An old man lived alone in Minnesota. He wanted to spade his potato garden,but it was very hard work. His only son, who would have helped him, was in prison.
The old man wrote aletter to his son and mentioned his situation:
Dear Son,I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my potato garden this year. I hate to misdoing the garden, because your motheralways loved planting time. I'm just getting too old to be digging up agarden plot.If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot, for me if you weren't in the prison.
Love, Dad.
Shortly , the old man received this telegram:"For Heaven's sake, Dad, don't dig up the garden !!That's where I buried the GUNS!!"
At 4 a.m.the next morning, a dozen FBI agents and local police officersshowed up and dug up the entire garden without finding any guns.
Confused,the old man wrote another note to his son telling him what happened and asked him what to do next.
His son's reply was:"Go ahead and plant your potatoes, Dad It's the best I could do for you fromhere."NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN THE WORLD, IF YOU HAVE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DEEP FROM YOUR HEART, YOU CAN DO IT,. IT IS THE THOUGHT THAT MATTERS NOTWHERE YOU ARE.
Attitude is Everything
Saturday, November 3, 2007
31st Sunday of the Year C
In the well-known story of "the eaglet", a farmer picked up an eaglet lying on the ground and kept it in his barn with all his chickens. Soon it learned to feed and behave like a chicken. Once it saw an eagle flying in the sky and it wished it could do so. But all the chickens asserted that it could never do so for it was a chicken. And the eaglet believed this until a naturalist did something. He took the eaglet onto the cliff of a mountain and made it face the rays of the rising sun and kept telling it, "You are not a chicken; you are an eaglet, you can fly. You are not meant for the earth". As the eaglet faced the sun, the penetrating light pierced its heart and awakened its soul. It rose from the earth and started flying. The young eagle went faster and higher till, majestically, it reached the inaccessible heights of the heavens. This story brings out the deeper meaning of the story of Zacchaeus, the story of many of us. We find that just like the Zacchaeus & eaglet, we come across many obstacles that prevent us from encountering Jesus.
The first obstacle is that Jesus was PASSING through the city of Jericho. The very word ‘passing’ shows that Jesus had no intention of spending any time at Jericho much less did he intend to dine with someone and least of all the “ Tax collector Zacchaeus.”
The second obstacle is the name Zacchaeus which means “pure” or “righteous.” This ‘pure and a righteous’ Zacchaeus in the course of time had become a kind of under commissioner of the customs, and responsible for the hated Roman tax imposed not only on balsam, a particular oil for which Jericho was famous, but also on the costly imports of goods from Damascus. The people who collected the tax were considered sinners. Zacchaeus as a tax collector too was considered a sinner.
As Jesus passed through Jericho, Zacchaeus wanted to have a glimpse of Jesus, however the crowd must have prevented him because he was a tax collector.
The third obstacle is a physical one. Zacchaeus was a man of small stature. The crowd must have jostled him and would have brushed him aside, thereby preventing him from seeing Jesus.
However, Jesus goes beyond these obstacles to find Zacchaeus and dine with him. In the case of the first obstacle, Jesus who was to pass through Jericho ended up dining in the city and that too with a sinner. In Jesus’ dining with Zacchaeus we see God’s willingness to be with us. The question is, are we willing to be with God? Have we lost His companionship due to our busy schedule? Do we find it to be of no consequence to be with God? We too are sinners but are we yearning to be with God, the same God who has invited us to this Eucharistic meal?
Second, because Zacchaeus is a sinner the people of Jericho obstruct his way to Jesus. But the vigor to meet Jesus is never curtailed by the obstacles that people invent. The point is: Do we have the hunger to encounter God? Just as in the case of Zacchaeus whom the city and the people blocked, similarly are the riches and desires of this world blocking us from encountering God? The people of Jericho not only deprived Zacchaeus, but also themselves from meeting Jesus. Are we like the people of Jericho a stumbling block for people who are longing to meet God?
Third, although we might not be short of stature, like Zacchaeus, it is possible that the riches & the glamour of this world have been so heavy on our shoulders that these have ‘made us short’ by crushing us down!
However, it is important to remember that in spite of the efforts of Zacchaeus it is not Zacchaeus who discovers Jesus but it is Jesus who discovers Zacchaeus. The Gospel very clearly says, “When Jesus came to the place he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus come down quickly for I must stay at your house today.” Therefore it is not we who discover God, but it is God who discovers us. But God discovers us only when we make efforts to encounter Him. For if Zacchaeus had not placed himself up on the tree he would not have been noticed! And that’s precisely the question we need to ask ourselves today: `Are we making enough efforts to encounter Jesus?’ It is also interesting to note that when Jesus finds Zacchaeus he says,” Come down quickly”. Jesus recognizes the efforts of Zacchaeus. That is why Jesus says,” Come QUICKLY”, I know you are longing to be with me”.
Dear friends keeping in mind these thoughts let us ask ourselves, “Are we making enough efforts to encounter God? Is there a deep longing within us for God? Do we feel the need of God?” It is only when we make efforts to know God that God finds us. And the best place to find him is the bible. As we are beginning the year of the bible in our parish from tomorrow/today let us make a sincere effort to read the bible daily, which will in turn lead us to find Him in our neighbour. For truly `where love is God is!’ Amen.
The first obstacle is that Jesus was PASSING through the city of Jericho. The very word ‘passing’ shows that Jesus had no intention of spending any time at Jericho much less did he intend to dine with someone and least of all the “ Tax collector Zacchaeus.”
The second obstacle is the name Zacchaeus which means “pure” or “righteous.” This ‘pure and a righteous’ Zacchaeus in the course of time had become a kind of under commissioner of the customs, and responsible for the hated Roman tax imposed not only on balsam, a particular oil for which Jericho was famous, but also on the costly imports of goods from Damascus. The people who collected the tax were considered sinners. Zacchaeus as a tax collector too was considered a sinner.
As Jesus passed through Jericho, Zacchaeus wanted to have a glimpse of Jesus, however the crowd must have prevented him because he was a tax collector.
The third obstacle is a physical one. Zacchaeus was a man of small stature. The crowd must have jostled him and would have brushed him aside, thereby preventing him from seeing Jesus.
However, Jesus goes beyond these obstacles to find Zacchaeus and dine with him. In the case of the first obstacle, Jesus who was to pass through Jericho ended up dining in the city and that too with a sinner. In Jesus’ dining with Zacchaeus we see God’s willingness to be with us. The question is, are we willing to be with God? Have we lost His companionship due to our busy schedule? Do we find it to be of no consequence to be with God? We too are sinners but are we yearning to be with God, the same God who has invited us to this Eucharistic meal?
Second, because Zacchaeus is a sinner the people of Jericho obstruct his way to Jesus. But the vigor to meet Jesus is never curtailed by the obstacles that people invent. The point is: Do we have the hunger to encounter God? Just as in the case of Zacchaeus whom the city and the people blocked, similarly are the riches and desires of this world blocking us from encountering God? The people of Jericho not only deprived Zacchaeus, but also themselves from meeting Jesus. Are we like the people of Jericho a stumbling block for people who are longing to meet God?
Third, although we might not be short of stature, like Zacchaeus, it is possible that the riches & the glamour of this world have been so heavy on our shoulders that these have ‘made us short’ by crushing us down!
However, it is important to remember that in spite of the efforts of Zacchaeus it is not Zacchaeus who discovers Jesus but it is Jesus who discovers Zacchaeus. The Gospel very clearly says, “When Jesus came to the place he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus come down quickly for I must stay at your house today.” Therefore it is not we who discover God, but it is God who discovers us. But God discovers us only when we make efforts to encounter Him. For if Zacchaeus had not placed himself up on the tree he would not have been noticed! And that’s precisely the question we need to ask ourselves today: `Are we making enough efforts to encounter Jesus?’ It is also interesting to note that when Jesus finds Zacchaeus he says,” Come down quickly”. Jesus recognizes the efforts of Zacchaeus. That is why Jesus says,” Come QUICKLY”, I know you are longing to be with me”.
Dear friends keeping in mind these thoughts let us ask ourselves, “Are we making enough efforts to encounter God? Is there a deep longing within us for God? Do we feel the need of God?” It is only when we make efforts to know God that God finds us. And the best place to find him is the bible. As we are beginning the year of the bible in our parish from tomorrow/today let us make a sincere effort to read the bible daily, which will in turn lead us to find Him in our neighbour. For truly `where love is God is!’ Amen.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Mission Sunday
I still remember a story told to me when I was small. It is a story of a war prone country where every thing in that country was destroyed. In a small town of that country there stood a church that was partly destroyed. One day the priest of that parish got together some people and started to rebuild the church, when they a found the Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which had no hands. The people decided to buy a new statue, but the priest took the statue and placed it on the broken alter and put a board close to it saying “I have no hands but yours”. These words always keep ringing in my ears.”
Today the church celebrates Mission Sunday. And when we hear this word Mission, we immediately think of Mother Theresa or priest and nuns working in the interior parts of our country, however this is only partly true. We all are call to be missionaries in the world, and our mission field is right here, in our parish, the place where we stay and the place where we work. All of us through baptism are consecrated, called, set apart to be missionaries for God, to spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God. And how are we to do this. I have selected three main areas in which we could do this.
The first area is the world at large. Ecological Mission we can call it. Our planet is fast degenerating. Plants and Animal life are fast dying. The water we drink in not safe any more. Our roads are full of pollution; our streets, our gutters & garbage bins are littered with plastics bags. According to a recent study, scientists say that plastics can survive for about 600 to 700 years on this planet. In the midst of this what is my respond to this? We are reminded of the Genesis story of creation: “God created the world and saw it was good”. We are call to be a missionary in this area. To save our planet & to use less fuel and plastic as possible. So our children may have a better future.
The second area where we are called to be a missionary is in our very own parish. We all are called to be missionaries in building the Church of God, not the physical structure, but the People of God, of which you all are a part. The question we can ask ourselves here is “do we take an active part in the church activities”. According to a survey taken, only 10 % of the parishioners are active in the parish. In one of the parishes in Vasai where I lived for one year, almost every one in the parish was active, including the children. The Youth group in that parish had taken a challenge upon themselves to spread the awareness of the harmful effects of plastics on the soil. They also took up the challenge to go to each village and educate the people on the how to reuse garbage as natural manure for the soil.
Coming back to our parish, we can’t help but ask our selves this question, what is my role in the parish? We have the SCC’s in our parish. Do we support it, by our active participation or do I prefer to live an individualistic life of my family and me. We are called to be missionaries by actively participating in the parish activities and by contribute generously to the church.
The third area is our very own neighborhood, the place where we stay. We are call to be missionaries of Love, which the Father gave us through his Son our Lord Jesus Christ. In the first reading we have seen that we are called to respect the rights of the week and the poor, to respect and welcome strangers, to be compassionate to the distressed and give a listening ear to the lonely. But there are times when we say this is only the work of the Legionaries and the S.V.P. But if we just sit down for a while and think, am I asked to do something supernatural. Can’t I keep a side a few minutes form the hustle and bustle of life to speak a few words of comfort to my neighbors, irrespective if they are Christians or non-Christians? We are all call to be advertisers for the Kingdom of God, by our acts of Love and Charity.
As we celebrate Mission Sunday today, let us ponder on what it means to love my neighbor. One of the best examples that come to mind is the neighborhood group started in certain parishes of Mumbai. Where all members they take up the responsibility to help the authorities in keeping their neighborhood clean & prevent outsiders causing disturbance in the community.
“I have no hands but yours”, we are not call to do great things in life, but in a small way can make a difference. Be it the world at large or our neighborhood, we are called to be missionaries in a small way. Let us make a beginning to day, and as we partake in this Eucharist let us ask the risen Lord to enlighten and strengthen us to carry out His Mission in this world. Amen.
As Children……
As children what can I do, I think the best you can do is to study you lessons, Use less paper and plastics as possible. Avoid unnecessary waste of water and electricity…
Today the church celebrates Mission Sunday. And when we hear this word Mission, we immediately think of Mother Theresa or priest and nuns working in the interior parts of our country, however this is only partly true. We all are call to be missionaries in the world, and our mission field is right here, in our parish, the place where we stay and the place where we work. All of us through baptism are consecrated, called, set apart to be missionaries for God, to spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God. And how are we to do this. I have selected three main areas in which we could do this.
The first area is the world at large. Ecological Mission we can call it. Our planet is fast degenerating. Plants and Animal life are fast dying. The water we drink in not safe any more. Our roads are full of pollution; our streets, our gutters & garbage bins are littered with plastics bags. According to a recent study, scientists say that plastics can survive for about 600 to 700 years on this planet. In the midst of this what is my respond to this? We are reminded of the Genesis story of creation: “God created the world and saw it was good”. We are call to be a missionary in this area. To save our planet & to use less fuel and plastic as possible. So our children may have a better future.
The second area where we are called to be a missionary is in our very own parish. We all are called to be missionaries in building the Church of God, not the physical structure, but the People of God, of which you all are a part. The question we can ask ourselves here is “do we take an active part in the church activities”. According to a survey taken, only 10 % of the parishioners are active in the parish. In one of the parishes in Vasai where I lived for one year, almost every one in the parish was active, including the children. The Youth group in that parish had taken a challenge upon themselves to spread the awareness of the harmful effects of plastics on the soil. They also took up the challenge to go to each village and educate the people on the how to reuse garbage as natural manure for the soil.
Coming back to our parish, we can’t help but ask our selves this question, what is my role in the parish? We have the SCC’s in our parish. Do we support it, by our active participation or do I prefer to live an individualistic life of my family and me. We are called to be missionaries by actively participating in the parish activities and by contribute generously to the church.
The third area is our very own neighborhood, the place where we stay. We are call to be missionaries of Love, which the Father gave us through his Son our Lord Jesus Christ. In the first reading we have seen that we are called to respect the rights of the week and the poor, to respect and welcome strangers, to be compassionate to the distressed and give a listening ear to the lonely. But there are times when we say this is only the work of the Legionaries and the S.V.P. But if we just sit down for a while and think, am I asked to do something supernatural. Can’t I keep a side a few minutes form the hustle and bustle of life to speak a few words of comfort to my neighbors, irrespective if they are Christians or non-Christians? We are all call to be advertisers for the Kingdom of God, by our acts of Love and Charity.
As we celebrate Mission Sunday today, let us ponder on what it means to love my neighbor. One of the best examples that come to mind is the neighborhood group started in certain parishes of Mumbai. Where all members they take up the responsibility to help the authorities in keeping their neighborhood clean & prevent outsiders causing disturbance in the community.
“I have no hands but yours”, we are not call to do great things in life, but in a small way can make a difference. Be it the world at large or our neighborhood, we are called to be missionaries in a small way. Let us make a beginning to day, and as we partake in this Eucharist let us ask the risen Lord to enlighten and strengthen us to carry out His Mission in this world. Amen.
As Children……
As children what can I do, I think the best you can do is to study you lessons, Use less paper and plastics as possible. Avoid unnecessary waste of water and electricity…
Saturday, October 13, 2007
28th Sunday of the Year - C
I have just returned for a trip to Kandala, where I did my retreat. The retreat house is situated on a hill, which over sees almost the whole of Kandala. Part of the hill has now been taken over by the Tata’s. They are in charge of laying a pipeline that will being water to our homes in Mumbai. On the last day of the retreat, we took a walk to this place where they were carrying out their work and were stunned to see the work carried out the workers, 200 feet below the surface, working round the clock to complete the work by 31st December this year. And how often we have come home and open the tap and refreshed ourselves without a though or even word of appreciation for the workers who work in such dangerous situation even at the risk of their lives to give us free flowing water in our homes.
If there is one sin that most prevalent today, it is the sin of ingratitude. Quite often my dear brothers & sisters we have taken thing for granted. For example, just because we have taps at home, there should be water. Just because we have gas stove at home, there should bee food on my table, but we forget to thank the people who make these things a reality.
Gratitude is the attitude of the heart. Its not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all other virtues. The word thankfulness is related to Anglo-Saxon version thinkfulness, in other words, to thing of the giver’s kindness. Hence the word thank you is other centered.
But quite often we forget the good that others have done for us. We often act like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought and handed the orange back and said, “Peel it.”
If there is one sin that most prevalent today, it is the sin of ingratitude. Quite often my dear brothers & sisters we have taken thing for granted. For example, just because we have taps at home, there should be water. Just because we have gas stove at home, there should bee food on my table, but we forget to thank the people who make these things a reality.
Gratitude is the attitude of the heart. Its not only the greatest of all virtues, but the parent of all other virtues. The word thankfulness is related to Anglo-Saxon version thinkfulness, in other words, to thing of the giver’s kindness. Hence the word thank you is other centered.
But quite often we forget the good that others have done for us. We often act like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought and handed the orange back and said, “Peel it.”
Being grateful is not confined to a day or a season; it is an attitude that we should have everyday and every hour. Once we develop an attitude of gratitude, we will clearly see how much good there is in our life.
Gratitude affirms, It builds up the person, it builds up relationships. But most of us tend to focus so heavily on the negative part of our lives that we barely see the good that counterbalances them, ultimately leading to endless dissatisfaction.
But when our lives are charged with gratitude, we will give thanks for anything or anyone who has benefited us, whether they meant to or not. Imagine a prayer of thanks springing to our lips when someone helps us or when we are in trouble of caught up in a traffic jam, or when the water flows from the tap, or the food is adequate? When gratitude is well established, it is a sign of a heart that has been made right and whole. Gratitude opens the heart and that's why it provides a fine orientation equally to the inanimate, human and divine dimensions of the world.
Take for example the leper in today’s’ gospel. They Were In An Awful Position- Luke says here they stood afar off. The disease of lepercy was a painful disease but most terrible part of the disease was that they were separated from their family and from the society they were out cast. No one knows how long it had been since they had felt the touch of their wife or the kiss of their children.
It was in such a situation that Jesus heal them. But only one turned to give thanks. Here is the key to the whole issue. All were in the same awful position. All prayed and all were healed. Yet only one of the ten returned to offer thanksgiving. Why: Because He saw a reason to praise. He saw a difference Jesus had made. He saw a change wrought by Christ. He saw an opportunity to praise God.
Where are the other nine? I have no doubt that after they were declared clean by the priest they made their way to be with their family and their friends; to hug and kiss the wife and the children; to visit with Mom and Dad; to talk with friends. Their minds were occupied on all that the blessing brought to their lives. But this one, He too loved his wife and children just as much as the others. He too wanted to hug and kiss his wife and children just as much as the others. He too wanted to spend time with his friends just as much as the others. He too wanted to enjoy the blessing just as much as the others. But he had his priorities in order. He did not get so wrapped up in the blessing that he forgot the blesser. He put family, friends and fellowship on hold so that he could worship the one that made his being with his family and friends possible. His faith not only saved him but it connected him to the one who could save him.
If we look in to our lives, we see that there are many thing that we to thank the Lord for, the fact that you and I are living today is a proof enough to thank the Lord for his abundant love for us. There are other ways by which we can develop a grateful heart:
First wake up! Wake up to the incredible universe and the surprises that occur every day around you. Be attentive to every surprise each day. As long as nothing surprises us we will walk through life in a daze. Wake up and thank the Lord for them.
Two, become aware of the opportunities. Instead of focusing on your discomfort or your problem, focus on the opportunities that are ahead of you. If one door is closed, don’t get discouraged, have faith God will open hundred other doors for you.
Three, respond alertly. Once we become awake to the surprises that are around us every day and we become aware of the opportunities that are open to us, we should be attentive to our responses. We can curse the sudden rain shower or we can see it as a surprise gift. Look at it as a gift form God to cool the atmosphere. Be alert to the way you respond to an opportunity. If you catch yourself being negative every time, it is time to check your attitude.
And finally take time every day to review the process. Look back over the day and ask your self how many times was I surprised?
· Did I just walk through the day in a daze or did I appreciate every precious moment?
· Was I too busy to notice life and all of its surprises going by?
· If I was awake did I notice the opportunities?
· Did I stop and smell the flowers?
· Did I say hello to the neighbor?
· And finally, was I alert enough to respond to the opportunities that were there for me?
· Did I over look the gift within the gift because it didn’t look attractive?
And finally take time every day to review the process. Look back over the day and ask your self how many times was I surprised?
· Did I just walk through the day in a daze or did I appreciate every precious moment?
· Was I too busy to notice life and all of its surprises going by?
· If I was awake did I notice the opportunities?
· Did I stop and smell the flowers?
· Did I say hello to the neighbor?
· And finally, was I alert enough to respond to the opportunities that were there for me?
· Did I over look the gift within the gift because it didn’t look attractive?
This recipe for grateful living sounds very simple and it is. But just because it is simple it does not mean that it is simple to do. Like all things that are life changing it takes practice. And like dancing, it only becomes truly enjoyable when you are no longer thinking about every step.
This week we have a perfect opportunity to start practicing. Of being grateful for all that people do for us and to thank God for the all that he does for us. Amen.
Thanksgiving Day Sermon
Thanksgiving Day Sermon
We're not very good at saying "Thank you," are we? We're like a little boy I heard about. On his return from a birthday party, his mother queried, "Bobby, did you thank the lady for the party?"
"Well, I was going to. But a girl ahead of me said, 'Thank you,' and the lady told her not to mention it. So I didn't."
Today is Thanksgiving Day. Today, of all days, we want to say "Thank you." But before we can do that, we need to count our many blessings. "Count your blessings!" That is excellent advice, but sometimes we have to recognize them first!
I still remember my first retreat I made as a youth. The preacher made us make a list of all the positive & negative things in our lives, and as usual, the negative out numbered the positive. This is because, the human mind, quite often focuses on the negative. This is the main reason why we can never count the blessing God has showered on us, and so never feel like saying Thank You.
If you visit any family in the parish, the first thing they share is their problems they are facing. No one ever thinks of sharing the wonderful family they have and the wonderful relationship they enjoy in the family. No child shares how good cook his/her mother is. Quite often we take this for grants. While on the other hand quite a few of us don’t know who to accept compliments. If you tell a lady, Unty, the curry is superb, I am sure she will turn around and say, only the curry, what about the rice & the vegetable. Or may be she will say, “only today is good, what about yesterday and all the days in the past that I have been cocking.”
I sincerely feel that we need to get into the habit of thanking people for all that they have done, and the best place to begin with is our own families. Quite often we take them for granted. We never thank our parents for giving us Birth, good educations, taking care of us when we were sick, or even staying awake all night to look after us. Parents we too need to thank our children for being such good children, of course there are time when that make mischief, but they are children. You can’t expect Fr. Austin & Me to make mischief. But we need to thank them for doing the small works at home. Once we get into this habit, we will surely have a happy family.
There is another person who we must never forget to thank, and that is Our God.
What Do We Give Thanks For:
First of all, we should thank God for life. He has made us and formed us. Only in Him do we live and move and have our being. Only in Him do we have the ability to think, enjoy and respond to the wonders of his creation. Only in Him can we jump and run and play and learn. Only in Him can we eat and sleep and love. So we thank God for life.
Second, we should thank God for health. Many of our members suffered health problems this past year. It seems it is only when we face sickness that we appreciate health and strength.
Third, we should thank God for providing for our physical needs. Yes, some of us could have more things or better things; even so, we have food, clothes on our bodies, a roof over our heads, may be a car or a bike. These are common material things, but they do not come by chance. We know these are gifts from the Giver above. We also know that in quite a few places in our own country, these things are a luxury.
Fourth, we should also thank God for our families. For some people, it is painful to remember family relationships broken by death or divorce. But even as we feel such grief, we can be thankful for those who uphold us and love us still. Our families are precious. Thanksgiving is a time for husbands to thank Almighty God for their wives, and for wives to thank God for their husbands; for parents and children to thank God for each other; for all of us to thanks God for the companionship of friends.
Finally, and most important, we should thank God for grace and salvation. In Christ God has blessed us with every sort of spiritual blessing. He has taken us who were lost in sin and evil and renewed us to be like Christ. He has removed from us the fear of judgment and everlasting hell fire.
There are times, of course, when we all are tempted to feel ungrateful. At such times it is good for you to contemplate the good things God has done for you. May I offer this suggestion: when you get home write on a card small enough to fit into your wallet, 10 great things God has done for you. Then, whenever you are tempted to feel ungrateful, pull out that card and start thinking about the mercies you have written down. By thinking about God's past provision, you'll be encouraged to trust in His power to provide and protect in the present. Amen
We're not very good at saying "Thank you," are we? We're like a little boy I heard about. On his return from a birthday party, his mother queried, "Bobby, did you thank the lady for the party?"
"Well, I was going to. But a girl ahead of me said, 'Thank you,' and the lady told her not to mention it. So I didn't."
Today is Thanksgiving Day. Today, of all days, we want to say "Thank you." But before we can do that, we need to count our many blessings. "Count your blessings!" That is excellent advice, but sometimes we have to recognize them first!
I still remember my first retreat I made as a youth. The preacher made us make a list of all the positive & negative things in our lives, and as usual, the negative out numbered the positive. This is because, the human mind, quite often focuses on the negative. This is the main reason why we can never count the blessing God has showered on us, and so never feel like saying Thank You.
If you visit any family in the parish, the first thing they share is their problems they are facing. No one ever thinks of sharing the wonderful family they have and the wonderful relationship they enjoy in the family. No child shares how good cook his/her mother is. Quite often we take this for grants. While on the other hand quite a few of us don’t know who to accept compliments. If you tell a lady, Unty, the curry is superb, I am sure she will turn around and say, only the curry, what about the rice & the vegetable. Or may be she will say, “only today is good, what about yesterday and all the days in the past that I have been cocking.”
I sincerely feel that we need to get into the habit of thanking people for all that they have done, and the best place to begin with is our own families. Quite often we take them for granted. We never thank our parents for giving us Birth, good educations, taking care of us when we were sick, or even staying awake all night to look after us. Parents we too need to thank our children for being such good children, of course there are time when that make mischief, but they are children. You can’t expect Fr. Austin & Me to make mischief. But we need to thank them for doing the small works at home. Once we get into this habit, we will surely have a happy family.
There is another person who we must never forget to thank, and that is Our God.
What Do We Give Thanks For:
First of all, we should thank God for life. He has made us and formed us. Only in Him do we live and move and have our being. Only in Him do we have the ability to think, enjoy and respond to the wonders of his creation. Only in Him can we jump and run and play and learn. Only in Him can we eat and sleep and love. So we thank God for life.
Second, we should thank God for health. Many of our members suffered health problems this past year. It seems it is only when we face sickness that we appreciate health and strength.
Third, we should thank God for providing for our physical needs. Yes, some of us could have more things or better things; even so, we have food, clothes on our bodies, a roof over our heads, may be a car or a bike. These are common material things, but they do not come by chance. We know these are gifts from the Giver above. We also know that in quite a few places in our own country, these things are a luxury.
Fourth, we should also thank God for our families. For some people, it is painful to remember family relationships broken by death or divorce. But even as we feel such grief, we can be thankful for those who uphold us and love us still. Our families are precious. Thanksgiving is a time for husbands to thank Almighty God for their wives, and for wives to thank God for their husbands; for parents and children to thank God for each other; for all of us to thanks God for the companionship of friends.
Finally, and most important, we should thank God for grace and salvation. In Christ God has blessed us with every sort of spiritual blessing. He has taken us who were lost in sin and evil and renewed us to be like Christ. He has removed from us the fear of judgment and everlasting hell fire.
There are times, of course, when we all are tempted to feel ungrateful. At such times it is good for you to contemplate the good things God has done for you. May I offer this suggestion: when you get home write on a card small enough to fit into your wallet, 10 great things God has done for you. Then, whenever you are tempted to feel ungrateful, pull out that card and start thinking about the mercies you have written down. By thinking about God's past provision, you'll be encouraged to trust in His power to provide and protect in the present. Amen
Saturday, September 29, 2007
26th SUNDAY OF THE YEAR - C
The story is told of a king who placed a heavy stone on the road and then hid and watched to see who would remove it. Men of various classes came and worked their way around it, some loudly blaming the king for not keeping the highways clean, but all dodging the duty of getting it out of the way. At last a poor peasant on his way to town with his burden of vegetables for sale came and contemplating the stone, laid down his load and rolled the stone into the gutter. Then turning around, he spied a purse that had been buried right under the stone. He opened it and found it full of gold pieces with a note from the king saying that it was for the one who should remove the stone.
The readings of today tell a tale similar to the one we have just heard - that of "dodging our duty" In the first reading, the prophet Amos warns the people that their major sin was their separation from the concern for their neighbor. They were "dodging the duty" of caring for the poor. Amos prophecies that these idle rich who had first received Israel's bounty would also be the first to be exiled and experience deportation.
Luke's Gospel similarly, expresses deep concern for the poor and the underdog. Luke portrays Jesus as a friend of sinners and outcasts. In today’s Gospel, Luke has Jesus teaching his disciples and the Pharisees through the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Prior to this too, Jesus has taught them through many parables but now draws their attention towards almsgiving and the necessity of sharing possessions with the needy. This is in accordance with God's will and contrasts with the vice of greed.
The Gospel describes the characters of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man lived luxuriously, feasting daily lavishly thereby breaking the fourth commandment of working six days and keeping the Sabbath holy. He idly indulged himself, feasting daily. Lazarus, on the other hand, was so helpless that he could not even keep the dogs away.
In those days, food was eaten with hands as there were no spoons, etc. Hands were then wiped on chunks of bread and these were thrown away to the dogs. It was for this that Lazarus awaited at the gate of the rich man. And the rich man did not grudge it to him. He did not push him away from the gate. Nor did he kick him when passing or be deliberately cruel to him. There also is no indication that the rich man was morally wrong or Lazarus morally right
What then, was the rich man's sin? It was that "he never noticed" Lazarus. He accepted him as "part of the landscape" thinking it perfectly natural that Lazarus should be in pain and he in luxury. So, it was NOT WHAT HE DID, but, WHAT HE DID NOT DO, that got him into hell. I am sure he must have seen Lazarus' suffering and in pain everyday as he went out of his gate, but he had no grief or pity for him. I am sure he must have seen the hunger and need every day out of his place, but DID NOTHING about it. In simple words He "dodged his duty" of caring for Lazarus and landed into hell.
The readings teach us that we receive in order to bless others. Failure to give and care invites a measure for measure punishment. On the other hand, the poor who should have received and did not would receive a measure for measure reward. So it was that Lazarus, like the poor farmer in our story, received a "bag of gold", a lifetime of feasting at the table of the Lord.
In our daily lives, as we travel to & fro, we come across numerous people - suffering, depraved, hungry, cold - begging at our railway stations, traffic junctions, street corners, gates of our Churches. Some of us, good conscientious Catholics give alms to charity - St. Vincent de Paul, Missionaries of Charity, Campaign for Hunger & Disease, etc. But, we also pass by many beggars on the roads. We don't notice them, for they are "part of our landscape". Poverty is their lot and well-being is ours. We go to Church, "hear" Mass and return home UNMOVED. We DO NOTHING to improve the lot of our poor neighbors. Perhaps, we "dodge our duty". Where then will we end up - in heaven or hell?
In our daily lives, in our homes, workplaces, parishes, neighborhoods, society, we meet and relate with family and friends, colleagues, neighbors, children, adults, young and old. They have manifold needs - love, acceptance, a smile, a warm hug, a handshake, an encouraging word, a gentle look, a listening ear, a patient attitude, a quiet presence, a helping hand, accompaniment, a whispered prayer, etc. We are blessed by God with all this that we may bless others. But, there is NO TIME since deadlines are to be met, meetings to be attended, teachings to be given, egos to be fed, pride to be nurtured. We DO NOT NOTICE our emotionally and spiritually poor brothers & sisters. They are "part of our landscape". We are UNMOVED. We DO NOTHING to improve their lot. They turn to drugs and other escape routes. We "dodge our duty". Where then will we end up - in heaven or hell?
Today's readings challenge us to move out of ourselves and be spurred on to action, to NOT MERELY EXIST but, to REALLY LIVE, to be moved to noticing and caring for our neighbors. For, in our daily lives, we do not EXIST with OBJECTS but, LIVE with PEOPLE. Then we will hear, "As much as you did it to one of these my brethren, you did it to me. Well-done, good and faithful servant. Welcome into my kingdom". AMEN.
The readings of today tell a tale similar to the one we have just heard - that of "dodging our duty" In the first reading, the prophet Amos warns the people that their major sin was their separation from the concern for their neighbor. They were "dodging the duty" of caring for the poor. Amos prophecies that these idle rich who had first received Israel's bounty would also be the first to be exiled and experience deportation.
Luke's Gospel similarly, expresses deep concern for the poor and the underdog. Luke portrays Jesus as a friend of sinners and outcasts. In today’s Gospel, Luke has Jesus teaching his disciples and the Pharisees through the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Prior to this too, Jesus has taught them through many parables but now draws their attention towards almsgiving and the necessity of sharing possessions with the needy. This is in accordance with God's will and contrasts with the vice of greed.
The Gospel describes the characters of the rich man and Lazarus. The rich man lived luxuriously, feasting daily lavishly thereby breaking the fourth commandment of working six days and keeping the Sabbath holy. He idly indulged himself, feasting daily. Lazarus, on the other hand, was so helpless that he could not even keep the dogs away.
In those days, food was eaten with hands as there were no spoons, etc. Hands were then wiped on chunks of bread and these were thrown away to the dogs. It was for this that Lazarus awaited at the gate of the rich man. And the rich man did not grudge it to him. He did not push him away from the gate. Nor did he kick him when passing or be deliberately cruel to him. There also is no indication that the rich man was morally wrong or Lazarus morally right
What then, was the rich man's sin? It was that "he never noticed" Lazarus. He accepted him as "part of the landscape" thinking it perfectly natural that Lazarus should be in pain and he in luxury. So, it was NOT WHAT HE DID, but, WHAT HE DID NOT DO, that got him into hell. I am sure he must have seen Lazarus' suffering and in pain everyday as he went out of his gate, but he had no grief or pity for him. I am sure he must have seen the hunger and need every day out of his place, but DID NOTHING about it. In simple words He "dodged his duty" of caring for Lazarus and landed into hell.
The readings teach us that we receive in order to bless others. Failure to give and care invites a measure for measure punishment. On the other hand, the poor who should have received and did not would receive a measure for measure reward. So it was that Lazarus, like the poor farmer in our story, received a "bag of gold", a lifetime of feasting at the table of the Lord.
In our daily lives, as we travel to & fro, we come across numerous people - suffering, depraved, hungry, cold - begging at our railway stations, traffic junctions, street corners, gates of our Churches. Some of us, good conscientious Catholics give alms to charity - St. Vincent de Paul, Missionaries of Charity, Campaign for Hunger & Disease, etc. But, we also pass by many beggars on the roads. We don't notice them, for they are "part of our landscape". Poverty is their lot and well-being is ours. We go to Church, "hear" Mass and return home UNMOVED. We DO NOTHING to improve the lot of our poor neighbors. Perhaps, we "dodge our duty". Where then will we end up - in heaven or hell?
In our daily lives, in our homes, workplaces, parishes, neighborhoods, society, we meet and relate with family and friends, colleagues, neighbors, children, adults, young and old. They have manifold needs - love, acceptance, a smile, a warm hug, a handshake, an encouraging word, a gentle look, a listening ear, a patient attitude, a quiet presence, a helping hand, accompaniment, a whispered prayer, etc. We are blessed by God with all this that we may bless others. But, there is NO TIME since deadlines are to be met, meetings to be attended, teachings to be given, egos to be fed, pride to be nurtured. We DO NOT NOTICE our emotionally and spiritually poor brothers & sisters. They are "part of our landscape". We are UNMOVED. We DO NOTHING to improve their lot. They turn to drugs and other escape routes. We "dodge our duty". Where then will we end up - in heaven or hell?
Today's readings challenge us to move out of ourselves and be spurred on to action, to NOT MERELY EXIST but, to REALLY LIVE, to be moved to noticing and caring for our neighbors. For, in our daily lives, we do not EXIST with OBJECTS but, LIVE with PEOPLE. Then we will hear, "As much as you did it to one of these my brethren, you did it to me. Well-done, good and faithful servant. Welcome into my kingdom". AMEN.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
My Accident Snaps
Hey there,
You’re invited to a view a page on Webshots!
http://community.webshots.com/user/lincolnrebello/tags/My%20Accident%20Snaps/albums
Enjoy,
Lincoln
You’re invited to a view a page on Webshots!
http://community.webshots.com/user/lincolnrebello/tags/My%20Accident%20Snaps/albums
Enjoy,
Lincoln
Hi Friends,
Thanks for your prayers and calls during my stay at home....My accident was a minor one, but the hurt which is on my left Knee is still painful..i still cant stand...
What touched me the most that many close friends came to see me and spend some time with me...they were many who came in from Far and near......they were some who called to inquire about my well being...
Please continue to keep me in ur prayers...so that i may be able to bounce back.....
Bye
Thanks once again....
Thanks for your prayers and calls during my stay at home....My accident was a minor one, but the hurt which is on my left Knee is still painful..i still cant stand...
What touched me the most that many close friends came to see me and spend some time with me...they were many who came in from Far and near......they were some who called to inquire about my well being...
Please continue to keep me in ur prayers...so that i may be able to bounce back.....
Bye
Thanks once again....
My Accident
Hi Friends,
On Sunday 16th September as i was moving towards Kandivli on the Highway on my own bike, another bike from behind crashed into me knocking me down. By the time i got up form the ground the bicker had vanished form the scene. When I got up from the ground, i realised that had bruised my left hand and left leg badly...i was give water by the good Samaritan on the road and then after i collected my self and my bike i drove back to the My parish Church....
On the way i was feeling daisy...so as soon as i got back to the church i called Mrs Mercy who is an ex nurse who came running along with her Husband and rushed me to the near by hospital...while i was in the operation theater, she gave a call to my Parish Priest rev Fr. Austin Norris, who then called me to inquire about my accident and asked me to inform my family people...
I called up my sister and her husband came to pike me up....
I was home for almost 10 days unable to walk...my hand had healed but the wound on my leg is still painful....
i am attaching a fee snaps that my nephew and niece clicked from my cell phone while i was home...My sister and my sister-in-law use to dress the wounds regularly at home...
On Sunday 16th September as i was moving towards Kandivli on the Highway on my own bike, another bike from behind crashed into me knocking me down. By the time i got up form the ground the bicker had vanished form the scene. When I got up from the ground, i realised that had bruised my left hand and left leg badly...i was give water by the good Samaritan on the road and then after i collected my self and my bike i drove back to the My parish Church....
On the way i was feeling daisy...so as soon as i got back to the church i called Mrs Mercy who is an ex nurse who came running along with her Husband and rushed me to the near by hospital...while i was in the operation theater, she gave a call to my Parish Priest rev Fr. Austin Norris, who then called me to inquire about my accident and asked me to inform my family people...
I called up my sister and her husband came to pike me up....
I was home for almost 10 days unable to walk...my hand had healed but the wound on my leg is still painful....
i am attaching a fee snaps that my nephew and niece clicked from my cell phone while i was home...My sister and my sister-in-law use to dress the wounds regularly at home...
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Aunty Joy's Funeral Snaps
Hi Friends,
After that fitting farewell to my beloved angel, i have posted few snaps of the service...please click on this link to take you to that page....
http://community.webshots.com/album/560601146IUIVDA?vhost=community&start=12
After that fitting farewell to my beloved angel, i have posted few snaps of the service...please click on this link to take you to that page....
http://community.webshots.com/album/560601146IUIVDA?vhost=community&start=12
Tribute to Our Loving Aunty Joyce.
My heart bleeds as I stand before to bid farewell to our sister Joyce.
If I am standing before you today as a priest, its because of this women who rest so peacefully in our midst.
I can still remember that year 1990, I was going through a treble time in my life…there was darkness all around me…I would have remained in that darkness, had not Aunty Joy showed me the light…
Someone rightly said that God has assigned a guardian angel to each one of us and my guardian angel is here resting in front of us.. She was truly my angel who guided my in my life…
The year 1990-91 I was preparing for my final exams, and I know the trouble I was going through, I use to study in their garden and aunty joy would go out of her way to make things for me so that I don’t waste time going home for my meals.
A couple of years latter when I was to join the seminary, she was the first person whom I consulted before I made that important decision. The words in my farewell card signed by aunty Joy Sydney and smitha, still fresh in my mind, “With whom will we share our meals with.”
I was a part of that family. We use to go to her house to watch TV, Play cricket, study and I even celebrated my birthday in their garden…She was a women with a big heart.
My Family has lost a friend, a companion and an angel. Being educated, we would always consult her in times of problems and was confident of finding an answer.
I would like to summarize, what Joyce meant to me in words of the hymn of St Francis:
You made me a Channel of Peace
Where there was hatred, You taught me to bring love.
Where there was injury, you showed me how to pardon.
Where there was doubt you showed me how to have faith.
When there was despair in my life, you brought hope
When there was darkness, you showed the light.
And when there was sadness, you brought joy.
You taught me that it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
In sharing with each other that we receive,
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.
Today we celebrate the birthday of our Blessed Mother, and it is said that all the angels in heaven will be singing and praising God, and today he has taken an angel for our side to be with his blessed mother.
As we bid farewell to our beloved Aunty Joy, we also place a petition at her feet of our blessed Mother, that from her throne in heave she may guide and protect Sydney and Smitha.
Sayonara, Joyce till we meet again in paradise. May the angels lead you to paradise. May your soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
If I am standing before you today as a priest, its because of this women who rest so peacefully in our midst.
I can still remember that year 1990, I was going through a treble time in my life…there was darkness all around me…I would have remained in that darkness, had not Aunty Joy showed me the light…
Someone rightly said that God has assigned a guardian angel to each one of us and my guardian angel is here resting in front of us.. She was truly my angel who guided my in my life…
The year 1990-91 I was preparing for my final exams, and I know the trouble I was going through, I use to study in their garden and aunty joy would go out of her way to make things for me so that I don’t waste time going home for my meals.
A couple of years latter when I was to join the seminary, she was the first person whom I consulted before I made that important decision. The words in my farewell card signed by aunty Joy Sydney and smitha, still fresh in my mind, “With whom will we share our meals with.”
I was a part of that family. We use to go to her house to watch TV, Play cricket, study and I even celebrated my birthday in their garden…She was a women with a big heart.
My Family has lost a friend, a companion and an angel. Being educated, we would always consult her in times of problems and was confident of finding an answer.
I would like to summarize, what Joyce meant to me in words of the hymn of St Francis:
You made me a Channel of Peace
Where there was hatred, You taught me to bring love.
Where there was injury, you showed me how to pardon.
Where there was doubt you showed me how to have faith.
When there was despair in my life, you brought hope
When there was darkness, you showed the light.
And when there was sadness, you brought joy.
You taught me that it is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
In sharing with each other that we receive,
And in dying that we're born to eternal life.
Today we celebrate the birthday of our Blessed Mother, and it is said that all the angels in heaven will be singing and praising God, and today he has taken an angel for our side to be with his blessed mother.
As we bid farewell to our beloved Aunty Joy, we also place a petition at her feet of our blessed Mother, that from her throne in heave she may guide and protect Sydney and Smitha.
Sayonara, Joyce till we meet again in paradise. May the angels lead you to paradise. May your soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Birthday of Our Blessed Mother: Day of the Girl Child
Feast Day
The Day of the Girl Child
I like to begin with the case filed in the High court in Mumbai by a Couple, on the right of the Parents to select the sex of their next child. The Honorable Judge, in his statement said these words, “Sex selection is not only against the spirit of the constitution, it insults and humiliates womanhood. It violates a women’s right to life.”
Today we celebrate the Birthday of our Mother and also the Day of the Girl Child. God chose the Virgin Mary, from the moment of her conception to be the instrument of salvation. By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living. The first Eve despite her disobedience, received the promise of a posterity who would be victorious over the evil one, as well as the promise that she will be the mother of all the living.
Sixty years ago, whilst the world awaited the birth of a new nation, the screams of the labour pains could be heard far and wide. India was undergoing the trauma of partition; scores of women were raped in the Partition Riots of 1947. The screams of women brutalized still resound in the ears of the many that lived through those dreadful events.
Only few years ago similar screams rent the air in the second-class compartment of a late night local train in Mumbai. The screams of a girl-child resounded in the early hours of the morning as a drunken youth brutally raped her.
Every time I pass that junction, said a women appearing before the Godra Commission, tears roll down my eyes, for I witness one of the most disgusting scene of a pregnant women being raped in broad day light, her stomach torn open and her fetus burnt in front of fanatic men, praising God.
Nothing seems to have changed: the rape of women then and the rape of women now – although we have got our freedom scores of women are awaiting their freedom. It is as if the darkness of the night still covers the nation.
Even today, 100’s of young girls are brought from Assam and sold in the flesh trade in Mumbai. Even today, 100’s of fetuses are aborted only because they are females. Even today girls continue to burn their childhood days in the kitchens of their homes, while their brothers goes to schools. Nothing seems to have changed. And nothing will change.
This about our nation, but what about our own families? Whether we like it or not there is some amount of injustice happening in our own families. Boys are given more freedom than girls. They can come home at any time, do what they feel is right and even enjoy the best. While Girls have to be on time, don’t talk to any boy, do all the work at home, yet get the worst when it come to family matters.
I just said that nothing will change. Yes nothing will change. Because as long as we come to church, day after day, go for novenas Wednesday after Wednesday, garland the picture of our mother, say the rosary faithfully every night, and yet continue to do injustice to the women in our families, nothing will change. Yes nothing will change until we learn to respect the women in my family, until we realize that even she has a right to live, even she has a right to walk shoulder to shoulder with her brother. The moment we realize this, things will begin to change.
A gentleman shared with me some thing this morning, and it fits very well with the message of today. He said that a devotee of Mary, who had visited all the shrines in India, died and went to heaven and the first thing he did was to go in search of Mary. And when he could not find her, he said to St Peter, I want to meet Mother Mary. St Peter replied, you want find Mary here, She is in the hearts to all those suffering on earth.
How true are these words. You want to honor Mary, start respecting women from today. Stop all those clumsy jokes on women, Stop SMS those lousy one-liners on women. Respect the women in you family. Treat them equally. Be bold and tell others to stop.
Women on you part learn to respect other women, stop gossiping about others. Give equal right & freedom to the girl in your family. Learn to respect your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Mary will then be honored.
What better birthday gift can we think of giving Mary than this?
I like to end with this beautiful poem which appeared in the Examiner:
Oh! What's the use of this sudden new trend?
From times immemorial the world has been dominated by men.
They come and they go, do whatever they please,
Treat us like inanimate objects sent to earth for their ease.
Girl-Child Week! And what after that I pray?
Are we to go back to being mere objects of clay?
Pulled and pushed, pounded, squeezed, crushed and broken?
We don't need a Week... a meaningless token!
What we need, is a revolutionary change,
When we as God's creatures are given free rein.
To live, to study, to work and to play,
To be treated as equals to any boy any day.
To have our own lives, make choices, be at peace in our own space,
To use all our God-given talents and our Full potential
To better society and the human race.
KAY A. LOBO
The Day of the Girl Child
I like to begin with the case filed in the High court in Mumbai by a Couple, on the right of the Parents to select the sex of their next child. The Honorable Judge, in his statement said these words, “Sex selection is not only against the spirit of the constitution, it insults and humiliates womanhood. It violates a women’s right to life.”
Today we celebrate the Birthday of our Mother and also the Day of the Girl Child. God chose the Virgin Mary, from the moment of her conception to be the instrument of salvation. By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living. The first Eve despite her disobedience, received the promise of a posterity who would be victorious over the evil one, as well as the promise that she will be the mother of all the living.
Sixty years ago, whilst the world awaited the birth of a new nation, the screams of the labour pains could be heard far and wide. India was undergoing the trauma of partition; scores of women were raped in the Partition Riots of 1947. The screams of women brutalized still resound in the ears of the many that lived through those dreadful events.
Only few years ago similar screams rent the air in the second-class compartment of a late night local train in Mumbai. The screams of a girl-child resounded in the early hours of the morning as a drunken youth brutally raped her.
Every time I pass that junction, said a women appearing before the Godra Commission, tears roll down my eyes, for I witness one of the most disgusting scene of a pregnant women being raped in broad day light, her stomach torn open and her fetus burnt in front of fanatic men, praising God.
Nothing seems to have changed: the rape of women then and the rape of women now – although we have got our freedom scores of women are awaiting their freedom. It is as if the darkness of the night still covers the nation.
Even today, 100’s of young girls are brought from Assam and sold in the flesh trade in Mumbai. Even today, 100’s of fetuses are aborted only because they are females. Even today girls continue to burn their childhood days in the kitchens of their homes, while their brothers goes to schools. Nothing seems to have changed. And nothing will change.
This about our nation, but what about our own families? Whether we like it or not there is some amount of injustice happening in our own families. Boys are given more freedom than girls. They can come home at any time, do what they feel is right and even enjoy the best. While Girls have to be on time, don’t talk to any boy, do all the work at home, yet get the worst when it come to family matters.
I just said that nothing will change. Yes nothing will change. Because as long as we come to church, day after day, go for novenas Wednesday after Wednesday, garland the picture of our mother, say the rosary faithfully every night, and yet continue to do injustice to the women in our families, nothing will change. Yes nothing will change until we learn to respect the women in my family, until we realize that even she has a right to live, even she has a right to walk shoulder to shoulder with her brother. The moment we realize this, things will begin to change.
A gentleman shared with me some thing this morning, and it fits very well with the message of today. He said that a devotee of Mary, who had visited all the shrines in India, died and went to heaven and the first thing he did was to go in search of Mary. And when he could not find her, he said to St Peter, I want to meet Mother Mary. St Peter replied, you want find Mary here, She is in the hearts to all those suffering on earth.
How true are these words. You want to honor Mary, start respecting women from today. Stop all those clumsy jokes on women, Stop SMS those lousy one-liners on women. Respect the women in you family. Treat them equally. Be bold and tell others to stop.
Women on you part learn to respect other women, stop gossiping about others. Give equal right & freedom to the girl in your family. Learn to respect your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Mary will then be honored.
What better birthday gift can we think of giving Mary than this?
I like to end with this beautiful poem which appeared in the Examiner:
Oh! What's the use of this sudden new trend?
From times immemorial the world has been dominated by men.
They come and they go, do whatever they please,
Treat us like inanimate objects sent to earth for their ease.
Girl-Child Week! And what after that I pray?
Are we to go back to being mere objects of clay?
Pulled and pushed, pounded, squeezed, crushed and broken?
We don't need a Week... a meaningless token!
What we need, is a revolutionary change,
When we as God's creatures are given free rein.
To live, to study, to work and to play,
To be treated as equals to any boy any day.
To have our own lives, make choices, be at peace in our own space,
To use all our God-given talents and our Full potential
To better society and the human race.
KAY A. LOBO
Birthday of Our Blessed Mother: Day of the Girl Child
The Day of the Girl Child
I like to begin with the case filed in the High court in Mumbai by a Couple, on the right of the Parents to select the sex of their next child. The Honorable Judge, in his statement said these words, “Sex selection is not only against the spirit of the constitution, it insults and humiliates womanhood. It violates a women’s right to life.”
Today we celebrate the Birthday of our Mother and also the Day of the Girl Child. God chose the Virgin Mary, from the moment of her conception to be the instrument of salvation. By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living. The first Eve despite her disobedience, received the promise of a posterity who would be victorious over the evil one, as well as the promise that she will be the mother of all the living.
Sixty years ago, whilst the world awaited the birth of a new nation, the screams of the labour pains could be heard far and wide. India was undergoing the trauma of partition; scores of women were raped in the Partition Riots of 1947. The screams of women brutalized still resound in the ears of the many that lived through those dreadful events.
Only few years ago similar screams rent the air in the second-class compartment of a late night local train in Mumbai. The screams of a girl-child resounded in the early hours of the morning as a drunken youth brutally raped her.
Every time I pass that junction, said a women appearing before the Godra Commission, tears roll down my eyes, for I witness one of the most disgusting scene of a pregnant women being raped in broad day light, her stomach torn open and her fetus burnt in front of fanatic men, praising God.
Nothing seems to have changed: the rape of women then and the rape of women now – although we have got our freedom scores of women are awaiting their freedom. It is as if the darkness of the night still covers the nation.
Even today, 100’s of young girls are brought from Assam and sold in the flesh trade in Mumbai. Even today, 100’s of fetuses are aborted only because they are females. Even today girls continue to burn their childhood days in the kitchens of their homes, while their brothers goes to schools. Nothing seems to have changed. And nothing will change.
This about our nation, but what about our own families? Whether we like it or not there is some amount of injustice happening in our own families. Boys are given more freedom than girls. They can come home at any time, do what they feel is right and even enjoy the best. While Girls have to be on time, don’t talk to any boy, do all the work at home, yet get the worst when it come to family matters.
I just said that nothing will change. Yes nothing will change. Because as long as we come to church, day after day, go for novenas Wednesday after Wednesday, garland the picture of our mother, say the rosary faithfully every night, and yet continue to do injustice to the women in our families, nothing will change. Yes nothing will change until we learn to respect the women in my family, until we realize that even she has a right to live, even she has a right to walk shoulder to shoulder with her brother. The moment we realize this, things will begin to change.
A gentleman shared with me some thing this morning, and it fits very well with the message of today. He said that a devotee of Mary, who had visited all the shrines in India, died and went to heaven and the first thing he did was to go in search of Mary. And when he could not find her, he said to St Peter, I want to meet Mother Mary. St Peter replied, you want find Mary here, She is in the hearts to all those suffering on earth.
How true are these words. You want to honor Mary, start respecting women from today. Stop all those clumsy jokes on women, Stop SMS those lousy one-liners on women. Respect the women in you family. Treat them equally. Be bold and tell others to stop.
Women on you part learn to respect other women, stop gossiping about others. Give equal right & freedom to the girl in your family. Learn to respect your body, which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Mary will then be honored.
What better birthday gift can we think of giving Mary than this?
I like to end with this beautiful poem which appeared in the Examiner:
Oh! What's the use of this sudden new trend?
From times immemorial the world has been dominated by men.
They come and they go, do whatever they please,
Treat us like inanimate objects sent to earth for their ease.
Girl-Child Week! And what after that I pray?
Are we to go back to being mere objects of clay?
Pulled and pushed, pounded, squeezed, crushed and broken?
We don't need a Week... a meaningless token!
What we need, is a revolutionary change,
When we as God's creatures are given free rein.
To live, to study, to work and to play,
To be treated as equals to any boy any day.
To have our own lives, make choices, be at peace in our own space,
To use all our God-given talents and our Full potential
To better society and the human race.
KAY A. LOBO
Sunday, August 26, 2007
21st Sunday of the Year C
Some time ago, a man was attempting to trace his family roots. In the process of his research he visited several cemeteries collecting information from the tombstone. At one place he came across a tombstone with the following inscription:
Pause now stranger, as you pass by
As you are now, so once was I
As I am now, so soon you’ll be
Prepare yourself to follow me
Next to the tombstone he noticed someone had placed a board with the following words:
To Follow you, I’m not content
Until I know, which way you went.
The engraving on the tombstone is a reminder of our common mortality. If the Lord tarries his return, we shall all face death in time. Life is short & death is sure. The grave awaits us all. The person who wrote the second poem, however points out that though we all will one day die, we will pass on to one of two places. Heaven or Hell.
Where would you spend eternity? Heaven or Hell? Paradise or Perdition? The Heaven of Rest or the Lake of Fire? Have you made preparation for your final destination?
I was Once traveling by rickshaw, and having experience the rejection of going short distances, I sat and when asked where do you want to go, I promptly answered, take me were you want to go. The Man turned around and smiled, I know my destination, but were do YOU want to go.
Where would you spend eternity? Heaven or Hell? Paradise or Perdition? The Heaven of Rest or the Lake of Fire? Have you made preparation for your final destination?
I was Once traveling by rickshaw, and having experience the rejection of going short distances, I sat and when asked where do you want to go, I promptly answered, take me were you want to go. The Man turned around and smiled, I know my destination, but were do YOU want to go.
There are only two destination for us.
Mt 25:46 -- And wicked shall go away to everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
God sees only Two Kinds of People:
The Righteous The Wicked
The Saved The Lost
Heaven bound Hell-bound
The Bible tells us over and over again that everyone of you here today will either go to Heaven or hell. Sadly many ignore or deny this truth. Some suppress it because they don’t want to deal with it. Young people delay and postpone thinking about it saying, its something of the future.
And there are Only Two Roads to travel:
Robert Frost -- Two Roads diverged in a wood, and I took The One Less Traveled, and that has made all the difference.
Jesus tell us in today’s Gospel à "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
Often people asked me, what does it take to get to heaven? Join the church? Be baptized? Give money? Pray? Be religious? No! You’ve got to enter the right gate and walk on the right road.
Sunday after Sunday we see a number of people dressed in their Sunday best they respectfully make their way into the worship service. They whole heartedly sing along with the community, they greet one another in the service, they put their bit into the offering plate and they listen to another sermon. When the service is over they leave the service and tell the preacher he did a good job. Then they return home, take off their “church clothes” and forget about God for another week. Meeting with God has become for them nothing more than listening to messages, singing songs and placing a token amount in the offering. Yet somehow this routine seems to fill their need for reassurance. And because they have been “faithful” to come to church Sunday after Sunday, or may be on occasion, they feel that they are all right, that they have secured a place in heaven. What a distortion of the message that Jesus delivered. Jesus told the religious crowd that even those who appeared the most dedicated were at best, last in the kingdom and probably would not get in at all, because they had too much religion and too little relationship with Jesus.
This message is for those of you who have read and sung and listened to people talk about Jesus for years without meeting him personally. For far too long the church has claimed to be rescuing the perishing, when all they have been doing is protecting the dying.
So what must I do to enter Heaven:
a. You must Discern between truth and error: The bible tells us that before a person will ever get on the right road one has to see that the present road that they are walking leads to destruction. It calls for a personal introspection; to see and to accept what he/she is doing is wrong and needs to change.
b. You must Dare to be Different: One reason why some will not be saved, they loved this present world. They don’t want to be different. They go with the crowd, swim along with the tide. They ridicule the idea of being different (being an individual). They don’t want to lose their so called friends.
c. You must make a definite Decision to put back Christ first in your life. Sadly, today for many us Christianity is merely a ticket to get admission in our schools and college. Its no more a faith issue. God is secondary, My world, my pleasure, my Luxury is primary.
The Road to heaven is narrow and difficult, but if you sincerely want to a citizen of that world than there is no choice, you and I will have to walk on that road less traveled. The Choice is ours. Amen.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A LOVE STORY...Please Read till the end.
One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah the beauty of God's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised God for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me. He asked me, "Do you love me?" I answered, "Of course, I'm the Highest of your creation!"
Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?" I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do, the things that I took for granted. And I answered, "It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You."
Then the Lord said, “If you were blind, would you still love my creation?"
How could I love something without being able to see it?
Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation.
So I answered, "Its hard to think of it, but I would still love you."
The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?"
How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word."
The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks.
So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name.
And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?"
With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly,
"Yes Lord! I love You because You are the One and true God!"
I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?"
I answered, ”Because I am only human. I am not perfect."
"THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY THE EARNEST?"
No answers. Only tears.
The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?"
The tears continued to roll down my cheeks.
"Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the Good News? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give.
"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all."
"DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?"
I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. Ihad no excuse. What could I say to this? When I my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthyto be Your child."
The Lord answered, "That is My Grace, My child."
I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"
Then God the Father answered, " Because you are My highest creation. You are becoming my child ONLY after accepting my begotten Son that I sent to the world! And therefore I will never abandon nor forsake you.
When knocking the door of blessing it's always open for you When you cry, I will have compassion When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you When you are down, I will encourage you When you fall, I will raise you up When you are tired, I will carry you and MOST OF ALL !!!''MY HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME TO YOU WHEN YOU SINCERELY OPEN YOUR HEART/MIND and HUMBLY SAYING 'FORGIVE ME FOR MY SINS I NEED YOU TO COME TO MY HEART RIGHT NOW FILL MY LIFE WITH YOUR JOY & TRUTH HELP ME TO FOLLOW YOU & BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS ''
Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? Howcould I have hurt God as I had done? I asked God, "How much do Youlove me?"
The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. Ibowed down at the feet of Christ, my Savior. And for the first time I experienced the LOVE OF GOD!
Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?" I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do, the things that I took for granted. And I answered, "It would be tough Lord, but I would still love You."
Then the Lord said, “If you were blind, would you still love my creation?"
How could I love something without being able to see it?
Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved God and His creation.
So I answered, "Its hard to think of it, but I would still love you."
The Lord then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?"
How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to God's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word."
The Lord then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me: God wants us to sing from our very heart and soul. It never matters what we sound like. And praising God is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give God praise with our words of thanks.
So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name.
And the Lord asked, "Do you really love Me?"
With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly,
"Yes Lord! I love You because You are the One and true God!"
I thought I had answered well, but God asked, "THEN WHY DO YOU SIN?"
I answered, ”Because I am only human. I am not perfect."
"THEN WHY IN TIMES OF PEACE DO YOU STRAY THE FURTHEST? WHY ONLY IN TIMES OF TROUBLE DO YOU PRAY THE EARNEST?"
No answers. Only tears.
The Lord continued: "Why only sing at fellowships and retreats? Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?"
The tears continued to roll down my cheeks.
"Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the Good News? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
I tried to answer, but there was no answer to give.
"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all."
"DO YOU TRULY LOVE ME?"
I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. Ihad no excuse. What could I say to this? When I my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthyto be Your child."
The Lord answered, "That is My Grace, My child."
I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"
Then God the Father answered, " Because you are My highest creation. You are becoming my child ONLY after accepting my begotten Son that I sent to the world! And therefore I will never abandon nor forsake you.
When knocking the door of blessing it's always open for you When you cry, I will have compassion When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you When you are down, I will encourage you When you fall, I will raise you up When you are tired, I will carry you and MOST OF ALL !!!''MY HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME TO YOU WHEN YOU SINCERELY OPEN YOUR HEART/MIND and HUMBLY SAYING 'FORGIVE ME FOR MY SINS I NEED YOU TO COME TO MY HEART RIGHT NOW FILL MY LIFE WITH YOUR JOY & TRUTH HELP ME TO FOLLOW YOU & BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS ''
Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? Howcould I have hurt God as I had done? I asked God, "How much do Youlove me?"
The Lord stretched out His arms, and I saw His nail-pierced hands. Ibowed down at the feet of Christ, my Savior. And for the first time I experienced the LOVE OF GOD!
Welcome to My World & You
Hi every One,
This is my Blog...i have always longed to have one so that i could share my views with you all... i hope u enjoy reading my reflections, my thoughts and views.....
If at any time you feel that i have made a mistake, or written something that YOU feel offended, please feel free to post you comments....also don't forget to add a word or two of you positive reactions..this will go along way in helping me be the person GOD want me to be...Have a Nice time reading and sharing....
This is my Blog...i have always longed to have one so that i could share my views with you all... i hope u enjoy reading my reflections, my thoughts and views.....
If at any time you feel that i have made a mistake, or written something that YOU feel offended, please feel free to post you comments....also don't forget to add a word or two of you positive reactions..this will go along way in helping me be the person GOD want me to be...Have a Nice time reading and sharing....
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