14th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF JEEVAN
DHAM
On July 6, 2005 Jeevan Dham joyfully celebrated its 14th
anniversary. The organisation has been serving in the name of God the
poor, the needy and the sick all these 14 years leading them to a prayerful
life in peace and reconciliation with God and men.
To celebrate this joyous occasion, the Auxiliary Bishop of the Delhi Archdiocese
Rev. Anil J.T, Couto was invited to offer a Thanksgiving Mass at JEEVAN
DHAM. His Lordship arrived at 10:30 a.m. and was welcomed with
a garland. Priests from different parishes of Delhi and Faridabad joined
Him in the celebration. The concelebrants (10) were Rev. Fr. Johnson
Kizhakkeveetil (our Parish Priest), Rev.Fr. Anthony Francis, Rev. Fr.
Albert Francis, Rev. Fr. Arnold David, Rev. Fr. Anto Poruthur SVD, Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel, Rev. Fr. Thomas Urumbumkuzhy, Rev. Fr. Thomas Chambakatt,
Rev. Fr. Thomas (SST) and Rev. Fr. Thomas O.F.M. cap.
His Lordship explained how during His earthly ministry 2000 years ago
Jesus cured everyone, listened to their prayers and preached the Good
news of salvation to all in order to fulfil His Father’s plan for
mankind. Jesus looked upon a disease or affliction as an opportunity to
glorify His Father’s name to make others understand and experience
the love and mercy that God has for each one of His children. Similarly,
we too should look beyond all our ailments and afflictions and use them
as opportunities to understand and experience the love, mercy and generosity
of God as well as to preach the message of truth and salvation in Jesus
Christ to all. His Lordship said that Jesus has cured and healed thousands
in Jeevan Dham during all these years and several thousands have experienced
the presence of Christ in their lives, who loves all equally without any
partiality. But he has not called us just for recieving physical, spiritual
or mental healing through prayer. Rather he is exhorting us to become
as holy as the Father and lead us to perfection. The Bishop pointed out
that this family of Jeevan Dham has been specially chosen as the instrument
of God for others to show the power and the glory of God to those who
do not know the Word of God. Yes, it is indeed true that the Almighty
God has chosen us as ‘labourers in His vineyard’. But we should
not boast or make a show of anything we have as Our Lord tells us, “You
did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear
fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever
you ask him in my name.” (St.John 15:16). The Apostle Paul says,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not
your own doing; it is the gift of God not the result of works, so that
no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life.”
(Ephesians 2:8-10) and Hence, we, in every way, boast of only the Lord
and his works as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in
the Lord”. (Cf.1Corinth.1:31)
His Lordship was very much taken up by the heart-warming, meaningful and
lively hymns sung during the Holy Mass especially the hymn titled ‘Chota
sa podha’ (Jeevan Dham- a small plant now turned into a growing
tree of life) composed exclusively for Jeevan Dham. He congratulated all
the choir members for their zestful participation in singing the hymns
melodiously. He admired and appreciated the beautiful, lively and inspirational
compositions made for this occasion.
He prayed that the good works and service may increase manifold and that
many more people may come to know the true God, experience true joy, peace
and love through this family and all the volunteers involved. He wished
that all may receive a new life in Christ through them, may they succeed
in their service to God and men.
The bishop happily gave his blessing to all the believers present. Later,
the concelebrants, along with the bishop and few sisters joined the table
fellowship.
We are thankful to Almighty God for all the blessings He has bestowed
upon us on the auspicious day. We thank all the fathers and sisters who
spent their precious time to celebrate and share in our joy along with
the Bishop, without whom our joy and blessings could not have been so
rich. We pray that henceforth more and more people may join us in prayer
and give their time for round-the-clock (24hrs.) adoration which has been
going on everyday for the past two years at Jeevan Dham. May all praise
and glorify the name of Jesus through their words and deeds, and adore
Him in spirit and truth! May they obtain heavenly graces and blessings,
attain perfection in love, joy, faith and wisdom, become His beloved children
and inherit Eternal Life in Heaven! PRAISE THE LORD!
“Now to Him be glory who by the power at work within us
is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine,
to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:20-21) Alleluia! Alleluia!...
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“THE ONE WHO EATS THIS BREAD WILL LIVE
FOREVER”
Excerpts taken from the APOSTOLIC LETTER MANE NOBISCUM DOMINE of
the HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II to the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful for the
YEAR of the EUCHARIST(2004-2005)
(Continued from the previous issue)...
GIVING THANKS
26. One fundamental element of this plan is found in the very meaning of
the word “Eucharist”: thanksgiving. In Jesus, in his sacrifice,
in his unconditional “yes” to the will of the Father, is contained
the “yes”, the “thank you” and the “amen”
of all humanity. The Church is called to remind men and women of this great
truth. This is especially urgent in the context of our secularized culture,
characterized as it is by a forgetfulness of God and a vain pursuit of human
self-sufficiency. Incarnating the Eucharistic “plan” in daily
life, wherever people live and work—in families, schools, the workplace,
in all of life's settings—means bearing witness that human reality
cannot be justified without reference to the Creator: “Without the
Creator the creature would disappear”. This transcendent point of
reference, which commits us constantly to give thanks for all that we have
and are—in other words, to a “Eucharistic” attitude—in
no way detracts from the legitimate autonomy of earthly realities, but grounds
that autonomy more firmly by setting it within its proper limits.
In this Year of the Eucharist Christians ought to be committed to bearing
more forceful witness to God's presence in the world. We should not be afraid
to speak about God and to bear proud witness to our faith. The “culture
of the Eucharist” promotes a culture of dialogue, which here finds
strength and nourishment. It is a mistake to think that any public reference
to faith will somehow undermine the rightful autonomy of the State and civil
institutions, or that it can even encourage attitudes of intolerance. If
history demonstrates that mistakes have also been made in this area by believers,
as I acknowledged on the occasion of the Jubilee, this must be attributed
not to “Christian roots”, but to the failure of Christians to
be faithful to those roots. One who learns to say “thank you”
in the manner of the crucified Christ might end up as a martyr, but never
as a persecutor.
AT THE SERVICE OF THE LEAST
28. There is one other point which I would like to emphasize, since it significantly
affects the authenticity of our communal sharing in the Eucharist. It is
the impulse which the Eucharist gives to the community for a practical commitment
to building a more just and fraternal society. In the Eucharist our God
has shown love in the extreme, overturning all those criteria of power which
too often govern human relations and radically affirming the criterion of
service: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant
of all” (Mk 9:35). It is not by chance that the Gospel of John contains
no account of the institution of the Eucharist, but instead relates the
“washing of feet” (cf. Jn.13:1-20): by bending down to wash
the feet of his disciples, Jesus explains the meaning of the Eucharist unequivocally.
Saint Paul vigorously reaffirms the impropriety of a Eucharistic celebration
lacking charity expressed by practical sharing with the poor (cf.1Cor 11:17-22,
27-34).
Can we not make this Year of the Eucharist an occasion for diocesan and
parish communities to commit themselves in a particular way to responding
with fraternal solicitude to one of the many forms of poverty present in
our world? I think for example of the tragedy of hunger which plagues hundreds
of millions of human beings, the diseases which afflict developing countries,
the loneliness of the elderly, the hardships faced by the unemployed, the
struggles of immigrants. These are evils which are present—albeit
to a different degree—even in areas of immense wealth. We cannot delude
ourselves: by our mutual love and, in particular, by our concern for those
in need we will be recognized as true followers of Christ (cf. Jn 13:35;
Mt 25:31-46). This will be the criterion by which the authenticity of our
Eucharistic celebrations is judged.
CONCLUSION
May all of you, the Christian faithful, rediscover the gift of the Eucharist
as light and strength for your daily lives in the world, in the exercise
of your respective professions amid so many different situations. Rediscover
this above all in order to experience fully the beauty and the mission of
the family.
31. We have before us the example of the Saints, who in the Eucharist found
nourishment on their journey towards perfection. How many times did they
shed tears of profound emotion in the presence of this great mystery, or
experience hours of inexpressible “spousal” joy before the sacrament
of the altar! May we be helped above all by the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose
whole life incarnated the meaning of the Eucharist. “The Church, which
looks to Mary as a model, is also called to imitate her in her relationship
with this most holy mystery”. The Eucharistic Bread which we receive
is the spotless flesh of her Son: Ave verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine.
In this Year of grace, sustained by Mary, may the Church discover new enthusiasm
for her mission and come to acknowledge ever more fully that the Eucharist
is the source and summit of her entire life.
To all of you I impart my Blessing as a pledge of grace and joy. From the
Vatican, on 7 October, the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary, in the year
2004, the twenty-sixth of my Pontificate.
IOANNES PAULUS PP.II
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BIBLE QUIZ
XVI.THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS
After facing much opposition for his teaching, Jesus is betrayed by Judas,
denied thrice by Peter, deserted by his disciples, arrested, given an illegal
trial by the religious leaders who made false accusations against him, spat
on his face and hit him with their fists; he is mocked, beaten, scourged,
stripped and crucified. All the disciples had declared that they would die
before denying Jesus. A few hours later, however, they all scattered.
Talk is cheap. It is easy to say that we are devoted to Christ, but our
claims are meaningful only when they are tested in the crucible of persecution.
Do you have a faith strong enough to stand up under intense trial?
Matthew 26:1-27:56 describes the Passion and death
of Jesus. Now, you have to locate these statements (with the chapter
and verse nos.) made to Jesus in this section, identifying the person(s)
who made that particular statement and fill-up the blanks in them
1. “_________! Rabbi!”
2. “Hail! King of the _______!”
3. “He has _________! Why do we still need _________? You
have now heard his blasphemy.”
4. “He ______ others; he cannot save _________. He is the
King of _______; let him come down from the _______ now, and we
will ________ in him.”
5. “Are you the ______ of the Jews?”
6. “Even though I must ______ with you, I will not ______
you.”
7. “ I am __________ of this man’s ______. See to it
yourselves.”
8. “Surely ____ I, Rabbi?”
9. “Truly this _____ was ______ Son!”
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Answers to Last months Quiz
XV. THE END AND THE SECOND
COMING OF JESUS
Answers in the Correct sequence:
1. 24:20-21 - winter, Sabbath, beginning, now
2. 24:5- my, Messiah
3. 24:35- Heaven, earth, words
4. 24:27 - lightning, flashes, Man, vultures
5. 24:7-8 - famines, earthquakes, beginning
6. 24:29-30 - darkened, light, stars, Son of Man
7. 24:36 - day, angels, Son, Father
8. 24:22 - days, saved, elect, days |
Send Your Answers to:
JEEVAN DHAM, H.No. 696/ Sec-22, Faridabad-121005, Haryana.
Rules to be followed:
1. Answers may be sent by post or e-mail latest by the end of the
month. Answers received after that will not be considered.
2. You should clearly specify your name and postal address. Mention
the quiz number and title before the answers written in order.
3. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of three consecutive quizzes.
4. Answers and winners of each quiz will be published in the subsequent
issue of the newsletter.
Thanks for taking the Quiz! Good Luck! |
O QUEEN of HEAVEN! Pray for Us!
‘The Church
celebrates the Feast of Assumption of Our Lady on 15th of August and the
feast of Coronation of Blessed Virgin Mary on August 22nd. Moreover, we
will be celebrating our Independence day too on August 15th.
The feast of Assumption is the principal feast of the Blessed Virgin.
St. Juvenal, Bishop of Jerusalem, at the Council of Chalcedon (451), made
known to the Emperor Marcian and Pulcheria, who wished to possess the
body of the Mother of God, that Mary died in the presence of all the Apostles,
but that her tomb, when opened, upon the request of St. Thomas, was found
empty; wherefrom the Apostles concluded that the body was taken up to
heaven.
Today, the belief in the corporeal assumption of Mary is universal in
the East and in the West. Taken up to heaven she has not laid aside the
saving office, which started with her consent loyally given at the Annunciation,
but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal
salvation.... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under
the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.
Let us Pray: August Queen of Heaven! Sovereign Mistress of the angels!
You who from the beginning has received from God the power and mission
to crush the head of Satan, we humbly beseech you to send your holy Legions,
that, under your command and by your power, they may pursue the evil spirits,
encounter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them
hence into the abyss of eternal woe. Amen.
REACHING OUT FOR THE PROCLAMATION
OF THE WORD...
‘The harvest is plenty and the labourers are few’ but time
is short is the divine message that has been repeatedly given to the family
of JEEVAN DHAM to continue its regular proclamation of the Word outdoors
which had begun last October.
KERALA (May9-12, 2005)
Their first itinerary was to Trichur, Kerala(May9-12), starting on Monday
9 and reaching back home before the weekend for the Sunday prayer service.
They had visited their hometown and their relatives more than a decade
ago. May 10th was a hectic day for the family praying at over 10 different
places including two convents and a school (The centre of the top photo
shows a nun who got the gift of hearing. She was using a hearing-aid for
several years). The next day they had kept the prayer service at their
native place. A boy, David, aged 7 (hard of hearing by birth) got the
gift of hearing (left bottom corner of the top photo) and a teenaged girl
got rid of her acute ankle pain (top left).
BIHAR (June 21-22, 2005)
The next venture was on June 21-22, to Fatima Mata Susamachar Kendra,
(Residential Retreat Centre) Patna, Bihar. They were invited by Rev. Fr.George
Karamayil SJ and other Jesuit priests assisting him at the centre. The
convention hall was packed on both the days. Most of them experienced
inner healing apart from many who witnessed to physical healing(in the
bottom photo). The Almighty God worked wonders by showering down the first
rain of the season giving the people respite from the scorching heat and
filling all who heard His Word with showers of blessing. Praise the Lord!
“Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will
also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these,
because I am going to the Father.” (St.John 14:12)
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