Amen.

Prayer for the souls in PURGATORY:- Our Lord dictated the following prayer to St. Gertrude the Great to release 1,000 Souls from Purgatory each time it is said.

"Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in Purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen."

Please continue with:

CHRISTMAS message!
The PROMISE
Metanoia
The SIGN
My Christmas Wish. Part 1

My Christmas Wish. Part 1

My People,

Hello! Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I love everything about the season. It’s the beginning of November that brings in the season of HOPE for me.

"Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God."  John 6:68-69

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24

This is Christmas Wishes. I love Christmas Carols. We don’t have that tradition now of Christmas carol singing where kids come home and sing the Christmas carols. I also used to love it when it was in the Church grounds and people used to gather only to listen to the carol singing. Now it has gotten complicated. So this is my way of letting you know what we miss...

If I had my way this Christmas
If all I would wish could be
Of all the great wishes
In a wonderful world
I'd only ask for three

And if I could have three-ee wishes
And if my first wish came true
There'd be peace on earth
Good will among men
And love in all that we-ee do

Can you imagine a world like that
What a wonderful world it would be
And then I would wish
It could go on forever
For people like you and me

If I had my way this Christmas
And if the two others came true
My third wish would be
For now and forever
To share all my wishes with you

My third wish would be
For now and forever
To share all my-y wishes wi-ith you

I love Santa Claus. I love it when Santa says, “Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.” I love Reindeers – Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen. I love Elfs. I love the lights. I love Poinsettias. I love the North Pole. I love watching Christmas movies. I love everything that is associated with Christmas. I am a dreamer, I am a believer and if there was ever a way to get to the North Pole and I could get there, I would be there in a jiffy. Just speaking! This is the only place I can tell you of how much I love Christmas! Did I tell you that it is my favourite time of the year? Oh yeah, I can see it now, my second line repeated. 

Christmas is a time of Peace and Joy - a time to say thank you to each and every one and a time to celebrate.

Christmas is about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem - The announcement made by the Angels to the Shepherds.

These days it means different things to different people. People are more concerned to hear about their profit from Christmas. Some try to find a merry Christmas in what they call entertainment and fun. Christmas is become a Business of sorts for people.

Paul says “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” 1 Corinthians 9:27 He meant that he conquered his appetites and kept his desires under control. These things, materialism-money, are crowding Christ out of Christmas. 

At Christmas - celebrate family, celebrate love. Let each family member know how truly loved they are. And don’t do it on facebook-because everybody can see. When one lives under one roof as man and wife, why do you need facebook to tell others how you feel about each other. Or children to tell their mother/father how much loved they are. I believe love is in the heart and can only be best expressed in deeds. ‘Love is not put in the heart to stay; love is not love till you give it away.’

That is the Love God shared with us that Christmas night, we received the greatest gift of all – the gift of His Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Family life is important. That giving is better than receiving. That children are our future and their dreams are precious.

Our world as we know it has become a dark place. We can fully acknowledge the world’s darkness and let our hearts break for the suffering in this world. BUT, it is HOPE on that first Christmas – a HOPE that contains the power to bring light into the darkness.

Isaiah spoke about the coming Messiah. He said: Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ‘Immanuel’ means ‘God with us.’ Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23.

Jesus walked this earth for 33 years-showing us how we’re supposed to live. And then He went to the Cross, to suffer God’s judgment for all through His brutal death on the Cross, we are saved. And three days later, the greatest miracle occurred: He rose from the grave. 

At Christmas, we learn to be ready to encounter God who came to us in Jesus Christ and learning from Him we know we have to come to serve others.

Jesus Christ was born on a journey that symbolized the restless nature of the world. He was born in a stable. He died, taking the ordeal of the cross so that out of His suffering and His victorious resurrection man could find redemption.

“for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11. 

 

On that first Christmas, 2,000 years ago, the world experienced ‘the Star’. God marked the Sky. It was God showing us that His best is on the way.

A world that had waited on HOPe would now know what it is ‘to sing’. With the coming of God in the flesh, hope sprang up in the hearts of the people. The Angels sang, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

The ‘Good News’ is that a Saviour had come to save all of us from sin and give us eternal life. Jesus the theme of that first Christmas, He is The Star-our song, our joy, our hope. We are because of Him.

In Luke’s Gospel on Jesus’ birth Mary and Joseph are temporarily homeless. When they arrived at Bethlehem to register, there was nowhere for them to stay, Mary was in labour and about to give birth to their first-born child. In Matthew’s Gospel before the Angel in a dream had come to Joseph he had decided to divorce Mary quietly. They can find only a Stable, and are surrounded, by shepherds.  And immediately after the birth they were forced to flee to a different country in terror from Herod’s soldiers who were sent to kill their child. 

The birth of Jesus, at its heart is the conviction that God has chosen to join us in all the circumstances of our life. No matter where our lives take us, our journey is never meaningless. God wants to be with each and every one of us. That is the strong message of Christmas. Christmas is a hope that, God will bring order out of chaos.

The angel said, “He will save His people from their sins,” Christmas is not Christmas without the message of the death and resurrection of Christ. 

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5

Often life doesn’t turn out the way we hoped it would. One begins to believe that there is nothing in which we can confidently hope.

That first Christmas true Hope was born. Hope for the forgiveness of sins. A Hope that would enable us to forget the past and set our sights on things that doesn’t disappoint.

I love the honesty in Psalm 42:5. And when by faith we embrace God and all that He promised, we can have a hope that is a confident, courageous optimism that is rooted in the certainty of His Word.

This is Our JOURNEY…

The Christmas message has not changed - Christmas still reminds us that God is with us.

That first Christmas started with a Joseph and Mary making a difficult journey and having to trust God with every step along the way. And each day, as we walk through in the continuing journey of God’s people, having rested on God’s promises, and look ahead to the time when those promises will be fulfilled.

John 1:5 says: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it".

In the midst of uncertainty, God will never forsake us. There is nowhere God’s love cannot abound. We may feel deeply disturbed by the journey that lies ahead. But remember, with God all things are possible.  

Please continue with:

CHRISTMAS message! 

The PROMISE 

Metanoia 

The SIGN 

My Christmas Wish. Part 2