Fr Antony Parankimalil VC - God speaks in all these ways

[Music] is [Music] god is good all the time sisters and brothers today the homily is on how does god speak to us there are different methods how god speak to us we are in one way or the other way we all wanted to hear god's voice we all wanted to do good one day after a retreat one boy just came and he asked me father my only desire is to be holy but i don't know what is right and wrong it's only after i have committed a mistake something feels in my heart that it was wrong and i want god to speak to me can you recommend how god speak to us sisters and brothers it's very important to know that how god speaks if god has spoken to you once remember he always wanted to talk to you and he is talking always hebrews chapter 12 verse 25 we read that do not despise the one who is talking that means he is a god his name is the great i am let's read this word of god together see that you do not refuse the one who is speaking repeat that word of god that just what that word together see that you do not refuse the one who is speaking so our god is always on the present tense present maybe present continuous tense he's always talking to us that's why it's written again hebrews chapter 13 verse 8 we cannot say this particular statement on anyone else other than our god that jesus christ is the same yesterday today and forever that means if the lord has spoken to you once he will always speak to you even if he has not spoken to you once that definitely means we'll also see we are not hearing we are not tuning we are not getting tuned to how he speaks i'm going to give you seven methods because of the time how he speaks the first thing is through the word of god and when it is word of god there are two aspects in it one is the logos word that means the written word the other one is called rama that is the spoken word that means the utterance that means the word of god has as a literal interpretation and it also has a spiritual interpretation it can speak to you literally as it is it can also speak to you spiritually as one of our bishops this is bishop joseph kalarangat the bishop of pala in kerala he says one single word of god can have more than 70 interpretations that means god speaks to different people in different methods to different situations the the same word can speak to father joseph or the george for the jaws to jeremiah to you to different people in different ways in accordance with the situation that is so god speaks through the word of god through the literal way and second the spiritual way then the third aspect how god speaks through peace peace means through the fruit of the holy spirit when you ask the lord when you speak to the lord you feel peace inside your heart this is a fruit of the holy spirit and true peace you understand is god who speaks here comes discernment from where it comes is these voices from god from human beings or for the human voice the human spirit or from the evil spirit so we are going to descend it comes through the third aspect how god speaks through peace and the fourth aspect how god speaks is through our uh situations see god can open one door and close another door god can create a particular situation and through that situation and circumstances he can speak to you that's the fourth aspect and the fifth aspect how god speaks to us he can speak to us through other people he spoke through ananyas to sword he can speak send peoples and priests send your own people even lay ministers even counselors and he can speak to you through other people then the sixth aspect how god speaks is through the holy spirit because holy spirit speaks to you holy spirit speaks to you specifically particularly individually to different situations of your life then god can also speak to you through dreams visions and through extraordinary supernatural experiences sisters and brothers i will just explain to you through my own life experiences so that you will be able to descend how god speaks to you the first thing i told you through the word of god are ct so let's read this is now john chapter 1 from one gospel of john chapter 1 verse 1 how god speaks and what is the bible what is the word of god the bible is not just like any other book the bible is god's word we have so many books in this world but bible is not like that it is god's word let's read and this is god himself let's read together in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god remember the word was god so in the bible there is god that does not mean bible is god but god is in the bible that means god is more than the bible god is more than his word but he is the word so in the beginning was the word and the word was with the god and the word was god so when we call bible the word of god god is in it and it's his word then we continue us to to know what is the word of god and he was in the beginning with god then we read verse 3 verse 3 all things came into being through him all things that means whatever may be your doubt your problems your struggles it's found in the word all things came into being through the word and without him not one thing came into being not one thing came into being what has come into being was for we read what was come into being in him was life and the life was light of all people remember when we say that there is god can speak to you through the word he is inside the word and he himself is the word that's the power of the bible that's the power of the written word that we call it logos that means the word that's written and the power of this word of god is that it will never change ideas visions and dreams can change but the written word will never change mark 13 31 gospel of mark chapter 13 verse 31 we read as the scripture says heaven and earth will pass away let's repeat together heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away repeat together heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away so when it comes to discernment when it comes to god's ways when it comes to how god speaks to a person first and foremost remember through the word of god through the written word of god through the bible so if you don't know the bible means you are not listening to god you are not willing to hear what he says it's through the word of god he speaks to you i do remember a person came some years back he came for spiritual sharing he was so broken down he was teaching in a school he was a very good professor very acclaimed one but with some kind of problems he came for a retreat and he came for spiritual sharing he was so broken that he could not share anything so he just asked father can you pray so when we started to pray for him we ask the lord lord this year's son has come please speak to him please speak to him because you alone knows his past his person his future you knew him before he was born jesus you said what two or three are gathered you will be there in their midst we believe that you are here in our midst as we start this conversation in your name please speak to the son and as we open the bible sisters and brothers the lord revealed to him through job chapter 4 from 3 to 7. this was for him let's read this word of god together how god spoke through the written word together uh job chapter 4 verses from 3 job chapter 4 from 3 let's read together see you have instructed many you have strengthened the weak hands four we continue up to seven your words have supported those who are stumbling and you have made fame the feeble niece but now it has come to you and you are impatient it touches you and you are dismayed verse 6 we read is not your fear of god your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope think now who that was ever in innocent ever perished or wherever the upright cut off sisters and brothers this professor came for spiritual sharing and the lord has revealed this word of god then he read again he read again and now asiv's peace coming to his heart and he started to share his life he said he was teaching in a college as the professor he was very prayerful very committed very sincere but there was a misunderstanding with the principle one of the students who had a problem with him he had lawmak complained against this professor and the principal suspended him but he has not done anything intentionally he has a good heart now because he does not justify himself he does not make his own stories he's a humble man nobody could stand with him so now he lost his job he's broken he has never hurt anyone even any of his students now the whole world has stood against him he lost his job he suspended he only helped his students he took extra classes for them without taking anything he used to help the poor students especially because he was a man with the fear of god and now everything has fallen apart and he has come with a broken heart and the lord spoke to him through the written word let's read this once again the lord spoke to this prophet let's read together from the beginning once again then you will understand it's about his life see remember the lord is speaking to him through the word see the lord is telling the son see my son you have instructed many you have strengthened the weak hands see he was supporting the poor students you have supported the weakness i know you my son i know who you are then we continuous for we continue your words have supported those who are stumbling and you have made fame feebleness i know you as a teacher you helped my children who have weakened studies who are different problems you have done it then was five we read was five but now it has come to you after doing all this good you are impatient it touches you and you are dismayed now you have been misunderstood we have been you have been up accused you have been blamed for the things you have not done they are misunderstanding you and now you are dismayed then we read verse six this is what happens is not your fear of god your confidence and the integrity of your ways your hope now sisters and brothers it's a problem for many of us when you are doing no evil and evil comes to you when you do only good and evil comes to you when you are helping others and people accuse you then you feel shaking you feel shaking in your faith you don't know how it happens because you have done nothing wrong and still it comes to you and the lord has spoken to this teacher he is not your fear of god your confidence the integrity of your way is your hope because you're an integral person you have not even charged any anything when you help the poor when you have the weak students and now are you shaking the lord is asking and the lord spoke to him verse 7 we read the lord wants him to repeat this word of god several times think now repeat with me together think now who that was innocent ever perished or were the upright cut off think now who that was innocent ever perished my son tell me is there a single person in the history of the world an innocent person ever perished do you just think promotion or support or appreciation from this world myriad wrote in the book of the love poem of god man she has written like this there is no salary there is no two salaries for one job you cannot have two wages for one job one job one salary and maria walter has written like this the the the salary the wage you don't get for the great work you have done on this earth is reserved in heaven that's why saint paul wrote in 1 corinthians 15 19 if we have put our trust only of this world we are the most pitiable people are we expecting reward for the things we do on this earth will be wounded this prophet eventually got light inside him peace inside him and he said i'm happy my god knows who i am because what he was doing in secret helping the poor children helping the weak students is all been written in the word of god and it has encouraged him he forgave those who did all this he started to pray for them he accepted this calamity that came upon him and eventually within no time everything was cleared and he was taken back and sisters and brothers he can speak to us through the word that's written and the word that he speaks never goes in vain isaiah 55 11 so if you don't know the bible if you don't read the bible you are not listening to god you say that god is not speaking to you that means you're not reading the bible you're not reading the word of god it's through the word he speaks to you through the particular situation you're going through so shall my word be repeat with me so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth it shall not return to me empty but it shall accomplish that which i purpose and succeed in the thing for which i send it sisters and brothers god establishes what he has written in the bible so the first and the foremost thing how god speaks is through the word of god and through the word of god he speaks to you he corrects you he directs you because we read in two timothies chapter 3 from 16 so we should know that the essence the content and the meaning and the purpose of the word of god all scripture the word of god itself says together with me all scripture is inspired by god and is useful for teaching for reproof for correction and for training in righteousness see are you want to be holy read the scripture do you want to to be to do what god wants you to know the will of god read the bible do you know whether what you are doing is right or wrong read the scripture we continue verse 17 so that everyone who belongs to god may be proficient equipped for every good work that means if you want to prosper or continue in doing good read the bible read the word of god through which he is going to guide you in your life and he will guide you and that is why the word of god reading the word of god is important and jesus himself he himself is the word remember what's his name word made flesh so reading the bible is listening to god reading the bible is knowing the mind of god reading the bible is knowing the will of god in your life 1 john 1 1 and 2. this is the content through saint john god is talking what he is talking what he has written we declare to you what was from the beginning what we have heard what we have seen with our eyes what we have looked at and touched with our hands concerning the word of life concerning what is the word of life this bible the scripture is the word of life it gives you life there is no other book in this world that can give you life are you dead are you gloomy are you down are you disturbed this is the word of life word of life i do remember one of my priests who was with me in the community this is for the bijou wally paramil this priest he was our regional superior he shared with me one problem in his life there was a time he was affected by malaria while he was in tanzania he was so disturbed because he thought he will die somebody told him that if you get malaria you may die and he was in the hospital he was very sick then he decided because he was so troubled he decided to go back to india where he is coming from he wants to see his mother he said i want to see my mom i can't continue in this situation i want to go then a religious sister came to his hospital bed and this brother then he was a brother and he told this sister now i can't stay here i may die i want to see my mother then the sister said why can't you ask god then he asked for a bible then when the sister brought him the bible he prayed to the lord lord i'm so troubled i don't know what to do i cannot just stay here i may die lord can you please tell me then he opened the bible and the lord spoke to him through john 14 1 john 14 1 john 14 1 do not let your hearts be troubled believe in me and also in my father sisters and brothers the lord directly spoke to him through the word of god john 14 1 let's read together john 14 1 do not let your hearts be troubled believe in god and also in me the lord spoke to him through the word of god believe in me believe do not let your hearts be troubled believe in me sisters and brothers that very moment that all his troubles were gone he was not being troubled since then then he continued he became a priest he became the regional superior that word of god spoke to him directly to his heart that means sisters and brothers god can speak to you through the word of god that is the literal way as it is then the second aspect how god speaks to you he speaks to you through the word of god this is through rama they said through rama that means the utterance of the holy spirit the spiritual voice when you read the bible you get the answers the word that's written is speaking to you in a different way for example when jesus was tempted the devil came and used the word and jesus used he is giving a response this is matthew chapter 4 verse 4 jesus spoke he defeated the temptation like this he answered it's written it's written one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of god he is telling to satan when he is tempted that to that situation one does not live by bread but by the word of god that came from god sisters and brothers to that particular situation god is interpreting this the word of god gives you life we have already seen it gives you life we read in john 6 63 john chapter 6 verse 63 we read jesus himself said it is it is the spirit that gives life the flesh is useless the words that i have spoken to you are spiritual life the words that i have spoken the spoken word a spirit and a life it's spirit and life sisters and brothers god can speak to you through the word of god and to the particular situation that you are going through i do remember when we visited a particular family this family was going through a deep trouble because there was a problem that happened in the family the problem that was basically they lost their son through suicide so we did not know how to console them because they had no problem if the son had died even an accident they could accept it but suicide it was such a calamity for them they thought that curse has come upon them they don't know what to do in this difficulties difficult situation when we went there we asked the lord lord speak to them into this situation and the lord spoke through wisdom chapter 3 from one the lord spoke to them through this word because they found as this son has committed suicide now what is the future of our family how we face this situation what will talk to the people in in spite of all these the lord spoke to the family like this but the souls of the righteous are in the hand of god and no torment will ever touch them as you listen to me we do not know we as human beings we do not know the internal disposition of a human being we only see external things so the the part the desires of a human cannot be dictated by any human techniques the source of the righteous we don't have a person whether he is a righteous man or an unrighteous man we cannot judge anyone through external actions just because somebody has committed suicide nobody can say he's condemned for hell because the one who was hanging at the right side of jesus cross he was saved on the last moment before he was taking the last breath he was hanging to his death on the cross so the lord spoke to this family like this the souls of the righteous are in the hand of god every soul is in the hand of god and no torment will ever touch them and continue until 4 we read in the eyes of the foolish they seem to have died and their departure was thought to be a disaster see this is exactly what happened the departure of this sun is thought to be a disaster because it's a suicide and we continue to read verse 3 and they're going from us to be their destruction because it was a suicide it seems to be externally as a distraction and the scripture says but they are at peace the word of god spoke directly to them the spoken word they are at peace then verse 4 we read for though in the sight of others they were punished though in the sight of others they were punished their hope is full of immortality see for us is a punishment for us it's a calamity for us maybe it's a curse but their hope is full of immortality that's why sisters and brothers have the power of praying for the souls departed anyone died through accidents calamities or swizzle in any way we should not give up hope because this every sorry is in the hand of god he contain any soul for heaven for heaven and we read verse 5 why we need to offer holy masses having been disciplined a little they will receive great good and this is to be done through our prayer because god tested them and found them worthy of himself so god can speak to us through the word first as a written word and second as the spoken word he can speak to you through the particular situation you are going through going through in your life that's the way god speaks to you through the written word means through the spoken word the utterance of the holy spirit i do remember an incident in my life once i was going through a difficult situation in my life that i want to i want my superiors to help me speaking to me giving me the revelations of the word of god i was just a new priest and now i was not getting any inspiration means even if i get something i have no vision no dreams no interpretations so i was thinking i'm in a wrong place i was not supposed to be appointed in a retreat center so i should have been in any other place because i don't have any gifts or charisms it was the initial years of my priesthood so in this sadness and sorrow i was sitting inside the chapel hiding then and i was praying asking the lord lord tell me am i in a wrong place did you send me to this place are you really want me to be a doing your ministry as i was hiding inside the chapel a lady came to me even today i don't know who was that she wrote a word of god in a piece of paper and she brought to me it was it was written josiah 14 8 and she told me father this is a word for you hosea 14 8 and i read let's read together oh a frame what have i to do with idols it is i who answer and look after you i am like an evergreen cypress your faithfulness comes from me sisters and brothers the lord is talking to me oh afraid so when i read this word of god actually i did not know anything because i told you god can speak to you through the spiritual way through the interpretation not just through the return god has the holy spirit can give you that interpretation this is called the utterance of god the spoken word that which the word of god can speak to us see my question is different i'm asking the lord why my pre-superiors are not helping me why i'm not getting any vision dreams or interpretations why others are not helping amma in a wrong place and then the lord is telling oh afraid what have i to do with idols then i remembered what i don't know what is idolatry i have never done any idolatry i have not even visited temples or worshiped any kind of idols i'm a catholic i'm since i have never been anywhere and then the lord is telling what you have to do with idols it's i who answer and look after you that one i understood it's the lord who answered me so i don't want to look at my superiors or anyone i have to listen from the lord i have to receive his word i'm like an evergreen cyprus god is telling me i'm like an evergreen cyprus i am always there for you i'm emmanuel i'm with you i can speak to you your faithfulness comes from me the lord is telling you have to be faithful to me you have to remain where you are and you have to come to me i will answer you i got the interpretation of the second part but the first part was there oh afraid what how are you to do with idols then he remembered how can a word can be interpreted with other other word that's why one of the priests one day told me that a word of god is interpreted with another word so we read in isaiah 34 16 isaiah 34 16 we read let's read this together see can read the book of the lord not one of these shall be missing none shall be without its mate for the mouth of the lord has commanded and his spirit has gathered them sisters and brothers the word of god the lord is telling do you have a problem do you have a question do you have a disturbance read the bible and ask the holy spirit to speak to you directly through that word because none shall be without its meat that means one word of god has its mate has its partner in another word its interpretation in another word that's what you have to ask the lord because for the mouth of the lord has commanded and his spirit has gathered them so the word of god is being inspired and been put inside the bible through the holy spirit and you need to ask the holy spirit what does he speak and the lord spoke to me i told you through hosea chapter 14 verse 8 telling that o ephraim what have i to do what you have to do with idols then i remembered there is another part where god is speaking about ephraim then he got this word of god from jeremiah chapter 31 was tandi why is written about ephraim let's repeat together he is afraid my dear son is he the child i delight in as often as i speak against him i still remember him therefore i am deeply mood for him i will surely have mercy on him says the lord sisters and brothers i'm talking to you how god speaks to you now i have told you through the the utterance of the holy spirit through the bible through the word of god how holy spirit is speaking he's speaking oh ephraim you are my dear son then i came to know i'm a son i'm not a daughter so i then i came to know god is speaking to me is afraid my dear son we continue from the beginning we read is a prayer my dear son you see the child i delight in the lord is telling my son i'm happy with you i have no problem with you you are in a right place as often as i speak against him i still remember him even if you are down you complain against me you're not happy with me you're always murmuring i still remember you therefore we continue i am deeply moved for you the lord is telling me i'm deeply mood i will surely have mercy on you the lord is giving me that assurance sisters and brothers then i came to know what does idols mean sisters and brothers idol idols means if you place if you put anyone at the place of god if you give anyone importance more than god may be a superior your you are spiritual father your priest your confessor your teacher your professor your dad anyone whom you give great importance in your life more than god it can become an idol that's why god is talking to me my son your my son why do you look at your superiors why do you look at your priest why do you look at others to receive help your help comes from me you are disturbed because you are seeking for human help that is why sisters and brothers we also read this is in the book of baruch chapter 6 verse 73 where god is talking to us baruch we read in the word of god that he is talking to us that a person without idols is the one together let's read this word of god it's very important everybody has to repeat with me better therefore is someone upright who has no idols such a person will be far above reproach are you seeking human help then you are an idol worshipper better therefore if someone upright has no idol who is your idol whom do you seek help who who is your friend if you have not made jesus your friend unfortunately you have an idol worship have you made any human person as your idol may be a film star a movie star a quickest star a football star who is he idol who comes to your mind always if god is not your friend then you are not listening you are not receiving his help you are not receiving his voice because the first commandment itself says love your god with all your heart that single word of god has changed my attitude my approach because the lord told me you should not be an idol worshiper you should not imitate anyone you should not follow any human being you are voice your direction comes from me so god can speak in that situation where i am the lord is talking to me my son you should not idolize anyone you are star you are superstar your superior is jesus and nobody else and the the third aspect were god speaks to you through peace peace means this is not a peace that human beings give you we read in proverbs chapter 20 verse 27 proverbs chapter 20 verse 27 it's very important it's a powerful word of god god is talking to you the human spirit is the lamp of the lord searching every inmost part that means god can speak to you through the human spirit that means god communicates with you not your body not your mind but your spirit god speaks you can never listen to god through your external five senses you can never listen to god through your intellect or will you can only listen to god through your spirit because the human spirit is the lamb of god searching every inmost part it's only through the spirit that's why you will feel peace you can never feel peace in your body or in your mind it comes to your spirit and it spreads to your body and mind it is felt in the spirit and the peace of the lord is above human imagination john 14 27 we read john 14 27 let's read together john 14 27 peace i live with you my peace i give to you i do not give to you as the world gives do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid so when god is speaking speaking to you you will peace inside your heart and when we speak about the peace that you feel you have to know one thing very important you should descend how god speaks whether this particular voice this particular feeling is it from god or from the evil or from the human spirit so the first aspect is is discernment you have to descend how you get this peace discernment is all about discerning the source of inspiration that means the particular message the voice that you get you have to descend whether it is from holy spirit or from the human spirit or from the evil spirit for example it's easy to descend when it is from god because you have peace profound peace inside your heart but if it is from the evil spirit you will have disturbances you will be anxious but the most difficult discernment when it comes to the human spirit that means your human spirit can be deceiving because we read in matthew chapter 16 verse 23 peter who was at the same time influenced by the holy spirit within no time is tempted by the evil that's why jesus because peter was apparently peter was advising jesus you should not suffer then jesus turned to him and said get behind me satan you are a stumbling block to me for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things that means sisters and brothers the human spirit is attached to the evil spirit that means devil can also speak to the human spirit speak in a human way that means he's always opposed to suffering persecutions and that's why we need to descend from where it comes the peace that you feel that it is through the peace inside your heart you will be able to descend whether this particular incident is from god we have this particular incident in the book of tobit where chapter 3 was six were sarah where tobit is going through a very big crisis in his life he is praying to get out of this suffering so now deal with me as you will this is tobit who is a blind man praying command my spirit to be taken from me so that i may be released from the face of the earth and become dust for it is better for me to die than to live because i have heart to listen to undisturbed insults see this poor man he has blind he is suffering his financial crisis in this difficulty is a human prayer sisters and brothers are he going through the same trouble this tobit was going going through in his life and his heart was full of trouble he's even praying for it is better for me to die than to live at the same time there was another prayer made by sarah this is the same chapter this is chapter 3 from 10 we read chapter 3 verse 10 because of all the husbands who married sarah they died and the servants were there abused her accused her told her why are you born you are killing your husbands now in this trouble on that day she was grieved in spirit and wept when she had gone up to her father's upper room she intended to hung herself but she thought it over and said never shall they reproach my father saying to him that i have committed i have committed suicide and she is coming out of it and immediately when they prayed these we read this is chapter 3 verse this is verse 16 they are getting an answer the lord is sending an answer to the christ to the tears of tabitha and sarah at that very moment you know these two people are thinking of committing suicide thinking of ending life at that very moment the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of god remember your prayers in tears are reached god once it is reached you have answers sisters and brothers god can speak to you through the word that is the written word then the spoken word then definitely through the peace that you feel inside you that is directly inside your spirit then i have mentioned to you that god can also speak to you through other people god can speak to you through different situations and circumstances god can speak to you through holy spirit he can also speak to you through dreams visions and messages we'll see that the next day when we have the another eucharistic celebration

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Length: 41min 38sec (2498 seconds)

Published: Sun Dec 06 2020