I feel squeamish when I see those paintings of Jesus, with Mary and Joseph, which depict this trio as the ideal family! In reality, no one in the Middle East, either now or 2000 years ago, would consider a mother+father+child as a family unit.
The first words of God in the book of Genesis were [Then God said:] Let there be LIGHT, and there was light. For me as I reflect on the theme of our 150th founding anniversary, as the biblical apostolate coordinator of the province, the Light is very powerful, writes Fr Elmer Ibarra.
While we believe that the task of becoming a missionary is a call for everyone, I believe that as Divine Word Missionaries priests and brothers, we are specially called to testify to the light in the best way we know how by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Most of us would want to imagine what our child would be when he or she grows up. For some of us, we may imagine that our child would become a doctor one day, or a teacher, or that they could become a footy player.
Taking part in the Siloam Program for spiritual direction was “a journey of growth” for Fr Yon Wiryono SVD, which he says has not only helped him see the reality of his life through the lense of spirituality, but confirmed his call to help others see that reality in their lives, too.
Fr Yon, who is the Vocations Director for the SVD Australia Province, said the transformative experience of the program is already helping him in his ministry and priestly vocation.
This Christmas will not only open a Jubilee Year for the Universal Church, declared by Pope Francis, but also comes as the Society of the Divine Word celebrates its 150th Jubilee Year.
The theme of the SVD Jubilee is ‘Witnessing to the Light: From Everywhere for Everyone’ and that theme makes a great Christmas meditation, because it was on that first Christmas, more than 2000 years ago, that the Light of Christ came into our world. And we, as followers of Christ and missionaries, are witnesses to that Light.
As we begin the season of Advent, I’m sure we are looking forward to many warm and congenial gatherings with colleagues, family and friends.
One of the pre-Christmas gatherings we always enjoy here at the SVD Marsfield community is the shared lunch with the staff and our SVD seniors. We are blessed to have the presence of these retired missionaries in our midst and it is always interesting to hear their stories from the past as well as their current plans and activities.
Jesus’ teaching of putting a millstone around a person’s neck and throwing him into the sea; plucking out the eye, cutting off limbs if one sins is rather disturbing and puzzling for a good teacher like Jesus.
If I asked anybody if they love to experience pain, particularly physical pain, well I'd think you were a masochist if you would ever say yes. Well … believe it or not, pain is very necessary in life and, ironically, pain is life-saving.
The movie “Alive” which came out in 1993, featuring John Malcovich and Ethan Hawke, is about the Uruguayan Rugby Team whose plane crashed on the side of the Andes and a lot of their team mates died, together with the pilots and the flight attendants.
In today’s Gospel passage, we indeed see the continuation of the discourse on the Bread of Life from last Sunday. Who is the Bread of Life? Jesus himself.
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