Food for the Poor

Several times we must have said something like this, "I am so hungry I could eat an elephant". There have been many times when we ached from a lack of food, times
when our stomach was queasy from not eating, times when we could only think of food. However, all these were nothing more than transient states. Because all we could do is go to the kitchen and take out the food or go to a restaurant and fill our stomach.

It is heartening that many of our brothers and sisters throughout the world go to bed hungry on a daily basis. They bury their heads in their pillows wondering if they will find a meal the next day. My question is are we really bothered about them? Through our charity and love we have lived Christ's call to feed his sheep. Through our time, talent and treasure we have shared the Gospel message with strangers. But we can do so much more.....

In Isiah chapter 58, Lord described very beutifully about observing fast. "This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying
the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; Sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own" (Isiah 58:6-7).

Yesterday we had a very touching homily by Rev Fr Scott OP here in Idaho Falls Christ The King Church. He has dedicated his life to feed the poor. In the
Republic of Haiti, more than 80% of the people are below poverty line. It is one of the most ill-developed countries in the Western Hemisphere. We were in tears when we heard that many a times poor people "bake mud" and eat it to keep away from queasy
feelings and achy stomachs. Please read below:

With $20 they can buy 90 kg of rice and dal to provide a meal of complete protein for 800 children. With $35 they can buy rice and dal to keep afamily of four
alive for almost 6 months. When we gift $150 to get a sewing machine and materials for skills-training workshop, we give a family hope for the future! Please
visit the site www.foodforthepoor.org

My dear brothers and sisters, how blessed we are! God has provided us everything - good job, money, social security, many to love us. We do not have to eat "mud
biscuits"! Think about our Haitian brothers and sisters. They do not have anything to eat. Let us share our resources with the poor. Are we satisfied with our present life style? We might be a powerfulJesus Youth, We might have shown the face of Jesus to many, We might have preached a lot about God's love. But when we turned away from the hungry, naked, sick and oppressed, we turned away from Jesus. "As often as you did it to one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it to Me" (Mathew 25:40).

When I was working in Delhi, I often visit Mother Teresa's home for the mentally challenged brothers and sisters to do voluntory work. I used to have food from
their house. One day a sister asked me why do you waste food? I did not believe myself that I wasted food. I am very cautious in eating and generally my plate is so clean after having finished my food. "No, I do not waste food, sister". I replied. But I have seen you wasting, I saw one rice grain adhered to your finger while you were washing your hands. I go to other 19 nearby houses and collect those rice grains
and I make a ball out of it, and I would feed one of my kids for a meal! It was a shock of my life time. It was a great lesson I have learned. But let's examine
ourselves, how much we waste, how lavish are we when it come to food? Apart from food, do we really need that nail polish or that expensive perfume?

Let us give away our tithe to those who are poor, God likes helping the poor very much. There are many in our own vicinity. People who are hesitant to ask, and
those who hide their pain and helplessness in their hearts. It would be a great relief if we could help them. We could have already wiped poverty and hunger
from our world, had we, christians, started giving our 10% earning!

"He who has compassion on the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his good deed" (Proverbs 19:17).

"Almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life" (Tobit 12:9).

We could also distribute our tithe for evangelization. It is a great act if we could save one from sin and eternal damage. So, we should encourage helping finanially the act of spreading of the gospel. Don't worry, ask God, the Holy Spirit will tell us where to distribute the money.

Let us Pray

Lord Jesus, I realize that you are the sole owner of every wealth. Every day I come across many who do not have anything to eat.... Have mercy on them Father! Many a times I turned away from them....Forgive me O Lord! When you bless me with money, teach me how to spend it in a meaningful way, provide me your graces to spend it according to your will. Grant me your wisdom and necessary strength to share my resources with my fellow-men.... Amen

Purity! Thy name is Mary!

Our Lady has a message to convey, Purity. Many saints have carried the same message, Purity. No one has to be reminded, in our times, every possible influence is
being exerted to destroy the purity of our youth. The movies, novels, social gatherings, the media ..... all of them deliver messages that directly contradict
everything the Catholic Church teaches concerning sex. The Church teaches that sins against holy purity are vitally important because they are grievous sins. The
world would maintain that these acts are not critical, do not matter and are not sins. It would do everything to dress up in order to have them appear attractive.

We are witnessing a new paganism, which worships self; which makes man his own law giver, which denies that man has a soul and a free will. This paganism firmly
affirms that man is a high-grade animal, and that his actions are not subject to his control!

We must consider an important issue. Why are we here on earth? We were non-existent a hundred years ago. We shall be gone and forgotten a hundred years hence. We
live for a short life while and then we must die. Our bodies will decay and become dust. Wealth cannot be assigned as a reason for our existence, nor achievement, nor pleasure. We should always remember that Life Without God is a Puzzle Without Answer.
During our time here on earth, the only work God gave to us is to live in such a manner that, when we are called Home, He may reward us and not banish us forever from His presence!

Thus, our sole business here on earth is to save our soul. There is nothing in earth so vitally important than this. Wealth, honours, beauty, richess, what do they matter in the light of eternity? Do we act upon this principle? What in life interests us most? What are our priorities, ambitions, goals? Do they exclude
God? This world passes away and all that it holds quickly goes away. God alone is lasting.

Lord says, "Neither fornicators nor adulterers shall possess the Kingdom of God". God wants men and women to be good, clean, pure and virtous. Adultery means
the sexual union of two people, at least one of whom is married to a third person. Fornication is the sexual union of two persons, both of whom are single. All are sins against purity, all impure words, immodesty, impure thoughts and desires. In short, anything that can sully the purity of our bodies, minds or souls. Of course, the VI commandment is the most difficult to keep. It is some sort of a test God
puts man to try his fitness for Heaven. Unless we make use of the gifts God given to help restrain that instinct, this commandment would be impossible to observe.

Why has God given such a forceful sex instinct? We are in this world on trial. God sent us here to try our obedience, to test our fitness for Heaven. We must prove ourselves worthy. One pleasure that we have in common with animals, God restricts to try our obedience. Our indulgence in sex before marriage or any promiscuity in marriage has very deleterious effects upon society, in general upon individual, in particular, and the family. The proper restriction of the sex instinct gives man a certain dignity and nobility which no other agency could provide.

God shares His creative power with a man and a woman. This power is very beutiful, dignified and noble when it is exercised for fathering children by a husband and wife who have the most profound respect and love for each other. When they are used this gift for their own selfishness and entertaiment, it becomes ugly and repulsive, cheap and vulgar, and God turns away from you.Sins against life and love matters
a lot. These sins against God are sins that he punishes even in this world. And what of the million babies slain in the womb, infants never allowed to see the light of earth or breathe the air of Heaven?

Many have terribly misused their sex life and acquired habits of impurity, which create in themselves a massive appetite for sexual pleasure. They feel helpless to resist this instinct. God's judgement on this matter will surely be more severe for Catholics than for others.

I have been praying for leading a Holy life months before my marriage and I have been getting several thoughts on married life as a way to holiness. I would share those thoughts with you in the near future. I dedicate myself to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, each Saturday mass for the protection of my married life and to be chaste.

There is no magic formula to remain chaste. It requires hard work to be a good and strong Christian! Our life has to be dominated by prayers, sacrifices and should have a program of preparation for temptation. Faithful in personal prayers, examination of conscience and act of contrition, and attend Holy Mass frequently. We
should never be without our Lady's most powerful weapons: Her Holy Rosary and
Brown Scapular. These are very rich in indulgences and both carry the promise
of eternal life.

If you have been guilty of sins against purity in your past life whether masturbation, homosexuality, immoral affairs or abortion, please do not spend time dwelling on them. Be true knights and duaghters of the Blessed Virgin. Fly from sin and every occasion of sins, master your will, become a child of prayer and keep
busy with good things. The moment sin reaches out to entice you or engage you in conversation, have the courage to fly off from its seductive web of deceit.
Mary will help you!

Praying for all to lead a Holy Life in Christ...

Please do not leave My Son unattended in the Tabernacle!

I am not mistaken if I would say that Jesus in the Tabernacle is the most ignored person in our life. Our love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist must manifest itself by a frequent reception of Holy Communion and visits to the "prisoner in the Tabernacle".

Let's make adoration of the Blessed Sacrament an important part of our lives. After all, it's praying right before Jesus! Sometimes I think that if people just thought about it logically, that Jesus is really,truly and actually present in our Churches they would be filled with people day and night with people outside trying to get in! If people just wanted would tell themselves, "Jesus is really in Church" they would rush off right away to spend time before Our Lord and Savior!

How eager and anxious are we, when we meet a Bishop or a preacher? Many a times we ignored Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and rushed to them. "Satan has removed just reason from hearts and from the world, and replaced with his evil. His greatest weapon is his deception of non-existence. Truth discloses evil" (Blessed Mother, 31 August 1995).

We have failed to love Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Nobody has time to visit Him. Even priests and other consecrated lives are no exception. Being busy with the affairs of the world, we no longer have the time to spend time with Jesus and many a times we have forgotten our call. Many do not even know what is adoration. I recall the old days before the advent of popularization of Charismatic renewal; only time where there is exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in a year, nearly for an hour was during the service immediately after Holy Thursday. The other day was Saturday after Mass and during Our Lady's Novena, not more than 5 min!

Many Parish Priests are not courageous enough to take any measure to expose the Blessed Sacrament in their own parishes even once in a week for a whole day. They
think that they would become themselves a "prisoner" if they do so and later become an obligation. I am not criticizing anybody. But with much love I point out certain things which needs our attention. If the lay come forward for the Adoration of Blessed Sacrament once in every week, for a whole day, we could see miracles happening in our parishes. We are witnesses of such miracles here in US. The Church attendances have increased drastically, more fervent reception of Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion, and even increase in Vocation to Priesthood and Religious life. In this world of abortion, homosexuality, same-sex "marriage", crime, diseases, war, persecution, only answer is the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament!

When the faithful gather around the Eucharistic Table every Sunday, and if they fail to see Jesus when the priest consecrates the host, no one can blame them. The priests should have spent much time before the Tabernacle, interceding and praying for the faithful. Likewise, what happened to you, my dear Charismatic renewal now? Earlier, we used to give much importance to personal prayer and personal holiness. Now most of the people in the leadership have no time to pray, yet they want to do ministry! Unless and until we stop for this hunger for thirst for eadership, our efforts and sacrifices may not be useful for Heaven.

If you are serious about your vocation, wants to persevere, please do make a holy hour at least once in every week. Your life would be meaningful and your heart would be filled with Holy and Divine Love. "Just as I am physically present in the Eucharist, My Mother is spiritually present. If My Mother is spiritually present to you as you pray the Rosary, think how She must also be present spiritually as you receive Me in the Blessed Sacrament. My Mother stands guard over the Tabernacles of the world. Is She not also guarding the Tabernacle of your heart as you receive Me?" (Jesus, 22 September 1999).

Each time you visit the Blessed Sacrament, keep in mind that as if you are visiting Him for the first time. Each time you receive the Holy Communion, fill your heart with great joy and happiness the similar peace of mind as Blessed Mary has received Jesus during "Annunciation". Also, make an act of contrition before you receive the Holy Communion.

To the saintly victim soul, Sister Josefa Menendez, RSCJ, Jesus spoke of His abandonment and loneliness in the Tabernacle. He compared the Tabernacle to the
prison where He was the night before the crucifixion -"In the prison I spent only part of one night but in the Tabernacle, how many days and night? In the prison
I endured cold, sleeplessness, hunger and thirst, pain, shame, loneliness and desertion. And there passed before my mind's eye all the Tabernacles where in the course of the ages I should lack the shelter of love." Jesus also told Sister Josefa it is love that keeps Him a prisoner in the Tabernacle. "For nearly twenty centuries I have dwelt there, night and day, veiled under the species of bread and concealed in the small white Host, bearing through love, neglect, loneliness, contempt, blasphemies, outrages and sacrileges." Even the word Host means victim. Truly
Jesus in the Sacred Host is a Victim.


Yes, I agree that our life is filled with many problems, rejections, hatred and lack of love. Whatever be our crosses let us surrender each one to Jesus in the Tabernacle. Many of us see only crosses, but none see the graces attached to it. If we trust in Him, and live according to Holy Love, our crosses would be more meritorious. Jesus says, "My Mother's presence at the foot of the cross gave me strength to embrace the cross. My Mother will intercede for all those who seek strength in embracing their own crosses".

Let us Pray
My Jesus, I believe in Your real presence in the Eucharist. I surrender to You my sins and all the love I have in my heart. I beg Your forgiveness for those who do not believe in You and do not love You.

Blessing of the United Hearts of Jesus and Mary!

Please Note: The messages in quotes are Holy and Divine Love Messages. Please visit www.holylove.org for more information on Holy and Diine Love.