ECC Ecumenical Catholic Communion in Belgium Europe
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​Jetty Van Den Berghe
Pastor Jetty Van Den Berghe
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Missionary biographies; The life of James Hudson Taylor.

1/8/2018

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James Hudson Taylor.
Used with permission Born: May 21, 1832 Barnsley, England (18 miles south of Leeds)
Died: June 3, 1905 Changsha, Hunan, China (340 miles north of Canton)
Life Span: 73 years, 12 days Hudson Taylor was the most widely used missionary in China's history. During his 51 years of service there, his China Inland Mission established 20 mission stations, brought 849 missionaries to the field (968 by 1911), trained some 700 Chinese workers, raised four million dollars by faith (following Mueller's example), and developed a witnessing Chinese church of 125,000. It has been said at least 35,000 were his own converts and that he baptized some 50,000. His gift for inspiring people to give themselves and their possessions to Christ was amazing. Taylor was born into a Christian home. His father was a chemist and a local Methodist preacher who himself was fascinated by China in his youth. Once at age 4, Hudson piped up, "When I am a man I mean to be a missionary and go to China." Father's faith and mother's prayers meant much. Before he was born they had prayed about him going to China someday. However, soon young Taylor became a skeptical and worldly young man. He decided to live for this life only. At 15 he entered a local bank and worked as a junior clerk where, being well adjusted and happy, he was a popular teen. Worldly friends helped him scoff and swear. The gaslight and the murk of this winter left his eyes weak the rest of his life. He left the bank in 1848 to work in his father's shop. His conversion is an amazing story. When he was 17 years of age he went into his father's library one afternoon in June, 1849 in search of a book to read. This was in a barn or warehouse adjacent to the house. Finally he picked up a gospel tract entitled, "It is Finished," and decided to read the story on the front. He came upon the expression, "The Finished work of Christ," Remembering the words, "It is Finished," he raised the question — "What was finished?" The answers seemed to fall in place and he received Christ as his Saviour. The same afternoon and time, his mother was visiting some 75 miles away. Experiencing an intense yearning for the conversion of her son, she turned the key in the door and resolved not to leave the spot until her prayers were answered. Hours later she left with assurance. She returned 10 days later and was met at the door by her son who said he had good news for her. She said, "I know, my boy. I have been rejoicing for a fortnight in the glad tidings you have to tell me." Mother Taylor had learned of the incident from no human source, but God had assured her. Months later he began to feel a great dissatisfaction with his spiritual state. His "first love" and his zeal for souls had grown cold. On Dec. 2, 1849 he retired to be alone with the Lord and it seemed this was the time to promise the Lord he would go to China. Hudson started to prepare immediately by exercising in the open air and exchanging his feather bed for a hard mattress. He distributed tracts and held cottage meetings. With the aid of a copy of Luke's Gospel in the Mandarin dialect, he studied the Chinese language. He borrowed a book on China from a Congregational minister and began the study of Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. In November, 1851, Hudson moved his lodging to a noisy suburb of Darinside, a neighborhood on the edge of town. Here he began a rigorous regime of saving and self-denial, spending spare time as a self-appointed medical missionary in cheerless streets where low wages, ever large families and gin produced brutalized husbands and wives and sickly children. Here he set up a test situation regarding his salary. His employer had asked Hudson to remind him when his salary became due. Taylor did not do this. One day in a poor home with evidently starving children, he prayed for them but had no peace until he gave the family all he had even down to his last coin. He went home happy in heart and the next day the postman brought a letter with enough money to make a 400% profit for only a twelve hour investment. He was convinced that money given in Christ's name was a loan which God would repay...and He did! One night about 10 p.m. on the day his rent was due (and his pockets were empty), his employer came by with his back wages. Experiences like these prepared him for his future life of faith. In the Fall of 1852, he came to London under the auspices of the Chinese Evangelization Society, who arranged to pay for his training as a doctor at the London Hospital in the East End. Glowing reports came from China and the CES urged Taylor to leave at once, medical course unfinished, to reach the Taipings (new rebel group called Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace) at Nanking. These were supposedly Christian rebels that toppled Nanking in March, 1853. This Chinese rebellion lasted from 1850 to 1864. After further medical studies in London, he accepted appointment under the CES and sailed from Liverpool on September 19, 1853. He was the only passenger in the sailing vessel, Dumfries. He had a tempestuous voyage as the ship on two occasions was within a few feet of being wrecked. One harrowing experience is worth remembering. The sailing vessel was becalmed in the vicinity of New Guinea. The captain dispaired as a four knot current carried them swiftly toward sunken reefs near shore. "Our fate is sealed!" Cannibals were eagerly awaiting with delight and fires burning ready. Taylor and three others retired to pray and the Lord immediately sent a strong breeze that sent them on their way. Again one of his favorite texts, John 14:13 was proven. He finally reached Shanghai, China, March 1, 1854. China at last...age 21 years, 10 months old! He was not prepared for the civil war on his doorstep. It was a shock to find that if the rebels did embrace Christianity, it was nominally on the part of the leaders alone from political motives. "Of the spirit of Christianity they knew little and manifested none." He was forlorn, miserable and homesick. His eyes were inflamed, he suffered headaches and was simply cold in the climate. His leisure time was consumed with long letters home to parents and sister. 1854 was still uncertain. As the military situation allowed, he explored the countryside, pursuing a hobby of insect and plant collecting, plus photography. Other missionaries took him on preaching tours and the Imperial Fleet once nearly opened fire on their boats at night in Woosung Creek. He was the only missionary actually a resident in Shanghai and this renewed his zeal for souls. But physical set backs and the possible civil war coming ever closer made him realize life was no longer safe. He soon evacuated to the International Settlement geared for the foreign population. He was appalled at the idleness of many missionaries and their critical, sarcastic remarks. In early 1855 he started preaching tours — a week or more with another missionary or alone. There were ten such journeys his first two years. In February, 1855, the Imperial armies with rebel French support had stormed and sacked the starving city of Shanghai, making the streets hideous with human suffering. As peace returned he considered permanent residence in some interior city, or else he must find his way 700 miles to Nanking, capital of the Taipings. Either would forfeit consular protection. Before deciding, he went up the Yangtze River for three weeks in April with John Burdon. It was a trip that nearly cost their lives. At Tungchow, a city of evil repute, they were attacked by ruffians and were brought to a magistrate of sorts who saw that they were escorted safely out of the city. Back at Shanghai, Taylor decided to reach the Taipings. Ten days later he was off. Partly to explore openings for future residence and partly to throw Imperialists off his trail, he proceeded up the Yangtze leisurely. From his boat, he visited 58 villages. Only seven of them had ever seen a Protestant missionary. He preached, removed tumors and distributed books. The people would run from him at times or throw mud and stones. Medical box and skill was the only thing used to combat this. Passing his 23rd birthday he came within 70 miles of the Taipings. However he was divinely hindered in his attempt to reach Nanking, and in five more years the rebels were all but extinguished anyway. Taylor returned to Shanghai and on August 24, 1855, he toured southward to Ningpo. Now he was writing a girl back home, Elizabeth Sisson, proposing marriage...not even noticing young Maria Dyer who lived there (whom he eventually did marry). On October 18, 1855 he left Shanghai again, this time going to Tsungming, a large island in the Yangtze mouth. He felt this would be a good place to labor and on November 5 he returned to Shanghai to restock the medicine chest, collect letters and fit himself with winter clothes. However he was then ordered out of Tsungming permanently, as local doctors complained to the magistrate that they were losing business to the foreign doctor. These six weeks were his first "inland" experience. William Burns, a Scottish evangelist, came across his path and for seven months, 1855-56, they worked together as a gospel team. In February of 1856, they both felt called to Swatown, 1,000 miles south. They decided to go and arrived March 12. It was no easy place to get the attention of a hardened embittered people. Tropical summer soon put Taylor into a state of exhaustion as the prickly heat and unending perspiration plus the stench of the night soil pails left him weak. He left his rice diet in May and added tea, eggs and toast. The mail was not encouraging either. Miss Sisson rejected his proposal to join him, and the CES, his mission board, informed him there were no funds left to send to him. By midsummer, 1856, he was torn 100 different ways, but in July he decided to go back north, at Burns request, to get much needed medical equipment from Shanghai. Taylor arrived to find nearly all his medical supplies had been accidentally destroyed by fire. Then came the distressing news that Burns was arrested by Chinese authorities and sent on a 31 day journey to Canton. Hudson then decided to settle at Ningpo and in October, 1856, made his way back there. On his way down he was robbed of his traveling bed, spare clothes, two watches, surgical instruments, concertina, sister Amelia's photo and a Bible given to him by his mother. With no salary coming in now he would have been destitute and helpless had not his expenses fallen sharply because he had adopted the Chinese dress and level of living. Despite his setbacks he continued to preach to those who were in darkness. As 1856 ended and the new year began, he knew he would have to resign from his mission board, CES. He considered joining some other society but a letter from George Mueller encouraged him to live by faith. So in June he resigned at age 25. Dr. Parker, a fellow missionary, had established a hospital and dispensary at Ningpo. A new family, the Jones', had arrived and the missionary community was fervent in spirit. Once a week they all dined at the school run by Miss Mary Ann Aldersey, a 60 year old Englishwoman, reputed to be the first woman missionary to China. She had two young helpers, Burella and Maria Dyer. Burella became engaged to missionary associate, John Burdon. On Christmas day, 1856, the missionary compound had a party where a friendship between Hudson and Maria developed. Taylor had to return to Shanghai, but on March 23 he wrote asking to be engaged. Ordered by Miss Aldersey (a guardian of sorts), Maria painfully refused. However, as both plunged into the Lord's work and prayed, they decided to get engaged on November 14, 1857, approval or not. As 1859 came around, Maria turned 21 (born January 16, 1837), and four days later on the 20th, she married Hudson Taylor. A happier couple could not be found...they had waited over two years. The work in the compound continued. John Jones became the pastor, Maria ran the little school as Taylor's small group at Ningpo kept pursuing mission work in a great heathen city. In 1859, Mrs. Taylor fell grievously ill, recovering to give birth to their first child, Grace, on July 31. The treaty of Tientsin, ratified in 1860, gave missionaries new freedoms but Taylor's health was so bad with all the pressures that a furlough seemed to be his only hope for life. So in August they left Shanghai, arriving back in England in November, 1860, seven years after he first left for China. They lived in Bayswater where their first son, Herbert, was born (2nd child) in April, 1861. Taylor, realizing he could not soon return, undertook various responsibilities. First, the translating and revision of the Ningpo New Testament (a five year project) and then enrolling in a medical course. He also wrote a book, China, It's Spiritual Needs and Claims (October, 1865). Other children were born. Bertie (number 3) came in 1862, followed by Freddie in 1863 and Samuel in 1864. As only four children returned to China, it is thought that Herbert must have died in infancy. These London years brought tests as severe as any that followed with poor health, funds and a growing family. The China Inland Mission was born on Sunday, June 25, 1865 on the sands of Brington's beach where Hudson Taylor was gripped with a heavy burden and asked God for 24 missionaries to return with him to China. He opened a bank account with $50.00 and soon the volunteers and money began coming in. At this time Spurgeonheard Taylor and was impressed by his zeal for China. Apparently God was too, for within the year, he had raised $13,000.00 and accepted 24 volunteers. On December 7, a baby born prematurely died at birth. Maria's lungs were permanently affected with tuberculosis at about this time and it took months for her to recover. On May 26, 1866, the Taylors left for China after 5½ years of working and recruiting at home. Of the 24 volunteers, eight preceded him and 16 came with the family. On board were a married couple, five single men and nine single ladies. They ran into a terrible typhoon in the South China Sea and only prayer and work beyond measure aboard the Lammermuir prevented a catastrophe. On September 30, 1866, they were towed towards Shanghai by a steam tug. It was back to Ningpo by canal, but over crowded conditions at the missionary compound compelled him to go to Hangchow in December. Taylor's methods were met with scorn, the Chinese dress being the big item that annoyed the western community as it did previously. Keeping his new missionaries in line with his policies was somewhat a task also. In early February, 1867, little Maria was born (number 6). By April the group was in danger of a split. Taylor admitted his folly in rebaptizing Anglicans and never again swerved from a true interdenominational position. He went westward in June looking for new stations. The heat climbed to 103 degrees in August. Taylor was recovering from inflamed eyes and wife Maria was ill. The death of 8 year old Gracie Taylor on August 23, 1867 probably saved the mission. The girl was praying for an idol maker just before she died and it united the mission. In September, 1868 the last dissident was dismissed. The Taylors had gone to Yangchow on June 1, 1868 with their four children. By July 20 they had their own compound. Suddenly handbills warned against the foreigners. Ignorance and priestly hostility brought fear of the West. Not only that, but the foreigners (Taylors) offered exceptional prospects for looting. Saturday, August 22, 1868 has to be one of the most traumatic days in the mission's history. The mission compound was attacked and as Taylor and a friend ran for help, the home was looted and burned causing serious injuries on several individuals. The battered missionaries left Yangchow for Chinkiang where they were made comfortable. Maria Taylor could not walk unaided and ached in every bone. However, they did not want to press charges. The British Navy, hearing of the problem, sailed up the Yangtze deep into the territory to protest this outrage. This was to produce negative results as Western Imperialism became the excuse for Communist infiltration later. The Taylors returned to Yangchow on November 18, 1868. Charles Edward was born November 28 (number 7). Although Europeans in Shanghai appreciated the problem in Yangchow, back in England the stories were perverted and the Taylors sneered at. In Yangchow the natives were impressed that the Taylors would come back and the next year saw a time of reaping. In England, George Mueller refused to believe the libel and his contributions ($10,000 annually) made up for the support that stopped. Exhausted and depressed, Hudson later confessed that only his wife's love stood between him and suicide. At this point in his life God used the situation to do a new thing. Hudson Taylor could not go on as he was bankrupt in spirit and strength. It finally dawned on him reading a missionary friend's letter. "I have striven in vain to abide in Him, I'll strive no more. For has not He promised to abide with me...never to leave me, never to fail me?" He then entered into what he thereafter called the "Exchanged Life" where his work for the Lord was no longer done in his own strength. In 1870 a most heart rendering decision had to be made. The children (older four), ages 9,7,5 and 3 should go back to England, leaving only baby Charles with the parents. Fear of parting was too much for Sammy. He died on a boat on the Yangtze River on February 4, 1870. On March 22 at Shanghai, the parents wept as they said farewell to Bertie, Freddie and little Maria who would go home with missionary Emily Blatchley who would act as their foster-mother. Little did Mrs. Taylor know how wise a decision this would be for she herself would be dead four months later. On June 21, a massacre of many foreigners in Tientsin made things tense again. But is was Maria's tuberculosis condition worsening under the extremely hot sun that caused the greatest concern. On July 7, little Noel (number 8) was born. he lived for 13 days as throat problems in the oppressive heat were just too much for him. Four children were now in heaven as July 20th added another. Three days later the brave Maria died on Saturday, July 23, 1870. She just got weaker and weaker and passed on peacefully. Official conclusion was prostration by cholera. She was 33 and during their 12 years of marriage gave birth to eight children plus one stillborn. She was a tower of strength to her husband. Certainly, along with Ann Judson, Maria Taylor was one of the most heroic wives in Christian history. Two days before she died they received word that the other children had arrived safely in England. She was buried at Chinkiang. Taylor himself had a breakdown in 1871. A badly deranged liver made him sleepless leading to painful depression of spirit, and difficulty in breathing. At the same time, the Bergers back in England could no longer care for the home side of the Mission because of failing health and he was retiring in March 1872. Hence Taylor had to return to England to care for this need as well as his health. He returned home in July, 1871 where a Miss Faulding came into his life. He married her in London later that year. He also formed the London Council of the CIM on August 6, 1872, and at a Bible Conference that year, young Dwight Moody heard him preach. he returned to China on October 9, 1872 bidding farewell to his beloved children and taking his new bride with him. Mission work continued. An interesting conversation on January 26, 1874 challenged him further. In April, 1874 he wrote a friend, "We have $.87 and all the promises of God." In June came a letter from an unknown friend in England with $4,000 marked for extension of his work into new, untouched provinces. Also, that month he opened the western branch of the Mission in Wuchang with Mr. Judd. Now the emergency was back in England as the foster-mother Miss Blatchley died July 26, 1874. Again the Taylors hurried home, and on the way up the Yangtze a fall seriously injured Mr. Taylor. General paralysis of the limbs confined him to the couch. He could only later turn in bed with the help of a rope fixed above him. Health finally came back after the long 1874-75 winter. Mrs. Taylor had to stay in England to care for her own two children recently born (including Howard, the biographer and author of his father's life story), plus the four from the previous marriage and an adopted daughter. In January 1875 Taylor appealed in prayer for 18 pioneers for the nine unevangelized provinces. On September 13, 1876 a political settlement was reached between England and China with the signing of the Chefoo Convention which opened inland China to the gospel. Hudson, himself went back to China where he was to travel 30,000 miles the next two years (1876-78) opening new stations. His journey kept him on the road months at a time in widespread evangelistic journeys inland. In hours of trial and loneliness he would play his harmonium and sing some of the great Christian hymns — his favorite being, "Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what thou art." In 1878 his wife was able to rejoin him on the mission field. She led in the advance of women's missionary activity into the far interior in the fall of 1878. The following fall, Mrs. Nicoll and Mrs. Clark pioneered the way for women's work in western China. The first woman missionary allowed to go into the interior on a resident status was Emily King who died in May of 1881 at Hanchung. There were now about 100 missionaries in the organization and they decided to pray in November 1881 at Wuchang for another seventy to come out in 1882-84. Taylor sailed home in February, 1883 and was powerfully used by the Lord. At the end of the year he had 70 new workers sailing for China and $14,000 raised. These included the Cambridge University Seven that sailed on February 5, 1885. Taylor returned to China rejoicing in the developments. They now had 225 missionaries, 59 churches and 1,655 members. Taylor decided that to open China up from end to end would take 100 new workers, so London was cabled,—"Praying for 100 new workers in 1887." This was the first meeting of the China Council held in Anking. Taylor went back to England to challenge recruits to join him. Actually 600 offered to go, but Taylor screened and chose 102. He prayed for $50,000 and raised $105,000. At the years end all 102 had joined the staff on the field. More than $22,000 was raised to pay their passages. Taylor was about to return when urgent invitations from Henry Frost came to visit America in December. He decided to go and on his only trip to America he preached at Moody's Northfield Conference and a few other places making a profound impression. As he went back to China in the Fall of 1888, he was able to take 14 candidates along from America. Taylor had to return to England because of ill health and was semi-retired in Switzerland as a result. He was brought to the very doors of death by the terrible news of the Boxer Rebellion, the resulting disruption of the work and murder of hundreds of missionaries along with the native Christians. It was May, 1900, and as the telegrams came telling of riots and massacres, he gasped, "I cannot read, I cannot pray, I can scarcely think...but I can trust." Although the anguish of heart nearly killed him, the stories coming out of the holocaust actually inspired great interest in missions everywhere and gave new life to the CIM. D.E. Hoste was appointed Acting General Director in August, 1900. In November, 1902, Taylor resigned to turn the reigns over to younger men. Not knowing he had only three months to live, he left for China one last time...his 11th trip there, leaving in February, 1905, and arriving in March. He went alone as his beloved wife had passed on in Switzerland on July 30, 1904. He spent Easter at Yangchow where 32 years before, his house was burnt to the ground. Then to Chinkiang where he buried his first wife 35 years previously. Then on to Honan, Hankow, and finally to Changsha, the capital of Hunan. This was the most difficult of the nine unevangelized provinces entered by his workers. Here he visited various parts of the city, inspected a site for a new hospital, spoke to a congregation of Chinese Christians, attending a reception given in his honor in a garden, and was planning to speak on Sunday. But he died quite suddenly on Saturday evening. He had retired to his home, his daughter-in-law, Mary (Mrs. Howard Taylor) visited him as he was busy going over his homeland letters. One gasp and he was gone. Christians carried his body to Chinkiang where he was buried with his Maria at the foot of green hills near the Yangtze River.

First wife of Taylor
Maria Dyer Taylor (1837-1870): Daughter of one of the first missionaries to China, she was orphaned at the age of 10. She was a missionary to China when she married Hudson Taylor, January 20, 1858. They had seven children: Grace, Herbert Hudson, Frederick Howard (who would later co-author Hudson's biography), Samuel, Maria, Charles Edward, and Noel. Being fluent in the Ningpo dialect, she helped Hudson with translation work. They had been married for 12 1/2 years when at 33 yrs. of age, Maria died of cholera in 1870. She was a "tower of strength" and a comfort to her husband. In her own words, she was "more intimately acquainted than anyone else can be with his trials, his temptations, his conflicts, his failures and failings, and his conquests."
Second wife of Taylor.
Jennie Faulding Taylor (1843-1904): Another CIM missionary, she became the second wife of Hudson Taylor in 1871. They had two children (a son, Ernest, born in 1875 and a daughter, Amy, born in 1876), plus the four from his previous marriage and an adopted daughter. Jennie cared for her husband through injury and illness, edited the periodical China's Millions for the China Inland Mission, had a special ministry among the women. In her later years she traveled with Hudson Taylor, speaking, writing, and organizing the work of the Mission. She died in 1904, preceding Hudson Taylor who died in 1905.

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The life and ministry of George Muller.

12/24/2017

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The Life and Ministry of George Muller:
 
George Mueller was a man of faith. George Mueller was a prayer warrior.
 
His ministry was blessed because he trusted God completely.
His 63 year ministry included: the supported missionaries, the establishment of the Scriptural Knowledge Institute in England, teaching Sunday school and day school, distributing Bibles and Christian tracts, and caring for England's orphans.
He financially supported missionary operations in 26 different countries.
He was directly involved in the Christian instruction of 121,683 pupils.
 
He distributed: 281,652 Bibles:
1,448,662 New Testaments; 21,343 copies of the Book of Psalms; 222,196 other portions of the Holy Scriptures.
 
He distributed 111,489,067 Christian tracts, booklets and pamphlets.
He was directly involved in the conversion of 2,813 orphans.
He mastered 6 languages: French, German, Hebrew, Latin, Greek, and English.
 
Mr. Mueller was a native of Prussia, born in Kroppenstaedt, on September 27, 1805.
After his conversion, he saw beyond the present to a greater goal. He realized that God alone was able to supply his every need by faith. He took God at His Word and boldly came before the throne of grace to receive.
 
Mr. Mueller never found the throne vacant nor the supplies exhausted. He asked, knowing that God was able.
 
Near the end of his life he admitted to reading the entire Bible about 200 times; 100 times on his knees. He found God's promises, believed them, and acted accordingly.
 
Mr. Mueller mastered the lesson of outlooks: living by the heavenly uplook rather than the earthly outlook.
 
"The Lord pours in, while we seek to pour out."
 
He asked God to pour in the supplies, so that they might be distributed to others.
 
As Mr. Mueller faithfully distributed God's abundance of money and supplies; God poured in more needed materials.
Mr. Mueller testimony includes the specific answers of 50,000 prayers; 5,000 prayers had been answered on the day of asking!
He diligently kept records and his prayer request records indicate a 2-page entry format. On one page he wrote the petition and date; on the opposite page he recorded the answer date. He recommended this form to believers who desired specific results to their prayers.
 
"…I live in the spirit of prayer. I pray as I walk about, when I lie down and when I rise up. And the answers are always coming. Thousands and tens of thousands of times have my prayers been answered. When once I am persuaded that a thing is right and for the glory of God, I go on praying for it until the answer comes. George Mueller never gives up!"
 
"Let not Satan deceive you, in making you think you could not have the same faith, but that is only for persons situated as I am. When I lose such a thing as a key, I ask the Lord to direct me to it, and I look for an answer to my prayer; when a person with whom I have an appointment does not come…I ask the Lord to be pleased to hasten him to me, and I look for an answer…Thus in all my temporal and spiritual concerns I pray to the Lord and expect an answer to my request; and may not you do the same dear believing reader?"
 
His Christian advice and rules to strengthen faith were simple:
1. Read the Bible and meditate upon it. God has become known to us through prayer and meditation upon His Word.
2. Seek to maintain an upright heart and a good conscience.
3. If we desire our faith to be strengthened, we should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried, and therefore, through trial, be strengthened.
4. Give God time to work.
 
Mr. Mueller believed that nothing was too insignificant to take to the Lord in prayer. He believed the scriptures to be literal.
 
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
 
…the Mueller's set off for the United States in August 1877 aboard the Sardian…Off Newfoundland the weather turned cold and the ship's progress was seriously retarded by fog. The captain had been on the bridge for 24 hours when something happened which was to revolutionize his life. George Mueller appeared on the bridge.
 
"Captain, I have come to tell you I must be in Quebec by Saturday afternoon."
"It is impossible," said the captain.
 
"Very well, " said Mueller, "if your ship cannot take me, God will find some other way--I have never broken an engagement for 52 years. Let us go down into the chart-room and pray."
 
The Captain wondered which lunatic asylum Mueller had come from.
"Mr. Mueller," he said, "do you know how dense this fog is?"
"No, my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God."
Mueller then knelt down and prayed. When he had finished the captain was about to pray, but Mueller put his hand on his shoulder, and told him:
"First, you do not believe He will and second, I believe He has, and there is no need whatever for you to pray about it."
The captain looked at Mueller in amazement.
"Captain," he continued, I have known my Lord for 52 years, and there has never been a single day that I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, captain, and open the door, and you will find the fog is gone."
The captain walked across to the door and opened it. The fog had lifted. It was the captain himself, who later told the story of this incident, and who was subsequently described by a well known evangelist as "one of the most devoted men I ever knew."
It was prayer that kept Mr. Mueller's soul free of doubt, worry, and fear. As a result, he could write such entries as on March 9, 1847, "The greater the difficulties, the easier for faith." And a later one, "The greater the trial, the sweeter the victory."
Mr. Mueller's victories came through prayer and his trust in the Lord's unfailing promises.
 
"It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly continue in prayer, until we obtain an answer; and further, we have not only to continue in prayer unto the end, but we have also to believe that God does hear us and will answer our prayers. Most frequently we fail in not continuing in prayer until the blessing is obtained, and in not expecting the blessing."
 During just the last year of Mr. Mueller's life are recorded these gifts to feed and care for thousands of England's orphans.
 
7, 203 loaves of bread
5,222 buns
20 boxes of soap
9 tons of coal
26 haunches of venison
112 rabbits
312 pheasants
5 bags of oatmeal
26 cases of oranges
5 boxes of dates
4,013 pounds of meat
 ...hundreds of other essentials
 
Mr. Mueller's faithful prayers brought into the orphan houses $2.5 million.
 George Mueller was faithful.
 Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
 
Blessings Pastor Jetty Van Den Berghe
Please feel free the write a respons....or ask questions.

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Praying the Rosary, with full Scripture reading Mysteries. Pastor Jetty Van Den Berghe.

12/16/2017

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How to Pray the Rosary
While the rosary and the indulgences attached to it by the Church essentially concerns the decades and the meditation upon the mysteries only, the following is a customary way of preparing for the rosary and concluding it.
1. Preparation
Start by making the sign of the Cross:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Then recite the Apostle's Creed:
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ,
 His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
 born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead;
He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.
Then say 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Marys (for the virtues of Faith, Hope and Love) and then 1 Glory Be:
Our Father, Who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of death. Amen.
 
GLORY BE to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.




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 The Glorious Mysteries
 
I: The Resurrection of our Lord
 
A Reading from the gospel According to Saint Luke:
 
 On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women disciples came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, and when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them,
 
"Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."
Then they remembered His words, and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were reporting these things to the apostles. But to the apostles these words seemed to be utter nonsense, so they would not believe the women.
 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.
The Word of the Lord.

II: The Ascension of our Lord
A reading from the Gospel According to Saint Luke:
And Jesus led the disciples out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.
The Word of the Lord.
 
 III: The Descent of the Holy Spirit
 
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles:
 
 All the disciples with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers. And when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
 
The Word of the Lord.
 
IV: The Assumption of our Lady
 
A Reading from the Book of Revelation:
 
A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and she was with child; and she cried out, being in labor and in pain to give birth.
 
Then another sign appeared in heaven: and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads were seven diadems. And his tail swept away a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.
 
The Word of the Lord.
 
V: Mary receives her Crown of Glory as Queen of Heaven
 
A Reading from the Second Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy:
For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.
The Word of the Lord.

The Joyful Mysteries
 
I: The Annunciation: A reading from the Gospel According to Luke:
 
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, highly favored one! The Lord is with you."
 But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."
 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
 The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God."
 And Mary said, "Behold, the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
II: The Visitation: A reading from the Gospel According to Luke:
 
Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped within her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she cried out with a loud voice saying,
 
"Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! How is it possible that the mother of my Lord would come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, my baby leaped within my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." And Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
 
III: The Nativity of Jesus: A reading from the Gospel According to Luke:
 
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.
 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
 
 
IV: The Presentation: A reading from the Gospel According to Luke:
 
And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.
 And when the days for their purification according to the instruction of Moses were completed, they brought Jesus up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,
    
"Now Lord, may Your servant depart in peace according to Your word;
    For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
    Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
    a light of revelation for the Gentiles,
         And the glory of Your people Israel."
 V: The Finding of Jesus in the Temple: A reading from the Gospel According to Luke:
Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him.
 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him,
 "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You."
 And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?"
 But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. So He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and among the people. 

The Luminous Mysteries
 
I: The Baptism of our Lord
 
A Reading from the Gospel According to Mark:
 
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens: "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."
 
The Word of the Lord.
 
II: The Wedding at Cana of Galilee
 
A Reading from the Gospel According to John:
 
There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and  Jesus and His disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no more wine."
 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come."  His mother then said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you!"
 Now there were six stone water jars set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, "Fill the water jars with water." So they filled them up to the brim.
Then He said to them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it to him. When the headwaiter tasted the water which had now become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter then called over the bridegroom, and said to him, "Everyone serves the best wine first, and after people have been drinking awhile ,  a lesser vintage; but what you have done is to keep the choice wine until now."
 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
The Word of the Lord.
 
 III: Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God
 
A Reading from the Gospel According to Mark:
 
Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
 
The Word of the Lord.
IV: The Transfiguration of our Lord
A Reading from the Gospel According to Mark:
Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His garments became radiant and dazzling white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.
Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles, one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah."  For he did not know what to say; for they became terrified.
 Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, then a voice came out of the cloud, "This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!"
The Word of the Lord.
 
V: The Supper of the Lord
 
A Reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians:
 
I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
The Word of the Lord.


The Resurrection Mysteries
I: The Appearance to Mary Magdalene
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene was standing outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.  And they asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned at once and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).  Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and tell them that I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.”  Mary Magdalene came announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
II: The Appearance on the Road to Emmaus
Two disciples were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem.  And they were talking with each other about all the events which had taken place. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began walking with them.  But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?”  They stood still, and looking sad the one named Cleopas answered Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”  Then He asked them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and had Him crucified.  But we were hoping that He was the One who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.  Then some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, and did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.  Then some of the others who were with us ran to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had described; but Him they did not see.”  Then He said to them, “O foolish ones and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things to enter into His glory?”  Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village where they were going He acted as though He were going farther. But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting late in the evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it. While breaking it and giving it to them their eyes were opened and they recognized Him! Then He suddenly vanished from their sight. They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?”  Then they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, who were saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.”  So the two disciples began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
III: The Appearance to Thomas
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus first appeared to them.  So the other disciples kept saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”  Eight days later His disciples were again inside and this time Thomas with them. Jesus appeared, despite the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”  Turning to Thomas He said, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”  Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
IV: The Appearance to Paul
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  and that He appeared to Kephas, then to the twelve.  After that He even appeared to more than five hundred others at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep;  then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;  and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.  
V: The Appearance to John of Patmos
I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day when I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet. Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw the golden menorah;  and in the midst of the menorah I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash.  His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire.  His feet were like burnished bronze as when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters.  In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, the living One. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and now I have the keys of death and of Hades. 

The Sorrowful Mysteries
I: The Agony in the Garden
A reading from the Gospel According to Luke:
Jesus came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him.  When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”  And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. And being in agony He was praying very fervently as His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. Then He rose up from prayer and came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
II: The Scourging of Jesus
A Reading from the Gospel According to John:
Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”  Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?”  Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom was of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jewish authorities; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this world.”  Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So, You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”  Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” Pilate then took Jesus and had Him scourged.
III: The Crowning with Thorns
A Reading from the Gospel According to John:
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and putting a purple cloak on Him, they began to come up to Him saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” while giving Him blows to His face.  Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” As Jesus was coming out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate announced to them, “Behold, the Man!”  So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
IV: Jesus Carries His Cross
A Reading from the Gospel According to Mark:
 
The soldiers led Jesus out to crucify Him. They pressed into service a passer-by coming in from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.  Then they brought Him to the place called Golgotha, which is translated, “Place of a Skull.” They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.
 
V: The Crucifixion of Jesus
 
A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew:
And when they had crucified Jesus, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots.  And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.” At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and the other on the left. And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. If He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”  Now from noon a great darkness fell upon all the earth until three o’clock.  Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” And one of those standing there, immediately ran, and taking a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Jesus a drink.  Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up His spirit. 


The Prayers of the Rosary:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgives us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

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December 16th, 2017

12/16/2017

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St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. 

6/9/2016

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​St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint by the Catholic Church. She was born in 1656, in the Mohawk village of Ossernenon. Her mother was an Algonquin, who was captured by the Mohawks and who took a Mohawk chief for her husband.
She contracted smallpox as a four-year-old child which scarred her skin. The scars were a source of humiliation in her youth. She was commonly seen wearing a blanket to hide her face. Worse, her entire family died during the outbreak. Kateri Tekakwitha was subsequently raised by her uncle, who was the chief of a Mohawk clan.
Kateri was known as a skilled worker, who was diligent and patient. However, she refused to marry. When her adoptive parents proposed a suitor to her, she refused to entertain the proposal. They punished her by giving her more work to do, but she did not give in. Instead, she remained quiet and diligent. Eventually they were forced to relent and accept that she had no interest in marriage.
At age 19, Kateri Tekakwitha converted to Catholicism, taking a vow of chastity and pledging to marry only Jesus Christ. Her decision was very unpopular with her adoptive parents and their neighbors. Some of her neighbors started rumors of sorcery. To avoid persecution, she traveled to a Christian native community south of Montreal.
According to legend, Kateri was very devout and would put thorns on her sleeping mat. She often prayed for the conversion of her fellow Mohawks. According to the Jesuit missionaries that served the community where Kateri lived, she often fasted and when she would eat, she would taint her food to diminish its flavor. On at least one occasion, she burned herself. Such self-mortification was common among the Mohawk.
Kateri was very devout and was known for her steadfast devotion. She was also very sickly. Her practices of self-mortification and denial may not have helped her health. Sadly, just five years after her conversion to Catholicism, she became ill and passed away at age 24, on April 17, 1680.
Her name, Kateri, is the Mohawk form of Catherine, which she took from St. Catherine of Siena.
St. Kateri Tekakwitha was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Oct. 21, 2012. She is the patroness of ecology and the environment, people in exile and Native Ameri
ca
ns.
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Teresa Of Avila, LIfe, Spirituality, Works

8/11/2015

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Biography St Teresa AvilaSaint Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) – Spanish mystic, writer and reformer of the Carmelite order. St Terese of Avila was an influential and pivotal figure of her generation.


St Teresa (Teresa de Cepeda y Ahumada) was born in Avila, Spain on 28th March 1515. Her parents were both pious Catholics and in some ways inspired their daughter to take up a life of prayer. As a young child Teresa showed signs of a deeply religious nature; she would often retreat into silence for prayer and would enjoy giving alms to the poor. She was very close to her Mother, who provided a warm counterbalance, to the strictness of her father. However in her teens, Teresa’s mother passed away, leaving the young Teresa distraught at the void she felt. The young St Teresa tells of her despair and how she turned instinctively to the Virgin Mary for comfort.

“I threw myself down in despair before an image of the Mother of God. With many tears, I implored the Holy Virgin to become my mother now. Uttered with the simplicity of a child, this prayer was heard. From that hour on, I never prayed to the Virgin in vain.” 

During her later teen years Avila lost some of her early piety and religious zeal. She recounted how she became interested in worldly matters and enjoyed the company of a wide circle of friends. She had a natural charm and found it easy to make friends. In return she enjoyed the compliments and friendships of others. However, she was not at peace, considering herself to be a miserable sinner; later she would look back in guilt at her early life. However this sense of being a “miserable sinner” was probably the result of a harsh self-judgement, encouraged by her fathers exacting religious standards. At the age of 16, her father decided to send Teresa to a convent school to be educated.

This re-ignited in Avila an interest in following a spiritual life and after some deliberation resolved to become a nun of the Carmelite Order.  At the time the convent rules were not very strict; it was probably more relaxed than living with her father. At the time the convent accepted many people into the order, often for financial reasons. The convent became overcrowded and people were often judged not on the basis of spiritual intensity but on material possessions. In this climate, Teresa struggled to find time for quite reflection; although she did start teaching people on the virtues of mental prayer.

Shortly after becoming a nun, Avila experienced a severe illness (malaria), which left her in great pain for a long period. At one point it was feared that her illness was so severe that she would not be able to recover. However during this period of intense physical pain, she began to increasingly experience divine visions and an inner sense of peace. These inner experiences of joy and peace seemed to transcend the intense physical pain of the body.  She describes in her own words her state of mind during these trials and tribulations

“I bore these sufferings with great composure, in fact with joy, except at first when the pain was too severe. What followed seemed to hurt less. I was completely surrendered to the will of God even if he intended to burden me like this forever….. The other sisters wondered at my God-given patience. Without him I truly could not have borne so much with so much joy.” 


When she was a little better she resumed her prayers with renewed vigour. However after telling others of her visions and spiritual experiences, she was dissuaded from persuading them. Certain clergy felt they were just delusions of the devil. As a result, for many years Teresa lost the confidence to pursue her prayers and her spiritual life was almost put on hold. However, when Teresa was 41, she met a Priest who convinced her to go back to her prayers and implore God to come back. Initially, she had some difficulty sitting through prayers. She wryly remarked the end of the hour’s prayer couldn’t come soon enough. However, in the course of time, she became absorbed in deep contemplation in which she felt an ever growing sense of oneness with God. At times she felt overwhelmed with divine love. The experiences were so transforming, she at times felt the illumining grace of God would wash her soul away. She was so filled with divine contemplation it is said at times her body would spontaneously levitate. Teresa, however was not keen on these public displays of “miracles”. When she felt it happening she would ask other nuns to sit on her to prevent her floating away.

Teresa was not a just a quiet, placid saint. She had an endearing, natural quality; her life energy attracted and inspired many who were close. They admired her for both her outer charm and inner serenity. But at the same time her religious ecstasies also caused jealousy and suspicion. Unfortunately she was born into the period of the Spanish inquisition, during this time any deviation from the orthodox religious experience came under the strict observation and scrutiny. On one occasion Teresa complained to God about her mistreatment from so many different people. God replied to her saying “That is how I always treat my friends” with good humour St Teresa replied “That must be why you have so few friends”. St Teresa struggled because there were few who could understand or appreciate her inner ecstasies. However on the one hand she felt these experiences to be more real than ordinary events.

At the age of 43, St Teresa decided she wanted to found a new order recommitting to the values of poverty and simplicity. She wanted to move away from her present convent which made a life of prayer more difficult. Initially her aims were greeted with widespread opposition from within the town of Avila. However, with the support of some priests, the opposition waned and she was allowed to set up her first convent. St Teresa proved to be an influential leader and founder. She guided the nuns not just through strict disciplines, but also through the power of love, and common sense. Her way was not the way of rigid asceticism and self denial. Although she underwent many tribulations herself, to others she stressed the importance of experiencing God’s love. As she herself says:

“You know, I no longer govern in the way I used to. Love does everything. I am not sure if that is because no one gives me cause to reprove her, or because I have discovered that things go better in that way.”       

“The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.” 

St Teresa devoted much of the rest of her life to travelling around Spain setting up new convents based along the ancient monastic traditions.  Her travels and work were not always greeted with enthusiasm, many resented her reforms and the implied criticism of existing religious orders. She often met with criticism including the papal nuncio who used the rather descriptive phrase “a restless disobedient gadabout who has gone about teaching as though she were a professor” St Teresa also had to frequently contend with difficult living conditions and her frail health. However she never let these obstacles dissuade her from her life’s task. She eventually died on October 4 at the age of 67. A fellow sister describes the hours just before the death of St Teresa.

“She remained in this position in prayer full of deep peace and great repose. Occasionally she gave some outward sign of surprise or amazement. But everything proceeded in great repose. It seemed as if she were hearing a voice which she answered. Her facial expression was so wondrously changed that it looked like a celestial body to us. Thus immersed in prayer, happy and smiling, she went out of this world into eternal life.” 

St Teresa Avila was one of the great Christian mystics. Overcoming physical ailments, she became fully absorbed in her devoted to God. As Sri Chinmoy says:

“In Spain, Teresa of Avila offered to the world something profoundly mystical. Her mystical experience is the most successful culmination of the divine marriage between the aspiring soul and the liberating Christ, and it is here that man’s helpless crying will and God’s omnipotent all-fulfilling Will embrace each other.” 

Works of Teresa of AvilaIn 1566 she wrote Camino de perfeccion (Way of Perfection) in about 1566, to tell the nuns how to reach their goal;

In 1580 she wrote what is considered her greatest work; the Castillo interior/ Las moradas(Interior castle/ The mansions) this involved describing the various stages of spiritual evolution leading to full  prayer; she wrote Las Fundaciones (Foundations) from 1573 to 1582, so they would remember the early history of their order.

Poetry of St Teresa AvilaSt Teresa wrote several volumes of poetry her most popular

“God alone is enough.”

Let nothing upset you,
let nothing startle you.
All things pass;
God does not change.
Patience wins
all it seeks.
Whoever has God
lacks nothing:
God alone is enough.

Footnotes
  • (1) St Teresa Avila
  • (2) Our Garden of Carmel – on St Teresa Avila
  • (3) The letters of Saint Teresa of Jesus; translated and edited by E. Allison Peers from the critical edition of P. Silverio de Santa Teresa. London, Burns, Oates & Washbourne [1950] (2 v.: xii, 1006 p.)
  • (4) The complete poetry of St. Teresa of Avila: a bilingual edition / Eric W. Vogt; foreword by Jaime L. Sin. New Orleans: University Press of the South, 1996
St Teresa of Avila Autobiography



  • Autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila at Amazon.com
  • Autobiography of St. Teresa of Avila at Amazon.co.uk
The Way of Perfection



  • The way of perfection at Amazon.com
  • The way of perfection at Amazon.co.uk



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Teresa Van Avila, leven,spiritualiteit, werk

8/11/2015

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Een leven van diepe verbondenheid met God. Dat leeft Teresa ons voor. En ze toont hoe gebed en inzet samengaan. Ontdek haar actualiteit na 500 jaar.
Weinigen krijgen 500 jaar na hun geboorte nog zo veel aandacht als Teresa van Avila, geboren als Teresa de Ahumada y Cepeda, ook gekend onder haar kloosternaam Teresa van Jezus. In onze streken ook wel de grote Teresia genoemd, om haar te onderscheiden van de kleine Theresia, Thérèse van Lisieux.


Wat maakt Teresa na een half millenium nog relevant?

  • Authentiek en gedetailleerd verhaal over hoe een leven van diepe verbondenheid en vriendschap met God eruit kan zien
  • Praktische en herkenbare raad en troost voor mensen die de weg van het gebed willen gaan
  • Als weinig anderen beschrijft ze de mystieke inwerking van God op de mens wanneer die zich voor God opentstelt en ook de omvorming van het hele persoonlijke leven die dat teweeg brengt
  • Sterke getuigenis over hoe gebed en inzet in een leven samengaan en elkaar nodig hebben

Leven
  1. Geboren in Ávila op 28 maart 1515. Ademt de zelfbewuste christelijke lucht in van het 16e eeuwse Spanje. In een zoektocht naar echte innerlijke vernieuwing zet Spanje zich af tegen Joden, Moslims en Protestanten. Er is ook veel uiterlijke praal. Door de plundering van Zuid-Amerika beleeft Spanje zijn Gouden Eeuw. God komt Teresa tegemoet in ontmoetingen met mensen en in boeken. Op haar 20e treedt ze in in het klooster van de Menswording in Avila.
  2. 20 jaar van innerlijke strijd volgen. Ze probeert zich een leven met God eigen te maken, op haar manier, op eigen kracht. En ze probeert tegenstrijdige loyaliteiten tegenover God en tegenover haar vele vriendschappen te verzoenen. Telkens opnieuw stoot ze op haar onmacht. Geestelijk voelt ze zich niet goed genoeg voor een vriendschappelijke omgang met God. En ook fysiek stuit ze op barrières. Jarenlang is ze zwaar ziek. Op zeker ogenblik waant men haar zelfs dood. Teresa beschrijft die strijd onverbloemd in haar autobiografie. Het maakt haar tot een menselijke, herkenbare en toegankelijke heilige.
  3. Woelige periodes en enkele diepe geestelijke ervaringen wisselen elkaar af. In 1554 leidden die de 39-jarige Teresa tot haar definitieve overgave aan God. Ze is letterlijk en figuurlijk moegestreden. Ze leert dat ze niet op eigen kracht in staat is haar onmacht te overwinnen. Ik verwachtte niets meer van mezelf. Al mijn vertrouwen stelde ik in God. L9,3
  4. De liefde van God die Teresa in zichzelf ontdekt, zoekt een weg naar buiten. In 1562 sticht ze het Sint-Jozefsklooster om te komen tot een nieuwe vorm van kloosterleven. Via armoede en innerlijk gebed wil Teresa naar de kern van het christelijke leven gaan. Dat is de bron van Gods eigen leven die opwelt in ons hart en beleefd wordt als een persoonlijke vriendschapsrelatie met de mensgeworden God.
  5. Na de 1e stichting reist ze 20 jaar lang door Spanje om vrouwen- en mannenkloosters te stichten. Met succes ondanks vele moeilijkheden. Reizen was namelijk niet eenvoudig in die tijd. Bovendien zijn er menselijke tegenkantingen en zelfs verdachtmakingen tegenover de inquisitie. De tijdsgeest liep niet hoog op met vrouwen en ook niet met mensen die zich zelfbewust beriepen op eigen religieuze ervaring.
  6. Teresa schrijft ongelooflijk veel brieven. Vaak tot midden in de nacht. Om geestelijke raad te geven, maar ook om praktische zaken te regelen voor de vele stichtingen. De e-mails van eind 16e eeuw. Daarnaast schrijft ze in opdracht van haar biechtvaders verschillende meesterwerken over het gebed en over haar eigen mystieke ervaringen en leven.
  7. Op 4 oktober 1582 sterft ze totaal uitgeput in Alba de Tormes. Ze is dan 67 jaar.
Spiritualiteit
  • Weg van het inwendig gebed. Teresa’s leven is groeien in gebed. En Teresa’s bidden is zo menselijk als het leven zelf. Bidden is voor haar geen verstandelijke activiteit of morele plicht. Het is in de 1e plaats een levende relatie onderhouden met de mensgeworden God. Inwendig bidden begint voor Teresa met de inspanning om zich Jezus innerlijk aanwezig voor te stellen. Naar ik meen, is inwendig bidden niets anders dan omgaan met een vriend: je weet je door hem bemind, je bent vaak met hem alleen. 
  • Aardworm. Teresa spreekt herhaaldelijk over zichzelf als een onwelriekende aardworm, als onbekwaam, als armzalig. Tegelijkertijd was ze tegen de tijdgeest en de inquisitie in heel zelfbewust over de waarde van haar religieuze ervaringen. Hoe valt dat te rijmen? En hoe valt het te rijmen met het belang dat wij vandaag hechten aan eigenwaarde? Het sleutelwoord is nederigheid. Hoe meer ervaringen je krijgt van Gods grootheid en liefde, hoe duidelijker wordt je eigen beperktheid en falen. Tot je uiteindelijk jezelf toelaat om arm én zalig tegelijk te zijn. Het is net in je beperktheid dat Gods grootheid in je leven kan binnenbreken.
  • Raad en troost op de weg van het gebed. Als biddende mens schrijft Teresa voor vrouwen en mannen die willen bidden. En die net zoals zij ervaren hoe moeilijk dat soms is. Teresa gaat de moeilijkheden niet uit de weg, maar beschrijft ze openhartig en soms geestig. Dat troost en bemoedigt. Haar goede raad getuigt van mensenkennis én Godskennis. Het laatste middel [tegen de verstrooidheid] dat ik uiteindelijk na jaren moeizaam zoeken vond… is er niet meer belang aan te hechten dan aan een krankzinnige. Laat de verbeelding haar koppigheid. God alleen kan die wegnemen. 
  • Mystiek. Teresa is bij sommigen bekend omwille van haar visioenen en andere bijzondere mystieke genaden. Zelf relativeert ze die. Weliswaar hebben ze haar op een bepaald moment de moed gegeven om vastberaden te kiezen voor God. Maar toch zijn het voorbijgaande fenomenen. De kern van de mystieke Teresa is dat het geloof voor haar ervaring is geworden. Het is een ontmoeting met de levende God, die ervaarbaar leven schenkt en die in toenemende mate de leiding van het persoonlijke leven overneemt.
Werken
  • In Het boek van mijn leven vertelt Teresa het verhaal van haar leven vanaf haar kinderjaren tot en met de stichting van het Sint-Jozefsklooster in 1562. Ze legt verantwoording af over haar gebedservaringen, die vooral een tocht naar het diepste innerlijke zijn. 
  • Bijna gelijktijdig met haar autobiografie ontstaat Weg van volmaaktheid. Omdat de inquisitie veel religieuze boeken heeft verboden, neemt Teresa het initiatief om haar medezusters te onderrichten. Hoewel Teresa schrijft voor een kleine groep karmelietessen biedt dit boek wijsheid en inzichten voor iedereen die de weg van het gebed wil gaan.
  • Kloosterstichtingen is het reisverhaal dat Teresa bijhoudt tijdens haar omzwervingen door Spanje tot en met haar laatste levensjaren. Anekdotes, geestelijke raad en allerlei avonturen tonen het grote schrijftalent van Teresa. Hoewel het op het eerste gezicht een weinig geestelijk boek is, lees je tussen de lijnen een sterke getuigenis van hoe gebed en inzet in een leven samengaan en elkaar nodig hebben.
  • Haar meesterwerk Innerlijke Burcht uit 1577 legt systematisch de geestelijke groei van de mens uit. Het is een tocht van geestelijke verdieping en verinnerlijking, van de buitenkant naar het centrum van ons wezen dat ze vergelijkt met een burcht. Daar wacht God de mens op om hem te vervullen met zijn liefde.
  • De helft van Teresa’s nagelaten geschriften bestaat uit briefwisseling. Met de koning, bisschoppen, vrienden, religieuzen, familieleden. De brieven tonen haar rijke en veelzijdige persoonlijkheid die ver boven de middelmaat uitsteekt. Humor en fijn menselijk inzicht zijn nooit ver weg.
Verder kennismaken met Teresa van Avila
  • Teresa van Avila en haar tijd (pdf)
  • Virtueel bezoek aan bijzondere plaatsen van Teresa (Spaans, Engels, Frans)
  • Teresa van Avila: de betekenis van deze mystica voor ons (pdf)
  • Kerk & Leven: karmelfamilie viert 500e verjaardag van Teresa van Avila (pdf)
  • Franse blog over het Teresajaar (in het Frans)
  • Spaanse site voor het Teresajaar, met oa de wereldpelgrimage van de staf van Teresa (in het Spaans), ook op Instagram
  • Elke dag een citaat van Teresa op je smartphone (in het Engels) 
    STJ500 App voor Android - STJ500 App voor iPhone
Films over Teresa van Avila
  • Molina Josefina. Teresa de Jesús. Spaanse tv-serie in 8 afleveringen met Concha Velasco als Teresa. Dvd in het Spaans met Engelse ondertitels. 1984. Bekijk in het Spaans zonder ondertitels.
  • Bronnen blijven altijd nieuw: Teresa van Avila. Braambos, 2014. Ook op dvd verkrijgbaar.
  • Docu met de generale overste van de ongeschoeide karmelieten. KTO, 2014. In het Frans. 
Boeken van en over Teresa van Avila
  • Alvarez Tomas. Ik ben van U. Bloemlezing uit de geschriften van Teresa van Avila. Carmelitana, 2014. Geschikt als kennismaking én samenvatting. Met inleidingen bij elk werk en thematische hoofdstukken. Meer dan een gewone bloemlezing.
  • Teresa van Avila. Het boek van mijn leven. Carmelitana. Met een goede inleiding over leven en leer van Teresa.
  • Teresa van Avila. Weg van volmaaktheid en kleinere werken. Carmelitana.
  • Teresa van Avila. Innerlijke burcht en gewetensbrieven. Carmelitana. Met een goede inleiding over de historische en geestelijke context.
  • Teresa van Avila. Kloosterstichtingen. Carmelitana.
  • Marcelle Auclair. Gods dolende edelvrouwe: leven van Teresia van Avila, 1515-1582. Carmelitana, 1981. In romanvorm geschreven biografie.
  • Medwick Cathleen. Teresa van Avila: Een spirituele biografie. Ten Have.


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Dag lieve mens, vriend, zus of broer die langs komt op mijn website...Hi to you an ordinary person, friend, sister or Brother who visite my website...May you find God, who is Shepherd and healer, forgiveness......love...all in all....

7/1/2015

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Paas Vigil Parish House of Ruth 2015

4/9/2015

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Christ the priest above us

2/16/2015

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Een goede vriend

2/16/2015

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January 08th, 2015

1/8/2015

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January 08th, 2015

1/8/2015

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1/8/2015

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January 08th, 2015

1/8/2015

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Retaite House of Ruth 3-7 Maart 2014

3/8/2014

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Retreat “House of Ruth”  March 3-7   2014

At the Carmelite Center Burgstraat 46 Ghent

House of Ruth Retreat in Ghent, Belgium - Day 1: After lunch, we gathered. Deacon Jetty introduced the theme of the retreat, abiding in Christ. We had made bound books including all of our scheduled events, including liturgies, Bible Study, films, etc. Mo. Martha+ spoke about time, temporal/linear time and eternal time including past, present, and future as we celebrate it in the Mass. We discussed how our experiences of time change with age, how a child can barely differentiate today, yesterday, and tomorrow. Time seems to stand still and move slowly. And even for adults there are times that never seem to end, be it watching the clock at a despised job, or feeling trapped in some other ways. Then there are moments we want to hold on to that slip away too quickly. As we age, time seems to pick up speed. As we enter into Holy Space, so-called 'Ordinary Time' is truly extraordinary! We come together to experience Holy Time on Holy Ground with the Lord and one another, forming deeper community bonds and developing our shared spiritual path.

We also shared a block of time for teaching, where Mo. Martha+ and Deacon Jetty described the roots and development of the ECC. We talked about the Old Catholic Church in Europe, its origins, as well as OC in America. We talked about the independent Catholic (IC) movement in the US, its characteristics, and how St. Matthew's ECC Church began, how several IC parishes came together, writing a Constitution and by-laws. We talked about the three-legged stool of governance and the particular roles of Bishops, House of Pastors, and House of Laity. Our goal this week was to help participants understand the overall polity of ECC. There was a lot of good discussion about the political/institutional/legal structures in Europe and its history of ECC development, its unique challenges that are quite different than seen in the US. 

Tonight we will watch a three-hour film in which the only spoken words come directly from the Gospel of John. We will give you a little summary of each day's events and will post the daily homilies on the House of Ruth website. Please pray for this little community seeking greater spiritual and organizational development.

House of Ruth Retreat, Days 2-3: We celebrated Mass in our own little private chapel here on day 2 and again on day 3. It's acoustics are wonderful for our music which sounds like a choir of angels as Jetty plays guitar and has taught them a lot of music: it is noticeably better than last year. Today we talked about the meanings and tradition of ashes and we burned our Palm Sunday Palm leaves and all of us were given crosses on our foreheads. We continued a session on building community, starting with those who are within their immediate influence. Interesting discussion on observed 'post-Christian' mindset with which they deal among some of their relatives, extended families, or acquaintances. Others have heavy work and family lives with schedules that hardly allow spare time to participate in church life; some thought being discussed about how to structure better availability and access. Jetty's long stated observation is that in Europe there is a lot of healing needed regarding traumas related to church experiences in childhood + adulthood before there can be strong community development among those so disaffected: HOR members discussing their own unique trajectories through institutional catholic and Protestant backgrounds, followed by involvement in the last several years in very unstable independent catholic groups in Belgium where clergy including bishops would inexplicably change plans and drop groups; some have gone through this 2-3 times and hence see ECC as potentially able to stabilize this situation and create meaningful community if clergy have adequate formation and are committed to being pastors who will 'stay put.' Parishes or individuals have histories of being abandoned. How personal and church life are intertwined and challenges seen in small groups seems similar to what many of us had gone through in the US in the IC movement. Based on their growing understandings from Vatican II and ECC ecclesiology and polity, I see them starting to grapple with issues of their own self-definition and future missions as a community. They want to be supportive of other European missions as well as supporting their ongoing project with inner city poor / children in Phoenix, where Jetty ministers two months a year. They are also undertaking local charity work with Mothers for Mothers, a non-profit which provides used clothing and toys for children. Tonight Jetty will lead a Bible Study on abiding in Christ which is our theme for the week. Thank you for your continued prayers for House of Ruth! Blessings, Martha+ ('Associate member' of House of Ruth and Deacon Jetty, Pastor of House of Ruth

House of Ruth Retreat, days 4-5: it is difficult to pick just a few things to give you a flavor of what went on here, but I will try. Yesterday we watched the movie on Bonhoeffer's life. The discussion afterward was profound for me: I posed a question as to what they felt had been the impact of World War II on their families, their grandparents and parents. They shared stories of family members being required to work for the Germans, the severe deprivations suffered ... Meat being reserved for male laborers who had to have it to function...children might get meat once a month...two people would share an egg... 

Jetty's mother, now age 83, as a 14 year old would proudly wear a long skirt with pockets inside to smuggle butter to trade for sugar, apples, or whatever...secretly bartering 'black market' exchanges among local people because the Germans would appropriate such items for themselves. 

And the post-war childhood years of House of Ruth members were also very poor. Loss of trust with religious authorities in the RCC was common because of their perceived deal-making with the Nazis. The emotional fall-out seemed to have been one where feelings were very numb and constricted. The Church was seen as very rule-bound and impersonal. So their spiritual hunger has emerged over their lifetimes. Attempts at communities outside the institutional Church still left feelings that they experienced a lot of instability. They talked about IC clergy several times arbitrarily and inexplicably dropping small parishes or individuals in need, with no apparent effort to obtain coverage for Laity left in the lurch -- who felt completely powerless. 

It was almost worse than the institutional RCC in its impersonal approach because relationships that developed in IC communities were simply abandoned on multiple occasions.

One can see their growing strengthening spiritually and taking on responsibilities -- with pride in being in the Order of Laity who nowhave a say in what happens to them. 

Today, our last session was very special -- sharing what we each learned and experienced this week individually and corporately. It was my privilege to pray over and to bless each of them for very specific needs and issues. While we had to vacate our house by 10:30 AM, we went on to explore the Monastery, the Church, art gallery, and the grounds...and to talk over a three-hour lunch. Then we delighted in saying goodbye to several of the obviously well-fed, collared, Monastery kitties that roam the properties, coming into our private yard. What a blessing this has been for me to witness this little community forming and deepening! Martha+



Thank you so much Mother Martha+ for writing our daily sharing
Pastor and Deacon Jetty Van Den berghe
Diane Van Damme Soetheer
Mcke Marie-Christine members of our Community House of Ruth
may all be blessed by our sharing and find a way of healing and growing in your relationship with your God

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Hier klikken om te bewerken.

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Mijn Diakenwijding te Vessem Nederland een diepe ervaring...

10/31/2013

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Aankondiging diakenwijding Jetty van den Berghe

9/29/2013

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Er is jou, mens, gezegd wat goed is,

je weet wat de HEER van je wil:

niets anders dan recht te doen, trouw te betrachten

en nederig de weg te gaan van je God.

Micha 6. 8


Met vreugde willen wij u meedelen

dat door handoplegging en gebed

Jetty van den Berghe



De wijding vindt plaats in

op zaterdag 19 oktober 2013

de viering begint om 17.00 uur.



Bisschop Peter Elder Hickman


Participanten House of Ruth






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Vrienden......Friends

8/7/2013

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VRIENDEN

  • Er zijn vier soorten vrienden.
  • De ene is als een bloem,
  • de andere als een schaal.
  • De ene is als een berg,
  • de andere als de aarde.

  • Vrienden die ons behandelen alsof we bloemen zijn
  • In goede tijden dragen ze ons op hun hoofd.
  • Als we verwelken, gooien ze ons weg.
  • Als we het goed doen, behandelen ze ons goed.
  • Als we arm worden, laten ze ons in de steek.

  • Het beeld van de bloem wordt gebruikt om te beschrijven hoe vergankelijk en onbetrouwbaar dat soort relaties kan zijn.
  • We moeten op onze hoede zijn om geen al te strakke banden met hen aanknopen.

  • Vrienden die als bergen zijn.
  • Vogels en dieren komen daar bijeen als voor een gouden berg;
  • hun pels en veren weerspiegelen Zijn licht.
  • Grootheid heeft grootheid aan anderen
  • en deelt in hun vreugden en zegeningen.
  • Sommige vriendenzijn als grote bergen.
  • Ze kunnen bossen en dieren op hun hellingen dragen.
  • Ze verdragen alles wat hun overkomt en laten iedereen bij hen leven.
  • Ze klagen niet over slecht weer en zelfs na jaren van zware stormen blijven ze vrijwel onveranderd.
  • We zouden er allemaal naar moeten streven zo te zijn en als we het geluk hebben zulke vrienden te hebben moeten we hen met heel veel respect en achting behandelen.
  • Geduld, verdraagzaamheid, medeleven en het vermogen een goede vriend te zijn vormen de kenmerken van een Christen en als ze in mensen verschijnen, moeten we hen respecteren alsof ze aspecten van de Ware zijn, want dat zijn ze ook.

  • Vrienden die als aarde zijn.
  • Een fortuin en grote rijkdom laten allen hun respect betuigen.
  • Als de rijke edelmoedig en behulpzaam is, zullen ze allemaal ook dankbaar zijn.
  • Sommige vrienden zijn als aarde. Ze zijn geduldig en hartelijk. Ze kunnen alles bevatten. Ze zijn een bron van leven en een basis waarop alles kan groeien.
  • Het hiervoor geciteerde vers "Een goed fortuin van hem in en grote rijkdom" is te beschouwen als een beschrijving van iemand die getalenteerd en rechtschapen is.
  • Als zo iemand edelmoedig met zijn talenten is, zal hij als de aarde zijn in die zin dat veel mensen van hem kunnen leren en door hem gevoed zullen worden. Als zo iemand toevallig ook rijk is, zal hij anderen nog beter kunnen helpen.
  • Het is belangrijk dat we er allemaal naar streven als bergen of de aarde te zijn in onze vriendschappen, en ook dat we allen deze kwaliteiten in anderen ten volle waarderen.
  • Als je een echte vriend hebt gevonden, heb je het beste in het leven gevonden, en het leven zal niet langer slecht lijken.

  • Met heel veel vreugde kijk ik terug naar onze Praiseviering."House of Ruth"
  • Als we goed luisteren vullen wij elkaars teksten aan zonder van elkaar af te weten. Is dat de intuitie, de kracht van het samenzijn...de verwondering, de Spirit van het grote Geheim.
  • Barmhartige God, dankjewel zusters omdat we elkaars vrienden zijn.
  • Uit het boek "Waarlijk Leven"
  • Aangepast door Marie-Christine 
  • Zus uit onze Gemeenschap House of Ruth
  • Gods zegen, Pastor Jetty


  • Friends
  • There are four types of friends.
  • One is like a flower,
  • the other as a scale.
  • One is like a mountain,
  • the other as the earth.

  • Friends who treat us like we are flowers
  • In good times they carry us on their heads.
  • If we wither, they throw us away.
  • If we do it right, they treat us well.
  • If we are poor, they let us down.

  • The image of the flower is used to describe how frail and unreliable such relationships can be.
  • We must be on our guard not to overly tight ties with them.

  • Friends are like mountains.
  • Birds and animals are gathered there as a golden mountain;
  • their fur and feathers reflect His light.
  • Greatness has greatness in others
  • and share in their joys and blessings.
  • Some friends are like great mountains.
  • They can forests and animals carry on their slopes.
  • They endure everything that happens to them and let everyone join them.
  • They do not complain about bad weather and even after years of heavy storms they remain virtually unchanged.
  • We should all be aiming to come in and if we are lucky to have such friends, we must treat them with great respect and esteem.
  • Patience, tolerance, compassion and the ability to be a good friend are the characteristics of a Christian and as they appear in people, we must respect them as if they are aspects of the True, as indeed they are.

  • Friends are like earth.
  • A fortune and wealth to all pay their respects.
  • If the rich generous and helpful, they will all be grateful.
  • Some friends are like earth. They are patient and affectionate. They can include everything. They are a source of life and a basis on which all can grow.
  • The verse quoted above "A good fortune of him and great wealth" can be regarded as a description of someone who is talented and righteous.
  • If such a person is generous with his talents, he will like the earth in the sense that many people can learn from him and will be. Supplied by him If someone happens to be rich, he will still be able to help others. Better
  • It is important that we all strive for as mountains or the earth to be in our friendships, and also that we all appreciate these qualities in others fully.
  • If you have found a true friend you have found the best in life, and life will no longer seem bad.

  • With great joy I look back to our Praise Celebration. "House of Ruth"
  • If we listen carefully we complement each other's texts without knowing of each other. Is that intuition, the power of being together ... the wonder, the Spirit of the great secret.
  • Gracious God, thank you sisters because we are each other's friends......

  • Thoughts about Friends from a Buddist book "Truely life"  and christian tinted by Marie-Christine our member of House of Ruth.......

Gods blessings Pastor Jetty...

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Studie 7 van het Book Ruth

6/7/2013

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Sessie 7: We bestuderen het middelste gedeelte van het 2e hoofdstuk, de verzen 10-18. We zullen ons focussen op de belangrijkste onderdelen van het gesprek tussen Ruth en Boaz.

Ik heb te horen gekregen van alles wat je deed, [v. 11]:

Onthoud Ruth's belofte en verbond met Naomi? Boaz prijst Ruth, bekijkt elk deel van haar belofte aan Naomi:

1. Ruth's belofte was niet alleen om Naomi (waar je heen gaat, zal ik gaan) maar om haar volk (uw volk zal mijn volk zijn). En uw God zal mijn God zijn.

2. Boaz ziet haar toewijding aan Naomi en haar bereidheid zij is volledig afgesneden van haar eigen familie en een vreemde te zijn, een volk dat haar niet wist te waarderen. Voor een persoon die in de oude wereld, was dit zeer ongebruikelijk.

 Het is haar toewijding aan Naomi, niet tot de mannen van haar gezin - ze is niet op zoek te compenseren voor haar dode echtgenoot of schoon-vader,s verlies in haar leven. Toen vroeg Boaz God om haar te zegenen. Het is duidelijk dat Boaz het zal zijn de bloedverwant die God gebruikt om de vrouwen in veiligheid te brengen.

3. In de rabbijnse literatuur, de gebruikte woorden 'te vertellen,' huggeid huggad li, is een dubbele verhaal dat een bevestiging is,dat Boaz twee profetische openbaringen ontving:

A- De wijzen zullen het verbod op trouwen van Moabieten keren, en het geldt alleen voor mannen, zodat Boaz Ruth kon verwelkomen in de gemeenschap.

B- Het werd geopenbaard aan Boaz dat koningen en profeten zullen neerdalen op Ruth.

... Hoe jij je vader en een  moeder verliet in het land van je geboorte en kwam tot een volk dat u niet eerder had gekend ...

    Ruth's actie wordt parallel met Abraham, waardoor een breuk kwam met haar verleden.         

   Herinneren  wij ons nog hoe God Abraham riep om zijn land en zijn familie zijn huis verlaten

    om naar een onbekend land te trekken [Genesis ].

Het land van je geboorte en je eigen volk was gebaseerd op twee Hebreeuwse woorden, Moledet en 'am, die werden gebruikt om de culturele identiteit en de fundamentele identiteit van mensen in de oude wereld, en hoe ze werden bekeken

En het nawijzen door buitenstaanders. In tegenstelling tot Ruth, Esther verborg haar ware identiteit, het houden van haar geheime  Moledet en 'AM [Esther 2:10, 20].

Moge de Heer uw daden belonen. Misschien heb je een volledige vergoeding van de Heer, de God van Israël, onder wiens vleugels je toevlucht hebben gezocht [vers 12] ....

Dus Boaz verwelkomt haar, zegent haar, en prijst haar trouw aan Naomi (niet gebaseerd op loyaliteit aan haar echtgenoot of schoon-vader).

 Het beeld van Gods vleugels (kenafaim) is vaak te vinden in de Bijbel. Het wordt vaak gezien in de Psalmen. Later, Ruth gebruikt hetzelfde woord als ze op de dorsvloer en op aandringen van Boaz om actie te ondernemen voor haar.

 De Targum zegt dat dit de "vleugels van de Shekinah"  zijn die Gods aanwezigheid onder het volk van Israël betekent.
​Van Abraham en Sara werd gezegd dat ze bekeerde mannen en vrouwen hebben, brengen ze onder de vleugels van de Shekinah volgens Rasji [Genesis 12:05]. Rashi was een van de meest invloedrijke middeleeuwse rabbijnse commentatoren [1040-1105 CE].

Kom hier, en heb deel aan de maaltijd ... ze at tot ze verzadigd was en had eten over ... [vers 14] ...

Nu Boaz initieert het contact en nodigt haar om dichterbij te komen, en haar te voorzien. Hij geeft haar eten. Ze eet van de meester zijn tafel! Het Hebreeuws voor ze at tot ze verzadigd was is vatokhal va-tisba. Er zijn andere bijbelse beelden van God verzadigd ons tot we volledig tevreden zijn. We kunnen denken aan Jezus in het voeden van de 5000 waar opnieuw de menigte werd gevoed en er waren twaalf manden over.

 Zoals Boaz is Gods middel om troost en vervulling te brengen aan Ruth.

U bent hier niet alleen om haar te laten sprokkelen tussen de garven, zonder inmenging, maar je moet ook enkele stengels trekken uit de afvalbergen en laat ze voor haar om op te lezen en scheld niet tegen haar [vers 16].

De zinsnede "zonder inmenging," de Hebreeuwse takhlimusha betekent vernederen of in verlegenheid brengen. God beloofde Sion nooit meer te worden vernederd omdat God haar nu beschermd [Jesaja 54:4].

 Zo kunnen we zien dat Boaz, die de milddadigheid van de Heer, effent de weg voor Ruth om haar werk te doen en om de genereuze voordelen te behalen.

 Werk is eervol en de Heer eert de meest nederige vorm van werk.

Sommige schrijvers zien het verhaal van Ruth, Naomi en Boaz als een analogie, te worden geconverteerd. We hebben een risico te nemen en laat de bekende en overgave aan het onbekende. We moeten erop vertrouwen dat Gods voorziening en het beste voor ons zal komen wanneer we ons overgeven. De vleugels van God is een beeld van de bescherming die vaak voorkomt in de Bijbel.

De uitnodiging voor de Tafel is iets anders, we genieten van de vruchten van onze eigen toewijding en verbond met God, zelfs als we niet weten waar we worden geleid. De Viering kan worden beschouwd als een symbolische re-ageren van onze Verbond met God, waar we kunnen komen en worden vergeven waar we gefaald hebben om lief te hebben en gevoed worden voor de reis. En niemand zal worden uitgesloten. Iedereen is welkom.

Voedsel voor onze gedachten:

1.    Als u terugkijkt op uw eigen reis, wat waren (of zijn) je angsten in het maken van een diepere toewijding aan Christus? Wanneer u in deze plaats, dit punt in je leven, was (of is) wat er aan de hand was voor u? Had je iets wat je had op gerekend of verloren? Of wat denk je dat je bang was het te verliezen?

2.     Heb je hoop of verwachtingen is storm op de voorgrond? Wat waren (zijn) je angsten over wat er zou gebeuren?

 Heeft u, of heeft iemand die je kent een toezegging gedaan dat hen het verlies van zekerheid geeft? Of het opgeven van zekerheid of het opgeven van zekerheid in haar leven?

3. Tot nu toe in je spirituele reis, wat zijn jouw ervaringen geweest als je bereid bent je over te geven aan de onbekende toekomst?

4. Wat ziet u als uw volgende belangrijke spirituele kruispunt?



Gods zegen op jou weg
Pastor Jetty of " House of Ruth"




English translation...


Session 7:  We consider the middle section of the 2nd Chapter, verses 10-18. We will focus on the most important parts of the conversation between Ruth and Boaz.

I have been told of all that you did…[v. 11]:

Remember Ruth’s pledge and covenant with Naomi?  Boaz praises Ruth, mirroring each part of her pledge to Naomi:

1.    Ruth’s pledge was not only to Naomi (where you go, I will go) but to her people too (your people will be my people). And your God will be my God.

2.    Boaz praised her devotion to Naomi and her willingness to cut herself off from her own family to be with strangers, a people she did not know. For a person in the ancient world, this was very unusual. It is her devotion to Naomi, not to the men of her household – she is not seeking to compensate for her dead husband’s or father-in-law’s loss of life.  Then Boaz asked God to bless her. It is clear that Boaz will be the human agency that God used to bring the women into safety and security.

3.    In rabbinic literature, the words used ‘to tell,’ huggeid huggad li, is a double telling which is a confirmation that Boaz received two prophetic revelations:

a.    The sages will reverse the prohibition against marrying Moabites, and it only applies to men, so Boaz could welcome Ruth into the community.

b.    It was revealed to Boaz that kings and prophets will descend from Ruth.

…how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and came to a people you had not known before…

          Ruth’s action is being paralleled with Abraham, making a break with her past. Remember how God called Abraham to leave his country and his family’s home to go to an unknown land [Genesis 12:1].

          The land of your birth and your own people was based on two Hebrew words, moledet and ‘am, which were used to designate the cultural identity and basic identity of people in the ancient world and how they were viewed by outsiders. In contrast to Ruth, Esther hid her true identity, keeping secret her moledet and ‘am [Esther 2:10, 20].

May the Lord reward your deeds. May you have a full recompense from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have sought refuge [verse 12]….

          So Boaz welcomes her, blesses her, and praises her loyalty to Naomi (not based on loyalty to her husband or father-in-law). The image of God’s wings (kenafaim) can be found often in the Bible. It is seen often in the Psalms. Later, Ruth uses the same word when she is at the threshing floor and urging Boaz to take action for her. The Targum says this is the “wings of the Shekhinah” which means God’s presence among the people of Israel. Abraham and Sarah were said to have converted men and women, bringing them under the wings of the Shekhinah according to Rashi [Genesis 12:5]. Rashi was among the most influential medieval Rabbinic commentators [1040-1105 CE].

Come over here and partake of the meal…she ate her fill and had some left over…[verse 14]…

          Now Boaz initiates the contact, inviting her to come closer, and to be filled. He hands her food. She is eating from the master’s table!  The Hebrew for she ate her fill vatokhal va-tisba.  There are other biblical images of God filling us until we are fully satisfied. We can think of Jesus feeding the 5,000 where again the crowd was fed and there were twelve basketfuls left over. So Boaz is God’s agent to bring comfort and fulfillment to Ruth.

You are not only to let her glean among the sheaves, without interference,  but you must also pull some stalks out of the heaps and leave them for her to glean and not scold her [verse 16].

1.              The phrase “without interference,” the Hebrew takhlimusha means humiliate or embarrass. God promised Zion she would not ever be humiliated again because God now protects her [Isaiah 54:4]. So we can see that Boaz, representing the bountifulness of the Lord, paves the way for Ruth to do her work and to reap generous benefits. Work What do you see as your next important spiritual crossroad?

is honorable and the Lord honors the most lowly form of work.

          Some writers see the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz as an analogy to being converted. We have to take a risk and leave the known and surrender to the unknown. We have to trust that God’s provision and his best for us will come when we surrender ourselves. The wings of God is one image of protection that occurs frequently in scripture. The invitation to the Table is another, and we enjoy the fruits of our own commitment and covenant with God even when we don’t know where we are being led.  The Mass can be considered a symbolic reenactment of our Covenant with God where we can come and be forgiven where we have failed to love, and be fed for the journey. And no one will be excluded. Everyone is welcome.

Food for Thought:

2.    As you look back on your own journey, what were (or are) your fears in making a deeper commitment to Christ? When you enter into this place, this point in your life, what was (or is) going on for you? Had you lost something you had counted on? Or what do you fear that you will lose? Have your hopes or expectations been dashed to the ground? What were (are) your fears as to what would happen next?

3.    Have you, or has someone you know made a commitment that cost them loss of security or giving up certainty or predictability in his/her life?

4.    Thus far in your spiritual journey, what have you experienced when you have been able to surrender to the unknown future?



Gods blessing on your way...


Pastor Jetty of " House of Ruth"



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    Ik wil jullie graag meenemen op de pelgrims reis van mijn leven,een reis, die zich laat zien in verschillende facetten. Maar ik wil niet alleen aan het woord zijn, want christen zijn is delen, en dat wil ik graag met jullie doen...
    Daarom  de bewuste keuze in naam"Kerngroep Ruth"want als wij samen opweg gaan, dan wordt er toch een stukje ziel gegeven. Voel je thuis... Jetty

    I'd like to take you with me on the pilgrimage of my life, a journey that shows up in several aspects. But please share with me. Because,to be a christian, means we share, and this I want to do with much happyness.
    Thats why I named my coregroup "Ruth" if we share, we give always a piece of our soul to eachother....
    Feel home, on my blog, Jetty 

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