volume: XXii issue: 10 mARCH 2020 CONTENTS MARCH 2020 Volume: XXII Issue: 10 “I have sinned and done what is evil in your sight” (Ps 51:4) 05 - Thomas Jacob Being made clean again 07 - Pope Francis Love –you will succeed 09 - Rev Fr George Panackal VC Restore broken relationships - Rev Fr Mathew Elavumkal VC Chairman 11 Rev. Dr Augustine Vallooran VC Lord teach us to pray Printer & Publisher 15 - Rev Dr John Prince Puthenpurackal VC Rev. Dr Philip Nedumthuruthil VC Chief Editor “As gold in the furnace, He proved them” (Wis 3:6) Rev. Fr Mathew Thadathil VC 19 - Rev Dr Augustine Vallooran VC General Manager Y. Ousepachan Surrendering to God’s will Editor 25 - Dr Remila George Thomas Jacob Section Editors Leaving a Blessing Sr Savio CSA 29 - Maria Sangeetha Maria Sangeetha Cover Design 27 Mejo to News 28 Layout Sijo Sunny Kids Corner Printing 32 Divine Printers & Publishers Address 13, 14, Divine Voice, 18, 24, Testimonies Divine Retreat Centre, 31, 34 Muringoor P.O., Chalakudy - 680 309, Kerala, India, Ph: 0480 2708413, 2708513 Divine Voice MARCH 2020 3 “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life - that life was made manifest and we saw it and testify to it” (1 Jn 1:1-2). volume: XXii issue: 10 mARCH 2020 Annual Subscription In India : Rs. 200/- Abroad: Rs. 1500/- 5 Years Subscription In India: Rs. 950/- Abroad: Rs. 7000/- Life Subscription In India: Rs. 4000/- Abroad: Rs. 22,000/- Make all payments - Demand Drafts or Money Orders or electronic fund transfer payable to : DIVINE VOICE (English) Details for electronic fund transfer Account Name : Divine Voice Bank A/c No: 0349-00421780-195001 Bank Name: Catholic Syrian Bank, Muringoor IFC Code: CSB K0000349 “I tell you, there is joy in the Account Name : Divine Voice presence of the angels of God Bank A/c No: 37965227885 over one sinner who repents” Bank Name: S.B.I (Lk 15:10). IFC Code: SBIN0008646 e-mail: [email protected] Change of Address In the event of a change in your postal address, please ensure that you send us your Old Address along with the New Mailing Address. Address for Correspondence The Chief Editor, Divine Voice (English) Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor P.O. Chalakudy - 680 309, Kerala - INDIA 4 MARCH 2020 Divine Voice EDITORIAL “I have sInned and done what Is evIl In your sIght” (Ps 51:4) epent and believe in the good news” (Mk 1:15) knocked of his horse and brought face to face with his “Ris Jesus’ invitation as He begins His ministry. own sinfulness and need for a Saviour. “All of us have Repentance comes from the Greek metanoia, which sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 8:23) literally translates a “change of mind”– a conversion Paul declares. Everyone has sinned—and so the frst of heart away from sin and towards God. Without the step in becoming truly holy is honestly admitting our frst step of being truthful there can be, no subsequent sinfulness and humbly seeking God’s mercy. steps that efect change. For example, if a man has an addiction to alcohol, and claims not to have one, All God’s promises in the Scriptures are fulflled for he will never take the necessary steps to overcome us ultimately in Jesus Christ and His death on the the addiction. The frst step needed in overcoming cross for us sinners, “In this God proved His love for this addiction is to admit that he does have addiction. us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for In order for the twofold movement of contrition and us.”(Rom 5:8). He has freely shed His blood for us and resolve to efect change, it must be genuine; lest we thus we belong to Him now more than sheep belong to go through the motions of appearing contrite (sorry for the shepherd or coins to a woman (Lk 15:4-10). Thus our sin), and actual resolve to change never matures He will never stop searching for us until He fnds us into much of anything. and brings us to Himself. Just as Jesus extended His hand to Peter to save him from drowning in the sea, Only genuine contrition that abides in the humble, Jesus extends His hand to each of us to save us from honest, and truthful heart awakens the soul in its depth. sin. It is our act of faith each day, each moment, that Why is it very important to admit wrong that we do and we grasp that hand and are drawn from our pride, take responsibility for it? Because as Jesus illustrates selfshness, and ignorance. The chance to repent exists in the parable of the Prodigal son (Lk 15:17-19), God in this life. Yet each person has to join the battle. then takes that desire to amend our lives and makes it Within the parables of the Found Coin, the Found possible with His grace. St Paul, writing to Timothy, Sheep and the Forgiving Father (Lk 15:3-32), there is does not put on airs about his personal sanctity, but the loss, the fnding and repentance, forgiveness, and he is brutally honest about his own sinful actions and then the immediate celebration, illustrating the close his personal responsibility for them, “I was formerly a connection of the Sacraments of Penance and Holy blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But I Eucharist. These parables expand the connection of received mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief” God with His loving gifts and how at times we turn (I Tim 1:13). This honest acknowledgement opens him and lose our way, but God will always be there, loving to receive the merciful love of Jesus who came into the us, meeting us with His mercy and forgiveness when world “to call sinners to repentance” (Lk 5:32). we come in repentance. As the Book of Sirach says, “The prayer of the humble Jesus’ unrelenting search for us continues in every pierces the clouds; it will not desist until the Most High Eucharist where He renews His own sacrifce on the altar, responds” (Sir 35:21). It’s the prayer of the humble to bring us closer to His own heart of love. He wants to one which pierces the clouds and reaches God’s heal and transform our broken world through us. His grace throne. The Lord doesn’t play favourites or let people in the Eucharist is both light and strength to make that of the hook just because of their worldly or religious journey back to Him at every moment of our lives. Let status. St Paul had to learn this lesson, for before his us begin our journey back to Him, always ready to take own conversion, he was a self- righteous Pharisee, the very frst step of acknowledging our sins and personal convinced that he knew God’s will and was pleasing responsibility, and honestly praying, “I have sinned and Him with his eforts to persecute the early Church. By done what is evil in your sight” (Ps 51:4) the end of his life Paul was able to speak of having fnished the race and kept the faith, thus meriting a crown of righteousness—but this only happened because he humbly accepted the Gospel after he was Editor Divine Voice MARCH 2020 5 At the DIVINE RETREAT CENTRE Muringoor - Potta Forthcoming Special Retreats in 2020 (in English) 1 Mar – 6............................Lenten Retreat 26 Apr – 1 May ........ Inner Healing Retreat 8 Mar – 13 ......................... Lenten Retreat 3 May – 8 ................. Inner Healing Retreat 15 Mar – 20 ....................... Lenten Retreat 10 May – 15 ............. Inner Healing Retreat 22 Mar – 27 ....................... Lenten Retreat 17 May – 22 ............ Inner Healing Retreat 29 Mar – 3 Apr ................... Lenten Retreat 5 Apr – 10 ...................... Passover Retreat 24 May – 29 ......... National Youth Retreat - 12 Apr -17 ................ Inner Healing Retreat Retreat for Couples, Youth, Children, 19 Apr – 24 .............. Inner Healing Retreat and Bible Nursery for Tiny Tots Inner Healing Retreat for Priests and Religious Sisters 31 May – 5 Jun ........ Inner Healing Retreat Please note During the week not mentioned above, usual retreats will be held. Retreats for Children and Bible Nursery for Tiny-tots will be held as usual every week Every week the retreatants are permitted to leave by 2 pm on Friday after the Anointing Service. --------------------------- For more information please contact --------------------------- FR AUGUSTINE VALLOORAN VC Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, Chalakudy 680 309, Kerala, India. Ph: 0480 2708098, 2708193 6 MARCH 2020 Divine Voice Pope Francis Dear Brothers and Sisters, he was prohibited to do –, and, when he found ord, if you wish, you can make me clean,” Him “he fell prostrate, pleaded with Him, and “L(Lk 5:12) is the request addressed to Jesus said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” by a leper. This man does not only ask to be cured, (v. 12). All that this man does and says, who was but to be “purifed,” that is, to be healed integrally, considered impure, is an expression of his faith! He in body and in heart. In fact, leprosy was considered recognizes the power of Jesus: he is sure He has the a sort of curse from God, of profound impurity. The power to cure him and that all depends on His will. leper had to keep himself far from everyone; he This faith is the strength that enabled him to break could not access the Temple or any divine service.