Humility gives us Divine Power!!!!!!!!!!

The History of the World and Church has shown us that humble ones have always been remembered by one and all, they are the ones who have won the hearts of all who believe that Humility leads us to experience the forgiving love of God and one another. The humble ones have left examples which are million dollars to be imitated for living today. On the other hand we have seen the fall of the pride and how they have been the source of their own destruction and those who followed them. They have not been merciful and loving to anyone so they have not received nothing from others. Their end has been very disastrous but they might or might have not realised the the negative effects of being proud.  the humble ones are those who demonstrate their faith in all situations in God and allow the faith to work miracles in their lives and in lives of the others. They experience liberation and freedom from negative powers and walk on the path of righteousness and forgiveness because they experience themselves the power of it in their own lives. 

The hearts and minds of the humble one are clean, good, transparent and open, those who come in contact with them can read it as an open book. The humble ones are able to keep themselves away from the evil and negative consequences of sin because they submit themselves to the positive energy of the grace of God. Not everything that we experience and happens to us is because God wills to or permits it in our lives but it happens due to the influence of sin in our lives.

The humble ones believe in spiritual uplifting and cleansing than external makeup or decoration which does not last long or produce desire results. They always plan and organise self empowerment in the spiritual field in order to experience the effects of the grace within our soul. Everything that we would like that the grace be effective and the presence of God be fruitful in our lives needs deep, solid and strong humility. 

The humbles are ready to walk a distance, give up all inhibitions, accept helplessness and their misery and look forward and move to overcome everything. They believe in the power of submitting to grace of God. The one who accepts ones condition whatever it might be and depends totally on the power of grace to move forward, does experience miraculous power. To accept ones weakness and messiness in life need the inner power of God's presence within us. 

 

Fear in Life achieves nothing !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of us are gripped with fear in life when it comes to take a decision for the present or future. sheer fear of the fact that what i am going to do may not turn out to be good so we stop and give up the idea. many of us are capable of achieving great heights of success but due to fear we stop growing. Fear has done no good or achieved anything in anyone's life. if we live in fear then life is not able to achieve, win, lose and share with others. With fear lurking in mind we cannot win the hearts of people around us, we begin to losing the warmth and love of the others and we stop experiencing and sharing the happy moment. 

I have known solid people of character and behaviour, they have been a source of inspiration and encouragement to me. The way they handle the negative situations, difficult times and moments, problems of life with smile and laughter that is like electricity and gives hope to those who have lost it. Their life is always active and kicking, life works like battery ever ready to provide energy for all moments. They believe that being positive in difficult moment is to keep the battery charged fully for the next difficult moments. Their presence activates those batteries which have been exhausted or run out.

We are always in a position to be of some help to others and some of us are in better position to bring smiles on the faces of those who have lost all hopes. being useful and helpful to them makes us to be positive, always happy and contended. Many pray to God for some help and inspiration to be given to them and most of the times the help and inspiration is us and we fail to be one due to selfishness or egoism. We can be instruments of God's generosity and help, support and love. allow God to answer someone's prayer through you Never think, that someone is using you, rather remember that you are useful. Relationship between two persons should be like the relationship between the hand and the eye. If the hand gets hurt, the eye cries. And if the eye cries, the hand reaches out to wipe it's tears.

There's nothing better for your life circumstances, than you feeling happy. When you are happy, problems tend to solve themselves, and things fall into place easily, without any effort from you.

Happy Feast of San Joao Bautista!!!!!!!!!!!

 

As Children we would wait for the feast of San Joao Feast as there were many things that we would do on this day. First of all it was one of the great feasts celebrated by the church so going for the Mass either from the school or from home was mandatory for all children. It was nostalgic because the rains that would pour increase our joy and expectations for the grand celebration during the day. After the Mass it was almost compulsory for all boys who knew swimming to jump into the well which were already overflowing due to heavy rains. There were many wells in our village so young and old would go round to jump and have a good swim. The seniors of the village would have their special booze prepared for the occasion. It was fun to be around the well and hear the name of san Joan being taken as one would jump into the well. 

Second thing that we would wait and long for was the special sweet made by mothers, it is called "Hingolyas" made out of jaggery, gram seed, coconut and many other ingredients. It is a yummy sweet which waters your mouth at the smell when being prepared. Women and girls would be busy in the kitchen preparing and singing some old songs in honor of San Joao. The boys would walk into the kitchen and pick up and would just enjoy the sweet, share with those who could not afford to have them due to lack of money. 

Third thing was to wait for the Son-in-Laws who were specially invited for a dinner. It was their day called "Javai's Diwas". They were specially invited fro their homes by sending a responsible member of the family to bring him home. He was would be dressed up well and throw a little of his weight around on this day. He knew that it was his day and he was respected and honored by the In-laws and the rest. Special food was the menu for the evening was prepared and he would get the heart of chicken and goat, specially cooked or fried in deep oil. The whole village would be filled with aroma of this special dishes. 

The fourth thing that would waited and longed for was the ceremony of Plantain tree decoration. A young sapling of plantain tree was cut and decorated with flowers and hey. The children would gather around the sapling with sticks and one of the elders would set fire to the sapling and children would being to beat the sapling shout slogans like "San Sanjao Gomtye" or sing some songs or hymns from the church. It was a wonderful event and traditions....we would spend good time before eating our sumptuous  dinner prepared for the occasion.

Unfortunately, today these traditions are not followed or slowly pushed to the corner. Young children do not even known certain traditions. Jumping into the well continues. In Goa most of these traditions are continued in a full swing. I am missing them very badly. 

PROMOTE VOCATIONS!

We are seeing a real scarcity of vocations all over the world and we have few priests and religious for Church and her mission. Many who would like to join feel that to be a priest today is challenging and feel themselves a rare endangered breed. We need to determine the cause of being so few people coming forward to prepare for the priesthood, there are many reasons. In India, we have a very good tradition of priestly formation. People are very generous and very much involved in the church, and so are the young people. So what could the cause be? I don't want to go on too much about this, but let me just tell you a few of the reasons I've identified.

First of all, becoming a priest is no longer a social status and prestige. It is actually perhaps an instance of downward mobility, and the question is. Who would choose to do such a thing? Who would choose as their profession to go down one step on the social ladder? In the past, of course, this was not the case. Priests were regarded highly and were respected persons in the world, in society and of course in the church. Nowadays priests often come under a lot of criticism, and people feel sorry for them. Society does not accord them the prestige they once enjoyed.

A second reason for the scarcity is that families are getting smaller and smaller. What this means is that when parents have two children in a family they do not necessarily want to see one of them in the priesthood. Things were different when families had seven or 10 or 12 children and were honoured to have a priest in the family.

A third reason, why so few candidates for the priesthood exist is that our society is almost entirely secular, a society where God is disappearing due to the influence of media and technology. Religion is no longer talked about in the families but made use for political gain and to divide the people on some issues. Today we are frightened to speak about Religion in public but do a lot of talking within four walls.

A fourth reason, then, for the scarcity of candidates for seminaries is that many people and many young seminarians grapple with a negative image of the church and of the priesthood. The priest is called and expected to do everything in other words he is jack of all trades in the bargain he loses his real identity. The youth do not find role models they are looking for in order to dedicate themselves to God. This negative image has to be over come and project positive and healthy image among the youth who will definitely would like to be like one of us.

We need to see God and make Him visible through our words, deeds and actions. Let us all try not to reduce God to a force and power to whom we can run only in times of difficulties but a God who is a person. Do not reduce Christ to just a man who works miracles but a personal savior and redeemer and he is not to be projected a prophets like others.

We need to love the Church and take part in her spiritual and material growth and development. The Church should always remain mysterious and priests as mouth pieces of God. The priest who proclaims the word of God is the representative of Christ who speaks through them. We have to give importance to the church as a sacrament of salvation, the Word as sacrament of divine communication, the Eucharist as sacrament, not just a kind of noble symbolism, the Mass at the heart of worship and not as a theatrical event —all of these are crucial parts of our identity. If this is practiced and observed by every faithful then there will be no problems for vocations.

Another reason, that may young people do not want to bear any kind of suffering. And they believe that suffering should be avoided at all costs. They are incapable of giving any deep meaning at all to suffering, and have not suffered at all. We have to show them through our life that suffering leads to glory.

Many vocations come from middle-class families whose parents are deeply religious. Because these parents disciplined themselves, they have a disciplined home. We need to promote and strengthen our families based on Gospel principles. The size of the family is reducing and number of children is limited but right education and religious atmosphere would promote vocations for priesthood. There was never any doubt in our minds that our parents were saints; I suggest it was saintly people who produced all these vocations. Where are the parents today that pray that at least one of their children enter the priesthood or the religious life? Now that there is increase of parishes in India but few priests and religious are working for the spiritual welfare of the laity. More and more laymen are taking active part in liturgy but the crisis of vocations will always remain.

Let us all promote life and family, popularize chastity in the young and in the married, and publish literature to foster these ends. The evils in modern society - the loss of faith, contraception, sterilisation, value-free sex education, abortion and the threatening euthanasia - are not only anti-life but are destroyers of families in multiple ways. What destroys families destroys the Church. Let us pray that the Lord of the only harvest that really counts will inspire the young to serve Him exclusively. And may ever more courageous parents welcome a generous number of children in their homes in this anti-life/anti-family world.

 

Create Your own Destiny !!!!!!!

Jesus don't you care that we are perishing and drowning. Are you not worried about us and we are all going to die in wind and storm. These are the questions of every human being of every age and generation. And Jesus shows us through calming of the sea by rebuking that God is still in the business, of delivering His people. And when we call to mind, what He's done for us, we can't help, but thank Him and praise Him!!! 

Our modern world has made our life so easy and comfortable. You have access to all wisdom, love and power, through your joy. Every day is something new arrives or produced to make our lives comfortable and every day really is a gift, but we have to see it that way. Maybe you're not where, you'd like to be in life, but look how far you've already come. God is doing big things, in you and through you, and He has more in store

We see men running frantically looking for God and some of them make pilgrimages to search and experience God by spending huge amount of money, avoiding to see and experience God in the place, locality, house, home and family where He is really present. We have to realize people can’t see God, but they can see us. The question is, are we representing Him the right way, as His ambassadors? To live fearless and free, is to let your light shine, with your actions, not just with your words.

We create our own destiny through our words, thoughts and actions. The more positive they are, the more positive, our destiny will be. but we see that most of the time we are not shaping and creating our destiny which we are capable of doing so. When we use the power that we possess then as a real human being are not afraid to say," I don't know" when someone asks and humility becomes the hallmark of our existence. 

Happy people are real and authentic. They are in touch with their feelings and spend time.. learning, growing and developing.When you face opposition, ordinary people would be worried & begin to complain. But here's the key, you're not ordinary. You have the blessing Making hard choices can be liberating, because it helps define who you are and demonstrates the power, we all have, to shape our lives.

Life: Think good and Positive

Life is and precocious gift that the Lord has given us. We need to train our minds and hearts to see the sunny and brighter side and learn to experience the good in everything because there is good in every person and every created thing. Life gives us a lot of choices to choose between positivity and negativity if our mind bend is positive or negative, it will choose either of it. The happiness and joy of your life will depend on what choice you make and what thoughts you think about. it will shape your present and future. Life leads us on the bank of river called "CHOICE" to be good or positive. As a person we need to thanks the Creator for bringing so many good people in our life who teach us many lessons. Their lives and colourful personalities add a lot of richness to our life. So let us always look for that connectedness which is precious for our human growth.

When we are with positive mind frame then when things are not so good and feel unhappy, life teaches us to accept all that and have a great laugh. Positivity leads us to smile at every situation that lands into our lap of life and be happy to accept the events that have great lessons. But, life salutes you when you make others happy A beautiful life does not just happen, it is built daily by prayers, humility, sacrifice and love. May that beautiful life be yours alwaysLet the love of God rise in your heart.

Positive and good people find peace and serenity in everything and everywhere, God and things of God make them instrument of peace and their hearts and minds become source of peace and well being. The positivity allow them to receive God's grace within and in turn be graceful to others. The positive person is seen as a bundle of joy, happiness and always smiles because there is a river of grace that is flowing in and out of hi, They are generally quite and calm, make and take decisions not in haste but take time to make worthy and useful decisions

Positive and good people are always energetic and lead others to be so with their positive body language. they normally don't react but they are proactive in everything that they do or say. Positive people give us a feeling that they are powerful in fact they are to overcome any situation in life. They have a capacity not to overreact  or take things personally. They keep their mind clear and  heart at peace. They build up attitude and behaviour : DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY

Be Beautiful and Loving, Make others Beautiful and Loving

it is very easy and normal person to be surprised and shocked by the remarks and opinion about one's performance, actions, intelligence, especially when it is expressed in a distasteful ways. We normally feel rejected, dejected and moral goes down because of few remarks about our person and caliber, talents and capability. In these moments we need to keep accepting and believing who we are and keep performing to our best and not throw our guards away due to someone's immature or prejudiced remark about our capacities and caliber. just be proud who you are and what you are. Your being who you are and what you want to be does not depend on someone else immature remark. Be proud and keep and hold your head high, because jealous and failed people try to taste and doubt the worth of another person based on one's own performance.  Because people always doubt V the "Gold" for it's purity, not the "Iron"

Today many people are dying due to covid and unexpected diseases. some new born kids and children who have hardly seen life are dead due to hunger and malnutrition. You rise up in the morning and see yourself alive and active, can see the nature and hear your near ones speaking and conversing in the house. That life colours yorr world and dreams, you are still a voice and person in the universe to contribute your share and make this world a better place to live for all. There are people who truly and dearly care, love you and never want to give you up and abandon you. 

Many of us either live in the past or live in the future. what is gone is never going to come back to us and what is not yet and not sure what is in store for us, better not worry and be tensed of it. It is better to live in the present, enjoy its beauty, insert and bathe yourself in the joys and happiness of the day. Let the present time and its blessing rise and remain in your heart and spread it to those who live hopeless lives. Let the present moment be seen in your smile, walk, talk, speech, actions and words. Make God's grace transparent and open to all and let there be grace all over and around you.

The mantra and teaching of all major religions in the world is that God is present in us all and made visible and known through good deeds and actions. When God is felt and experienced many good hearts open up to the moral values and beliefs. They become generous in everything and keep doing things for others and expect nothing in return. These people never get disappointed when failures and criticism on your way.  We all know that good and beautiful, compassionate and loving life does not just happen, it is built daily through acts of behaviour, humility, simplicity, sacrifice and love. Make yours and others life beautiful and loving, compassionate and good.

Bishop Paul Hinder Celebrates the Feast Eucharist - St. Anthony of Padova, RAK

Nine days novenas came to a close and on the 10th day we celebrated our parish feast in the presence of Bishop Paul Hinder and Custos of Gulf Fr. Peter, along with priests of our parish. The presence of the faithful was big in attendance. we began processing from our parish office to the altar walking on the red carpet.....the choir sang melodiously and put all faithful in prayerful mood.

Our florist decorated the altar and the entire sanctuary with beautiful flowers...it was a feast to eyes as the flowers big and small really deserved to be offered to God and to St. Anthony.

The Bishop preached meaningful homily 

We processed at the end of the Mass to the sacristy and our altar boys and girls after a gap of 18 months were in full attention and did a fabulous job. they were trained by Mr. Percy every green man....

The perfect photo with the Bishop and concelebrant, altar servers.

 

9th Day of the Novena!!!!!!!!

 When there is intense prayer and meditation, time passes very quickly and the days move faster than the normal days. It could be the grace of God that works during the days of Novenas.....we began 9 days of Novenas here on 2nd June and we are on the last day of prayers and reflection, Eucharist and remembering and praying to St. Anthony. 

St. Anthony who has suffered and has been glorified with Christ. For us the Church proposes to follow faithfully example of St. Anthony to live the life of Christ that he lived and drew all the devotees to God through Christ by being faithful servant. 

St. Anthony's preaching of the Gospel galvanised the lives of the faithful in whole regions of northern Italy and southern France. Recalling him in this Eucharist can illustrate how the saints lead us to see the whole history of the Church as happening in , in the year of the Lord's favor.

Perhaps this beautiful legacy of St. Anthony as the apostle of conversion and the Sacrament of Penance can makes the sacrament Eucharist very rich and appealing. 

Anthony was famous for his oration and deep knowledge in the Bible. one event made him popular. one he was was attending ordination in 1222 in Forli. Dominica and Franciscan friars were present. but none of them was assigned to do the homily ahead of time. resizing the mistake, the superior asked Fr. Anthony to preach ex-tempore. Though reluctant, he did the homily out of obedience. however, his homily was impressive to all present and felt as if guided by the Holy Spirit. St. Anthony has gained deep knowledge in the Bible and was invited to preach in many places.

 

7the Day of the Novena - The Bread of St. Anthony

 

After my discharge from the hospital, I have been privileged to celebrate or concelebrate eucharist in our church...the novenas are prayed in honour of St. Anthony and regular devotees find tine to be in the church to show their love and gratitude him. I have been preaching for last four novenas on different themes connected with the life of saint. The first day he was dedicated to reflecting on role of eucharist in the life and spirituality of st. Anthony, second day we meditated on various miracles performed by Anthony, third day we dwelt on the aspect of actions speak louder than the words and how st. Anthony led the way for his devotees and yesterday we reflected upon the charm of Anthony as a well known, simple and humble preacher of the word of God. How his preaching brought about changes in the lives of the hearers. 

Today I am gonna speak about the importance of the bread of st. Anthony and its its importance, value and significance today amidst the pandemic which has created havoc, poverty, misery, orphans etc.  Bread in every culture has an important place in families and especially on the dinning table. It is called or named differently but the gradients are same all over the world. The bread has the capacity to bring smiles on the face of a hungry face, it can strengthen a hurry person, it can build up relationships and communion when shared with one another. How Anthony came to be connected with bread shared among the poor on every Tuesday? the history and story we can easily access in the Franciscan history.

St. Anthony’s Bread is an expression of devotion reminding of St. Anthony’s love and aid to the poor when he was alive. The tradition dates back to the 13th century, stemming from a story when a young child fell into a barrel of water and drowned. The mother begged St. Anthony to help, promising to donate grain the weight of her child to the poor if her daughter was restored. The child arose as if only asleep. Thus began the tradition of promising and giving alms to the poor for favors answered through St. Anthony’s intercession. 

The actual name of “St. Anthony’s Bread” originated from a the story of a French woman named Louise Bouffier in 1890, who promised loaves of bread for the poor when St. Anthony helped her with opening the broken lock of her small linen shop. After his help, her shop was the basis of St. Anthony’s Bread, where she generously fed the poor with loaves of bread in St. Anthony’s name.

In modern times, the term “St. Anthony’s Bread” often refers merely to the money collected for the poor in St. Anthony’s name and there is no actual bread exchanged. The money given to the poor will help them buy food.

Thanksgiving Eucharist for the conclusion of the Catechism Classes...

 

The Catechists along with their family members gathered together on Friday for the celebration of the High Eucharistic celebration presided over by our parish priest Fr. Thomas. The Liturgy was well organised by the teachers and well participated by them and the faithful who normally come for the Mass at 10 a,m. The church wore a festive look as it was well decorated with flowers....the altar as well as the pews were decked with flowers. 

Mr and Mrs. Pram deep one of our catechists is migrating to south east Asia for better job prospectives and for the reunion of the family. Both of them taught our children of the parish for good number of years. they were thanked and felicitated by the parish priest with mementos and certificates....thank you and God bless you both.

All the teachers gathered together for a small party with snacks ....each one of them was thanked and appreciated for their yeoman's service to the church especially passing the gift and deposit of faith.

Our Parish finance secretary Mr. Dilin whose son received his first holy communion sponsored some sweets and snacks for the event. God bless the family.....His wife is doing volunteer's job as a parish secretary in the absence of our secretary Jessy who is stranded in Kerala due to covid.