We are the Temples...

Today is the feast of the "Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple," which is called the Purification of Mothers among the Jews. This feast is also called the day of consecration for religious. I would say that it is apt to call this day so...

Religious consecration is the presentation of the Lord to us. Every religious is supposed to receive the Lord into the temple, for we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. As Lonergan would assert, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit by Grace. Our bodies are made to receive the Lord. While it is termed the day of the religious, the feast is an invitation for all to receive the Lord into the temple. Then everyone will be able to exclaim like Simeon:

"Now, Lord, you have kept your word: let your servant go in peace.

with my own eyes I have seen the salvation which you have prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel"

Let us make ourselves a temple fit for Him...

Here is an animated picture to wish you.......something wonderful to admire at...

A Very Happy Feast of Don Bosco.....................

May the YoUth saint intercede for all of us and obtain favours from God!!!

First Visit of Fr K.O Thomas to Nashik

On 27th Rev. Fr K.O Thomas the Vice-Provincial of Bangalore Province paid a short visit to Nashik.

I was so enthused and excited to meet him. My joy knew no bounds when I met him. His visit was like a shot in the arm for me. He had actually come for a meeting in Mumbai and then he take took time out pay me a visit. How wonderful!

In his good night talk he exhorted us young Salesians to face the challenges instead of running away from them or denying them. Often people have ended up badly just because they were unable to face the challenge or they took refuge in escapism.

It was heartening for me to hear many brothers at Divyadaan commenting that he is very simple. Yes indeed! Fr K.O Thomas is very simple, a man of principles and a very convinced and committed Salesian. I thank God for him...

WHAT'S MY NAME???

What’s My Name???

“My name is Sheila” thus goes the item song of the year “Sheila Ki Jawani.” If the movie ‘Tees Maar Khan’ was able to earn nearly 60 crores within a single week, I believe much of the (credit) goes to ‘Sheila.’

Sheila is quite interesting, because all through the song her chorus is “My name is Sheila.” Now who do you say that Sheila is? Some say she is the most beautiful woman, while others say, she is too sexy, quoting her own words as evidence. But who do I say that Sheila is? I say Sheila is a Narcissist – a name that perfectly suits her role. She is the mirror image of Narcissus, a Roman mythological hero who fell in love with his own reflection. Sheila proclaims herself to be the replica of Narcissus right at the beginning. Her own words are:

I know you want it
But you never gonna get it
Tere haath kabhi na aani
Maane na maane koi duniya
Yeh saari, mere ishq ki hai deewani

Hey hey,
I know you want it but you never gonna get it
Tere haath kabhi na aani
Maane na maane koi duniya yeh saari
Mere ishq ki hai deewani
Ab dil karta hai haule haule se
Main toh khud ko gale lagaun
Kisi aur ki mujhko zaroorat kya
Main toh khud se pyaar jataun

Just imagine what would happen if you and I became Sheila. If you and I thought like Sheila, Sheila within us would declare complementarity of the sexes as a joke of our generation. Relationship between a boy friend and a girl friend for example would be one of domination, because each of them would be thinking I ma more handsome/beautiful than you, and so you can’t get me.

My humble appeal to all young people is to be cautious of this virus called Sheila, who is attractive and destructive at the same time. She can damage our social network system (Orkut, Facebook, Twitter etc.), because she makes you think you the personification of beauty, you are the best, so let the others scrap you, let the other message you.

Let us forget the damage to this mundane reality of social net-working. It would even distort the purpose of the creation of man and woman. “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis1:27). “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).

Man and woman are made for each other, made to be equals, made to complement each other. May this message sink deep into ourselves, so that we may always complement the other in our relationship. Let this verse from Genesis work as an anti-virus to fight against Sheila, so that we may be God’s free children to love each other, and to complement each other. Let us not fall into the trap that Sheila has prepared for us with the faulty and distorted notion of love.

The 10 Christmas Commandments

The 10 Christmas Commandments which appeared in a church newsletter and contain some good advice that will help us keep selfishness in check:

1. You shall not leave ‘Christ’ out of Christmas, making it ‘Xmas,’ because ‘X’ is an unknown factor in mathematics.

2. You shall prepare your soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that it is forgotten.

3. You shall not let Santaclaus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality.

4. You shall not burden the salesgirl, the postman, and the shopkeeper with complaints and demands.

5. You shall give yourself time for silence. This will increase its value a hundredfold, and those around you will get the benefit of it.

6. You shall not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.

7. You shall not neglect the needy. Share your blessings with many who will go hungry and cold if you are generous.

8. You shall not neglect the midnight Mass. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.

9. You shall be as a little child. Not until you become in spirit as a little one are you ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.

10. You shall give your heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of your Christmas list.

1Cor13 in Advent Light...

Finally the advent virus will make us read 1Cor 13 in a Christmas version:

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and bells and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtimes, but do not show love to my family, I’m just another cook.

If I slog away at competitive crib show at the expense of harmony, peace and love and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing.

If I trim the Christmas tree with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of christmas parties and sing in the choir’s cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the other. Love sets aside the decorating to say a good word to my friend. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn’t envy another’s crib or decoration or a new set of clothes.

Love doesn’t yell at the other to get out of the way during the crib-decoration, but is thankful they are there to be in the way. Love doesn’t give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can’t.

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. DVDs will break, sweets will be consumed, cards will be dumped in the dustbin, clothes will fade, but giving the gift of love will endure.

RISHTE NAATE

A couple of days ago I heard the song "Rishte Naate"from the movie De Dana Dan, on Radio Mirchi. As I began to make sense of the lyrics, what struck me as an insight is not so much the love between a boy and a girl, but the love that should mark the relationship between God and me - a Religious. However, I must say that it is not the entire song that captivated me, but the following lines in particular:

chalun mein tere peeche peeche

baaki saare bandhan tod doon

jo tere tak na jaye

us raste ko chhod doon

sab rishte naate haske tod doon

bas tujhse dil ka rishta jod doon

The meaning of religious life can be discovered in these few lines according to me. Religious life is a radical following of the God who loves me unconditionally, actually from eternity. While my following is a response to this love it is at the same time a radical choice of placing Him before all other relationships - deconstruct other relationship in the light of this primary relationship with God.

The challenge of religious life can be derived from the third and the fourth lines - "jo tere tak na jaye, us raste ko chhod doon." "Religious life is giving up to hold on to." It is actually giving up everything that does not lead to God. That is why at profession every candidate takes the vows - meaning gives up something and holds on to everything. By choosing this road less traveled a religious makes a public declaration that in his or her life God is everything (poverty), His love is primary (chastity), and His will is a command (obedience).

As the last two lines beautifully express - it is a joyful giving up: "sab rishte naate haske jod doon," and entering into a deep relationship: "bas tujhse dil ka rishta jod doon." Therefore to radiate joy is a desire that is or rather should be at the heart of every religious. It is a rejoicing at having everything at the cost of losing something.

As the days of Christmas are fast approaching, I am challenged to take up the challenge of the religious life seriously and recommit myself to the World's First Love - God. May I take up this road less traveled to meet my creator and embrace Him by leaving my boats behind... My wish and prayer for this Christmas is that I may "bas Tujhse dil ka rishta jod doon...

Happy Christmas and Grace filled New Year 2011.

The Scholastic Argument for a TEACHER

The Scholastic Argument for a TEACHER (Prepared on the occasion of Teachers' Day, Sep 5th 2010)

Question one

First Article

WHETHER ANYONE ON EARTH CAN BE CALLED A TEACHER?

Thus we proceed to the first article:

Objection 1: It seems that no one on earth can be called a teacher. Now the definition of a teacher holds that he/she is a knowledgeable person. But the ultimate knowledge is God, for He is Omniscient. Therefore no one on earth can be called a teacher.

Objection 2: Further no one on earth can be called a teacher. For Jesus himself says “Do not call anyone on earth your teacher for you have only one teacher.”

On the Contrary: The Sloka goes thus, “Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwaraha, Guru sakshaat Parabrahma tasmai sri guruve namaha.”

I answer that, it is evident that God is the source of all knowledge since He is All-Knowing. But God shares His knowledge with the rational creatures though not in its essence. A being receives the knowledge not essentially but by participation in the Divine Knowledge. Now, a being participates according to the mode of its existence. Just as anything on fire is not fire itself but fire by participation, we find on earth some people who are more attuned to the Divine Knowledge and participate in it in a deeper manner. Such people are held to be teachers. Therefore someone on earth can be called a teacher.

As it is said above one is called a teacher in as much as one is also able to direct the student towards God. Sant Kabir Das says that it is the Guru (teacher) who shows God to the student. Now all the teachers through the participation are blessed with the grace to lead their pupils to the Supreme Knowledge i.e. God. This is a sufficient reply to objection one.

Reply 1: God’s knowledge is infinite and that of his creature’s finite, the gap was bridged by the second person of the Trinity who as a mediator brought the knowledge of God to earth and made available to the creatures. He passed on the God’s Knowledge to the Apostles. Thus one is also a teacher in as much as one shares in the teaching ministry of Christ, the teacher of teachers. Since all our professors here share in this sacred ministry of imparting God’s Knowledge primarily they are called teachers.