Apocalypse 14:13

This was the First Reading I read at my Grandmothers Funeral.

Elizabeth "Maree" Dalton born 27 July 1929, died 22 April 2009 age 79.

I, John, heard a voice from heaven say to me, "Write down:
Happy are those who die in the Lord! Happy indeed, the Spirit says;
now they can rest for ever after their work,
since their good deeds go with them."

Jehovah's Witnesses

I've been reading a fair bit of material from The Watchtower society, commonly known as the Jehovah's Witnesses. While there are many compatibilities with my own Catholic faith, there are some things these guys could learn from us.

For instance, when they tell me that God's name is "Jehovah" not "Yahweh" or "Allah" or any of God's other magnificent names... but do they know what "Jehovah" means themselves? Obviously not, as "Jehovah" or "JHVH" is simply the Latinisation of the Hebrew word "Yahweh" or "YHWH".

Another common belief of theirs is that Jesus wasn't crucified, but tied to a stake - apparently everyone got the translation of "crux" wrong... but the correct translation is in fact "cross".

There you have it... stuff they can learn from us!

Prayer for the Year of Faith

The Apostles Creed.

I believe in God,

the Father almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

he descended into hell;

on the third day he rose again from the dead;

he ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;

from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy catholic Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting. 

Amen.

Prayer for the Year of Grace

Click here to download the prayer card!

Gracious God,

You have blessed this ancient land
with many gifts, especially its people.

We thank you for the Year of Grace,
a time to start afresh from Christ.

You invite us to contemplate the face of Jesus your Son,
that we may experience a new wave of grace,
and that the light of Christ may burn more brightly in our lives.

Attune our hearts and minds
to the presence of your Holy Spirit,
that our Church may be transformed,
our relationships be healed,
and our nation grow in compassion and justice.

With the intercession of St Mary MacKillop,
who showed us new ways of living the Gospel,
we make our prayer
through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.

Let not your heart be troubled.

John 14:1-6

Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God: believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you.
And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be. And whither I go to you know, and the way you know.
Thomas saith to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith to him: I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me.

St. Patrick's Albury

Soon I shall be returning to Albury – for a visit – and to finish sorting a few things out... amongst one of the things I will be going to my church in Albury, St. Patrick's. I love it – I miss it – as well as the people, such a faithful bunch they are!

www.stpatricksalbury.org.au

Prayer for Twenty-Thirteen

Dear LORD,

This future year, I entrust to You, all my failings, my hopes, dreams, talents and wishes.

My needs, wants and gifts. My past, present and future self. 

To You I owe all my glory, to You I turn to when I need comfort.

Please, LORD, make this Year of Faith and Grace a successful one in mine and the lives of those for whom I care about.

Help me to grow in love for You, spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Amen.