Christmas Celebration in UAE

Our Rasal Al Khyaima muncipality decorates our parking place with christmas trees and stuff. A lot of visitors during the night come. it is a goodwill gesture on the part of the government. 

You can see that in the evening it is beautiful to watch

Christmas dinner with my cousin and his family in dubai...

Received some gifts from friends

Mother Mary and Joseph flight to Egypt

Friend Mr. Banet Gonsalves

The nephew of my friend Barnet

Christmas tree in front of our Church of St Anthony of Paduva

The birth of Lord Jesus

Marathi Mass on Christmas eve at St. Michael's church at Sharja

 

Retreat for the Catechists at Ras Al Khyima

 About 25 Catechism teachers were present for the half day retreat and reflection in order to prepare for the celebration of the Christmas. The response was good considering the timings and the only day that they get in a week. Willingly and happily they dedicated the afternoon for listening, reflecting on the themes of the day. 

The First talk began at 4.30pm on the theme of Becoming Holy as Catechists and to be role models for the children whom they teach the faith. The Spirituality of the Catechist was explained to them. That each one of us have received the grace of God to be a witness of Christ. Many are called for different roles to be played in the church and to be a teacher of faith is one of the biggest roles that one can play. 

Without the personal experience of the Lord Jesus it is difficult to pass on the experience of the Lord to the children. We need to connect the message of Jesus to our own faith story. To Know and live like Christ is very important to be an effective teacher of the faith.

The second talk was on the theme: "God talks to us everyday .....we are all bombarded every day with a lot of negative news and all kinds of things are communicated to us and as a result our ears are filled and defend so we don't hear God talking to us. We are moving away from Him and His presence...we at the end of the day we know that only God will remain with us always. 

God speaks to us through event and circumstances...he speaks to us through our brothers and sisters....God speaks to us through the reading of the Word of God and Prayer, through the Sacraments especially the Eucharist. The problem is that we are bombarded by our own problems and clouded by emotions that we cannot hear God anymore.

God speaks to us because he has a plan for us all. He knows our strength and weaknesses, so He chooses to speak to us in a language which is understandable and appropriate to our situation and circumstance that we are in. 

God of Blessings and Miracles!!!!!

People who have strong and deep faith in God and themselves invite many blessings, graces, presence and Miracles of God in their lives. We have heard, seen and read about testimonies of the hopeless of hopeless cases wherein doctors had given up hopes but Faith in God and devotion to Mother Mary or saints have given new life to them. The Gospels are full of Miracle stories where Jesus rewards people for their complete faith, trust and belief in the power and glory of God. He appreciates and also suggests to others as an example for imitating them. The commitment that Jesus needs from those who go to him is the constant asking and listening to his words. He has never turned away anyone from His healing presence.

Today we have the example of the group of people who bring on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed and the miracle took place. A crowded places where Jesus was preaching and many people were present to listen to words of salvation and healing. The group must have travelled from far with expectation of a healing for their brother, friend. They show amazing faith in the person of Jesus. The crowds are big and no way to approach or get closer to Jesus. They hit a novelty Idea and climb the roof...the roof must have been old and danger of caving in. They do it with courage and faith in Jesus whom they considered a miracle worker. Jesus appreciated their faith, effort and hard work, he rewards them in the form of a healing for their brother and friend.

Today we are lacking that deep faith in the words of salvation and healing of Jesus. We only run to him when we are in trouble and the rest of the times we believe in science, technology and our own strength. In spite of knowing that God has the last word and He will take care of everything, yet we turn our backs to him because the world is promoting a spirituality and mentality against God and His healing presence. The group broke through the roof with courage and excitement in a time when they had to act immediately on behalf of their brother and friend. We have to have same attitude and character to break through the difficult roofs of our lives and not get frightened and discouraged, disappointed in these difficult moments. There are many of us who give up in moments of bad feelings, rejections, criticism and hopeless situations like diseases and hard economic situations. There is nothing impossible and unsolvable when Jesus is present amidst us with his graces and blessings. He works miracles only when we are ready to climb the roof and break through, lower ourselves with what we are in humility.