Eighty Third Birthday Celebrations

 Yesterday was the celebration of my 83rd birthday. It started with my morning mass at the chapel .The main celebrant was Abp.Pamplany. At the breakfast, the Major Archbishop,Cardinal Mar George Alencherry, offered me greetings and all the bishops sang happy birthday as they were then seated for their breakfast. Later , the family gathered at my brother Bernard's house for lunch.Before lunch, we said a rosary for  all the members of the family, past and present. I did give all the ladies silver rosaries which were made specially for this event.That was the end of the celebration. The day before, at Varghese's new house blessing at Chy, they also offered me greetings for the birthday,

The Lord has blessed me to celebrate this day. I do consider these months an opportunity given by God to praise him , adore him and to offer prayers for all our friends and relatives.My heart is full of thanks to the Lord for giving me this occasion to praise and adore him again.

I would like to repeat the prayer of Thomas Merton again in this note: "My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.I cannot know for certain where it will end.Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am knowing your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.....I will trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.I will not fear , for you are ever with me and you will never leave me to face my perils alone."

My heart is like a singing bird
Whose nest is in a water’d shoot;
My heart is like an apple-tree
Whose boughs are bent with thickset fruit;
My heart is like a rainbow shell
That paddles in a halcyon sea;
My heart is gladder than all these
Because the Lord is with me.( Adaptation of a poem of Christina Rossetti)

The following words of Henri Nouwen too are apt to be remembered on this occasion:

"We are God's beloved daughters and sons, not because we are worthy but because God freely chose us."

Prof.John Philip

 It was with real shock and great sorrow that I received the news of the passing away of Sri John Philip.It was Prof.Sunny Mathews who informed me from the US about the demise of John Philip. He was our classmate in MA class at S.B.college. For the two years of our course  , he was a constant companion.Everyday before the beginning of the class , he would come to my room and we would walk together to the class room. We discussed all the topics and shared them with our friends. He was very respectful and caring.  He had a positive  attitude and was always cheerful.Even though after we left the college, we have not met each other but knew in my mind and heart that he was doing well and was successful as a teacher at Bishop More college.We had a chance to meet at the celebration of the  50th anniversary of the PG Department. We had a picture taken after the meeting . I was very happy to see him at the meeting. He looked the same with no changes. He briefed me about the developments in his life. I never got a chance to visit him at his house nor to see his family. His face and smile are before me and I wish him eternal rest with the Lord.  I am sure  he is resting peacefully with  the Lord. he was a good Christian with great moral principles. May the Lord protect  and bless him in the eternal abode where there is no weeping or sorrow. What Tennyson said in In Memoriam about his friend, Hallam,  is very appropriate here: "It is better to have loved and lost than never to  have loved at all."

Do not stand at my grave and weep 
I am not there. I do not sleep. 
I am a thousand winds that blow. 
I am the diamond glints on snow. 
 
I am the sunlight on ripened grain. 
I am the gentle autumn rain. 
When you awaken in the morning’s hush 
I am the swift uplifting rush 
 
Of quiet birds in circled flight. 
I am the soft stars that shine at night. 
Do not stand at my grave and cry; (Elizabeth Frye)