Happy Birthday 60 years gift of life

In the Name of all the Secular Franciscan Brothers and sisters and General Spiritual Assistants I wish you dear brother Minister General Mauro Jòhri A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY OF 60 YEARS. God has done great things for you. Your inspirations and thoughts are forceful and spirit filled. Wish you all the best. May the Good Lord guide you and lead you in all your deliberations.

The foolish will miss heaven’s wedding feast

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13

Jesus warns us that there are consequences for being unprepared. There are certain things you cannot obtain at the last moment. For example, a student cannot prepare for his exam when the day of testing is upon him. A person cannot get the right kind of character or skill required for a task at hand unless they already possess it. Our eternal welfare depends on our hearing, and many have trained themselves to not hear. We will not be prepared to meet the Lord, face to face, when he calls us on the day of judgement, unless we listen to him today. The Lord invites us to feast at his banquet table.

"If you knew in what part of the night the thief was coming, you would have watched!”

Scripture: Matthew 24:42-51

The Lord Jesus calls us to be vigilant in watching for his return and to be ready to meet him when he calls us to himself. The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit so that we may have the wisdom, help, and strength we need to turn away from sin to embrace God's way of love, justice, and holiness. The Lord's warning of judgment causes dismay for those who are unprepared, but it brings joyful hope to those who eagerly wait for his return in glory. God's judgement is good news for those who are ready to meet him. Their reward is God himself, the source of all truth, beauty, goodness, love and everlasting life.

"Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man"

Scripture: Mark 6:17-29 (alternate reading: Matthew 23:27-32)

John the Baptist bridged the Old and New Testaments. He is the last of the Old Testament prophets who pointed the way to the Messiah. He is the first of the New Testament witnesses and martyrs. Jesus equated the coming of his kingdom with violence. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and men of violence take it by force (Matthew 11:12). John suffered violence for announcing that the kingdom of God was near. He was thrown into prison and then beheaded. Why did Herod put John to death when he knew him to be a righteous and holy man? Herod was a weak ruler. He could take a strong stand on the wrong things when he knew the right. Such a stand, however, was a sign of weakness and cowardice. Unfortunately for Herod, he could not rid himself of sin by ridding himself of the man who confronted him with his sin.

We do not need to fear those who oppose the gospel, because the love of Jesus Christ is stronger than fear and death itself. His love conquers all, even our fears and timidity in the face of opposition and persecution. We can trust in his grace and help at all times

"You have neglected justice, mercy and faith"

Scripture: Matthew 23:23-26

Jesus went to the heart of the matter when he called the religious leaders of his day blind Pharisees and hypocrites! The word hypocrite means actor — someone who puts on a show to draw attention to themselves. The scribes devoted their lives to the study of the Law of God and regarded themselves as legal experts in it. They divided the ten commandments and precepts into thousands of tiny rules and regulations. They were so exacting in their interpretations and in trying to live them out, that they had little time for anything else. By the time they finished compiling their interpretations it took no less than fifty volumes to contain them! Jesus chastised them for neglecting the more important matters of religion, such as justice and the love of God. In their misguided zeal they had lost sight of God and of his purpose for the law.
What was the point of Jesus' lesson ? The essence of God's commandments is love — love of God and love of neighbour. God is love and everything he does flows from his love for us. Love is costly and sacrificial; it both embraces and lifts the burdens of others

Visit to HUMPOLEC from 23-24 august 2007

I have visited Antonin Bobek in the Hospital at HAVLICKUV BROD. He was very happy to see Magdalena and I. We have sung hymns and I have given short reflections for his retreat. I also have met Mr. JAN VYBORNY Director of Domov blahoslavenè Bronislavy. He is so excellent as his name stands. He is so kind and gentle. God bless him. May God bless all those old brothers and sisters and the religious sisters who take care of them.

Do not risk being shut out!

Scripture: Luke 13:22-30

Jesus doesn't directly answer the question, however; but his response is nonetheless unsettling on two counts. First, Jesus surprised his listeners by saying that one's membership as a covenanted people does not automatically mean entry into the kingdom of God. Second, Jesus asserts that many from the gentile nations would enter God's kingdom. God's invitation is open to Jew and Gentile alike. But Jesus warns that we can be excluded if we do not strive to enter by the narrow door. What did Jesus mean by this expression? The door which Jesus had in mind was himself. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved (John 10:9). Through the cross Jesus opens the way for us to enter into his kingdom. But we must follow Jesus in the way of the cross. The word strive can also be translated agony. To enter the kingdom of God one must struggle against the forces of temptation and whatever would hinder us from doing the will of God (even apathy, indifference, and compromise).

The good news is that we do not struggle alone. God is with us and his grace is sufficient!

SFO Local Minister Trebic

It was indeed to meet sister Ilona Minister of local Fraternity of SFO Trebic together with her sister Alena. I have celebrated mass for them. God bless them and the Fraternity of SFO in Trebic. They are in need of Spiritual Assistant for their Fraternity. May God extend his healing hands on the sister Alena so that she may be healed and able to march forward in life.

"Everything is ready, come"

Scripture: Matthew 22:1-14

One of the most beautiful images of heaven in the scriptures is the banquet and wedding celebration given by the King for his son. We, in fact, have been invited to the most important banquet of all! The last book in the bible ends with an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb and his Bride, the church: The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! (Rev. 22:17).

Why does Jesus' parable seem to focus on an angry king who ends up punishing those who refused his invitation and who mistreated his servants? Jesus' parable contains two stories. The first has to do with the original guests invited to the feast. The king had sent out invitations well in advance to his subjects, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for coming to the feast. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they put their own interests above his. They not only insulted the King but the heir to the throne as well. The king's anger is justified because they openly refused to give the king the honor he was due. Jesus directed this warning to the Jews of his day, both to convey how much God wanted them to share in the joy of his kingdom, but also to give a warning about the consequences of refusing his Son, their Messiah and Saviour. God invites each of us to his banquet that we may share in his joy.

Koinonia

It was joy for me to meet Petr and her daughter Jitka in Jana's house. We had Indian food for lunch and all enjoyed it. Petr brought some drinks and children Petr,Eva,Anna and jan have joined for lunch.

"Do you begrudge my generosity?"

Scripture: Matthew 20:1-16

In the parable of the labourers in the vineyard we see the extraordinary generosity and compassion of God. There is great tragedy in unemployment. In Jesus' times hired labourers had to wait each day in the marketplace until someone hired them for a day's job. No work that day usually meant no food on the family table. The labourers who worked all day and received their payment complain that the master pays the late afternoon labourers the same wage. The master, undoubtedly, hired them in the late afternoon so they wouldn't go home pay less and hungry. God is generous in opening the doors of his kingdom to all who will enter, both those who have laboured a life-time for him and those who come at the last hour. While the reward is the same, the motive for one's labour can make all the difference. Some work only for reward. They will only put as much effort in as they think they will get out. Others labour out of love and joy for the opportunity to work. The Lord calls his disciples to serve God and neighbour with generosity and joy.

Happy Birthday

Dear Thambi Arul Francis wish you "A VERY HAPPY BIRTH DAY" May the God Lord bless you and give you what you need. Have a nice time. God bless you. I pray for you.

"With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"

Scripture: Matthew 19:23-30And why does Jesus issue such a strong warning to the rich (as well as to the rest of us who desire to be rich)? We know that Jesus was not opposed to wealth per se, nor was he opposed to the wealthy. He had many friends who were well-to-do, including some notorious tax collectors! One even became an apostle! Jesus' warning reiterated the wisdom of the Old Testament: "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is perverse in his ways" (Proverbs 28:6; see also Psalm 37:16). "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; be wise enough to desist" (Proverbs 23:4). Jesus seems to say that it is nearly impossible for the rich to live as citizens of God's kingdom. The camel was regarded as the largest animal in Palestine. The "eye of the needle" could be interpreted quite literally or it could figuratively describe the narrow and low gate of the city walls which was used by travellers when the larger public gate was locked after dark. A normal sized man had to "lower" himself to enter that gate. A camel would literally have to kneel and crawl through it.

Uhersky Brod

God has given me another chance to meet brothers and sisters of SFO in Uhersky Brod. Sister Magdalena Polaskova invited me to celebrate mass on 18 and 19th of August. On 18th I celebrated Eucharist in the Monastery of Dominican Friars in Uhersky Brod. The next day morning Sunday Mass was celebrated in the Parish Church. The sisters of SFO were so kind and gentle particularly
Sister Magdalena Polaskova is giving great joy to many people and helping many poor people. The couple Galaskova joins with her in doing charitable works. They really spread Franciscan spirit in the parish. God reward them. I also prayed over the family Hajek and may God heal them. The Dominican Priest was so kind to show his monastery and welcomed me to preach homily during the mass. Sister Lucie Jurigova translated my homily in Czech language.

"Sell what you possess and you will have treasure in heaven"

TREBIC

Scripture: Matthew 19:16-22

A young man who had the best the world could offer — wealth and security — came to Jesus because he lacked one thing. He wanted the kind of lasting peace and happiness which money could not buy him. The answer he got, however, was not what he was looking for. He protested that he kept all the commandments; but Jesus spoke to the trouble in his heart. One thing kept him from giving himself whole-heartedly to God. While he lacked nothing in material goods, he was nonetheless possessive of what he had. He placed his hope and security in what he possessed. So when Jesus challenged him to make God his one true possession and treasure, he became dismayed.
He was afraid to give to others for fear that he would lose what he had gained. Those who are generous towards God and others find that they cannot outmatch God in generosity. God blesses us with spiritual goods that far outweigh the fleeting joys of material possessions. He alone can satisfy the deepest longing and desires of our heart.

Friendly meeting in Trebic

God gave me an opportunity to meet nice brother Petr in Trebic. He is very much jovial and humours. He participated in the Eucharist. We had good celebration of brotherhood in the family of Magdalena. I too met his mother Ludmila and God bless them and may God give them good health.

Buh mi dal prilezitost se setkat s milym bratrem Petrem v Trebici. Je velmi radostny a humorny. Zucastil se take Eucharistie. My jsme meli dobrou oslavu bratrstvi v rodine Magdaleny. Tez jsem se zde setkal s jeho maminkou Ludmilou. Buh jim zehnej a dej jim dobre zdravi.

INDEPENDENCE DAY OF INDIA

Today India celebrates her Independence day May our dear Mother Mary bless India. It is on the road to progress.My Parish METTUDAM Celebrates today her parochial feast. I wish them A VERY FEAST OF OUR DEAR MOTHER MARY.

"His mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation"

Scripture: Luke 1:39-56 (alternate reading: Matthew 18:15-20)

Mary is a model of faith and hope for us. And she is among "the first-fruits" of "all those who belong to Jesus" and who share in his triumph (1 Cor.15:20-24). What enabled Mary to grow in faith and to persevere in hope in the face of obstacles and trials? The Gospel of Luke reveals the presence and power of the Holy Spirit in Mary's life. When Elizabeth and Mary greeted one another they were filled with the Holy Spirit and with a joyful anticipation of the fulfilment of God's promise to give a Saviour. John the Baptist, even before the birth of the Messiah, pointed to his coming and leapt for joy in the womb of his mother as the Holy Spirit revealed to him the presence of the King to be born. The Holy Spirit is God's gift to us to enable us to know and experience the indwelling presence of God and the power of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit is the way in which God reigns within each of us. Mary accepted her mission with uncompromising faith and obedience. She acted with unwavering trust and faith because she believed that God would fulfill the word he had spoken. Her great hymn of praise echoes the song of Hannah (see 1 Samuel 2:1-10) and proclaims the favor of the Lord: God exalts the lowly and he fills the hungry. The Holy Spirit is ever ready to renew your faith and hope in God's promises and to make you strong in love for God and your neighbor.

National Elective Chapter of Hungary

Encarnita and Fr.Samy Irudaya have attended the chapter of SFO in Hungary from 8-12 August 2007. It was very good and all the brothers and sisters were fully participating.

Elective Chapter in Hungary

Today Fr.Samy and Encarnita will arrive Budapest to participate in the chapter. We pray for all the brothers and sisters of SFO in Hungary. May St.Elizabeth of Hungary intercede for all of us. She is very good example for the secular Franciscans. She had become lived Gospel and radiationg God's love and mercy to the poor.

"Great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire"

Scripture: Matthew 15:21-28
This passage describes the only occasion in which Jesus ministered outside of Jewish territory. (Tyre and Sidon were fifty miles north of Israel and still exist today in modern Lebanon.) A Gentile woman puts Jesus on the spot by pleading for his help. At first Jesus seemed to pay no attention to her, and this made his disciples feel embarrassed. Jesus does this to test the woman to awaken faith in her. What did Jesus mean by the expression "throwing bread to the dogs"? The Jews often spoke of the Gentiles with arrogance and insolence as "unclean dogs" since the Gentiles were excluded from God's covenant and favor with Israel. For the Greeks the "dog" was a symbol of dishonor and was used to describe a shameless and audacious woman. Matthew 7:6 records the expression: do not give dogs what is holy. Jesus, no doubt, spoke with a smile rather than with an insult because this woman immediately responds with wit and faith — "even the dogs eat the crumbs." Jesus praises a Gentile woman for her faith and for her love. She made the misery of her child her own and she was willing to suffer rebuff in order to obtain healing for her loved one. She also had indomitable persistence. Her faith grew in contact with the person of Jesus. She began with a request and she ended on her knees in worshipful
to the living God.

Elective Chapter in Hungary

Encarnita and Samy Irudaya will be there for the elective chapter of Hungary from 8-12 August 2007. I wish all the best our dear brothers and sisters of SFO in Hungary. May God help them to elect a person who can lead them into the right spirit of Gospel.

"Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

Scripture: Matthew 14:22-36

This dramatic incident on the sea of Galilee revealed Peter's character more fully than others. Here we see Peter's impulsivity — his tendency to act without thinking of what he was doing. He often failed and came to grief as a result of his impulsiveness. In contrast, Jesus always bade his disciples to see how difficult it was to follow him before they set out on the way he taught them. A great deal of failure in the Christian life is due to acting on impulse and emotional fervor without counting the cost. Peter, fortunately in the moment of his failure clutched at Jesus and held him firmly. Every time Peter fell, he rose again. His failures only made him love the Lord more deeply and trust him more intently. The Lord keeps watch over us at all times, and especially in our moments of difficulty. Do you rely on the Lord for his strength and help? Jesus assures us that we have no need of fear if we trust in Him and in his great love for us. When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm you, how do you respond? With faith and hope in God's love, care and presence with you?

"This is my beloved Son; listen to him"

Scripture: Luke 9:28-36

God is eager to share his glory with us! We get a glimpse of this when the disciples see Jesus transfigured in glory on the mountain. [See With Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration] Mark's account tells us that Jesus' garments became glistening, intensely white. When Moses met with God on Mount Sinai the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God (see Exodus 34:29). Paul says that the Israelites could not look at Moses' face because of its brightness (2 Cor. 3:7). In this incident Jesus appeared in glory with Moses, the great lawgiver of Israel, and with Elijah, the greatest of the prophets, in the presence of three of his beloved apostles. What is the significance of this mysterious appearance? Jesus went to the mountain knowing full well what awaited him in Jerusalem — his betrayal, rejection and crucifixion. Jesus very likely discussed this momentous decision to go to the cross with Moses and Elijah. God the Father also spoke with Jesus and gave his approval: This is my beloved Son; listen to him. The cloud which overshadowed Jesus and his apostles fulfilled the dream of the Jews that when the Messiah came the cloud of God's presence would fill the temple again (see Exodus 16:10, 19:9, 33:9; 1 Kings 8:10; 2 Maccabees 2:8). The Lord wants to reveal his glory to all who earnestly seek him with faith.

Madagascar Elective chapter

The National Team with Hervè and Fr.Samy Irudaya


Bro.Hervè and Fr.Samy Irudaya have participated in the National Elective Chapter of Madagascar from 31st July to 4th August 2007 in St.Francis and St.Clare Antamponjina Fianarantsoa. More than 500 persons have participated because it is not only elective chapter but also congress. The members of SFO, YouFra and Children took part in this congress. It was grand celebrations. Fr. Paschael OFMCap. is the National Spiritual Assistant. Many spiritual assistants from
OFMCaps and OFM have participated. HAMBABE JEAN was chosen as National Minister of SFO in Madagascar.

"Take heed, and beware of all covetousness"

Scripture: Luke 12:13-21

In Jesus' time it was customary for people to take their disputes to the rabbis for
settlement. Jesus refuses such a case and instead gives the disputant a parable to "mull over".

What is the point of Jesus' story about a wealthy landowner and why does he call him a fool? Jesus does not fault him for his industriousness, but for his egoism and selfishness. Like the rich man and Lazarus, he had lost the capacity to be concerned for others. His life was consumed with his possessions and his only interests were in himself. His death was the final loss of his soul! In the parable of the rich fool Jesus gives a lesson on using material possessions. His lesson contains a warning to beware of all covetousness. To covet is to wish to get wrongfully what another possesses or to begrudge what God gave him. Jesus restates the commandment do not covet, but he also states that a person's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.