Feast of Divine Mercy Celebration in Mumbai!!!!!!!

The devotion to Divine Mercy is very popular and strong too in the diocese of Mumbai....for last many years many lay faithful have been praying and promoting this devotion.....the number of faithful devotee is on the rise,,,most of them have experiences of God's mercy and compassion...with their witnesses and good examples have been able to convince others about the devotion.....

 When I was Parish priest here in Kirol, Mumbai....we promoted this devotion by organizing a two days seminar inviting priests and lay faithful to speak about the devotion to divine Mercy....the response was very positive.....a small group was formed who took up the responsibility of promoting the devotion....every Friday the group began to pray and at the end would invite a priest to give a small talk about divine Mercy....today it has grown.....many members....

 Fr. Amrut Foneseca, our ex provincial is a well know preacher ....asked me to help him to conduct a three days novena in Juhu Parish of St. Joseph.....I preached on Saturday and celebrated the festal mass....in my homily I emphasized the need of Mercy and love....compassion....the world is in turmoil and only God' s Mercy can only save us....

 The church was packed....more than one and half thousand devotees turned out for the afternoon celebration which began with the adoration at 2pm and at 3pm a small procession around the church....after which we began the Eucharist.....a wonderful choir led by young devotees of Divine Mercy....the atmosphere was very spiritual......

 The group then distributed some snacks at the end......

Is telling Lies become a normal thing?

Today you pick up any news paper and read it…some of the allegations that people make against each other are most of the time false or fabricated….it results in pain and suffering…in order to prove the point made many have recourse to telling or inventing lies to make a point strong or valid….but we forget that truth and lies hurt.

 Telling lies brings in dishonesty and negative mentality, people who are often telling lies are those who are not happy people and their thinking and behaving is very negative, their talk is always about others and their mind works like a factory to produce more lies. 

 They forget that people do know that all what they speak is nothing but lies which breaks trust, relationships, friendships….many liars have lost valuable people in lives, may have lost business and jobs….yet we all are victims of lie…lies are told in order to make known ourselves or points, or to prove that we are better than the others….sometimes we don’t want to hurt the feelings of others so we tell lies….political leaders would like gain advantage to they indulge in lies…..one lie leads to another lie….it piles….becomes bigger and bigger…..then we have no control….

I have come across people in all the fields like Religion, politics, business and social environment…all this happens to gain some popularity or to avoid some faults and failures or for personal gain and advantage…once it becomes a habit then it leads to a larger frequent lies….

Don't take me for granted!!!!!

It happens in the family, Order, Province, Church, society or even political parties etc....men and women who give their best are taken for granted....their worth is not understood or recognized....they just keep doing it and others enjoy the fruits of their hard work.....these good souls without complaints just keep on doing and giving their goodness...they are selfless workers who have only one goal in life that is to share goodness through their life, hardworking and life itself....

 I know one gentleman who works on ship for five months...he regularly sends money to his family...they all enjoy at his cost....the children have the best things in life...latest mobiles and designer's clothes.....but hardly send a message or a phone call to the breadwinner who risks his life for them....when he comes for holidays...these are busy with their so called work and enjoyment....hardly anyone at home....he comes home to enjoy the presence of his family...to spend few moments of love....but he is taken for granted.....no wishes and respect......all they want is his money....but he has a lot of goodness...he inspire of suffering from high diabetic keeps working....there are so many daddies, mummies, sisters and brothers who are taken for granted...but these good souls are influenced by the great sacrifice of Jesus...He is their model of giving ....they are care and love givers and not takers....

 Many of us get habituated to our relationships....like milk and and sugar...get mixed up.....but we forget that the society is becoming Sugar free....there will be no sugar available after sometimes....goodness and sweetest is vanishing so quickly from our human existence.....

 What one needs is time, presence and good words for the relationship and bond to grow strong....we are missing all....we keep sending forwarded messages....dont even read them...click and forward...some of these messages are negative.....one who reads goes through agony.....

 When we wait for our beloved ones...time seems to be going very slow....when we are late we feel like time is running faster than what we imagine.....Time is short or less when we are enjoying each others company....when we are suffering time seems to stay longer and does not move quickly....time does not come according to our imagination and will...so it is better that we need to be happy every time....make others happy by presence and spending quality time with the loved ones.....

Not Happy but sad and Tragic Easter for Christians in Srilanka!!!!!

I was just getting ready for my Easter Morning Eucharist with a lot of Joy and happiness in my heart and then the alerts on my mobile sounded me a sad news of Bomb attack in Srilanka....at that time there was no complete news of the casualties .....i went to celebrate the Eucharist and offered my prayers for the people of Srilanka.....i preached about peace, forgiveness and empty tomb....Jesus has won victory over death.....

 I returned to my room and looked for the news in Mobile and i was horrified to read that many churches and hotels have been attacked...scores have been dead and multiple injured....people who came to celebrate the victory of Jesus over death had to face the death....people who came to sing Alleluia had to embrace death.....horrible scenes ...

These pictures are disturbing....you have seen and i am sure you have prayed for the lost ones....prayed for the real peace of Christ to come down on earth......why innocent people are targeted...there are a lot of questions now crowding in our hearts and minds....we can only pray....the church and faith will become stronger day by day...Jesus will not allow the blood of these new martyrs to go waste....new souls will arise....to make the world more peaceful....the world need to send a message of peace  and not a message of war...

 One woman came crying to me narrating the heinous crime against the humanity....she said the Risen Lord has already accepted all those dead in his abode...granted eternal life.....this is being Easter and resurrected people...not a single word of blame, accusation or complaints....but announced that the Lord may forgive those who are responsible

 Now we have to come together to witness to our faith and love for the church...the church and government of Srilanka need our prayers and support....come out generously...

 Let us rebuild the broken lives of the faithful and rebuild their faith.....they have no idea about the damage done to their emotional and spiritual lives....let us offer prayers....

Happy Easter!!!! Let us pray for the Peace in the World....Pray for Christians in SriLanka!!!!

Lat three days i was preaching in a Parish called Our Lady of Perpetual Succor in Pune....large numbers of faithful participated in these three days....with devotion and piety...

 On Holy Thursday a well organised Liturgy by the lay ministers and a full participation in Eucharist was very much appreciated...

 On Good Friday....in the morning enacted way of the Cross was participated Catholics and even non-christians....the youth of the parish took the trouble to enact and make passion and sufferings of Jesus more visible...the faithfuls were moved and some of them were shedding tears...

 In the evening we had the service of the passion....a short procession in which 10 priests participated and then began the service....long queues for the kissing of the Cross

 Last night we began the Easter vigil and again a large number of faithful.......i preached for all three days....Last night i was the main celebrant...

Suffering Jesus Inviting Us...to Carry our Daily Cross without murmur!!!!

The suffering of Jesus is beyond our understanding and compression....what we know and read is not the entire story of his suffering...what the movies show is not even one percent of the real inhuman suffering that Jesus has gone through...

 The suffering is prolonged one from the Garden of Gethsemane to Calvary.....we can imagine what an agony he went through you and me....he with his suffering was bridging the gap between us and His father which was created by our sins....

 During his suffering many dramatic things took place and many personalities played positive and negative role to lessen and increase his pain, sorrows and sufferings....

 Peter denied Him and disciples ran away....men and women who had enjoyed his presences and profited from his ministry and miracles were shouting and screaming ...requesting the authority to crucify him....

 But the redemptive suffering of Jesus was instrumental to remove the alienation of Human being from God...we were reconciled to God the Father....our dignity was restored...

 First Adam sinned and broke the convenant....second Adam Jesus....died for us and built up the covenant again.....the lost friendship was restored again...

The Proof of Jesus' Unwavering Love for us all........

What an example from the Lord of the earth and Heaven....bending down to wash the feet...what a great humility and sign of total surrender ...perfect obedience to the Father....He had finished what was assigned to him....it was time for him to pass from this world to the Father....he wants to give a last and best example to his disciples and all believers....

Let us pray for the Priests all over the World.....May all of us be His perfect examples and witnesses to the world around....Let us be serving men and women....

Jesus revealed himself throughout his ministry....people failed to see Him the anointed one....for whom they have been waiting for ages.....showed through his actions and deeds what he had come to do...his mission was to set free.....

what he did before his cruel death was to change the mind of the entire humanity....he knew that his body will be crushed....he kept loving his own and those who follow him....he loved them to the end.
  Love endures anything. Love can draw forth good even from the worst of situations.
   Love Redeems. The very betrayal of his friendship will let him demonstrate the authenticity of his friendship: “There is no greater love than to lay one’s life down for one’s friends.”

Holy Week - Door to Easter

Jesus Christ entered through a door of the City of Jerusalem to suffer, die and rise again….the centre and core of the Holy week….we in faith accept that Jesus entered into the city to die for our sins…he manifested God’s special love for us…..He brought us salvation and freedom to be sons and daughters of God the Father…

 Holy week encourages and instills in us conviction that Resurrection of Jesus lifts our hearts and minds beyond our limited picture of life, it allows us that our difficulties and problems are short lived…..our future will have a new vision and horizon…he grants us a peaceful and happy future…we need to enter through the door of faith…we will experience new vision, hope and joy..

 Through the door of Holy Thursday we will thank God for the holy gift of the Eucharist, his own body and blood….He gives us priesthood and consecrates them to be good and holy shepherds, to share his body and blood with the rest of his chosen people.

 Through the door of Holy Thursday we will thank God for the holy gift of the Eucharist, his own body and blood….He gives us priesthood and consecrates them to be good and holy shepherds, to share his body and blood with the rest of his chosen people.

Through the door of Holy Saturday we are invited to dispel the darkness from our lives and wait at the tomb of the Lord for His promised resurrection. The symbols of fire, word, water, holy oils and bread and wine…lead us to Christ and help us to understand and share in the reality of His death and resurrection. 

Rebuild and Repair my Church!!!!!!!Notre Dame....We will rebuild it......

This morning i woke up with the sad news of the fire in the Cathedral of Notre Dame...my heart went out with sympathy and prayers towards the faithful and diocese responsible for looking after....then i scanned through various indian newspapers and almost all had reported about the fire....many statements made by the Vatican, president of France and other European leaders were worth reading...all reflected their love for the Church of Christ....it was reflection of their deep faith in Jesus and in the Church.....the President of France said that we will repair it....it was heartening and heartwarming one...

 What came to my mind was the call given to St. francis of Assisi "Rebuild my Church", the president  repeat similar words, "We will Rebuild"....the Cathedral is symbol of our European Culture and Christian life....it has inspired and changed the lives of many...the cathedral has been a place of renewal of faith and Culture....

 Many have come forward to rebuild the Cathedral....one gentleman has announced about 100Million Euros for the rebuilding.....I am sure this gesture emerges from faith....this gesture will inspire many more not only donate but to renew their faith and trust in Jesus and His Church....

 The European Church will rebuild herself.....Church will go out to re-announce and re-tell the saving story of Jesus....we are in Holy week and the call is to rebuild our broken lives and lives are burning the fire of secularism.....God will renew the face of the earth ....the darkness will be wiped away by making use of us all.....Be ready to rebuild the Church

 The call is given to all the baptised....in this holy week as we meditate on the suffering, passion and death of Jesus....let us promise Him to live our baptism in its true sense and meaning...

 800 years old Cathedral which has taken a lot many years to build ...will be rebuilt once again and along with it the Hearts and spiritual lives of the Christians.....

 Once again people from all over the world will be led by awe and wonder once it is rebuilt....it will happen...Notre Dame is the History of France.....it is centre of culture....