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This, some say, is the age of the electronic media.In the short span of less than five years we have seen a virtual revolution taking place in our very sitting rooms in the form of an invasion of innumerable satellite TV channels, not to mention the ubiquitous Inter net.The reach and appeal of the electronic media is tremendous, so much so that quite a few of us wonder if it marks the end of traditional forms of mass communication, namely newspapers and magazines like this one.
Not so! I beg to differ. Quite different in appeal, newspapers & magazines, or the print media as they are commonly called, cater to the reading person, he or she who hankers for something more stable than a fleeting electronic image, measured in nanoseconds.The very fact that printed matter lies around waiting to be read at your convenience is its selling point. Indeed the print media is flourishing - this is borne out by the stupendous success of Outlook, the latest magazine to come out. This, in the rather crowded segment of news magazines dominated by the likes of India Today, Week, Frontline etc.
Of course The Alternative does not aim to be a newsmagazine.While we will report news in areas of relevance, what we have in mind is to serve you, dear reader, in the form of vital spiritual inputs. The buzzword today is 'infotainment' (to inform and entertain) and that is exactly what we seek to do. As the name suggests, this will be a magazine with a difference,an alternative. We have long felt the need for a readable magazine that uplifts one spiritually. We aim to help our readers come to a closer and more comprehensive understanding of the Truth, to be with you on a journey to peace and fulfillment. And while we do it, we wish to remove the common perception that spiritual reading material is dry and boring. We have started small, but our vision is big; we hope to serve you with more pages and better articles in time to come, by the grace of Almighty God.
Please do write in with your valuable comments and suggestions. The address is given on the last page. We sincerely hope you will be able to build a rapport with The Alternative, which will help you as well as we who are involved in this endeavor.As George Eliot once said, "What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"
Be with you in the next issue. God Bless You!, Joseph George for the Editorial Board.
Hi Fritz! I have heard a lot about how you were instrumental in bringing a lot of Catholics closer to God, in fact sparking off the renewal movement in Bangalore.Tell us how it all started.
Well, I had a deep experience of Jesus Christ thro' the baptism in the Holy Spirit way back in 1972. I was working on a ship then. I was in Bombay waiting to fly to Japan and join the ship and I saw this young man from a foreign country. I just felt prompted to talk to him. When I'm in a foreign country if people are good to me I'd appreciate it. So I went and introduced myself.He was a beautiful Spirit filled Christian and he led me to the Lord...
Wait a minute! Before you continue please tell us about how this incident changed your life, in practical terms?
Before my baptism in the Holy Spirit, I would go to the cabins of my fellow officers after working hours and spend time drinking, playing cards and listening to worldly music. When we came to port we would go down to nightclubs, pubs and discotheques. That was where I spent my free time. But after my experience with Jesus I had such a thirst for the Bible and prayer, I would love to lock myself in my cabin and just pray. In humility I would say that the Lord then gave me a revelation that Jesus is the only way to the Father. Now I realized that I needed to evangelize. So I would evangelize my fellow-officers and sailors.When I came to the dining table, I would bless my food, pray, knowing that the other officers were watching. This would raise questions, amusement and scorn, but I didn't care.Eventually that led a person to Jesus.
Then I would take interest in the sailors, in their problems - some were on drugs, some were drinking and gambling.As officers we never associated with the sailors, but now I would talk, counsel them, take them to church. When we came to port, no more going to nightclubs; I would look up a telephone directory, find a pastor and ring him up; I'd spend the whole day with him and have rich Christian fellowship. My attitude towards money changed.I realized as a Christian I had to tithe, 10% of my earnings were set apart.I started investing money for the kingdom, buying books, evangelizing. My music changed...I used to love dancing.After the Lord touched me somehow the desire to dance went away.Now I don't have time for much socializing.
Coming back to how you started working among Catholics...
It was at that time that God laid a tremendous burden for the harvest in my heart, particularly for the Catholic church. From my own experience I realized that I had been a devout Catholic going for daily Mass, receiving the Sacraments, saying my rosary and still somehow this living relationship with Jesus had escaped me.
Having experienced Jesus, I said, 'Something is missing among us Catholics.'I had a great desire to bring the reality of Baptism in the Holy Spirit, particularly to priests because I felt a priest in turn could have a powerful influence on the flock.
In 1976 God led me to full-timeevangelism.I started off with a Jesuit priest, Fr. Rebello, who was the principal of St. Joseph's College then.He asked me to preach a retreat to six Catholic college students.It was a three day retreat and God touched them powerfully. Fr. Rebello himself was amazed at the change in their lives, so much so that he asked me preach another retreat.Thus it went on from one retreat to another.I started a prayer meeting in my home, mainly youth, a few elders. The place got too small, so we went to a hall, the hall became too small, and we finally went on to St.Joseph's.From there we branched out to different parts of the city.
What are the first 6 students you preached to doing now?
I'm very happy to say that all of them are now in different parts of the world, still persevering in the walk with the Lord.One is Colin Calmiano - he took over the leadership of the prayer meeting when I went to Malta. Another is my niece who is in America. She has her own Bible study there.Then there is Francis Gama who is a lecturer in Baldwin's. There is another student who is also in the mission field but is with the Protestants.
Speaking of Protestants, why are many Catholics joining them?
If a Catholic leaves the Catholic church it is because he has no understanding of the Catholic faith.For many Catholics Christianity is purely devotional and following the laws of the church. That living experience of Jesus is not there. A Catholic would go sincerely for Mass and still not really understand the meaning of trans-substantiation, the rich heritage of our church, what the early church believed and how this has been handed over from generation to generation since apostolic times. When a Protestant is evangelizing and he comes across a Catholic, he will challenge him about basic Catholic beliefs like the Eucharist, Sacrament ofReconciliation, devotion to Mary and saints, infallibility of the Pope, statues etc. He will try to prove that Biblically there is no foundation for Catholics to believe in this. This creates a lot of confusion among the Catholics and many of them sincerely think they have been practicing the faith wrongly and with all good intention leave the church.
How can we change this?
Good question! The most important thing is that all Catholics should come to a living experience of the Lord.The message of the Cross, of salvation hasn't been grasped.We need to be instructed in our faith.Only thro' the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit will we have a thirst to discover the Catholic faith and teachings.Without the Holy Spirit, it becomes just head knowledge and may not really help a Catholic face the pressure put by Protestants.
I feel we should have much more fellowship among us.What do you think?
Fellowship is vital for Christian growth.The disciples literally lived with Jesus.He was there to guide them , they saw how he lived, acted, talked and they absorbed his nature.That takes time. When I started my work here every morning I used to be talking and sharing the Bible with the students.They would come to my house, have meals etc. and we would all have fellowship.I believe it is because of this care they are what they are today.That is missing today.Where there is lack of fellowship there is lack of growth.
As a new Christian you need a mature Christian to help you understand... see you thro' your struggles. If you don't have that input you will face the world with your old mentality, that of this world.This will not work and you get disillusioned.Therefore fellowship with mature Christians is very important. The other side of fellowship is the disappointment we go thro' at certain actions of our fellow-Christians...
We are all human. That shouldn't discourage us. Realising the frailty of human nature we should have compassionfor the failures of fellow Christians. We should pray for them rather than condemn them. Jesus is our model. Focusing on personalities is a big mistake.
Initially, as a new-born Christian you tend to focus on those in leadership but a mature Christian should make sure that he or she is not drawing people to himself or herself but to Jesus. You are just the means to the end.
Fritz, can you recall some of your experiences where God worked powerfully?
I would say plenty of experiences.I am always evangelizing and I can recount many instances of lukewarm-warm Catholics, where having met them, talked to them and invited them to our center for Mass, they have changed, today they are on fire for the Lord.There have been others whom I've had to walk with for nearly two years - talking, sharing, giving them time to aiir out their frustrations before committing their lives to Jesus.
I remember a doctor I met two years ago on a plane. He shared some of his problems and I said, 'When you return to Malta, come and meet me.'As soon as he came back he got in touch with me. He was a deeply wounded man - his girl friend had let him down.He couldn't accept the Charismatic renewal and I had to tell him that it is not just clapping and raising your hands but an experience of Jesus and the faithfulness of God.
Well, at the end of more than two years today he is in the healing ministry.He says to me now, "It is just that you sat and listened to me that touched me a lot.When I needed someone you were there."
Another wonderful experience was when I came to India last time.Someone had prayed over me and gave me a word that God would use me in the life of a man highly connected with the Mafia in Europe.When I went to Rome on a mission God brought this man, highly connected with the Mafia, across my path and he was gloriously baptized in the Holy Spirit.Today he is a fervent Christian.
And in Bangalore?
Many beautiful experiences. Once I was looking for accommodation for an old lady.I went knocking on this door and instead of the lady of the house a young man opened the door. As usual I shared my experience with him.He was extremely bitter with God.He said, "My marriage is broken.. I have tried everything possible, nothing worked.God is having fun with me...God is playing with me like a pawn on a chess board."
So I told him not to blame God. I challenged him, "You come to Jesus, make peace with God and He will bring your wife back.Leave your wife in God's hands.Pray for her and forgive her in love.You cannot do anything by yourself. You are too wounded... you may make it worse." He came for a retreat and the Lord touched him.To cut the story short, today they are a happy family attending a prayer meeting as a family faithfully.
Praise the Lord!
Next issue, Fritz talks about his experience in Malta, and also why it is not enough to just "do good" as opposed to having a living relationship with Jesus.
There are many doctrines in Christianity.What sets it apart from contemporary religions is the central doctrine of salvation, which is unique. It is unique because it encompasses the whole of mankind and was achieved only through the death and resurrection of God's only Son Jesus Christ.In fact, it can be said that Christianity is a religion of salvation.The God of the Bible is a God who has kept coming to the rescue of His people.The mission of Jesus was a rescue mission." He came into the world to save sinners"(1Tim. 1:15). The Bible in itself is a contemporary handbook of salvation, "able to instruct you to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2Tim. 3:15).
A few misconceptions regarding salvation exist. Firstly, salvation does not mean psycho-physical well-being. This is due to the fact that salvation by faith in Christ crucified and risen is moral not material, a rescue from Sin and not from harm. The reason for Jesus to say, "your faith has saved you" to people healed physically or psychologically is that His works of physical rescue (from disease, drowning and death) were intentional signs of His salvation, and were thus understood by the early Church.
Secondly salvation is not socio-political liberation.It is a free gift proceeding purely out of God's mercy and not due to the good works of man. Bishop Steven Neill has written: "Salvation which is conceived in purely 3 dimensional terms ends by being no salvation at all." God saves His people not only from the oppressor but also unto Himself. He saves His people from self for service. St Paul says, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" i.e. to exhibit in practical ways, in everyday living, the salvation which God is working within a believer in order to grow more and more in the image of Christ,from "one degree of glory to another " (2Cor. 3:18), until in the end we shall be fully conformed to the image of God's Son (Rom. 8:29). This will happen when we get to Heaven.
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