Let's build up our Hopeful Tomorrow Together!!!!!!!!

Human Life grows and expands only through genuine relationships in all the moments and situations. Life becomes worth living when one feels that there is something common that runs through in and among us is the concrete and deep relationship. When this feeling is strong then there is no distinctions and differences among us, no caste and creed, no rich and poor but all are acting with same dignity and honour on the stage of being of human.

Our world is connected so rapidly that we cannot be disconnected for a moment. This connectedness and encountering makes us to realize our real worth as human beings, as brothers and sisters. So it is important that we keep encountering one another in a sense that we complete one another…each one becomes a school where one teaches as well learns….we listen to one another in order to learn and grow…every encounter should bring hope to each other….each encounter should lead to see tomorrow filled with possibilities and opportunities…every one receives what one needs to grow and bloom…

We can create a better tomorrow and hope when we all together understand and accept, help and support one another. We need to put ourselves into the shoes of the others who are suffering and facing hard times…how can I eat three time these days when the poor outside are not getting one meal a day….how can I sit in my airconditioned room and make rules and laws without feeling for those who suffering, without being concerned, without having solidarity, brotherhood and sisterhood….so many affected by the corona virus are not sure about their being alive….everyone seems to be asking the question: why are we suffering? Can we not create hope for the frightened human beings? Where is our development, technology, science?

In this critical phase of the history We need one another, need assure each other, be a sign and messenger of hope….to create zones of support…may be to make a courtesy call to some one who is all alone and going through loneliness….we are not an island….we are all called to create a brighter future and hope without excluding anyone….we need to restore our broken and damaged relationship….there are many wounds, hurts, doubts which needs to be healed and restored completely….let us not sit in the judgment sit and cast aspersions on the others. The fire of revenge has to be put off….it is burning very strongly…the sin of humanity is so big that we need to reflect and pray in order to cancel and to be forgiven by the Lord….

Is it possible to create a happy society and world, happy man and woman…but happiness arises from being together and harmony it cannot be just created out of nothing but it happens from interactions with one another, by sharing and loving, giving and receiving, when we share the fruits and benefits of our search, technology and science with all when human beings are priorities and not the things, when we love the human soul and not the created object….so genuine relationships can create hope and new future. 

Let us not neglect, deny, ignore, have biases towards the poor let them be the part of our society…let us all give a creative response to build up each other…let us be passionate and humble to reach out to the others…..give a concrete response…no theories, ideas and concepts from our cosy airconditioned rooms. We all can begin the journey together…

A Tonic for Happiness

You want to do something on your own and you fail to do so or achieve what you dream….you give up throwing your hands up in the air and think negatively that happiness cannot be your cup of tea….you say to yourself that you are born to be so…you need to cultivate a habit of thinking that you are always happy in spite of obstacles…allowing yourself not to  think of them often but trying to overcome with positive energy

You need to be the master of your life and then Life moves faster…you are the driver and then you know how to negotiate every move on the road…you see and experience the road to your goas….do what you can do to negotiate the rough and tough road…think positively and try to overcome obstacles….do what you love to do…..you can do a lot of things while driving the car of your human life….if you concentrate on the potholes and obstacles on the road…you will end up either draining your energy or causing a fatal accident…..it even might take away our happiness of meeting the goal for which you are driving….accomplish your dreams doing what you like

Surround yourself with people who are positive, encouraging, optimistic, pro-active. Keep yourself away from negative and reactive people. They hamper or become obstacles for our growth and happiness…look for people of high quality who will support you…whose company you can enjoy and make you to think positively….who make you to feel who you are inside or within….true and genuine friends who generate positive influences on you….love your friends and families who are your backbone in all the events of life…look for mentors who can make positive influence on your life, surroundings and the goals that you want to achieve….

It is always good to be in search of happiness and wellbeing, it is energetic to look forward and keep moving….there will be a lot of hurdles and problems but your intent to move on and see the doors of possibilities open will enthuse a new spirit to do something new and great….you keep trusting in your mission and goal of life. Always have Something to strive for in order to make your life richer ….it can be anything in life that you love….stay and hang on where you are but looking beyond….don’t run away from the battle and blame the enemies….first learn to eliminate negative thoughts and energies which can block your growth to be a wonderful happy person. 

Choose persons, times, etc to become what you want to be that will change you and people around you also…..allow your views, mentalities to change and mature by accepting who you are….take the negative burden off you….otherwise you create imaginary doors which are always locked by your negative burdens…be brave to destroy these negative doors….don’t waste your energies trying the keys which are useless and cannot open the locked doors…never miss any opportunity to meet positive people…..because they are like tonic which gives us new energy…..invest your time and energy to be happy….don’t invest your life in becoming rich, famous, to achieve more ….don’t running after some choices which cannot make us happy….

Everything happens for a reason

There are informations and news which no one would like to hear when things are going on so well...when we are soaring high in the sky....when are on top of the clouds...when we keep telling ourselves that we have achieved everything....we are kings of our own destination and dreams.....everything is at your beck and call....the world offers you everything that you desired and wanted to have....then out of the blues a bad news is broken to you....your world is ended....which had just begun to give you wonderful experiences ....you had just begun to love and understand the nuances of it ..your world is crashed and crushed....everything seems to be ending and ended....why bad things happen to good people is the biggest and complex question we raise in our minds...

The answer is be an ardent believer in prosperity and success....you need to believe and have faith in God.....wealth and health will come to you....you will lack nothing in your life.....the Gospel of prosperity tells you keep walking....keep putting trust in the lord....prosperity will knock your doors....love will fill your heart and soul.....love will become real....the goodness of Love if it is loved, it will dance in your heart and mind...think positive, live positively, nothing is impossible....everything will end in happiness and success.....the Gospel of prosperity and success tells you that belief and faith is what we need to overcome any hurdles and impossibilities in life.....we have achieved so much in the world....we will still achieve if we keep practicing the gospel of prosperity and success...

when you believe in the gospel of success and prosperity we earn everything...we approach and go beyond yourself....you reach out to the unreached....touch the other....because you feel you are blessed by the Lord and you just want to give to others who are not.....thank for all the blessings

Don't worship yourself, deify yourselves....don't make yourself a god of nothing but believe in One God is the Master of us all....Give Him a chance to dwell in our hearts and souls....wonders work very quickly and steadily....the core of our hearts is meant for us....we need to be positive and optimistic...

we are all good and yet we go through pain and suffering...why this is happening to us....we have done nothing wrong to anyone....we hurt no one....killed no one....then why we experience what we experience at the moment...why innocent and poor people have to face the brunt and music of the evil....

dream big and achieve big is what our human nature invites us to do....we must do that with faith in the Lord....success and prosperity will come to us through hardworking.....have goals and not imaginations....goals need hard work and imagination and day dreaming does not need hardworking...we can build millions of castles in the air with any hardworking and money in your pocket....get real with reality.....touch the reality....

there are difficult moments in life but the good news will not let down your faith, perspectives....in our lives there many beginnings and endings ....all have a purpose and logic...have goals and messages....bad things happen but we don't deserve yet happen....God has a reasons....a plan of God...to be a sign that a suffering has redemptive purpose.....it does not happen because we have done something wrong....a loving God will not give us what we don't deserve....but in every darkness there is love, joy, acceptance, embrace and beauty....more love is poured on us to be a sign of God's love...

Let us adapt to a new life-style!!!!!!!!!!!

For Last three months we are all living a period and time, situation and events which our generation did not live or experience. There are changes happening every now and then, it is unsettling our old ways of living, behaving, expressing and moving forward. There is risk knocking on our the doors of our hearts like, risks, disease, fear, financial crisis, relationship crisis, domestic violence. All these were existing and had their negative influence on our lives but we never had time to look at them and solve them. Now that we are lock down and have ample of time to see its effects and evaluate them for our good. 

Before this crisis of Corona, Globalization and social media had us imprisoned and blindfolded us completely and totally, we did not want to introduce any change in our life styles….we were happy to do the things like slaves which gave us temporary happiness and satisfaction but took away a big chunk of real joy….`no one spoke about being adaptable to the negative things that had influence on us….to make a change and adapt a new of dealing and handling was considered out of fashion. But the uncertainty loomed over us like a sword, ready to chop us into million pieces…..but we just hanged in there….as we belonged in….a superficial environment created to satisfy our desires and cravings. Our approach to life was mechanical and we could not see options which were always there. What we had to do is to adapt ourselves and bring in a little change which would have been a beacon and ray of change and hope. 

The questions that we must ask ourselves is, how are we going to apply new challenges to new situations and changes that have emerged due to corona……how far we can go to handle these situations which definitely have solutions within us….can adaptability bring about hopes? I would be affirmative because it is possible to change many things which were not so useful and beneficial to our being human, emotional and spiritual beings. We had gone away from ourselves…..so let us not come back to the original , the roots from our false world and reality. Everything seems unpredictable now, so it is God given opportunity to fall back to the genuine ways of being human, applying and putting into practices those ever new values and traditions, admonitions and corrections which we received from our older generations. We need to pick right and positive signals from this crisis by being adaptable. More Changes and challenges are on the way…we cannot sit with old formulas and solutions, old and useless ways and means…we need to stay relevant and real….

The answers lie in the signals of adaptability and change. All the signals will work out in our favour either for human, social, moral, emotional or spiritual area. In this interconnected world we can offer each other new models and ways of being adaptable to the changing situation. Let us create an ability to read the new signs of the times and act on these present signals……virus has thrown open wide the human arena and everything is affected. You name any relationship which is undergoing a drastic change dur to this crisis of virus. Keep our human and spiritual antennae tune to signals of change and adapt to new life style which is real and proper to our human nature. We need to sit back and work out new ways being a brother, sister, parents etc. We need to oil our old wheels of relationship which are making cricking and irritating sounds. We have participated into too many races which has not brought us closer to one another and God. We were worried about winning at any cost but in bargain we compromised with values and principles, we gave a toss for the most treasured commitment which had made us men and women exemplary and so many looked to us for inspiration. But we did just the opposite in order to live by our ego….It is time for us rise up to the occasion and with dynamism be what we are called to be …..adapt new ways to live our call…

Let us create with grace of God the ability to dive deep into our human and spiritual being and allow the grace to shape us a new with new avenues and experiments of living our lives. It is possible to swim through and against the current if we believe that our lives have a purpose. There is nothing impossible to achieve through adaptation and experiment, it gives us new energies to invent something new for a new way of living our human lives. To overcome the barriers which have been created by the crisis we need to be open to the challenges that will be thrown before us by being adaptable

Are We Self-Sufficient?????????????

Human beings need one another as no man is an Island. We depend on each other for various reasons and motives. The human society has grown it is because we always valued the support and help of each other. The exchange of values, principles, wisdom, expertise, knowledge and material prosperity with each other has brought us to developed stage. The role of our teachers, parents, relatives, masters, gurus have shaped and formed us to be what we are today. Their valuable and precious guidance has given us a sense of purpose in life. Why have they spent themselves on us? Why did they make those huge sacrifices for us at the cost of losing themselves? It is because we are incomplete, imperfect and insufficient.

 Left to ourselves we will not be what we would like to be. Look at the poor nations cannot exist if they do not depend on rich nations. They know their limitations and weaknesses in their nations which will not allow them to feed and be self-sufficient. This is all at the human level. Inter-personal relationships and inter-dependence which leads to human sufficiency and development.

But there is another higher and superior level and that is spiritual level without which we can do nothing, achieve nothing, arrive nowhere. If we move ahead with the Lord or supernatural then we know the consequences. When we put ourselves in His place and try to be gods, the end result is destruction and losing the directions in our endevours. We end up creating a mess in personal and communal life, there abounds evil which eats and destroys the creator. 

We dishonour Him and we are flattened because without His wisdom we do not proceed nowhere though we glory in our achievements. What sense does it make to exalt our tainted and broken human nature and cast down the power of God in our lives. We have become robbers by assigning all the credits to ourselves, we are like false prophets. The false prophets downplay the role and place of a true God, glorifies himself at the cost of God. 

We are not self-sufficient. We need humility to accept the power and glory of God in all that we are. We are created and exist for a reason, purpose and mission, so we need to accept the plan and program of God. We need to accept the light of the Saviour and dispel the darkeness within and without. We have achieved and done nothing to be proud and take glory upon ourselves. 

All what we are and have is given to us. We are clays and He is the Potter…Let us be vessels for God’s glory and not for our own. In humility let us learn lessons…never believe too much in ourselves….let us lean on Him…..bow down and kneel before…trust and open our hearts and souls to Him….

New Opportunities, chances, visions and relationships!!!!!!!

There is solution and answer to all the problems....the world has always overcome with great success over all the natural calamities and diseases and epidemics....This has been possible because human beings have positively looked and handled the epidemics. The society with its energies and scientific powers have led to great success and brought about healing to the suffering 

This crisis of Covid19 will open a lot avenues and bring about a lot of positivity and energy in us after having faced this terrible pandemic. This will teach us about our family values, respect to the old and infirm, spending quality time with each other especially the kids who otherwise grow with technology and modern communication gadgets....many of those who did not know what discipline mean would learn it during these days as the families live together...spending a time which they never before spent together.....many of our behavioural pattens, attitudes etc would be learnt and unlearnt by all of us...we will see a positive effect on our personalities and individuality will shine as the self-centred lives will done with....other-centredness will grow tremendously during this period...this is a time of different kind of test and examination...the results out of this are going to be mind-blowing and stupendous...we will learn how to handle ourselves and all that we are...as we delve deeper into ourselves with the silence that is being offered to us during these days....

Human beings have seen and faced many hard situations but never like this.....we have fought two world wars....civil wars....hate crimes......riots between races and religions....but never before we had a fear so deep and frightening......no one knows what is awaiting for the entire world....economies are taking a low beating....politicians have no clue as how to handle this great confusion.....poor ones have nothing to depend on except the charity and compassion of the others....but we are not alone....we are with the others....all can sit together.....find out the solutions,,,,,results will definitely emerge.....the family issues will be solved....broken relationships will be rectified....new hopes will emerge as humanity gets time to look at and analyse the cause of the problems....

We all face problems and issues and most of the times we don't get immediate and quick answers.....it takes time.....in its own time solutions and ray of hope will be seen...new ways and means will be searched and found together with one heart and one mind.....nothing we will lack when we have peace within....that is the only thing that we will achieve during these days....the ever lasting peace will leads us to happiness and prosperity.

The closed dialogues and communication between human beings will re-open....there will be less fights and misunderstandings, less people wanting to break marriages, less people wanting to spend time in unwanted places but desiring to be with families and friends. One thing will result that is we will have less expectations of each other.....no one will ever dare throw their weight around as we are realising that we are nothing but like a grass that blooms in the morning and withers in the evening...we will learn greatness in supporting and helping one another...we will learn to be human beings....our relationships and friendships will be strong and deep...

Finally we will all learn to be happy with whatever we have....we will not run run uselessly and aimlessly but run with a purpose....there will be happiness always waiting to embrace us when we live true and genuine human lives....keep a goal in life and we will be happy....

Lessons from this Pandemic!!!!!!

Human beings always thought that we could overtake and overdo than God the Creator....We have learnt now that He is the biggest and we are a tiny dot....with all our progress and development we cannot defeat him....so follow Him and believe in Him....Give all the credit to Him....He deserves all our praise and honour.....

 We thought that happiness and sufferings depend totally upon us....we are in control of it....no no this Corona Virus has taught us that if we are in communion with Him then it is easy to be happy .....material things don't guarantee us happiness.....

 Right from our birth till our death we have been running to live and enhance our human life with His presence.....we just kept running in the race and we thought that we would stop that would be the end...But now we have understood that we were wrong....cannot keep running faster but going slow...

 This crisis is teaching us that bad new spreads like a wild fire....and the good news has no feet...does not travel much faster because no one is willing to be the bearers of good news.....so in Life with God we can stand on our own feet when there is no human support...

Bishop Camilo Ballin - a great Shepherd and Son of the Mother Church passes away!!!!!!!! RIP

Bishop Camillo Ballin, the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia passed away on Sunday, April 12 at 10 pm at the age of 76. 

I had invited me for a retreat for the Vicariate and all the priests were present for the retreat including him and the Custos of Gulf were present.....He is introducing me to the priests before the retreat.....a great friend and confidant of me.....I got to know him 2008 while on a visit to Gulf and then onwards we worked together ....he would always email me regarding anything that would happen in his vicariate regarding the capuchin....I, in my capacity as a General councillor extended all the help and support.....it was a pleasure to work with him.
Bishop Ballin was born in Fontavia, Italy on June 24, 1944. He was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop, writer, missionary and educator.

He was ordained Priest of the Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus on March 30, 1969, at Castelletto Sul Garda, Verona.Bishop was a man of word and commitment.....he called a sped a sped....did not mince words....what he spoke he meant it with great concern...he would not tolerate any kind of nonsense and infidelity and ingenuity.....he hated lie and liars......he was man of quick action......a Bishop with golden words.... 

He mastered Arabic which a great advantage for the Church and for him....he went about building trust and dialogue with Muslim brothers in the gulf....he would fluently and impeccably speak Arabic ..As shepherd he took great care of his priests and faithful.....always wore a smile.....ever ready to give a listening year.....

Whenever I spoke to him over the phone he always gave me sufficient time....he would share and even consulted regarding some issues.....he made a lasting impact and impressing on me when we all met in Rasal Khyiama for a joint meeting of Bishops, General Minister and me, all the CCMSI Provincials and other provincials who are collaborating with Gulf Vicariates.....He was firm and strict regarding certain issues....he was loud and clear regarding certain policies.....he did this for the good of the Church....

He wanted his priests and faithful to be following and imitating Jesus at any cost and thus living and giving witness to our Musli Brothers and sisters....he had a lot of confidence in his priests who collaborated with him commitment.  

He had a great dream to Built the Cathedral in Bahrain and he obtained land from the Government....began collecting funds....people generously began to donate for a dream Cathedral.....which definitely will be completed by his successor......he was generous soul.....

As an ardent writer, Bishop Ballin published several written works. In 2004, he published two of his books in Arabic, 'The Ways of the Spirit' and 'History of the Church'. The first explores, in-depth, the Rule of St Pacomius as the founder of communitarian monastic life. His second publication is a treatise on the history of the Church from its inception in the 15th century, the book particularly aimed at explaining the life of the Church to the Arab world, with special reference to the Eastern Church.

From 2005 till his last breath he worked for the well being of the Church...a faithful son and servant of Mother Church

The Nuncio of Gulf who also attended last two days of the retreat which I preached.....`both Nuncio and Bishop Ballin worked together very well....May the Lord grant him eternal rest.....May your words and example inspire all the children of the Church.....Your death is a big loss for the universal Church but specially for the Church in Gulf....we will miss you dear bishop