International Conference on Peace on Oct.2

 

                Social Justice and Academy

 

Thank you very much , Fr. Kuriakose, for inviting me to share a few of my thoughts on social justice and academy in this session. On this day when one commemorates the life of Mahatma Gandhi, it is very appropriate for us  to reflect on the different dimensions of justice  to preserve peace in the world.

The world is experiencing all kinds of turbulence and tremors every year. This year, we are passing through an unbelievable period of crisis and tragedy. More than a million people have lost their lives in the last few months because of Covid-19.

In this time of great loss of lives and suffering,  our hearts have to turn to the creation of peace in our hearts and in our neighborhoods.

At this time  when most of schools, colleges and universities remain closed all over the world, the young are experiencing an unbelievable crisis in their lives---their future becoming uncertain and their hopes dashed to the ground.

 In spite of this dire situation, we have to devise ways of sustaining the richness of our lives through our educational institutions.

Our institutions should continue to function as beacons of hope and peace and not as agents of destruction and dissension. I am reminded, at this moment,  of the words of Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru , the architect of modern India, in his convocation address at Allahabad University in 1947: “ A university stands for humanism, for tolerance, for reason, for progress, for the adventure of ideas and for the search for truth.”

There should be freedom for expression and tolerance for the views of others in the hallowed halls of  our educational institutions which are engaged in the pursuit of truth. Without the presence of truth, there will be no peace. We would be experiencing fragmentation and confusion, instead. Unexpressed feelings and thoughts become explosive and result in violent actions if they are not discussed in an atmosphere of dialogue and openness.

As Gandhi has taught us, “we have to speak truth and live or move in dharma(Satyam Vada,dharmam chara).

Cardinal Newman also emphasizes the need to convey eternal values through our educational systems. According to him, “It is education which gives a man a clear conscious view of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them and a force in urging them.” He wants an underpinning of philosophical and theological training for education in order that the young minds may get the ability to think clearly and to see everything in relationships.

Thomas Friedman in his book, ”That Used to be Us” speaks of the need to have a new vision for education  which consists in developing three Cs—Creativity, Communication and Collaboration. He sees collaboration and communication as necessary elements for the development of creativity.

Our academic institutions should not forget the economically marginalized and deprived. The poor in our society should be encouraged and motivated to join the mainstream and attain all that is possible within their reach. Education should become a leveling force, bridging the gap between the poor and the rich. It should provide an anchor for stability and unity.

The economically poor should be given special consideration and motivation so that they don’t feel discarded or rejected in this march for progress. Facilities for education should be available to all.

But there is a vital deficiency in our educational system. In our extreme eagerness to be the best in everything, we forget to give the young moral formation and help them to develop character and discipline. In spite of the tremendous progress we have achieved in science and technology, there is an exponential increase in violence. Children, girls and women are attached and their lives snuffed out. Gandhi does not any feel any diffidence in pointing out this lapse in our educational philosophy: an education which does not teach us to discriminate between good and bad , to assimilate the one and eschew the other is a misnomer.

Education , hence should transform and humanize us and should become a transmitter of values that would help the young to become people of character as well as of knowledge.

Sir Richard Livingston, the former Vice-chancellor of Oxford University spoke of the function of education as enhanced awareness of life. Education hence is meant to transform and humanize us so that we become transmitters of values that would make us people of character as well as of knowledge.

Thank you for being Late

"Thank you for being Late" is an interesting book by Thomas L.Friedman where he emphasizes the role of the community or of  the family as the anchor for stabilizing a person's life in this age of speedy changes or the age of accelerations .This book came about from his accidental encounter with a parking garage attendant and spending time with him to get to know about his views on current affairs as well as of  Ethiopia, his native country. Although he was late because of this chance meeting with the attendant, it produced the birth of this book which is a reflection on  contemporary malaise.Hence, it is thanks for being late. We don't have to hurry.We can spend time with  people which will definitely bring unexpected benefits in our life. 

According to the author, the three forces that control the planet, technology, globalization and climate change are all accelerating at once. Because of this, many aspects of our societies, workplaces and geopolitics need to be re-imagined.

The anniversary of Sept.11,2001

Today is the anniversary of the Sept.11, tragedy. I was at St.Patrick's church on that morning. I was thinking of going to Southern Maryland with Fr.John S.J. in the morning  but then someone mentioned immediately after breakfast to look at the TV.There we saw the twin world towers in flames and all the news reports about the hijacked planes hitting at the towers. A little while  later, the Pentagon was attacked.All of a sudden,Washington DC became a ghost town , with people exiting from offices and shops and rushing home.I took Fr.John to Georgetown and when I returned I found that the parking place was locked and the police guarding all the places near our church.But then the police opened the doors of the garage and I could park the car there. But the  stillness of the town is still in my memory. The tragedy of losing the lives of more than 4000 people is an unforgettable  sad event.Until that time, America was free and open for any one to enter any building and walk around any place.Those Islamic  terrorists took away the magnificent freedom the people enjoyed in the U.S.

Today I said the mass in the morning at the chapel. Fr.Pittapally and Fr. Tholanical con- celebrated with me.Hence the mass went well and I gave a short homily on today's Gospel where Jesus speaks about the need to interpret the signs and take suitable action in our  lives.

I hope and pray that 

God will bless me to lead a life faithful to  His teachings. 

Release of the book on the 80th Birthday

 The booklet written by Tony Chittilappally  on my 80th birthday which falls tomorrow was released by the Cardinal by giving a copy to Abp. Antony Kariyil. Curia bishop Mar Sebastian and all other priests were present.The book was received well.
 Tomorrow, by the grace of God, I will be 

celebrating my 80th birthday. It is a time to thank the Lord for His blessings on my life.To pass through life so long is itself a great and unbelievable gift.Nothing more is needed in my life. I have been to many institutions and different countries and was successful in whatever ministry I was assigned to.What more can I expect from the Lord? His mercy and kindness kept me safe and sound. He gave me all that I needed in life:good education, family , friends and loving and caring parents.Lord, thank You for your blessings.
Tomorrow the Cardinal, the bishops and the priests will join with me for the mass.

Letters to a young Catholic by George Weigel

This is a beautiful book that deals with the faith and beliefs of Catholics through the lens of the author's visits to several culturally and religiously important places in the Christian world.He wants the young  who are growing up in a world of skepticism and lack of commitment to understand the beauty and magnificence of their Catholic faith.
Through the lives of great saints and writers like Chesterton,Newman,Edith Stein, John Paul 11 and through  great Cathedrals like Chartres and educational centers like the University of Cambridge , he explains the meaning, relevance and the beauty of the Catholic faith.

In the first chapter, he explains the basis of his approach: "Catholicism is  an optic, a way of seeing things, a distinctive perception of reality."According to him, the real Catholic difference consists in a way of seeing the world.He explains the the meaning of this approach by using the novels  and short stories of Flannery O'Connor, the great American novelist and short story writer. O'Connor, he says has the "habit of being" , "a spiritual sensibility which allows us to experience the world not as one damn thing after another , but as the dramatic arena of creation, sins, redemption  and sanctification."

Speaking of Mary's role in our life, he wants us to adopt the heroism of the  Bl.Virgin Mary which was shown in her fiat to God's will. He adds : " Don't look for an exit strategy .Live in trust, not in calculation.Stake everything on Christ."

In the chapter on Newman, he speaks of Newman's fight against the liberalism of the 19th c and compares his work with that of St.Edith Stein, the Carmelite nun who was martyred for her faith by the Nazis. He decries the emptiness of liberals and underlines the need for strong convictions and beliefs. He points out that traditional religious congregations are thriving while those who have followed the modern liberal thinking are dwindling in membership. The chapter on Chartres Cathedral offers him an opportunity to discus the relationship between payer and beauty.According to him,"Chartres is stone and glass into which have been poured the obedience of faith and  passionate , transforming love for Christ, for Mary, for the world, and for the beauty of the human. The result is what its builders imagined it to be --an antechamber to heaven." He waxes eloquent on the Gothic style of architecture : "The Gothic creates a sense of suspension, of floating in space...the Gothic manages to combine the majestic and the personal in ways that other styles don't quite match." " You can't really understand the fantastic burst of creativity that resulted in the great Gothic cathedrals without wrestling with that fact; people were quite convinced that they were preparing a guest room,so to speak, for Christ himself. That was a powerful spur to energy,creativity,and generosity."

Speaking of the importance of beauty in our religious life, he notes that " beautiful things and beautiful music draw us out of our senses  into an encounter with a truth that is beyond us,yet accessible to our senses.
"Beauty is an invitation to pray.God asks us to drink at the wellsprings of beauty here and now in order to drink ,finally, of his own ineffable and inexpressible and inexhaustible beauty in the new Jerusalem."
Vising the King's chapel at Cambridge University and listening to its choir he felt the absence of the presence of God there since the University has become highly secular , having lost its original Christian inspiration.He calls such churches which has become de-Christianized  as "basilicas of the real absence."

Surgery

My cataract surgery was on June 15th and by the grace of God everything went smoothly. I was out of the hospital within an hour. But then I had a five days of rest where every two hours the drops of medicine had to be put into my eyes. I have to report to the doctor on June 29th.I have to thank the Lord for His blessing during this time when especially everything was under tight control because of the pandemic. I have to spend my days in prayer and thanksgiving. What more is there to be received from the overwhelming generosity of God! I have to be happy and satisfied; for his generosity knows no bounds.

I am now reading a book called the Book of Mistakes. It is narrating seven mistakes that people make in their lives through a novel- type of story. I will start with Mistake No.3 which is accepting excuses. Here is the summary of that chapter:

Mistake: 3

Avoid people who encourage excuses. When we learn to overcome  excuses that are preventing our progress, we begin an almost magical process of growth. Behind every excuse , there is a door to greatness. People not going anywhere encourage excuses. Shift the energy and creativity from creating excuses to achieving goals. Guard your inner voice like you would your most precious treasure. Excuses cannot withstand positive self-talk. If you want to take your life back , take your thoughts back.

Mistake No 2

Allowing someone to define your value.
Let nothing come between you and your purpose
Don't accept the limitations others put on you.
Know your inherent value. Enormous power is possible when you give permission to be true to yourself.

Mistake No.1:

Working on Someone Else's Dream
Don't act out a part cast by someone else. You are the casting agent of your life's purpose. A life choreographed by someone else is not our finest performance. Your purpose is unique. Design your life to fulfill your purpose. Don't be an unwitting participant in someone else's plan.
Be the hero of your story ,not a minor character in someone else's. Determine who you want to be, not what you want to do.

Mistake No .4
Surrounding yourself with the wrong people

Your friends  determine your fate
Replace naysayers, doubters, and energy drainers with encouragers, winners, and motivators.
Remove people from your life who consistently drain your energy. Surround yourself with the people who will help you to achieve your purpose.

Palm Sunday,April 5,2020

This Palm Sunday , everything looks different. The whole world is under the vicious impact of the corona virus.So many thousands have lost their lives.All the advances of medicine and of technology are of no help.All of a sudden all the accomplishments of man look silly and insignificant before this virus whose fast dissemination knows no boundaries.What has taken place in a small village in China has now engulfed the world.Someone can ask where  the power of modern military warfare or  of modern technology did go.In this dark hour, we remember the darkest days in the life of Jesus beginning with the Palm Sunday.But Jesus rose over the death and proved that He is the Lord of the Universe through his Resurrection.He is calling us to be part of His life and never to be afraid of death or sickness.What is important is our resolve to remain close to Him.
Lord, save us and save the universe. May we be privileged to sing Hosanna for your triumphal entry into the world of mankind.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Palm Sunday,March28,10

Palm Sunday,Mar.28,10

(Mt.21:1-17)

Today we celebrate the Palm the Sunday, the gateway to the Holy Week, to the week of celebration of the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This day calls us to a deeper reflection on the significance of the great events of the history of our Salvation.

In 1980, Archbishop Romero of El Salvador spoke of his mission to his people by saying that the harvest comes because of the grain that dies. Immediately after the sermon with those words, as he was celebrating the mass, holding the Body of Jesus in his hands, he was shot dead and his blood got mixed with the Body of Jesus. His life was sacrificed for the people entrusted to him. Sacrifice brings life and hope.

Today Jesus reminds us of the great sacrifice He has made and of the outpouring of the abundance of life –eternal life—for all through the sacrifice of His life.

Fulfilling of the prophecy made by the Prophet Zechariah, Jesus rode on a donkey, indicating that he was no earthly king, but a person of peace. He rode into Jerusalem and the people acclaimed him with shouts of joy .Garments and branches of trees were spread on the street and people shouted “ Hosanna to the Son of David.”(Psalm,118,25) .

Jesus entered the temple, and as today’s Gospel describes, he cleansed the temple and cured the many who were sick and suffering.

This was a decisive moment in his life. He made the crucial decision to walk the path of suffering. He knew these shouts of acclamation would disappear and they would clamor for his blood. What is important is the obedience to the Will of His heavenly Father.

Palm Sunday is in fact the celebration of his obedience to the Will of the Father.

The suffering and death of Jesus turn everything upside down. The power of death is shattered forever. The cross, instead of becoming a sign of derision, has become a symbol of hope and joy.

The outstretched hands of Jesus on the Cross are the hands that offer us comfort and healing.

The cross is our symbol of hope and peace. It reminds us of the life after death and makes our life here on earth meaningful. Our tragedies and our pains don’t go unanswered. They will be transformed by the power of the cross into sources of grace for us.

The cross is a constant reassurance of God’s continuing love for us. In spite of our sins and failures, God’s love reaches out to us and reminds us that it is for us that He died to give us hope. It is a reminder that we will never be abandoned.

Let this Holy Week be an occasion for us to feel that once we carry the cross of our life with him on our side, our steps will not falter and He will be there to hold us in His arms.

Henry Nouwen gives his thoughts on the the Palm Sunday by reflecting on a painting "Christ on a Donkey" kept in the Augustiner museum in Freiburg. There in the painting, Nouwen sees the face of Jesus ruminating on "the agonizing journey of betrayal, torture, crucifixion and death."  "Above all there is love, an endless,deep and far reaching love born from an unbreakable intimacy with God and reaching out to all people ,wherever they are,were, or will be .There is nothing that He does not fully know.There is nobody whom he does not fully love." "Every time I look at this Christ on the donkey, I am reminded again that I am seen by him with all my sins, guilt, and shame and loved with all his forgiveness, mercy and compassion."