Glory of God Prayer Group, St. Cecilia Parish, Wa Diocese, Ghana - Let Your Light Shine

Saint of the Day

Make me an instrument of thy peace

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Francis of Assisi

Belief in Christianity

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else. C. S. Lewis

Pray and work

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. Saint Augustine

Believe that you may understand

Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. Saint Augustine

People of worth

Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live. Socrates

False words

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. Socrates

Men should wonder at themselves

Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering. Saint Augustine

God is happiness and peace

God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing. C. S. Lewis

The cause makes the martyr

It is not the punishment but the cause that makes the martyr. Saint Augustine

The souls of the righteous are immortal …

All men's souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine. Socrates

Humility

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. C. S. Lewis

We do it to God

There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in - that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible. Mother Teresa

Perfect moderation

To many, total abstinence is easier than perfect moderation. Saint Augustine

Affection

Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives. C. S. Lewis

I willingly cure him for the love of God

I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No, I wouldn't touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God. Mother Teresa

Our life of poverty

Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them. Mother Teresa

Even the rich are hungry for love

Even the rich are hungry for love, for being cared for, for being wanted, for having someone to call their own. Mother Teresa

Suffering of God's son

God had one son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering. Saint Augustine

The desire is thy prayers

The desire is thy prayers; and if thy desire is without ceasing, thy prayer will also be without ceasing. The continuance of your longing is the continuance of your prayer. Saint Augustine

Source of the deadliest hate

From the deepest desires often come the deadliest hate. Socrates

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr B. Feb 4, 2024.

Readings
1st: Job 7:1-4, 6-7
2nd: II Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23
Gospel: Mark 1:29-39

Theme: You Are Saved And Sent To Serve.

My dear people of God, today is Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr B. Our reflections would focus on the Theme as it reflects in all the readings of today. In all the people presented in today's liturgy, we each have models for ourselves when we feel depressed, dispaired, bored and discouraged. Job, in his pain and misery, turns to God for answers. Jesus, upset by everything that depresses the human spirit, spends himself to serve (sick) people in dire need. St. Paul views his salvation through the prism of his conscious attempts to be the salvation of others. Then, comes Peter's mother in-law. She believes that the only way to experience full healing oneself is to heal (serve) others. She immediately makes herself available for service soon after she is healed from fever. This saved and sent to serve spirit is amply demonstrated by all the key players in all our readings of today. Jesus Himself, though not saved, is sent to serve the most pressing needs of humanity. No matter how advanced and sophisticated technology may develop and progress, Jesus remains the only answer to all human problems. He comes to save and send to serve. Therefore, a "sitting" (non-serving) Christian" cannot claim to have truly experienced Christ. It is not for nothing that St. Paul sees and says of himself as "all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share in its blessings".

The miserable and humiliating experiences of Job, which he bemoans in a soliloquy (speaking to oneself) are service to humanity in the true sense, relative to the lessons they teach on the mystery of suffering. We are aware that the particular experiences of Job transcend every period in human history - why should bad things happen to good people? Can one serve God selflessly? Where is God, and how far is He, in the face of suffering? Even if God would eventually act (at His own time) why the undue delay and evil (suffering) seems to always reign and dominate? These are legitimate questions but which answers have to wait untill the full restoration of Job. Note, that the only theology (knowledge of God) known during this time of Job is that the good prosper and the wicked suffer. Job's tradition knows nothing of heaven and hell, so God has to reward the good and punish the wicked in this present life. Our Christian perspective adds a new dimension - that to expect the world to treat you fairly because you are a good person is like expecting a bull not to attack you because you are a vegetarian. It is only when we look at the experiences of Job with this eye of faith that we can see him (Job) as saved and sent to serve. His misery and humiliating experiences and his unwavering patience to endure them, defying the advice of all his friends, give faith its fullest definition and the surviving fruits (of faith) that can stand the test of time, and that is service in the truest sense.

The Gospel tells us of three people who see, understand and appreciate service to humanity as a sacred duty. After the hectic Synagogue service Jesus naturally deserves physical rest. However, if His decisive withdrawal is in search for a place to rest, He is soon to realize that the one who is truly sent to save and serve cannot claim any right to rest. His arrival in the house of Peter's mother in-law and the appeal to His power happen at the same time. Once again, He spends Himslf for others - the sick in particular. He is never too tired to help others. The needs of others always take precedence over his own desire to rest. It is very worrying and disappointing to be told in some of our present day mission houses that "Father is sleeping, so you cannot see him". What is awesome is that, this time round, Jesus does not require a large audience like that in the Synagogue in order to exert His powers. He is just as prepared to perform His miracle (of healing) in the little circle of a cottage as in the great crowd of a synagogue. Today many church authorities have great difficulty transferring priests and religious to rural areas to take up new appointments. Talking about the filmsy excuses Catholic workers at our time give to refuse appointments and transfers to rural areas to serve God's people, the least said the best. You are saved and sent to serve. Ingratitude is an insult to Divine providence. The disciples' kind gesture of timely alerting Jesus about the ill health of Peter's mother in-law also confirms a sense of saved and sent to serve. They know more than anyone that their call is not on any merit. If not grace, what?. So they have no reason to ever try to privatise Jesus. They have not even known Jesus that long or much, yet they are already prepared to take all their problems to him. As the hymn has it, "Take it to the Lord in prayer". This is the very essence of Christian life. Then appears Peter's mother-in-law. No sooner is she healed than she begins to serve them by providing their needs. She uses her recovered health for renewed service. Saved to serve. We pray for an increased sense of gratitude in which ever area/field God sends us to serve His people. In fact, in some instances, what God only demands of us is our availability, not our ability. May we be ever willing to avail ourself and God will do the rest. Continue to recite the Holy Rosary daily. God richly bless you and your family.

Rev. Fr. Thomas L. Debuo - Catholic Diocese of Damongo, Ghana. (0244511306/0243711926)

I have decided

There is nothing we go through that God does not know. He sees, He feels, He hears and He knows. God knows all the challenges, difficulties and problems His children go through. He is not unconcerned. He is not indecisive about your situation. In fact, God has made a decision to deliver you and He will do it! When the people of Israel were in captivity, it looked as if the Lord had abandoned them. They were in need of deliverance... Read more>>>

Is the Bible the Final Authority?

This article has been inspired by the conflict that exists within Christianity mainly due to the interpretation of the bible (the genuine cases). First of all it is important for us to understand the place of the bible in Christianity before we can properly apply it to Christian spirituality. This article seeks to use the dealings of God with his people Israel, the dealings of Jesus and the apostles with the early Christians, the bible itself and common sense to... Read more>>>

A brief history of the Holy Rosary and h…

What is the rosary? The angel Gabriel’s greeting to Mary, when he came to announce the conception of Jesus, is familiar to most Catholics. It is echoed in one of the most popular Catholic prayers, the Hail Mary (in Latin, Ave Maria): “Hail, [Mary,] favoured one [or ‘full of grace’]! The Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). The words that follow in that prayer also come from Scripture, from Elizabeth’s greeting to our Lady soon afterward: “Blessed are you among women, and... Read more>>>

The Lord's prayer

Our Father, who is in heaven, holy is your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. OR Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give... Read more>>>

The unchangeable changer

The Israelites left Egypt with jewelry and clothes they didn't buy. May our enemies look on as we advance in wealth and health miraculously because the unchangeable changer and the great I AM is our God and his name and power is our solace. Cosmas Nanyaa   Read more>>>

Living in a changed life

Three days fasting and prayers - Wednesday, 26th November, 2008 Teacher: Felix Dordaa Mahama Text: {bib=1 Peter 4:1-6} “When you go to Rome, do what the Romans do” Once we want something from a certain place, we have to identify ourselves with that place and live like the people there (“When you go to Rome, do what the Romans do”). Once we change our state of life, we have to change the things that we do or the way we used to do them. In our... Read more>>>

It's a hoax: NASA finds message fro…

This message has been circulating on the internet and elsewhere about the discovery of a message from God by NASA. This is part of the story: The original message "NASA announced today that its Curiosity Rover has found an unambiguous message from God written on tablets in a Martian cave. According to an official press release two giant stone slabs the size of small elephants were located deep inside a cavern abutting Aeolis Mons, a large mountain. Upon one tablet is a copy of the Ten... Read more>>>

The agenda is on - The six stages of soc…

Social Deception very often is a process by which wrong becomes right, and right becomes wrong. It’s a complete paradigm shift of opinions, standards and morals that is achieved softly, subtly and often takes a generation to entrench into society. Those who engineer it are very deliberate and structured in their approach.   If you want to know what I am talking about, find out your mother’s views on things like sexuality and marriage and compare them with yours. The contrast in... Read more>>>

Lesson from the story of Joseph.

The brothers of joseph thought they were pushing him away from his dream of being who God said he would be. Little did they know that they were rather pushing him into it.   Read more>>>

Hail Mary ...

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. OR Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of... Read more>>>

The 7 UPs

1 . Wake Up !!!Decide to have a good day. "Today is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." {bib=Psalms 118:24} 2. Dress Up !!!The best way to dress up is to put on a smile. A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks. "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at outward appearance; but the Lord looks at the heart." {bib=1 Samuel 16:7} 3. Shut Up... Read more>>>

Short memory

One of the most painful things in this world is when people you helped in the past later decide to work against you. So many people have vowed never to do anything to help others again because of the ungratefulness of some people they once helped. Our world is really full of people with selective short memory. They only remember the bad you once did against them but quickly forget the good you did for them. Joseph was a man God... Read more>>>

Advice to young girls

The moment you agree to date a married man,you agree to be a second class woman andevery second class person is classified as a person of lower value.Now look at it this way.If he is with you and his wife calls,he lies that he is still in the office or on an official assignment.You dare not interrupt his conversation or quiry him, but you can't call him when he is at home....... My sister you be toy? He sneaks you from... Read more>>>

You need to pray

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The art of quiet time: prayer

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Prevailing prayers

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In praise of the Lord

Who is it that visits the hot sun without getting burnt?Who else but the Lord of power Who is it that visits the cold moon without being frozen?Who else but the Lord of might Who is it that confines the seas with His hands?Who else but the Lord, the creator of the heavens and the earth Who is it that tames lions?Who else but the Lord Who is it that the winds obey?Who else but the Lord Who is it that waves obey?Who else but... Read more>>>

The rotten generation

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Guarding our social lives to attain spir…

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My prayer for you

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