Saturday, May 30, 2009

THE TRINITY SUNDAY

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. We, Christians, believe in one God. We also believe that this one God has three persons- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is, however, a difficult notion to understand. As we do today, people in the past had difficulties in understanding the mystery of the Trinity. People always ask: “How is it possible to have three persons in one God? or How does one God become three persons?” Our traditional answer is that it is a mystery. Of course, it is a mystery but a reality as well.

The notion of Trinity was developed on the basis of human experience and divine revelation. In the past people experienced God as a Creator, someone who is beyond human reach. In the New Testament period, people had a different experience of the one and the same God, namely, God as Emmanuel, as someone with them. Today we experience God as Spirit, someone who is within us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are different forms or expressions of the one God. They are different levels of God’s Existence and they are different expressions of God’s Love. At least one place in the Bible the whole trinity made an appearance. This was at the time of Jesus’ Baptism.

What helps us today is not the ontological discussion of the nature of the Trinity, but the message of the Trinity. The message of the Trinity is love and Relationship. The notion of relationship is important for two reasons.

IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIP

Relationship: the basic sacrament
God is a communion of three persons. God is a relationship. Therefore relationship is the medium through which God operates so He formed the community of Israel. Jesus himself made it amply clear when he said’ “When two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in their midst.” Consequently, to have a God experience we must be in community. Thomas missed seeing Jesus when he made his appearance after the resurrection because he was not in the community. The importance of community is evident from the working style of Jesus. The very first act Jesus did after his baptism was to form a group of disciples. The last thing Jesus did before the crucifixion was the institution of the Eucharist, the perfect symbol of fellowship. The first thing Jesus did after his resurrection was to gather together the scattered disciples. Similarly when Jesus sent them on a mission he sent them in twos.

Relationship: the basic environment for growth
The story of ‘The Cave Girls’ is very popular among the psychologists. I believe that this incident happened in the 1960’s. These two girls, seven and nine years old respectively, were found in a cave with wolves. The wolves were taking care of these girls. These girls themselves behaved like wolves. They walked on all fours and talked by making sounds just like wolves do. It took several years to rehabilitate them and to teach them to act like human beings.

Only a human environment can develop human personalities. All of us are social beings. We are born from a community into a community. Our identity, our existence, our growth and development, everything takes place in communities. My name is Sebastian because you call me by that name. If you would call me Subash, I would become Subash.

The nature and quality of a community determine the nature of a person. A healthy community is prone to beget a healthy person. A wounded community most likely creates reactionaries. Therefore we have a tremendous responsibility to form our community as a loving entity.

The Community Dynamics!

Community is a dynamic reality. It grows through different stages. There are four stages in the development of a community. They are:

The Forming Level
This is the ‘halo’ or the ‘honeymoon stage’. All the members are new with their initial inspiration and enthusiasm. It is a stage devoid of any real problems. The reason for this is rather simple. In this stage the relationship and interactions are peripheral. There is no ego conflict. The attempt here is to impress each other.

The Storming Level
This is the most critical, but a most necessary stage in the growth of a community. Gradually the members start to interact and each one tries to dominate. This is especially noticeable when the group is confronted with important issues. Everyone tries to impose his or her views and ideas. The result is an ego conflict. If this situation continues, it destroys the cohesiveness of the group and its members now become reactors or dissenters. But this stage is necessary not only because it shows the sincerity and authenticity of one’s commitment, but it also shows his or her maturity.

The Norming Level
The saddest situation is that many communities and organizations remain at the storming level. The only way out is rekindling an awareness of the original goal, asking ‘why did we form this group in the first place?’ The original goal and inspiration must be the guiding principle of the community and not those of any one individual. As Christians, Christ is our norm and principle. Always abide by Him…transcending our petty ego interests. This awareness and new awakening take us to the new level.

The Performing Level
The ideal status of a community is this level. In this stage all are people of good actions … all are performers… and all are contributors. They live and work as one body. There are no reactors, only actors (performers). Here our model is the Trinity. There are three persons in the Trinity. Without losing their identity and individuality, and without submission or domination, they live together as a unity. How is this possible? The reason is simple. They have a common goal (unity of purpose), the salvation of humanity. The common goal unites them together.

In our family life or community life, unity and relationship is possible, if we transcend our individual goals and live for the common cause.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Pentecost

Salvation History can be divided into three periods: the period of God the father, the period of God the Son, and the period of the Holy Spirit। The Era of the Holy Spirit began with Pentecost. Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit. It is the Birthday of the Church. Today we celebrate this major Feast.

A NEW BEGINNING…!
Pentecost means the 50th day. Originally, it was a Jewish Harvest Festival. Jews within the boundary of 30 miles of Jerusalem gathered together once a year to show their gratitude to God for his blessings upon their agricultural labor with favorable climate and an abundance of fruit. As a sign of their gratitude, they offered the first fruit of the wheat crop on this day. Later this celebration acquired a new meaning: Renewal of the covenant. The Israelites received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai on the 50th day of their departure from Egypt. With the reception of the Law they became a new people and others (non-Israelites) became no people. On the day of Pentecost they commemorated this event and renewed their covenant with God. Eventually, the day of Pentecost became a day of renewal and a new beginning for Israel. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit 50 days after the Resurrection of Jesus marked the beginning of a new Israel, the Church.

TRIPLE FUNCTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, is presented in numerous ways in the Scripture. It requires volumes to explain the significance, functions and fruits of the Spirit. Therefore, in this reflection, I would like to focus on three important roles of the Spirit in our life. They are: the life giving function; the unifying function and the guiding function.

1. Life Giving Function
The first book of the Bible (Genesis) opens with this interesting statement: the spirit of God was hovering over the water... In the second chapter of the same book, we have the creation account of Adam and Eve. The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. The New Testament also depicts a parallel story. After the resurrection, Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the holy spirit.” In this act of Jesus, they experienced a new beginning. In short, all through the Bible, the Holy Spirit is pictured as the breath of God or as the life giving principle. We share in the life of God through the reception of the Holy Spirit. Sin separates us from God whereas the Spirit reconnects us with God. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, fills us with Grace and makes us fully alive for God.

2. Guiding Function
Our life is a series of choices. Options are unlimited. The dilemma is how to make a right decision that will lead us to growth. Being the wisdom of God, the major function of the Spirit is to lead us down the right path. This role of the spirit is well presented in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, this book is also called the Book of the Holy Spirit. The Hero of the Early Church was neither Peter nor Paul but the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit intervened at every critical time with insights and wisdom. The Jerusalem Council, for instance, is the telling example of how the Spirit led the early Church from crises to growth. It was the Holy Spirit who asked the Church to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the gentile mission. The greatness of the apostles was that they had listening ears and willing hearts. If we, individually or collectively, are facing crises, it is due to our failure in listening to the whispering of the Spirit. We need to ask constantly: Where is the Spirit leading us? What is our mission? What are the talents gifted to us by the Spirit to accomplish this call?

3. Unifying Function
Every human being craves for relationship. Relationship is the matrix of growth. We find meaning and relevance in communion and fellowship. Unity does not mean uniformity or speaking the same language. Unity based on uniformity can lead to ethnocentrism, an oppressive attitude and exclusivism. Unity separated from God is destructive as well. Similarly, pluralism, though desirable, can be dangerous too if one culture pitches against the other.

What matters truly is unity in diversity; a culture of accommodation. What makes unity without threatening diversity is the desire for the Kingdom of God. Any attempt to be united for a Godly purpose will last. Two stories are narrated in the Bible to substantiate this point: the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. The Tower of Babel explains the story of a People who came together to make a name for themselves. They were of the same color, culture and language. Their attempts, however, proved to be disastrous. Not only did they fail in completing their project but they ended up in conflict and division. They started talking differently. The reason for their failure was God’s absence in their effort. It was a project outside of God. On the other hand, on the day of Pentecost, even though the crowd was a collection of different colors, cultures and languages, everyone understood everyone else. The Holy Spirit filled their hearts with a new language, a language of love. Love is the third eye. Any one who looks through the third eye will see the image of God in every human being regardless of their differences whatsoever.

Finally, Pentecost clearly reveals the universality of the Church. The Law was given only to Moses where as the Holy Spirit was given too all. Pentecost abolished the division between the people of God and no people.
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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Ascension is a Call to Mission

When the parish priest was greeting people after the Easter Celebration, he saw somebody new in the crowd. Gently he approached him and said: “Would you like to join the army of Jesus Christ?” “I am already a member of the army of Christ,” he replied. “ But I never see you here!” the priest replied. “Oh! I am in the secret service!” he answered.

This Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, His glorious entry into heaven. The Ascension is not only about Jesus but also about each one of us. The two sets of instructions that were given to the disciples by Jesus and the Angel undoubtedly underline this point. For example: The Angel said to the disciples: Why are you standing here looking at the sky? Jesus said to them: You will receive the power from the Holy Spirit and you will be my witness in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth (Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11). If we put together these two statements, one thing becomes clear, namely, the Ascension is a commissioning. It is an invitation to take up the mission of Jesus. According to Luke, Jesus finished his earthly journey in Jerusalem and the disciples have to continue the journey of Jesus from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

The Challenges of the Ascension!

First of all, our mission is to establish the Kingdom of God. As Jesus rightly corrected his disciples, establishing the Kingdom consists primarily in ‘witnessing Jesus’ than building up a social institution. Kingdom of God is neither a territory nor an organization but it is the reign of God in human hearts. The key to evangelization is manifesting God’s reign in each one of us. Once a Bishop said, “One of the means we adapt to evangelize non –Christians is to encourage catholic families to come and stay with the non Christians for a period of time.” The principle is that action speaks louder than words. “Preach all the time but use words whenever it is necessary” (Francis of Assisi). Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.

Secondly, this witnessing must begin from Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem has biblical significance. All the major salvific events took place in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the city of God. It is the meeting place of God. Mount Zion symbolizes God. Witnessing begins from Jerusalem. This means that any act of evangelization must have its source and inspiration in the Word of Jesus. It must be rooted in Christ experience.

And finally, the obligation for evangelization never ceases to exist. Jesus not only fulfilled his mission by offering his life as a ransom for many but also prepared his disciples to take over it. We also have these twofold challenges: Encounter the risen Lord in our lives and share it with our fellow beings, and prepare those who are in our care to continue this mission. Definitely the starting point of this missionary mandate is our family itself. The Ascension is a call to come out from the secret service to public service.
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There are two ways of spreading light; to be a candle, or the mirror that reflects it। (Edith Wharton)
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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Mission Accomplished

(FEAST OF THE ASCENSION)

ASCENSION AND ASSUMPTION
This Sunday, we celebrate the feast of the Ascension of our Lord, the entry of Jesus into heaven. According to Scripture, on the fortieth day of His resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples, commissioned them to spread the Good News and then ascended into heaven in their presence. The number forty has biblical significance. For instance, the people of Israel were in the desert for forty days before they entered the Promised Land; Moses prayed for forty days before he received the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:18); It was for forty days that Elijah survived on the strength of the meal that the angel gave him (I King 19:8); Jesus spent forty days in the desert before he inaugurated his public mission (Mark 1:12).

Very often people get confused with the feasts of the Assumption and the Ascension. They are not one but two distinct realities. The Assumption is the reception of Mary into heaven. This was an act of God. On the other hand, the Ascension is Jesus’ entry into heaven by his own power. Mary was assumed into heaven by the power of God while Jesus was ascended into heaven by his own power.

THE ASCENSION IS TRANSFER OF MISSION
The Ascension of Jesus signifies two important events in the history of salvation.
· It marks the completion of Jesus’ Mission on earth
· It inaugurates the beginning of the Disciples’ mission
Jesus had a twofold mission to accomplish.
1. To reconcile the world with God.
2. To prepare his disciples for the era of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus completed the reconciling mission by his sacrifice on the cross and he prepared the disciples for the Holy Spirit and for their future mission during the post resurrection period। Thus the Ascension symbolizes the fulfillment of his mission.

The Ascension also denotes the completion of his resurrection. Even though resurrection raised Jesus to a new mode of existence, free from the limitations of time and space, he was yet to enter into the heavenly realm. Remember his statement to Mary Magdela, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17). In its widest sense, the Ascension includes three moments: the final physical departure of Jesus from his disciples; his metahistorical presence and entry into the heavenly domain; and the exaltation of Jesus at the right hand of God. Ascension completed the process of transfiguration.

Secondly and more importantly, the Ascension is an invitation for us to take up the responsibility of the Church as adult disciples. For the apostles, their training period was over and the time had arrived for the beginning of this mission. So the Angel said to the disciples who were shocked and worried by the absence of the physical presence of Jesus: “Why are you standing, looking up to heaven, go and do what Jesus commanded to do. Go and be His witnesses” (Acts 1: 6-11). In other words, instead of waiting for God to do everything for us, you do everything for God. It is a call to Christian maturity. It is a call to represent Jesus in our time. Grow from followers of Jesus to leaders of ministry.

THE ASCENSION IS A CALL TO TRANSCENDENCE
Life is an onward journey, a process of leaving behind the past and aspiring towards something nobler and higher. It is a continuous transformation, a steady process of transcending the limitations imposed by the aspects of time and space. The resurrection liberates us from the clutches of space. The Ascension, however, frees us completely from the limitations of time and space and takes us to the dimension of Godly existence. This process begins with our baptism and continues until we reach the realm of God. The Ascension is a call to transcendence leading to our own assumption।

THE ASCENSION IS A FEAST OF HOPE AND COMFORT
The Ascension is a feast of hope and comfort. First of all, it, confirms Jesus’ promise of eternity. Jesus said: “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (John 14: 2-4). Jesus has won this divine heritage for us. This provides us not only great comfort and consolation in facing the uncertainties of our earthly existence, but also encourages us to shape and reshape our earthly pilgrimage in view of our eternal dwelling place। It reassures and reaffirms our faith in the eternal Holiday (heaven).

Secondly, the entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain remains a clear proof of God’s complete acceptance of humanity. Through the incarnation God entered into the human dimension and by Ascension humanity entered into the divine domain. Ascension completed the mission of incarnation.





















Thursday, May 14, 2009

Test Of Love

LOVE IN ACTION
I know a beautiful story about a couple with whom I personally became very close. Both of them were working in an Income Tax Office. It was at this place where they met for the very first time. Their relationship progressed and developed until it reached the point where both of them considered the possibility of marriage. Just three months before the wedding was to take place, the young man was in a serious accident and he became totally paralyzed. It was a terrible disappointment for the couple and everybody else that knew them. His fiancé stayed with him in the hospital. Her parents tried to persuade her not to do this. No one was, however, able to change her mind. She decided to marry him as they had originally planned. She said: “It wasn’t his body that I loved ... I love him ... I love his person”.

CALL TO LOVE
If there is no love, there is no Christianity. If we don’t abide in love, we don’t know anything about God because God is love. Love is not a quality of God. God is love. Jesus himself underscored this view when he said: ’By your love you will reveal that you are my disciples’. On the sixth Sunday of Easter, we are invited to reflect on this basic principle of Christianity. For example, the second reading (1John 4:7-10) starts with this advice: “Beloved, let us love one another, because God is love; everyone who loves is begotten by God”. Jesus repeats the same message in the Gospel: “As Father loves me, so also I love you. Remain in my love” (John 15:9-17). Therefore, Christian vocation, as St. Therese of Lisieux put it rightly, is a call to love.

LOVING AND LIKING
There is an inner urge in every human person to love and to be loved. Everyone talks about the beauty and fruit of love. In spite of all this talk and excitement about love, everyone finds it difficult to stay in love. Where is the problem? The problem lies in the fact that many of us are confused with the concepts of loving and liking. They are two different realities. Liking is the function of instincts of which we haven’t much control. It is an instinctual behavior. Anything that flows from an instinct is not premeditative. A human Instinct responds to whatever appeals to the senses. It can be looks of a person, the color of an object, the way she/he dresses, a certain manner of behavior, a particular quality of a person and so forth. We subconsciously fall in love with whatever is appealing to the senses. Very often we fall in love with people because of certain fascinations that have a quick impression on the senses. This sort of love ceases to exist as soon as these qualities disappear. Love based on liking alone is doomed to fail because the external appearances are transient.

On the other hand, love is a decision. It is an act of the will (Thomas Aquinas). Therefore even though we may not like someone, still we can choose to love him/her. In genuine love, likeability is only one aspect of many. Likeability definitely makes love easy; likeability makes a person more lovable.

One’s philosophy and vision of life can be a strong factor in loving someone. For example, what inspired Maxmillian Colby to die for a fellow prisoner was the statement of Jesus that “there is no greater love than laying down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus could lay down his life for all humanity because he accepted everyone including the prodigal son as members of his family. Even though, we may disagree with someone or do not like certain behavioral patterns of a person, still we can make a decision to love him/her. The decision to love someone helps us to look for the likeability in that person. That in turn changes our attitude towards him/her. This is the challenge Jesus places before each of his followers.

Criteria of Love
Love is an act of will. It is wishing the good of the other as other. Love is sacrificing one’s self to the extent of creating enough space in one’s self for the other. How do we know that we really love someone? What are the parameters of love? Christian love has three characteristics:
1. It is other oriented. The moment you start to think about others and their growth, you have begun to live Christian Love. If your life and activities do not bring happiness and growth to others, yours is not Christian love.
2. Christian Love is action oriented. Love is not an abstract thing. It should take on a concrete form. For example, we make available our time, talents, and treasures to the person we love. In genuine love there is always an exchange of words, an exchange of persons and an exchange of gifts. God so loved us by sending His own Son. Jesus loved us by giving His own Body and Blood. We must show our love through concrete actions.
3. Christian Love is expensive. There is no genuine love without a price or sacrifice. For example, to forgive someone who offended us or to defend somebody whom we don’t like…is really a sacrificial act. The amount of sacrifice that goes along with our concrete actions measures the real depth of our Christian Love!!

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No one is rich enough to do without a neighbor (Danish proverb)
Love your enemies, for they tell your faults (B.Franklin)
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A mother was telling her six year old about the Golden rule.
‘Always remember,’ she said, ‘ that we are here to help others.’
The youngster mulled this over for a minute and then asked, ‘Well, what are the others here for?’ (Christian Herald)

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Thursday, May 7, 2009

The Fifth Gospel

(Fifth Sunday of Easter)

Recently we had a discussion on Discipleship. One of the participants made this interesting comment: “ Disciples are Jesus multiplied”. I thought it was a great statement about discipleship. Christianity is not about a doctrine. It is not about a bunch of principles. It is all about a person, the person of Jesus Christ. The kerigma of the early Church evidently supports this view. All the disciples without any exception proclaimed only one thing: the person of Jesus Christ. It is not the teachings of Jesus but the person of Jesus that saves us. Peter for instance said: “Everyone who believes in Jesus will receive forgiveness of sins through his Name” (Acts 10: 43). Paul said the same in a different way: “Everyone who is in Christ is a new creation”.

This was a clear deviation from the Old Testament understanding of salvation. According to the Hebrew Scripture, salvation was attained through membership in the Chosen Race (Israel). Israel was the Vineyard of God (Isaiah 5:1-7, Psalm 80:9). Later, Israel was identified with vine and Israelites as branches. Israel, however, became a wild vine and lost its credibility (Jeremiah 2:21). Jesus replaced the vine of the Old Testament with Himself (John 15: 1-8). Jesus is the vine that provides the life giving sap. In order to receive life, therefore, one has to be grafted to Jesus. Jesus is the vine and all those who are in Jesus are the branches. It is not enough to be a member of the community for attaining salvation. Community is the communion of people who found salvation in Jesus.

Christian spirituality is measured in terms of one’s intimate union or relationship with the person of Jesus. The challenge is to find ways to remain in Jesus. Naturally a lot of pruning and cutting is necessary. Vine bears two kinds of branches; one that bears fruit and one that does not produce fruits. Vine grower cuts the branches that do not yield fruits so that they will drain away none of the plant’s strength. The same way, our growth in Jesus depends on how we are willing to control the worldly inclinations and tendencies and focus on the inspiration of the Spirit. Ask yourself: What is that I need to stop doing and what is that I need to start doing to develop a personal intimacy with Jesus.

The criterion to evaluate our intimacy with Jesus is our behavior itself. Our behavior is the expression of who we are. Does my life reflect Christ? According to John when we “love one another as Jesus commanded”, then we manifest Christ in our lives (1 John 3:18-24). One branch alone does not make a beautiful tree. Do I allow other braches to grow and bear fruits? (courtesy: Msgr. Jim Loughnane). I remember this experience that happened when I was working in North India. One day, while I was returning home after attending a meeting at the Bishop’s house, I met an old man. It was a very windy night and he was carrying a heavy bag. I felt sorry for him, so I stopped my scooter and asked him, “Where are you going at this hour?” “My train was late, so I missed my bus. My house is about three miles away”, he informed me. “Don’t worry. I will give you a lift”, I offered. “Are you a Christian?” on the way, he asked me. “Yes”, I replied. Further down the road, I asked him, “Why did you ask me such a question?” “Only Christians do this kind of work”, the old man replied.

Everyday we do lots of things. Every word we speak, every action we do, the kinds of friends we have, the way we dress, the kind of entertainment that we choose… everything associated with us reveals our identity. We show our identity through our behavior. By our behavior we tell people that we are disciples of Jesus. What kind of fruits am I bearing?

We cannot produce fruits of the kingdom without remaining in Jesus. Jesus is the source of all that is true and good. Paul was able to evangelize the gentile world because of his affinity with Jesus. Mother Theresa was able to do miraculous job for the poor because of her connectedness with Jesus. Their relationship with Jesus was such that in them ‘message and messenger’ became one. They became true branches. What about us?

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Day for Mothers

Terry is a little girl of 7 years old. She wanted to give a surprise present to her mom on Mother’s Day. She woke up early in the morning and walked to the store to buy the gift. Flowers were her Mom’s favorite item. She found a beautiful flower bouquet with a pretty message on it. “This is it”, she said to herself. She bought the Flower bouquet and with great excitement she presented it to her Mom. With a smiling face, her mother received the flowers. She could not control her laughter when she saw the message: The message was this: Rest in Peace. Poor little Terry, seeing her mom working hard every day, thought of wishing her rest at least on Mother’s Day.

Today is Mother’s Day. Mother’s Day celebration originally started during the Civil War by Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis. She organized a day of prayer to share the pain and agony of the mothers whose children were fighting in the war. Later Julia Ward Howe, and Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis, popularized the Mother’s Day get together and made it into a national event. President Wilson established Mother’s Day in the USA on May 9, 1914. It is annually celebrated on the second Sunday of May to show the ‘public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.

On this beautiful day, dear mothers, I wish you God’s blessings and everything beautiful. I would also like to tell all moms that we love you and we appreciate all you do for us.

The role and importance of a Mother is second to nothing. Motherhood is so great not only because they bring new life into the world but also for what they do to nurture and nourish that life. As Olive Schreiner rightly put it, “There was never a great person who had not a great mother- it is hardly an exaggeration”. There is no parallel for their love, care, compassion and sacrifice. Remember an incident where you were touched by the love of your Mother. Tell your Mom about it today, if possible.

Even though our mothers are great, in Mary, the Mother of God, we have a paradigm for motherhood. She is the perfect mother and model mother for all times. She is the model mother because Mary did the right thing for Jesus, her Son. Her greatness was that she raised Jesus in the way God wanted. She did not make her own personal plans for Jesus. She and Joseph did not impose their family trade on Jesus. Instead they discerned God’s plan for Jesus, created an environment to support that plan and accompanied Jesus all the way to Calvary and even after. This is the role of any mother: Discern the plan of God for her child, create an environment where he/she could pursue that plan and support him/her all the way.

Like any mother experiences, mothering was not easy for Mary either. In the process she struggled with confusion and conflicts. She gave up her own personal comforts and conveniences. She went through sacrifices beyond human imagination. Nothing deterred her from doing the will of God for her child. In the process Mary brought glory to Jesus and Jesus brought glory to Mary. If you bring up your child grounded on God, you cover all the basics for formation.

Parents face enormous challenges today. The values, the entertainment, the thinking patterns…etc that prevail today are not very promising. The temptation to flow with crowd is strong. On this day, I invite parents to try to convince their children the following four Key Values:-

1. That a person rooted in Jesus will not be uprooted by the storms of life (faith)।

2. That the greatness of a person does not consist in self promotion but self sacrifice
(values)।
3. That education dispels the darkness of the mind, provides right attitude of the heart, gives
the right orientation in life and equips a person to face the challenges of life (education)।

4. That only through a balanced and prioritized life style, can a person reach the height of glory (discipline)।

If you can give your children these four key values, then your children will grow finding favor with God and man. And nothing works like setting a good example. Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing (Albert Schweitzer). Parents are the television that children watch everyday.

And finally, as children, it is our responsibility to take care of our Mothers and Fathers. Find time for them and make them feel proud of you. Whatever sacrifices you do for your parents will never come close to the level of sacrifice they have done for you

Friday, May 1, 2009

Stop a while…! Listen to His Call!

Once, my School Principal looked at me and said, “Sebastian, you have a priestly look”. I was only 11 years old. As soon as I returned home, I looked in the mirror and said to myself: “Father Sebastian!” Everyday, the whole family prayed rosary together. My mom used to add a few more prayers after the rosary. Prayer for vocations was one of them. I used to hear her pray “Lord, bless our family with priestly vocations”. The comment of the principal and the prayer of my mom helped me think about the possibility of becoming a priest. I am sure every priest has stories to share about their vocations.

Today, the fourth Sunday of Easter is dedicated to pray for priests and priestly and religious vocations. The vocation to the priesthood is a unique ministry in the Church. Jesus himself instituted the priesthood. During the Last Supper, after the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus said to his apostles: “Do this in memory of me”. Jesus ordered them to make the bread of life available until the end of time. Jesus established the priesthood to make the Eucharist available. Since the Eucharist is the summit of our Catholic faith, the Church cannot exist without priests. The teaching, sanctifying and shepherding ministries of the Church continue through Holy Orders.

The Church, in certain parts of the world today, is suffering from a shortage of priests. Without genuinely searching for the reasons why, if we only look for other alternatives, we may not be doing a great service to the church. The problem is not with God, it is with us. God is still calling men to the priesthood, but they either do not recognize his call or fail to respond to it. If a person fails to respond to God’s call not only he/she, but the whole community suffers.

It is, therefore, important to look for the reasons for this decline in vocations and take necessary steps to alter it. A number of factors are contributing to the cold response of the young people to the call of the priesthood.

1. The clergy fail to express their enthusiasm and personal satisfaction in their priesthood.

2. Wrong understanding of the priestly ministry. Jesus had a mission to fulfill. In order to continue his mission, he called Disciples and Apostles. He empowered them with the Holy Spirit and commissioned them to go to the end of the earth. This conferring of the Spirit and sending constitute the heart of ministry. Through the reception of Baptism, every Christian inherits this commissioning from the Lord. They are mandated to perform this ministry according to one’s calling and abilities (Talents). Ministry to the Priesthood is, however, different from other ministries that are spontaneously emerging from the sacrament of Baptism. Holy Orders is a sacrament, a unique call to live out one’s baptismal commitment in a particular way. This is a Sacrament at the Service of Communion (Vat. II). It is a special call to serve the Church through the three fold ministries: - teaching, sanctifying and governing. It is a life long commitment. The tendency to equate priestly ministry with other ministries downplays the importance of priestly vocation.

3. Lack of community involvement. Traditionally the parish community played a crucial role in identifying young people with leadership qualities, and encouraging them to consider the possibilities of becoming a priest/ religious. Today, many parishes do not have active programs towards this direction.

4. Secular influence. It is an undeniable fact that our culture is becoming more and more materialistic in nature. A culture that focuses on self promotion and individualism discourages people to think about a life style that demands voluntary sacrifice. Moreover, a better understanding of the benefits celibacy is somehow or other missing.

6. Broken families and redefinition of marriage. Family is the domestic church that nurtures and nourishes vocations. A story is told about Pope Pius the X. After being elected Pope, one day he visited his Mom. As soon as he saw his Mom, he showed his Papal ring and said: “Mom, kiss this ring. I am the Pope!” After a little pause, his mom showed her wedding ring and said: “Son, see this ring. Because I was faithful to this ring, you were born, you had a holy family environment, became priest, bishop and now pope”. Yes, everything good and beautiful will emerge from a healthy and a holy family. Parents need to encourage their children to consider priesthood as one of the options in their future planning. They need to set the example for Christian living through, prayer, charitable works and sacramental lives.

God is faithful. He will not abandon his church unattended. We need to create an atmosphere where our young people can listen to his voice and discern his plan for them. It is a collective responsibility. Let us do our role responsibly.