And life goes on....

Meanwhile there were many ups and downs in the parish , but devotion to Infant Jesus increased steadily. There were many new faces in church and the attendence increased. By this time our shed was weather beaten and looking dilapidated. Soon it was December and we began choir singing again. Another X`mas programme was planned and very well executed by the children of our parish, on 23rd December, immediately after Sunday mass. Hats off to all the organizers and participants.. Church at chirstmas, that's the crib at the far right... sorry I don't have a better picture.

Christmas mass and New Year mass were well attended. Then we began planning for the Infant Jesus festival. Building a church was our main purpose, so we did not want to spend lavishly on the festival. We decided to have a five day festival starting from Jan 10th to Jan 14th. Special decorators were called to make the shed as presentable as possible. Again we had many sponsors for the sound system, decorations, chairs, etc. etc. The flag was hoisted on the 10th of Jan at 6: 30pm, amidst singing and clapping. Everyday there were about three to four priests celebrating Mass. Phidalys our special organist was superb. On Sunday, the 4th day of the festival, First Holy Communion was given to 8 children. It was a great day, the service was very meaningful and beautiful. The photographers kept to their places but tackling the crowd was a bit tough. That same evening we had holy hour for three hours, followed by benediction. Father took pains in making this holy hour very special. After that there was dinner for one and all, sponsored by Five Star Caterers. The children kept finishing off the ice-cream and they kept supplying more and more. Everyone had a good time. The festival ended the next day on Jan 14th, with a high Mass after which the flag was brought down.

WHY DO WE HAVE FORTY DAYS OF LENT ?

Seven days from now I am going to send rain that will fall for forty days and nights , in order to destroy all the living beings that I have made.. Gen. 7:4

After forty days Noah opened a window and sent out a raven. Gen. 8:6

Moses stayed there with the Lord forty days and nights , eating and drinking nothing. Ex.34:28

Joseph gave orders to embalm his father`s body , it took forty days, the normal time for embalming. Gen. 50:2

Jonah started through the city, and after walking a whole day , he proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!” Jon. 3:4

After spending forty days and nights without food Jesus was hungry. Mt. 4:2

David died and was buried in David`s City. He had been king of Israel for forty years, ruling seven years in Hebron and thirty three years in Jerusalem .. 1K 2:10,11

Solomon was king in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. 1K 11:42

Remember how the Lord your God has blessed you in everything that you have done. He has taken care of you as you wandered through this vast desert. He has been with you these forty years and you have had everything you needed. Dt. 2:7

Your children will wander in the wilderness for forty years , suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last one of you dies. Nu. 14:33

The no of lashes will depend on the crime he has committed. .He may be given as many as forty but no more. Dt. 25:2-3

Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebecca, the daughter of Bethuel and sister of Laban. Gen. 25:20

After exploring the land for forty days the spies returned. Nu. 13:25

For forty days after his death he appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that he was alive. They saw him, and he talked with them about the Kingdom of God . Ac. 1:3

“Take the stone away” Jesus ordered. Martha the dead man`s sister, answered, “There will be a bad smell , Lord . He has been buried four days!” Jn. 11:39

And Life Goes On.....

After Easter we had the first wedding of our parish, again our shed was too small to accomodate everyone inspite of shamyana and extra chairs. Here is a picture of thec shed that was decorated for the wedding. Then it was the month of May and we had ten days of Bible Study for the children . The teachers and kids came enthusiastically every morning, They were served snacks and cool drinks everyday, sponsored by parishioners. Later on each and every child was given a small gift.

Our main aim was to build the church and this kept delaying due to some reason or the other. There was a house blocking part of the entrance of the land, so we decided to buy the house. After several attempts we finally agreed on a reasonable deal (22 lakhs) and paid the advance. Again we began going for collection house to house. It took us nearly six months to collect this amount, but we managed it and bought the house on the first day of Infant Jesus festival on January 10th, 2008.

Nature of God

GOD'S LOVE IS SO WONDERFUL..... ITS SO HIGH U CANT GET OVER IT, ITS SO DEEP U CAN'T GET UNDER IT, ITS SO WIDE U CAN'T GET ROUND IT, SO WONDERFUL IS GOD'S LOVE , U CAN'T EVEN MEASURE IT.

‘’God is love.’’ 1 John 4:8

I love u just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. If you obey my commands you will remain in my love. Jn . 15:9-10

So that all God's people may have the power to understand how broad and long, how high and deep is Christ's love. Yes may you come to know his love – although it can never be fully known – and so be completely filled with the nature of God. Eph . 3: 18,19

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE LONELY
I will be with you always, to the end of the age. Mt. 28:20

GOD'S LOVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE BURDENED
Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads and I will give you rest.
Mt. 11:28

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE WEAK IN SPIRIT AND BODY
I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gave me. Phil 4:13

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE SINNER
If we confess our sins to God, he will keep his promise and do what is right, he will forgive us our sins and purify us from all our wrong doings. 1 Jn. 1:9

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE NEEDY
And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs.
Phil 4:19

GOD'S LOVE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN UP HOPE
For the Spirit that God has given us does not make us timid, instead, his spirit fills us with power , love and self-control. 2 Ti 1:7

GOD'S LOVE FOR THOSE WHO WORRY
Leave all your worries with Him because He cares for you. 1 P 5:7

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE ABANDONED
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be satisfied with what you have. For God has said “I will never abandon you”

GOD'S LOVE FOR THE MERCIFUL
Happy are those who are merciful to others . God will be merciful to them.

GOD'S LOVE FOR THOSE WHO ARE LOST AND ARE IN DESPAIR
In just the same way your Father in heaven does not want any of these little one to be lost.
Mt 18:14

GOD'S LOVE FOR THOSE WHO LONG FOR PEACE
You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in you.
Is 26:3

Praise the Lord, all nations! Praise him, all peoples! His love for us is strong, and his faithfulness is eternal. Praise the Lord! Ps.117

God's love has always existed and will always exist. His love is unconditional.

God's love is like an ocean –vast unfathomable. God has given us access to his love. It is up to us to bathe in it and be refreshed by it.

Let us pray for the grace to be open to God's loving presence in our lives.

Passion Week Service

May all who come to you be glad and joyful. Psalm 70 : 4

Soon after the festival Lent started, we had an unexpected crowd for the Ash Wednesday evening mass. This year the Station of the cross was more organized and we had a bigger crowd. Around this time trouble started brewing among the parishners, ego was the main culprit, misunderstanding and anger crept in. We took it in our stride trusting infant Jesus to solve all our problems.
Palm Sunday arrived bringing Fr. Stanley to our church. He was appointed to conduct the Holy Week services. Everything went well, and during the Easter vigil it started pouring outside. Even after the mass ended it did not stop raining. Everyone was huddled together inside the shed waiting for the rain to stop, it was an opportunity to mingle and know each other. After two hours the rain subsided and people began going home.
Meanwhile devotion to Infant Jesus kept increasing. People began talking about how their prayers to Infant Jesus was answered, how Infant Jesus performed miracles in their lives or in the lives of their loved ones. Everyone had a story to say about how Infant Jesus helped them through tough times.

Salvation and Redemption

The spirit of the Lord speaks through me: His message is on my lips. 2 Sam 23 : 2

Fathers sermon was about death, resurrection and everlasting life.

THE AWARENESS OF DEATH IS THE BEGINNING OF REDEMPTION.
1. He is the God of the living not of the dead , for Him all are alive Lk. 20 : 38

2. Why do you who are here find it impossible to believe that God raises the dead? Act 26 :8

3. I have hope in God that all people both good and bad will rise from death so I must do my best to have a clear conscience before God and man. Act 24 : 15

4. God will reward each one according to the work he has done. 1 Cor : 8

5. We have an obligation, but it is not to live as our human nature wants us to, but if by His spirit you put to death sinful actions, u will live. Rom 8 : 12, 13

6. I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war against the soul. 1 Pet. 2 : 11

7 .For if we share Christ sufferings we will also share His glory. Rom 8 : 17

8. It is no longer I who live but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me, I refuse to reject the grace of God, who loved me and gave his life for me. Gal 2: 20

9. We beg you who have received God's grace not to let it be wasted. Hear what God says "When the time came for me to show you favor I heard you: When the day arrived for me to save you, I helped you.” Listen! This is the hour to receive Gods favor, today is the day to be saved.
2 Cor 6 : 1-2

10. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day. Jn. 6 : 54

11. We eagerly wait for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. He will change our weak mortal bodies and make them like his own glorious body, using that power by which he is able to bring all things under his rule. Phil 3 : 20 – 21

12. “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25,26

THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN IS THE BEGINNING OF SALVATION
In Paradise we shall rest in freedom and we shall see. We shall see and we shall love. We shall love and we shall praise. This is what will be at the end without end. St. Augustine.

THE FESTIVAL

His name will be called Wonderful Counseller, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isiah 9:6


Soon after new year we began preparing for Infant Jesus festival which falls on 14th of January. A few children were preparing to receive their First Holy Communion. Uniforms were stiched for the alter boys and they looked cute in their red and white flowing robes. A new organist arrived to train the choir group. We were to celebrate the festival for ten days from the 12th of Jan till the 23rd. The bishop was to come on the last day of the festival, he was eager to see how we were faring. We decorated the shed again, lights were put up, banners were put up , sound system hired, everything had to be grand, it was going to be our first Festival. Every evening we celebrated high mass with three or four priests. Every priest was introduced by Fr. Antony and welcomed with a shawl by the members.

On the first day the parishners welcomed the parish priest with fruits and shawl. Then commenced the flag hoisting. On the 3rd day of the festival which fell on a Sunday, we had morning mass and 13 children received their First Holy Communion . It was beautiful, later on they were given certificates. There was a huge crowd and the choir performed exceptionally well. The same evening we had a two hour adoration followed by the Benediction. After that dinner was served for everyone, and everybody had a great time sharing food and happiness. On the 5th day of the festival our dear bishop expired and we had three days of mourning. Then on the 8th, 9th and 10 day the mass went on as planned. On the last day, soon after mass the flag was brought down, and thus ended our ten days of festival.