St. Alphonsa of Immaculate Conception

28th July, 2015: Remembering First Woman saint of India

St. Alphonsa's life has any number of elements that one can highlight as a model of belonging totally to God...and that is why she has been raised to the Altars, from amidst us. She was almost a contemporary to us; she lived from 1910 to 1946. Within the short span of these 36 years she has set an example so brilliant.

Three things that stand out for me in the life of this Saint:

1. Her determination to belong to God:

She would say from the age of 7, when she received the Lord for the first time in her heart, she belonged to Jesus and took him as her Divine Spouse. The seeds of her vocation had already begun to sprout in that tender age. That is why when she was 13 when they tried to get her married, she tried all her best to turn that proposal down, even to the extent of injuring herself thinking that would stop the probable suitors. They tried to trick her into marriage even after she entered the convent, when she was a postulant, with the knowledge and cooperation of her formator, but nothing could succeed before her determination to totally belong to the Lord.

2. Her total acceptance of life from the Lord:

She knew she was to accept the life that the Lord gives her, come what may. Be it suffering or pain or insults or disease, she never complained. Already when she was 3 months old she lost her mother and she grew under the care of her aunt who was rather strict and unduly demanding. She never complained all her life about it but considered it a formation in humility, patience and endurance. She underwent great sufferings right from her 20 years, but with her perpetual profession came an extra dose of suffering. From her perpetual profession she says it seemed that she was given a part of the Cross of Christ! 

3. She suffered with joy:
She always wished that she could learn to suffer with joy and the more she suffered the more she thought that her divine spouse was fulfilling her wish, forming her to suffer with joy. A day that she had no suffering, she thought, was a day lost in her life. For her suffering was her way of being united with her beloved soulmate, Christ her Lord. From her childhood she had come across sufferings, one after the other, more and more, but nothing could stop her from loving the Lord more and more intimately. 

The following were her words, as she started her postulancy when she was 18...
I do not wish to act or speak according to my inclinations. Every time I fail, I will do penance... I want to be careful never to reject anyone. I will only speak sweet words to others. I want to control my eyes with rigour. I will ask pardon of the Lord for every little failure and I will atone for it through penance. No matter what my sufferings may be, I will never complain and if I have to undergo any humiliation, I will seek refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus

These were not mere sentiments, they were convictions, they were her very way of life!

Let us pray to this sister of ours:

Oh Blessed Alphonsa, you have been graciously chosen from our midst to be united with Jesus Christ, our Saviour, in the misery of his passion, death and resurrection. You have grown to the heights of holiness and have been crowned with heavenly glory.

Help us in our trials and tribulations. Oh, daughter of sufferings, obtain for us the grace to lead a holy life, following your example, in total submission to the will of God. Be with us, transforming all our sorrows into a holy sacrifice in union with Christ Crucified, in reparation to our sins, for the sanctification and salvation of the whole world. Amen.

WORD 2day: 27th July, 2015

Steadfastness in times of trials

Monday,  17th week in Ordinary Time
Exodus 32:15-24,30-34; Mt 13: 31-35

For the sake of Moses the Lord spares Israel inspite of their offence. Aaron was not able to withstand the pressure from the people to make for them a god. Moses and Joshua rescue the situation with the steadfastness they possessed.

Now the question is, where do I find myself: one of those who lack the patience to wait on the Lord and decide to create their own gods - gods  of our egos,  of our money,  of our affections and so on?  Or do I find myself in the place of Aaron giving into pressure from the majority. ..and not holding on to what is right and just. Or do I form that steadfast minority,  the small mustard seed,  the tiny portion of the yeast, the minority who remain faithful to the Lord come what may!

Moses and Joshua were capable of a faithfulness that the entire people were unable of. The reason is,  they had seen and experienced and witnessed to how good the Lord was. If we need to stand strong in times of trial we need to build up a strong relationship with the Lord in our regular days and convince ourselves of how good God is. If only we realise the crown that awaits our steadfastness (cf. Jam 2:12)