Hi All
Fr Noel Bianco mssp has been organising a moment of prayer every Friday evening on Zoom. I will share this information just this once, but feel free to join in anytime you like.
Thank you
Fr Mario Zammit mssp
Friday comes after Thursday every week and it seems that the time between Friday and Friday is becoming shorter for me!
Last Tuesday the MSSP Community (Paulist Missionaries) had a day retreat for the first time on ZOOM and we were able to be together from our houses in Melbourne and in Sydney. It took us a whole year to realize that we can do this, and at the same time I and the team have been using Zoom all the time since October 2020. I found this incredible, that I and the others did not realize that we can use what we already use for others, for ourselves. It showed me that even obvious things in front of me, I do not see, I am blind and then how do I expect to understand and see the things of God! This needs a lot of attentive listening and not a casual moment of prayer.
It has been a wonderful week in many ways- the pandemic has opened new avenues to reach out to people with a lot of efficiency. I do not deny by any means that physical presence is not important but God allowed us to have all these gifts and many people (especially shut- ins) have been able to form church albeit virtual. A decision we made in the MSSP about 14 years ago, is that everything that we do has to be subjected to the Spreading of the Good News. That is our guiding principle- if it means we maintain the present structures so be it, if it means going in the Byways and Highways so be it. St Paul says that he doesn’t care whether the Gospel is proclaimed with good intentions or bad intentions – WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT IT IS PROCLAIMED!
Not to make this too long and heavy I am going to send you another batch of quotes or sayings that I found in my 43 years as a priest. They focus on the same theme of living in the present because that is vital for our wellbeing. Nothing that I will send you is originally mine, you mighty have heard it before but be open and anticipate that God can speak to you even by the dull and the ignorant!
Concern is productive Worry is destructive
Today is the only day we have- actually ‘this moment’ is the only moment we have. Let us enjoy it and live it intensely.
God speaks to us in the Present Moment because the Past Moments and the Future Moments do not exist!
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. Forever is simply imagined days we add to the list. Now is where we start. Here is how we live. Today is one of the greatest gift that God could ever give. (a poem by Leanne Periera)
Most people are crucified between 2 thieves the past and the future, but really they cannot escape in the present- they are stuck in the present. These thieves rob our happiness because happiness is found in the present. You have all you need to be happy today.
Don’t postpone your happiness for the future. On a spiritual level, we say that God gives the strength to cope with what you have to deal with and this God is in you not outside you, God is within you- the kingdom of God is not out there it is within us.
Stop thinking too much, it’s alright not to know or have all the answers. They will come to you when you least expect it.
Fr. Noel on behalf of Marek Eva Ivana and Leanne
So Friday and every Friday at 7.30pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (2 hours behind in Perth, 8 hours behind in Europe and 17 hours behind in California USA, 7 hours behind in Nairobi-Kenya and 2 hours ahead in Wellington New Zealand) on our MSSP COVID OUTREACH.
It is a moment and a place where you can Prayer, Reflect, and Share if you desire, how God is speaking to you. Your sharing is very important so don’t hold back. Our words can literally save someone’s life. Your presence will help others on their journey so do not be stingy with your life and time, COME and JOIN us.
Hope to see there on Zoom-here is the link once again:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us
Meeting ID: 773 5691 8431
Passcode: U71p1V
