Lent as Celebration of Life

The season of Lent is indeed a call to celebrate life in its fullness! The word "celebration" is usually associated with a joyful occasion for special festivities to mark some happy event such as celebration of one's birth day, celebration of one's first communion, celebration of marriage, celebration of priesthood, celebration of a feast (cultural, national, religious etc)... But the word "celebration" is rarely used in connection with Lent. In our liturgical terminology, however, we have a clue to the real meaning of "celebration". Don't we use the phrase "celebration of the Eucharist?" Celebrating the Eucharist really means celebrating the whole life of Christ: viz. the mysteries of incarnation, nativity, hidden life, public life, passion, death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus and Pentecost are remembered in the biblical sense of the people of Israel re-living the experience of Exodus... Celebrating the life of Christ is in a real sense celebrating our own life. The verse in the Eucharistic prayer after the words of consecration, "Do this in memory of me", is a lively and apt reminder of this great truth of our faith. Our life, with all its ups and downs, has already been drawn into the Life of Christ and offered to the Father in the Spirit. So we can courageously proclaim : "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." When we consider "Lent" as celebration of life it means all these and much else besides... And the genuine consolation that all of us long for comes from the depth of our hearts, washed clean by the God-given grace-gifts of faith, hope and love. The season of lent, therefore, beckons us to celebrate life in its fullness. A fullness that comes from the fullness of the mystery of Christ Himself. With Him we can look at life as a rainbow with millions of colours intermingling, interacting and harmonizing. Life is not monochromatic (not just one colour); but polychromatic (many coloured splendour of life)... Let us listen to the call of the Kingdom as Ignatius of Loyola puts it in his Spiritual Exercises: "Come with me, labour with me, follow me in pain and follow me in glory." (Sp.Ex. 95) ------------------------------------------- vmalpan@gmail.com

Pope Benedct XVI's Message

VATICAN : Message for the 24th World Youth Day Palm Sunday, 5 April 2009 Theme: "We have set our hope on the living God' - "We have set our hope on the living God" (1 Tim 4: 10). This is the theme chosen by Pope Benedict xvi for the 24th World Youth Day that will be celebrated in the various Dioceses of the Universal Church on 5 April, Palm Sunday. In his Message, the Holy Father emphasizes the importance of hope in Christian life today. My dear friends, Next Palm Sunday we shall celebrate the twenty-fourth World Youth Day at the diocesan level. As we prepare for this annual event, I recall with deep gratitude to the Lord the meeting held in Sydney in July last year. It was a most memorable encounter, during which the Holy Spirit renewed the lives of countless young people who had come together from all over the world. The joy of celebration and spiritual enthusiasm experienced during those few days was an eloquent sign of the presence of the Spirit of Christ. Now we are journeying towards the international gathering due to take place in Madrid in 2011, which will have as its theme the words of the Apostle Paul: "Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith" (cf. Col 2: 7). As we look forward to that global youth meeting, let us undertake a path of preparation together. We take as our text for the year 2009 a saying of St Paul: "We have set our hope on the living God" (1 Tim 4: 10), while in 2010 we will reflect on the question put to Jesus by the rich young man: "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mk 10: 17)Youth, a time of hope - In Sydney, our attention was focused upon what the Holy Spirit is saying to believers today, and in particular to you, my dear young people. During the closing Mass, I urged you to let yourselves be shaped by him in order to be messengers of divine love, capable of building a future of hope for all humanity. The question of hope is truly central to our lives as human beings and our mission as Christians, especially in these times. We are all aware of the need for hope, not just any kind of hope, but a firm and reliable hope, as I wanted to emphasize in the Encyclical Spe Salvi. Youth is a special time of hope because it looks to the future with a whole range of expectations. When we are young we cherish ideals, dreams and plans. Youth is the time when decisive choices concerning the rest of our lives come to fruition. Perhaps this is why it is the time of life when fundamental questions assert themselves strongly: Why am I here on earth? What is the meaning of life? What will my life be like? And again: How can I attain happiness? Why is there suffering, illness and death? What lies beyond death? These are questions that become insistent when we are faced with obstacles that sometimes seem insurmountable: difficulties with studies, unemployment, family arguments, crises in friendships or in building good loving relationships, illness or disability, lack of adequate resources as a result of the present widespread economic and social crisis. We then ask ourselves: where can I obtain and how can I keep alive the flame of hope burning in my heart?In search of "the great hope' - Experience shows that personal qualities and material goods are not enough to guarantee the hope which the human spirit is constantly seeking. As I wrote in the Encyclical Spe Salvi, politics, science, technology, economics and all other material resources are not of themselves sufficient to provide the great hope to which we all aspire. This hope "can only be God, who encompasses the whole of reality and who can bestow upon us what we, by ourselves, cannot attain" (n. 31). This is why one of the main consequences of ignoring God is the evident loss of direction that marks our societies, resulting in loneliness and violence, discontent and loss of confidence that can often lead to despair. The word of God issues a warning that is loud and clear: "Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord. They shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when relief comes" (Jer 17: 5-6).The crisis of hope is more likely to affect the younger generations. In socio-cultural environments with few certainties, values or firm points of reference, they find themselves facing difficulties that seem beyond their strength. My dear young friends, I have in mind so many of your contemporaries who have been wounded by life. They often suffer from personal immaturity caused by dysfunctional family situations, by permissive and libertarian elements in their education, and by difficult and traumatic experience. For some unfortunately a significant number the almost unavoidable way out involves an alienating escape into dangerous and violent behaviour, dependence on drugs and alcohol, and many other such traps for the unwary. Yet, even for those who find themselves in difficult situations, having been led astray by bad role models, the desire for true love and authentic happiness is not extinguished. But how can we speak of this hope to those young people? We know that it is in God alone that a human person finds true fulfilment. The main task for us all is that of a new evangelization aimed at helping younger generations to rediscover the true face of God, who is Love. To you young people, who are in search of a firm hope, I address the very words that St Paul wrote to the persecuted Christians in Rome at that time: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Rm 15: 13). During this Jubilee Year dedicated to the Apostle of the Gentiles on the occasion of the two thousandth anniversary of his birth, let us learn from him how to become credible witnesses of Christian hope.St Paul, witness of hope - When Paul found himself immersed in difficulties and trials of various kinds, he wrote to his faithful disciple Timothy: "We have set our hope on the living God" (1 Tim 4: 10). How did this hope take root in him? In order to answer that question we must go back to his encounter with the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus. At that time, Saul was a young person like you in his early twenties, a follower of the Law of Moses and determined to fight with every means, and even to kill those he regarded as God's enemies (cf. Acts 9: 1). While on his way to Damascus to arrest the followers of Christ, he was blinded by a mysterious light and he heard himself called by name: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?" He fell to the ground, and asked: "Who are you, Lord?" The reply came: "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting" (Acts 9: 3-5). After that encounter, Paul's life changed radically. He received Baptism and became an Apostle of the Gospel. On the road to Damascus, he was inwardly transformed by the Divine Love he had met in the person of Jesus Christ. He would later write: "The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2: 20). From being a persecutor, he became a witness and a missionary. He founded Christian communities in Asia Minor and Greece, and travelled thousands of miles amid all kinds of perils, culminating in his martyrdom in Rome. All this for love of Christ.The great hope is in Christ . For Paul, hope is not simply an ideal or sentiment, but a living person: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Profoundly imbued with this certainty, he could write to Timothy: "We have set our hope on the living God" (1 Tim 4: 10). The "living God" is the Risen Christ present in our world. He is the true hope: the Christ who lives with us and in us and who calls us to share in his eternal life. If we are not alone, if he is with us, even more, if he is our present and our future, why be afraid? A Christian's hope is therefore to desire "the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit" (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1817). The way towards the great hope - Just as he once encountered the young Paul, Jesus also wants to encounter each one of you, my dear young people. Indeed, even before we desire it, such an encounter is ardently desired by Jesus Christ. But perhaps some of you might ask me: How can I meet him today? Or rather, in what way does he approach me? The Church teaches us that the desire to encounter the Lord is already a fruit of his grace. When we express our faith in prayer, we find him even in times of darkness because he offers himself to us. Persevering prayer opens the heart to receive him, as St Augustine explains: "Our Lord and God... wants our desire to be exercised in prayer, thus enabling us to grasp what he is preparing to give" (Letter 130: 8,17). Prayer is the gift of the Spirit that makes us men and women of hope, and our prayer keeps the world open to God (cf. Spe Salvi, n. 34).Make space for prayer in your lives! To pray alone is good, although it is even more beautiful and fruitful to pray together, because the Lord assured us he would be present wherever two or three are gathered in his name (cf. Mt 18: 20). There are many ways to become acquainted with him. There are experiences, groups and movements, encounters and courses in which to learn to pray and thus grow in the experience of faith. Take part in your parish liturgies and be abundantly nourished by the word of God and your active participation in the Sacraments. As you know, the summit and centre of the life and mission of every believer and every Christian community is the Eucharist, the sacrament of salvation in which Christ becomes present and gives his Body and Blood as spiritual food for eternal life. A truly ineffable mystery! It is around the Eucharist that the Church comes to birth and grows that great family of Christians which we enter through Baptism, and in which we are constantly renewed through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The baptised, through Confirmation, are then confirmed in the Holy Spirit so as to live as authentic friends and witnesses of Christ. The Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony enable them to accomplish their apostolic duties in the Church and in the world. Finally, the Sacrament of the Sick grants us an experience of divine consolation in illness and suffering. Acting in accordance with Christian hope - If you find your sustenance in Christ, my dear young people, and if you live profoundly in him as did the Apostle Paul, you will not be able to resist speaking about him and making him known and loved by many of your friends and contemporaries. Be his faithful disciples, and in that way you will be able to help form Christian communities that are filled with love, like those described in the Acts of the Apostles. The Church depends on you for this demanding mission. Do not be discouraged by the difficulties and trials you encounter. Be patient and persevering so as to overcome the natural youthful tendency to rush ahead and to want everything immediately.My dear friends, follow the example of Paul and be witnesses to the Risen Christ! Make Christ known, among your own age group and beyond, to those who are in search of "the great hope" that would give meaning to their lives. If Jesus has become your hope, communicate this to others with your joy and your spiritual, apostolic and social engagement. Let Christ dwell within you, and having placed all your faith and trust in him, spread this hope around you. Make choices that demonstrate your faith. Show that you understand the risks of idolizing money, material goods, career and success, and do not allow yourselves to be attracted by these false illusions. Do not yield to the rationale of selfish interests. Cultivate love of neighbour and try to put yourselves and your human talents and professional abilities at the service of the common good and of truth, always prepared to "make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you" (1 Pt 3: 15). True Christians are never sad, even if they have to face trials of various kinds, because the presence of Jesus is the secret of their joy and peace.Mary, Mother of hope - May St Paul be your example on this path of apostolic life. He nourished his life of constant faith and hope by looking to Abraham, of whom he wrote in the Letter to the Romans: "Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become the father of many nations" (Rm 4: 18). Following in the footsteps of the people of hope composed of prophets and saints of every age we continue to advance towards the fulfilment of the Kingdom, and on this spiritual path we are accompanied by the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope. She who incarnated the hope of Israel, who gave the world its Saviour, and who remained at the foot of the Cross with steadfast hope, is our model and our support. Most of all, Mary intercedes for us and leads us through the darkness of our trials to the radiant dawn of an encounter with the Risen Christ. I would like to conclude this message, my dear young friends, with a beautiful and well-known prayer by St Bernard that was inspired by one of Mary's titles, Stella Maris, Star of the Sea: "You who amid the constant upheavals of this life find yourself more often tossed about by storms than standing on firm ground, do not turn your eyes from the brightness of this Star, if you would not be overwhelmed by boisterous waves. If the winds of temptations rise, if you fall among the rocks of tribulations, look up at the Star, call on Mary.... In dangers, in distress, in perplexities, think on Mary, call on Mary.... Following her, you will never go astray; when you implore her aid, you will never yield to despair; thinking on her, you will not err; under her patronage you will never wander; beneath her protection you will not fear; she being your guide, you will not weary; with her assistance, you will arrive safely in the port" (Homilies in Praise of the Virgin Mother, 2: 17). Mary, Star of the Sea, we ask you to guide the young people of the whole world to an encounter with your Divine Son Jesus. Be the celestial guardian of their fidelity to the Gospel and of their hope. Dear young friends, be assured that I remember all of you every day in my prayers. I give my heartfelt blessing to you and to all who are dear to you. " BENEDICT XVI From the Vatican, 22 February 2009. Courtesy: http://www.vatican.va/news_services ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ vmalpan@gmail.com

Sin in the world

The Mystery of sin in the present-day world

1) Praying with the mystery of sin can be difficult…

But it is truly an experience of consolation…

Faith sensing of one’s sin, growing and intense sorrow

and tears for one’s sins… It is a grace... 2)Praying with sins presupposes certain spiritual maturity

and interior freedom… 3) St. Therese of Lissieux thought of herself

as the greatest of all sinners… 4) Thanking, praising God for my sins: 1Tim 1:12-17 5) Just as Jesus is, all of us are wounded healers… 6) Processof Purification in our Spiritual Life:

Human person is created in the image

and likeness of God...

What is deformed is to be reformed…

What is reformed is to be conformed…

What is conformed is to be confirmed…

What is confirmed is to be transformed. 7) SIN IS BETRAYING THE IMAGE OF GOD IN US...

GLOBAL LEVEL: International terrorism, destructive use of atomic energy, the threat of a nuclear holocaust, wars, man-made ecological disasters, exploitation of natural resources, deforestation, atmospheric pollution, atomic and hydrogen bombs, human rights violation, every nation becoming a threat to the other… etc -0.5% of the defense expenses of various countries can make the poor countries self-sufficient in 10 years… -85% of earth’s resources enjoyed by 15% of people of wealthy nations…

NATIONAL LEVEL: Communalism, politicization of religion, criminalization of politics, discrimination and fighting on the basis of caste, gender and creed, religion, unequal distribution of wealth, malnutrition, widespread illiteracy, lack of work ethics,… -In the church, in the Society of Jesus, In my Province…?

PERSONAL LEVEL: Self-will, Self-interest and self-love…

Who has to or who will change the world…?

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The Lioness and the Oryx

Embroidery Presentations and the text of the story below

(The Lioness and the Oryx) by Little Sister Jane Namayiani of Jesus, (Toy Market, Kibera: Tel Number: +254- 711855249), Nairobi - Kenya.

In the New Earth announced by Isaiah 65: 17-25, the lion will stay with the lamb, they will eat grass together, the child will play with the snake with them...

The Lioness and the Oryx

Just before Christmas 2001, at a time of clashes in the Samburu area and in Kibera, Nairobi, a strange event was reported occurring in Samburu game reserve: a full grown lioness was roaming in the company of an Oryx calf... Thee frail brown baby Oryx was walking side by side with her, until they together to rest, at the foot of the Koitogor Hill, near the Serena Samburu. The same event was reported 4 times. The third time, the lioness, Kamunyak, allowed the Oryx mother to come and feed the baby, for a long while. Then she decided to let them both go together. The Oryx is in the orphanage, growing big.

Masaai and Samburu are people intimately linked with the life of those steppes where such animals live. This is what one of them said after having watched closely some of those pictures: “Such an event strikes me deeply in my heart. God is speaking to us through this lioness. We are going back to the former times when we were all living in peace, and I see that it is going to happen again. Why? Because, these days, people do not ask for tribe. They just help each other as brothers and sisters.

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Face to face with the enormous violence, hatred and war in the present-day world, this factual story from the animal kingdom throws up a challenge before us humans to take the commandment of love seriously. Compassion is love in action!

Humility is truth and truth humility!

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"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1: 7)

vmalpan@gmail.com

Be just!

We are in the season of lent Reading the WORD OF GOD...

Praying...

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A Christian Several years ago, a preacher from out-of-state accepted a call to a church in Houston , Texas . Some weeks after he arrived, he had an occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change. As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, 'You'd better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it.' Then he thought, 'Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway, the bus company gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a 'gift from God' and keep quiet.' When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, and then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, 'Here, you gave me too much change ' The driver, with a smile, replied, 'Aren't you the new preacher in town?' 'Yes' he replied. 'Well, I have been thinking a lot lately about going somewhere to worship. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change. I'll see you at church on Sunday.' When the preacher stepped off of the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, held on, and said, 'Oh God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter.' Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read. This is a really scary example of how much people watch us as Christian s, and will put us to the test! Always be on guard -- and remember -- You carry the name of Christ on your shoulders when you call yourself ' Christian .' Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. I'm glad a friend forwarded this to me as a reminder. So, I choose to forward it to you - my friend. God bless you; I hope you are having a fruitful season of Lent!

The Will of God will never take you to where the Grace of God will not PROTECT you...

Stay FAITHFUL and Be GRATEFUL!

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First Sunday of Lent Year B

Three significant Lenten Observances: - Intense prayer & Reconciliation... - "Joel-Fasting" = "to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?" - The poor-centric Love-giving (Alms-giving)...

First Sunday of Lent: year B --->01 March, 2009

Liturgical Readings

Genesis 9:8-15

1 Pet 3: 18-22

Mk 1: 12-15

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"Homily Our reading this weekend begin with the story of the covenant of God with Noah, and a reminder of the sign of the covenant - the rainbow. How can we understand this story, and what on earth has it got to do with Lent? Some people will look at this story and try to find the historical evidence to support it, and some of that is intriguing: in many cultures there are stories of great floods, and some archeologists have even tried to find evidence of the Ark, and the mountain on which it landed. At the other extreme, there are those who reject the story out of hand. It is just a tale from primitive people, they say, to explain the rainbow, and a way to explain the presence of some beauty in the midst of much danger. Such people would also point out that the destruction of men, women and children alike, cities and civilisations, is very unworthy of a God of love. For the Church though, neither of these paths are satisfactory. The search for historical detail will tell us little of use, and the complete rejection of the story fails to take it seriously at all. Even if one view or the other is true, neither tells us what the story actually means. No, from ancient times, Christian writers have pointed out that it is the symbolism of the story which gives its underlying message. It is a wonderful story with which to begin Lent. Here we have an account of sin and salvation, of destruction and compassion, of faith and hope, of water, and a boat which rides on the water. We hear echoes of the salvation of nations through the waters of the Red Sea, the stilling of the storm by Jesus, and the walking on the water. There are reminders of death and resurrection. We are reminded of the journey of baptism through water, and of the promise of eternal life. And the 40 days on the boat are the 40 days of Christ in the wilderness and they are our 40 days of Lent. A time of jouneying from sin, a time of patient hope, a time of promise, a time of trial, and a time for redemption."

By Fr. Peter Weatherby (Birmingham, England) ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Courtesy: frpeter.blogspot.com

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