Heb 2:14-18

Today, for the very first time, I read as a lector. The church celebrated the Presentation of the Lord or The Creed for all the First Holy Communicants and the Confirmation candidates and as a catechist, I got my first chance as a lector. I read the 2nd Reading which was taken from Heb 2:14-18.

As usual, my heart was pounding very badly and I was extremely conscious. But by the grace of Jesus Christ, I didn't fumble and flutter. I read confidently but couldn't make eye contact with the congregation. I just couldn't but I need to in the future to get over my consciousness. Otherwise, praise Lord, I sounded loud and clear. Thank you, Jesus!

"Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help who are being tested".

These words I am writing from my Bible and so they are a bit different from what I read in the morning. But the meaning remains the same.

Then I and Golu took the Offeratory.

Goldie was there in the mass as a First Holy Communicant.

I also gave the communion.

Googaa was at the community hall attending the Faith Formation seminar. But I got an opportunity to give communion in her mass as well and praise Lord, she received the communion from my hand. Thank you, Jesus!

So a perfect Sunday.

Thank you, Jesus, for being so kind and generous. I love you a lot!!!

Coconut Oil

We all are aware of the health benefits of coconut oil that include hair care, skin care, weight loss, maintaining cholesterol levels, stress relief, increased immunity, proper digestion and many more. In fact, coconut oil has a million uses and just recently I have discovered coconut oil as my beauty product and using it liberally on my skin.

It’s a miracle product. I have started using coconut oil as a wonderful natural way to make my hair and skin soft, radiant and healthy. Coconut oil is not only great for our hair but for our overall health as well. It has become my life’s most obsessed natural beauty staple.
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Coconut oil is one of the most inexpensive natural remedies that can help treat my dry, scaly, and itchy skin this winter season. I don’t have to shell out thousands for chemically-treated branded moisturizers. I have learnt that the fatty acids in coconut oil helps lock moisture into the skin, making it smooth and it can be used over the elbows and other rough spots to soften them. Interestingly, people in Polynesian cultures have used coconut oil to nourish the skin for thousands of years. Now it’s my turn.

I have started using coconut oil as my body lotion: after the shower, I rub coconut oil all over my body— it feels and smells amazing. Coconut oil is an all natural beauty multi-tasker. It is one of the best natural skin care products available. I am sure regular application to my face can help maintain a youthful and glowing appearance.

Coconut oil is simply great for my skin: I have been dreading this dry winter skin but my bottle of coconut oil makes a great moisturizer from head to toe, particularly for my dry lips. Hopefully, it will work wonders for my skin. Coconut oil can be used as a skin softener, lip gel, makeup remover, anti aging cream, etc. etc etc. Just check out this website for some of the most amazing coconut oil skin recipes. I am sure you will love it http://www.livingthenourishedlife.com/2013/04/coconut-oil-skin-recipes

Nowadays I also sweep a small amount of coconut oil on top of my makeup and leave it alone. It looks like my skin had never glowed brighter than this and that is why coconut oil is my newest green beauty obsession. I apply it on my face morning and night for luscious treatment because the small molecular structure of coconut oil allows for easy absorption through my pores, giving my skin a soft and smooth texture.

I love my new beauty product.

LECTOR

The Lord has been merciful to me always. He has always led me in the right direction where I can glorify His name rightly. After a lot of contemplation, I have finally decided to be a lector. A lector is a person who reads aloud certain of the scriptural passages used in a church service. I have read a few times unofficially, but from now on I will be doing it officially as a lector. I attended the English lectors meeting on Sunday, 26th August, as I felt I am little prepared for it now. I felt the Lord is giving me the go ahead this year.


I very well remember that there was a phase in my life when I wanted to be a news reader. This dream couldn’t see the light of the day but God must have known my desire to be a reader and that’s why He is giving me an opportunity to fulfill my dream by becoming a lector in His presence. He wants me to be in His presence all the time. In fact, even I want to be in His presence all the time as I feel lost otherwise. So one by one God is fulfilling all my dreams and I am really very thankful to Him. Christ Jesus has always been gracious to me and He keeps pleading for me to His Father to be extra merciful to me and my family.


But as a lector, I have to be extremely careful. I have here with me some points taken from “The Effective Lector” by Edward Horodko. I will just take the excerpts from here:



• Understand the scripture passages and then successfully communicate them to the assembly.
• Practicing aloud is essential. Get used to the sound of the readings
• Start your preparation early in the week before your assigned turn.
• Prepare for both readings, even if one is assigned to another lector.
• To read a reading well, you must have deep understanding.
• Do not use someone else's ideas of where to pause, how to inflect, or which words to emphasize. These actions must come spontaneously and honestly from only one place: from what the reading means to you.
• Arrive about a half hour before mass starts.
• Consider your attitudes, your gestures, the tone of your voice, how you go about contacting your listeners with your eyes.
• Look like you belong where you are; realize that people are watching you

• The body. When it's time to address the assembly, hold your body straight but not rigid. Don't slouch. Look like you want to communicate. Have authority. Be genuine, be unpretentious.
• The feet. Keep your feet firmly planted while you speak.
• The face. Use it to convey meaning, but avoid all artificiality. Be yourself.
• The eyes. Have eye contact with people when you talk to them. But not at the expense of losing your place in the text. Have an awareness of all the people, but talk to them one-to-one.
• A good time to establish eye contact is during the opening "a reading from..." stand still before you begin reading.
• Create a significant silence before you begin speaking.
• Look across the entire room as you say the opening phrase. Then pause again and begin the reading.
• You may find it useful to run your finger along the text as you read so you can freely maintain eye contact with the assembly without the risk of loosing your place.
• Never look artificial or "theatrical."
• Walk to the ambo and take a deep breath as you arrive there. This will calm you and elp you focus your power.
• Ask other lectors to critique you. Dedicate yourself to being an effective lector.
• Always set the opening and closing forms ("a reading from..." and "the word of the lord.") apart from the body of text with both a pause and a change of attitude. Remember that they are not part of the reading; don't make it sound like they are.
• When you make a mistake, remember why you're there... To convey the word of god. You're not there to show people that you're perfect, or what a great reader you are. If you ruin a sentence or thought, simply back up and say it correctly. Whatever you do, don't apologize for your mistake; that adds to the distraction, taking people even farther from the meaning you're trying to convey. Don't be embarrassed because you're human.
• If no meaning was lost in your error, ignore the minor error.
• Remember that ministry is service.
• Perform your role in the liturgy of the word fully prepared, with a mastery of your readings, honestly communicating god's word to god's people.

Ed Horodko's ministries have included liturgist, cantor, music director, and Director of Lectors, most recently at Sacred Heart Church, Olema, California. He is also a lector workshop teacher / leader, and a professional voice actor who has announced nationally in thousands of commercials. Currently he develops and supports Catholic radio broadcasts in the Dioceses of Reno, NV and Sacramento, CA, at Immaculate Heart Radio.

Change is good

And keeping this change in mind, I want to get going in 2014.

The first change of heart took place on the evening of 31st Dec, 2013, when we decided to participate in the New Year celebrations of our building. It was in 2011 that we had last attended these celebrations. We had kept ourselves totally aloof from everything and everyone but we realized that we are SOCIETY and shouldn't do so. So we participated in the celebrations.

Then I have got myself involved in the Women's Cell/Club and want to be active henceforth. I have befriended all the ladies in the building. So I want to be the change I want to see in my life.

Most importantly, while attending the New Year eucharistic celebration on the morning of 1st Jan, I realized that I shouldn't give up my animatorship. During Father's sermon, I made up my mind to get actively involved in my cluster. So I am going to gather all the lost sheep of my cluster and bring them under the Lord's protection. The Lord has given me this responsibility in 2014.

So as my first step toward bringing all the sheep together, I am all set to keep a Rosary on 18 Jan. I want to make this happen. Every month. While writing this, I seek the blessings of the Almighty Lord to give me the grace to get this going the way the Lord wants it. Amen!!!

PS: Dec 22, 2013, Sunday, was a beautiful sight to behold in the church. All four of us took the offertory during the 9:30 am Eucharistic Celebration. Sadly, nobody clicked our photo. So we don't have any memorable pic of the beautiful moment.

First post of the year...

Eph 4:29-32

Do not use harmful words in talking. Use only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you. And do not make God's Holy Spirit sad: for the Spirit is God's mark of ownership on you, a guarantee that the Day will come when God will set you free. Get rid of all bitterness, passion, and anger. No more shouting or insults. No more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead, be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you in Christ.

Catechists Recollection

Catechists Recollection on Sunday, 17th November 2013 at St. Joseph Church, Mira Road (East). From 5 to 8 pm. By Fr. Sandeep Borges from Uttan.

More Than Just Bread & Wine!

In Roman Catholic churches, the faithful receive Holy Communion under the appearances of both bread and wine. The Holy Communion or the Sacrament of Communion, wherein, “bread and wine” are the elements represents the Body and Blood of Christ. It’s also known as the Lord's Supper or the Eucharist. In this Holy Eucharist, under the appearances of bread and wine, the Lord Christ is contained, offered, and received because He said “I am the living bread that has come down from heaven”.
These are the exact elements that even Jesus used when He gathered with the disciples at the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday. The “bread” should remind us of our unity in Christ that we all share from the one source, which is Christ, our Savior. God makes use of these physical elements so that we perform this sacrament with prayer and faith.

So, bread symbolizes the body of Christ which was sacrificed for believers. Wine represents the blood of Christ which was shed for believers. They are the "the Body of Christ" and the "the Blood of Jesus” which He shed for us. So, the Holy Eucharist is the Sacrament which contains the body and blood, soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ under the appearances of bread and wine.

Christ is truly present in the Holy Communion. When we receive the bread and wine of this meal, we receive His body and blood. The Holy Eucharist is the oldest experience of Christian worship at which Christ instructed His disciples to offer bread and wine in His memory.

Bread and wine are most suitable elements for the Holy Eucharist because bread and wine are being very nourishing. We take the Eucharist because the bread and the cup provide an opportunity to remember what the Father expects of His children and to renew one's commitment to obey. The Holy Communion is an observance of a commandment by Jesus. We take it in His memory because He says “Do this, as often as you drink/eat it, in remembrance of me”.

We observe Holy Communion because the Lord told us to. It’s as simple as that. We are to obey His commands: The Lord's Supper is a good time to stop and recall what Jesus has given us. Jesus’ blood cleanses us of sin. Starting with Adam and Eve, God required a blood sacrifice to cover transgressions (Genesis 3:21; Leviticus 17:11). But this was just a temporary solution, as the next offense required another sacrifice. Jesus was God’s permanent answer to the problem: He took upon Himself all sin - past, present, and future - and died to pay the full penalty.

When a believer receives salvation, he is consecrated - or set apart to the Lord. His sin is forgiven, and he receives eternal life as well as the indwelling Holy Spirit. But if he at times forgets that he belongs to the Lord, he may give in to temptation. The bread and the cup provide an opportunity to remember what the Father expects of His children and to renew one’s commitment to obey.

The Lord’s Supper is also a time to be in communion. We are connected not only with the Lord who saved us but also with past and present believers. Among members of God’s family, we find comfort and support, just as the disciples and the early church did.

The Lord’s Supper is a good time to stop and recall what Jesus has given us. Partake solemnly and gratefully.

Taken from "The Cup and the Covenant" by In Touch Ministries

And so, the million dollar question here is who should take communion?

When Jesus said, “Take, eat; this is my body” and “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood” he was speaking to his disciples (vv. 26–27). Communion is a sacrament only to be performed by Christians. Non-Christians should never take Communion as the Bible warns that those who take Communion in an unworthy manner will be guilty of disrespecting Jesus and bring judgment upon themselves (1 Cor. 11:27–29).


Why Is Practicing Communion Important?


As a Christian takes Communion, they are making a proclamation that they believe in Jesus as their Savior and have trusted in his sacrificial death for the forgiveness of their sins (1 Cor. 11:26). The act of taking Communion does not save a person, but rather demonstrates a person’s personal faith and shows that they have already been given salvation in Jesus. As such, Communion is to be done regularly as a worship act celebrating Jesus. Jesus said it is important for Christians to practice Communion as a way to remember him and his sacrificial death (1 Cor. 11:24–25).


How Should Communion Be Taken?

God gives Christians clear instructions on how to take Communion in the letter of 1 Corinthians. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. (1 Corinthians 11:23–30)

To fully understand these instructions, we need to remember the context of the letter. When the Apostle Paul wrote verses 17–34, he was rebuking the church for practicing Communion sinfully (v. 17). Yet, these instructions still give a clear framework for all churches and Christians on how to practice Communion.


1. Communion must not be done in an unworthy manner (v. 27).


The Corinthian church had practiced Communion in an unworthy and sinful manner. Divisions and factions existed within the church while Communion was taking place (vv. 18–19). People were being selfish, acting self-centered, getting drunk and neglecting the poor and needy (v. 21). In all this, the sacrament was not being taken seriously, and the people were being disrespectful to Jesus and hurtful to each other (v. 22). These sins were so vile that God disciplined some of people within the church with sickness and death (v. 30).


2. You must examine yourself (v. 28).


Before participating in Communion, a person must examine all of his or her life for sin. This includes words, deeds, thoughts, and even the motives and intentions of their heart. If any unconfessed sin is found it must be dealt with, because the unrepentant Christian is not qualified to partake in Communion. Therefore, Communion should only be taken after a Christian has fully confessed to Jesus and laid the guilt of their sin at the foot of his cross. Anything less insults the sacrifice that Jesus made and disrespects God.


3. You must discern the body (v. 29).


Communion is a personal act but is to be done as part of a corporate worship experience. To discern the body means to consider all personal relationships within the church. If there is unresolved conflict or sin, it must be dealt with. If anyone takes Communion without discerning the entire body of the church they neglect others, cause disunity, and bring judgment upon themselves.

In closing, Communion is a sacred sacrament full of meaning, truth, and beauty. It has great value in the life of a believer and the life of the church. All Christians should take the act of Communion very seriously, out of reverence and gratitude for Jesus.


Excerpts from: http://marshill.com/2012/08/09/why-communion-isnt-for-everyone