Reflections on Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

(Deut 18:15-20/ 1Cor 7:2-35/ Mk 1:21b-28)

· Dear sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus, “Jesus entered the synagogue and taught” (Mk 1:21).

The scripture scholars say that the synagogue was primarily a teaching institution where there was no music, no singing, and no sacrifice. The synagogue service consisted of only three things as Prayer, the reading of God’s word, and teaching.  It was said that temple was the place of worship and sacrifice. Therefore, the synagogue was purely the place of teaching and instruction.

The synagogue did not have a permanent preacher or teacher. When the people met at the synagogue service, it was opened to the ruler to call on any competent person to give the message. Thus, Jesus was able to open his teaching.

· “Jesus taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes” (Mk 1:22).

Because the scribes had the duty of giving justice to the individual cases. No scribe ever gave a decision on his own. But Jesus spoke the voice of God. It was like a breeze from heaven to hear.

· “Be silent and come out of him! And the unclean spirit crying with a loud voice, came out of him”. People were astounded saying, “What is this? A new teaching- with authority?” (Mk 1:25-27).

· Dear friends, Jesus’ teaching is to comfort and console.

· His teaching is to edify and enhance life.

· His teaching is to uplift the life/ His teaching is to Glorify God alone.

Example.

Acts of the Apostles 3: 6, Peter Said, “I have no silver or gold, but I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk”. Peter’s teaching gives life to people and glorifies God.

· How do we teach?

· What are the motives behind our teachings?

· What do we expect of our teaching?

· How do our teachings make a positive impact in the life of others?

· Do our teachings enhance? Comfort? Console?

· Do our teachings reduce the burden in the life of our friends, family, and society?

· Or Does our teaching dominate? Exploit? Impose? like most of the leaders of today?

Today, we all are called to reflect on our lifestyle of teaching.

Example. Matthew 3:2 John Proclaims, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!”

John the Baptist’s teaching calls everyone to have the change of heart to have closer communion with God and people.

Let us take few minutes to reflect on our lifestyle in our families, in society and in our consecrated life and moreover in our relationship with others.

Thank you, Almighty Father, 

Thank You, Jesus, 

Praise You Holy Spirit 

for helping us to evaluate our lifestyle of teaching- Amen.  

Fr. VALAN, OMI

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www.greatergloryofgod.in

Incarnation is God’s search for humans. It’s not a human search for God, but God’s search for humans, revealing His desire to become one of us so as to make us members of His Divine Family of the Most Holy Trinity.   

God’s Journey to Bethlehem gives a glimpse of God’s unconditional love revealed through the great Mystery of Incarnation. 

The seemingly simple event has a lot to reveal about God’s nature, human preciousness to God, and His ever-abiding presence with each person.   The author shares his reflection in the light of the Bible mingling it with the everyday experience. 

This will help the reader walk through the Footsteps of God from Heaven to Earth.     

The Mystery of Incarnation is God’s Way of Alluring a Person to enter into his (her) heart. It would definitely assist the reader to let God allure the person to fall in love with Him. It would work like Panacea giving lasting transformation, making one the image of God. It would expand the horizon of the reader to look at God, life, self, and other realities from God’s perspective.  

Faithful Reading and Journeying would lead to: 

Knowing God; Genuine Relationship with God, with self and others; Self-Concept; Healthy Self-image and Self-Worth; Lasting Meaningfulness and Purposefulness of Life; Freedom from the clutches of Addictions; Self-Transformation as you should be; Coming out of the Comfort Zone to Maximized Living.    

God’s Way of Alluring You to Enter into Your Heart  

Being loved unconditionally gives one the reason to live for someone or something beyond oneself. Having seen oneself from God’s perspective, one would realize the unworthiness of the addictions, slaveries, sinful habits, inferiority-superiority complexes, obstacles, and traps that one is in.  

The book has three major parts: 

1. God’s Way of Alluring You 

2. God as a Baby in Bethlehem 

3. On the Footsteps of God from Heaven to Bethlehem  

In the third part, the author presents how God became really human. 

The author presents eleven areas where God could be seen becoming one of us, like Creator to Creature, Holiness to Sinfulness, etc.    

Extract from the Book:  

This is not a Journey of Discovery but a Journey of Revelation.  

God is passionately in love with You!  Saying ‘Yes’ to sin is saying ‘No’ to God and vice versa!  

Separation from God is a human choice and never God’s!  

Everyone is saved through the blood of one Man, Jesus Christ for He is fully God and fully human.  

God allures everyone to go with Him to a lonely place to let them know how much He is in love with them!   

Faith is the road to understanding!  

God whom the entire creation cannot contain was lying as a tiny baby in Bethlehem.

Click to watch the video 

https://youtu.be/3SLEquSFj2U

Greater Glory of God 

प्रस्तुत करता है 

स्व-मूल्य  

आपका क़ीमत क्या है?  

अपना की़मत जानना चाहते हैं? 

आपको पता है कोई आपके बदले में क्या दे सकता है? 

जानकार व्यक्ति से पूछिए!

Greater Glory of God

Presents 

Self-Worth 

"What is your Worth?"  

Who can tell your REAL worth?  

Know YOUR Worth and change your life.   

Your worth defines your life!    

Click to watch 

https://youtu.be/NMdd63ojupc

 Isaiah 43:4  

“Because you are precious in my sight,     

and honored, 

and I love you”     

1 Corinthians 6:19-20   

19 Or do you not know  that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you,  which you have from God,  and that you are not your own?  

20 For you were bought with a price;  therefore glorify God in your body.”      

1 Peter 1:18-19 

18 You know  that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your ancestors,  not with perishable things like silver or gold, 

 19 but with the precious blood of Christ,  like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.       

John 3:16  

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,  so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

Click to watch  the video 

https://youtu.be/GVyUIEpp5Mo

Greater Glory of God  

प्रस्तुत करता है 

धन्य कुँवारी मरियम, ईश्वर की माँ   

येसु एक ही व्यक्ति पर दो स्वभाव हैं पहला - ईश्वरीय, दूसरा- मानवीय जो देहधारण के द्वारा अपना लिए। 

मरियम येसु को जो स्वयं ईश्वर हैं, जन्म दी; इसलिए वे ईश्वर की माँ हैं।   

सन्त लूकस का सुसमाचार1:26-45  

प्रभु के जन्म का सन्देश 

26) छठे महीने स्वर्गदूत गब्रिएल, ईश्वर की ओर से, गलीलिया के नाजरेत नामक नगर में एक कुँवारी के पास भेजा गया, 27) जिसकी मँगनी दाऊद के घराने के यूसुफ़ नामक पुरुष से हुई थी, और उस कुँवारी का नाम था मरियम।  28) स्वर्गदूत मे उसके यहाँ अन्दर आ कर उससे कहा, “प्रणाम, प्रभु की कृपापात्री! प्रभु आपके साथ है।"  29) वह इन शब्दों से घबरा गयी और मन में सोचती रही कि इस प्रणाम का अभिप्राय क्या है।  30) तब स्वर्गदूत ने उस से कहा, "मरियम! डरिए नहीं। आप को ईश्वर की कृपा प्राप्त है।  31) देखिए, आप गर्भवती होंगी, पुत्र प्रसव करेंगी और उनका नाम ईसा रखेंगी।  32) वे महान् होंगे और सर्वोच्च प्रभु के पुत्र कहलायेंगे। प्रभु-ईश्वर उन्हें उनके पिता दाऊद का सिंहासन प्रदान करेगा,  33) वे याकूब के घराने पर सदा-सर्वदा राज्य करेंगे और उनके राज्य का अन्त नहीं होगा।"  34) पर मरियम ने स्वर्गदूत से कहा, "यह कैसे हो सकता है? मेरा तो पुरुष से संसर्ग नहीं है।"  35) स्वर्गदूत ने उत्तर दिया, "पवित्र आत्मा आप पर उतरेगा और सर्वोच्च प्रभु की शक्ति की छाया आप पर पड़ेगी। इसलिए जो आप से उत्पन्न होंगे, वे पवित्र होंगे और ईश्वर के पुत्र कहलायेंगे।  36) देखिए, बुढ़ापे में आपकी कुटुम्बिनी एलीज़बेथ के भी पुत्र होने वाला है। अब उसका, जो बाँझ कहलाती थी, छठा महीना हो रहा है;  37) क्योंकि ईश्वर के लिए कुछ भी असम्भव नहीं है।"  38) मरियम ने कहा, "देखिए, मैं प्रभु की दासी हूँ। आपका कथन मुझ में पूरा हो जाये।" और स्वर्गदूत उसके पास से चला गया।  

मरियम-एलीज़बेथ का मिलन 

39) उन दिनों मरियम पहाड़ी प्रदेश में यूदा के एक नगर के लिए शीघ्रता से चल पड़ी। 40) उसने ज़करियस के घर में प्रवेश कर एलीज़बेथ का अभिवादन किया।  41) ज्यों ही एलीज़बेथ ने मरियम का अभिवादन सुना, बच्चा उसके गर्भ में उछल पड़ा और एलीज़बेथ पवित्र आत्मा से परिपूर्ण हो गयी।  42) वह ऊँचे स्वर से बोली उठी, "आप नारियों में धन्य हैं और धन्य है आपके गर्भ का फल!  43) मुझे यह सौभाग्य कैसे प्राप्त हुआ कि मेरे प्रभु की माता मेरे पास आयीं?  44) क्योंकि देखिए, ज्यों ही आपका प्रणाम मेरे कानों में पड़ा, बच्चा मेरे गर्भ में आनन्द के मारे उछल पड़ा।  45) और धन्य हैं आप, जिन्होंने यह विश्वास किया कि प्रभु ने आप से जो कहा, वह पूरा हो जायेगा!"

Click to watch video

https://youtu.be/08eoy8UbMf8

Greater Glory of God Presents  

Mary, Mother of God  

There are four dogmas stating Mary's personal relationship with God and her role in human salvation .  

1) Divine Motherhood  

Mary's divine motherhood was proclaimed at the Council of Ephesus in  431. 

2) Perpetual Virginity 

- The doctrine was established at the Council of Ephesus in 431[11] and the Lateran Council of 649 emphasised its threefold character before, during, and after the birth of Christ,[12] 

3) Immaculate Conception - 1854  

4) The Assumption - 1950   

Various names are used to describe Mary's role as mother of Jesus. She is called "Mother of God" which translates the more accurately stated greek term "Theotokos" or "Birthgiver of God." The Council of Ephesus (431) attributed to Mary the title, Mother of God. This needs to be read against the Council's declaration that  

- in Christ there are two natures, one divine and one human, but only one person.  

- Indeed, according to the Council the holy virgin is the Mother of God since she begot according to the flesh the Word of God made flesh.  

- This decision was further explained  by the Council of Chalcedon (451) which says with regard to Mary's divine motherhood:  

"...begotten from the Father before the ages as regards his godhead, and in the last days, the same, because of us and because of our salvation begotten from the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, as regards his manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, only-begotten..."  

Mary's Divine Motherhood was not the object of an independent or exclusive dogmatic declaration. The statement is embedded in texts defining the person and natures of Jesus Christ. Thus, the dogma of Divine Motherhood becomes an integral part of the christological dogma. This does not diminish its definitive and binding character. The dogma of Divine Motherhood is generally accepted by all Christian denominations.   

Luke 1:31-35 

The Birth of Jesus Foretold 

And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”  Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be holy; he will be called Son of God   

Luke 1:39-45 

Mary Visits Elizabeth 

In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,  where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be[e] a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”

Click to watch the video 

https://youtu.be/98D8BFALTu4

Greater Glory of God 

Presents

नए साल नई शुरूआत - ईश्वर के साथ  

New Year - New Beginning with God 

ईश्वर को अपने जीवन के ईश्वर रहने दीजिये और फिर देखिए चमत्कार!

कुछ भी असंभव नहीं होगा !

Click to watch the video

https://youtu.be/HepM6SlbqbI

The Greater Glory of God 

Presents 

New Year - New Beginning with God 

-  with the Resolution - Letting God be the God of your life 

Life – measured and spoken in time – seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years.

The more we live the more we are moving towards the destination – death

God has control of everything

Anything “New” gives us the opportunity to start anything “New” – beginning

Did you make resolutions last New year 2020? 

Can you remember them?

I am not here to tell how to make resolutions, how to keep them, how to pursue them or win.

I have only one point to make – “include God in your plan”

This is one such resolution that would put everything in perspective

No other resolution is needed

If you have already listed your resolutions, just recheck and see the place you have given to God.

God has to be given the place of God!

Let God be the God of your life – your personal life, family life, social life, wherever you are working, the county and the world at large

The bible says that Jesus is the head of the Body and we are the members of the body

Everything has its own proper place and they need to be given that. If not, there is going to be a lot of problems and dysfunctions.

For example:

- You must be having a two-wheeler or four-wheeler – what about if the front portion is kept behind? – can it function?

- Just look at your body. How beautifully it’s made! Isn’t it? – no need to imagine big, just imagine if the thumb and the little finger are mutually transferred what would happen – how ugly will it look and how dysfunctional it would become!

- What about your ear is placed in the place of nose? ear and nose – mutually transferred?

Click to watch video

https://youtu.be/axXz_RLr0BQ

GREATER GLORY OF GOD

Presents

THE HOLY FAMILY

Family is called to reflect God in this world.

Is God in your family?

Can we become like the Holy Family seeking always God's will?

Can we live a God-Centred life?

Click to watch the video 

https://youtu.be/1VcMKUFzTF4

GREATER GLORY OF GOD  

Presents 

THE HOLY FAMILY  

Family is called to reflect God in this world. 

Is God in your family? 

Can we become like the Holy Family seeking always God's will? 

Can we live a God-Centred life?