The way of St. Ignatius: Walking for spiritual strength and faith

The St. Ignatius JSO Church will be conducting a short walk to the church from the Honda showroom in Pai Layout, K.R. Puram, Bangalore. It is planned in a way that all age groups can participate and gain strength from it. The relic of St. Ignatius Elias III in the church in K.R. Puram assures us of the presence of the Holy Father. Walking to church is a walk of faith and walk of assurance. It is knowing that we are walking with God and when we walk with God nothing can ever weaken us.

Micah 6:8 says “He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the Lord is requiring from you— to act with justice, to treasure the Lord’s gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God.” Walking with God and interceding to a saint is a way of assuring ourselves of the presence of God in our lives. Everyone has a reason to walk. It could be the need to be healed, it could be to feel spiritual or it could be to put the body and soul through the same path of spiritual awakening.

No one should be kept out of a spiritual walk and shorter walks help everyone to join and be part of a spiritual quest. We invite everyone to come and be part of the spiritual walk tomorrow and in further walks in the coming months. May the intercession of St. Ignatius Elias III be of refuge and help to all.

All day and night prayer with intercessions to St. Ignatius Elias III

The all day and night prayer with intercessions to St. Ignatius Elias III will be conducted at the St. Ignatius JSO Church, K.R. Puram, Bengaluru from 7:00 in the morning from Saturday October 15, 2016 to Sunday morning October 16, 2016. Rev. Fr. Shibu K.Y., Wayanad, will lead the meditations this year.

Saturday, October 15, 2016
7 A.M.- Walk to church with intercessory prayers from Honda showroom Pai Layout, K.R. Puram, Bengaluru

7:45 A.M.- Morning prayer in church

8:30 A.M.- Holy Qurbana

10:00 A.M.- 11:00 A.M.- Intercessory prayers and reading of Psalms

11:00 A.M.- 1:00 P.M.- Meditative sermon

1:00 P.M.- 2:00 P.M.- Reading of Psalms and convention songs

2:00 P.M.- 3:30 P.M.- Meditation and prayer

3:30 P.M.- 5:00 P.M.- Meditative sermon

5:00 P.M.- 6:30 P.M.- Intercessory prayer, reading of Psalms and meditation

6:30 P.M.- 7:00 P.M.- Evening prayer

7:00 P.M.- 9:00 P.M.- Meditation and meditative sermon

9:00 P.M.- 9:30 P.M.- Prayer

9:30 P.M.- 7:00 A.M.- Reading of Psalms, meditations and intercessory prayers  

Sunday, October 16, 2016

8:15 A.M.- Morning prayer

9:00 A.M.- Holy Qurbana, sermon

11:30 A.M.- Blessing

St. Ignatius Elias III wrist band

For the first time in the history of the Malankara churches in India, the St. Ignatius JSO Church, K.R. Puram, Bangalore is bringing out St. Ignatius Elias III wrist bands for the faithful in Bangalore. This is a first for the church and we thank Rev. Godson Samuel, a proponent of making things out of palm leaves. His interest has seen him making several artifacts with palm leaves. The St. Ignatius Elias III wrist bands are eco friendly and can be used as book marks or as a hanging adornment after use. With this we join hands with Rev. Godson in encouraging local palm workers and small scale industries by using their eco friendly products. It will lead to helping several families and communities which earn their subsistence through palm leaves. The wrist bands will be distributed to the public during the church festival and interring of the relic of St. Ignatius Elias III on Feb 20 and 21, 2016 in the St. Ignatius JSO Church, K.R. Puram.

24 hour prayer: A liturgy after liturgy

A 24 hour prayer will be held by the St. Ignatius Church, K.R. Puram starting at 4:30 P.M. tomorrow, Friday, January 15, 2016 and ending with Holy Communion service in church on Saturday, 5:00 P.M. The prayer is for the smooth conduct of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Bangalore diocese Nineveh convention on January 18,19 and 20 and for personal requests of church members and acquaintances. The prayer is being planned and worked through the church whatsapp group with an individual or family opting for a half hour slot and the prayer thus being continued for 24 hours. Those who are part of the prayer have the choice to pray in a church or from wherever they are. It goes along with the belief of the Syrian Orthodox Church that worship is liturgy after liturgy. It does not stop but rather gains strength from the body and blood of Christ and continues in an uninterrupted spiritual journey. Prayer helps us to communicate with God, give thanks and praise to God, confess our short comings and ask for help. It also gives us the space to reach out to God for others and not just for our own needs. Prayer is a reminder of us being human and of the manifold blessings that we have received from God by the life, passion, death and resurrection of the only begotten son of God. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.(1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)Nothing will happen to us without the knowledge of God and God will in all of God's goodness take care of us. Even as we are tensed because of our lives we are reminded "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."(Philippians 4:6-7) Strong belief is essential for those who want strong interventions from God. St. Mark 11:24 says "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." We are bothered by those who speak against us and those who haunt us with their presence and words on a daily basis. But Christ taught us to love our enemies. "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (St. Luke 6:27-28)Prayer definitely then has to be not just for family members and friends but for those who have maybe hurt us. Prayer makes us ask God instead of feeling bitter and sad about our own life. "You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God." (James 4:2) This is not a prayer to get whatever we want but to get what God wants us to get. God is the best judge of right and wrong and knows specially well what we can take and what we can experience. Do join hands with us in prayer and send us your prayer requests too. "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:4)