1999: YEAR OF GOD THE FATHER

"While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then the son said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son, but the father said to his servants, quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him, put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet, bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found. And they began to celebrate." (Luke 15:21-24/The Prodigal Son)

     This year, the entire Catholic Church dedicates the last year of this century to the one and mighty God the Father and celebrate His Fatherly love for the reparation of our sins and the conversion of our lifestyle in the light of His truth.

     In this year, we admit to our faults and unfaithfulness towards God and realize that we are nothing, dead from the reality of life yet we are welcomed in His love despite our unworthiness. This year, we seek to belong, to truly belong in His bosom of eternal love and attain the conviction to call Him our true and one Father, not just in heaven alone but in our hearts, who is loving, listening and waiting for us.

     Together with His son Jesus and Mary our Mother, let us rediscover the plan prepared for all mankind, fulfilled by Jesus in bringing the good news of salvation to the poor, to free the oppressed from the chains of oppression, destroy the walls made by anger and to build bridges of love in every home now that we have chosen the church as our own home. In this year let us strengthen our faith and resolve, our loving heart, establish the Spirit in all of us to become the true flock of God.

FEASTS OF MARY          1 January
"Mary, Mother of God"

     From all eternity, God thought of the Virgin of Nazareth as the future Mother of His Son. At the very start, the Blessed Mother's purity was preserved to fulfill the prophecy that the Son of God will be born of a woman without sin.

     At the Annuciation, Mary became the Mother of God. This is her most exalted title, the source of all her other privileges. She is honored of bearing the Son of God and for this, she is the Mother of God, the one who will bear the redeemer.

     On Calvary, Christ gave His Mother to all men to become their spiritual Mother, so that through her He came to them. It is the will of Jesus that we love His mother. And on this first day of the year of 1999, the year dedicated by His Holiness Pope John Paul II to God our Father, let us remember of Mother Mary's role in the salvation and God the Father's unceasing love for all mankind. (Novena: December 24-January 1)

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Updated on
02/13/99 (GMT +08)

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