Investment in the revenue generating institutions to increase self-sustainability… while this investment is being done, are we undoing the apostolates/places (boardings, street children,) where this revenue is to be spent? Seen positively, we could be moving from institutional structures to non-institutional apostolate (scholarships, migrants,) . But needs to be made consciously and strategically, not sporadically or ‘unconsciously’. Also, this needs to be done, with a new and different mindset; not the same old doling out mode. Negatively, there is an erosion of the ‘poor’ from our sphere of apostolate.
Heartstrings
...random thoughts of one who intends to make himself useful to others and meaningful to oneself!
26 July 2024
25 July 2024
Self-deceiving illusion
Very often we live in a world of our own. We fail to see our own shortcomings but see others faults very clearly. We speak and act as if what I think and do are the best and the most appropriate means to success. What others think or do is always messy and insufficient.
The tragedy is when we consistently do this, and make ourselves believe that this self-image is right. Everything else and everyone else has to change. Not I!
Blessed are those who can view themselves with the same lens as we see others. And see others, as we see ourselves!
Closer home
A natural human tendency that one gets to see most often in strenuous or long pilgrimages or journeys: no matter how weary or tired one is, the awareness of being closer to home or destination spurs us on greatly. There is an adrenalin rush when one sees home or the finishing line in sight.
I remember the Student cross pilgrimage walk from Ely to Walshingham nearly 5 years ago. As we were getting closer to the Shrine, the sound and gusto of our hymns and singing increased. Our feet naturally gained fresh strength, even though we were dragging our feet after three days of continuous walk and climb. A couple of youngsters even broke down in joyful tears when we stepped into the small chapel at the place. Embracing one another, jumping about, shaking hands... all with such enthusiasm and freshness, as if we just started our journey that morning. There were no traces of our long journey (except for our stench of not having bathed for three days!).
24 July 2024
Religious vows
When we make our vows, as religious men and women, we really never understand fully the depth of its implications! Even if we do understand it to a great extent, we often do not live it fully!
The vow indicates a total surrender. A complete submission of all of ourselves. Holding back nothing. But our human insecurities prevent us from this complete surrender or total submission. In the process, we neither live our human life fully nor our religious vows. Worse is when we make use of one for the other, merely for our personal petty plans!
06 July 2024
Fr James Kudiyirippil - funeral oration
Fr James Kudiyirippil SDB - Funeral oration
02 July 2024
School days - or holidays - with Fr James
Fr James has been hanging on to his dear life for almost a week now. His mind is still active, but communication is totally incoherent. So we don't know what exactly is he going through.
This evening as I was trying to recollect some memories of him, as my headmaster, I barely could remember any. Very vague images of him walking around the campus and corridors in cassock, him standing and addressing the school assembly on the 'new' stage, him taking social studies for us in class X (his topics were more about his trips and experiences than social!). But something very clear is his joining us for games during holidays.
Every summer some of us would be in the school ground morning and evening. Fr James would join us in the evenings. If by chance he was gardening then we'd also end up gardening - not because we wanted it, but he got us to do it!! But he would join us for games. However it struck me, in all those months and years we played, every summer and holiday time, we always played cricket! There is only twice or thrice in a whole lifetime that I would have played basketball. And I remember him playing with us (along with Rajiv, the electrician and some brothers). And then, perhaps a dozen times we would have played football. Even those football games I remember him, making clever passes, without running much or dodging! He also played some odd games we played. Like the one with sticks and stones - he still remembers that very fondly! Then some game with the small rubber ball alone - which Fr Benji never understood! But for the rest (perhaps 98% of the time) we played cricket! And all that while, not once, do I remember him complaining or trying to coax us to play basketball - which was his favourite. Nor did he belittle our games and playing style. He would correct us if we did a mistake. We also turned to him for final decisions on disputed matters, even though he belonged to one of the teams as a player. But never did he utter a word moaning or grumbling about anything. He truly was with us, enjoying the game - even when it was never his favourite games.
30 June 2024
Balancing
Never came across this version of the text of St Paul... (to the 2nd Corinthians)
Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. This does not mean that to give relief to others you ought to make things difficult for yourselves: it is a question of balancing what happens to be your surplus now against their present need, and one day they may have something to spare that will supply your own need. That is how we strike a balance: The man who gathered much had none too much, the man who gathered little did not go short.
28 June 2024
27 June 2024
Experience of God vs attendance at prayer
Continued insistence on attendance at community prayer has been done for ages. How far have we reached with that? Perhaps we haven't really become men of prayer or men of God, because we have aimed low, staggeringly low! Even that regular attendance is not achieved!
Ask for something, you get nothing. Ask for much, you get everything!
Therefore aim for a personal experience of God. Draw up corresponding lines of action (I understand, attendance at prayer is one of them). If one does have an experience of God, daily attendance will happen by default.
22 May 2024
Going solo
We often have this tendency of going solo. We prefer to do things by ourselves. The way 'I' want it. Even amidst a team or a group, it is preferably 'I'.
In our lives as priests and religious too this tendency is very much to be seen. However, the extreme of this procedure is when we even exclude God from our purview. God does not feature in our plans, our projects, our endeavours. Naturally when God does not find a place, people too do not find a place. Adversely, if we are willing and happy to make place for God in our plans, and endeavours, involving people - ALL people - will not be too much of a hassle. It will only be natural and joyful!