A BREAK for WORD 2day!!!

WORD 2day

31^st August, 2013

‘To aspire to live quietly, to mind your affairs and to work with your own hands’, is the practical tip for peaceful living that St. Paul gives his spiritual children at Thessalonica. It seems that gossip and judgments about others has been a problem for centuries on. Uncharitable curiosity about others’ lives, passing judgments and spreading prejudices about others, looking out for an opportunity to blame my negligences and failures on someone else, villainising someone merely because I do not agree with him or her – these are fast becoming “normal” in a society that is influenced by a maddening media craze! Holiness does not consist of my private life alone, it involves my social relations, my willingness towards contributing my mite to the social order and my commitment towards making this world a better place to live! However little, let us do our part, so that the Lord may rejoice in us, and address us, “Good and faithful servants!”

WORD 2day

30^th August, 2013

This is God’s will: your sanctification! St. Paul has the gift of speaking of the greatest of the things in simplest of terms. Today, he puts across in straightforward terms the life task that we have – our personal sanctification. Our personal sanctification comes as a result of our self understanding. ‘Don’t you know that you are the temple of God?’ (1Cor 3:16), St. Paul would ask elsewhere. That self-understanding as the dwelling of the Spirit of God, is the starting point for a whole journey of personal sanctification. It is not a victory gained once for all but it is a constant vigilance and continuous labour, explains the parable that Jesus narrates in the Gospel. The lamp of our life needs to keep burning; the oil is given by God – ‘God who gives the Holy Spirit’. The Spirit is the oil that we need to keep our lamps burning, burning always with the desire to remain sanctified dwellings of the Spirit!

WORD 2day

29^th August, 2013 – Remembering the Martyrdom of John the Baptist

The call to be prophets, like Jeremiah and John that we see in the readings today, is a call that is addressed to every baptized child of God. The world seems to be at home with a culture of sin today! Be it social or economic or political or cultural arena – there is a cloud of sinfulness that pervades and waits to consume everyone present. More treacherous is the lack of sense of sin, that justifies sinfulness, sometimes without even the conscious assent of the persons involved. The question today is, which part we would rather play: the seducing forces that draw people to sin; the wicked plotters who play the protagonists in spreading sinfulness; the passive infected who continue to perpetrate sinfulness by their mere inaction; the silent spectators who aid the spread more than do anything to stop it – all these groups are represented in the Gospel event today. There is also the role of John the Baptist, who dares to stand for truth and righteousness, even at the cost of his own life! What would be my choice?

WORD 2day

28^th August, 2013 – Remembering St. Augustine

Yesterday was the mother, and today the son! St. Augustine is known for his passionate search for truth! And in the process he came across the Truth beyond all truth, the One Truth that accounts for all other truth and he declared, “Late have I known thee!” The Word of God both encourages and challenges us, explains St.Paul in the first reading and it depends on each of us, what we make of these encouragements and demands! Being worthy of God is the project that St. Paul proposes to us and it is a matter of the inner self. No amount of exterior adornment or  rationalisations or self-justifications can give the internal peace, which comes only from a life of communion with oneself, with others and with God. This in one word could be called, “Integrity” – and that is what Jesus calls us to: a life of integrity.

FOTO CONTEST - YOUCAT INDIA

Here is a letter from the Coordinator for the Indian Version of the YOU CAT (Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church)...
They are announcing a Photo Contest...
Why not you try your luck and skill?

Dear Catholic Youth of India,

            Presently, Youcat is the  best seller in the Catholic World after the Holy Bible. It is an ideal catechism for the youth. However, we are yet to have an Indian edition of this Youcat with Indian photos. The publishers of Youcat have permitted to incorporate Indian photos in the presentYoucat. So, you can now be part of the Youcat. If you wish to be part of the Indian Youcat, you can send us the photos needed for this new edition. The creators of selected photos will be acknowledged in the new edition and will be amply rewarded. The conditions are given below. May your contribution help the youth grow in their faith.

Youthfully Yours,

Fr. Gilbert Choondal, sdb

Coordinator for the Indian Youcat Faith Photo-Contest

Dated: 16 August 2013

Conditions for the Indian Youcat Faith Photo-Contest

1. Eligible participants of the contest:  Catholic Youth (laity aged 16- 35) from India

2. Resolution & Format:  Minimum Resolution - 800x600 Pixels, (print size 5x7); Maximum 3MP, Format: JPEG

3. The last date for sending the photos: 30 September 2013. Email id: gilbertsdb@gmail.com, faithministry.in@gmail.com

4. A contestant can send any number of photos. The photos should be original. The internet/already published photos are not accepted.

5. The photos will be judged from its composition, layout, artistic nature, creativity and theme

6. The photos should contain Indian face especially youth face unless they are meant for a specific theme.

7. Please consult the Youcat for specific themes, page numbers and detailed nature of photos.

8. Contestants need to send their full mailing address, contact number, and brief description of each photo (with a reference to the Youcat page)

9. Specific natures of photos needed are given below.

10. Winners will be invited for a public function in Bangalore on 27 October 2013. They will be awarded with the new Indian Youcat and a Youcat T-Shirt.

Prologue
1. A Photo of a youngster with the Youcat/ a youth with the Youcat with the pope, a cardinal, the nuncio, or a bishop. A youth reading theYoucat.

Part 1 What we believe

General Themes: Creed, faith, Creation, Jesus, Mary, Catholic Church

Specific Themes for the Photos

1. Image of Faith, believing, creed

2. Image of the Church

3. Image of youngsters reflecting, meditating

4. Scriptures

5. Happy person

6. Creation

7. Beauties of creation

8. Man the crown of creation

9. Sunrise, sunset

10. Boy and girl in conversation

11. Mother and child

12. Washing the feet

13. Passion play

14. Praying at the crucifix

15. Church, community of people

16. Church as people of God

17. Hinduism

18. Religions with their religious expressions

19. Church building

20. Religious life

21. Last Judgement

Part II How we celebrate the Christian Mysteries

(major themes: sacraments, liturgy, rites)

1. Mystery of sacraments

2. Liturgical procession

3. Eucharist Latin

4. Eucharist Syro Malabar

5. Eucharist Syro Malankara

6. Different parts of the mass

7. Liturgical calendar (Syro malankara)

8. Liturgical Calendar (Syro Malabar)

9. Image of Sanctuary

10. Baptism

11. Confirmation

12. Youngsters in reconciliation

13. Ordination (latin )

14. Ordination (Syro Malabar)

15. Marriage ceremony (3 photos)

16. Love and relationship

17. Relics

18. Indian icons of Jesus and Mary

Part III How we are to have life in Christ

(major themes: respect for life. Nature, disabilities, sickness, pollution, society)

1. Cheerful youngster

2. Helping a disabled person

3. Life as fun and frolic

4. Happy youth group

5. Youth games and activities

6. Happiness in relationships

7. Images of unity in diversity. mixture of colours and races and languages

8. Holiness

9. Belief in God

10. Superstition, atheism occultism

11. Happy family

12. Child and parents

13. Family and God

14. Birth

15. Drugs, alcoholism

16. Peace

17. War and peace

18. Anger

19. Emotional maturity

20. Love and chastity

21. Love and sex

22. Environmental pollution

23. Global warming

24. Climate change

25. Globalisation

26. Poverty

27. Unemployment

23. Communication media

24. Greed

25. Justice

Part IV How we should pray

(Major themes, Prayer, different types of prayer)

1. Praying in a church

2. Candle lit prayer

3. Prayer of adoration

4. Thanksgiving prayer

5. Prayer (Old Testament, New Testament)

6. Prayer at home

7. Praying the rosary

8. Prayer in a lonely place

9. Prayer to the creator

10. Prayer of child to the Father

11. Happy family meal

12. Images of prayer Our Father

13. Prayer of prise

14. Joy in Prayer

WORD 2day

27^th August, 2013 – Remembering St. Monica

Not to please humans but God, invites St. Paul today in the first reading. Our spirituality can reach its dreary bottom if we are constantly moved by our intention to please those around and live up to their praises and affirmation. An externally illustrious life, with a painful emptiness within, cannot endure in its glitter for long. On the contrary, a life that might look apparently uninteresting could inspire and change people and history for ever, if it is build on a spiritual depth. St. Monica, a simple mother with her perseverance in prayer and firmness in her hope, believed that her son will one day turn to the inner richness that God alone could give and she saw her belief come true! Maybe, the saint of today inspires us to thank God for our mothers who are our first catechists!

WORD 2day

26^th August, 2013

Evangelisation is one topic that the Church can never tire itself speaking of, because it is the primary reason for its being. As soon as the Church speaks of evangelisation, the anti-church civil society would interpret it as ‘Conversion’ and in turn those factions never tire themselves of accusing the Church of conversions. Conversion - while it would mean mere numbers for them, the readings today present to us what a true conversion should be for us. The right priorities and right values are crucial within this discourse. St. Paul underlines it in such clear terms writing to the Thessalonians, that our faith should be active; our love committed and our hope firm. Faith in action, love as concrete compassion and hope as unceasing optimism – these are the reasons why Pope Francis is fond of repeating – A ‘Christian’ can never be sad! 

Entering through the NARROW DOOR

25th August 2013, XXI Sunday in the Ordinary Time

The experience of standing in a queue, the tedium of entering the metal detector at places with extra vigilance or waiting for the token number at the bank… these are no rarities in our ordinary life. Jesus draws a simple example, one similar to these, our experiences.

The door to the Reign of God is narrow, not many take that door, though everyone is invited to enter the Reign. There are many other doors, which seem more comfortable, more spacious and more adorned and people prefer them, knowing least that they do not lead to the Reign of God, the greatest treasure in store for us!

Entering the narrow door is a task quite demanding – the readings today point to three traits that are needed to be able to enter the Reign through the narrow door. As Jesus tells us in the Gospel, many try to enter but they cannot.

To able to enter the door, one should be strong! Strive – says the Lord – Strive to enter – To strive means to struggle, to make all the efforts possible, to try real hard. One needs to be strong in mind, heart and soul to strive to enter the narrow door into the Reign. It is Spiritual strength we are dealing with here. Be Strong, but avoid Spiritual Obesity, warns the Lord. If you are obese, you cannot enter the narrow door – it’s obvious! Spiritual Obesity – Pride and Elitist mentality – which gives into self righteousness and judgmental attitude can never get us into the Reign of God. I am baptized, I am a born-again, I am a consecrated religious, I am a Sacred minister – nothing can get you in! From the east and the west, the north and the south everyone will enter and sit at the table in the Reign says the Lord. Mind you, there are no reservations here in. A bit of disciplining, as the second reading suggests, can get us in shape.

To be able to enter the door, one should be in communion! The way is long, we reflected on that last week. Communion with each other and Communion with those who have managed to enter the door before us, can really make the task easy and enjoyable. Our forerunners are our example, our model and can even be our helpers – but finally, the one who has to enter is me! It is you! That is why we are warned today – Be in Communion but avoid Spiritual Infantilism. At times we make our faith so infantile that we think everything depends on the candles we light, the formulae we repeat, the food we give up and the coins we drop. These are means to strengthen our relationship with God – but they are not everything. What matters most is our personal life of commitment and integrity. You cannot enter the narrow door in groups… one by one you have to do it. That means you cannot ride on the goodness of the other, either the living or those gone before you!

To be able to enter the door, one should be patient! The wait is long, for the door is narrow! Waiting on the Lord is a spiritual talent. To wait patiently, amidst failures and pressures, amidst temptations and struggles, amidst dark nights and heavy burdens, it is the only way one can be prepared and prompt when one’s time comes! There is a warning here too: Be Patient but avoid Spiritual Lethargy. In the name of patience I cannot procrastinate my commitment and postpone my conversion to a later moment. ‘Repent and Believe, for the Reign of God is near’ says the Lord. Being patient is not being busy with something else till my turn comes… but persevering, enduring and constantly working on myself that when my turn comes, I am in shape, prepared enough and fit to enter the narrow door that leads me to the behold the eternal glory of the Lord Almighty!

I am the door, if anyone enters through me, he or she will be saved (Jn 10:9) declared the Lord elsewhere! Jesus is the door, the narrow door, the demanding door – He is compassionate, yes; but at the same time uncompromising. The choice is ours to choose the narrow door, make ourselves strong, united and patient, to endure our everyday life and make straight the path for our feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed (heb 12:13). The door is narrow but there is enough space to enter, if we are in ready and willing.

All, but not all…

One by one is the call…

Let us enter the Narrow Door, one and all.

WORD 2day

24th August, 2013: Remembering St. Bartholomew, the Apostle.

Known in the Gospel of St.John with the name Nathanael, Bartholomew received from the Lord a great compliment - a man in whom there is no guile, says the Lord. Though he did not believe what Phillip said and originally did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus recognises the goodness in him. The readings today have three lessons to teach: One, the readiness of Jesus to appreciate the goodness in a person even when the person did not believe in him. How many times friends turn the worst enemies when they begin to disagree with each other! Second lesson is from Bartholomew, who accepts the call to 'come and see' and goes, sees, believes and remains with the Lord. The third lesson is from the feast itself - a remembrance of the Apostles is a special invitation to each of us to recognise the call we have received to to go into the world and proclaim God's Reign. Bartholomew took the Gospel right upto Armenia and Arabia. There exists a legend that Bartholomew reached even India's western borders! Each of us is reminded today of our call to bear the goodnews to the ends of the world, to establish the Reign of God - beginning with the closest of our contexts - that is, right wherever we are!