Shalom tidingsA BI-MONTHLY CATHOLIC MAGAZINE FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WEDDING NIGHTS AND WEDDING RINGS EMILY WILSON THE MERCY OF HOSPITALITY CARDINAL DONALD WUERL A Leper for Christ GOD BRANDON VOGT PREPARES A PATH AND LEADS US TO PEACE B eloved Mother, help us to trust in the Almighty when adverse moments arise in our lives, as you did all throughout your life. Fill us with the hope that God is in charge and His grace will set everything right this year. Amen. EDITORIAL NOTE SEEKING HIS WILL There are instances in our lives when we are confused about which path to take or which decision to make; for big and small matters. Every moment of our lives involves decisions, from choosing to sleep or pray, to what toothpaste to buy, what food to eat, what clothes to wear, or what words to say—all of these are daily, moment-to-moment decisions. Knowledge, wisdom, past experiences, and future goals are some of that factors which influence our decision making. Bad decisions are sometimes the reason why we face failures in our lives. For every decision there is a positive or a negative consequence. How will we know which is the right decision? It is important that we realize the will of God in every circumstance we are experiencing. God will reveal His will to people who genuinely seek it and believe that God’s will is the best option in their lives. There are faithful who take decisions without seeking the will of God or who make the wrong decision knowing that it is not God’s will. When problems arise, those people go to their spiritual directors or people with the gift of the Holy Spirit to know the will of God. This may not always be because of their desire to fulfill the will of God, but because of their fear of the consequences which can result from their wrong decisions. For example, a person who is dishonest in his job because he is stealing money from his company does not seek the will of God about his job; but if he is sick, he prays and seeks the will of God about the doctor he is going to see. Through sin we do not make the right decisions. Jesus Christ taught that a person who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is unable to freely make decisions. The things that make the heart lose its freedom is sin. One of the greatest gifts God gave humanity is free will. To sustain free will we need to avoid all factors of sinfulness. Otherwise the darkness in our minds will lead us to bad decisions. In other words, it is through contrition and repentance that we gain the grace to make good decisions. Our decisions impact our future. Therefore, before making any decision, think to yourself: “Is this the will of God? Will this bring me closer to or further away from God?” When we hold tight our own desires and make our goal luxurious lives for ourselves, we are unable to seek the will of God. The main reason that a person makes the wrong decision is because his or her ultimate goal is not eternal life. Scripture says, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19). Prayer My Lord God, many times, in my quest to fulfill my own desires, I have not sought out Your will. I regret making wrong decisions in the past. Lord, give me the grace to seek Your will and make the right decisions. Amen. BENNY PUNNATHARA FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 SHALOM TIDINGS 3 CONTENTS 5 Let the Letters Unfold | JEROME KILEY 8 Where Is Your Treasure | ALAN SCOTT STRAHLEN SMITH PATRON, SHALOM MINISTRIES 11 Is God Magic? Is God Real? | H.E. Baselios Cardinal Cleemis CARDINAL DONALD WUERL Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the 13 The Mercy of Hospitality | Syro-Malankara Catholic Church TOMSON SCARIA 15 What is the PSI Today? | PATRONS Bishop Bosco Puthur 19 A Leper for Christ | BRANDON VOGT Syro-Malabar Eparchy, Australia 21 Wedding Nights and Wedding Rings | EMILY WILSON Bishop Daniel E. Flores Diocese of Brownsville 24 Learning to Let Go | JOE PHILIP Bishop Mar Jacob Angadiath 27 I'm All In | TONY AGNESI Syro-Malabar Diocese, Chicago 31 The Danger of Teaching False Mercy | MARLON DE LA TORRE Bishop Thomas Mar Eusebius, Syro-Malankara Exarchate, USA 36 Call and Answer | HEIDI BOCK SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR 36 Coming Back Home | BILLY GILLESPIE Father (Dr.) Roy Palatty, C.M.I. 45 Growing Old With God | RICHARD MAFFEO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Chevalier Benny Punnathara CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Joe Philip SENIOR SUB-EDITOR Mary Job EDITORIAL COUNCIL Joseph John Jinto Mathew Loreto Xavier DESIGN Mustard Tree (www.mustardtree.in) EXORCISM PRAYER 34 SHALOM TIDINGS February/March 2017, Volume V Issue I BRINGS RESULTS (ISSN 2327-4549) is published bi-monthly by Shalom Media -JAMEY BROWN USA Inc., 211 East Wisconsin Road, Edinburg, Texas 78539. Periodicals postage pending at Edinburg, Texas, and additional mailing offices. 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PO Box 134 NSW 2146 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Shalom Media USA Inc., 211 East Wisconsin Road, Edinburg, Texas 78539 Sydney, Australia 4 SHALOM TIDINGS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 LET THE ome time ago, I was a volunteer at the Italian Home for Children, a last-chance home for children Swho either have no family or have been taken out of their families for any of a number of reasons. I would come on Wednesdays to spend time with the children, and then there would be a Bible lesson in the chapel afterwards. Other volunteers would come, too, and children would be matched up with a volunteer for the chapel time. Someone would lead the lesson, either the LETTERS in-house Franciscan sister, Sister Margaret, or one of the volunteers. In one class, in early November, there was a woman from a nearby church teaching the class. She asked the children, “There is a big holiday coming up soon— what’s it called?” To my amazement, no one knew! After a pause, I leaned over to the girl next to me and whispered, “It begins with a ‘T’.” Well, the boy behind us heard the whisper and his hand shot up. “Oh! Oh! Oh!,” UNFOLD By Jerome Kiley FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 SHALOM TIDINGS 5 THEY THAT HOPE IN THE LORD WILL he began. The teacher looked at him with relief and said, RENEW THEIR “Okay, what is it?” And the boy blurted out with all the enthusiasm that clear, unfettered certainty can convey: STRENGTH “TOMORROW!” ISAIAH 40:31 He had the first letter and thought he knew the whole word! A while back there was a YouTube video that went viral around the Internet. It was about a woman on the descendants, or where he was going to end up. God only TV gameshow “Wheel of Fortune” who was able to guess gave him the first step to take. Abraham had to let the a whole phrase when she only knew one letter. The video steps unfold. went viral because it is almost impossible to guess a When the time comes for God to call you and reveal whole phrase when you only have one letter! In reality, what your life-long love is, you will not know where you you have to let the letters unfold until you get that certain are going to end up. You do not know the whole word at “Aha!” the start—you only get one letter at a time. You have to One day, about fifteen years ago, I went for the first reach a point where you really get an authentic “Aha!” of time into one particular church in Boston with the light.