VOL. 56 ISSUE D-10 MONTH-OCTOBER YEAR-2008
WHEN AND HOW WILL THIS WORLD COME TO AN END? :: SAINT ALPHONSA OF INDIA, THE DAUGHTER OF SUFFERING :: BIBLE QUIZ :: LIVING WITNESSES OF GOD IN JEEVAN DHAM :: JEEVAN DHAM ON THE INTERNET :: GUIDE MAP TO REACH JEEVAN DHAM

 WHEN AND HOW WILL THIS WORLD COME TO AN END?


The Lord blotted out every living thing of the ancient world in the Great Flood due to the wickedness of mankind, leaving only Noah and his family in the ark. (Read Gen. 1-7) Then He established his everlasting covenant with Noah and his descendants, "never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."(Gen 9:8-17) With the spread of mankind on the earth, sin, wickedness and idolatry increased manifold. The present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless. (2 Pet. 3:7) ...The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. (2 Pet. 3:10) But what is this Day of doom, the Day of Judgment and when will it finally come?
We read in the gospel of Matthew chapter 24, how Jesus prophesied about the future regarding the destruction of Jerusalem, his Second coming, the End of the Age, the last Day of Judgment of God, and the events which are bound to occur before them so that all his disciples may not be misled or taken away by surprise, but may prepare themselves well before hand for everything foretold by him. Matthew's interweaving of the prophecies lasts throughout the first 31 verses of Ch. 24, while Ch. 25 deals with the parables based on the Last Day of Judgment. Let us entangle Matthew's composite vision of the future:
PROPHECIES OF JESUS:
i) On the destruction of Jerusalem and the Desolating Sacrilege (as in Dan. 12:11) - verses 2, 15-21.
This prophecy literally came true in 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the temple so that not one of the stones was left standing upon the other.

ii) On the persecutions (verses 9-10) which the followers had to endure and the threats (verses 4-5, 11-13, 23-26) which will develop against the life, unity and purity of the Church.
Regarding the persecutions, Jesus said, “Then they will hand you over to be tortured and will put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of my name. Then many will fall away, and they will betray one another and hate one another."
And regarding the threats, he said, "And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved."(vv.11-13) "For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray."(v.5) "For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." (v.24) We clearly see, read and hear in the newspapers, TV, internet the increase in lawlessness, the increase in the number of crimes like theft, robbery, rape, murder and all sorts of violence, wickedness and terrorism. What St. Paul foretold in his second letter to Timothy is true today, "For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, brutes, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the outward form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid them!" (2 Tim. 3:2-5).

iii) On the 'Day of the Lord', "a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom..." (Zep 1:15-16) and the events which will occur before the end of the world. (vv. 6-7, 14, 29)
Jesus said, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs." (vv. 6-8). “And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come."(v.14) “Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken."(v. 29) (Joel 2:30-31; Is. 13:10, 13)

iv) On the Second coming of the Son of Man (vv. 27-28, 30-31).
He would come all of a sudden just like a lightning in the sky, like a thief (1Thess. 5:2) when the people will be busy among themselves, thinking that the hour will not arrive now. “...and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (vv. 30-31, 40-44) As Jesus prophesied, all the events will occur one by one, because his words will never pass away even if heaven and earth pass away.(v.35) But Jesus never foretold in the past or would ever disclose in the future the exact year, month or date of his coming to anyone, because no one except the Father knows about that day and that hour. (v. 36) Hence, we should be spiritually awake, alert and ready everytime.
You may ask - Where are we now? We are at the beginning of the birthpangs and the Good News has yet to reach the ends of the world. So, let us work out for our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12), with zeal and humility, with steadfast faith and endurance, so that nothing may mislead or surprise us or snatch away the inheritance which we are supposed to share as joint heirs with Christ, as the children of God. But the more important question for you is - Will you be one of the chosen ones of God? Will you be counted among the blessed ones of the Father or the accursed ones? Will you inherit Eternal life or Eternal damnation?

SAINT ALPHONSA OF INDIA, THE DAUGHTER OF SUFFERING

FEAST DAY: JULY 28
St. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu (1910 – 1946) became the first Indian woman to be elevated to sainthood. She was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1986 and canonized as a saint by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday, October 12, 2008, at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City where more than 6000 Indians gathered to witness her canonization ceremony."She suffered herself to heal the sufferings of others"- that was how Pope Benedict XVI described the Kerala Nun, Sister Alphonsa and declared her a saint.

"Her heroic virtues of patience, fortitude and perseverance in the midst of suffering remind us that God always provides the strength we need to overcome every trial" - Pope Benedict XVI

Let us pray to Saint Alphonsa:
Oh, Blessed Alphonsa, you have been graciously chosen from our midst to be united with Jesus Christ, our savior, in the misery of his passion, death and resurrection. You have grown to the heights of holiness and have been crowned with heavenly glory.
Help us in our trials and tribulations. Oh! Daughter of sufferings, obtain for us the grace to lead a holy life, following your example, in total submission to the will of God. Be with us, transforming all our sorrows into a holy sacrifice in union with Christ Crucified, in reparation to our sins, for the sanctification and salvation of the whole world. Amen.

Alphonsa of Bharaninganam(19 August 1910 – 28 July 1946) was from Kudamaloor, Kottayam, Kerala and will be venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church [Beatified (8 Feb. 1986) by Pope John Paul II and Canonized (this month-12 Oct. 2008) by Pope Benedict XVI]. She was born Annakutty (Little Anna) as the daugther of Mary and Joseph Muttathupadathu. She was raised by her maternal Aunt and educated by her great-uncle Father Joseph Muttathupadathu. When Anna was 3 years old, she contracted eczema and suffered from it for over a year. In 1923, Anna was badly burned on her feet when she fell into a pit of burning chaff. This accident left her permanently disabled.
She joined the poor Clares convent at Bharaninganam in 1927. She received the postulant's veil on August 2, 1928 and took the name Alphonsa. She took her permanent vows on August 12, 1936 and was called Sister Alphonsa. She led a quiet life in prayer and supplication and gladly accepted suffering, sorrow and humiliation as a grace to come closer to her Lord. Daily she used to pray to Jesus like this (to give her the chances to partake in the suffering of the Lord following His way of the Cross):

The favourite Prayer of Blessed Alphonsa
O Lord Jesus, hide me in the wound of your Sacred Heart. Free me from my desire to be loved and esteemed. Guard me from my evil attempts to win fame and honor. Make me humble till I become a small pearl in the flame of love in your Sacred Heart. Grant me the grace to forget myself and all worldly things. Jesus, sweet beyond words, convert all worldly consolations into bitterness for me.
O My Jesus, Sun of Justice, enlighten my intellect and mind with your sacred rays. Purify my heart, consume me with burning love for you, and make me one with you. Amen.

She taught an elementary school, but was often sick and unable to teach. She spent the major part of her religious life (10 years) in sickness and suffering, yet remained joyous in the Lord. In December 1936, she was reportedly cured from her ailments through the intervention of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, but on June 14, 1939 she was struck by a severe attack of double-pneumonia, which left her weakened. Her health continued to deteriorate over a period of months. She suffered from malaria, pneumonia, T.B., typhoid and amnesia. She died on July 28, 1946, aged 36, but she left behind many stories. She was buried at Bharaninganam, Kerala where we can visit the museum that houses Alphonsa's habit, a hand fan, books, a wooden cup, religious articles and other belongings. "I have given myself completely to Jesus. Let Him please Himself in His dealings with me. My only desire in this world is to suffer for love of God and to rejoice in doing it," reads a letter on display that Sister Alphonsa had written a few months before her death.
It was after her death that she became famous due to the miracles and healings attributed to her intercession by the devotees who prayed at her tomb. The miracle approved by Vatican for her canonization was the healing of club- footed infant Jinil Joseph in 1999. Born club-footed, the doctors had written off a cure saying that he would never be able to walk. When medicines failed to cure, his parents Shaji and Lissy Joseph, on the suggestion given by their relatives, made a trip to Alphonsa's chapel, placed the child on the tomb and prayed for hours together. Miraculously, that very night, little Jinil started walking. Jinil, now 10 years old, walks like a normal person and the doctors who treated Jinil vouch for the miracle. Miracles are still happening in Kudamaloor and Bharaninganam through the intercession of Saint Alphonsa.
Every year, thousands of pilgrims throng to St. Mary's Forane Church and St. Alphonsa's Chapel in Bharaninganam (to pray at her tomb) and Alphonsa Bhavan in Kudamaloor - the saint's birth place, Kerala.
She is the first woman and the second saint from India. Gonsalo Garcia, born in Vasai near Mumbai to an Indian mother and Portuguese father in 1556, who was crucified in1597 in Nagasaki, was the first Indian to be declared a saint (canonized in 1862) by the Catholic Church. The story and history of Alphonsa, the patron saint of the sick and the orphans, will remind Christians of the central mystery of the Christian faith, the redemptive suffering and death of the Lord and the Love which it revealed. Her veneration as a saint will be always effect a remembrance of the crucified Lord. This is the theological richness of this saint for the universal Church and for the Church in India, a land traditionally known for its search and hunger for the Divine in and around us.

 

BIBLE QUIZ
LIII DECORUM IN PUBLIC WORSHIP & SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Chs.10-13: PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

Complete the following Bible verses taken from the Chs.10-13 of the First Letter to the Corinthians finding the missing words in the verse(s) and locate them mentioning the chapter number along with the verses.
1. And now ______, hope, and ____ abide, these _____; and the ________ of these is _____.
2. _________, therefore, _____ the bread or drinks the _____ of the ______ in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the _____ and _______ of the Lord.
3. Do all possess _____ of _______? Do all ______ in _______? Do all ________?
4. Give no _______ to _____ or to _______ or to the _______ of God.
5. But as for ___________, they will come to an _____; as for ________, they will _______; as for __________, it will come to an _____.
6. But I want you to understand that ______ is the head of every ____, and the ________ is the head of his _____, and _____ is the head of _______.
7. You cannot drink the cup of the ______ and the ____ of _______. You cannot partake of the ______ of the ______ and the table of _______.
8. For in the one _______ we were all __________ into one body—____ or ______, slaves or ____—and we were all made to _____ of one ______.

Answers to Last month’s Quiz
LII PAUL'S ANSWERS & HIS RIGHTS
Chs.7-9: PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

1. free, all, slave, win, them(1 Cor. 9:19). 2. bound, husband, husband, free, marry, Lord (1 Cor. 7:39).
3. sin, family, conscience, weak, Christ (1 Cor. 8:12).
4. bound, wife, free, free, wife, wife (1 Cor. 7:27).
5. Lord, those, gospel, living, gospel (1 Cor. 9:14).
6. eating, idols, idol, exists, God (1 Cor. 8:4).
7. Circumcision, uncircumcision, obeying, commandments (1 Cor. 7:19).
8. Athletes, self-control, they, perishable, imperishable (1 Cor. 9:25).

Send Your Answers to:
JEEVAN DHAM, H.No. 696/ Sec-22, Faridabad-121005, Haryana.Rules to be followed:
1. Answers may be sent by post or e-mail latest by the end of the month. Answers received after that will not be considered.
2. You should clearly specify your name and postal address. Mention the quiz number and title before the answers written in order.
3. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of three consecutive quizzes.
4. Answers and winners of each quiz will be published in the subsequent issue of the newsletter.

Thanks for taking the Quiz! Good Luck!



 A) JESUS HEARD OUR PRAYERS AND HEALED ME OF FATAL MALARIA!


All praise, glory & thanks be to Jesus!
I, Bhanu Pratap(age-34 years), am presently working in CRPF at Tripura. I was posted there (previously at Srinagar) six months ago. Last month I was caught by a severe sickness which was prevalent in the forest area where I was deployed. When I was admitted in the hospital, my blood tests were taken but the doctors could not diagnose my sickness since all the tests came out negative. It was only when the tests were taken the third time, the tests for malaria came out to be positive with critically high values. I noticed that the patients admitted there, who were suffering from this malaria, could not survive for more than five days due to high fever. Even I used to get high fever in the evenings and felt that my head would burst and I would die any moment. A few times, due to immense pain, I used to get wild - kicking my legs, screaming and pushing others. My friends would find it very difficult to control me and make me calm down. I was in a pitiable state.
I rang up my wife Hema in New Delhi and told her to pray to God for my healing since my condition was worsening and my temperature standing still high. She, who used to attend the Sunday prayer service at Jeevan Dham regularly, prayed for me and offered my prayer requests there. With the available ineffective treatment it was impossible for anyone to save my life. It was only by a miracle that I survived for almost a month with this illness and later started recovering gradually. Merciful Jesus heard our prayers and saved my life. The doctor upon re-examination found my report normal and declared me fit for work. I left for Delhi on Sept. 13 and today came to Jeevan Dham to give my invaluable testimony before all.
Bhanu Pratap, Tripura
"As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. For he knows how we were made; He remembers that we are dust." (Ps. 103:13-14)

 

B) LOVING GOD GIFTED A BABY GIRL AFTER 8 YEARS OF MY MARRIAGE!

All praise, glory and thanks be to Jesus!
I, Manorama Devi (age- 28 years), got married 8 years ago but was unable to conceive for the past 7 years. Earlier, I had taken treatment from various hospitals but nothing helped in solving the problem. Later, I had even lost the hope of getting a child.
Looking at my plight, my sister-in-law told me about the miraculous healing prayer service being held at Jeevan Dham and the innumerable blessings which the believers are obtaining through prayers. With the hope of getting a child, I came here at Jeevan Dham along with her last year. Since then I started coming here for the prayer service regularly. Through the grace and mercy of my loving God, I became pregnant and seven months ago I delivered a beautiful baby. Merciful Lord even healed my 10-year-old heart problem in which I often used to lose consciousness for 3-4 hours. Today, I have brought Sanju, my son, to Jeevan Dham to give my testimony and to proclaim my strong faith in Lord Jesus, who heard my prayers and blessed our family with a wonderful and precious gift of a child. My human words fail to express my gratitude towards the Divine almighty. Alleluia!
Manorama Devi, Faridabad
Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons of one’s youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. (Ps 127:3-5)

 

 

C) JESUS FREED ME FROM ALL BONDAGES! HE LIFTED ME UP AND STRENGTHENED ME TO STAND AND WALK!

I, Shanti(age-35 years), was suffering from Bone T.B. (as the doctors had declared) for the past one year which had made my life miserable because I had become totally bedridden unable to do anything. My husband Muneshwar Das took me to several doctors- in Faridabad, in AIIMS, Delhi and in Asansol, West Bengal and spent over 3 lakh rupees on my treatment. Yet, I was pathetic and helpless. My outer skin used to get dried up and peel off.
One gentleman told us one day about Jeevan Dham. My husband brought me here on a school cycle-rickshaw and prayed for me while I heard the Word of God lying down (the picture above). After the prayer service, he took me behind the stage for blessing. The anointed lady kept her hands on me and all started praising God. She saw something like a snake coming out of me and then told me to get up. Miraculously, I got up and climbed down from the rickshaw. Following her instructions, I started walking too! Jesus, my Liberator, strengthened me
and gave me a new life. All those present there started praising God. My husband was awestruck first and then leapt with joy over this spectacular miracle. Alleluia!
-Shanti, Faridabad

 

JEEVAN DHAM ON THE INTERNET

Visit our website & you’ll get to know about -
Jesus at - http://www.jeevandham.org/jesus.htm

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DIVYA JYOTI(Our monthly newsletter) in Hindi & English at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/divyajyoti.htm
You can download Hindi Divya-Jyoti in PDF(printable) and JPEG formats,
while English Divya-Jyoti in PDF(printable) and HTML formats at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/divyajyoti2.htm; /divyajyoti3.htm

Our publications (including the prayer book Naya Jeevan in Hindi in PDF format for free download, Hymn book et al; MP3s of Audio Cassettes Vol.1, 2 and 3 & more at - http://www.jeevandham.org/publications.htm

Our Christmas celebrations from 2001 to 2005 at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/christmas01.htm; (2001 Christmas Celebrations)
/christmas02.htm; (2002 Christmas Celebrations)
/christmas04.htm (2004 Christmas Celebrations) and
/christmas05.htm (2005 Christmas Celebrations)

Blood Miracles at Jeevan Dham at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/bloodmiracles.htm

Few Testimonies of the year 2002-2003 at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/wtnsmenu.htm;
/wtnsoutst.htm (outstanding testimonies)

Prayers (Rosary, Novenas, Common & miscellaneous prayers) at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/prayers.htm (about prayers);
/prayers2a.htm (common prayers);
/prayers2c.htm & /prayers2d.htm(miscellaneous prayers and novenas);
/holyrosary.htm (holy rosary);
/novena.htm (novena)

Send us your Prayer Requests (petitions) at -
http://www.jeevandham.org/prayers3.htm

and more at our site...Please do visit us.Thank you & GOD BLESS YOU!
 

GUIDE MAP TO REACH JEEVAN DHAM



  And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”(Isaiah 30:21)

 









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Then visit this place chosen by God & see for yourselves all the incredible miracles happening here.This place is ‘JEEVAN DHAM’. Believe in God and attend the prayer session held every Sunday at St.Anthony’s School (ground), Sec-9, Faridabad from morning 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. organized with the grace of Almighty God by ‘Jeevan Dham’- H.no.696/ Sec-22, Faridabad. Obtain invaluable graces & heavenly blessings & witness the miraculous healings performed by Him.
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Scriptural references in DIVYA JYOTI are from the New Revised Standard Version (© Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers)1989
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