Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Holy Tuesday - The Lord Invites us to make a differnece


Many times we hear from normal people that they can not help a situation or make a difference in a given situation. Many throw up their arms in the air and resign saying its not their cup of tea. Many who can really make a difference in the lives of the others are too scared or shy to do anything. The fear of being used or abused does not allow them to use their talents for the sake of the others. To make a difference in the lives of the others needs inner courage and faith in oneself. sometimes we see that many work for the good of the others and for social uplifting but see no changes so they say why should we labour in vain. Many who profit from the goodness of the others fail to show and express their gratitude towards the donors. But i think we must keep on doing good and make a difference with our goodness in the life of the others. There are many people around us who are needy. sometimes we wonder how many of them could be helped. can we reach out to all these needy and poor. there be many but we can do something for a small number....we can make a difference in their lives at least. 


I normally advise people to use their talents and capacities for the sake of the underprivileged. Just this morning i met who doctor and she is gynecologist. she is well know here and has put in number of years in the hospital and due for retirement. she has a desire to do something for the sake of the others. i immediately suggested that she could go to the missions where women need her help. Many of the women in the missions die while giving birth and she could be a savior for millions of women. she was like so happy. she said that no one suggested this to me. she is willing to make a positive difference in the life of the others with her expertise and profession. I am sure God will make use of her.......the world is not too big to make a difference with our talents and gifts.....there is always a needy in our next door....may be an old person needing our support to take them to the hospital....may be they need some grocery to be purchased....we can make a difference with what we have....


God has created us with a mission. The mission could be just right there under our nose...the mission could be to sit with one of our friars who feels lonely, who is missing some one in his life, a friar who is sick and lying on the bed....a friar who has lost his dear and near ones....we can make a difference with our visit, with our smile and touch....by just simple fraternal conversation with them....so much goodness we have and yet we just keep it buried inside us....why take that goodness to our graves...why not use it to make a difference.....We are all called by the Lord constantly to share our goodness and greatness with the less fortunate....When we know that the Lord is the source of all goodness and talents that we posses then we begin to feel important because the source is the Lord....     



We are all preciously made, with unique gifts and talents. They were planted in us, that we may become not just servants of God, but the “light of the nations,” beacons of hope in a world that at times grows numb to the wonders of Yahweh. Let us not lose sight of our worth and of our mission. When there is faith, there is no fear or faltering. There is no room for doubt, only action.


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Holy Monday inviting us to pour out the Oil of Love for others......



We have entered into Holy Week and getting ready for all the important days of the Liturgical year. The best days in our Catholic Calendar to know what Gods love is.  Everyone waits for these days of our faith and hope. These days bring us closer to our Redeemer and to one another. The Redeemer sacrificed himself loving us till the last breath of His Life. He gave us His love, time and attention. He died for us so that we learn to die to yourself and others. He shared all the best things with us so that we may not lack anything in our lives. He was always worried about us and wanted all of us to be happy and contented. Today can we do the same for our needy brothers and sisters, love and care them for what they are? If we really Love the Redeemer then like Mary let us pour out the oil of Love for the others. We must give to Him and others without complaint or murmurings. Give generously and receive abundantly from Him.     

The Gospel reading speaks of love, a love that knows no limit. Mary showed her love and gratitude to Jesus by using costly ointment to wipe Jesus’ feet. Even if it seemed “wasteful,” she gave the best that she had out of love and gratitude for God’s mercy. Her utmost concern was to please the Lord.  On the other hand, Judas was counting the cost and thought of it as wasteful.  He also loved Jesus, but he was thinking more of his own benefit instead of giving more to God.  It is so easy to “hold back” when we are beset with so many worldly things and concerns.  Jesus showed the greatest love by sacrificing his own life for us to save us from our sins. How do we show our love in return? Have we done something extravagant for him?  Let us pray for the grace to love Jesus with all that we have, with our very selves: he gave everything for us until the very last drop of His blood.

There are married people who give everything for the family. Some of them die everyday in order to make their family members happy and contended. The sacrifices that they make are enormous and beyond imagination just because they care for their beloved ones. They really love. Sometimes in our religious life too we have some brothers who really love the members and give their everything in order to make others happy. Sometimes these only think about the others and their comforts….They neglect themselves but want to see the others happy and enjoying….the spirit of sacrifice is great….
When we know that one belongs to us then we are willing and ready do anything. Real Love allows us to let go and let live.



I remember a story about two women who come to a king with a child. Both demanded that the custody of the Child. It was not possible to give one child to both. The women fought tooth and nail. Finally the king decided that the child be cut into two pieces. Hearing this verdict of the king one woman said no. she willingly said that the childe be given to another woman. She did not want the child to be slaughtered. The king immediately understood who was the real Mother. Real love does not want to see their loved one suffering. Their love is beyond one’s imagination….



God’s love was much more than that. He offered His only Son. 







Palm Sunday Celebration in General Curia

 Today, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, we begin Holy Week. During Holy Week the Church presents to us key liturgical celebrations of the Lord’s Passion and Death on Palm Sunday, the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, the Lord’s Passion and Death on Good Friday and the Lord’s Resurrection at Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday. It is also during Holy Week that the Church celebrates the Mass of the Chrism. The Gospel accounts of the Lord’s passion and death are read twice each year: an account by one of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark or Luke) is read during Palm Sunday following a three-year cycle and each year John’s account is read at the Good Friday liturgy.  

 There is brisk business on Palm Sunday selling palms of various kinds and arrangements: blessed palms are brought home to be placed at windows and doors to protect homes from evil. 
     

 

Parallel popular religious celebrations during Holy Week are the public and communal Pasyon (reading or chanting of the Gospel readings, especially during Holy Week), the Visita Iglesia of the Altar of Repose seven churches or chapels after the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper, the Seven Last Words on Good Friday before the Good Friday afternoon liturgy of the Lord’s Passion and the encuentro or salubong very early before dawn on Easter Sunday morning to celebrate Christ’s appearance and visit to his Virgin Mother. 
Friars in silence before the blessing of the Palms...
Raffaele Prays over the Olive branches.....
Beginning with the liturgical re-enactment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem with palms and hosannahs, the Church invites the faithful to contemplate and pray over the Father’s love for us and Christ’s love, obedience and generosity even unto death on the cross. Let us quietly pray over the Passion narratives and experience the love of the Lord for each one of us. Jesus tells us not to be afraid because he is with us in our own crosses and pains. 

Willie distributes the Olive and seems to be saying its time to hold Olive leaves for one another and especially in this troubled world....


Holding Olive Branches....singing hymns to the Lord.....we promised that we will walk with him through this week of Passion, suffering and Death
We pray as we do on Good Friday at the Adoration of the Holy Cross: “We adore your Cross, O Lord, we praise and glorify your holy Resurrection, for behold, because of the wood of a tree, joy has come to the whole world. May God have mercy on us and bless us; may He let his face shed its light upon us and have mercy on us.”
Willie leading the processing as a Cross bearer....we all processed with zeal and religious fervor....

Friars processing to the Church after the blessing of the Palms......Umberto our Choir master led all of us in singing.....Hail Jesus Christ , Son of David, ....the Redeemer of the World...

The Passion account being read by Raffaele, Umberto and Ivan....we all participated mentally and spiritually,,,,,,,after which came the wise words from Raffale....

Friday, March 27, 2015

Local Chapter in General Curia


We long for the local chapter in General curia after the General council meeting.....this evening we had our local chapter....attended by all.....it was a fraternal moment and celebration...the agenda was not big but very important one....we discussed about the circular letter of the General Minister: Identity and sense of belonging...what a wonderful and inspiring sharing we had....we divided ourselves in four groups to discuss the circular letter....friars spoke about what it means to be belonging to the capuchin order and what it means to belong to curia....you should have been here to hear the thought provoking and heart rending answers of the friars....each one expressed what they felt being a capuchin....to feel at home....to experience the love, to be accepted with all your defects and weaknesses....to be loved....to feel that at the end of the there is someone who is waiting......
 The friar who has lived in the curia for a long period in the curia is Mark and he knows what it means to be belonging and to be there in curia....
 All these brothers feel at home.....part of the fraternity.....various cultures and difference and yet live together....accepting one another.....its good to be here....
 I make friars saints after their death but here in the Curia we have living saints...who inspire and motivate me to live my life as Capuchins.....Carlo Calloni....
 Panoramic life in the curia...all four corners of the world represented and the Guardian Br. Marek does well....he is the Captain of the ship....he knows how to steer in rough waters....he is such a great friar.....
 You have elderly among the young friars....Umberto feels young among the young one....
 We are serious about our being capuchins....we care being brothers...
 It is a long journey but i carry with me sacks of experiences back to Colombia....Br. Luis
 Br. Damien did such a wonderful presentation of the statistics that the whole community wanted to see the power point....fraternity went down for viewing ......we the council members sharing and speaking about our experience of two weeks' work...
Luis Eduardo takes the centre place....he deserves it after a hard work......

The General Council Meeting ends

Two weeks of deliberations and discussions came to an end this afternoon. These were the intense and packed days with a lot of material to discuss and take decisions. But all of us were happy that we were able to do justice to the agenda. We also fee time and moments to relax a bit after heavy and hard discussions....Now the councilors will go to their respective areas. Some of us will be here for the Holy week and Easter. I cannot leave because i don't have documents to travel. I can travel only after 7th April. I will be traveling on 7th night to India because on 7th morning i have my appointment in the Questura and then with the receipt from the office would permit me to travel to India.

Fr. Jame, a Jesuit priest who conducted an audit .....speaks to the general Minister before his presentation of the report
Yesterday we had the Jesuit priest who has conducted an external audit of our fraternity presented his report which is positive and encouraging one. We spend good amount of time discussing and dialoguing with him in order to improve our animation of the Order and the fraternity. He was very useful to us in giving certain orientations. 
















In an Organization it is very important that an external audit is conducted to work well and be very effective. Today it is possible to have this help from outside. In any group which is international and where variety of work is carried on, it is absolutely necessary to conduct evaluation. Here in Curia all brothers work in coordination and cooperation among various offices. There is a fraternal understanding among those who head the offices.


 This morning Br. Damien presented his the statistics of the Order....well prepared and presented through a power point....we were so happy to see the figures of the Order in various part of the Order....He has worked hard to collect all the data from the provinces and put them together.....his handwork deserves to be appreciated....with graphics he presented the facts and figures about the Order according to continent wise, Conference wise and province wise....the order is growing in numbers in Asia and Africa....


Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Morning session of the General council meeting

After yesterday's visit to Loretto and a beautiful celebration over there, the General Minister and other Friars returned last evening back to Curia....Yesterday the whole day it rained....not heavy but heavy enough here in Rome...The climate was just good enough....This morning it is sunny and bright....no rains expected but it is humid here....we began the session with Brothers Luis Eduardo, the outgoing economo and Br. Alejandro, incoming Economo. We spoke about economy and other finance related matters....it was good meeting with them..
 The second half of the meeting was dedicated to the reports of the conferences and visits to the Missions....Hugo presented a report on Georgia and North East India.....It was well animated and some clarification and information was sought....
Luis is a man of numbers....he can tell you any number.....signaling at Alejandro.....he is the friar....who now will be well sought after...