Friday, April 29, 2016

Hola......Hola....Hola....Spain......

Reaching to Madrid was a nightmare, the flight was delayed for three hours....it took off around 8pm and on the way to Madrid....everything was going well....except some cranky little ones who kept yelling, screaming and shouting.....could catch a wink of sleep....just kept my eyes closed....the captain speaks from the deck, says we are on time and within each 20 minutes we will be landing at Madrid....after five minutes he announces again saying that we cannot land at Madrid as there is a heavy rains and storm...we have been asked to divert flight to Valencia....oh my God....nothing was going well for me.....we landed at Valencia amidst fear and uncertainty .....the passengers lost their cool and began to shout and yell at poor cabin crew.....it was not their fault...we should have thanked our stars and God for the diversion otherwise ....you would have found our names on the list of dead ones either on the TV screen or newspapers,.......
We dembarked the plane......collected our luggage and asked to wait....no one from Ryan air company...there appears a young girl....speaking fluently in all the possible languages....says that you will be driven to Madrid by bus.....five hours journey....no option.....we all came out to catch the bus...no food and water.....Ryan air doesn't provide....the young girl made it clear,,,,,,,at 11pm at the airport....raining heavily.....finally got into bus.....around two hours of drive....the bus halts at one bus stand for some snacks...
Reached Madrid airport.....terminal 1.....after enquiries come to know that I have to go to terminal 4....at 5am early morning....offices not open....finally managed to get one officer....who gives me bad news that my ticket to Pamplona is cancelled and it is not refundable......there are two flights to Pamplona in the evening but economy is full and only business class......about 500 euros......oh my God....what an experience and anxiety.....
Finally one officer suggests why not try buses direct to Pamplona ...good idea...go through the Internet....the first bus at 7am is full...the next one is at 10.45 only 3 tickets available .....booked the ticket...for 35 euros.....
Then ran to a caffe to have some breakfast.....and now writing blog......wonderful experience....it is good otherwise always flying easy way .....no tension and no running about.....

Flight delayed.......anxiety and worry....seen on faces of all

It is not a nice feeling when you hear announcement saying that the flight is delayed....the time of departure is not made know,,,,,all waiting anxiously.....kids all make noise....many get upset as they would lose their connecting flight.....there are many things connected with the delay of a flight....you have to spend more money if you miss your connecting flight....you got to spend money buying eating stuff.....the low cost flights don't offer you anything even if the flight is delayed....the known companies at least offer you some snacks and drinks....
What makes you most worried is the uncertainty of your reaching....just imagine if one has an important appointment or appearing for an interview for a new job...your flight delayed means to you lose everything....the anxiety kills you more than anything else.....the noise defeans your ears...the kids get cranky and noiser....the elders could be moving around with anger written all over the forehead....but just cannot do anything because you are flying with a low cost. 
I am just experiencing this right now at Ciampino airport here in Rome....I was so excited to fly to Madrid and everything went on so well....Clayton dropped me at the airport....poor man is always ever ready to reach me to the airport....as we were getting ready ....the announcement comes around....flight delayed.....thank God...free WIFI gets you connected with the whole world....I am keeping updated with IPL cricket match....scanned some few Indian news papers...looked the Orders website....read the article of Charles on fraternal Joy.....I am doing great....praying to Madonna ......Divine mercy chaplet too is over....great time to catch up with so many things....we can always make best use of these delays....sometimes being positive and optimistic with reality and situations makes you more creative....
I struck conversation with one young family....with two small kids...the dad so annoyed with the kids that he rapped up one kid....poor man.....we lose patience so easily with small events of life....we forget to see the bigger picture of life....many of us are used to the small picture of our life.....

Learning Spanish Language......

It was a great desire to learn Spanish since many years....it is a sweet language and in the world after English it is the most widely spoken language....I hope to learn in one month something.....hope to eat, sleep and speak Spanish.....i have been enamoured by the language ......since many years i have been speaking Italian-spanish.....with S at the end of an Italian word...sounds like Spanish....
 Friars from my Province came together for lunch.....It was welcome also to Br. Amol who is come for higher studies......we visited some sisters from Mumbai....we had special indian Tea....




Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Abide in Him.......

In today’s Gospel, Jesus encourages us to abide in Him.  What does it mean to abide in Him?  Our thoughts, words and actions need to be aligned to what is true, good and pleasing to God.  
 Just as branches cannot bear fruit apart from the vine, there can be no fruit in our lives without Him. If we distance ourselves from Jesus, we cannot be good, faithful, generous or patient.  Without Him we cannot know the joy and peace that only Christ can bring.  Bearing good fruit oftentimes requires pruning. The Lord promises, however, that we will bear much fruit if we abide in him and allow him to purify us. 








Do you trust the Lord's guidance and wisdom in your life?  Whatever difficult situation you may be facing in, if you abide in Him, believe that the ultimate vinedresser will help you bear healthy fruit.

Saturday, April 23, 2016

God's Love


In today’s Gospel reading from Jesus’ parting words to his disciples at the Last Supper, Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment: love one another.” (Jn 13: 34)

In the Book of Leviticus, God says: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Lv 19: 18b)

And throughout his public ministry Jesus taught his disciples to have love for one another. Why then did he say a “new” commandment?


Jesus said “new” because he meant a new interpretation of love. The word “love” is used very loosely today, in the lyrics of popular Rock and Roll songs, love is mainly a human emotion, a warm sentiment much devoid of common sense.  Jesus’ concept of love is never such.

In so-called “private” vows at a wedding, the groom may vow “to massage your feet every night” as an expression of his love for his bride. Love as used in the Old Testament Song of Solomon is so different from Jesus’ understanding and interpretation of love. Jesus would probably not approve of many of our love songs, as devoid of sanity and true meaning.


Jesus’ idea of love was very different.  For him, love is the love and care of the good Samaritan for the traveler waylaid on his way, of the good shepherd seeking his lost sheep, of the father welcoming his lost and wayward son, of the public sinner pouring costly ointment on his feet: for Jesus, “greater love than this no man has, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  To a world of betraying Judas-es, lying Peters, lying Caiphas-es, gambling soldiers, and a whole spectrum of evil at his crucifixion, Jesus declared, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do..” This is love which is entirely new. This is love as St. Stephen gave his life, “”Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. . . . Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7: 59b – 60)


Jesus’ teaching on love was new because it meant a new meaning of love; new, because it would establish a society whose basis, shape and character are rooted in love. It is not about good neighborly relationships, as stressed in the covenant in the Old Testament. The Old Testament stressed these sentiments and obligations: these appear today as social welfare and charitable works.  Jesus’ commandment of love stressed his kind of love.  

The early Christians lived this love preached by Christ such that those around them. It’s not fine words to describe their life-style. The early Christians out-lived, out-thought and out-died the people around them. Those around them saw this love as their living trademark, “See how these Christians love one another.”  Their love transcended race, culture and language and created a new society, the Christian Church.  There have been many attempts at a new society:  Communism, Nazism, Fascism, Socialism and others have not led their followers anywhere.  Whereas, at the heart of the early Christian Church there was a new sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, a new sense of true community, that became the wonder of the world.   Its lasting persistence to this day in missionary projects, hospitals and schools, selfless and dedicated men and women of the Church throughout the world is proof and testament of this love.
Jesus” teaching on love is new because it is a new fulfillment of love. Love as lived by many today is a temporary emotional experience, here today and gone tomorrow leaving in its trail staggering statistics of divorce, suicide, violence and fraud.



Why did Jesus love people the way he did? Certainly not for what he could get from them. His was a love which fulfilled itself in the well-being of others, a love which helped others, which rejoiced in the success of others, which applauded the triumph of the good and wept with those in sorrow.  Such is the love of Christ which he left as a new commandment to his disciples and to all his followers.  Such is the love of Christ at work in each of us. In this love the purpose of his kingdom is realized and fulfilled.

We all search for new things......



A little boy watching a cartoon program, shouts at his parents saying that there is nothing new in the cartoon.....the same things....I want to watch and experience something new.....the parents bought a new updated version of the same cartoon....the boy initially liked it but by evening he repeated the same saying that there is nothing new....the old stuff put in new ways.....this is a small child who is fed up with day today things....he is bored watching the same old cartoon....and no one can satisfy its thirst for new ones in life. What about grown ups...we are always looking for something new in life....new clothes, lifestyles and relationships....we use and abuse things for our own good....we are searching something which will grant us new hope and promise...everyone tries to look and search....they did find but for short time....the TV advertisement put before us everyday new things which we already have and possess.....we get and buy things which don't give us the joy. But there is something new....everything is same.....Book of Ecclesiastes says



What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say,  “Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.


Thursday, April 21, 2016

Search for Spirituality?????????

Today we live in a world which is fast becoming unfriendly....everyone seems to be running away from one another.....people have no time for the other.....we don't recognise one another as we would do years before....there is a question of personality crisis....we don't understand who we are and what we are to do.....there is so much bombardment from the secularized world..we are confused due to lack of inner knowledge and inner energy...
 we need to find ourselves....we need to search inside of us.....we got to sit with ourselves to know who we are....otherwise we will run without knowing where we are going.....we are on a journey without an aim and purpose....we have to do a lot of work on ourselves....
 The scriptures and religious traditions do help us to come closer to ourselves and others....we have to reply heavily today on these means and also spiritual guidance from those learned and God experienced men and women......
 There is a dearth of these guides who are not easily found....those who are around are the ones who are interested in cheating and looting the simplest people who come to them in faith......
 The search for spiritual peace and quietness has to begin with ourselves.....others can lead us to the lake but we got to drink the water.....we have to look for ways and means to be in tune and touch with the Divine.....God is offering us all these possibilities.....are we ready to leave behind all those things that take us from the Divine?
 Going to lonely places, mountains and hills is really good....but one can do searching where one is.....you dont have to run away....accept who you are....let us not put on....be genuine and sincere with ourselves....

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Down the Memory Lane

 In the scriptures, light is equated with God's truth and life.  Just as light exposes what is hidden in the darkness, so does God's word enable those with faith, to perceive the truths of God's kingdom.  Light also allows living things to grow, just as God’s word breathes life to those who receive it with faith.
  
In today’s Gospel, John tells us that Jesus came to bring light into the world, not to judge mankind.  It is clear however, that to reject Jesus, is tantamount to rejecting God, and bringing judgement upon oneself.  Jesus was sent to bring life and freedom to those who accept Him.  

Whoever encounters Jesus and follows Him, walks in God’s life-giving light.
“Come, Lord Jesus Christ. Be with us now. Come and renew us. Come, oh, Prince of Peace. Dwell in our hearts. Come, be our way, our truth, and life. Conquer the night. Come, be our light, Emmanuel.”



We are called to be Holy


 The season of Easter gives us the message of hope in rising to new life with Christ.  In the Gospel reading, Christ tells us that whoever receives the one he has sent receives him. And whoever received Christ receives the Father who has sent him.

In baptism all of us are commissioned and sent by Christ to join him in his mission.  We are called to holiness; we are tasked to change for the better, to rise to new life with Christ, to become witnesses of his love and of hope in his resurrection and triumph. 

Jesus’ words assures that he will be with us as he send us to be his witnesses,  He assures us of his grace and assistance to share the wonderful news that Christ has risen, that God loves us.  Let us trust him in this wonderful call and mission.

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Fraternal visit to Coimbatoor Fraternity

From the hills of Kotagiri to the the textile town of Coimbatoor.....it is also known as the poor mans Kotagiri....the climate used to be good in olden days but today it is different....the concrete jungle that growing all around....the textile industry is almost dying....
 The oldest friary in the CCMSI....it used to be provincial house.....today it is a formation house, parish and there is a school.....the place is in the heart of the city.....they school is growing and the province is trying to make best use of the situation in order to be self-sufficient....
 Br. John, provincial of Tamil South requested me to bless the foundation stone of the extension of the school building...he is going great and doing well ....the friars and teachers all gathered together for the blessing and laying of the foundation stone....

 moments of congratulations....

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Animation for the young Capuchin and Franciscan Friars at Kotagiri

It was going back to my formation time. The young and energetic friars gathered to prepare for their final commitment....from CCMSI and other Franciscan families....Capuchins are in big numbers....the surrounding and climate of Kotagiri is good enough for the young friars to pray, meditate and reflect a lot about their commitment.....the animation group Friars Lawrence, Wilson and Joseph are doing their best to provide all the help and support to these young friars....Kotagiri is a hill station and its beauty attracts all the Indians.....Tea and coffee gardens.....huge tress and flowers of all kinds .....the presence of religious is significant....the church is vibrant too...... 
 The friars asked me cook some pork....coz i had prepared last years too.....it was a joy to prepare for about 100 people....there are 40 philosophers from SOuth and North Tamil Provinces.....52 candidates for the solemn vows preparations....but the brothers got ready everything and then it was my job.....
Friars from Maharashtra.....there are 6 of them and they will make their solemn vows in May....
 Yesterday evening they put up a cultural program....dances, skits, songs and mimicry all so fabulous ....entertaining......i joined them singing some old Hindi songs....i got all of them to sing along and clap....wow what a great joy.....