“I give you a new commandment: love one another; just as I have loved you, you must also love one another.” For many of us, the commandment of love has become so familiar to us that we may fail to recognize its ‘newness.’ What is so new about this commandment?
The commandment to love found in the Gospel of John is very different from the commandment to love found in the other gospels. In the gospels according to Matthew, Mark and Luke, the gospel writers have Jesus repeat the core teaching of the Old Testament covenant that is to love of God and love our neighbor as ourselves. The standard or comparison made there is that our love for neighbor must correspond to our love for ourselves.
But in the gospel of John, we are commanded by Jesus to love one another as he, Jesus, has loved us. Self-love no longer becomes the criteria but Jesus’ love for us. In the first letter of St. John, where he speaks so much of love and where he names God as Love, we find these beautiful words “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” (1 Jn 4:10) Our weak, limited, imperfect and inadequate ‘love’ for ourselves no longer becomes the standard by which we should love others but rather Jesus’ love for us. Only God loves perfectly because God is LOVE himself! And this is the love of God – that he is prepared to become man, suffer and die for us. This is the love of God, that he is prepared to become one of us, to share our pains and sorrows, to experience our sufferings and give us hope and encouragement in the midst of all these. This is the love of God – that he will “wipe away all tears from (our) eyes”, destroy death and sadness. This is the love of God – that he will make all things new.
Love must therefore be the mark of our discipleship. “By this love you have for one another, everyone will know that you are (Christ’s) disciples.”
But we realize that we will always fall short of this high standard. We will never reach this perfect standard precisely because we are not God. And that is why we must continue to support, encourage and pray for each other. We must follow the examples of Paul and Barnabas, who in the first reading “put fresh hearts into the disciples.”
Fifth Sunday of Easter Year C May 2 "Love one Another"
1. Lectio John 13:31-35 31 After Judas had left, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man’s glory is revealed; now God’s glory is revealed through him. 32 And if God’s glory is revealed through him, then God will reveal the glory of the Son of Man in himself, and he will do so at once. 33 My children, I shall not be with you very much longer. You will look for me; but I tell you now what I told the Jewish authorities, ‘You cannot go where I am going.’ 34 And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
Lectio Comments What is so special about this ‘new’ commandment? The requirement to love God and to love our neighbour as ourself would already have been well known to the disciples from the Law of Moses (Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18). In the other three Gospels this teaching is often referred to as ‘The Great Commandment’ (Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28). But the ‘new commandment’ is radically different from the Great Commandment to love God and neighbour. The new challenge Jesus lays before his disciples here is to love each other ‘as I have loved you’. Jesus now makes his love the standard of all love. The starting point is not human love but God’s love. Jesus’ love for his disciples, for us, and for all people reflects the unconditional mutual love that exists between God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, by obeying the new commandment, Christians make God’s love, the perfect love of the Trinity, present in the world.
2. Meditatio 1. What strikes you most from these verses? Ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. 2. How do you feel about Jesus’ command to love others as Jesus loves us? 3. Does Jesus ask the impossible? How can we try to obey this command? 4. How does God want you to express his love to another others?
3. Oratio Let us pray Psalm 145:8-13 and reflect on the attributes of God:
The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love. The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature. All your works give you thanks, O LORD and your faithful bless you. They speak of the glory of your reign and tell of your great works, Making known to all your power, the glorious splendor of your rule. Your reign is a reign for all ages, your dominion for all generations. The LORD is trustworthy in every word, and faithful in every work. Amen.
4. Contemplatio Contemplate the love God.
5. Actio 1. Personal Life – concretely express your love to a member of your family which you have not done so for a long time. 2. Communal Life – Brainstorm ways in which the community can reach out someone in need – a home for the elderly, Orang Asli village, a visit to a sick or elderly person in the BEC, squatters, migrants, refugees.
The Society of St Vincent de Paul (“SSVP”) is an international Catholic voluntary organization dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing direct practical assistance to anyone in need.
The aim of the society is : 1. To help the unfortunate in the most humane way and salvage their destiny. 2. through the ways of grace and witness, bring about our common salvation by participation in the Kingdom of God. 3. Main works: visiting people in their homes, in hospitals, institutions and wherever else they may be found needing aid or comfort. Like that of its founder, Frédéric Ozanam, the vision of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul "is to embrace the world in a network of charity."
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul was founded in 1833 to serve impoverished people living in the slums of Paris, France. The primary figure behind the society's founding was Blessed Frédéric Ozanam, a French lawyer, author, and professor in the Sorbonne. He was 20 years old when the society was founded and was beatified by the late Pope John Paul II in 1997.
Today, the Vincetians (as they fondly call themselves) celebrate the birthday of their founder, Frédéric Ozanam. Yesterday, the members of the SSVP Conference of Visitation Seremban renewed their commitment to serve the poor and received a special blessing at the end of the sunset mass.
The SSVP Conference of Visitation, Seremban, counts among its many projects and responsibilities the care of 66 adoptee families and the recycling project on the last Sunday of each month. The SSVP Visitation Conference is an integral member ministry of the Parish Integral Human Development Ministry of Visitation.
Those interested to know more about the works of SSVP, please contact Mrs. Lalitha Rozario (012-6438677).
"Three Aspects ... I Consider Essential for an Effective Priestly Witness"
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 23, 2010 (Zenit.org).- As this Sunday is the 47th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, ZENIT is republishing excerpts from Benedict XVI's message for this day, which he wrote on the theme "Witness Awakens Vocations." The message was originally published last November.
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The 47th World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be celebrated on the Fourth Sunday of Easter -- Good Shepherd Sunday -- April 25, 2010, gives me the opportunity to offer for your meditation a theme which is most fitting for this Year for Priests: Witness Awakens Vocations. The fruitfulness of our efforts to promote vocations depends primarily on God’s free action, yet, as pastoral experience confirms, it is also helped by the quality and depth of the personal and communal witness of those who have already answered the Lord’s call to the ministerial priesthood and to the consecrated life, for their witness is then able to awaken in others a desire to respond generously to Christ’s call.
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God’s free and gracious initiative encounters and challenges the human responsibility of all those who accept his invitation to become, through their own witness, the instruments of his divine call. This occurs in the Church even today: the Lord makes use of the witness of priests who are faithful to their mission in order to awaken new priestly and religious vocations for the service of the People of God. For this reason, I would like to mention three aspects of the life of a priest which I consider essential for an effective priestly witness.
A fundamental element, one which can be seen in every vocation to the priesthood and the consecrated life, is friendship with Christ. Jesus lived in constant union with the Father and this is what made the disciples eager to have the same experience; from him they learned to live in communion and unceasing dialogue with God. If the priest is a “man of God”, one who belongs to God and helps others to know and love him, he cannot fail to cultivate a deep intimacy with God, abiding in his love and making space to hear his Word. Prayer is the first form of witness which awakens vocations.
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Another aspect of the consecration belonging to the priesthood and the religious life is the complete gift of oneself to God. The Apostle John writes: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and therefore we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jn 3:16). With these words, he invites the disciples to enter into the very mind of Jesus who in his entire life did the will of the Father, even to the ultimate gift of himself on the Cross. Here, the mercy of God is shown in all its fullness; a merciful love that has overcome the darkness of evil, sin and death. The figure of Jesus who at the Last Supper, rises from the table, lays aside his garments, takes a towel, girds himself with it and stoops to wash the feet of the Apostles, expresses the sense of service and gift manifested in his entire existence, in obedience to the will of the Father (cf. Jn 13:3-15). In following Jesus, everyone called to a life of special consecration must do his utmost to testify that he has given himself completely to God. [...] The story of every vocation is almost always intertwined with the testimony of a priest who joyfully lives the gift of himself to his brothers and sisters for the sake of the Kingdom of God. This is because the presence and words of a priest have the ability to raise questions and to lead even to definitive decisions (cf. John Paul II, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Pastores Dabo Vobis, 39).
A third aspect which necessarily characterizes the priest and the consecrated person is a life of communion. Jesus showed that the mark of those who wish to be his disciples is profound communion in love: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35). In a particular way the priest must be a man of communion, open to all, capable of gathering into one the pilgrim flock which the goodness of the Lord has entrusted to him, helping to overcome divisions, to heal rifts, to settle conflicts and misunderstandings, and to forgive offences. In July 2005, speaking to the clergy of Aosta, I noted that if young people see priests who appear distant and sad, they will hardly feel encouraged to follow their example. They will remain hesitant if they are led to think that this is the life of a priest. Instead, they need to see the example of a communion of life which can reveal to them the beauty of being a priest.
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It can be said that priestly vocations are born of contact with priests, as a sort of precious legacy handed down by word, example and a whole way of life.
Sunday School Formation for Parents of 1st Holy Communion & Confirmation Students Date: 25-4-2010 (Sunday) Time: 10.45 am to 12 noon @ Visitation Hall - downstairs. Attendance is compulsory.
Breakfast Sale by Confirmation Students 18th April 2010 After all masses Kindly give them your support as funds will help subsidise the costs of confirmation camp and activities.
Fr. George's pilgrmage to Rome has been postponed due to flight disruptions in Europe. Formation Marian Congress on 15th and 16th May at Wisma MCA Convention Hall Closing date for registration - 30th April 2010 All interested participants, please register with the Legion of Mary. Legionaries are to register with your respective praesidiums.
Bible in 100 Weeks - Training Session for Facilitators Date: 2nd May 2010 (Sunday) Time: 7.30 pm @ Visitation Hall - downstairs. Persons interested to be facilitators for the coming 100 weeks Bible study course and those who have attended previous Bible formations are encouraged to attend this training. Contact: Doreen 017-3326007 & Jessie 019-2524290.
Introduction to Inter-Religious Ministry Date: 8-5-2010 (Saturday) Time: 9.00 am to 4.00 pm Venue: Visitation Hall (downstairs) Formation Team: Fr. Michael Chua and the AMEIA (Archdiocesan Ministry of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs) team members. Reg Fee: RM5.00 per person. Please register with Alfred @ 016-2129404 Closing Date: 2-5-2010 For whom: BEC leaders, catechists, RCIA facilitators, IHD members, all parishioners etc.
ACTM Formation on 28-4-10 (Wednesday) Time: 8.00 - 9.30 pm Venue: Visitation Hall All 3 language groups - BEC Coordinators, Ass Coordinators, Youth Reps, Messengers & Liturgy are required to attend.
Sacraments RCIA Journey 2010/2011 If you know of anyone who would like to know about our Catholic faith, do invite them to join us in the forthcoming RCIA Journey which will begin in June 2010. Registration forms are available at the Parish Office or contact: a) Arthur Pinto @ 012-6104927 - English Session on Tuesday @ 7.30 pm (w.e.f. 22-6-10)
b) Valerie Siow @ 012-6733227 - Mandarin Session on Mondays @ 8 pm (w.e.f. 21-6-10)
c) Theresa Soosay @ 016-3912484 - Tamil Sessions on Sundays @ 9 am (w.e.f. 13-6-10)
d) Eric Lim @ 06-6321824 - BM sessions on Sunday @ 10.30 am (w.e.f. 20-6-10)
Liturgy Liturgy of the Word for Children on 25-4-2010 (Sunday) 4th Sunday of Easter Children from Stds 2-6 are expected to participate. Time: 8.45 am Place: Visitation Hall Downstairs
Music Ministry invites Organists/ Pianists to join the Visitation Choir. Practices every Friday @ 8.30 pm Contact: Adrian @ 013-6208404 & Edward @ 016-6689117.
Catholic Students Society (CSS) BBQ Fellowship The CSS cordially invites all youth after SPM or those in College/university to join them in a BBQ fellowship. Good entertainment awaits! Date: 1st May 2010 (Saturday) Time: 7.30 pm to 10.00 pm Venue: Recreation Corner (Canteen) Tickets at RM5 per person are on sale after this weekend's masses. For further details please contact us at cssvisitation@gmail.com
"A home isn't a building or a locality but a place where relationships are nurtured and given an opportunity to grow ... a place where one learns to forgive, share, and make sacrifices," Rev. Fr. Michael Chua, the Parish Priest of the Church of Visitation, Seremban, reminded the couple, Manuel and Bee Nyar, who entered into the sacred bond of marriage this afternoon. This is the first wedding of refugees conducted in the Church of Visitation.
The occasion was truly a celebration of love and friendship as members of the parish migrant ministry and liturgical team took special effort to make it a memorable event for the couple. Fr. Chua also explained that although the couple and the Myanmarese refugees community were far from their homeland, they have, however, found a new home and a new family here in this parish.
Burmese migrants and refugees are often arrested by Malaysian authorities, whether or not they have registered with the UNHCR and have identification papers. While Malaysia accepts the presence of Burmese and others from outside of the country for the purpose of contributing to the work force, persons identified as refugees and asylum seekers on their way to a third country are viewed as threats to national security. They are also subjected to a whole range of discrimination and exploitation in terms of employment, education and housing.
The Catholic Church in Malaysia has been one of the few organisations which takes the defense of the rights of refugees and migrants seriously in its pastoral ministry. The Migrant Ministry of Visitation has been assisting migrants and refugees in terms of cash and food aid, English classes, integral human formation, health care, legal documentation,housing etc.
Those interested to join or support this ministry, please contact Mr. Alfred Selvam (016-2129404).
Being a Christian disciple can be disheartening. How much sorrow, trials and bitterness has life in store for everyone, especially for those who try to live good lives. How many innocent people suffer, are subjected to violence, injustice, betrayal and deceit. It is not easy trying to live Christian values in a world that promotes contrary values. In business, we are told that honest people will never be successful. In order to be rich, one must be prepared to lie, to be dishonest, to cheat and be involved in corruption. Is there a place in such a world for a Christian who is called to live and speak the Truth?
The world tells us that we must be nice to our friends and to those who can help us but we must be wary of our enemies. As a Christian, we know that we are not to make any distinction between friend and enemy. In fact, Christians are called to love their enemies. The world cannot accept this because it would appear that we are allowing our enemies to have the victory and to take advantage of us. Is there a place for a Christian who is called to love and forgive?
Today’s readings give us the reassurance that we need. In the first reading, it may appear that the wicked are victorious. The enemies of Paul and Barnabas spread lies about them and opposed them. Finally, these enemies managed to get Paul and Barnabas expelled from the town. But the reading does not end on a disheartening note. Rather, it ends with a curious remark: “the disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.” Instead of shedding tears of sorrow, the disciples are filled with joy. This is a sign that joy can go together with tears, as well as with the unfulfilled hopes and sorrow for suffering injustice. The wicked enemies of truth will never be able to experience this kind of joy; they fight the gospel, are proud like winners, but are in fact, so foolish.
In the second reading, we are given a picture of the destiny of those who have suffered or even died for the sake of the gospel. They are those who in this world went through sufferings, persecutions and gave their lives for their brothers like the Lamb. Other people looked on them as losers, but for God they are the winners. As a reward for remaining faithful, they will no longer experience suffering, hunger or thirst because the Lamb will be their shepherd and will lead them to springs of living water. God will wipe away all tears from their eyes.
Christians are not called to make every one happy. It is impossible to make everyone happy. There will always be someone who will disagree with you or with the things you are doing. Therefore the criteria is not whether others are happy or not with our actions but rather that we follow our conscience and do what is right. To follow our conscience in order to do the right and loving thing is what it means to listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd. This is the promise and reassurance given by Jesus the Good Shepherd to each of his disciples: “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from me.”
We cannot deny that it is difficult being a Christian. Jesus did not promise us that he will take away all our problems and sufferings in this life. If we want to be his disciple, then, we must be prepared to face the same fate as Jesus did, we must be ready to endure hardships and persecutions. What Jesus has promised, however, is that he will shepherd us with love. He will never allow us to despair. He will give us the courage and strength to bear the cross. And finally he will lead us to “restful waters” where our spirits will be revived.
A diocesan priest is a priest who commits himself to a certain geographical area, and is ordained into this service of God's people within a diocese. At their ordination, they are reminded that they are primarily co-workers of the bishop of the diocese.
Not all priests do the same type of work, yet their mission or purpose is one: to bring the faithful through their everyday lives closer to Jesus Christ and to one another in him. At their ordination, all priests make a lifelong commitment to celibacy and obedience to their diocesan bishop.
The Ministry of the Diocesan Priest
The primary ministry of a diocesan priest comes from the Greek word, “to keep house”. The diocesan priesthood is one of being available and involved in the day-to-day lives of people, thus helping the local bishop to “keep house” in the family of God. Diocesan priests are in reality the extension of the Bishop, who is the chief shepherd of the people of God in his diocese. Their primary responsibility is meeting the spiritual needs of the Catholics in their diocese. Generally, but not always, this means parish ministry.
As a pastor or an associate pastor, the diocesan priest spends his time and energy in ministry, such as visiting parishioners, school communities, administering the sacraments, and preparing homilies, along with parish administration. He may also be asked to undertake other ministries, such as teaching, campus ministry, being a chaplain at a hospital, monastery, or a prison. Some are assigned to work in diocesan offices like the Marriage Tribunal, Vocations Office, Office of Communications, or Youth Ministry and others teach in the seminary.
A central responsibility of a diocesan priest is to pray for his people and for the whole Church. As a pastor, a diocesan priest is the shepherd of his parish community, thus responsible for their spiritual growth and wellbeing as families, individuals, and as a faith community.
Diocesan priests do not make a vow of poverty like that of religious priests, sisters, or brothers. Instead they are called by the Church to live simply and receive a salary from which they pay for their personal needs and save for future ones. A diocesan priest may live with one or two other priests in a rectory, but many times he lives alone. Diocesan priests therefore need to have healthy, supportive friendships with fellow priests among whom they can share their joys and burdens and take time together for relaxation and recreation.
In short, the Diocesan Priest is a mixture of collaborative leadership, making the richness of Scripture and Tradition available through preaching and teaching and compassionate pastoral care. In all these tasks, he is someone who bears the imprint of the Gospel on his life, and in his prayer and service in a world of very secular values.
The Spirituality of the Diocesan Priesthood
The radical witness of the secular or diocesan parish priest rests in Christ’s call to root his priestly presence in the rhythm of common place, everyday life. The word “radical” comes from the Latin word ‘radix,’ which means ‘root.’ The radical person is one who is ‘rooted or fundamentally original.’ The word ‘diocese’ comes from the Greek word ‘dioikein,’ which means “to keep house or to manage.” And finally, the word “parish” come from the Greek word ‘paroikos,’ which means ‘dwelling beside or near.’ What are all of these leading to? The radical presence and witness of the parish priest is to be the fundamental or original presence of God’s care, God’s “dwelling beside or near” the “ordinary and commonplace household” of his people. To be an ordinary priest carries the great dignity and responsibility of being called by Christ to live or dwell near ordinary people in their common, everyday, spiritual and temporal needs.
The diocesan or parish priest is like the rest of men, he is not called by Christ to come apart from the crowd because he is more perfect or superior than others. In fact, the priest may truthfully be more foolish and less wise than the rest of men, as Saint Paul so insightfully said. He is called apart from the rest of men in order to serve them because he too lives in the limitations of weakness. The ‘gentle attitude’ which a priest possesses is the recognition and acceptance that he is not perfect. He is very fragile and vulnerable. When a priest is just another ‘ordinary person,’ he is able to accept that he does not have to be perfect, that he does not have to know all things, that he does not have to be always right, that he does not always have to look good. “He must grow greater; I must grow smaller” (John 3:30). In a few words, John summarises the whole Christian mystery and discipleship. A priest is also called to grow smaller and Christ must grow greater. It is not important whether he is learned, likeable, or successful. The only thing that is important is that Christ grows greater not only in his life but also in the lives of the members of the community entrusted to him for pastoral care.
A parish priest is only able to be a caring and healing presence to people when he is there with them in a common woundedness, a shared vulnerability. A priest does not ‘save’ anyone. He is rather called to be with people, to let his life enter into theirs, and let their life enter into his. Life becomes a common search, and true parish community creates a unity based on the confession of our basic brokenness and a shared hope. The Christian parish is a healing community not because wounds are cured and all pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for a new vision. Our common hope leads us far beyond the boundaries of human togetherness to a Christ who calls his people away from the land of slavery into a land of genuine paschal liberation.
The identity and spirituality of the diocesan priest and his ministry cannot be separated from its community setting. He is ordained for the community. Everything that makes a priest exists because there is a community to be built or supported. His commitment, specifically as a priest is total commitment to the service of the Christian community, the Body of Christ. Through Baptism he brings people into the Christian community; through the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick he makes the community whole; through the celebration of the Eucharist he deepens the bonds of unity with Christ Jesus and with each other. He is addressed as “Father” because he brings the Christian community into being, not in his own name, but as the instrument of Jesus Christ.
What distinguishes a diocesan priest’s spirituality? Here are some elements which are unique to the diocesan priesthood: 1. The special bonding with the bishop and the priests of the diocese. A diocesan priest is never a ‘lone-ranger’, he is commissioned by his bishop, the successor of the apostles. He may or may not live a communal life with fellow priests, but he is ultimately called to ‘community life’ through meaningful collaboration with parishioners, religious, brother priests, and his bishop. 2. A call to the Local Church. The diocesan priests’ mission is grounded in a diocese. They are primarily responsible for all the people and events within the local church. He must go to any parish or ministry where his bishop sends. They, however, do not follow their people if they move beyond their territory, or diocese. They wait to serve the new people who will take their place in the diocese. 3. A call to a special kind of community experience. A diocesan priest is called to work in collaboration with his community, be it laity, religious, priests or bishop. His ministry does not merely cater to Catholics but also to non-Catholics, to treat all as sons and daughters of God. 4. A call that lays emphasis on pastoral service. His ministry is conditioned, shaped and targeted towards the specific pastoral needs of the community. His ministry has no meaning apart from the community in which he serves. The community is the incarnated Body of Christ which calls forth his gifts and whose gifts of each member are also called forth by him in return.
We are an International group of Catholic Women Religious serving in 16 countries. We desire to centre ourselves in God, who is constantly creating and recreating all that lives.
How did we begin
It all began with Nicolas Barré a man of vision and courage who inspired our first Sisters to educate the ‘street children’ of Rouen in 1662 and to form community in 1666.
As it was at its’ origin the mission of the Institute has been lived out principally through Education. An ever changing world has presented new challenges and so new and creative ways to carry out this mission of ‘education’ have evolved.
What inspires us
Impelled by the Spirit we reflect on the world around us in the light of the Gospel. This inspires us to respond to the needs of our time.
"Glory be to God whose power in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine..." (Eph:20)
Our Work here in Malaysia
The Sisters arrived in Malaya as it then was in 1852 – the first mission on foreign soil since the Founding of the Institute in 1666. The first School as well as an Orphanage was in Penang and others soon followed. Today the work of education in both formal and informal settings continues in Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Nanas, Kapor, Rawang, Port Dickson, Seremban, Cameron Highlands, Bagan Serai, Ipoh, Sitiawan, Teluk Intan, Jahor Baru, Melaka, Keningau, Penampang as well as in Penang.
The IJ Sisters in Seremban are actively involved in education of the young among the urban poor (with their learning centre in Kampung Pasir). The sisters also participate in the pastoral ministry of the parish in the areas of catechetics and youth. Previously, the IJ's in Seremban were also involved in the Orang Asli ministry.
For more information about us, please go to our website.
Fourth Sunday of Easter Year C April 25 “The Good Shepherd”
1. Lectio John 10:27-30 27 The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life; they will never be lost and no one will ever steal them from my hand. 29 The Father, for what he has given me, is greater than anyone, and no one can steal anything from the Father's hand. 30 The Father and I are one.
Comments Jesus, the Good Shepherd, shows two important characteristics of leadership – “knowing” and “caring.” “Knowing” in the biblical sense goes beyond recognizing someone by name or characteristics. In the bible, “knowing” refers to the intimate loving relationship between a husband and a wife. And so Jesus wants to draw all us into the intimate loving relationship he has with the Father. Jesus also shows that he cares for his flock by feeding them and protecting them. He is prepared to lay down his own life to protect his sheep. We too are called to be shepherds like Jesus. We are called to be shepherds in our families, our BECs, our schools, our workplace and in society.
2. Meditatio 1. Choose a word or a phrase that touches you. Speak it out aloud three times in a prayerful manner. 2. Spend a moment of silence, remembering the word or phrase you have chosen or you have heard from others in the group. 3. Share the reason why you have chosen this word or this phrase with the other members of the group.
3. Oratio Jesus Good Shepherd, give us your heart. Inflame us with the desire for the glory of God and with a great love for our brothers and sisters. Make us sharers in your work. Help us to listen to your voice, To know you as you know us And be with in communion with you and the Father Through the power of the Holy Spirit, For ever and ever. Amen.
4. Contemplatio “The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.” Picture the face of Jesus. Do we hear his voice?
5. Actio 1. Personal Life – Spend time during your personal prayer time to pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Join our Vocation Prayer Vigil this Friday, April 23 at 7.00 pm (Church of Visitation) 2. Communal Life – Make a list of priests that you know. Assign each person of your group with the task of praying for at least one of these priests.
It is not particularly easy to discern God’s call for us nor do we often receive a clear indication that one is being called to the priesthood or religious life. No flash of light, nor mysterious voice in the night. Sometimes it may only be a mere yearning that persists. Here are some pointers which you may need to explore. Always remember that they are not ‘full-proof’ and do not exhaust the many various types of vocation experiences that one may encounter.
1. One’s gifts and abilities. Many of these are necessary for any occupation, but as all, or almost all, begin to converge in an individual, there is serious reason to consider whether God is calling that person to the priesthood. Nevertheless, possessing certain gifts which may be suited to the ministry of the priesthood is never to be considered as conclusive. Perhaps we can indicate some of these gifts by a series of questions. a) Is the Lord giving me gifts or has he given me gifts that will serve many, in contrast to the gifts given to a husband and father who will serve a few? b) Is the Lord giving me the ability to approach many people of varying personalities and to share him with them? c) Is he giving me the ability to talk effectively to groups of people and to bring to them the message of Jesus? d) Is there a growing concern for all people, the desire to touch and to heal the wounds of their hearts?
2. Growing conviction of a call. There is a growing conviction that the Lord is saying, “Come, follow me, and I will make you a fisher of men.” This may take the form of a growing desire for a life of total service to the Christian community, in contrast to the part-time service of a member of the community. There is a sense that God is calling me to be permanent instrument of his ministry.
3. A variety of experiences. Sometimes this conviction meets with eagerness. First, one sort of entertains the idea. Then, “Lord if that is what you want, I am ready.” Finally, leaving all things I follow him. At other times one hears and tries to shut out the sound of the Lord’s voice. Deep down, we know that it is the Lord. He is saying, “Go, sell everything ... and come follow me.” At times there is a very active rebellion – “Why me, Lord? Look, I want to continue my studies, I’ve got a job, I’ve got a girlfriend (or a boyfriend), everything I want out of life. Why me?”
4. The opposite may actually point the way. If the thought of the priesthood makes one angry, rebellious, or abnormally fearful, one can suspect the Lord is calling. We don’t ordinarily react strongly to something that has no particular meaning for us.
5. What is the cost? If the cost of ‘leaving everything’ to follow Jesus is high, when one’s open declaration of wanting to become a priest is confronted with strong opposition and painful obstacles, it may be an indication that God is calling us to this life.
If one has the interior disposition to follow the Lord no matter where he calls and no matter what has to be given up, then if one is leading a life of prayer - daily, on a regular basis, giving the Lord time to get at him - what God wants will become clear. The conviction grows stronger and stronger; the rebellion, the fear, the anger quiet down, most especially during moments of prayer. An inner peace and the assuring voice of the Lord comes to us, “My grace is sufficient for you.” So many people think that if God calls someone to the priesthood or religious life it is a call to misery. God never calls to misery. He may call to sacrifice and this call may entail opposition from those who do not understand; he never calls to unhappiness. It is safe to put our lives in his hands, no matter what he asks, for he loves us better than we love ourselves.
Discernment is a process where our lives must be given over to prayer, for it is only in prayer can we ultimately discern the voice of God calling us to our specific vocation in life. This is one thing that you and only you can discern. But this also means that one must avail of the rich heritage of the Catholic tradition - spiritual writings, recollections and retreats. Speak to the Vocation Director of your diocese. The guidance and support of a spiritual director or companion, one who has also made this journey of discovery and discernment, is essential to sieve through the many differing attractions and motivations.
As you think about your vocation the important thing to keep in mind is: What is the Lord calling you to? He himself says, “Each as his proper gift, and it is in faithfulness to the gift that we find our fulfilment.”
I don’t know Who - or what - put the question, I don’t know when it was put. I don’t even remember answering. But at some moment I did answer Yes to Someone - Or Something - and from that hour I was certain that existence is meaningful and that, therefore, my life in self-surrender, had a goal.
Do I have a call to become a priest or a religious sister or a brother? How do I know if I am really called by God, or if it is a figment of my imagination? What if God calls me to do something I can’t do or don’t want to do?
The process by which we try to find answers to these questions is called ‘Vocation discernment.’ It is a process that seeks to find out God’s will or special call for me. This process that takes time, patience and much prayer. Of course, clear answers, perfect and unambiguous, do not come for each of these questions at once and we may never be fully (one hundred per cent) certain that the answer is so. We eventually have to ‘grow into’ and ‘live the questions.’ We may never see the ultimate end of our journey, it is only necessary that we risk taking each step as it comes.
To speak of some persons having a vocation and others not is clearly a misconception of what vocation is all about. Everyone has a vocation and it is the same: to live life to it’s fullest by way of loving. Love is at the very core of every vocation. But here we are speaking more specifically of the unique vocation where a person is called to experience and express this common human vocation of life and love either as a single person, a married person, a religious brother or sister or as a priest. There is clearly no issue of a higher vocation. For the only highest vocation is love itself, resounding through all these different expressions.
A young man came to Mother Teresa seeking advice. He wanted only one assignment, to work with the lepers. Mother told him that his vocation was not necessarily to work with the lepers. His vocation was to belong to Jesus, and because he belonged to Jesus, he could put his love for Jesus in action by service to the lepers. “It makes no difference whether you are teaching university-level people, or whether you are in the slums, or just cleaning or washing or scrubbing, washing wounds, picking up maggots, all this makes no difference. Not what we do, but how much love we put into doing is what concerns Jesus.”
April 18 (Sunday) -- The Tamil Youth organised a special gathering-fellowship for its members and the Tamil speaking youth of Visitation, Seremban. 32 participants celebrated the Easter season with prayer, fun-filled games, group dynamics, food, and testimonies. A special segment of this gathering was the appreciation ceremony for senior members of the Youth group who are now on the threshold of married life. Thus, this Easter gathering served as a farewell to these senior members. Each of these senior members were presented with a special gift from the committee. During this last session, the senior youth members shared their own personal testimonies and gave words of encouragement to the new members.
The next project/activity of the Tamil Youth would be a visit to a welfare home. Stay tuned for further updates and announcements.
Next Sunday, the Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday which is also called Vocation Sunday. On this special day, we are reminded of the Church's responsibility, the responsibility of its members to pray for and work for the promotion of vocations to the priesthood, religious life, married life and single life.
During this week, this blog will feature several articles and videos dedicated to the promotion of vocations.
This week, we invite you to watch these 3 videos which were produced for and by the Teresian Carmelites (Discalced Carmelite Sisters) of the Carmelite Monastery of Jesus, Mary and Joseph located in Jalan Rasah, Seremban. These sisters have dedicated their lives radically to prayer, especially in praying for the Church, its ministers and its members.
Sunday School Formation for Parents of 1st Holy Communion & Confirmation Students Date: 25-4-2010 (Sunday) Time: 10.45 am to 12 noon @ Visitation Hall - downstairs. Attendance is compulsory.
Breakfast Sale by Confirmation Students 18th April 2010 After all masses Kindly give them your support as funds will help subsidise the costs of confirmation camp and activities.
Our Clergy Clergy Monthly Recollection on 20th and 21st April 2010 Mass on 21-4-10 will be at 7.00 pm.
Fr. George on Leave Fr. George Packiasamy will be leading a pilgrimage to Rome as a Spiritual Director from 19/4/10 to 1/5/10. Please pray for him and the pilgrimage group.
Formation Marian Congress on 15th and 16th May at Wisma MCA Convention Hall Closing date for registration - 30th April 2010 All interested participants, please register with the Legion of Mary. Legionaries are to register with your respective praesidiums.
Introduction to Inter-Religious Ministry
Date: 8-5-2010 (Saturday) Time: 9.00 am to 4.00 pm Venue: Visitation Hall (downstairs) Formation Team: Fr. Michael Chua and the AMEIA (Archdiocesan Ministry of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs) team members. Reg Fee: RM5.00 per person. Please register with Alfred @ 016-2129404 Closing Date: 2-5-2010 For whom: BEC leaders, catechists, RCIA facilitators, IHD members, all parishioners etc.
ACTM Formation on 28-4-10 (Wednesday) Time: 8.00 - 9.30 pm Venue: Visitation Hall All 3 language groups - BEC Coordinators, Ass Coordinators, Youth Reps, Messengers & Liturgy are required to attend.
Emmaus Counselling Training Programme 2010 Commencement Date: 2-5-2010 Duration: 15 months programme - 3 semesters Course fee: RM500/ per semester. (if wishing to return to serve in our parish, please see the Parish Priest for subsidy) Classes on Saturdays: 10 am - 1 pm @ Emmaus Centre, Church of St. Francis Xavier, PJ. Evaluation Test on 25/4/2010 (Sunday) at 10 am at SFX Emmaus Centre. All registered candidates are required to come for this test. Interviews will be held on 27th April & 29th April to select eligible candidates who qualify for the course. Application forms available at Parish Secretariat and submission of these forms to reach our office by 21-4-2010. For further enquiries, please contact: Mr. Delfinus @ 019-3885910
Sacraments RCIA Journey 2010/2011 If you know of anyone who would like to know about our Catholic faith, do invite them to join us in the forthcoming RCIA Journey which will begin in June 2010. Registration forms are available at the Parish Office or contact: a) Arthur Pinto @ 012-6104927 - English Session on Tuesday @ 7.30 pm (w.e.f. 22-6-10)
b) Valerie Siow @ 012-6733227 - Mandarin Session on Mondays @ 8 pm (w.e.f. 21-6-10)
c) Theresa Soosay @ 016-3912484 - Tamil Sessions on Sundays @ 9 am (w.e.f. 13-6-10)
d) Eric Lim @ 06-6321824 - BM sessions on Sunday @ 10.30 am (w.e.f. 20-6-10)
Liturgy Liturgy of the Word for Children on 25-4-2010 (Sunday) 4th Sunday of Easter Children from Stds 2-6 are expected to participate. Time: 8.45 am Place: Visitation Hall Downstairs
Music Ministry invites Organists/ Pianists to join the Visitation Choir. Practices every Friday @ 8.30 pm Contact: Adrian @ 013-6208404 & Edward @ 016-6689117.
"Witness Awakens Vocations"
Vocation Vigil on 23rd April Friday - Church of Visitation
Old and young, youth and parents and all parishioners are invited to join us to pray for vocations. There will be short video clip and power presentations during the prayer vigil.
The Daily Mass will be celebrated at 7.00 pm followed by the Vocation Vigil (7.30 - 10.00 pm
If we examine the sources of our unhappiness, if we take a closer look at the reasons behind our feelings of anger and impatience, then we will discover a characteristic that is often common to all of us – the need to be control.
From the moment that we are born, each individual human person struggles to take control of his own life, his surrounding circumstances and even the people around him. The baby cries as a way of controlling his parents to feed him or give him security. As the child grows up, it learns new ways of controlling his situation- throwing tantrums, screaming, refusing to do as he is told, or even doing something nice for others so that he can get something in return. We adults are no different. We have developed different ways of controlling others – through our words and actions. We want others to change and when they don’t change, we get frustrated and angry. We can either scream at them or we can choose to give them the silent treatment.
We want to control our own lives, our destiny. We want to control the lives of our children. We want to choose the best jobs and the best spouses for them. We even want to control God through our prayers and penances.
The real truth of the matter is that we are not in control – we were never in control- and we shall never be in control. Only God is in control and we must allow God to take control of our lives and the lives of others.
These were the words of Jesus to Peter: “when you were young, you put on your own belt and walked where you liked” – in other words, Peter thought that he was in control of his own life. When he began to follow Jesus, he thought that he was responsible for this decision all by himself. His sense of independence/ self-reliance was shattered when he saw himself betray Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested. Discouraged and feeling as if he was a failure, Peter decided to go back to that same job which he thought he could do best – fishing. He still thought that he was in control. But even in this job, he fares badly – he fails to catch any fish. Only with the help of Jesus could he manage to catch fish.
It is the same with us. We must not grow to become so egoistic as to think that we can achieve everything all by ourselves. We must not be so proud to think that we are in control of our lives and our future. The fact is that we are not in control. The sooner we learn this, the better. We need the grace and strength of God. All that we do is done only with the grace of God. We must never forget this.
This is the true meaning of discipleship. We must put ourselves at the service of the Master. We must listen to Jesus and be always ready to do God’s will, not ours. We are called to follow him, to place our entire lives into his hands and let him take control of our lives.
During this mass, let us pray for the grace to be able to let go – to let go of the need to be control of our lives, to let go of the need to be in control of others, to let go of the need to control God and our destiny.
Third Sunday of Easter Year C April 18 “From Darkness to Light”
1. Lectio John 21:1-19 Later on, Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples. It was by the Sea of Tiberias, and it happened like this: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and two more of his disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said, 'I'm going fishing.' They replied, 'We'll come with you.' They went out and got into the boat but caught nothing that night. 4 When it was already light, there stood Jesus on the shore, though the disciples did not realise that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus called out, 'Haven't you caught anything, friends?' And when they answered, 'No,' 6 he said, 'Throw the net out to starboard and you'll find something.' So they threw the net out and could not haul it in because of the quantity of fish. 7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord.' At these words, 'It is the Lord,' Simon Peter tied his outer garment round him (for he had nothing on) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples came on in the boat, towing the net with the fish; they were only about a hundred yards from land. 9 As soon as they came ashore they saw that there was some bread there and a charcoal fire with fish cooking on it. 10 Jesus said, 'Bring some of the fish you have just caught.' 11 Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net ashore, full of big fish, one hundred and fifty-three of them; and in spite of there being so many the net was not broken. 12 Jesus said to them, 'Come and have breakfast.' None of the disciples was bold enough to ask, 'Who are you?'. They knew quite well it was the Lord. 13 Jesus then stepped forward, took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. 14 This was the third time that Jesus revealed himself to the disciples after rising from the dead. 15 When they had eaten, Jesus said to Simon Peter, 'Simon son of John, do you love me more than these others do?' He answered, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' 16 A second time he said to him, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' He replied, 'Yes, Lord, you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Look after my sheep.' 17 Then he said to him a third time, 'Simon son of John, do you love me?' Peter was hurt that he asked him a third time, 'Do you love me?' and said, 'Lord, you know everything; you know I love you.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed my sheep. 18 In all truth I tell you, when you were young you put on your own belt and walked where you liked; but when you grow old you will stretch out your hands, and somebody else will put a belt round you and take you where you would rather not go.' 19 In these words he indicated the kind of death by which Peter would give glory to God. After this he said, 'Follow me.'
Comments At Easter, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb. Today, we celebrate the resurrection of Peter from his own prison, the prison built on the foundations of his failures and unfaithfulness. The story tells how Jesus leads Peter from darkness to light. Peter, like many of us, lived with the shame of having denied Jesus, his greatest failure. But Jesus, by calling Peter again, point towards the light of resurrection. Failures do not mean that the world has ended. Failures should not prevent us from taking future risks. Jesus chooses Peter to carry on his mission, in spite of Peter’s failure and denial. By doing so, Jesus reminds Peter and us that when God calls us, God will never fail us. He never gives up on us. This is our hope of resurrection too. That we may rise from the ashes of our mistakes, our failures, our shame to continue Christ’s mission of ‘feeding his sheep.’
2. Meditatio 1. Picture the scene at the Sea of Tiberias. Picture the sound and the smell of the sea and the waves. Now picture the disciples gathering at the lakeside. What is happening? (Pause for 3 minutes) 2. Now imagine that you one of the disciples going out to fish. You may even imagine yourself as Peter. What are your feelings? Why have you lost hope in yourself? Why do you feel like giving up the mission of Christ to go back to your old way of life? (Pause for 3 minutes) 3. Imagine that you have caught nothing during the night. Imagine the frustration and sense of failure again. Now picture Jesus appearing on the seashore and waving to you. He is speaking to you but you do not yet recognise him as Jesus. But then someone shouts, “It is the Lord!” and all of a sudden you do recognise him. Imagine your feeling at having found Jesus. What do you do? (Pause for 3 minutes) 4. Picture yourself now on the shore and having a meal with Jesus. Jesus asks you to feed his sheep 3 times. What is your answer? How do you feel? Do you feel you that you would betray him or disappoint him again? Are you afraid to take up the challenge? (Pause 3 minutes)
3. Oratio O Risen Lord, you revealed yourself anew to Peter, John and the other apostles as they struggled in the waters of Lake Tiberias, disheartened by another experience of failure. We too have failed you many times and have been tempted to give up and return to our old ways. Yet, we thank you for not giving up on us. Unworthy as we may be, we now commit ourselves again to the mission which you have entrusted to us, a mission to feed your sheep, care for the little ones and give witness to your resurrection. We adore you, we love you, and we commit ourselves to serve and give witness to you, now and forever. Amen.
4. Contemplatio Contemplate by listening to God say to you “Do you love me? Then feed my sheep”.
5. Actio 1. Personal Life: Pray for missionaries, priests, religious and lay leaders who are committed to sharing the good news with others. 2. Communal Life: Discern a way in which your community can help the work of the Integral Human Development Ministry, e.g. care of migrants, poor, Orang Asli etc.
The Visitation Chinese Youth (基青), made up of school leavers and College students, organised a programme for the secondary Sunday School Students (Forms 1-5) today, April 11. The objective of the gathering was to foster a sense of church and mission among the secondary students and to also encourage them to join the activities of the Chinese Youth group.
Tomorrow we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday or the Feast of Mercy. Here is a children's catechetical cartoon that tells us how the picture of Divine Mercy was revealed to St. Faustina.
Saturday, April 10 (Seremban) -- After the Second Vatican Council, there often seems to have been confusion among clergy, religious and laity in the Church on what the differences are in their vocations. As a result, we witness today unprecedented movements in the Church towards the gradual laicisation of the clergy and the clericalisation of the laity. A proper understanding of the roles of clergy, religious and laity needs to be restored. This need has become particularly pronounced among the laity as the lay faithful have been given more prominent emphasis in the Church since Vatican II.
In conjunction with the Year of the Priest, the Parish Pastoral Council of Visitation invited Dr. Sherman Kuek to speak on the role of the laity in exercising their common baptismal priesthood. The purpose of this formation is to help the lay faithful understand their role as collaborators of the ministerial (ordained) priesthood and share in the priestly, prophetic and kingly mission of Christ in the world. Dr. Kuek, being himself a married layperson and a theologian, shared with the participants as to how families, married couples, parents, single people, young people, lay leaders can live out their lay vocation and the roles and responsibilities proper to their vocation.
In the defining what it means to be 'laity,' Dr. Kuek outline the parameters set by church documents. In the negative, laity means "all the faithful except those in holy orders and those in consecrated life." However, the crux of the various sessions was outlining and then expounding what the laity 'are' in a positive way. The common priesthood of the laity is ultimately defined by the Sacraments of Initiation, namely that every baptised person is inserted and incorporated into the Body of Christ by baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation. Through incorporation into Christ at baptism, the laity share in His threeold office as prophet, priest and king.
In the various sessions, Dr. Kuek then expounded on the priestly, prophetic and kingly mission of the laity and highlighted how these were distinctively (ontologically) different from that of the ordained or ministerial priesthood. He constantly challenged the participants to see their mission as laity as being situated in the World. Acting as a kind of a leaven, the laity are called to "seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and ordering them according to God's will" (Lumen Gentium 31), that is to say, according to justice and charity, thereby cooperating with Christ in his saving, healing and transfiguring work.
Dr. Kuek is presently the director of the Pastoral Institute of Melaka Johor Diocese. He had also served in the Church of Visitation as Pastoral Associate for Formation and Youth Ministry. He blogs on http://www.shermankuek.net/
Sunday School Catechism classes resume this Sunday 11-4-2010
Breakfast Sale by Pre-Confirmation Parents Committee 18th April 2010 After all masses Kindly give them your support
Formation Marian Congress on 15th and 16th May at Wisma MCA Convention Hall Closing date for registration - 30th April 2010 All interested participants, please register with the Legion of Mary. Legionaries are to register with your respective praesidiums.
ALPHA Course (Planning Meeting) Date: 16-4-10 (Friday) Time: 7.30 pm Venue: Visitation Hall (downstairs) Calling all Alpha Facilitators and past participants who are interested in joining the new team for a meeting with Fr. Michael
Sacraments RCIA Journey 2010/2011 If you know of anyone who would like to know about our Catholic faith, do invite them to join us in the forthcoming RCIA Journey which will begin in June 2010. Registration forms are available at the Parish Office or contact: a) Arthur Pinto @ 012-6104927 (English sessions every Tuesday) b) Valerie Siow @ 012-6733227 (Mandarin sessions every Monday) c) Theresa Soosay @ 016-3912484) (Tamil sessions on Sunday)
Infant Baptism on 11 April 2010 Instruction for Godparents and parents on 10 April at 7.30 pm in one of the classrooms in the Formation Centre
SSVP Nation Youth Convention 2010 Theme: "Come and See: Open to SSVP Members and Non-Members Organised by SSVP for all Working Adults/ Youth (ages 23-39) Dates: 25th - 27th June 2010 Time: 3.00 pm Place: College General, Penang Cost: RM 100.00 per pax For more information, please visit their website: www.ssvp.org.my Email: svpmsia@streamyx.com
Parish Pastoral Council Meeting Date: 15-4-2010 Time: 7.30pm Venue: Parish Parochial House
Parish Integral Human Development (PIHD) Meeting Date: 16-4-2010 Time: 7 pm Venue: Recreation Corner
The Divine Mercy is a Roman Catholic devotion focused on the mercy of God and its power, particularly as a form of thanksgiving and entrusting of oneself to God's mercy.
The devotion as known today can be traced to Polish nun and canonized saint, Sister Faustyna Kowalska, known as the "Apostle of Mercy", who lived from 1905-1938. It is based upon the biblical verse: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you in that anyone who seeks God's mercy will not be turned away. According to Kowalska, Jesus, in inner speakings to her, requested her to commission a picture of him with the words Jezu Ufam Tobie (Jesus I Trust In You) inscribed on the bottom.
In 2000, Pope John Paul II officially instituted the Feast of the Divine Mercy universally for the Catholic Church on the same day that he also canonized St. Faustina. THE FEAST OF MERCY
Among all of the elements of devotion to The Divine Mercy requested by our Lord through Sr. Faustina, the Feast of Mercy holds first place. The Lord's will with regard to its establishment was already made known in His first revelation to the saint. In all, there were 14 revelations concerning the desired feast.
In fact, Jesus Himself dictated the intentions for each day of the novena which he desired to be celebrated as a preparation for the solemn observance of this feast. Once after insisting, "Do all you possibly can for this work of mercy," Jesus added: "My Heart rejoices on account of this feast." Sister Faustina concluded: "After these words, I understood that nothing can dispense me from the obligation which the Lord demands of me" (Diary, 998).
Our Lord's explicit desire is that this feast be celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. He joins the feast to the designated Sunday in eight revelations: Diary, 49, 88, 280, 299, 341, 570, 699, and 742. He also implies a connection between the feast and that Sunday on some other occasions recorded in the saint's Diary (see Diary, 420, 89).
The "First Sunday after Easter" ‑ which is designated in "The Liturgy of the Hours and the Celebration of the Eucharist" as the "Octave Day of Easter" ‑ was officially called the Second Sunday of Easter after the liturgical reform of Vatican II. Now, by the Decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, the name of this liturgical day has been changed to: "Second Sunday of Easter, or of Divine Mercy."
Pope John Paul II made the surprise announcement of this change in his homily at the canonization of Sr. Faustina on April 30, 2000. There, he declared: "It is important then that we accept the whole message that comes to us from the word of God on this Second Sunday of Easter, which from now on throughout the Church, will be called 'Divine Mercy Sunday.' "
By the words "the whole message," the Holy Father was referring to the strict connection between the "Easter Mystery of the Redemption" ‑ the suffering, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, followed by the sending of the Holy Spirit ‑ and this Feast of Divine Mercy, the Octave Day of Easter.
In this regard, the Holy Father also said, citing the Responsorial Psalm of the Liturgy, "The Church sings ... , as if receiving from Christ's lips these words of the Psalm" [that is, Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His steadfast love (=mercy) endures forever, Ps 118:1]. And then, the Holy Father developed the connection further: "[This comes] from the lips of the risen Christ, who bears the great message of Divine Mercy and entrusts its ministry to the Apostles in the Upper Room: 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you. ... Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained' " (Jn 20:21‑23).
By what the Holy Father continued to say, it becomes clear why Jesus insisted that the sacred image of Himself as The Divine Mercy is to be venerated throughout the world in connection with the observance of this Sunday (see Diary, 49, 88, 299, 341, 570, 742). The Holy Father said: "Before speaking these words, Jesus shows His hands and His side. He points, that is, to the wounds of the Passion, especially the wound in His Heart, the source from which flows the great wave of mercy poured out on humanity.
"From that Heart, Sr. Faustina Kowalska, the blessed whom from now on we will call a saint, will see two rays of light shining from that Heart and illuminating the world: 'The two rays,' Jesus Himself explained to her one day, 'represent blood and water' (Diary, 299).
"Blood and water! We immediately think of the testimony given by the Evangelist John, who, when a soldier on Calvary pierced Christ's side with his spear, sees blood and water flowing from it (cf. Jn 19:34). Moreover, if the blood recalls the sacrifice of the Cross and the gift of the Eucharist, the water, in Johannine symbolism, represents not only Baptism but also the gift of the Holy Spirit (cf. Jn 3:5; 4:14; 7:37‑39).
"Divine Mercy reaches human beings through the Heart of Christ crucified: 'Tell, My daughter, [all people] that I am Love and Mercy itself [personified]' Jesus will ask of Sr. Faustina (Diary, 1074). Christ pours out this mercy on humanity through the sending of the Spirit who, in the Trinity, is the Person‑Love. And is not mercy love's 'second name' (cf. Rich in Mercy, n.7), understood in its deepest and most tender aspect, in its ability to take upon itself the burden of any need and, especially, in its most immense capacity for forgiveness?"
From this teaching of the Holy Father on that most solemn occasion of his "presenting the life and witness of Sr. Faustina Kowalska. to the whole Church as a gift of God to our time," it can be deduced that the most opportune time, the most proper one, for the solemn honoring of The Divine Mercy falls immediately after the Paschal Feast of Easter, recalling the attaining of our Redemption.
St. Augustine called the eight days of Easter (which the Church liturgically considers as constituting a single day ‑ the day of the new creation) "days of mercy and pardon." He calls the Sunday of this Paschal Octave (which our Lord insisted with St. Faustina is the Feast of Mercy [Diary, 88]) "the summary of the days of mercy" (Sermon 156, Dom. In Albis). It is no wonder, then, that already during his pilgrimage to Blessed Faustina's tomb on June 7, 1997, Pope John Paul 11 declared: "I give thanks to Divine Providence that I have been enabled to contribute personally to the fulfillment of Christ's will through the institution of the Feast of Divine Mercy."
Veneration of the Image
The image of Jesus, The Divine Mercy, is to have a special place of honor on the Feast of Mercy, a visual reminder of all that Jesus did for us through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection ... and a reminder, too, of what He asks of us in return ‑ to trust Him and be merciful to others:
"I want the image to be solemnly blessed on the first Sunday after Easter, and I want it to be venerated publicly so that every soul may know about it" (341).
A Special Promise of Mercy
Our Lord's promise to grant complete forgiveness of sins and punishment on the Feast of Mercy is recorded three times in the Diary of Saint Faustina, each time in a slightly different way:
"I want to grant a complete pardon to the souls that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion on the Feast of My mercy" (1109).
"Whoever approaches the Fountain of Life on this day will be granted complete forgiveness of sins and punishment" (300).
"The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment" (699). Extraordinary Graces
Our Lord is emphasizing, through this promise, the infinite value of Confession and Communion as miracles of mercy. He wants us to realize that since the Eucharist is His own Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity, it is the "Fountain of Life" (300). The Eucharist is Jesus, Himself, the Living God, longing to pour Himself as Mercy into our hearts.
Why would Our Lord feel the need to emphasize this? Because so many people do not really understand it. They either see no need to receive Holy Communion, or they receive it simply out of habit. As St. Paul explains in his letter to the Corinthians, they eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, "without recognizing the body of the Lord" (I Cor 11:27‑29).
In His revelations to Saint Faustina Our Lord makes it very clear what He is offering us in Holy Communion and how much it hurts Him when we treat His presence with indifference:
"My great delight is to unite Myself with souls ... When I come to a human heart in Holy Communion, My hands are full of all kinds of graces which I want to give to the soul. But souls do not even pay any attention to Me; they leave Me to Myself and busy themselves with other things. Oh, how sad I am that souls do not recognize Love! They treat Me as a dead object" (1385) ...
"It pains Me very much when religious souls receive the Sacrament of Love merely out of habit, as if they did not distinguish this food. I rind neither faith nor love in their hearts. I go to such souls with great reluctance. It would be better if they did not receive Me" (1288) ...
"How painful it is to Me that souls so seldom unite themselves to Me in Holy Communion. I wait for souls, and they are indifferent toward Me. I want to lavish My graces on them, and they do not want to accept them. They treat me as a dead object, whereas My Heart is full of love and mercy. In order that you may know at least some of My pain imagine the most tender of mothers who has great love for her children, while those children spurn her love. Consider her pain. No one is in a position to console her. This is but a feeble image and likeness of My love" (1447).
So, Our Lord's promise of complete forgiveness is both a reminder and a call. It is a reminder that He is truly present and truly alive in the Eucharist, filled with love for us and waiting for us to turn to Him with trust. And it is a call for us all to be washed clean in His Love through Confession and Holy Communion ‑ no matter how terrible our sins ‑ and begin our lives again. He is offering us a new start.
Prepare Yourself Properly
Going to Confession is not the only way we should prepare ourselves for Divine Mercy Sunday. As Cardinal Francis Macharski, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland explains in a 1985 pastoral letter, we are not simply called to ask for God's mercy with trust. We are also called to be merciful:
"Our own merciful attitude is likewise a preparation. Without deeds of mercy our devotion would not be real. For Christ does not only reveal the mercy of God, but at the same time He places before people the demand that they conduct themselves in life with love and mercy. The Holy Father states that this requirement constitutes the very heart of the Gospel ethos (Rich in Mercy, 3) ‑ it is the commandment of love and the promise: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy' (Mt 5:7). Let it be a mercy that is forgiving and true, and universal, with good words, deeds, and prayer for others!"
Our Lord's words to Saint Faustina about this requirement to be merciful are very strong and leave no room for misinterpretation:
"Yes, the first Sunday after Easter is the Feast of Mercy, but there must also be acts of mercy ... I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it" (742).
Thus, to fittingly observe the Feast of Mercy, we should:
1. Celebrate the Feast on the Sunday after Easter;
2. Sincerely repent of all our sins;
3. Place our complete trust in Jesus;
4. Go to Confession, preferably before that Sunday;
5. Receive Holy Communion on the day of the Feast;
6. Venerate* the Image of The Divine Mercy;
7. Be merciful to others, through our actions, words, and prayers on their behalf.
How to say the Chaplet of Divine Mercy
Rosary beads are used to say the prayer, which is said in the following manner:
1. Begin with the Sign of the Cross, 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary and The Apostles Creed.
2. Then on the Our Father Beads say the following: Eternal Father, I offer You the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
3. On the 10 Hail Mary Beads say the following: For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
(Repeat step 2 and 3 for all five decades).
4. Conclude with (three times): Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world.
(To make the teaching of Christ as the basis of our lives)
JANUARY: “I am the Way, I am the Truth and Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” JN 14: 6
FEBRUARY:“Treat others the way you would like them to treat you.” LK 6: 31
MARCH:“When you give alms, your left hand must not know what your right is doing.” MT 6: 3
APRIL:“... Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” JN 20: 29
MAY: PARISH FEAST DAY – “The Visitation”
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.” LK 1: 46
JUNE:“As the Father sent me, so am I sending you.” JN 20: 21
JULY:“I am the bread of life; No one who comes to Me will ever hunger, no one who believes in Me will ever thirst.” JN 6: 35
AUGUST:“For wherever your treasure is, there is where your heart will be too.” LK 12: 34
SEPTEMBER:“Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.” MT 19:30
OCTOBER:“I am the light of the world; anyone who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life.” JN 8:12
NOVEMBER:“I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in Me, even though that person dies, will live.” JN 11:25
DECEMBER:“The Word became flesh, He lived among us...” JN 1: 14
Church of the Visitation, Seremban
Church of Visitation, Seremban
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur
We, the members of the Visitation Parish Family, aspire to become a Communion of Communities where ALL, whether poor or rich, young or old, migrant or citizen, irrespective of language, race or culture, are welcomed, valued and cared for. We strive to achieve this as disciples of Jesus Christ through a renewal of our faith, dialogue and cooperation with peoples of other faiths and genuine collaborative ministry among laity, religious and clergy
Mass Times
Saturday Sunset: 6.00 pm (English)
Sunday: 7.30 am (Tamil)
9.00 am (English/ B.M.)
10.30 am (Mandarin)
5th Sunday: 12.00 pm (B.M.)
Chapels:
Belihoi: Second Sunday, 10.30 am (BM)
Tekir: Fourth Sunday, 4.00 pm (BM)
St. Augustine, Titi, Jelebu
Our Lady of Lourdes, Sagga Estate
Our Lady of Vellangkanni, Gadong Jaya
Sacred Heart, Marjorie Estate
Carmelite Monastery, Jalan Rasah
Other Chapels, please enquire with Parish Office, Tel : 06-762 4468
Visitation Emmaus Centre for Counselling
If you wish to speak to our counsellor helpers, please contact us for appointments: Tel: 016-9132913 emmausvis@yahoo.com
We Want to Hear from You!
What's going on in your life, your BEC or ministry? We would also like to hear from all visitors to this blog. Tell us how you feel about it? We sincerely hope that this blog will serve you by providing regular news and photo updates of happenings and events in the parish and also be a resource for reflections, catechesis, trivia etc. Email Us Email the Parish Priest
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