THE CROSS BISHOP RALPH NAPIERSKI INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC KNIGHTS ORDER IKRCO YOU ARE INVITED TO LET THE TRUE CROSS OF JESUS CHRIST COME TO LIFE! This brochure is a guide to your questions that you have asked regarding your life's purpose. www.Katholischer–Ritterorden.de BREAKING NEWS! The International Catholic Knights Order is guardian of some parts of the original cross, on which Jesus Christ was crucified and the Order creates the opportunity for the first time in history for every single person to experience the power of this cross in their lives. INVITE THE POWER OF THE CROSS ALSO INTO YOUR LIFE! The Knights Order has the aim to present everybody with a cross as a free gift. This cross has had contact with the original cross, on which Jesus Christ was crucified. Therefore, it is an AUTHENTIC CROSS RELIC. Furthermore, this cross was blessed and consecrated by a Catholic bishop in the apostolic succession and is thus also a sacramental relic, which transfers the blessing to its owner. Healing – inner peace – joy – fulfillment – health and much more is awaiting you to unfold in your life! We can read about the use of relics already in the bible: Acts 19:11-12 (King James Version)
11And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:
12So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.
In MARC 5, 21-34 KJV (s. also Mt 9,20-22)we read about the Jesus relics: A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman 21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
DRAW ON THIS HOLY POWER ALSO IN YOUR LIFE! And that is only the beginning. After you have read this brochure, you will see your life from a different perspective and you will know important answers to the essential question of the purpose of your life, and you will also know, what other wonderful free gifts are awaiting you in addition to the cross. CONTENTS Page 2 - Introduction Page 3 - History of the Cross relic Page 12 - Photo of the Reliquiary and certificate Page 17 - Criteria of Relics Page 18 - Healing and Eternal Life Page 22 - St Martin of Tours – an example for a fulfilled life Page 27 - The Path to God Page 35 - The International Catholic Knightsorder IKRO Page 36 - Mission Page 41 - Diaconate Page 41 - Being part of it Version V 1.0 Priest Ludwig Japkinas and Bishop Ralph Napierski God bless you! WHERE DOES THE CROSS RELIC COME FROM? HOW COME THAT IT IS NOW FREELY ACCESSIBLE? The History of the Parts of the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ, on which Jesus Christ was crucified and that are now in the guardianship of Bishop Ralph Napierski and of the International Catholic Knights Order (IKRO). Already the first Christians guarded the knowledge about the holy places, where Jesus Christ worked during His ministry. This knowledge was continuously passed on and is part of the living tradition of His church. Already the apostle Paul traveled with a delegation of the Greek congregation to Jerusalem Anno Domini 57 and they visited the places and relics of Christ. Since then the Christian pilgrimages have been witnessed and documentated. Bishop Meliton of Sardes (Minor Asia) came to visit Jerusalem Anno Domini 160, and when Alexander of Cappadocia (a disciple of Clemens of Alexandria) visited the holy sights in Jerusalem to pray there in A.D. 212 the joy of the local Christian community was so great that they did not let him travel home but spontaneously chose him as their bishop. The Church Father Origines came in the years 215 and 230 to visit and for research. In the year 325 Makarios, Bishop of Jerusalem in Nicea, met the emperor Constantine. Bishop Makarios told the emperor about the places of Christ's passion (Golgotha, the place of Christ's Crucifixion and the tomb of Christ), which the emperor Hadrian let fill up with soil and then had a temple for Aphrodite built on it. This was utmost desecration to the Christians at their most holy place and it was part of a plan pursued by Hadrian to integrate holy places and Jesus Christ into his religion and at the same time proclaim his own dominion at the same time. It was a temple for Aphrodite because, accordingly to a legend she climbed down into Hades (the underworld) to resurrect the young Adonis/Tammuz from the dead. Emperor Hadrian tried geographically and philosophically to transfer this story to Jesus in order to deceive and tempt the Christians. When he let the platform fill with the soil he let stand out the top of the hill of Golgotha and put on its peak a statue of Aphrodite, who had a son called Golgos. To complete this deceit Hadrian also desecrated the grotto of Jesus Christ into an Adonis/Tammuz shrine and built over the Jerusalem temple the temple of the three highest Roman gods. Emperor Constantine immediately acted and ordered to remove the pagan temples that had been erected by Hadrian over Golgotha and over the holy tomb. Furthermore, there were to be built a beautiful mausoleum above Christ's tomb and over Golgotha a monumental basilica. Constantine declared these projects top priority and sent his mother, the empress Helena, who had been a Christian since A.D. 312 and who had been told in a dream that she was to find the true Cross of Jesus Christ. The project started immediately in the same year of 325. When the soil that had been piled up by Hadrian was removed in the presence of empress Helena, the mother of Constantine, the grotto (cistern) was also discovered, in which the true cross of Christ was kept together with the sign that said 'Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews', three nails and the two crosses of the two criminals, who had also been crucified at the same time. (The grotto is now underneath the church of the tomb). The cross was laid over a sick woman, who was healed instantly. Many church historians of the fourth and fifth century write about it: Gelasius, Rufinus, Theodoret, Sozomenos, Sokrates Scholasticus, Alexander Monachus, Holy Ambrosius von Mailand, Holy Chrisostomos, Holy Paulinus von Nola and many others. The church of the tomb was finally consecrated on 14 th September 335, which was the tenth anniversary of the finding of the cross. The monumental Martyrion-Basilica was built exactly above the place of the place of the safekeeping of the cross. (Not above the peak of the hill of Golgotha that was in the inner court under the open sky). Constantine and his mother Helena Helena divided the miraculous wood of the cross into some parts. One fragment remained in Jerusalem, another she sent to her son in Constantinopel, and a third part she brought to Rome. A part of this and a part of the sign with the inscription 'I NAZARINUS R...' is being kept in the Basilica di S. Croce, one of the seven main churches in Rome. In the year 1998 an in-depth investigation by a commission of the Vatican and seven Israeli experts for antique inscriptions (comparative palaeography) was carried out. They dated the age of the inscription back to the first century, the time of Jesus Christ. Already Anno Domini 349 the Holy Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, said that the true cross of Christ was part by part distributed from Jerusalem into the whole world. He documents the practice of distributing small parts of the holy wood. The church of the Roman city Tixter in Mauretania had a cross relic since the year 359, the inscription of the altar is now exhibited in the Louvre. Presumably even earlier the North-African Roman city of Rasgunia at the Cape Matifu also held a cross relic. Before A.D. 450 empress Galla Placida built the Santa-Croce-Church in Ravenna for the safekeeping of a cross relic. Around the year A.D. 455 Juvenal, the Patriarch of Jerusalem sent a cross particle to Pope Leo. When the Holy Paulinus of Nola received a part of the cross from bishop John of Jerusalem A.D. 401, and sent a part to his friend Sulpicius Severus, he wrote: 'Receive a big gift in a small case and use it as a weapon against the latest dangers and as an insurance for everlasting protection.' He made clear that 'even the smallest particle of the cross contains the total power of the cross of Jesus Christ'. We have an interesting report of the nun Egeria, who traveled to the church of the tomb to take part in the Good Friday mass. She describes very precise in all details, including, how the faithful kissed the cross. Touching the relic with one's hands was forbidden and behind the cross was sitting the bishop and the pilgrims kissing the cross were surrounded by the watchful eyes of deacons, as there had been an incident, at which somebody had stolen parts of the the cross by biting them off the cross! Hence the office of the Staurophylax (cross keeper) was introduced, a priest, who was responsible for the safety of the cross relic. A well-known Staurophylax of the Jerusalem church was Porphyrius, the later bishop of Gaza, *A.D. 18 th March 395, + 5 th/ 26t th February 420. That some Staurophylax had their own way of safekeeping the cross relics shows amongst others the case of the Spanish Staurophylax Toribius, who held his office under the Patriarch Juvenal (358-451). When he returned to Astorge to become a bishop he had a part of the cross relic that is one of the biggest in the world in his luggage and that is being kept today in the mountainous monastery Santo Toribio de Liebana near Santander. Anno Domini 614 the Church of the Tomb was damaged by fire during the siege of Jerusalem through the Sassanadian ruler Chosroes II. 90000 Christians and the priests were killed. The Jerusalem part of the Holy Cross was taken to Ktesiphon by General Sharbaraz. As a consequence Emperor Heraklius became the first crusader with the support of Patriarch Sergios of Constantinopel. He moved out with an army to free the Holy Cross. Already the first encounter with his army led to the retreat of the Persians and by 627 he defeated the army of Chosreos completely. Furious about the defeat the High King ordered the execution of his general and the disinheritance of his son, who let him in return incarcerated and torture to death to become High King himself. The new Persian king asked Heraklius for peace. Heraklius agreed under the condition of the return of all relics, the retreat from all occupied territories and the freedom of all prisoners. In May 628 the solemn return of the True Cross took place. Right on time for the feast of the discovery of the Cross the Emperor processed in triumph with the part of the cross into Constantinopel, where it was erected in a thanksgiving mass in the Hagia-Sophia Cathedral. When the winter was over the emperor left again to bring the part of the cross to Jerusalem. On May 3rd 629 he entered the holy city in the presence of Patriarch Zacharias, who had been freed from imprisonment. At the city gate the emperor got off his horse, laid his crown, his shoes and his robe down, and carried the True Cross of Christ barefeet in his white undergarment on the path, on which Jesus Christ was led to Golgotha 600 years earlier. The church of the tomb was provisionally (in a smaller version) rebuilt by him. Already nine years later (A.D. 638) Jerusalem was conquered by Muslim Arabs. The early Muslim rulers protected the Christian sights in Jerusalem and forbade their destruction. Nonetheless the Patriarch of Jerusalem had as a precaution the cross relic divided into 19 parts in 638, from which he sent 15 to other Christian bishops seats of the East: Constantinopel, Cyprus, Antioch, Georgia, Crete, Odessa, Alexandria, Ascalon and Damascus. Bishop Arculf reports in 670 of the wonderful scent emanating from the cross relic 'as if all flowers of the world were in this relic'. He describes especially that there was a fluid coming from the wood of the Holy Cross that healed people from illnesses. The Tomb of Jesus Christ in Golgotha in the actual Church of the Tomb The actual Church of the Tomb The crack in the rock of Golgatha Cross relic in the Church of the Tomb The crack in the rock of Golgatha Cross relic in the Church of the Tomb The crack in the rock of Golgatha Cross relic in the Church of the Tomb The crack in the rock of Golgatha Cross relic in the Church of the Tomb The crack in the rock of Golgatha Cross relic in the Church of the Tomb The crack in the rock of Golgatha Cross relic in the Church of the Tomb On 18 th October 1009 the Church of the Tomb was destroyed on command of the Fatimid-khalif Al-Hakim bi-amri. This fanatic persecuted Jews, Christians and Muslim brothers equally. A year later he let knock down the remaining rocks of the holy tomb. An outcry went through the Western world, ever louder became the call for a liberation of the holy sights until the crusades spread over the Holy Land. On 15th July 1099 Jerusalem fell after a siege of only five weeks. The terrible slaughter carried out by many crusaders was extremely Unchristian. Godfrey of Bouillon, one of the leaders of the crusade, became Lord over the Christian Kingdom of Jerusalem and Protector of the Holy Tomb. He ordered instantly the rebuilding of the Church of the Tomb. The four cross relics had been hidden by orthodox Christians in the until 1055 improvised Church of the Tomb. Side by side fighting for the liberation of Jerusalem and of the parts of the True Cross of Christ, with Godfrey of Bouillon was the great-ancestor of the Dabrova-Clan. He was described as a foreign knight. It could to this day not yet be verified that he was an descendant of the Benjaminites. (The Israelite tribe of Benjamin presented with Saul the first Israelite king. His kingly line was then taken over by David from the house of Judah. In Moses 5, 33:12 ff it is said that the tribe of Benjamin was favoured by the Lord and therefore highly in regard. When it came to a rift with the other eleven tribes, many of his descendants emigrated to Europe and to parts of Africa). Because of his bravery during the crusade and of the liberation of Jerusalem the foreign knight of Godfrey of Bouillon was honoured with a coat of arms that depicts the hill of Golgotha with the True Cross of Christ, which is stylized and pointing also at the knighthood and framed by the crosses of the two criminals. This coat of arms was later called Dabrova. At the end of the crusade he went from Jerusalem to Poland and started his noble family there, from which eventually comes forth the founder of the International Catholic Knight Order: Bishop Ralph Napierski. A.D. 1114 the Patriarchial chapter of Jerusalem is dissolved and replaced by the Order association of Canons (Ordensverbund der Kanoniker)of the Holy Tomb. Their monastery was erected on the ruins of the entrance hall of the Constantinian Martyrion-basilica. That was the foundation of the Knights of the Tomb of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Tomb in Jerusalem (Ordo Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani, in short: OESSH). In 1847 the Latin Patriarchy Jerusalem was rebuilt; Pope Pius IX. Reorganized as a consequence the old Knighthood of the Holy Tomb with his Apostolic Decree 'Cum Multa' from 24tth January 1868 and designed it as a formal papal religious knightorder. The Order was at first directly assigned to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who was also the Grand Master of the Order: 1847-1872: Patriarch Giuseppe Valerga, 1872-1889: Patriarch Vincenzo Bracco, 1889-1907: Patriarch Luigi Piavi. From then on the Popes have personally led the Order: 1907-1914: Pope Pius X., 1914-1922: Pope Benedict XV., 1922-1928: Pope Pius XI. Until Pope Pius XII. with the statutes of 1949 established a cardinal of the curia as the Grand Master. In Germany many bishops belong to the Knights of the Tomb like Archbishop Robert Zollitsch (Freiburg), Archbishop Dr. Reinhard Marx (Muenchen-Freising). Some of the parts of the Cross, on which Jesus Christ was crucified that are now in the possession of the the International Catholic Knight Order IKRO stem from the Patriarch of Jerusalem Luigi Piavi, Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of the Holy Tomb in Jerusalem. The reliquary contains some parts of the cross relics of the IKRO. Authenticity certificate and letter of recommendation of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Luigi Piavi,the Grand Master of the Knights of the Tomb OESSH Further parts of the True Cross of our Lord God Jesus Christ,the which are now in the care of the International Catholic Knights Order come from the Vatican and especially from the hands of: Archbishop Pietro Kardinal Palazzini Prefect of the Congregation for the Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum The Congregatio de Causis Sanctorum is the Congregation of the Roman Curia, which is responsible for the complex process of canonization (including the establishing of the saintly virtues. After the preparation of a case including examination and testing of miracles the results are being presented to the Pope, who then decides over the sainthood or canonization. The previous holder of office of the Congregation was the Holy Rites Congregation (Lat. Sacra Rituum Congregatio), also short called Rite Congregation. This was until 1969 the central administration of the Vatican founded by Pope Sixtus V A.D. 1588 with the Apostolic Constitution Immensa Aeterni Dei the Congregatio pro sacris ritibus et caeremoniis. Cardinal Palazzini (May 19 th, 1912 – October 11 th, 2000) helped with the rescue of Jews in WWII and was honoured as 'Righteous amongst the Nations' by Yad Vashem in 1985. At the honour he protested against the often repeated criticism of Pope Pius XII, upon whose instructions Pallazzini had acted. The relic then came into the administration of a Monsignore of the Congregatio pro Gentium Evangelizatione – previously Propaganda Fide. The Monsignore started a project to find worthy sights and for causes for the use of relics because they were often simply hidden away and kept safe without being used at all. In the years 2009 and 2010 the International Catholic Knight Order IKRO, founded and led by Bishop Ralph Napierski received the relics of the True Cross of Jesus Christ. Now the Order uses the Holy Cross of Jesus Christ to spread the gospel and bring healing to mankind. Some of the cross relics that were brought to Rome by Empress Helena are still being kept there to this very day. Her palace was built into a church and is nowadays the church Santa Croce in Gerusalemme. Inside the church is the so-called Helena Chapel, and the floor was said to be covered with soil of the Holy Land. Therefore the grounds were rewritten into Holy Land, which gave the church its strange name of Gerusalemme. The inscription inside in the Helena Chapel reads: 'Here is kept the holy soil of the mountain of Calvary of Jerusalem, of the blessed Helena in the crypt, with which she above erected this chapel with the name Jerusalem.' There were some smaller and the biggest known cross relics in the Helena chapel until A.D. 1570. Due to the high humidity they had to be transferred to a higher floor. In the year 1629 the great wood part of the Holy Cross was on instruction of Pope Urban VIII from S Croce in Gerusalemme to S Peter's Dome. There it received its own chapel in one of the four columns of the mighty cuppula. Since then the blessing of Good Friday is being given with this part of the Holy Cross in S Peter's Dome. At first from the balcony of the Helena Chapel and then finally until today from the opposite lying Veronica Chapel. To this day is to be found the half inscription sign of the True Cross: The Cross-Inscription – Titulus Crucis - The half Titulus, which was brought to the church by Empress Helena, spent the longest time of its stay hidden away behind stones. The Titulus was built into the wall Anno Domini 410 to protect it from the plundering through the Goths, who took Rome under Alarich. A.D. 1143 it was rediscovered at a refurbishment through Cardinal Gerardus (who later became Pope Lucius II). He had the the Titulus hidden in a leaden case sealed with his seal again behind walls above the arch of triumph in the Helena Chapel, which was probably used already 410 or 427 after the renovation of Emperor Valentine. At restoration works (ordered by Cardinal Mendozza) at the church the bricks and the Titulus were discovered underneath the cement hidden on 1stst February 1492. After the founding of the Cisalpine Republic in 1767 came the relic again in danger, when French troops marched into Rome and arrested Pope Pius VI. There were confiscations and plundering of churches and monasteries. In 1798 the representatives of the republic demanded the surrender of the Cross-Inscription-Sign. But the remaining monk, who had been the housekeeper had hidden it well and stayed silent. From 1803 the stolen empty reliquaries were replaced by new ones. Anno Domini 1870 the Titulus was examined by the French scientist Rohault de Fleury. He published a study about it and compared the Titulus with other well-known samples of scriptures. An interesting result of his research: The statement of the 'enlightened' skeptics that all relics of the True Cross put together would be enough to build a whole ship was proven wrong by him: He calculated mathematically the volume of all relics of the True Cross from all European cathedrals and proved that all together would only make the third of the Roman cross. In the 20thth century this research was again looked into: With official permission of the Vatican Michael Hesemann has examined again the relic of the Titulus of the cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross-Inscription Sign was by dated by seven experts for comparative paleography (the established method for comparative palaeography for inscriptions)to the first century, which confirmed its authenticity wonderfully. The experts were: Dr. Gabriel Barkay, Professor Dr. Hanan Eshel, Frau Dr. Leah di Segni (Hebrew University Jerusalem), Prof. Dr. Israel Roll, Prof. Ben Isaac(Tel Aviv) und Professor Carsten Peter Thiede (University Basel und University Beer- Sheva) by and it followed a confirmation also by Prof. Maria-Luisa Rigato of the Pontifical University Gregoriana in Rome. On 17 th December 1998 Hesemann was received personally by Pope John Paul II to present the findings of his research about this important relic. Later the Pope expressed his admiration and recognition in a letter for this extensive study. Michael Hesemann´s book „Die Jesus-Tafel: die Entdeckung der Kreuz-Inschrift. Freiburg im Breisgau 1999, ISBN 3-451-27092-7" became a bestseller in Germany and in Italy, published by renowned Catholic publishers of both countries: Herder (1999) und San Paolo (2000) It also inspired the dissertation of Dr. Maria-Luisa Rigato, Rome, and the international bestseller "The Quest for the True Cross" by Thiede/d'Ancona. A later book by Michael Hesemann presents further interesting facts on the subject of relics: „Die stummen Zeugen von Golgatha: die faszinierende Geschichte der Passionsreliquien Christi." Kreuzlingen, München 2000, ISBN 3-7205-2139-7. Further information about relics: In Christianity the adoration of relics is one of the oldest forms of devotion to saints and evidence is found already clearly in the mid-second century. This is remarkable because in the pagan antiquity adoration of relics was not desirable and body parts of even saints were seen as impure. The very existence and fame of great Catholic cathedrals of the Middle Ages were based on the devotion to saints and the adoration of their relics – like the Three Kings in the Dome of Cologne. It is important to understand in this context that devotion is not worship of a saint or the relic but simply the appreciation and use of the contained healing power in the relics, which is a purely and ultimately a free gift of God. CATEGORIES IN ORDERS: 1. Relics of the first order are all body parts of the saint, especially particles their bones but also their hair, fingernails and, if preserved, also other remains, in more rare incidents also blood. Saints, whose bodies were burnt the ash also counts as relic of the first class. 2. Relics of the second order, also called authentic contact relics, are objects that the saint has touched in their lifetime, especially objects of special biographical relevance. That includes also the robes and garments of saintly priests and religious people, with martyrs their instruments of torture and weapons, through which they found their death. 3. Relics of the third order or mediary contact relics are objects that have had contact with the relics of the first order. An exceptional position of this scheme hold the biblical relics, those objects that are connected to Jesus Christ and Mary directly. Objects in this category are the cross relics, the passion relics, that played a role in the Passion of Christ in His last days of His life. These are f.ex. the Holy Lance of Longinus, particles of the cross nails i.e. the Iron Crown, particles of the Thorn Crown (Notre Dame Paris) and other martyr instruments; furthermore the Turin shroud, the sweatcloth of Veronica (in the Peter's Dome in Rome) and the Holy Grail. In a similar way garments are adored that were worn by Jesus and Mary in their lives, f.ex. the Holy Skirt in Trier, the sandals of Jesus in Pruem as well as nappy and loin cloth of Jesus in Aachen and the gowns of Mary (veil, belt). Healing and Eternal Life Find out, how you can personally attain healing and eternal life! Already in the Old Testament we read about the relics of the prophet Elisha in 2 Kings 13,20-21:
20And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
21And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
The original power comes from God. At the same time relics are symbols that lead us to the source itself. We know the symbol of the snake that wraps itself around the staff, which is used i.e. by the World Health Organization, pharmacies, veterinaries etc. and it is today the symbol of the medical and pharmaceutical profession and represents healing. Here are only a few examples of many in the world: This symbol transports an important secret! The secret of this symbol is one of the keys to understand healing and how to attain eternal life:
Numbers 21:8-9 (King James Version)
8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.
9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
This snake at a staff was also a powerful medium of the power of God. But if the symbolic character is not understood as such and if one ignores that all power comes ultimately from God, then this leads to wrong behaviour and abuse, towards the symbol and the medium. The medium and symbol is then being wrongly treated by the user as the source and not any longer God. And in that case it is better to destroy the object of this false idolatry, as we can read of King Hezekiah. 2 Kings 18,3-4
3And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that David his father did.
4He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan.
Jesus gives us the insight about the true contexts and Jesus is the True God and so it is of utmost importance to surrender to Him a the True God and not to replace Him with a symbol. 1. John 5,19-21
19And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
20And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
21Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Because the raised snake was ultimately a symbol for Jesus that made His true Divine power available and only Jesus as True God can bring us absolute salvation. John 3,14-17
14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
The saving snake is therefore the prophetic sign for Jesus Christ, who was crucified and who rose again on the third day after His death. Through Him all can be saved. What does this mean: 'So, that all, who believe in Him, have eternal life? How is that possible? How does it work? At first we shall see, how faith is part of the healing and later we shall have a look at how we can beyond our healing attain eternal life. So many people have already such a long path of sickness and suffering behind them. They tried many things and spent often all their money in the hope to find healing with this or that expensive method of therapy. Especially in such cases relics are an invaluable means as the bible tells us:
21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.
22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,
23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.
24And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.
25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
Marc 5,21-34 (see also Mt 9,20-22) At the same time we also see that it is here not about some simple accidental touch, as it probably happened all the time in the crowds, though which Jesus moved. The woman, who wanted to receive healing touched His garment purposefully with the intention to be healed. She did in blind faith and that healed her. Faith means to know something intuitively and to integrate it into one's life and to adjust one's actions also towards holiness. Faith is therefore important in the contact with relics. And a very essential point is that it is the power that emanates from Jesus that led to healing and His garment is just the medium. So, if you accept this cross in faith its power will unfold in your life and will fill it with God's blessings. And Jesus wants to give us manifold and for free (a rich in blessings and meanings and fulfilled life. He says:
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10,10
Would you like this for your life? Use your cross relic with your faith and let yourself be filled through Divine power with the force of life. Start today into a life full of power and spiritual and physical health! What you experience here will have an effect on all areas of your life. You shall see, how you lead a totally different and new life with a yet unknown strength. It is about finding our ultimate own identity. And the one, who gives us this identity and the force of life, is God. How it works we learn and experience through the saints. Saints are role models, who show us, how one can focus one's life on God and how one can master special situations in life. Because living examples of people, who have been through something, are much more vivid and convincing than a grey theory that has never been applied to life. Sometimes I cannot understand, what people say, as that, what they are, speaks louder to me than that, what they say to me. That, what saints say to me, is that what they are the theories of saints stem from practical experience and are therefore invaluable treasures for us. The Holy Apostle Paul says to us:
1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
1 Cor 11,1-2
16Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.
1 Cor 4,16 Let us now have a look at the example of Holy Martin, how one can break the chains of the old life, and how to overcome all resistance and barriers and how with the new strength one finally becomes the one, we always wanted to be. Many know ST MARTIN from lantern processions: Many children are happy, when they can go in a procession with their lanterns in the dark season of the year. But what is this about? Is the feast of Saint Martin really a children's feast or is this feast also a key for a fulfilled life for adults? The feast of St Martin is a feast, at which the children learn already very early something essential for their lives. But as many adults have not passed on the meaning of the feast themselves and thus also not lived those meanings in their lives it simply stays the children's lantern feast for most. It is time to draw on the treasures that are being given to us in word and tradition! What is therefore so special about St Martin that a special day was dedicated to him and that such a feast is being celebrated? If we look at the story of Martin(born A.D. 316) we receive a key for the question of the purpose of our life. St Martin is a role model for a fulfilled life. 1) Initial situation in worldly life Martin was a Roman soldier, who led a group of soldiers as a commanding officer. His job was therefore the war. Something that did not really fulfill him and that was connected with a lot of suffering. His name originates from the Roman god of war Mars. - Many people are in life situations, in which they are not happy. 2) Seeking Because he was not happy with his life he became active and was looking for alternatives. He therefore visited Christian groups in his spare time and so heard the good news of Jesus. Many people ask themselves, how they should lead their lives; what is the purpose of life. Many people in Germany have heard of Jesus and of His vision of loving-kindness towards one's neighbour. - Get to know the will of God. (Read the bible / visit mass) 3) The decision Martin had now heard God's vision of life in general. He was still not a baptized Christian and he did not know yet his special calling. He did not wait until God told him the exact plan for his life in details but he made a decision to lead his life ACCORDINGLY TO GOD'S WILL and TO LIVE. That means that instantly his life changed, even when the circumstances stayed at first the same. There is a difference, whether one knows things (I know, I heard that already before) or whether one does things. The decision is the first step into action. - Make your decision and change your attitude. 4) The action Martin's decision led to a changed ACTION. He was riding with a group of soldiers. It was winter and they passed by freezing beggar. He took his coat and cut it with his sword. One half he kept, the other he gave to the beggar, so that he did not have to be cold anymore. His action sealed his decision to live by God's will. - Let your decision change your action (even against resistance and obstacles in society). Love your general calling. The calling that everybody has. Loving-kindness and to spread the good news. To help, to heal, to support etc. (God gives you your personal calling, when the timing is right, f.ex. the life after the general calling, so, do not wait for it unless you start to act. - that is a very commonly spread error: 'I need to know first, what God plans for me'. It is generally already said in the bible!). Faith without deeds is dead. (James 2,14-26) 5) The Environment The most difficult part in this situation was for sure for Martin the response of his comrades. They could not understand, made fun of Martin or mocked him or declared him for mad. His halved coat brought him permanent mocking. This response is typical, when one changes one's life, and one changes the existing contacts and connections with the world. One becomes seemingly breaking away from old patterns and appears to be different. That leads at first to resistance as the environment has already integrated you and made plans with you. The environment does not want any changes as it creates uncertainty for them. Typical are comments like: 'You can't do that. That is other people's job. You cannot share with a total stranger, what you have. You don't know that person. It is probably his own fault. You cannot help everybody. Then there is nothing left for you' etc. - If you get these responses, then you know that your changes are also visible to others, and you are truly changing. 6) The dream In the night Martin had a dream, in which Jesus appeared to him. He had his half coat in his hand and said to him:
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Mt 25, 40 After this his whole personality changed. - When we start to live God's commandments and our general calling, then we give God the chance to change us. 7) A new person Martin had become a new man through Jesus. He was baptized and became a Christian. His personality was changed by God. 8) To adapt our environment As he became a new man he was no longer able to serve in the war. He was invited by the emperor to receive a bonus payment as a recognition. But he refused the bonus. He went to the emperor (Emperor Julian) and said to him that he was now somebody else and therefore could no longer lead a war. That is a brave step. The emperor could have forced him or have him imprisoned. Or from what should he live? After all, the military service was also his way of making a living. At first the emperor doubted his motives and accused him of fear from the Germans. - After we have adapted our deeds accordingly to our outlook against all the resistance in our environment, which led to a change in our personality (through God), it is now important to adapt our position in society to our personality. And, of course, there are again obstacles and resistance that need to be overcome. Also to resist titles and temptations. We also can expect attacks regarding our motives. 9) The Vision God gave Martin a vision. Martin saw, how he himself went with a raised cross unarmed over a battlefield and thus ended the war against the Germans. That he told the emperor. Very brave. The emperor did not want to know about it and was even angry about it. Then he threw him into prison and wanted to send him the next day before the battle over the field to the enemies (as a punishment because he anticipated that the enemy would kill Martin). - When you have changed your position and dependencies in the world, then God gives you a calling or a command. It takes total SURRENDER of your will to admit to this publicly and to act accordingly to the vision or to carry out the command. Often that seemingly goes together with disadvantages in society. 10) Spiritual battle But before it came to Martin being sent to the enemy lines of the Germans a messenger came from the Germans. He said that their field marshall had a dream, in which a single man would go with a raised cross over the battlefield and all Germans fell. And because the dreams of the field marshall always came true, the Germans asked to be allowed to surrender and the right to retreat without weapons. With that the war was ended. - When one stays faithful to one's vision and to one's calling, God fights with and for us. Sometimes it is even the case that one does not even have to carry out the deed as it is about the spiritual aspect. 11) The personal calling and gifts After that Martin went on his mission, founded a monastery and was consecrated as Bishop of Tours on 4 th July 372. He had a few gifts of the Holy Spirit and healed the sick, held inspiring sermons and stood successfully up against heretical teachings. - When one allows to be guided by the visions and commands of the Holy Spirit one is ready to receive in addition to the general calling also one's personal vocation from God. The VOCATION is the fulfilling task, for that we have been created. The PURPOSE of one's LIFE. To be able to live this vocation one receives spiritual gifts (skills) of the Holy Spirit, who works through us to serve man. Go on this path. It is the path of your life, it leads you to your vocation. God helps us to go on this path. Because God is the Light that we must follow to find our way.
105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 119,105 That symbolizes the Martin's lantern at the procession. It shows us the light in the darkness. Just like God's word does it also. At the same time the procession is a symbol for the general calling and the mission. To go together into the world and to be a shining beacon.
1 John 1
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1. Johannes 1,7
14Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5,14-16 Be therefore the Light of the World! Go and let the life of your neighbours shine through the good news of the gospel and through good deeds! Christianity is built on following. The apostles followed Jesus and the next generation followed them and so forth. And, of course, we all follow Jesus and an important method is: We follow role models (saints) and become thus role models for others. In these words of the Holy Apostle Paul he reveals this important recipe for success:
1 Corinthians 11
1Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.
2Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.
1 Cor 11,1-2 ) I pray for you and bless you! May God show you your personal way and lead you to your vocation. May God give you courage and strength to go this path even against all odds. May God fill you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and fill you with joy, so that you become a light for others, whilst you follow the light on your path. Amen To understand this exactly we do need more background information, as Saint Martin has received them also, when he came into contact with Christians. Which are the individual steps that everybody has to go to come to God and to find salvation? How to we receive the ETERNAL LIFE? Here is the way to God divided in twelve steps: You have experienced a lot but you are not at home with your heart
and soul yet,
and your life is not complete as you can feel it inside yourself?
You are on the quest for the holy purpose of your life and are
yearning to fulfill your own destiny - and to dwell in your assigned
spiritual home?
Then you are in the right place!
JESUS wants to forgive you for all your sins and lead you to a better
life!
For this the following steps are necessary:
Step 1
We cannot create the purpose of our lives ourselves.
Therefore, we cannot find true satisfaction in the world.
Some people are looking for it in clubs, through taking drugs, at
work, in sports or with other people etc. - we do not find the
purpose of our lives and the true inner satisfaction outside of our
hearts and souls. We project our personal wishes onto other people or
things, and we compensate, if we are just driven by our own ego. But
after a while we notice that we were in love with our projection and
not with the person, how he truly is and it is the same with our new
car, mobile phone, walkman or whatever we bought. We accept the fact
that we always ever hunt for our own phantom and never find, what we
are looking for. That is the point, when we turn to God as we realize
that we are not the master of our own destiny after all.
Only if we surrender our worries and fears and anxieties to God, and
especially our self and offer it to God will we be able to truly
fulfill our destiny.
Step 2
God is our Creator.
God loves us and has a plan for our lives.
John 3:16 King James Version (KJV)
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
John 10:10 (King James Version (KJV)
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly.
This plan that God has for each of us, is called a calling or
vocation. The same word that we use also in the sense of profession.
To be called or to receive a vocation always implies that there is
somebody, who calls us. Only if we take the place or answer our
calling that God created for us, we fulfill our destiny and
experience happiness and fulfillment.
All else is an unfulfilled and meaningless life!
As a man, if you dream of driving a racing car you will not feel
comfortable in a stony environment with water trenches and steep
hills. Flat tires and breakages of the whole axe would be the result.
But if you are standing on the racing course everything changes. You
are in your element. Joy, pace and everything falls suddenly into
place and runs smoothly and even, if the course leads at times into
sharp curves, you know that you are in the right place. It is the
same for the jeep driver that would be hopelessly lost on the race
course but who suddenly realizes his destiny and fulfillment is
conquering rugged terrain. A destiny that both have received from
their Creator (Maker). And something else is important: If the owner
does not refill the tank regularly, then the energy and motor is soon
used up, resulting in standstill.
As a woman, you might dream of beautiful things or clothes for
yourself or for your home and you are longing for a caring husband,
the harmony of a family, and for peace in the world. And you might
find it hard in society not to be laughed at for believing in pure
and true love between one husband and one wife. You also dream for
all ways of war and violence to cease, and for children to grow up in
the nurturing environment and society they deserve, so that one day
even your grandchildren have still a nation and country left
to live in. But this dream is rarely fulfilled in one-night stands,
clubs, binge-drinking or in trying to be more male than a man at
work. If you have a child or children and a family, you might long
for the right balance between the demands of your husband, your
children and probably your work commitments and what is left for your
own personal development to be able to keep up with all the various
challenges life presents you with.
Step 3
We need the connection to God but man is sinful and is therefore
separated from God.
Romans 3:23 King James Version (KJV)
23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Isaiah 59:2 King James Version (KJV)
2But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and
your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Man was created to live in the union with God but man decided to
follow his own will and so came the separation from God about.
(Described in 1 Moses 3)
We ourselves cannot overcome this distance to God, there is only one
way back to God.
Step 4
John 14:6 King James Version (KJV)
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Romans 5:8 King James Version (KJV)
8But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.
1 Corinthians, 15, 3-6 King James Version (KJV)
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:
5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of
whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen
asleep.
Through Jesus' sacrifice that has washed away all our sins, we can
reach salvation and the union with God. We simply have to accept this
free gift from Jesus.
Step 5
Prayer - Now you can win the main prize by inviting Jesus into your
life!
We cannot earn salvation through our own deeds.
Ephesians 2, 8-9 King James Version (KJV)
8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
it is the gift of God:
9Not of works, lest any man should boast.
But Jesus wants to give us a gift and He is already standing in front
of our door and is waiting:
Revelation 3:20 King James Version (KJV)
20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice,
and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and
he with me.
John 1:12 King James Version (KJV)
12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Do you want to be a child of God and live in the love of God?
Then accept the gift of Jesus Christ and let Him take you by your
hand and let Him lead you to God because:
John 14:6 King James Version (KJV)
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man
cometh unto the Father, but by me.
How does that work?
Jesus resurrected and we must accept Him in faith as Our Lord and King:
Romans 10,9-10 King James Version (KJV)
9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou
shalt be saved.
10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Make a decision that will change your life forever!
With this prayer you will be forgiven all your sins, you will receive
salvation, support and eternal life, simply say it:
'God, my life has not taken the shape as you had laid it out for me.
I was looking for satisfaction, recognition and for the purpose of my
life. But I did not find it anywhere. Now I know that all I have
looked for is really - you. Without your love, care and strength I am
nothing and my life is without deep meaning. It is you, who gives my
life a purpose and who entrusts to me a wonderful calling in this
life. This calling is the holy purpose of my life. God, I want to
return home to you and finally fulfill my holy role and purpose and
find also fulfillment in your love. JESUS, you have died for the
forgiveness of all sins on the cross. I herewith accept your gift
from you. Thank you that you died for my sins and that you have
sacrificed your life for me. JESUS, please, come into my life and
lead me. Take me by your hand and lead me back to God and into the
destiny of my life. AMEN'
When you have said this prayer, then you are from now on a Christian
and saved.
You are now a new person.
(Even though you might not yet feel different - that is not important).
Many congratulations! Welcome home!
What next?
Step 6
It is important to understand that you have not reached your destiny
yet but you are standing at the beginning of a wonderful path.
There are people, who are now coming to a standstill and think that
they have reached already all but God has prepared many more
wonderful stations on our path.
Ephesians 2,10 King James Version (KJV)
10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good
works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
To accept Jesus as Our Lord, does not simply mean to say 'Lord' to
Him, but to truly accept Him as Our Master and to follow Him, and
therefore surrender to the will of God:
Matthew 7, 21 King James Version (KJV)
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is
in heaven.
But what is the will of the Father?
Now it is important to learn more about the foundation about
Christianity, to understand it and to implement it.
And then to follow our own calling of God and to discover our very
own place in His kingdom.
And here we find out, what is important for our salvation and what
the will of God is:
Baptism:
There are two kinds of baptism: That with water and that of the holy
spirit. Both can be done in principle at the same time but they don't
have to be done together.
John 3:5 King James Version (KJV)
5Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.
Last Supper/Holy Eucharist
John 6:53 King James Version (KJV)
53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except
ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no
life in you.
54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life;
and I will raise him up at the last day.
And it is clearly said that the eating and drinking of flesh and
blood of our Lord Jesus Christ now leads to eternal life and to the
resurrection on Judgment day.
So two most important focal points of salvation!
Steps 7+8
For everyone, who has accepted all this, it is important now to learn
and to grow spiritually and to follow the will of God for his life.
We are then nurtured also by other Christians to share and pass on,
what we have been given ourselves.
Steps 7+8 are presented together here because we will never cease to
learn and we are always called to implement, what we have learnt and
then to pass it on.
It is a danger to think one first has to understand everything and
one has to know everything, before we can get active.
And it is also not about simply understanding something but to live
by it and to integrate it into our lives.
It is also wrong to say that one cannot get active because God has
not told us yet His plan for our own life.
God said this:
The general command to spread the Good News:
Matthew 28.18-20
18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded
you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
This command to teach is the general calling for each Christian.
We begin therefore to grow and to use the gifts and skills that we
have received from God for the kingdom of God.
At the same time we continue to learn and to develop our skills.
God always guides us in all our movements and in our pace.
Be active in as many areas as possible, support other people and
projects in their mission and learn from them
Christendom is a concept of fellowship.
You will find that through your own development and growth in the
general calling you will grow steadily into your own calling.
Step 9
And finally God will reveal us His plan for our own lives, our own
personal destiny and place in the kingdom of God:
Romans 12, 4-8
4For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not
the same office:
5So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one
of another.
6Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to
us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of
faith;
7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on
teaching;
8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it
with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth
mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Cor 12, 25-28
25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members
should have the same care one for another.
26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or
one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Eph. 4, 11-12
11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ:
If we do not know our calling yet, we must long to get to know it and
when we know it, we must thrive on fulfilling it.
God will give you these visions, when you are ready for them.
Grow into your calling!
Step 10
Preparation for the calling of God.
This preparation is of course dependent on the nature of your calling
and is therefore different for every person.
If God says that you have to go to a certain country as a missionary
it will be part of the preparation to learn the language of this
country, to build up a support network
etc. If your calling is that to care for the elderly in a nursery
home and to guide them in their last phase of life then you need a
training that prepares you accordingly.
Also, to be active as a doctor, businessman, teacher or scientist for
God you need a special degree or university course.
Of course, it makes a lot of sense to know one's calling before we
begin a training or university degree course.
It is therefore important to counsel young people not to learn
something only to have a job per se.
Also the personal development is far more important than the
professional training.
The professional skills are often easily learnt, but the personality
is given to us by God and that He wants to see blossom.
It is important to understand that there are callings that are meant
to be applied within a parish and then there are those outside a parish.
Some are destined to become priests, and of those some are called to
build parishes, and others are called to do mission work and again
others to work in the labour market etc.
Step 11
When the preparations are closed the life of our calling from God
begins.
It is the purpose of our own life that we have received as a gift
from God.
And again we have to go through various stages
The beginner, who focuses on the start-up.
The next one has built up something already, and is now networking
with others.
And then there are those, who preserve and build on that, which they
have built up and
who introduce and teach others the ways of God.
Step 12 Live in the truth of the Holy Spirit and be part of the living word, the never-ending story all written in the book of life by God for His world without end. AMEN
The International Catholic Knights Order IKRO Der Internationale Katholische Ritterorden IKRO supports people on their life path and with the making their steps in the right direction. IKRO offers a framework and a community for your personal spiritual development and for your relationship with God. EDUCATION THE educational programme of the IKRO is both, theory and practice, and accompanies the members on their way. The teaching is biblical. An important foundation is prayer life, mass, contemplation, awareness training and the personal spiritual development. The practical parts are the mission and the diaconate. MISSION IKRO wants to reach people with the gospel. 1) Giving away of relics We give away freely as gifts cross pendants or medals that have had contact with the true cross. Together with information we give these by a Catholic blessed relics to as many people as possible. 2) Pilgrimage sights We want to establish places of pilgrimage in as many countries as possible. A big stone cross of Jesus or a Jesus statue (3-4 metres and preferably under a roof) on a hill. In this cross is contained part of the original cross. People can come and touch the cross, pray, contemplate and have their personal spiritual experience or can receive healing. A chapel in close distance is a further option. (A cross can also be erected in a church.) 3) Processions Processions and marches with a part of the cross of Christ are a powerful experience. We plan worldwide processions. We also take regularly part in other processions and marches: Corpus Christi procession in Berlin Photos from the 1000 Crosses March for the protection of life 4) Pilgrimages of the part of the True Cross of Christ 5) Exhibitions of a part of the Cross of Christ in suitable places to make it available to as many people as possible. A further aim of the Mission of IKRO is Christian unity, which shall be attained by sharing the Holy Eucharist. Information on this in our free e-book. DIACONATE In the diaconate work the focus is on protection of life: The nourishment of people. a) in the Third World Every day 1 000 000 people die from hunger. And that although there is more food available than needed worldwide. Here the right action is urgently needed! EVERY 3 SECONDS A CHILD DIES FROM POVERTY! b) In the 1. World In the rich countries people suffer from environmental problems and poor quality of food. 80% of all diseases in Germany are based on false diet! Although food can be produced in high quality. Lack of vital nutrients leads to so-called civilizational diseases. Water Supply More than 2,6 Million people – almost half of the world population – have to this day no sanitary facilities like latrines or a water recycling system. And people get their water from polluted sources, wells, lakes or rivers. Every year about 1,8 million people die from illnesses of the intestines, of whom most are children under the age of five. In the countries of the 1 st world the quality of the drinking water is worsening due to hundreds of thousands of chemicals, toxins and residues from medication in the drinking water. Hormonally active substances result in diseases, femininization and even infertility. Every year worldwide ca. 42 million children are being killed. In Germany every day there are ca. 1000 children killed through abortion. The rainforest is being depleted, the atmosphere is warming, the environment is being destroyed and environmental disasters are the consequence. The world falls apart because society lacks Christian values and accordingly to how the outward world is being destroyed man is hurt also in his innermost because he lacks purpose. The International Catholic Knights Order IKRO wants to take responsibility together with others and show the way out of this crisis – the way that leads to inner purpose and outer renewal of the world based on Christian values and in the following of JESUS CHRIST. Become a member in the IKRO and walk with us in your vocation. God has a plan for your life, get to know this plan and apply it to your life! Live your calling! We are looking forward to walk with you! Seeker One comes to IKMO as a seeker and one decides to get to know the way to God. Novice One decides to become a Christian and to get to know the IKRO and to participate actively. Brother / Sister One decides to become a permanent member in the IKRO. One can carry the title in the name and also wear the coat of arms. (Br + your name IKRO or Sr + your name IKRO) At this stage there are now some levels and also consecrations that one can attain on this way: House Circle leader, missionary, mission leader, various teaching qualifications. Ostiary, lector, exorcist, acolyte, sub-deacon. Deacon, priest, knight and templar knighthood and guardian of the Holy Cross God bless you! www.Katholischer-Ritterorden.de
God bless you!
Mother Eliora,
M.S. OHR
A Catholic order in the Angl.-Catholic tradition
in affiliation with Bishop Ralph Napierski in union
with the RCC
25th 
Feast of St. James, apostle Old Calendar: St. James, apostle; St. Christopher 
In Spain, he is called El Senor Santiago, the patron saint of horsemen and soldiers, and his great shrine at Santiago de Compostela in that country has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries. He is one of those that Jesus called Boanerges, "son of thunder," the brother of John the Evangelist and the son of Zebedee the fisherman from Galilee.St. James the Greater and his brother John were apparently partners with those other two brothers, Peter and Andrew, and lived in Bethsaida, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. How and where James first met Jesus, we do not know; but there is an old legend that makes Salome, his mother, a sister of Mary, and if this were the case, he would have known Jesus from childhood.
