1.కామ్యునియన్: సహవాసము, ఐక్యత, అవగాహన. సహకారము, సంబందము, ఎలా వున్నాయి? ఎలా ఉంటే బాగుంటుంది?

1. గురువు – ప్రజల మధ్య?
2. తోటి సంఘస్థుల మధ్య?
3. ఇతర సంఘస్థులతో?
4. ఇతర మతస్తులతో?
5. గుడికి రానివారితో?
6. పేద బడుగు వర్గాలతో?
7. మీ సంఘంలోని ఐక్యత, సహవాసం లో ఏ విషాలు నీకు నచ్చాయి, ఎందుకు?
8. ఏ విషయాలు నచ్చలేదు? ఎందుకు?
9. ఎలా ఉంటే బాగుంటుంది? నీ సలహాలు, సూచనలు

2. పార్టిసిపెసన్: సహకారము – రెండు విషయాలలో:

1. దైవర్చన కార్యక్రమాలు
2. చర్చి నిర్వహణ కార్యక్రమాలు (Administration)
3. చర్చి విషయంలో మీ సహకారం సహాయం ఎంతవరకు వుంది?
4. ఎంత చురుకుగా  పాల్గొంటున్నారు?
5. అడ్డంకులు ఏంటి?
6. చర్చిలో మీరూ ఎ పాత్ర చక్కగా పోషించ వచ్చని అనుకుంటున్నారు?
7. మీకు ఎ అవకాశాలు ఇస్తే బాగుంటుంది అని అనుకుంటున్నారు?
8. మీ చర్చిలో మీకున్న ఇబ్బందులు ఏంటి?

౩.మిషన్: సువార్త ప్రకటన, ప్రేషిత కార్యం

• మీ ఊరిలో సువార్త ప్రకటన జరుగుతుందా?
• అటంకములు ఏంటి?
• నేటి పరిస్థితులలో ఎలా సువర్తికరణ చేయవచ్చు?
• ఈ విషయంలో; అవకాసం ఇస్తే మీరేమైనా చేయగలరా/ నీవేమైన చేయగలవా?

ఈ క్రింది ప్రశ్నలకు 200 పదాలకు మించకుండావ్రాయవలెను:

1. కలసి పయనించడంలో మనకు సహకరించే ఉత్తమ పద్దతులేవి?
2. శ్రీసభకు సంబంధించినంత వరకు నీకు కనిపించే ఆందోళనకర విషయాలు | ఇబ్బందులేవి?
3. ఎలాంటి శ్రీసభను నీవు కలగంటున్నావు?

బైబిల్ (దేవుని వాక్యము) యొక్క ఉద్దేశ్యం ఏమిటి? బైబిల్ వ్యాఖ్యానానికి మొదట దాని ఉద్దేశ్యాన్ని అర్థం చేసుకోవడం చాలా ముఖ్యం. బైబిల్ యొక్క ఉద్దేశ్యం ఏమిటో మనం అర్థం చేసుకోవాలి. అప్పుడు మాత్రమే మనం దానిని మెరుగుగా మెచ్చుకోగలము మరియు దాని నుండి లాభం పొందగలము. మొదట మూడు విషయాలు గుర్తుపెట్టుకోండి. 1. బైబిల్ చరిత్ర పుస్తకం కాదని నేను మొదట స్పష్టం చేస్తాను. అందులో చారిత్రక వాస్తవాల కోసం మాత్రమే వెతకకండి. ఇందులో చాలా చరిత్ర ఉన్నప్పటికీ అది చరిత్ర పుస్తకం కాదు. 2. ఇది టైమ్ పాస్ కోసం రాసిన నవల కూడా కాదు. దానిని నవలగా చదవవద్దు. 3. ఇది బెడ్ టైమ్ కథల పుస్తకం కాదు, అయితే నేను వ్యక్తిగతంగా ‘కాకమ్మ’ కథలకు బదులుగా దీన్ని సిఫార్సు చేస్తున్నాను. దేవుని వాక్యం యొక్క ఉద్దేశ్యం వీటిలో ఏది కాదు.

నేటి పఠనాలు బైబిల్ గ్రంథo యొక్క ప్రయోజనం ఏమిటో తెలియజేస్తున్నాయి. లూకాగారు తనప్రారంబ పలుకులలో ఏమి చెబుతున్నారో చూడండి. ఆయనిలా అంటున్నారు, “ఘనత వహించిన తియోఫిలు, మన మధ్య జరిగిన సంఘటనలను వ్రాయుటకు అనేకులు ప్రయత్నించిరి. వారు వ్రాసిన ఈ సంఘటనలను మొదటినుండియు ప్రత్యక్షముగా చూచిన వారివలన, సువార్తను బోధించిన వారివలన మనము వినియున్నాము. కావున, అన్ని విషయములను మొదటినుండి జాగ్రతగా పరిశీలించిన పిదప, వానిని నీకొరకు వరుసగా వివరించి వ్రాయుట సముచితమని నాకును తోచినది. నీకు ఎరుక చేయబడిన విషయములను గూర్చిన వాస్తవమును నీవు  గ్రహించుటకై ఈ గ్రంధమును వ్రాయుచున్నాను .”

యోహాను 20:31 కూడా చదవండి,” యేసే దేవుని కుమారుడైన క్రీస్తు అని మీరు విశ్వసించుటకును, ఈ విశ్వాసముద్వారా ఆయన నామమున మీరూ జీవము పొండుటకును ఇవి వ్రాయబడినవి.”

మరో మాటలో చెప్పాలంటే, వారు చెప్పేది ఏమిటంటే, వారు ఈ విషయాలను వ్రాసిన ఉద్దేశము, ఈ క్రమమైన సంఘటనల కథనాన్ని చదవడంద్వారా విశ్వాసం యొక్క ప్రతిస్పందనను వారి హృదయాలలో రేకేత్తింపబడుతుంది. ఇది మీ విశ్వాసానికి బలమైన పునాదిని అందించి విశ్వాసం యొక్క ప్రతిస్పందనను రేకెత్తిస్తుంది. అదే గ్రంథాల ప్రయోజనం.

ఈరోజు మొదటి పఠనం చూడండి. నేపథ్యం ఏమిటంటే; బాబిలోనియన్ ప్రవాసంలో ఉన్న ఇజ్రాయెల్ ప్రజలు విడుదల చేయబడ్డారు. ఎజ్రా మరియు నెహెమ్యా వారిని వారి స్వదేశానికి తిరిగి తీసుకువెళ్లారు.  వారందరూ ఆలయాన్ని మరియు ఇజ్రాయెల్ సంఘాన్ని పునర్నిర్మించడానికి సిద్ధమవుతున్నారు. యుద్ధం లేదా విపత్తు తర్వాత దేశం లేదా సమాజాన్ని పునర్నిర్మించడం ఎంత కష్టమో మీకు తెలుసు. ఎజ్రా మరియు నెహెమ్యా ప్రజలను ఒకచోట చేర్చి, వారికి ధర్మశాస్త్ర గ్రంథాన్ని చదివి వినిపించారు. స్పందన ఏమిటి? దీంతో వారు కన్నీరుమున్నీరయ్యారు. దేవునికి దూరంగా ఉండడం ద్వారా వారు జీవితంలో ఎంత పోగొట్టుకోన్నారో తెలుసుకున్నారు. ఇది వారిలో దాగివున్న విశ్వాసం మరియు పశ్చాత్తాపంతో కూడిన ప్రతిస్పందనను రేకేత్తించింది. ఈ రోజు సువార్తలో, యేసు యెషయా ప్రవక్త గ్రంధం నుండి ఒక భాగాన్ని చదివి, వారి ముంగిట ఈ వాక్యం నెరవేరిందని చెప్పారు. ఇది కూడా ప్రతిస్పందనను రేకెత్తిస్తుంది. అనేకులు అతని గురించి బాగా మాట్లాడారు. కాని కొంతమంది  అతనిని క్రిందకు పడద్రోసి చంపటానికి అతన్ని కొండ శిఖరానికి తీసుకెళ్లారు. దేవుని వాక్యం సానుకూలమైన లేదా ప్రతికూలమైన ప్రతిస్పందనను రేకెత్తిస్తుంది. అది ఊరక ఉండదు.(యేసయా 55: 10- 12)  మనం హెబ్రీయులు 4:12లో చదివినట్లుగా, ‘దేవుని వాక్యం సజీవమును, చైతన్యవంతమునైనది పదునైన రెండంచుల ఖడ్గముకంటెను పదునైనది. జీవాత్మల సంయోగస్థానమువరకును, కీళ్ళు, మజ్జ కలియివరకును అది ఛేదించుకొని పోగలదు.’

ఇక్కడ, ఎమ్మాస్‌కు వెళ్లే మార్గంలో శిష్యుల ప్రతిస్పందనను కూడా కూడా గుర్తుచేసుకొండం. వారికి వివరించిన లేఖనాలను వారు విన్నపుడు వారి ప్రతిస్పందన ఏమిటో వారి మాటల్లోనే విందాం. లూకా 24:32, “ఆయన మార్గములోమనతో మాట్లాడుతున్నప్పుడు, మనకు లేఖనాలనువివరించినపుడు మన హృదయాలు మనలో మండలేదా (ప్రజ్వరిల్ల లేదా).” ప్రియులారా, లేఖనాలను చదవినపుడి లేదా విన్నపుడు ప్రతిస్పందనను రేకెత్తించాలి. హృదయం స్పందిస్తుంది లేదా స్పందించాలి.

ఇప్పుడు మనలను మనం ప్రస్నించుకొందాం. ఆత్మ పరిశీలనా చేసుకొందాం.  బైబిల్ చదివినపుడు మన ప్రతిస్పందన ఏమిటి? మీరు, నేను దేవుని వాక్యాన్ని చదివినప్పుడు లేదా విన్నప్పుడు దానికి మన  ప్రతిస్పందన ఏమిటి? ఎలా స్పందిస్తున్నం? ఎజ్రా, నేహేమియా వాక్యం చదివినపుడు ఇజ్రాయేలు ప్రజలు సజీవ విశ్వాసము మరి పశ్చాతాపము చెందారు. అది వారి స్పందన? నజారేతులో ఎస్ ప్రసంగించినపుడు ప్రార్ధనామందిరములోని ప్రజలు ఎదో ఒక రకంగా స్పందించారు. ఆశ్చర్యం కొందరిదకి మరి కోపం కొందరికి. కాని ఏదో స్పందన వునింది. కాని మనలో చాలామందికి ఎలాంటి స్పందన కనిపించడం లేదు. ఇది నాకు ఆశ్చర్యాన్ని కలిగించే విషయం.  దేవుని వాక్యం పదునైన రెండంచుల కత్తిగా భావించబడుతుంది; బోధకులు మరియు బోధింపబడినవారి హృదయాలను కత్తిరించడం మరియు మార్చడం దేవుని వాక్యముయొక్క శక్తి. కానీ కొంతమంది మనలో ఈ వాక్యాన్ని ఎలా వాడలో నేర్చుకోన్నట్టు వున్నాము. ఈ రెండంచుల వాడియైన ఖడ్గాన్ని ఎవరికీ హానిచేయని విధంగా ప్రయోగించే నైపుణ్యం పొందియున్నట్లు కనిపిస్తుంది.  ఎన్నో సంవత్సరాలుగా వక్క్యం చదువుతూ వున్నాము, వింటూ వున్నాము కానీ, కానీ ఎలాంటి స్పందన లేదు. ఒక లాంటి నులివేచ్చనితం మనలో కనిపిస్తుంది. మనము దేవుని వాక్యాన్ని చాల సునాయాసంగా వాడటం నేర్చుకున్నాము. ఈ వాక్యం నా గుర్చికాదులే, దీని అర్ధం వేరులే అని చాలా సార్లు మనలను మనమే సంజయించుకొంటున్నాం.  అందుకే మన జీవితాల్లో ఎలాంటి మార్పు అంతగాకనిపించదు. లేదా మన మనస్సాక్షికి ఇబ్బంది కలిగించే విషయాలను గురించి బైబిల్ చెబుతుందేమో అని బయపడి, బైబిల్ కోసం ఒక మంచి స్థలాన్ని మనం కనుగొన్నాము. (కప్-బోర్డులు లేదా అటకపై). కొంతమంది దానిని స్వరూపాలతో పాటు ఒక స్వరూపంగా పెట్టి సాంబ్రాణి వేస్తుంటారు. కానీ దానిని తెరచి చదవరు. ఎందుకంటే, మనస్సు పెట్టి చదివితే అది మన అంతరాత్మను కదిలిస్తుంది. కలవర పరుస్తుంది.

నిజాయితీగా మనల్ని మనం ప్రశ్నించు కుందాం, మనం ఎంత తరచుగా బైబిల్ చదువుతాము? బైబిల్ చదవడానికి మనం ఎంత సమయం కేటాయిస్తున్నాం?. మనము టీవీకి కేటాయించే సమయంలో పదోవంతు. లేదా ఇంటర్నెట్ లేదు సెల్ ఫోన్ కిచ్చే సమయంలో పదో వంతు బైబిల్ చదవడానికి ఇస్తున్నామా?. ప్రతి ఒక్కరూ నిజాయితీగా సమాధానం చెప్పాలి. నా ప్రియమైన సోదరులు మరియు సోదరీమణులారా, బైబిల్‌ను ప్రేమించడం, దేవుని వాక్యాన్ని చదవడం నేర్చుకుందాం. ఇది ఇతర చర్చిల ఆస్తి కాదు. అది మన ఆస్తి. మనం దాన్ని ఇష్టపడి చదువుదాం. ఎందుకంటే అది “బోధించడానికి, మందలించడానికి, సరిదిద్దడానికి మరియు నీతిలో శిక్షణ ఇవ్వడానికి ఉపయోగపడుతుంది, తద్వారా దేవుని మనిషి ప్రతి మంచి పనికి పూర్తిగా సిద్ధమవుతాడు” (2 తిమో. 3:16-17). ఆమెన్

Let me wish you a Happy Easter. Today we celebrate the feast of all feasts; the solemnity of solemnities, i.e., the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reason why I say it is the feast of all feasts is this:
One of the most fascinating books in the Old Testament is Ecclesiastes. The book begins saying “The words of the preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” Then he goes on explaining why he is saying this. He says “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.” (Ecc. 2:11)
Then I said to myself, “As is the fate of the fool, it will also befall me why then have I been extremely wise?” So I said to myself, “This too is vanity.”(Ecc. 2:15)
And again, I work hard and save a lot of wealth. When I die I have to leave it for others to enjoy. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun This too is vanity. (Ecc. 2:18-19)
And finally “For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. ( Ecc. 3:19)
This makes us ask the critical question. Is our human life a vanity? All that we do in life; do you think they are a vanity? A waste of time? One of my friends shocked me after my first mass when he said “Don’t you think you are wasting your life by becoming a priest? Because there is so much to enjoy in life which you are going to miss out.” (Jesus, that was not what I expected on the first day of my ordination.) A life of sacrifice, a life of service and a life of holiness, sincerity, honesty and dedication: is it not a waste of time? Yes! I say ‘Yes.’ Our Christian life with all the above-said things would have been a vanity; ‘chasing after the wind’ if Christ has not risen from the dead. Yes, I would have been wasting my life and energy here if Christ has not risen from the dead. You would be wasting your precious time here in the church if Christ has not risen.
Jesus the man-incarnate: his life would have been vanity and a chasing-after-the-wind if he had not risen from the dead. Let me put it this way. He was a man (incarnate) who went around doing good. Look at the words of Peter to Cornelius. “He went around doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil because God was with him” (Acts 10/34 ff.) Yes, he went around doing good and he always believed that God was with him and he is doing his father’s(God’s) will. That gave him the boost to carry on his work.
Even when the opposition was mounting and the enemies were planning his death; he always believed that his father will not abandon him. In the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed to his father about his anguish about the impending death asking him to take it away. But in the end abandoning his will to father’s will. And when he was abandoned to die alone on the cross he cried “My God my God why have you forsaken me” Yet, in the end he said “Into your hands Father, I commend my Spirit.” Now such a life of total dedication to God and full service to man; “Can it be vanity? A useless effort? A meaningless exercise? A chase-after-the-wind? No it cannot be. To vindicate this “God raised him from the dead” or “he rose from the dead.” Saying ‘life of total commitment to God and service to humanity cannot be a futile exercise; a Vanity.’ No it cannot be.
This is what we celebrate today. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, his victory over sin and death and all the other things we believe; what we celebrate is our faith and its worth. This is St. Paul clearly states in his epistle to Corinthians (1 Cor. 15: 14) “If Christ has not been raised from the dead then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” I wonder if vanity can survive so many centuries and can conquer so many hearts.”
So what we celebrate today is the truth that Christianity is not a Vanity but a reality. Are you a devout catholic and a believer of total dedication to God and service to humanity and people are looking at you like a mad man or woman, or laughing at your religiosity? Don’t worry. It’s worth enduring? Your goodness is used and abused. Are you not appreciated and accepted for your faith? Do not be discouraged. You will be the ultimate winner. Because the Lord has Risen. Halleluiah. Amen

St.Bridget twelve year prayers:
The 12 Year Prayers:

Prayers Honoring the 7 Times Jesus Spilled His Precious Blood for Us, as Revealed by Our Lady to St.Bridget, and Approved by Pope Clement XII

O Jesus, now I wish to pray the Lord’s Prayer seven times in unity with the love with which You sanctified this prayer in Your Heart. Take it from my lips into Your Divine Heart. Improve and complete it so much that it brings as much honor and joy to the Trinity as You granted it on earth with this prayer. May these pour upon Your Holy Humanity in Glorification to Your Painful Wounds and the Precious Blood that You spilled from them.

First Prayer: The Circumcision –
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, through Mary’s unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the first wounds, the first pains, and the first Bloodshed as atonement for my and all of humanity’s sins of youth, as protection against the first mortal sin, especially among my relatives. Amen

Second Prayer: The Suffering on the Mount of Olives
|Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, through Mary’s unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the terrifying suffering of Jesus’ Heart on the Mount of Olives and every drop of His Bloody Sweat as atonement for my and all of humanity’s sins of the heart, as protection against such sins and for the spreading of Divine and brotherly Love. Amen

Third Prayer: The Flogging
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, through Mary’s unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the many thousands of Wounds, the gruesome Pains, and the Precious Blood of the Flogging as atonement for my and all of humanity’s sins of the Flesh, as protection against such sins and the preservation of innocence, especially among my relatives. Amen

Fourth Prayer: The Crowning of Thorns
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, through Mary’s unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the Wounds, the Pains, and the Precious Blood of Jesus’ Holy Head from the Crowning with Thorns as atonement for my and all of humanity’s sins of the Spirit, as protection against such sins and the spreading of Christ’s kingdom here on earth. Amen

Fifth Prayer: The Carrying of the Cross
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, through Mary’s unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You the Sufferings on the way of the Cross, especially His Holy Wound on His Shoulder and its Precious Blood as atonement for my and all of humanity’s rebellion against the Cross, every grumbling against Your Holy Arrangements and all other sins of the tongue, as protection against such sins and for true love of the Cross. Amen

Sixth Prayer: The Crucifixion
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, through Mary’s unblemished hands and the Divine Heart of Jesus, I offer You Your Son on the Cross, His Nailing and Raising, His Wounds on the Hands and Feet and the three streams of His Precious Blood that poured forth from these for us, His extreme tortures of the Body and Soul, His precious Death and its non bleeding Renewal in all Holy Masses on earth as atonement for all wounds against vows and regulations within the Orders, as reparation for my and all of the world’s sins, for the sick and the dying, for all holy priests and laymen, for the Holy Father’s intentions toward the restoration of Christian families, for the strengthening of Faith, for our country and unity among all nations in Christ and His Church, as well as for the Diaspora. Amen

Seventh Prayer: The Piercing of Jesus’ Side
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, then:

Eternal Father, accept as worthy, for the needs of the Holy Church and as atonement for the sins of all Mankind, the Precious Blood and Water which poured forth from the Wound of Jesus’ Divine Heart. Be gracious and merciful toward us.
Blood of Christ, the last precious content of His Holy Heart, wash me of all my and others’ guilt of sin! Water from the Side of Christ, wash me clean of all punishments for sin and extinguish the flames of Purgatory for me and for all the Poor Souls. Amen

From midnight of 24.03.2020 Indian Government has announced that India will go into lock-down for 21 days. For the word CORONA, Indian Prime minister has propagated a new acronym in Hindi:
CO: Coyi
RO: Road per
NA: Nahi Nikale
It means “No going on to the road.” Addressing the nation on the eve of the Lock-down he said, “Forget about leaving your house for the next 21 days, Stay where you are.” “Be still and maintain social distancing.” My friends, I am sure it is not only India almost all the countries are locked down. You cannot go out freely. You cannot work, you cannot socialize and you cannot recreate. What to do then?
If you cannot ‘go out’, go in. What do we mean when we say “go in.” We can take this time of grace I call because we seldom get this much time to be free doing nothing. So we can tread into that area which we often neglect in this busy world amidst all hustles and bustles of life. We can go into ourselves. We call it a journey inside. St. Theresa of Avila a Spanish contemplative nun speaks a lot about this journey inside. She calls it a journey inside the “Interior Castle.” The exterior of this Castle is the Human body. This castle as she describes “is made of single Diamond or of very clear Crystal in which there are seven Mansions with many rooms just as in Heaven. It’s a journey where a creature of sin transforms into the bride of Christ as it journeys through these mansions one after the other. Let me explain in simple words how to make this journey. How to enter this castle? The pre-requisites for this journey are the virtue of Humility and Self knowledge.
That is why the first mansion is called a Mansion of Humility. Entering the first mansion through the practice of prayer, the soul needs to spend time in the rooms of “self-knowledge” and humility. In these rooms, the soul spends time meditating on its own “baseness” and God’s goodness and turns from thinking about itself to set its “eyes upon Christ, our Good,” lest the devil should deceive the soul once more to prefer sin to God. That little ‘coronavirus’ shutting down the whole world shows us how vulnerable we are how much we need Him. To defend itself from the attractions of “worldly pleasure” and “worldly ambition,” as well as the deceptions of the devil, Saint Teresa advises the soul “to make the [Lord’s] blessed Mother” the soul’s “intercessor, and also His saints, so that these may do battle for the soul….”
In the second mansion the soul is growing in holiness through perseverance in prayer, conversations with good people, reading good books and listening to edifying sermons. The soul spends time in the room of the practice of prayer. It now has a greater desire for God. Here the devil begins to wage a fierce war against the soul, reminding the soul of the pleasures and honor the soul formerly experienced outside the castle. To overcome this, the soul must not abandon prayer, and should immediately seek God’s mercy should it fall or stumble. Teresa tells us that if we quietly speak to Him within our souls, He will hear us. She says, “The Lord is within us and we should be there with Him.” She further states that this prayer is “called recollection because the soul collects together all the faculties and enters within itself to be with its God.”
The Third Mansion is that of Exemplary Life. Souls entering the third mansion have overcome their “initial difficulties” and are “most desirous not to offend His Majesty.” They “avoid committing even venial sins,” spend “hours in recollection” (prayer), practice “works of charity,” and are “very careful in their speech.” They “make good use of their lives and possessions.” They experience consolation and spiritual sweetness in prayer and meditation. They are living “upright and carefully ordered lives.”Limitations in this stage are that one’s lake of ability to fully experience the force of love; “their love is not yet ardent enough to overwhelm their reason.” They need to learn that “perfection consists not in consolations, but the increase of love.” These souls have not yet made a “full surrender of their wills to God”. To increase the resoluteness of the soul’s will, God may allow it to experience long periods of aridity in prayer.
In the Fourth Mansion the supernatural and natural meet. No longer does the soul depend upon its efforts. The soul would be fully dependent on God. This is the Mansion of the Prayer of the Quiet. Love comes not from indirect channels but flowed from the true source of living water. It had broken all bonds which had previously hindered it and would not shrink from trials. It has no attachments to things of the world and could pass between the ordinary lives to one of deep prayer, and back again.
The Fifth Mansion is described as the Prayer of Union—it marks a new magnitude of contemplation. The soul would prepare for the gift of God’s presence. Psychological conditions are also associated with this state, in which the “faculties of the soul are asleep…it is short, but while it lasts, the soul is completely possessed by God”
In the Sixth Mansion, Bride and Groom can see each other for a long period. As the soul would receive increasing favors, it would also receive more afflictions, such as “bodily sickness, misrepresentation, backbiting, and persecution; undeserved praise…and depression…which is comparable only with the tortures of hell.”
The soul would reach Spiritual Marriage in the Seventh Mansion. Transformation is made complete and no higher state could be reached. It is in this Mansion that the King dwells—“it may be called another Heaven: the two lighted candles join and become one; the falling rain becomes merged in the river”. You no longer feel the separation but feel that union and heaven here on earth.

This is the journey inside. This is the journey we can make. We may not be able to reach the seventh Mansion, let us give it a try and see, how long we can go. At the end of it, you come out as a new person. It will help us to realize who we are and what we are. What are the things that will last and what are the things that will give is real satisfaction and happiness in life. I consider these days an opportune time to make this journey inside following the guidelines of St. Theresa of Avila to go deep into ourselves and find God dwelling in our hearts. This is not only for contemplatives but for every Christian. We are called to make the journey inside and find out the treasure hidden within us. May God bless you!

As I sit in Self Isolation, following the instruction of local civil and ecclesiastical authorities after celebrating personal mass and reflecting on the Gospel of Jesus healing the blind man these thoughts flow through my mind.
First question is ‘Who is responsible for this chaos?’ That is the natural reaction. Who is responsible? Whom to blame? We want someone to be a scapegoat? Read today’s gospel John 9:2 “Rabbi, who sinned? Who is responsible for his blindness? It’s our natural instinct to find somebody to blame and someone to take responsibility for our predicament. So many people are dying, so much loss to our economy? We are asked to sacrifice our normal life, we are asked to make enormous economic sacrifice intended to contain the virus. I need to find out who is responsible for this. That is what I was doing for the past three days trying to google-search and find about the origin of this pandemic.
But Jesus in the gospel today John 9:3 gave me jolt. He says don’t think about who is responsible, but think of what it means for you and for the world. God wants to teach something to the world. Jesus says referring to the blind man and the cause of it, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned (responsible); he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” It tells me don’t blame others, but God wants to teach a lesson for you. We live in a world where we don’t need God, we love our holidays; we love our personal life and goals more than god and his plan. So we have put God out of our homes, out of our priorities. May be God is trying to tell us what will be our situation if he leaves us. Read so many psalms that say what will be our life it he leaves us. Look at Jeremiah 8:15 “We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror. Is it not our feeling today? We look for healing (for a vaccine) but no good came.
Whom to blame now? Is it China or bats that has led to the pandemic spread of the pathogen.( https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/19/health/coronavirus-human-actions-intl/index.html) or our own travelling without discretion? Each one has some-one to put our finger at and blame. But does it not tell that somewhere we missed something/ someone basic to our life and survival. Is it not a call to come back to that source of life? Blind man took time to realize to see the one who matters most, but Pharisees preferred to remain blind. Challenge for the world today is to realize what this pandemic means for them? Is it another threat that passes away or that which calls us to wake up and come closer to Him who can protect us. It is time to reflect and see.

One day a woman was praying all alone in our Lady’s chapel and there was another man on the scaffolding above the cross repairing the roof. When he saw the woman alone praying, he wanted to have some fun. He hid behind the pillar and called the woman saying, “Woman… this is Jesus calling.” She didn’t respond, so he raised his voice a bit and said, “Woman… this is Jesus calling.” Again the woman kept silent. He called out loudly this time, “Woman….this is Jesus Calling.” Now she turned her head towards the cross and said, “Hush!!! Jesus, I am talking to your mother.”

People often accuse Catholics of saying we are so obsessed with Mary and give too much importance to mother Mary even at the cost of neglecting Jesus. Why so many feasts? Solemnities? Are they necessary? I say “Yes!” We Catholics by including Mary in our faith and proclamation are telling the full story of salvation. What do we mean?

If Jesus is the new Adam, then Mary is the new Eve. If Eve was involved in the fall of Man in the Old Testament, she has to be involved in the redemption of men as well in the New Testament. God himself foretold this to the serpent.

I shall put enmity between you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring, He will crush your head and you will strike at her heal, Gen. 3/15 God himself foretold that a woman also will be involved in the redemption of men. Who was that “woman”? It was mother Mary herself. Jesus confirms this himself at the wedding at Cana. He calls her “Woman” instead of Mother. And at the foot of the cross again he refers to her as “Woman”.

As the first Eve lead first Adam to sin, the second Eve lead second Adam Jesus to Redemption. At the wedding at Cana, When Jesus said, “My time has not yet come!” Mary said to the servants “Do as he tells you!” Its indirectly telling Jesus, “Now your time has come, begin the work of Redemption.” As the first Eve was at the foot of the tree that brought curse and death, Mary the second Eve was at the foot of the cross, the tree of life that brought forgiveness and redemption.

You cannot think of the fall of man without Eve, so also you cannot think of the redemption of man without Mary. God involved her as well. That is the full story of redemption we Catholics try to tell. That is the full story we want to tell today. That Mary after playing her role perfectly as co-Redemptrix was assumed body and soul into heaven to enjoy the redemption won by her son. It is for this she prayed, it is for this she offered herself. And it is for this grace we hope and pray. Mary who assumed into heaven is our assurance and hope. Amen

I remember the story of a man who wanted to earn money by hook or by crook. In the process he was caught taking bribes and was brought before the king. As a punishment he was given three options to choose from; Either eat 5 kilos of Onions or be whipped 40 times or pay 1000 pounds. The convict thought it is foolish to part away with 1000 pounds. So he opted for the first one. He wanted eat 5 kilos of onions. After he ate a kilo he stated bleeding in his nose so he said he will take the whips instead. After taking a few wipes he shouted he will pay the money no more whips. He endured all the three punishments because of his foolishness and love for money.
In the Gospel today Jesus talks about a similar man who was possessed by his possessions. One of the shocking parts of the parable is that the rich man never considers any one else’s needs or that the blessings of his harvest was meant to enrich anyone other than himself. In ancient world, when one person was blessed then the whole community rejoiced because they presumed that the blessings given to one person would be shared with everyone. That is not the case in this parable- the man keeps everything for himself and doing so reveals his lack of compassion, his lack of faith, and an overwhelming greed. Greed is nothing but an insatiable desire to acquire more possessions. It is one of the vices listed in various New Testament passages. The basis of greed is the mistaken belief that the life is a matter of having rather than being. Jesus knows that the possessions can become a source of false security for people. He warns us of this. For his followers security of life is to be found in God and not in their possessions. When a disciple correctly establishes his security in God then he is able to let go of false securities in an expression of generosity.
The second negative quality of the rich man is his failure to consider the consequences his current action will have for eternal life. Instead, his primary concern is for pursuit of pleasure and self-indulgence in this life. This is exemplified in rich man’s statements; “take it easy, eat and drink and make merry”. When a person believes that pleasure is the goal of life then they have given into what is known as hedonism. This kind of hedonistic attitude is against God’s will. Jesus commanded his followers to avoid concern for vain and fleeting pursuit of this pleasure (Lk 12.29). When a person becomes hedonistic, he has practically excluded God from this daily decisions. It makes him to make decisions without considering God’s will for him.
The third negative quality of the rich man is that of ego-centrism. This is the inability to understand or assume any perspective other than an individual’s own perception. This attitude is reflected in the rich man because of how he constantly speaks about himself: “I will do…..” “I will pull down……” I will build …….” I will store…….” “ I will say to myself …….” He never considers what God may desire for his life or what others may need of him. What was meant to be a blessing (Abundant harvest) has become a problem because he now has to find a way to keep it all for himself. This self-absorption is demonstrated by the use of such phrases as “ My crops”, “My barn”, “my goods”, and “my soul”. The man in the parable didn’t think he needed anyone else- family, community, or God and so he doesn’t include them in his deliberation and planning for future.
The wake-up call to rich man comes with an interesting Phrase: “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you”. He wanted to be perceived as “Merry” or lucky man but in reality he is perceived as a “fool”. He thought he had many years to enjoy his life but in reality it will last no more than “This night”. He enjoyed self-absorption with his own soul and now his own soul is being taken away from him, and he believed his possessions would be his security but they can offer him no help. All is vanity. His possessions are actually taking his life away from him. St.Francis of Assisi once said, “Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take nothing that you have received….. but only what you have given.” On one of the tombstones it is written “What I gave I have, what I kept I lost.” The blessings we receive as individuals or as a nation are meant for all people and our wealth becomes a blessing when we share. The world does have enough resources for the needs of humanity. What we lack is generosity and compassion for others who are in need. In the world there are many needy because few are greedy. Its against this that the Lord is warning us against. We are called to become rich in the eyes of God not men. Amen.

2018 was the culmination of a process that coerced India to look back and live the past with dangerous consequences, a trend which was there already since so many years but in a mild form. It became assiduous and aggressive in 2018 compelling an observer to recall what happened to the wife of Lot when God sent fire and brimstone on Sodom the wicked nation. Lot and his family members were fleeing to Zoar (Genesis 19): “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.”

This is a telling example from the Bible to show what happens to people who look back to the past and forget to look at the present to improve the situation. Already several sociologists and historians have termed Indians as a people hooked on to the past and forget the present. But the effects of this process have been devastating.

Looking back to the past to find solution for the present is like tying the horse behind the cart and asking it to move forward but the greatest danger is going back to the kingship days living in a democratic structure. Kings always had a one-man show and a sudden decree or proclamation.

The midnight decree of demonetization on 8 November 2016 is a clear example of that kingdom syndrome which makes the king the sole authority and what he says and when he says becomes the sole law for the whole kingdom.

The effects of demonetization are there for all to see and whether it benefitted the king or the people will be an arena of endless debates among economists and sociologists. However, the towering economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen said this much: “This decision is about minimal achievement and maximal suffering… We all want something to be done about black money. But surely, it also has to be intelligent and humane. That has not happened.”

Stopping 86 % of cash in circulation with a midnight stroke will definitely choke the economy but that is not the concern of the king but the status he gets through his royal decree.

Another characteristic of the kingdom syndrome is uniformity in the whole land and among all the subjects and enough symptoms are there to show this uniformity in India. One religion, one language, one land rhetoric has been sounding in India vociferously and violently and for this the enthusiasts get inspiration from a selective past and a king of their choice. Stretching Indian history back to 12000 years is an attempt to find that right inspirational point. The insistence on vegetarian food for all is part of this uniformity drive.

One obvious symptom of this past-complex is the chariot-march or the rath-yatra which has become endemic in Indian politics when modern means of communication are easily available with the strides in information technology. But Indian politicians are busy with rath-yatras to make them visible before the people like the kings of India in the past and to proclaim their plans and ideas to the people creating social disharmony in the process.

Construction of the statues is another symptom of this past-looking thinking and political class in India is very much fond of statue-building with a tremendous spirit of competition to outdo the other. By looking at the height of the statues the politicians get a vicarious pleasure and feel their own stature is on an upward swing forgetting the fact that the height of the statue does not decide the stature of any individual but it depends on the quality of life and works of the person. You may build the statue of any Indian to any heights but nobody can become the tallest Indian other than that half-naked staff-holding man who led his people to freedom.

This past-ward looking syndrome is not at all befitting the democratic structure and culture which compels a modern nation like India to have dynamic diversity and freedom. Democracy means freedom of choice not only in politics but in every sphere and that is why our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave us the right motto: unity in diversity. Remember, this most modern prime minister of India never undertook a rath-yatra.

There is no uniformity in democracy but only unity with a lively diversity where the fear of the ruler will be absent and in its place respect for the rule of law will become paramount. In democracy it is the people who decide but in kingship it is the subjects who bow to the royal decree.

Freedom of thought, expression and conscience will be the lifeline of democracy but in a past-looking India this greatest freedom will be negated. Control over social media and media in general in the year 2018 is a clear sign of this.

Ultimately, a past-looking India will have the fate of Mrs. Lot and it will turn into a backward looking statue without life and movement incapable of looking into the present and seeing what should be done. A powerful and dynamic India will be a nation that lives the present for its people recognizing ‘the power of now’ as Eckhart Tolle tells us.

Interesting Article I read.

By Joe Palathunkal

I remember the story of a man who rang up to his mom and said, “Mom today I don’t want to go to church, because I have to two reasons. 1. It’s same old faces I see everyday and 2. They don’t like me anyway.” And the mother said to him, “Son I have two reasons to tell you that you should go for mass. 1. Today is Sunday, a day of obligation and 2. You are their parish priest.”

All of us gathered here today have a reason to be here for this mass. Reasons may vary from person to person but we all have a reason to be here. But through the gospel today, Jesus is challenging us to think about the reason why we are here? There can be right reasons and wrong reasons. He is asking us to do the soul searching. The gospel text of today raises a basic question about our faith. Why am I a Christian? Why do I come to church? Why do I seek God or Jesus? Why do I pray?

Jesus tells the people, who have made so much effort to get into boats and cross to Capernaum, “I tell you most solemnly, you are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat” (Jn 6:26).  The statement seems too blunt, insensitive and impolite.  That strong statement of Jesus invites us to do a soul searching ourselves. Why am I a Christian? why do I come to church? why do I seek God?  Is it mere convenience?  Is it just out of habit and tradition? Or is it simply that God can solve my problems?

Why do I go “looking for Jesus” (Cf. Jn 6:24)?

Let us suppose, you are driving into a busy shopping mall or an airport.  On the way you are wondering if you will find a parking space.  In such dire situations, are you one of those who begin to pray very earnestly to Jesus or Mary that they should help you find a parking space. You begin to utter your magical “Our fathers” and “Hail Marys”.  I too do this sometimes, particularly when I am anxious about journeys, meetings and health!  I did it in Bahrain when I lost my boarding pass and need to get it reprinted. In one sense, this shows our trust in the providence of God.  And, yes, God is capable of helping us find a parking space or get a boarding pass. But should he?  Is God a mere problem solver?  And should my relationship with God be reduced to solving all the nitty-gritty issues of my daily life?  Here is where the statement of my wise uneducated friend becomes very powerful: “Do we seek the bread given by the father, or the father himself who gives us bread?”  On a spiritual level, it is not the nice feeling or even the consolation that we might feel during prayer that we seek.  St Ignatius said: “seek not the consolation of God but seek the God of consolation.”

In the first reading of today, we heard an edited version of Exodus 16. Inspired by the Book of Exodus, we could ask ourselves, why did the Lord God bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt?  Why did he help them cross the sea on dry ground?  Why did he rain down manna for their food?  Why quails as their meat?  Why did he give them water from the rock?  Was the Lord God acting as a superman, or a spider-man, or even a Santa Claus, solving their problems?  No.  It was with the sole reason of inviting them to a covenantal relationship with Him!

In the gospels, why does Jesus preach? Why does he perform his works – miracles –signs? Why does he feed the five thousand?  Yes, these works are expressions of his compassion.  But his intention is not merely to solve problems.  In fact, he didn’t manage to solve all the problems of the human condition.  He even refuses to offer food when people ask for it, as in the gospel narrative of today. He tells them rather bluntly: “You are not looking for me because you have seen the signs but because you had all the bread you wanted to eat” (Jn 6:26).

Jesus’ works have one sole end: that we might build an intimate relationship with him, and in so doing become one with the Father.  It is this intimacy that is captured in the symbol of bread.  It is this depth of relationship that is powerfully expressed in the Eucharist.  What I eat becomes part of me. This is “the kind of food that endures to eternal life, the kind of food the Son of Man is offering you” (Jn 6:27). “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst” (Jn 6:35).  It is HE whom we seek.