By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — Blessed Sacrament Church, BDC, held a Bible Seminar and Healing Rally from 16-18 May 2025. They were conducted by Fr Thomas Bobby Emprayil VC, the newly elected Provincial Superior of St Thomas Province Vincentian Congregation and Director of Divine Glory Ministries, Manipur, India.
Known to many as Fr Bobby, the seminar focused on understanding the Beatitudes, a set of eight blessings in the Bible describing the qualities of those who are blessed by God and who will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. The Beatitudes teach that people are blessed when they develop certain righteous traits in their sufferings.
The Eight Beatitudes
- Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
- Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
- Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
- Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
- Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
By repeatedly singing the Beatitudes led by Fr Bobby’s own musician Johns Jose, and his straightforward reflection of the Word of God from the Bible, Fr Bobby kept the participants in awe of the clarity of his explanation and making the “Bible come alive”.
The Word of God
Some of the verses Fr Bobby used were: (James 4:6) “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
(2 Corinthians 5:21) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Righteousness of God is the intense desire of the Lord to save every single soul. Jesus had only one desire and that was His hunger and thirst to do the will of the Father.
(Hebrew 10:7) “Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll’— I have come to do your will, my God.”
(2 Corinthians 12:10) “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Fr Bobby explained that the instrument of sin is also the instrument of punishment, and the instrument of punishment becomes the instrument of salvation.
Participant Testimonies
To some participants, this was the best seminar they had ever attended. To others, the seminar taught them the meaning of the Beatitudes that had been difficult to comprehend before.
Fr Bobby applied the verses from the Bible onto the eight Beatitudes, making the Word of God come alive and sensibly meaningful to me.
The eight Beatitudes came alive vividly through Father Bobby’s spirit-filled teaching, scripture passages, anecdotes, daily Masses and the sacrament of reconciliation. The Beatitudes song that we learnt will be etched in my heart as I journey towards my eternal home knowing that Jesus loves each one of us dearly so that none of His sheep will be lost. Praying for the gift of the Holy Spirit to continue the mission of Jesus to save souls keeping the simple yet challenging Beatitudes as a reminder. Finally, I found the answer to the meaning of righteousness.
Father Bobby’s words touched my heart, as if God is speaking to me. I realised what had been blocking me from hearing God more clearly. I also came to understand what I have been going through. I now confirm God’s mission for me and why He has called me to travel to Kuching for this.
This seminar makes me realise that the Bible is alive.
Filled with so much peace, love and joy in my heart. Accepting my own sufferings, persecutions in the righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have always tried to understand the Beatitudes and Fr Bobby explained it so well.
The Word of God truly nourishes my soul and gifted me with much peace amidst my life’s struggles. Understanding the truth about sufferings has enlightened my heart towards endurance.
The 3-day Bible Seminar for registered participants, and the evening Healing Rally open to the Christian community, were organised by Servant Communities Emmaus from Blessed Sacrament Church, for the Kuching Archdiocese Bible and Faith Formation Commission.
