THE WORD AND THE SAINT

St. John de Britto: The Red Sand Martyr

John de Britto is a Jesuit Missionary, who formed part of the famous Madurai Mission! He came to India in 1673 and was imprisoned in 1684 and deported back to Lisbon, Portugal in 1687. However he came back to India in 1690 and was killed in 1693!

An information to those not from India or South India: The place where John de Britto (Arulanandar) was killed is in a place in the diocese of Sivagangai, called Oriyur! The sand in the particular field where he was allegedly killed has a sand that is totally red, so strange to the terrain around! It is considered a miraculous phenomenon and is seen and felt even today!

A challenge to those from India, especially South India: The feast of John de Britto does not only bring to our mind the wonderful gift that we have received from the Lord through missionaries such as these, it also brings to mind the bitter memories of things that have taken place in the region in the recent past. I don't wish to narrate them here or delve deep into them: the challenge that is very clear is, A Church that is divided on the lines of caste, cannot be truly CHRISTIAN. Any number of reasons can never justify dividing a church on those grounds or having internal fights on the basis of caste or clan! The question is: Are we truly Christian?

WORD 2day: 3rd February, 2015

Arise, run, endure!
Heb 12: 1-4; Mk 5: 21-43

Arise,  run and endure is the call today! Situations of death and darkness,  moments of drowning spirit and desperate feelings,  struggle between right knowledge and raging temptations. ..they abound in our daily life. But we are called to Arise from these landslips and Run the race that is alloted to us with an Endurance that is ready to put up with any difficulty,  even upto shedding blood.

The endurance comes from the hope that Our God is an awesome God and can do anything for us. The strength to run the race comes from the faith that the Lord our God is running along and is ever present by our side. The capacity to arise comes from the love that God showers on us, out of which God keeps holding my hand inspite of all situations and keeps whispering into my ears,  my son,  my daughter,  my child,  my friend... arise!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord: Tests,  results and marks
Mal 3:1-4; Heb 2: 14-18; Lk 2: 22-40

Do not bring us to the test we pray,  but our life is full of tests. It is in and through these tests the true quality of our life is brought to the fore. Mary at the temple today stands model to this brave spirit of a God-filled person.

More than the results of the tests,  what matters is the manner in which we go through it. They are not mere situations to be overcome but are experiences to learn from. The true result is not whether you succeed or not;  but that you come out of it better,  refined,  polished,  purified, and made more whole. St. Joseph after every crisis that he faces comes out more flexible at the hands of God. A serene example.

The marks of these tests should be seen in your capacity to offer yourself into God's hands more and more. The effect of the tests could either make you stronger or break your spirit... the mark of a God-filled person is to come out of it ever more stronger in his or her will to surrender to the Lord. That child presented today at the temple,  will grow  up to be the best ever example of someone who grew out of every test and remained faithful to his consecration!

ABSOLUTE ALLEGIANCE TO THE ALMIGHTY

4th Sunday in the Ordinary Time: 1 February 2015

Dt 18: 15-20; 1Cor 7: 32-35; Mk 1: 21-28

It was a home for street kids. As I entered, a calendar caught my attention. It had the words running thus: with the young missionaries of hope and joy. I hoped to see some young religious in formation or some people getting ready to go on a mission. But the picture that accompanied it was more surprising. It was a click of a bunch of street kids with eyes all shining and faces beaming with smiles. They had called them 'missionaries of hope and joy'. Today's first reading came alive to me when I saw this. When the Lord said,  the Lord would raise a prophet as good as moses and that prophet was not only Jesus who did great wonders when he was still alive but in and through Jesus,  it is you and I who are called to be prophets today, here and now. 

The second reading points to us the way of being powerful prophets of God...and the way is,  an absolute allegiance to the almighty. To profess our allegiance to God with nothing to distract us,  nothing to preoccupy us,  nothing to hinder our speaking God's word or doing God's works. I am sure as you read this,  if you are in India,  you are reminded of the recent episodes of the ban on Uma Sankar IAS and the response he gave to that. Nothing can stop me from proclaiming the Word of God.

  

The Gospel presents to us the model par excellence of a prophet of God: the very Son of God who professes and practices such a perfect allegiance to God that every one who saw him,  heard him was either taken up or threatened.   His was an authority that came from his personal integrity and flawless faithfulness to God. 

Our absolute allegiance to the almighty will make us like children who trust and depend totally on their parents. At times even a blind following of the directions given by God would suffice for us to work on our Sanctification and that of those around us. 

HAPPY FEAST

WORD 2day: 30th January, 2015

Patient Endurance and Hope-filled Efforts

Heb 10: 32-39; Mk 4: 26-34

A few days back there was a cartoon sent via the social network, with a man digging a tunnel in search of precious metals and at a point he decides to stop his pursuit. The cartoon allows the viewers alone to see that the man was just a few inches away from the treasure hidden away in the ground! "You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised", says the Word today. 

We cannot be like the nursery kids on a class project of growing a plant in the pot. From the time they plant a seed, they would keep returning to the pot every other minute to see if something has grown. The Reign of God grows in silence and obscurity; you will never know it is there around until you really believe it to be. That is why Jesus declared, 'the Reign of God is amidst you; within you' (cf. Lk 17: 21). 

In patient endurance and hope-filled efforts one will unlock the levels towards a fuller realisation of the Reign which is already there growing within us, among us and allover us! 

DB NOVENA - DAY 9

Don Bosco Novena - Day 9
30th January, 2015

DB NOVENA -DAY 8

Don Bosco Novena - Day 8

29th January, 2015

WORD 2day: 29th January, 2015

Rouse each other to love

Heb 10: 19-25; Mk 4: 21-25

The first reading today has a call that summarises our Christian vocation to the full. To love is an undeniable vocation we have;  to inspire each other to love and goodness is the complete understanding of it. This is why the Lord speaks of the imagery of light: to be lighted to light up. It takes a lot of effort to truly love; to rouse others to love it takes much more effort, a lot of sacrifice and a great amount of dedication. Yes! but the key is here, the Lord puts it neatly: the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you!

DB NOVENA - DAY 7

Don Bosco Novena - Day 7
28th January, 2015