I thank God for 2014 and grateful for 2015

Believe or not, i got so many First-time experiences last year, answered prayers and challenges.
For many times, I blamed, mad, ran, and cried just like unfaithful one. I kept myself from difficulties and trials just like I was the one who could rule over my life.
I ask, but I wasn't faithful to wait His timing.
I pray, but I didn't trust in His plan.
I get,  but I wasn't thankful.

For every second, every moment, every breath, every dream, every chance and challenge, every person I met, every sorrow, every happiness all from Him then I should be thankful and grateful. For those in the past years, especially 2014, and for everything in the future that God has been planed. I welcome you, 2015.
Eben Haezer. Immanuel.

Chapel grade 7 Selasa, 12 Agustus 2014

Matius 5:13-16

13 ¶  "Kamu adalah garam dunia. Jika garam itu menjadi tawar, dengan apakah ia diasinkan? Tidak ada lagi gunanya selain dibuang dan diinjak orang.
14  Kamu adalah terang dunia. Kota yang terletak di atas gunung tidak mungkin tersembunyi.
15  Lagipula orang tidak menyalakan pelita lalu meletakkannya di bawah gantang, melainkan di atas kaki dian sehingga menerangi semua orang di dalam rumah itu.
16  Demikianlah hendaknya terangmu bercahaya di depan orang, supaya mereka melihat perbuatanmu yang baik dan memuliakan Bapamu yang di sorga."

Pelita tak berguna jika disimpan di dalam lemari, dan garam tak berguna jika masih berada di wadahnya.

-          Apakah fungsi garam?

o   Penyedap, bukan hanya menciptakan kesenangan bagi orang tapi kesenangan bagi Tuhan. Contoh perbuatan yang menyenangkan hati Tuhan? Tidak boleh kehilangan rasa asinnya (Lukas 14:34-35)

o   Pengawet

o   Penyembuh luka

-          Ayat 13: kamu adalah garam dunia, adalah merujuk pada eksistensi bukan hanya perubahan. Garam mempengaruhi, bukan dipengaruhi.

Contoh:merokok, mencontek, minta uang, bolos, mengobrol saat ibadah, memaki, kata kotor.

-          Ayat 16 Yesus adalah terang dunia (Yohanes 1:9), manusia hanya memantulkan terang Tuhan.

o   Terang menyolok dalam gelap

o   Terang tidak boleh disembunyikan

o   Terang memberi petunjuk

o   Terang makin dibutuhkan di tempat yang semakin gelap

o   Terang mempengaruhi yang gelap bukan sebaliknya (Yoh 1:5)

o   rumah-rumah di Palestina, tempat Yesus pada saat itu mengajar, semua rumah sangat gelap, karena biasanya hanya mempunyai satu jendela kecil dengan garis tengah kira-kira 30-40 cm saja. Pelita yang dipakai di rumah-rumah itu berbentuk seperti perahu kecil yang diisi minyak, dengan sumbu yang terapung. Biasanya pelita itu ditempatkan pada sebuah tiang kecil (dian), yang terbuat dari potongan dahan kayu. Dengan demikian maka pelita itu akan terlihat. Jelaslah bahwa fungsi utama dari pelita itu ialah untuk dapat dilihat dan dapat menyinari kegelapan sehingga menjadi terang. gambaran tentang pelita inilah yang di ambil oleh Yesus dalam hal Dia mengajarkan tentang peran dari setiap pengikutnya.

-          Dalam Filipi 2:13-16, kita dapat melihat dalam ayat ini bahwa kita harus lebih lagi menjadi terang dunia. Yesus berkata: terangmu harus memancar seperti bintang-bintang di dunia dan kita juga harus memancarkan Firman hidup. Ayat ini merupakan sebuah kunci. Yesus mengatakan dalam hal yang baik agar orang lain bisa memuliakan Bapamu di surga.

-          Seorang teolog besar (John Stott) berkata; “ jangan bertanya kenapa dunia ini semakin gelap, tetapi bertanyalah dimanakah terangnya, jangan bertanya kenapa dunia ini semakin busuk tetapi bertanyalah dimanakah garamnya”

KESIMPULAN

-          Agar dunia menikmati keberadaan kita dan mengenal Kristus, Markus 9:50 (pembawa damai)

-          Agar dunia merasakan kasih Kristus dan memuliakan-Nya (ay 14&16)

First Friday Devotion: a prayer and reflection

Recently, I am so confused about so many things. Working life seems too complicated for me especially if these things come up with additional 'seasonings' like family problems and accountable partners. 

I have been prayed for my family since I was in school. Sometimes, I prayed for something that obviously I want or I need, but now, I just couldn't describe my feelings and thoughts, too many anxiety and worries that I know, it shouldn't been a problem because I have Jesus. The light, the way, the love, the redeemer of my life.

For 23 years of my life, I haven't finished my promised by myself to God. I used to use my situation to limit myself in serving Him. I had promised that I would offer my life to Him, particularly because I could be more independent since I work as a teacher in Sentani. I know that my saving and allowance would not be enough to fulfill my desire to have a happy and fancy life like my friends in Jakarta. I made up my mind by devoting my time and life to serve Him there fully, through neighborhood, church community and absolutely school as my second home.

This prayer and devotion bringing me over to a composure and contentment that all my worries should be gone, why? Because it is more than a prayer, it is a promise of assurance and an answer from God.

These writings about about First Friday Devotion  help me much to understand why and how I should pray. I hope i could strengthen you too, pals... 

So that wherever you are, whatever your problems and worries, we can devote ourselves to God in the way He had promised us. To God be the Glory!

History of First Friday Devotion 

Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is of great antiquity in the Church. It was St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, however, who made this devotion widespread. In 1675, within the octave of the feast of Corpus Christi, our Lord appeared to her and said: "Behold this heart which, not withstanding the burning love for men with which it is consumed and exhausted, meets with no other return from most Christians than sacrilege, contempt, indifference and ingratitude, even in the sacrament of my love [the Eucharist]. But what pierces my heart most deeply is that I am subjected to these insults by persons especially consecrated to my service."

To those who show him love and who make reparation for sins, however, our Lord made a great pledge: "I promise you in the unfath­omable mercy of my heart that my omnipotent love will procure the grace of final penitence for all those who receive communion on nine successive first Fridays of the month; they will not die in my disfavor, or without having received the sacraments, since my divine heart will be their sure refuge in the last moments of their life."4

The great promise of the Sacred Heart is most consoling: the grace of final perseverance and the joy of having Jesus' heart as our sure refuge and infinite ocean of mercy in our last hour.

 To gain this grace, we must:

• Receive holy Communion on nine consecutive first Fridays.
• Have the intention of honoring the Sacred Heart of Jesus and of reaching final perseverance.
• Offer each holy Communion as an act of atonement for offenses against the Blessed Sacrament.

The Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque

1. "I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life."  

2. "I will establish peace in their homes."  

3. "I will comfort them in their afflictions."  

4. "I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all in death." 

5. "I will bestow a large blessing upon all their undertakings." 

6. "Sinners shall find in My Heart the source and the infinite ocean of mercy."  

7. "Tepid souls shall grow fervent."  

8. "Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection."  

9. "I will bless every place where a picture of My Heart shall be set up and honored."  

10. "I will give to priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts."  

11. "Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart, never to be blotted out."  

12. "I promise thee in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who communicate on the First Friday in nine consecutive months, the grace of final penitence; they shall not die in My disgrace nor without receiving the Sacraments; My Divine heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment."

Litany of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

V/ Lord, have mercy. 

R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Christ, have mercy.

R/ Christ, have mercy.

V/ Lord, have mercy.

R/ Lord, have mercy.

V/ Jesus, hear us.

R/ Jesus, graciously hear us.

R/ for ff: have mercy on us

God, the Father of Heaven,

God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,

God, the Holy Spirit,

Holy Trinity, One God,

Heart of Jesus, Son of the Eternal Father.

Heart of Jesus, formed by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mother,

Heart of Jesus, substantially united to the Word of God,

Heart of Jesus, of Infinite Majesty,

Heart of Jesus, Sacred Temple of God,

Heart of Jesus, Tabernacle of the Most High,

Heart of Jesus, House of God and Gate of Heaven,

Heart of Jesus, burning furnace of charity,

Heart of Jesus, abode of justice and love,

Heart of Jesus, full of goodness and love,

Heart of Jesus, abyss of all virtues,

Heart of Jesus, most worthy of all praise,

Heart of Jesus, king and center of all hearts,

Heart of Jesus, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,

Heart of Jesus, in whom the Father was well pleased,

Heart of Jesus, of whose fullness we have all received,

Heart of Jesus, desire of the everlasting hills,

Heart of Jesus, patient and most merciful,

Heart of Jesus, enriching all who invoke you,

Heart of Jesus, fountain of life and holiness,

Heart of Jesus, propitiation for our sins,

Heart of Jesus, loaded down with opprobrium,

Heart of Jesus, bruised for our offenses,

Heart of Jesus, obedient to death,

Heart of Jesus, pierced with a lance,

Heart of Jesus, source of all consolation,

Heart of Jesus, our life and resurrection,

Heart of Jesus, our peace and reconciliation,

Heart of Jesus, victim for our sins,

Heart of Jesus, salvation of those who trust in you,

Heart of Jesus, hope of those who die in you,

Heart of Jesus, delight of all the Saints,

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world.

R/ spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,

R/ graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world,

R/ have mercy on us.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart.

R/ Make our hearts like to yours.

Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, look upon the Heart of your most beloved Son and upon the praises and satisfaction which he offers you in the name of sinners; and to those who implore your mercy, in your great goodness, grant forgiveness in the name of the same Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you forever and ever. 

R/ Amen.

History of Lent

As I start my first Lent season in this Blessed Land, I reflect, why should we have Lent as a Catholic? Is it only a tradition? Is it only a church decree?

Let us read this good article about the history of Lent so that we can prepare our heart well :) I did not write this article. I took it from a Catholic faith website. 

by FR. WILLIAM SAUNDERS

What are the origins of Lent? Did the Church always have this time before Easter?

Lent is a special time of prayer, penance, sacrifice and good works in preparation of the celebration of Easter. In the desire to renew the liturgical practices of the Church, The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican Council II stated, "The two elements which are especially characteristic of Lent -- the recalling of baptism or the preparation for it, and penance -- should be given greater emphasis in the liturgy and in liturgical catechesis. It is by means of them that the Church prepares the faithful for the celebration of Easter, while they hear God's word more frequently and devote more time to prayer" (no. 109). The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words lencten, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls.

Since the earliest times of the Church, there is evidence of some kind of Lenten preparation for Easter. For instance, St. Irenaeus (d. 203) wrote to Pope St. Victor I, commenting on the celebration of Easter and the differences between practices in the East and the West: "The dispute is not only about the day, but also about the actual character of the fast. Some think that they ought to fast for one day, some for two, others for still more; some make their 'day' last 40 hours on end. Such variation in the observance did not originate in our own day, but very much earlier, in the time of our forefathers" (Eusebius, History of the Church, V, 24). When Rufinus translated this passage from Greek into Latin, the punctuation made between "40" and "hours" made the meaning to appear to be "40 days, twenty-four hours a day." The importance of the passage, nevertheless, remains that since the time of "our forefathers" -- always an expression for the apostles -- a 40-day period of Lenten preparation existed. However, the actual practices and duration of Lent were still not homogenous throughout the Church.

Lent becomes more regularized after the legalization of Christianity in A.D. 313. The Council of Nicea (325), in its disciplinary canons, noted that two provincial synods should be held each year, "one before the 40 days of Lent." St. Athanasius (d. 373) in this "Festal Letters" implored his congregation to make a 40-day fast prior to the more intense fasting of Holy Week. St. Cyril of Jerusalem (d. 386) in his Catechectical Lectures, which are the paradigm for our current RCIA programs, had 18 pre-baptismal instructions given to the catechumens during Lent. St. Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444) in his series of "Festal Letters" also noted the practices and duration of Lent, emphasizing the 40-day period of fasting. Finally, Pope St. Leo (d. 461) preached that the faithful must "fulfill with their fasts the Apostolic institution of the 40 days," again noting the apostolic origins of Lent. One can safely conclude that by the end of the fourth century, the 40-day period of Easter preparation known as Lent existed, and that prayer and fasting constituted its primary spiritual exercises.

Of course, the number "40" has always had special spiritual significance regarding preparation. On Mount Sinai, preparing to receive the Ten Commandments, "Moses stayed there with the Lord for 40 days and 40 nights, without eating any food or drinking any water" (Ex 34:28). Elijah walked "40 days and 40 nights" to the mountain of the Lord, Mount Horeb (another name for Sinai) (I Kgs 19:8). Most importantly, Jesus fasted and prayed for "40 days and 40 nights" in the desert before He began His public ministry (Mt 4:2).

Once the 40 days of Lent were established, the next development concerned how much fasting was to be done. In Jerusalem, for instance, people fasted for 40 days, Monday through Friday, but not on Saturday or Sunday, thereby making Lent last for eight weeks. In Rome and in the West, people fasted for six weeks, Monday through Saturday, thereby making Lent last for six weeks. Eventually, the practice prevailed of fasting for six days a week over the course of six weeks, and Ash Wednesday was instituted to bring the number of fast days before Easter to 40. The rules of fasting varied. First, some areas of the Church abstained from all forms of meat and animal products, while others made exceptions for food like fish. For example, Pope St. Gregory (d. 604), writing to St. Augustine of Canterbury, issued the following rule: "We abstain from flesh, meat, and from all things that come from flesh, as milk, cheese and eggs."

Nevertheless, I was always taught, "If you gave something up for the Lord, tough it out. Don't act like a Pharisee looking for a loophole."

Second, the general rule was for a person to have one meal a day, in the evening or at 3 p.m.

These Lenten fasting rules also evolved. Eventually, a smaller repast was allowed during the day to keep up one's strength from manual labor. Eating fish was allowed, and later eating meat was also allowed through the week except on Ash Wednesday and Friday. Dispensations were given for eating dairy products if a pious work was performed, and eventually this rule was relaxed totally. (However, the abstinence from even dairy products led to the practice of blessing Easter eggs and eating pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.)

Over the years, modifications have been made to the Lenten observances, making our practices not only simple but also easy. Ash Wednesday still marks the beginning of Lent, which lasts for 40 days, not including Sundays. The present fasting and abstinence laws are very simple: On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, the faithful fast (having only one full meal a day and smaller snacks to keep up one's strength) and abstain from meat; on the other Fridays of Lent, the faithful abstain from meat. People are still encouraged "to give up something" for Lent as a sacrifice. (An interesting note is that technically on Sundays and solemnities like St. Joseph's Day (March 19) and the Annunciation (March 25), one is exempt and can partake of whatever has been offered up for Lent.

Nevertheless, I was always taught, "If you gave something up for the Lord, tough it out. Don't act like a Pharisee looking for a loophole." Moreover, an emphasis must be placed on performing spiritual works, like attending the Stations of the Cross, attending Mass, making a weekly holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament, taking time for personal prayer and spiritual reading and most especially making a good confession and receiving sacramental absolution. Although the practices may have evolved over the centuries, the focus remains the same: to repent of sin, to renew our faith and to prepare to celebrate joyfully the mysteries of our salvation.

---

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Saunders, Rev. William. "History of Lent." Arlington Catholic Herald.

This article is reprinted with permission from Arlington Catholic Herald.

THE AUTHOR

Father William P. Saunders is pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Potomac Falls and former dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College. Father has been writing his weekly "Straight Answers" column for the Arlington Catholic Herald since 1993. The above article is one of those "Straight Answers" columns. Father Saunders is the author of Straight Answers, Answers to 100 Questions about the Catholic Faith, a book based on 100 of his columns and published by Cathedral Press in Baltimore.

Copyright © 2002 Arlington Catholic Herald