Life is Not a Bag of Misunderstanding But Sea of Understanding!!!!!!!!!

When we have misunderstanding with the other and we break our relationship and conversation with the other without analysing the facts and reasons leads to further deeper misunderstanding. The day we understand that the other was not wrong or what he expressed was not immoral only that the way he expresses himself is different from us, this thoughts and opinions are totally different from us, that day we will end all our pains and miseries that was caused by the misunderstanding. Today many families, couples and friends break their relationships because they have no patience to sit and reflect the causes and reasons of the misunderstanding. we 

To be rich we need to store and preserve each grain of ups and down, success and failure, to be wise and intelligent we need to use and utilize each moment of life. The money that we earn is not going to be useful for our next life but the good that we do and show is what going to be useful and grant new life.

Life is beautiful and worth living, it has sunshines and sunsets, life is full of joys and happiness but it only accessible to those who are willing to explore it. Life every flower is beautiful but some have thorns and yet they have enchanting beauty. So life is life those flowers which are beautiful because of their thorns....don't avoid them but make them part of life, to make it more worth living.  Life is like wind which can change the season and weather so our blessings in life can change all the difficulties and pain. In life never compete with others but live the way you have received it and attract many more and be useful, life a flower that does not compete with the flower next to it, it just blooms....bloom where you are planted.

In Life keep trying and making efforts to succeed and achieve the goals, do not leave the game half of the way. In every attempt and effort you may meet success or may not but the reason behind every success is the effort and hard work. No one cannot deny it, so keep trying hard.

In life we come across many people who are perfect and imperfect, intelligent and unintelligent, good and bad, weak and strong. And those who do not stand up to our expectations and see something less than us, talk to them and do not judge and ignore them. But when we see always some weakness in others and find faults with them, then it is time for us to speak to ons self. 

Coldness of the Heart!!!!!!!

 

We come across people who are very cold hearted in their relationship and behaviour. These people we can encounter in our families, parish, working places etc. They have a spirit of indifference and they do not show any signs of closeness, feelings and emotions. They are not moved by the events that take place in the family or around them. Either they take everything for granted or they are not just bothered. They will not even shed tears at the death of their dear and near ones. They are so called hard hearted and stoned people. No dialogue or communication works on them, they are fixed people in everything....they have their own say and opinion about everything....they are terrors in their commands and orders....if you do not listen to them they assassinate you with the looks and attitudes.

But each of us have some cold places in our lives with regard to some emotions and when it comes to relate to our own. We do experience a cold heart in our relationships with the others and we are aware of it but do not want to do anything about it, because we find comfort in it. These people need the warmness of our closeness and the grace of God to warm up their cold hearts, if not then they can be very destruction in relationships. When they open their cold hearts to those who are able to touch them, a tremendous transformation they go through and experience a new wave of warmth.

We may think that we are related to one another because we live together, but we fail to realize that our hearts and minds can be a miles apart when we do not give an impression of being there for the other. It is also related to our spiritual and prayer life, we may do all the things that the church and religion commands us to do but our hearts can be far from it, may not be involved fully and completely. Our lives may not be according to the scriptures and teachings of the Church.

The coldness of the heart can be seen when we are jealous of the success of the other, when we do not appreciate the great work done by others, when we do not accept the other for what they are. Children when do not obey the instructions given by the parents and do what they like they demonstrate a cold heart which is not willing to open up to the warmth of the parents. 

God of Surprises!!!!!

These days of Pandemic many people have taken to writing poems and articles, sharing their own experiences of what life has been to them. Many of them have understood in a deeper sense the meaning of human and married life. Family living has been a big revelation, many have understood their spouses much better than never before, some have been able to solve the domestic problems and handled them together with the presences of the Children. The best thing that has happened is that many broken relationships have been restored, forgiveness is doled out very easily without any conditions, many years of wounds have been healed now. These and many more miracles are taking place right now in our lives, families and society around....just look around....see and watch carefully with love....you will that your children have become less demanding and more responsible. 

On the other side many children have been affected by the absence of physical school and getting glued to the computers and TV's...many children's mental health is deteriorating badly, parents need to pay attention to them...spend personal time with them, talk to them like friends, like their peer groups. Parents may have to be like children in order to be friendly with the kids, it may make demands on us, but at the end it is worth doing all that for the good of our children.

Life is taught the biggest lessons during this pandemic so let us be open and frank to accept and enter into these message to make life more worth living. These messages and lessons that we are learning are not offered by any well known and famous schools, colleges and universities. These lessons are learnt from the less salaries. empty stomachs in many parts of the world, the fear of death, empty pockets and bad times that we are experiencing at the moment.

The biggest awareness that these times have created among us is that Life is one way traffic. We can turn back and see it but we cannot walk back on the same path. We have only to look at it and move ahead. Learn lessons from it and live the coming days with faith, trust and confidence in the Lord who created us. 

Let us learn the lesson that relationships and being human is bigger than knowledge and money because money and knowledge get over but with relationships you can control the situations and handle it well. Make our friendship and relationship more sweeter and strong and make life more worth living.

Family is the Best Place for growth!!!!!!!

 Today everyone seems to value family relations and giving a lot of importance being connected. Not that it was not there but the intensity and urgency of being part of the family has increased due to the COVID. Many were shocked with numbers rising up globally especially in India and those expatriates who have families back home were so concerned and worried about their loved ones, is a sign that we belong to a family that cares and loves. 

What is Relationship, it is not an examination, it is not matter of pass or failure in our relationships, it is not a competitions between families who has more and who has less, who is more intelligent and wise, it is not a question of victory and failure, but it that moment where we care for the other, ready to die and sacrifice, respecting the other more than oneself, the awareness that there is someone for me at the end of the day on whom i rely and depend for my growing and being a human person.

We must always try to value our relationships with the close one and also those who are connected with us through various ways, our priority to place our relationships vast and bigger than the sky, deeper than the Ocean, more scented than the sandalwood, more softer than the rose, more loving than the Love. It should be like the rain drops that fall on the leaves of lotus and appear to be like diamonds, so should our relationships be among us.

God does not write our luck and destiny, but in life we with out thoughts, relationships, attitude and behaviour writes our destiny and makes us lucky. In all these our relations do play a vital and important role to make us happier and luckier....our positive outlook and understanding of the other that makes us to win the race in this mad world.

Where these is life there are memories and remembrance, where there are memories there are feelings and emotions, where there are emotions and connectedness there are human beings. Where there our dear and nears ones, you too are there fully alive and active 

The Need of Good Shepherds Today!!!!!!!!!

 

The health Crisis due to Corona has crippled, many people getting affected and many more dying due to the virus. The government is doing all that it can do but not enough as the crisis is bigger than what we all think about it. The government agencies are falling short to reach out to every affected persons due to many reasons, like lack of infrastructure and medical facilities. The front line workers are going out fully to give their best to those affected and many more are coming out to do the same. It is a crisis which none of us would like to see for long time. There is fear lurking among people, we need shepherds to console, show compassion and show solidarity to those who lost their dear and nears ones.

The shepherds whom we need not preachers of the word of God but practicing shepherds who lead by their life of examples and witnesses of compassionate love. Shepherd who will not isolate and abandon those who need them most to console and heal. Those who spend quality time with millions and speak the voice of God. By spending precious moments with them to give them hope in this hopeless situation. Those who can make them grow spiritually and physically healthy and sound to believe and trust in the most forgiving and compassionate God. We need the shepherds who will walk the talk and lead the suffering sheep to the green pastures and rivers to quench their thirst. 

The need today is not long talks and speeches but actions and deeds, to keep watch over those who are dying, love and care those who are affected and scared of getting infected. We need shepherds who will show qualities of example of followers of Jesus the Good shepherd. Today we are all disappointed with our political and even spiritual leaders because they fall short of what they have promised and supposed to do for the population. They are poor shepherds who mislead them by their sweet talks and not ready to lay down their lives for the suffering sheep 

The shepherds must help people to come out of this crisis by good planning and governance, give high priority to the need of the hour, lead them to best social and medical care which will be a green pasture at this moment of crisis. The need of the people today is to be still, peaceful and without fear and as shepherds in times of crisis and fear we need to offer refreshment of the Holy Spirit. We need to take care of their bodies and souls by offering them physical and spiritual food at the moment. it is time to be with them and spend time listening and trying to console them with counselling and spiritual advices.  

We are all Shepherds !!!!!!!!!!!

Do not mess up with spiritual people, because you are not aware about the forces, behind them. 

Don't worry, to the point of losing your inner peace. Pray with perseverance, with faith, with calmness and serenity. Goodnight and God blessAn act of generosity is a seed, which even dropped by chance, springs up into a flower. 

If someone tells you to be realistic, just remember, your reality, is not the same as theirs. We define "realistic" based on our perception. 

You are a combination of the people, you spend the most time with, your habits, and your environment. A loving person, lives in a loving world. A hostile person, lives in a hostile world. Everyone you meet, is your mirror. 

Was down with food poisoning since Saturday. Still lying down due to intermittent spasmsIf you want to change your outcomes, start with theseThe best apology, is simply admitting your mistake. The worst apology, is dressing up your mistake, with rationalisations, to make it look, like you were not really wrong, but just misunderstood. 

Today, live in a place of gratitude, be mindful of the beauty and incredible value, God has placed in your life.

Taking diet advice, from a person who doesn't cook daily, is like taking a prescription, from a doctor with no clinical practice.If you're going to be blessed, on a greater level, you're going to be persecuted, on a greater level. If you can handle the persecution, then God will trust you, with the blessing.

Time to come back to God and ourselves!!!!!!!

 

Many of the faithful who have come to me for the sacrament of reconciliation during the lent season which we have just concluded with the celebration, have narrated to me that this Pandemic time has been a blessing for personal as well as for family life. It has been a time to grow in communion with the Lord as well as with family members. The spiritual awareness has now increased to a great extent and now prayer has become something natural and normal, there is no force and compulsion. The participation in the Eucharistic celebration is more active and vibrant both physical and online participation. The great realisation of the supreme sacrifice of Jesus has made us to find meanings in our small sacrifices that we make in the families and for others. 

This time has been a great moment of spiritual re-awakening and a great interest in the Scriptures which has led to appreciate the creation and the human beings. This spiritual reflection on the gift of faith has made us to give emphasising on prioritising our lives and choices in our daily lives. This pandemic has taught us that the present mentality of ours is wrong which is self-centred, egoistic, individualistic has been a great source of unhappiness and stress in our human life. It has taught us that we need to place priority on spiritual and religious things in life. 

Let us dedicate time to prayer and reading of the scriptures, learning about ourselves and knowing the purpose and mission of our calling to be human persons. It is also time to cancel all the un-forgiveness and hurt feelings towards the others and ourselves. It is time to open our hearts and minds to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and refraining from those things and actions, deeds and words which create a divide, disharmony, giving a though to stop bad habits, behaviours and compulsions which led us towards the destruction. 

It is time to be on our knees to pray and ask the Lord for forgiveness for all that we have done against him and his commandments. Let us ask for mercy for taking him for granted and His teachings ignored and giving importance to human teachings and wisdom. 

Time to Become good, better and Best Person!!!!!!

Some one shouts from the Crowd as your are doing something o=good or saying something positive and good, "You are good person and you are destined become better and best at what you are doing"...these words can make you feel good and bring in positive energy to perform much better than you actually are performing. When strangers and known people offer us these spirit lifting and encouraging words the best in us just waits to come out. But we are all aware that become good, better and best is a processes never ending with a lot of hard work and self-confidence. 

Today the whole world is fighting the fight against covid-19 as many precious lives are lost and it looks like that we are not able to overcome the virus in spite of our best inventions and research in medical field. spiritual leaders say that there is brokenness of the human spirit and zeal as the world suffers and not able to arrest the spread of the virus. The world is trying its best to change certain things in the lives of human beings become better people to handle the crisis which is life war. We need to accept that life is not out of control this will happen only when we use the best qualities and gifts that we have within us. It is time to give for the human community to work together. It is not time to blame and criticise, politicise the pandemic as there is hope that we can offer to the distressed humanity. We can bring about lasting change and growth, elimination of the virus just being positive and good to one another. 

According me one becomes what one thinks of oneself positively and releases the energies that are meant to help us be good, better and best persons in the world. These energies sometimes are blocked and kept within us for the fear of challenges and difficulties that one has to face. Sometimes reactions which destroys the path and ways which can lead us to be the best in our life. We may have best and more knowledge, education, communication and resources than others but if we don't see the good, better and best in others, all that we possess is of no use at all. We need accept and acknowledge that together we can change certain situations and bring out the best in others to contribute for the building of the society. 

The change to be a better and best person is from within and not from outside. Let us not change in order to be seen by others and appreciated by others. This kind of change is always hallow and does not remain long. We change our attitudes, behaviour and way of thinking to influence the others who are around us. Let us not shy away from being the best in our personal life and let us share those things which can help the other to be the best. But in this process of becoming best need to stay strong with our faith and convictions. Let us continue to be shining examples and models of being good, better and best by touching the lives of the others.

A Simple Brother Philip passes away - A Tribute

 It was the month of June, 1994 we met each other in the International College San Lorenzo Rome. We had just arrived from India but did not know each other as we belonged to different provinces. After two days the Indian Capuchin group gave all the new comers a welcome dinner and there we introduced and spoke to each other. A first impression was the best impression that i Had of Fr. Philip. A man of few words and hardly mingled with others but used his free time learning new languages as he was preparing for the Biblical studies. From the College we moved to Frascati Rome, where we were learning Italian language and Philip showed extraordinary progress in learning the language. I would always go to him for clarification when some things were not grasped by me. He was ever ready to welcome me with a pure simple capuchin smile. 

After the Language course we got back to College and then to University to begin our studies. From the College we had buses taking us to Universities for the classes and bring back to college. We both would be sitting together in the bus while going and returning. He spoke a little but spoke wisdom and had something new to share. I would make fun of him often and one day he said that i was the only person who made fun of him. We both would be serving food in the refectory and doing the dishes together. It was a pleasure to work with him as he would silently carry out his task without much noise. 

I completed my licentiate in Franciscan Spirituality and he carried on pursuing his studies in Biblical Science. We communicated rarely after the studies and then we met each other again in erstwhile Andhra Pradesh where he was the professor. We were happy to meet and greet each other. We spent some time remembering our nice and fraternal days in the college. Staying there for about three days i got to hear very positive and good report about his teaching and person from the brothers in Vijanayalam. He was strict and very observant teacher, prepared his class with utmost care and delivered them flawlessly. He demanded hard work and efforts from the students. From then on we met every year in Andhra Pradesh. I as a Provincial Minister visited the formation house Vijanayalam to meet our friar student who were studying and once again we had the opportunity to meet twice a year.

A quite, simple and man of few words, spoke through his prayerful life. He was committed to teaching and to living his fraternal life. He spoke when it was necessary otherwise he would not join any useless conversation. He will be remembered by me for his encouragement that he offered me when i was elected as the General Councillor of the Capuchin order. He wrote to me saying that your experience would definitely would help you in animating as a General Council-or. The last time i met him was during my pastoral visitation and provincial chapter of St. Joseph Province, Kerala. 

We have lost a simple humble brother who lived Capuchin Franciscan spirituality in its fullest sense. May the Lord grant him eternal life. My heartfelt condolences to his family and all the friars of St. Joseph Province,, Kottayam, Kerala.

Change yourself!!!!!!!

 The biggest problem of our life is that we take time to know ourselves and take a right action and decision to change the things that are not helping us to grow as a human person. To change is the Law of the Nature, everything around is changing, changing for better. We would like to see everyone around us change, change their behaviour and attitudes, we want them to be perfect and saints, demand their total conversion and transformation, but when it comes to us we throw up our hands up in the air and say its not for us for others. We change houses, bring change in diet, we go out to change our friends, relations, we change practically everything that does not satisfy and make us happy, but we are still sad and disturbed because we don't change ourselves.

Another group of people dwell and take seriously the comments made by others about them. They throw tantrum about what others, say, think and speak about them. They make to feel that the world has come to an end with the negative comments made about their life, actions, behaviour and lifestyle. I am also open to to appreciation and criticism of the others about me, my attitudes, and my style of functioning and especially the way i preach the word of God. It took me some years to come to this stage where i take both in my stride and always thank the others for their sincerity and genuineness in giving their comments. Actually i have learnt over the period of time that both appreciation and criticism are good because appreciation inspires you and criticism warns and prepares you, gives you an opportunity for a change.

Let us keep life simple as far as possible because simplicity opens the doors to millions of positive graces to live our human life. the more simple life is the more is less tensions and stress in life, when simplicity is dominant in life then we step out easily to know the need of the others and go out to help and support in their difficulties. `````sometimes simplicity helps us to know ourselves and it does not tire us, let us not think too much about our achievements and successes ....keep everything simple....keep smiling....the more simple we are, the more we begin to live life in its fullness....

Some times we meditate or take seriously the hurts and burns in life, we waste too much of time thinking of it and of those who caused us. No hurt or wound is big, the bigger are those who are trying to nurse and cure us. They keep our hurts fresh with their useless and selfish comments, they go deeper into the wounds which are of no significance at first look. It is same with the relationships, they are not big but those who keep and honor them are bigger.  So whom you are going meet in life, will be determined by your heart, who will meet you in life, will be determined by time. But the most important point is in life, in whose heart you are going to live forever will be determined by your behaviour and attitudes.

Accept Who You Are!!!!!!!!!!

 Self-respect is one thing that i always promote among the youth and people who have have self-low image and esteem.  To know oneself and accept who we are. `Self-respect is that we accept what we are, what we have and what we can be in the future. It is to accept our worth, talents and gifts and move on in life and help build up the lives of the others. I have understood and accepted that self-respect and worth is the foundations of all the goodness and values and principles in our lives. It is good to develop a habit to appreciate who we are and give positive self-strokes for what we do. Let us not wait for the others to appreciate and lift us up to the skies but recognising our worth can do a lot of good to our image. 

Many of us are very reactive in difficult and tough situations, we lose temper and mess up with ourselves and others. The biggest answer to the difficult situations, tough dialogues and arguments with the others is SILENCE.  When we are composed, silent and proactive answers and solutions are easily found and we are able to restore broken relationships with each others. We learn to be claver and smart , understanding and loving when we keep silent in any difficult situations and event. Silence is the sign of a wise man. 

Success in life is achieved through hard labour and work, sweat and believing in ones capacities and abilities. But the same success is not handled well and when pride sets in then we lose control over the success and in the long run we lose what we have achieved. some of us become so proud that we stop working hards and just live in a made believe world. 

I have seen my own family which went through rough times, difficult times, poverty and lack financial support from anyone. The days were very hard to face as my parents did not know how to feed five boys at home. Parents would work hard and provide food and shelter, managed to send all five of us to school. There were hardships and difficulties, pain and sorrow but parents remained together in their pursuit of finding a right way always to look after us. But they continued their fidelity to one another, the Lord and family, pains and sorrows were gone and happy days came knocking on the doors of our family. These moments were sweet and we will never forget them....

Persons in Life!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 We cannot choose people who should be part of our life, who should come into our life cannot be chosen, but those who are there or come, can teach us a lot of lessons or we can learn a lot from them, this definitely we can chose. But a wrong choice persons in life can lead to wrong and negative decisions in life. But sometimes those good people in life who are there like positive signposts whom we ignore and go looking somewhere else for the good, best and better people in life. They just don't come or drop in our bag of life but they are sent by God for our growth. There are some people whom we find in the journey of our life and make a huge difference with their presence. `some of these people support and help us and some of these take advantage of our goodness and being nice, some encourage and support us. Those who take advantage of us live in our minds and those who help us grow, support live in our hearts. 

Good people and thoughts will always remain with us because they have positive energy and influence on our life. Their presence and influence cannot be easily wiped away or defeated by the negative working by anyone. You may try to lessen their value and importance by negative propaganda about them, but star will never stop shining, their innate nature will always allow them to be true to their nature. Zero gets importance when we add other numbers in front of it. When we mix and mingle with people who think of themselves as of no importance, they realise slowly their importance when we give them their due in life. 

Some good people in our lives we cannot ask or purchase them, like happiness and joy cannot be asked for, goodness if your search you may not find it, so happiness unless it is given by others we cannot receive just like that. so it is true that good and nice people cannot be searched but they are given by the Lord in our lives to be part of our human journey. 

It is said that the most dangerous and harmful organ of our human body is EAR, it is created to hear good news and communicate the same to others. sometimes what EAR hears it, makes the EYE to believe it and prove it wrong ....such a tremendous power EAR has...so use it discreetly and not make negative use of it. 

There are many issues in life which we can solve easily but the fear, thought of the society and temptation of short lived happiness, misses the goal and we never handle or solve the problems and issues of life. so it is good to express our emotions and feelings on time, because some things to be understood on time are very useful for our lives otherwise we will repent all throughout life for not having understood on time.