WITH THE JOY OF OUR LORD - NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE!

It has been a truly intense and anointed two weeks in Divine Retreat Centre - which made my heart experience that our God is truly amazing in how His Good News is proclaimed to people of every age and nation.

It had not been an easy two months for me. There were some personal matters that had me preoccupied and made me feel anxious. Serving in Divine, I have witnessed how so many prayers are miraculously answered...even in my own life! Yet, as an important prayer petition so close to my heart for so many years seem to go on unanswered and seemed to be getting worse, the anxiety that soon it would be too late led me to be very introspective - is Jesus really in control? A few members of our Divine community perhaps sensed it as they asked me why I seemed rather quiet and "different" upon my return to the retreat centre after a 2-month break.

It seemed strange as here i was living and serving in Divine Retreat Centre - the largest Catholic retreat centre in the world, which over 10 years ago had already had its door opened to over 10 million retreatants...and I am having a faith crisis! Is Jesus going to answer this prayer issue so crucial to my loved ones and me? How could I share God's Peace and Comfort to those closest to me if I too was feeling as they did - afraid of what could happen which seemed beyond our control. What could I share of Christ's Hope and Comfort?

EMPOWERED Music Ministry Team from Kuching, Sarawak., Malaysia

It was with this troubled heart that Divine's 10th International POWER 2015 - 'ARISE! SHINE FOR YOUR LIGHT HAS COME" (Isaiah 60:1) began from 27-31 July 2015. On Saturday night (the eve of POWER 2015), during Holy Mass by Friar Stan Fortuna C.F.R., a sudden prompting came in my heart to offer some help to the EMPOWERED Music Ministry team from Kuching, Sarawak (my fellow Malaysians) who were prayerfully leading us in anointed Praise & Worship during the Holy Mass. As it turns out, I am so thankful that I acted upon the prompting in my heart for it made me tangibly experience Jesus' Presence in all the POWER 2015 retreats - the Youth retreat, Couples Retreat and the Children's retreat. I actually spent a good part of 2 days in the Children's retreat and it was one of the most beautiful experience of POWER 2015 for me. Just to witness a glimpse of Jesus' Joy for His little lambs! They are so precious and important to Our Lord!

Above is a delightful video I captured of His Grace Archbishop Christopher Prowse of Canberra, Australia in a joyous celebration at the end of the Children's Holy Mass on the Thursday morning. I know it will be a sacred memory that will forever remain in their hearts...as it will in mine! Archbishop Christopher Prowse brought so much joy with his simplicity, humility and genuine love for people - young and old alike. This is the distinct memory I will treasure in my heart of POWER 2015...in Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Jesus Our Loving Shepherd, was truly in our midst!

POWER 2015 is literally a week of intense celebration of the Joy of Jesus in the midst of His people - Youths, Couples, Children & Tiny Tots from India and many other countries around the world. It is a week when there are special retreats for all of them. This year was no different with close to 3000 retreatants in our English campus. To put it mildly, Divine really "ROCKS" with the Joy and Zeal of the thousands of young people and the couples. It is a week when every heart is a young, vibrant heart with a childlike joy bubbling with love for our Lord! I felt uplifted by the tangible Hope and Joy of Jesus that was visible on every person's face from the youngest child to the oldest person I saw on the campus. How could i feel troubled or anxious? I was reminded in a powerful way to always keep my gaze fixed upon the Face of Jesus!

Right after the POWER 2015, it was the special Annual CALLED...GIFTED...SENT FORTH Retreat for the Formation of Spiritual Leadership of Priests, Religious & Lay Leaders in Ministry. I have attended this retreat every year since 2004 except in 2007 - the year my father passed away. For me, this is the Divine retreat that recharges me in my zeal and in my discernment of where my focus and efforts of my Divine ministry should be. It has always been an uplifting retreat experience but the retreat this year that just ended last Friday (07 August 2015) has been the most blessed and anointed "leadership" retreat experience ever for me. 

Rev. Fr. Mathew Naickomparambil V.C.
Spearhead of Divine-Potta Ministry

To put it mildly, Rev Fr. Mathew Naickomparambil V.C. - the Spearhead of our Divine-Potta Ministry truly inspired every priest, religious and lay leader attending this retreat. All of us who serve here in Divine are fully aware of the special call Jesus has given to Fr. Mathew and Fr. Mathew's holiness is legendary. I personally always felt that being in the presence of Fr. Mathew, it somehow just seemed that Fr. Mathew lives on a totally different plane (level) than the rest of us. I have been blessed in the past couple of years to be able to assist Fr. Mathew in a ministry project and the moments I spent in the presence of Fr. Mathew have ALWAYS been joyous, uplifting and a great grace of feeling inner peace.

I was truly awed at the great waves of anointing and wisdom of God  that flowed through Fr. Mathew to everyone in the retreat hall. For me, it was the first time in my 12 years in Divine, I truly experienced for an ENTIRE week, the amazing ministry and Call of God to Fr.Mathew. I wrote ten years ago in the book, "The Unseen Hand of God - Divine Retreat Centre" - that the first time I spoke to Fr. Mathew for the book interview, I truly felt like Mary sitting at the Feet of Jesus. I felt such joy! I still feel that way every time I see Fr. Mathew for his face always lights up with a huge, fatherly smile when he sees me and my heart and being feels so greatly comforted! It is as if God our Heavenly Father is smiling down from Heaven upon me! Frankly, no one else ever gives me that huge, joyous smile as if I am always a delight to meet. :)

For this retreat, there were 2 priests and 13 lay leaders in ministry from my country, Malaysia and also a priest from Korea. Every one of them yearned to speak and to be blessed by Fr. Mathew as did all the other priests from Sri Lanka and lay leaders from India and other countries. After every session, Fr. Mathew was surrounded by so many retreatants, he looked like a rock star being mobbed! As Fr. Mathew is tall, we could see him clearly towering over everyone else with his huge warm smile patiently listening, blessing and sharing some Godly wisdom  with every person who wanted to speak to him. The smile on every retreatant said it all - they experienced the Touch and Love of Jesus through Fr. Mathew.  Indeed, Fr. Mathew is truly a Prophet of God in our midst. We are truly blesseed for the Grace to have our faith strengthened and our ministry enlightened so that we will go out to be Christ's Light to the world. I doubt any of us will ever forget the great Grace of God we have experienced in this retreat for our vocation/ministry. Each of us have a call - and we can make a difference to the ends of the earth through our prayers and actions.  "For nothing is impossible for God!" (Luke 1:37)

Rev. Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C.
Director - Divine Retreat Centre

During this retreat, the anxiety and worry in my heart totally disappeared. Our Director, Fr. Augustine Vallooran V.C. gave me some truly Spirit-filled words of advice that took away the fear that has been in my heart for so many years...from the time I came to serve in Divine Retreat Centre. Perhaps the reason the fear seemed to overwhelm me this year was so that finally once and for all, I would finally surrender it all at the Feet of Jesus. Only then, could Jesus heal me from this long-term inner fear. I needed to let go and truly let God be in control.

I feel a great sense of peace and inner strength in my heart that has never been there before now. The proclamation of the Word of God by Fr. Mathew, Fr. Augustine, Fr. Jose Prakash, Jude Antoine and Colin Calmiano helped many of us to be fortified in the Power of God's Spirit to serve Jesus with all our heart, mind and soul. It is hard to explain but there was a very special Anointing and deep Grace of God that each one of us experienced - a personal God-experience. That is is the wonder of this retreat. Every one of us felt a deep joy and a firm resolve to now live our faith with a strong commitment. When we serve God totally trusting in His Goodness and Mercy, He will never forsake anyone - including you and me. We need to be always attuned to listening to the Voice of God in our lives. How much of our daily life do we spend in the Presence of Jesus? We must never be "Marthas" so busy with activities we are doing in the Name of Jesus YET we can never find time each day to receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist or spend quiet time in personal prayer to discern God's Plan of what I should do. As servants of God, we really should make it a priority to experience an annual retreat to refresh our soul, heart, and mind to discern, "What is it God wants me to do for Him?" Every Christian has this mission so no one can say, I do not need a retreat. If you are on this earth and baptized as a Catholic, you have a mission for Jesus! There is no easy route to heaven. For Jesus said, "Whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me, cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14:27) Each of us will always have a cross - for that is how we become a true disciple of Christ. I realize how I choose to carry my cross of suffering and to unite it with the Cross of Jesus is what will ultimately liberate me for my reward - eternal life. 

There is a way to pray and to offer our own cross of suffering for the salvation of our loved ones and the world. This is the great lesson that truly touched my heart when Fr. Mathew and Fr. Augustine shared so eloquently about the Power of Intercessory Prayer, of praying in the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament daily, of uniting our sufferings with the Sufferings of Jesus for the salvation of others, of being strengthened by the Power of the Holy Spirit through the sanctifying Grace of the Sacraments and living as servants and handmaids of our Lord. Mother Mary should be our model of true discipleship. She exemplified total surrender to the Will of God and full obedience to live the Plan (mission) God entrusted to Her. Mother Mary was the first to receive the Holy Spirit and She was praying with the disciples in the Upper Room when they received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The only teaching of Mother Mary in the Holy Bible is,  "Do whatever he tells you to." (John 2:5) Indeed, it is precisely what we need to obey and do as true Christians!

We too have the Power of God in each of us through Baptism and Confirmation and every time we partake in the Holy Sacraments. When we are united with our Lord, nothing is impossible for us.  "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)There are Promises in the Bible where God has assured us we are not alone.  One passage that sustains me in moments of worry and anxiety is  Isaiah 43:1-5. "Do not be afraid - I am with you!" (Isaiah 43:5) has always given me hope that God is with me.  

I know that Jesus has called me and He is with me and my loved ones.  The YouTube music video below by PLANETSHAKERS - "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE" truly reflects what I have learnt from the two recent annual retreats here in Divine. 

With the Joy of Christ in me, here I am, Lord - ready to do Your Will! 

"I'm not gonna live by what I see

I'm not gonna live by what I feel
Deep down I know that You're here with me

I know that You can do ANYTHING"

Verse from NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE hymn by PLANETSHAKERS