Year of Faith 2012 - 2013 Post No.1

The 'Year of Faith' will begin on 11 October 2012, the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council and also the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It will conclude on 24 November 2013, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Universal King.

The Pope has said of the Year of Faith that ''This will be a good opportunity to usher the whole Church into a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the faith." and that it "is a summons to an authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Saviour of the world. In the mystery of his death and resurrection, God has revealed in its fullness the Love that saves and calls us to conversion of life through the forgiveness of sins (cf. Acts 5:31)."
See his document Porte Fidei (Door of Faith)*see the link at the bottom of the post.

Please note the following Year of Faith events:

A Mass in preparation for the Year of Faith is to be held on Tuesday 9th October 2012 at 8pm (Rosary 7.30) celebrated by Fr Bill Rooke at Theotokos Prayer Group,  St Mary's Presbytery, 2 Major Street, Stockton on Tees TS18 2DD. All welcome.

A Night of Intercession for the Year of Faith will be held on Tuesday 4 December 2012 at 8pm (Rosary 7.30) hosted by Theotokos Prayer Group with Ann Liddell  at St Mary's Presbytery, 2 Major Street, Stockton on Tees TS18 2DD. All welcome.

We hope to have other Year of Faith events throughout the Year of Faith. More details will follow as and when they are arranged.
I will be posting articles, information and links related to the Year of Faith as the year progresses.
If anyone knows of  any events that are taking place in their own Diocese/Parish /Group feel free to let me know and I can advertise them on the blog.

Stephen
Theotokos Prayer Group

* Porta Fidei (Door of Faith) - Pope Benedict XVI
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_ben-xvi_motu-proprio_20111011_porta-fidei_en.html

Mary lead us to Jesus' Sacred Heart

Notes of meeting on 18 September 2012

Picture of Our Lady beckoning us to her Immaculate Heart. As we gazed upon her Heart she filled us and surrounded us with her grace.
She said "I will always lead you to my Son's Sacred Heart because it is the will of the Father in Heaven".
Our Lady moved to one side and there was Jesus, his Heart exposed calling us to come closer. As we neared Him we could see right into his Heart and feel the love and mercy for each of us. As we looked further in we could see a jagged cross enmeshed cruelly in the depths of his Heart. This cross was the terrible pain of being parted from the mankind who ignored and repulsed his great love.

It was felt that Our Lady was asking us again to redouble our efforts of prayer, fasting and good works to bring comfort to her Son by plucking men from the abyss of sin and to the Mercy of God through her Son Jesus

Hebrews 2 v 9-10
9 but we do see Jesus, who was for a short while made less than the angels, now crowned with glory and honour because he submitted to death; so that by God's grace his experience of death should benefit all humanity.
10 It was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should, in bringing many sons to glory, make perfect through suffering the leader of their salvation.


Galatians 3 v 1 -14
1 You stupid people in Galatia! After you have had a clear picture of Jesus Christ crucified, right in front of your eyes, who has put a spell on you?
2 There is only one thing I should like you to tell me: How was it that you received the Spirit -- was it by the practice of the Law, or by believing in the message you heard?
3 Having begun in the Spirit, can you be so stupid as to end in the flesh?
4 Can all the favours you have received have had no effect at all -- if there really has been no effect?
5 Would you say, then, that he who so lavishly sends the Spirit to you, and causes the miracles among you, is doing this through your practice of the Law or because you believed the message you heard?
6 Abraham, you remember, put his faith in God, and this was reckoned to him as uprightness.
7 Be sure, then, that it is people of faith who are the children of Abraham.
8 And it was because scripture foresaw that God would give saving justice to the gentiles through faith, that it announced the future gospel to Abraham in the words: All nations will be blessed in you.
9 So it is people of faith who receive the same blessing as Abraham, the man of faith.
10 On the other hand, all those who depend on the works of the Law are under a curse, since scripture says: Accursed be he who does not make what is written in the book of the Law effective, by putting it into practice.
11 Now it is obvious that nobody is reckoned as upright in God's sight by the Law, since the upright will live through faith;
12 and the Law is based not on faith but on the principle, whoever complies with it will find life in it.
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by being cursed for our sake since scripture says: Anyone hanged is accursed,
14 so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the gentiles in Christ Jesus, and so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.




Daily Reflection from Bible Alive, Tuesday 18 September

Luke 7:11-17

What an explosion of joy there must have been when Jesus raised the young man of Nain from death and gave him back to his mother! How amazed this widow must have been when she realized that her dead son was alive again and talking to her! Luke tells us that the crowd was awestruck and filled the air with God’s praises.
This powerful miracle fills our hearts with joy also, for it proclaims the wonderful truth that Jesus is the Lord of life, with the power to overcome death. It reveals him as the tender-hearted and compassionate Son of God. The crowd are absolutely correct in their exclamation: ‘God has visited his people!’ (v. 16).
With Jesus’ coming, the kingdom of God breaks into our world. The power of Satan’s kingdom, that has held men and women bound in sin since the Fall, is broken. The marks of Satan’s kingdom are well known to us: sin, strife, suffering and, most of all, death. Jesus came with the purpose of undoing all the works of the devil and setting free all who had fallen under his power. The raising of this dead man highlights the fact that God is acting among his people in a radically new and powerful way.
This sounds tremendous good news, but how can we relate it to our daily lives? There is a sense in which each of us is like the young man being carried out to burial. We are, to some degree, dead. Sin has ravaged us and taken its toll. Perhaps we have stopped praying or no longer open the Scriptures. Perhaps we cannot share what God has done for us, and we are silent about Jesus. Maybe we have lost the ability to show love and compassion. In each of these situations, Jesus can come and touch us in our deadness. When we turn to him with faith and humbly repent of our sin, he can raise us up with his resurrection life.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Heb. 13:8). His power is as real today as it was on that day in Nain. His care and love are as strong towards us as to the widow and her son.

Father, we thank you that your Son has the power to set us free from death and fill us with the new life of the Spirit. Come, Lord Jesus, and take possession of our lives today.

Year of Faith 2012 - 2013

The Year of Faith is coming.....watch out for more information on this blog!

Bring lost souls back to Jesus through prayer

Notes of meeting 11 September 2012

Isaiah 61 v 1-7
1 The spirit of Lord Yahweh is on me for Yahweh has anointed me. He has sent me to bring the news to the afflicted, to soothe the broken-hearted,
2 to proclaim liberty to captives, release to those in prison, to proclaim a year of favour from Yahweh and a day of vengeance for our God, to comfort all who mourn
3 (to give to Zion's mourners), to give them for ashes a garland, for mourning-dress, the oil of gladness, for despondency, festal attire; and they will be called 'terebinths of saving justice', planted by Yahweh to glorify him.
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise what has long lain waste, they will restore the ruined cities, all that has lain waste for ages past.
5 Strangers will come forward to feed your flocks, foreigners be your ploughmen and vinedressers;
6 but you will be called 'priests of Yahweh' and be addressed as 'ministers of our God'. You will feed on the wealth of nations, you will supplant them in their glory.
7 To make up for your shame, you will receive double; instead of disgrace, shouts of joy will be their lot; yes, they will have a double portion in their country and everlasting joy will be theirs.

Picture of Our Mother full of Joy. This Joy was brimming over, her laughter like a tinkling brook almost musical. The Joy was because one soul had been saved and not lost and she was utterly delighted.
She showed how when carrying Jesus she surrounded him with prayer, love and good example. She asks us to do the same to bring lost souls back to her Son Jesus carrying them in prayer and love and to try at all times to be a good example and if you fail get up and try again. We are to surround these poor souls who are so far away from her Son Jesus and more victories will be had for Heaven and then she and Heaven will smile and rejoice again.
We are part of Her great plan, her Holy Army who co-operate with her Immaculate Heart and Heaven.

1 Chronicles 17 v 1 -14
1 It happened, once David had settled into his palace, that David said to the prophet Nathan, 'Here am I living in a cedar-wood palace, while the ark of the covenant of Yahweh is under awnings.'
2 Nathan said to David, 'Do whatever you have in mind, for God is with you.'
3 But that very night the word of God came to Nathan, as follows:
4 'Go and tell my servant David, "Yahweh says this: You must not build a temple for me to live in.
5 I have never lived in a house from the day when I brought Israel out until today, but have kept travelling from tent to tent and from shelter to shelter.
6 In all my travels with all Israel, did I say to any of the judges of Israel, whom I had commanded to shepherd my people: Why do you not build me a cedar-wood temple?
7 This is what you must say to my servant David: Yahweh Sabaoth says this: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel.
8 I have been with you wherever you went; I have got rid of all your enemies for you. I am going to make your fame like that of the greatest men on earth.
9 I am going to provide a place for my people Israel; I shall plant them there and there they will live and never be disturbed again; nor will they be oppressed by the wicked as they were in former times
10 ever since I instituted judges to govern my people Israel; I shall subdue all your enemies. Yahweh moreover tells you that he will build you a dynasty.
11 And when your days are over and you have gone to join your ancestors, I shall appoint your heir -- who will be one of your sons -- to succeed you, and I shall make his sovereignty secure.
12 He will build a temple for me and I shall make his throne secure for ever.
13 I shall be his father and he will be my son, and I shall not withdraw my favour from him, as I withdrew it from your predecessor.
14 I shall set him over my temple and kingdom for ever and his throne will be for ever secure." '


2 Corinthians 6 v 16-18 16 The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are -- the temple of the living God. We have God's word for it: I shall fix my home among them and live among them; I will be their God and they will be my people.

17 Get away from them, purify yourselves, says the Lord. Do not touch anything unclean, and then I shall welcome you.
18 I shall be father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me, says the almighty Lord.




Notes of meeting 4 September 2012
Mark 4 v 35-41
35 With the coming of evening that same day, he said to them, 'Let us cross over to the other side.'
36 And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.
37 Then it began to blow a great gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.
38 But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.
39 They woke him and said to him, 'Master, do you not care? We are lost!' And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind dropped, and there followed a great calm.
40 Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?'
41 They were overcome with awe and said to one another, 'Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.'

Lord we pray that you would keep us safe from the storms that threaten us.
The storms of the sinfulness and weakness within our hearts.
The storms of sinfulness and weakness at work in the world.
Lord bring us faith and trust in you as the one who will still these storms bring us your peace, 

Sense of the Northern Saints, Aiden, Cuthbert, Bede St Margaret Clitheroe  and many others praying with us. Thank you Lord for all those who have gone before us in the faith.

John 4 v 5 -14
 5 On the way he came to the Samaritan town called Sychar near the land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob's well was there and Jesus, tired by the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, 'Give me something to drink.'
8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
9 The Samaritan woman said to him, 'You are a Jew. How is it that you ask me, a Samaritan, for something to drink?' -- Jews, of course, do not associate with Samaritans.
10 Jesus replied to her: If you only knew what God is offering and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me something to drink,' you would have been the one to ask, and he would have given you living water.
11 'You have no bucket, sir,' she answered, 'and the well is deep: how do you get this living water?
12 Are you a greater man than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself with his sons and his cattle?'
13 Jesus replied: Whoever drinks this water will be thirsty again;
14 but no one who drinks the water that I shall give will ever be thirsty again: the water that I shall give will become a spring of water within, welling up for eternal life.

Living Water

Notes of Praise and Intercession Meeting 28 August 2012

Psalm 42
1 As a deer yearns for running streams, so I yearn for you, my God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God; when shall I go to see the face of God?
3 I have no food but tears day and night, as all day long I am taunted, 'Where is your God?'
4 This I remember as I pour out my heart, how I used to pass under the roof of the Most High used to go to the house of God, among cries of joy and praise, the sound of the feast.
5 Why be so downcast, why all these sighs? Hope in God! I will praise him still, my Saviour,

6 my God. When I am downcast I think of you: from the land of Jordan and Hermon, I think of you, humble mountain.

7 Deep is calling to deep by the roar of your cataracts, all your waves and breakers have rolled over me.

8 In the daytime God sends his faithful love, and even at night; the song it inspires in me is a prayer to my living God.

9 I shall say to God, my rock, 'Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go around in mourning, harrassed by the enemy?'
10 With death in my bones, my enemies taunt me, all day long they ask me, 'Where is your God?'
11 Why so downcast, why all these sighs? Hope in God! I will praise him still, my Saviour, my God.


Sense of the suffering of the children lost through abortion

In the desert of our hearts you bring your living water
In the darkness of our hearts you bring your light
In the deep of our hearts you overshadow us with your Spirit

Picture of water flowing down from the hands of Jesus

See below Ann's article in Good News - we get a mention............

From darkness to the Kingdom of Light

Notes of meeting 21 August 2012

A picture of darkness coming toward the light. The darkness was peopled with beings of malice and the light with beings of love.
Those in the darkness looked as though they were trying to defend their area and were out for one last assault to try and dispel the light.
The beings of light quietly carried on praising and glorifying God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The beings were filled with light and God's power. The light overcame the darkness and its beings retreated.

It was felt that through the above picture Jesus was telling us that never will he leave us in the dark, if we turn to him in our most terrible trials even in our greatest of sins he will come for he is light that same light that the demoniacs recognised in his time on earth. When Jesus cast out demons they always knew he was the Son of God and had authority over them.
If we open ourselves and let his light in nothing can harm us. All fear is dispelled thanks to the love and power of our God. These are the days to take that truth to ourselves, Satan cannot overcome God. Jesus the Light of the World will prevail and we are called to be part of his army of light.

Psalm 115 v 9-13

9 All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.


Psalm 119 v 145 - 160

145 I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord,
and I will obey your decrees.
146 I call out to you; save me
and I will keep your statutes.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I have put my hope in your word.
148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promises.
149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love;
preserve my life, Lord, according to your laws.
150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near,
but they are far from your law.
151 Yet you are near, Lord,
and all your commands are true.
152 Long ago I learned from your statutes
that you established them to last forever.
153 Look on my suffering and deliver me,
for I have not forgotten your law.
154 Defend my cause and redeem me;
preserve my life according to your promise.
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek out your decrees.
156 Your compassion, Lord, is great;
preserve my life according to your laws.
157 Many are the foes who persecute me,
but I have not turned from your statutes.
158 I look on the faithless with loathing,
for they do not obey your word.
159 See how I love your precepts;
preserve my life, Lord, in accordance with your love.
160 All your words are true;
all your righteous laws are eternal.


1 Kings  17 v 7 - 15
Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath

7 Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. 8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

[New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.]

We are to do as God tells us..God can work abundantly through the small and insignificant
..He can put even our meagre praise and prayer to use.


See below words from the New Dawn Conference, which seemed very much to fit in with the word we received: