Melvyn Brown, The Anglo-Indian Chronicler: lent

In our preparation for Good Friday we take into account the Liturgical celebration of the Lord's Passion, which is divided into three parts: The Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross and the Holy Communion.

The reading from the book of Isaiah 52:13-53: 12 is the First Reading. When you read the Word of God through the prophet, it becomes a profoundly meditative presentation of Christ, the Messiah, and the Divine plan is revealed for all generations to come.

This Good Friday we recollect on Psalm 31. "Let your face shine on your servant". The Psalm enriches our Faith with the promise of the gift from God. We move on to the Second Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews 4:14-16: 5:7-9. I want you to read this letter, for I believe the Spirit will guide you and encourage you to know your faith better. "Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross". I have repeated this from my previous talk for Passion Week. Try to look down from the Cross and become as deeply involved as Christ in this salvific labour. Pause in your prayers.

Our next way is to read the Gospel. The Passion of our Lord Jesus according to St. John 18:1-19:42. The second part is the Adoration of the Holy Cross. Part Three is Holy Communion. The incarnation "to live among us" is completed in the Eucharist. John. 1:14. When you receive Christ in Holy Communion it becomes a prelude to eternal life.

Saturday, 28 March 2015

MEDITATIONS FOR PASSION WEEK

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!". This is in commemoration of the Lord's entrance into Jerusalem. Open your Bible to the Gospel of St.Mark and read 11:1-10. This is again a beautiful reading for Palm Sunday. "Hosanna in the highest!".

On Maunday Thursday we should go to Church for the Mass of the Lord's Last Supper. The liturgy for this day is given to us in five installments: Liturgy of the Word; washing of the feet; the liturgy of the Eucharist; moving to the altar of repose and, finally, Adoration.

Good Friday is the celebration of the Passion of the Christ. On this Holy Day we recall the liturgy of the Word, read the gospel of John 18:1-19:42. It is a unique diary on the Passion. In the Chapel of Divine Mercy I show the film Passion of the Christ. Many come, although they have seen it earlier. It is for the heart-breaking experience to relive the pain and the agony of Christ who sacrificed His life for our salvation. "Christ became obedient unto death, even death on a cross".(Phil 2: 8-9) Let us mediate on the suffering of Jesus, and let us both emotionally and physically (in prayer and penance) ask God for His mercy and love.

Friday, 6 March 2015

The Holy Season in Christian Life

Renew Your Catholic Faith This Lenten Period

Monday, 21 March 2011

THROUGH CHRIST WE GAIN GOD’S LOVE BY MELVYN BROWN

THIRD SUNDAY IN LENT Reflection by Melvyn Brown

SAINT PAUL , in his letter to the Romans said , “ Therefore , since we are justified by faith , we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand , and we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. “ (Rom.5:1-2).

The Christian faith is insulated in Jesus.

This third Sunday in lent leads us into the core belief and trust in Christ, “ God’s love had been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. “ (Rom.5:5). Today, we prepare for the realms of Easter. Christ’ suffering becomes God’s triumph and humankind begins a new phase for reconciliation and peace in the world.

The horrific earthquake in Japan has shocked the world. The impact of both , the quake and the tsunami had the ferocity of 16000 atomic bombs, reports The Telegraph (12.3.2011). At this time of lent all Christians turn to Jesus in prayer, for through him God’s love will heal the sorrow and suffering of families who have lost their loved ones ; friends , neighbours and strangers .

When Moses led his people out of Egypt many died of thirst. He was eventually confronted by the people. “Is the Lord among us or not ?”(Ex.17:7). And Moses, afraid of his life turned to the Lord, “What shall I do with this people ? They are almost ready to stone me ?” (Ex.17:4).

The Lord told Moses to take with him the elders of Israel to the rock at Horeb. At the place Moses was instructed to strike the rock with his rod and water gushed out. The prophet called the place Massah and Meribah, because the people had been in doubt about God.

In our life there are a number of possibilities for good. They can be effective if you trust in Him. THROUGH CHRIST WE GAIN GOD’S LOVE. Say this many times and mean it .

God’s love reaches out to us as we struggle between contradictions and swings of conscious. Slowly, we gravitate to a better understanding of our personal and spiritual needs. Prayers have and increasingly confident outcome if one turns to His through Jesus. It has been said repeatedly, ask and you shall receive. Lent is the time to review and put forward your wishes - always believing that God will hear your prayers through His Son Jesus.

This season of lent we are most strongly made aware of sin , evil and temptation, especially with injustice and the delusional trends of present-day society. Jesus is the demarcation of our faith and belief .

Inevitably, with trust in Jesus , he shields us when we seek his help.

Christ always triumphs and saves humanity.

“Oh, come, let us sing to the Lord ! Give a joyous shout I honour of the Rock of our salvation ! Come before him with thankful hearts. Let us sing him psalms of praise. “ Psalm 95.

HOW JESUS DEALT WITH TEMPTATION REFLECTION BY MELVYN BROWN

First Sunday in Lent - A Reflection by Melvyn Brown

Jesus was the divine pilgrim to journey on earth , to have communion with mankind , and to live the prophecies foretold by God’s messengers from the moment of birth to the resurrection – fulfilling the most extraordinary promise of God … the gift of His Mercy and of Salvation through Christ our Lord.

This First Sunday in Lent is our personal pilgrimage which has begun with Ash Wednesday. We will now enter the world of prayer, sacrifice , spirituality and penance in a special way. Jesus was “ led by the spirit of God “, into the desert to confront Temptation and the evil-one.

In the lonely and vast miles of sand and solitude , in the barren and uninhabited wild appeared the devil. Satan was visibly frustrated to find Jesus fasting and in prayer. The demon decided to put temptation before Christ . To entice , inveigle , to provoke and dare Jesus to accept his vile offers.

In the Gospel of Mathew (4:1-11) we are told of the days when Jesus, led by the Spirit of God, was sent into the wilderness for forty days and forty nights. The rugged paths , the empty wasteland, the scourging heat of the blazing sun, the long hours of prayer and fasting had thrown a challenge to his human being. Jesus’ body was weak , his lips dry and parched , his skin blistered , his eyes burning with the raging desert wind and spiriling sand. Jesus refused to be embedded in grief. He would not bow to the tortured flesh – there was much more to endure , to suffer and bear for the salvation and redemption of mankind – to pay the price for the forgiveness of their sins , to shed his blood and to die . In Psalm 51:2 we listen to the words of the psalmist : “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin ! “

Satan challenged Jesus. “ If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. “ (Mat.4:3).

Jesus saw the transparency in the plan of the malignant spirit. “ It is written, “ said Jesus , “ Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”

Furious with hidden anger the fiend took Christ to the highest pinnacle of a temple. “ If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down …(Mat.4:5-6). Jesus replied, “ It is written, “ You shall not tempt the Lord your God. “

Ultimately, the devil showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “All these I will give you if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus turned to the devil and said in a loud voice : “ Begone , Satan ! for it is written, “ you shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.” (Mat.4:9-10).

Temptation is a virus which comes to all of us in many forms. Jesus met the enemy face-on. He dealt with temptation to help us understand the greater insight into the trust and mercy of God – to have faith in His word and to believe in His heavenly kingdom. Pope John Paul 11 once said, “ The faith is like a strike of lightning, illuminating everything. “. ( Rocco Buttinglione ).

ASH WEDNESDAY BEGINS THE SEASON OF LENT BY MELVYN BROWN

Ash Wednesday begins a fresh liturgical period with a special prayer to help us discover our mission in life’s journey. This is possible during lent when we take upon ourselves three simple practices : to Fast , to Pray and to show Compassion to all God’s children.

Pope Benedict XVI recently highlighted the importance of fasting when he said, “ Fasting is a great help to avoid sin and all that leads to it.”

Ash Wednesday is a time to recall and imitate the forty days when Jesus withdrew into the wilderness : a time of soul-searching , repentance and preparation for His passion leading up to Easter. From now on we will stay with Jesus through His divine ministry , His suffering in Holy Week , His Crucifixion and on Good Friday, His death. Finally, to rejoice in His Resurrection.

This is also a time to make a spiritual resolution.

In 2003 ,Pope John Paul 11 called for a Day of Prayer and Fasting for Peace. The Holy Father went on to explain the reasons for his decision , to observe Ash Wednesday on March 5 of that year.

“It is a duty of believers , regardless of the religion to which they belong , to proclaim that we will never be able to be happy if we are against one another. The future of humanity will never be able to be assured by terrorism and the logic of war, “ said the late pope, who will be beatified on May 1 this year.

Pope John Paul 11 told Catholics, “ to dedicate with special intensity Ash Wednesday to prayer and fasting for the cause of peace … “ He went on to say, “In every Marian shrine an ardent prayer for Peace will be raised to heaven with the praying of the holy rosary. “

Jonah’s call to the people of Nineveh was to repent and to announce a fast. ( 3.9 ). God heard their prayer and spared them.

This year , 2011, Ash Wednesday will be on the 9^th March and it will draw us nearer to Jesus and closer to our faith. The rosary can be the common invocation throughout the season of lent , remembering the ‘ Sorrowful mysteries’ each time in prayer. May this be the spiritual resolution we take upon ourselves.

Ash Wednesday initiates the period of lent. From the start of the Holy Season we prepare ourselves in the mystery of redemption.

The Church has picked the readings for each Sunday in Lent starting with Ash Wednesday (Ps. 51:3-4, 5-6. Mat 6: 1-6,16-18.) Ash Wednesday renews the faith ,the baptismal promises affirmed. The origin of Lent was a preparatory time for Easter when the people of God rededicates themselves to Him.

The Readings for each Sunday in Lent will be given in my writings .