NOVENA TO THE FEAST OF ST. JOHN BOSCO - DAY 2

23rd January, 2018: Don Bosco - A Shepherd of the Young 

Our Challenge: That we become shepherds in our own way, to the young and to our peers.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who was capable of leading the young to their divine Shepherd. Grant us the grace to lead the young towards the fullness of life. May we never become a scandal to others, especially to the young. May we become an inspiration to our peers and all those who are around us. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. 

சனவரி 23: இறைசித்தம் செய்ய - ஏன்?

சனவரி 23: இறைசித்தம் செய்ய - ஏன்?

நான் ஏன் இறைசித்தம் செய்ய வேண்டும்?

இறைவனின் சித்தத்தை செய்வது என்பது நமது கடமை மட்டுமல்ல நாம் என்றுமே சரியான வழியில் செல்வதற்கான உத்தரவாதமும் அதுவே. அனால் இறைசித்ததை செய்வதற்கு பல்வகையான காரணங்கள் இருக்கக்கூடும். 

முதலாவது, இறைசித்தம் செய்யாது போனால் எனக்கு ஏதாவது இழப்பு நேரிடும், இடர் வந்து சேரும் என்ற பய உணர்வாக இருக்கலாம். இங்கு நமக்கேன் வம்பு என்ற தப்பிக்கும் எண்ணமே விஞ்சி நிற்கின்றதே ஒழிய இறைவன் பால் உள்ள நம்பிக்கை அல்ல.

இரண்டாவதாக, இது இறைசித்தம், இதை தான் நான் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்று எதிர்பார்க்கப்படுகிறேன். ஆகவே அதையே நான் செய்வது எனக்கு நலம். இது என் கடமை, வேறு வழி இல்லை. சிறு வயதிலிருந்து என்னை இப்படி தான் வளர்த்திருக்கிறார்கள். இதுவே என் வழக்கமாகவும், பழக்கமாகவும் ஆகிவிட்டது எனவே இதை செய்கிறேன் என்று நாம் வாதிடலாம். இதில் பாராட்டப்பட கூடிய ஒரு நல்லொழுக்கம் இருக்கிறது என்பது உண்மையானாலும், எந்திரமயமானதொரு கீழ்ப்படிதலே இங்கு விஞ்சி நிற்பதை நம்மால் காணமுடிகிறது. 

இன்றைய முதல் வாசகத்தில் தாவீதும், நற்செய்தி வாசகத்தில் கிறிஸ்துவும் நமக்கு தரும் பாடம் என்னவென்று சற்று உற்று நோக்குவோம். கடவுளின் சித்தத்தை செய்வது எனக்கு மகிழ்ச்சி தருகிறது ஏனெனில் நான் அவரை நேசிக்கிறேன். அவரது அன்பு எவ்வளவு ஆழமானது என்று நான் அறிந்துள்ளேன், அவ்வன்பு என் நல்லதையே என்றும் சிந்திக்கும்  என்று நான் உறுதியாக நம்புகிறேன். அவரது சித்தத்திற்காக எத்தனை துன்பங்களையும் ஏற்க நான் தயாராக உள்ளேன் ஏனெனில், என் வாழ்வில் நடக்க கூடிய எல்லாவற்றிலும் சிறந்தது அவரது சித்தமே! 

என்னை அனுப்பினவரின் சித்தத்தை செய்வதே எனக்கு உணவு என்று வாழ்ந்த கிறிஸ்துவை போலவே இறை சித்தத்தை அன்போடு ஏற்கும் போது தான் நான் கிறிஸ்துவின் சகோதரனாக சகோதரியாக நண்பராக மாறுகிறேன், அதாவது கடவுளின் உண்மை மகனாக மகளாக பிறக்கிறேன். 

Doing God's Will... but why?

WORD 2day: 23rd January, 2018

Tuesday, 3rd week in Ordinary Time

2 Sam 6: 12-15, 17-19; Mk 3: 31-35

Doing God's will, for us is at one and the same time, a duty and a guarantee of righteousness. But there can be various motivations for doing God's will in life. 

It could be because, we are afraid that if we do not do God's will we might get into trouble. It is like carrying out our duties out of fear of undesirable consequences. 

Secondly it could be because we are expected to do it; that is, doing the duty for the sake of duty. One feels he or she has been brought up and always been taught that way and it should carry on for whole life that way. Though there is an appreciable discipline involved here, it seems very robotic and slavish. 

Today, David in the first reading and Jesus in the Gospel, give us a beautiful outlook on doing God's will - doing what God wants, because we love God! We have experienced the love of God to such an extent, that we cannot but do what pleases God; we cannot count the cost; we are ready to give up anything for the sake of doing the will of God. "My food is to do the will of the one who sent me!" declared Jesus with no hesitations (Jn 4:34). 

It is only when we too feel that way, we become like Jesus, we become his brothers and sisters...that is, we become the loving children of God our father and mother. 

UNITY OCTAVE 2018 - DAY 6

23rd January, 2018

Let us look to the interests of others  

Readings: 

Isaiah 25:1-9             Let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation

Psalm 82                   Maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute

Philippians 2:1-4       Let each of you look not to your own interests, 

                               but to the interests of others

Luke 12:13-21          Be on your guard against all kinds of greed

Happening today: 

Changing international banking regulations continue to have a negative impact on the trade and commerce of the third world and threaten the economic survival of many families and communities. It has become increasingly difficult for third world people working abroad to send money back to their families. The Churches need to stand in solidarity with these suffering lot, looking that the prospects of migration and humanisation of peoples.

Reflection

The witness of the Scriptures is consistent that God always makes a preferential option for the poor: the right hand of God acts for the powerless against the powerful. Similarly, Jesus consistently warns against the dangers of greed. Despite these warnings, however, the sin of greed often infects our Christian communities and introduces a logic of competition: one community competing against the next. We need to remember that insofar as we fail to differentiate ourselves from the world, but conform to its divisive competing spirit, we fail to offer ‘a refuge for the needy in distress, a shelter from the storm’.

For our different churches and confessions, to be rich in the sight of God is not a case of having many members belonging – or donating – to one’s own community. Rather, it is to recognise that as Christians we have countless brothers and sisters right across the world, united across the economic divisions of ‘North’ and ‘South’. Conscious of this fraternity in Christ, Christians can join hands in promoting economic justice for all.

Prayer     

      

Almighty God,

give courage and strength to your church
to continually proclaim justice and righteousness
in situations of domination and oppression.

As we celebrate our unity in Christ,
may your Holy Spirit help us
to look to the needs of others.

Amen.

The right hand of God
is striking in our land,
striking out at envy, hate and greed;
our selfishness and lust,
our pride and deeds unjust,
are destroyed by the right hand of God.

courtesy: http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/chrstuni/weeks-prayer-doc/rc_pc_chrstuni_doc_20170613_week-prayer-2018_en.html

A BLESSED YOUNG GIRL - LAURA

Bl. Laura Vicuña whom the Salesian family remembers today, was a young soul blessed with an extraordinary love for the Lord and a tremendous determination to live for the Lord. 

She was born on 5th April 1891 in Chile and before she could be 3 years, lost her father. She grew up with her mother and her younger sister Julia. She was still two months short of 13 when she gave her life, as a champion of purity and total dedication to the Lord. 

She not only lived up to the promise that she gave to the Lord, that she will always belong to Him and will always love Him with all her strength and all her might, with an angelic purity of her spirit, but went much beyond that promise. 

She was instrumental in the conversion of her mother - her mother, a young widow who was a bit swayed by the concerns of her two daughters, compromising on her means of earning their living. 

It was at the deathbed that Laura revealed that she had offered to the Lord her own life, as a sacrifice towards the conversion of her mother. And the mother was moved not just to tears, but to a wholly new life. 

On January 22nd 1904, as Laura succumbed to the injuries wreaked on her by the drunk and infuriated landlord, she was untouched by the viles of impurity. Like an angel she passed away to eternity, forgiving the one who caused her the injuries - the landlord Manuel Mora who had an illicit relationship with her mother and was angered at failing to lure Laura into the same sin. 

Laura gave herself up to the Lord, to do the Lord's will and attained an extraordinary level in sanctity already at that tender age! A product of the Salesian Sisters, her life was a splendid offering to God, but within the tradition of Don Bosco's spirituality,  this kind of sanctity is an ordinary sight.

And today, dear youngsters... her life remains a clarion call to take up the challenge of living a life pure unto the Lord!

NOVENA TO THE FEAST OF ST. JOHN BOSCO - DAY 1

22nd January, 2018: Don Bosco - A Man for Others 

Our Challenge: That we live for others, forgetting our own selves and our own needs.

Our Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for Don Bosco, a man who lived totally for others; his life till its last breath was for the young. Grant us the grace to rise above our personal likes and dislikes, grow beyond our selfish interests and open our eyes and our arms wide for others, especially those who are in need. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.