I give what I have

It was a very good decision to move out of the Provincial house to have our recollection today. The venue was a neighbouring rehab centre for AIDS patients, run by the Sisters (about 9 kms from here).

Fr Thankachan's reflections were inspiring: We give out of what we have. Drawing lessons from the experience of the Germans who in the height of their bitterness between the East and West were looking for opportunities to humiliate one another, we see how the world looks at us. The East Germans once dumped a truck full of garbage at a West German crossroad. Though inclined to retaliate in a similar fashion, the West Germans 'returned the favour' with truckloads of foodgrains, medicines and clothes - with a small note: We give what we have!

A good exercise in Lent: to look into ourselves and see what we have within us; for that is what we give to others (confreres, people and God).

Lenten penance!

This morning before the Mass as I saw Fr Sebastian walk around without getting ready for the Mass, I knew there's going to be something ... and there it was... a long sermon by a layman, the charismatic style, replete with "Allelulia". And what was the theme? Lent!!

I cursed my luck for having come for the first Mass and was in two minds whether to walk out and come in for the second Mass or stay on. I decided to stay put. Then I had clearly two options: keep cursing Fr Sebastian (and the preacher?) for this surprise talk or pray! I opted for the second and was happy for the choice I made. Though, weak as I am, I could not but hope once in a way that the wasn't the talk or that the talk would conclude soon, I managed to pray. The best was that I prayed for all those people gathered in the Church this morning and were keen listeners to the talk.

God bless us all!!

Reviving games and history

I consider myself lucky and privileged to have kept my rhythm of games (basketball) for the last one week, without fail. The credit of it goes to Thathi and the youngsters who come every evening without fail. It is really very refreshing and though every part of my body aches (especially my left arm), I am very happy about this new routine.

These days several of our confreres too joined for the game. Nothing odd about that from the Salesian perspective. However, I observed, all those who played basketball so far were once my superiors or mentors. Last week there was Fr James, perhaps the one who first gave us a basketball to play with when I was still in school. Then there was Fr Sony, whom I knew as a school boy (he was getting ready to go to Rome for his theology then). Fr Tom and Fr Cheruvathur were my superiors when I joined the seminary in Gunadala. Now as I play with them, I feel so proud. Never ever did I dream that one day I'd be playing shoulder to shoulder to these great men whom I idolized so much as a boy. Adding greater joy to my pride is that they appreciate my game and take pride in playing together. And I hope and pray that I too may have the joy of playing with my students with the same vigour, spirit and enthusiasm later on in life.

For now, God bless these Confreres and their encouraging presence - then and now!

Religion and eco-consciousness

One of the good insights that I picked up while reviewing the papers of the students of Philosophy, was this: the intrinsic relation between religion (formal and institutional) and eco-consciousness. I now understand the anxiety of Fr Joshtrom when he speaks of ecology and the need of the Church to get involved in speaking about the need to preserve nature and its resources. Religion (at least institutional religion) has long harped on the idea that the world is a passing world. That we are but 'pilgrims' on a journey. The destination is what we must set our eyes upon!! In the bargain, we miss out the grandeur of nature. We turn a deaf ear to the cry of nature for survival. We are so 'lost in heaven' that we never notice the extinction of species after species of plants, animals and bio-life.

If only we start realising the divine in and around our nature... and not just in the 'heavens above' or stay aloof from the destruction of nature, saying this is not 'our' concern; that this is not the subject-matter of religion... , the world would be a better place for all living beings to grow. Religion, especially Christianity, can and should consciously now speak up and stand for 'natural causes' - lest there be only heaven and no earth!!

Making the best of whatever at hand... even of hell!

I just finished going through the B. Ph. papers sent to me from Karunapuram for their final defense on Feb. 19, 2010. It was good trying to break my head trying to understand what they have understood. At times, when thought they were telling something new, I realised it was a grammatical error in the language and not some new thought!!

Even in these four papers that I corrected, I notice clearly a sense of discipline - or lack of it. All of them have the same amount of time and resources at their disposal, the same professors and the same ambiance. Yet the final outcome is not always the same or similar. It varies mostly according to the interest and effort put in by each individual. This is where my basic problem lies: why is it that when most of us join the religious/ Salesian life and profess to give of our very best, we withhold our best!! I understand it when not everyone can do a scientific paper the best but there should be something that each of us can do our best. What is that? Do I invest all my talents and energies into that?

I know that not always the situation and the context is the most ideal. But can I make the most of even that hell?

Needs and energies

Fr TV's reflection this morning was inspiring and simple: We spend most of our energies in fulfilling our primary need. If that primary need happens to be food, then we end up spending our whole time, energy and thought centred on food. (Something the disciples were upto in the Gospel of this day!) If our primary need is God and His will, we would make every effort to discern His will and constantly be with him.

Blessed are those who do not hate!

It was nearly a month ago that I decided to stick to matters that are relevant while speaking rather than enter is loose talk that often begins by an innocent grumbling session. Though I've been successful to a large extent, as I review my own resolution, I realise I can do much better. So I decided to stick by it for some more time, till I have to make a valiant effort to think or speak otherwise!!

Confirming my belief that the more we grow and the higher we go up the ladder of responsibility the more guarded and defensive we become. We tend to always "protect" ourselves... from God knows what! Children, on the other hand, are least bothered. They like to explore, see things anew, they are not intimidated or too self-conscious. There is the interesting conversation in famous novel The Jungle book, wherein Mowgli is "taught to be civilized" and at one of his 'classes' he hears the word 'enemy' and he asks, "What's that?" He gets the reply, "the one you hate." And the immediate query from Mowgli, "What's hate?"

Who knows Jesus must have spoken of other beatitudes too, which were somehow not recorded and this one would surely be one of those: Blessed are those who do not hate, for they shall always be child-like!

History of the Provincial house

Our lunch with Fr YM Joseph was an interesting one. He narrated his experience of purchasing the whole plot of land, where we are now, as the Provincial house way back in the 1980s. We couldn't believe our ears when he stated that he bought the land at a price of Rs 3000 per acre - we cannot even dream of one square yard for that price today!! Just Rs 3000 per acre. He had then bought 17 acres of land for a total price of Rs 50,000. He also mentioned the name of one Colonel Mathur (a Maharashtrian) who helped him with this land deal. The land originally belonged to the army. It was a vineyard, with a borewell and an open well. Since the output of water was not sufficient, the army wanted to sell the land. Fr Joseph, coming to know of this bought this place for establishing a Catholic community here. Thus we now have, St Michael's colony, the Salesian Provincial house (that's the photo), the Provincialate (+ a hundred more activities within) of the Sisters of Charity.

He recalled with great enthusiasm the joy of having purchased land, his one month stay under the banyan tree (which still exists), beside the open well (which has now been closed up) in a large tent put up by the army personnel. There also was a trench (15inches X 15 inches, recalls Fr Joseph) around the tent to prevent snakes from entering the tent. He had a cook and a daily provision of a water tank - all supplied by the military. He used to get his altar boys and stay with them in the tent, especially on weekends. Kali Mandir then was just one single stone - nothing more! As time went by, the army personnel learning driving would collect stones and pile them there. Today it is a full-fledged temple managed by the army.

The real Laura Vicuna

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the article on ANS about Laura Vicuna and her real face! After so many years of having seen her picture, now comes the original photo. That's interesting. What amuses and surprises me is that the Salesian Sisters dared to find out the original face of Laura, knowingly well that it would be very different from the one popularly known.

For me, this makes great sense... to be able to see and appreciate people in their reality and not some 'make up' face. I wish we start seeing Don Bosco too in his natural state. He may not be Tom Cruise, but he is Don Bosco and he matters more to me than his face!

About the true God

Here's a short quote from the collection of Anthony D'Mello (Seedlings):

If your God comes to your rescue and gets you out of trouble, it is time you started looking for the true God.

I'm still wondering what exactly that means but I guess Tony is trying to save God from us!! Too often we rely solely on God to do things for us that we make ourselves 'handicapped'. Thereby everytime there is something difficult, we wait for God to intervene, without making the least of efforts to do something for/by ourselves.