I have been the director of our retreats for few years. In India retreat preacher is supposed to be a miracle worker. I always felt that I was not fit in to that category of miracle workers, but always trusted in the power of God. I thought, if God wants he can. I remember this was one of the first retreats I was leading. I made a solemn arrival to the parish accompanied by a group of friars. The pastor gave us a warm welcome, as we were talking to the pastor, an unconscious woman was brought to amidst of us, carried by two ladies. Pastor said, Fr. John, your first client has come. I felt like earth splitting and I am falling in to the deep but I tried to act like I know what to. I asked the ladies to take her to a private room and will be there soon. I was sweating, I told the pastor let me put on my habit. I went to the room and Friars gathered around me, they knew I am in trouble. I started striking on my chest, my God what am I going to do? Friar Angelo said I have an idea, I have a bottle of oil blessed by Fr. Saviourkhan Vattayil, a famous preacher and miracle worker in Kerala, you may anoint on the forehead of the lady and pray. I said okey, agree, give it to me. He opened his bag and we were shocked no oil in it, not even a drop! It is really a wonder how the top of the cap broke in a circle and lost oil. I thought God is giving me trouble, He is sometimes like this. One of us suggested to refill the bottle and use it. I said I am not going to refill it, God has ordained me with the same power as Fr. Saviour.
I entered the room shivering and told her with an authoritative voice, I am a Franciscan Friar, I am going to pray over you in the powerful name of Jesus. She made a strange noise. I asked the two accompanying ladies to go out, i did not want anybody see what is happening in the room, just me and God! I had a bottle of holy water and a cross, I put my hands on her head and prayed in the name of Jesus through the power Jesus has given me through the Ordination, I ask whatever evil is on her get out of her in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I poured holy water on her, she started shivering. I thought my God, it is getting worse. I touched her shoulders, she opened her eyes and looked at me said, Father something went out of me! I still did not know what has went out of her, she shared her story, she was an auto ricksha driver and talked about her family.
When I opened the room, pastor and friars were waiting, they were amazed to see the lady was normal and walking. I think I had a proud look on my face. She went happily with the ladies. The news spread in the village and this miracle of Jesus increased the faith of the people and thousands of people attended the retreat. I remembered what Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"(Mt. 19:26).
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Good morning God
Many people consider religious life as a kind of stereotype way with a special look on face, no smile, constipated movements and always spiritual. I have two pictures of Jesus with me, one is Jesus playing basketball and another is Jesus playing guitar. I am afraid to show them to my grandma because I do not know how she is going to react. I have seen on Internet a picture of laughing Christ. Those kind of pictures are very rare. I always have thought why cannot we relate with God more lighter, sweeter and enjoyable way. Why people always fear God and do not love Him? Why can not we talk to Him like a friend? Why cannot we talk to him like we talk to one of our family members? I have heard about a little girl's prayer, in the morning as she wakes up, she says 'good morning God' and in the night she says 'Good night God'. Is not that a beautiful prayer and is not that a beautiful relation with God. Do not you think that our God deserve it? God should be part of sorrow, joy, study, thinking, dance, eating etc. Is that fair we look at God as somebody up above?
St. Francis may be one of the saints who expressed the joy and happiness in front of God. A legend says: one day Francis wanted to praise God and he took two sticks and played on them as violin and praised God. It may look funny to us but he was really expressing himself without any constipated look or stereo type praising God.. Some thinkers have given us the idea that religious life is only a celebration of Good Friday, no it's also celebrating the joy of Easter.
I remember another story from Francis Assisi, it was the fasting day and one of the friars started crying in the middle of the night and you know what Francis did, he waked up all the community members and broke the fasting and ate grapes with the friars.
I think humour, joy and laughing are important in religious life. God loves all these.
St. Francis may be one of the saints who expressed the joy and happiness in front of God. A legend says: one day Francis wanted to praise God and he took two sticks and played on them as violin and praised God. It may look funny to us but he was really expressing himself without any constipated look or stereo type praising God.. Some thinkers have given us the idea that religious life is only a celebration of Good Friday, no it's also celebrating the joy of Easter.
I remember another story from Francis Assisi, it was the fasting day and one of the friars started crying in the middle of the night and you know what Francis did, he waked up all the community members and broke the fasting and ate grapes with the friars.
I think humour, joy and laughing are important in religious life. God loves all these.
Monday, January 7, 2013
What the river taught me
My family lives near a river, I miss river wherever I go and this may be the reason whenever I see lake or river my heart leaps with joy. River teaches lot many life principles. "It is in the water the first life begun and the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Gen.1/1). When Heraclitus looked at the river, river thought him a life principal that nothing is permanent; life is a flux therefore, he said that you cannot step twice in the same river'. In the novel "Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse, Siddhartha’s most profound realizations have come out of what he has learned from the river. River is important in many writings and river taught many truths to people. I was siting on the shore of the river where I spend my younger days. I thought what I have learned something different from this river. Yes, it's about how devil cheat us. If you have fun time fishing, you know how we cheat fishes. We throw attractive things or food to the river and we patiently wait for the fish to swallow. Fish may think that it is because we love fish we throw food in to the river. But it is cheating, we know. Once the fish swallow food we treat the fish very differently, we may fry or make delicious curry. It is in the same way devil attack us, he throws beautiful things to us and he patiently awaits. Once we are hooked, he takes us to places where we have ever thought about. That may the reason St. Francis asks God 'why did you create temptations so beautiful'.
I know with my story the teaching of river is not over, the stories of the river may flow like a river flows, you too may have story to add with this and I welcome your story and let us make it a unending link, a chain and a circle. Let the story never end.
I know with my story the teaching of river is not over, the stories of the river may flow like a river flows, you too may have story to add with this and I welcome your story and let us make it a unending link, a chain and a circle. Let the story never end.
God uses our weakness
"My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me" this is St. Paul's words in Corinthians. I am not a morning person, If I wake up so early in the morning I feel the day is spoiled. I like to sleep. As a religious during formation time and as a member of Franciscan community I had to wake up early for morning service, I did but let me confess, not with full energy. I liked to be around people and enjoyed friendships. When I joined the seminary, I knew that much of friendship and social nature were not expected from the religious. I remember about the rector's diary where he wrote things to be corrected and my dairy was almost full with remarks; very talkative, found talking. When life progressed I learned new terms; cloister, pin drop silence, obedience etc. which were not in my vocabulary!
As a student I was not a bright student but creative. I liked gardening, writing, reading and dancing. I felt bad about me, I thought am I fitting in this religious culture and discipline? I had no answer but I trusted God can work wonders through a person like me. But until recently I could not realise the meaning of what St. Paul said.
Now at this age in my life, I would like to say with St. Paul "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." When I started working for the ministry for young adults in USA, I realised being a night person is a blessing. I celebrate holy mass at 9pm, students love to be late to go to bed and this is the time they get active, best time for activities. Secondly, I learned creativity is very important because students love creativity and they like to come out of stereotypes. Thirdly, my sociable nature is very important for this ministry, it is through socialisation we connect the young adults to God, I love it.
I am sharing this because you may be feeling bad about yourselves, bad about your weaknesses, trust me God can make that in to blessings, he can work in your weaknesses.
Warning: do not use this post for excusing your weakness:)
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Remembering my mum
I am a new year baby. I jokingly say I was born during a huge new year's fire work bu in fact I am a c-section baby! Fourty years ago c-section was not very common in Kerala and it was a nightmare for mothers due to the lack of success in c-sections.
I hear that this is the most common surgical procedure in American hospitals: one in every three babies in the U.S. come into the world by c-section! Some mothers do not like to undergo the long delivery pain! I have no comments about it, I am a man.
My aunties remember that my mum had long labour pain and the doctor found that child's position is abreech (buttocks down) and suggested an immediate abortion to save her life. She disagreed and begged doctor for a c- section. She really wanted to see her first child. It was a play with life!
My aunties remember that my mum had long labour pain and the doctor found that child's position is abreech (buttocks down) and suggested an immediate abortion to save her life. She disagreed and begged doctor for a c- section. She really wanted to see her first child. It was a play with life!
Everyone who was in the hospital started praying, there were no telephones and cellphones available like today to send prayer requests but by the grace of God, the surgery was successful!
To reveal gender of a child before birth is prohibited by law in India there fore my mum did not know that the baby in her womb is a male. In later conversations with mum, I found that she excepted a baby girl, beinv a professional tailor, she stiched many dresses for a baby girl. I think I gave her a little disappointment!
Every time when I hear about abortion I remember about my mum who had all the moral justification to kill me especially that situation and time. Every time when I celebrate events in my life, I remember her who permitted me to live on this beautiful World. Every time I see a picture of an aborted child, I thank my mum. I would like to line up my mum's name with Saint Gianna Beretta Molla (October 4, 1922 – April 28, 1962) an Italian pediatrician, wife and mother who is best known for refusing both an abortion and a hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child, despite knowing that continuing with the pregnancy could result in her death. She was canonised as a saint of the Catholic Church in 2004. I do not know if I can make this comment as a religious, if I go to heaven and if I do not see my mum there, I do not want that heaven! I think my mum is smiling from heaven seeing I write this.
To reveal gender of a child before birth is prohibited by law in India there fore my mum did not know that the baby in her womb is a male. In later conversations with mum, I found that she excepted a baby girl, beinv a professional tailor, she stiched many dresses for a baby girl. I think I gave her a little disappointment!
Every time when I hear about abortion I remember about my mum who had all the moral justification to kill me especially that situation and time. Every time when I celebrate events in my life, I remember her who permitted me to live on this beautiful World. Every time I see a picture of an aborted child, I thank my mum. I would like to line up my mum's name with Saint Gianna Beretta Molla (October 4, 1922 – April 28, 1962) an Italian pediatrician, wife and mother who is best known for refusing both an abortion and a hysterectomy when she was pregnant with her fourth child, despite knowing that continuing with the pregnancy could result in her death. She was canonised as a saint of the Catholic Church in 2004. I do not know if I can make this comment as a religious, if I go to heaven and if I do not see my mum there, I do not want that heaven! I think my mum is smiling from heaven seeing I write this.
I feel they are gone!
My grandpa was a Secular Franciscan, a dedicated catholic who attended daily mass.I spent most of my early childhood with him. My uncle remembers, I was very naughty and I had a double name "Bull",I feel sorry that I gave grandpa a hard time. May he rest in peace! He used to take me to the church,I did not know what is happening in the church but grandpa asked me to be silent and attentive, I did. I gradually learned what is the Holy Eucharist, what is the Church and who are the saints. I remember,he had a picture of St. Francis stepping on globe and stretching his hands to embrace Jesus, hanging in the common prayer room. I asked him one day, who is in the picture? Grandpa depicted who Francis was. I pictured Francis travelling on horse and on seeing a leper he lowering himself, hugging and kissing him. I saw Francis preaching to the birds, their eyes were so big and they were motionless. I saw Francis begging food and caring the lepers. All the stories admired me, I fell in love with his life. When I look back, I feel my grandpa must be the reason behind my vocation to the Franciscan life. He implanted a seed in my childhood and I am sure that he must be happy I am a Franciscan!
As we were celebrating epiphany, I attended Mass with the congregation. I do it sometimes to feel and celebrate Mass as one of them. A grandma was on the front seat with her grandson, he must be four years. I confess I was distracted. He was playing all the time with his toys, I noticed the toys are all soldiers, he fixed different weapons on the toys enjoying killing each soldiers. I thought that is not a fun game in the church where we preach about peace and love! When the pastor invited children from 4-10 years old to catechism, grandma did not send her grandson. I noticed she never explained to her grandson what is happening in the church or be attentive. I thought about my grandpa. The book of Deuteronomy says, “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children"(Deut. 4/9). I am not intending here to judge the grandma but I wished to remind grandparents to look at my Grandpa and how he impacted me.
I too think this is a high time, grandparents should be aware of the duty to teach grandchildren about their faith, traditions and stories and to lead them to the light. The Holy Bible also understands that grandparents play an important part in the raising of grandchildren,"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well"( 2 Timothy1/5). St. Paul praises grandparents for the great faith of Timothy. He reminds of the duty and responsibility of grandparents fostering faith in next generation.
I have seen many students love their grandparents, sometimes they speak of grandparents more than their parents. Grandparents are very important to many. They can create a great impact on the next generation more than they think. I wish that they do not forget this.
We had a time where we longed to hear stories from grandparents and sleep on their lap. We had a time where we wanted to rush to grandparents home for holidays. We had a time to be playful with them. I feel like they are gone!
As we were celebrating epiphany, I attended Mass with the congregation. I do it sometimes to feel and celebrate Mass as one of them. A grandma was on the front seat with her grandson, he must be four years. I confess I was distracted. He was playing all the time with his toys, I noticed the toys are all soldiers, he fixed different weapons on the toys enjoying killing each soldiers. I thought that is not a fun game in the church where we preach about peace and love! When the pastor invited children from 4-10 years old to catechism, grandma did not send her grandson. I noticed she never explained to her grandson what is happening in the church or be attentive. I thought about my grandpa. The book of Deuteronomy says, “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children's children"(Deut. 4/9). I am not intending here to judge the grandma but I wished to remind grandparents to look at my Grandpa and how he impacted me.
I too think this is a high time, grandparents should be aware of the duty to teach grandchildren about their faith, traditions and stories and to lead them to the light. The Holy Bible also understands that grandparents play an important part in the raising of grandchildren,"I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well"( 2 Timothy1/5). St. Paul praises grandparents for the great faith of Timothy. He reminds of the duty and responsibility of grandparents fostering faith in next generation.
I have seen many students love their grandparents, sometimes they speak of grandparents more than their parents. Grandparents are very important to many. They can create a great impact on the next generation more than they think. I wish that they do not forget this.
We had a time where we longed to hear stories from grandparents and sleep on their lap. We had a time where we wanted to rush to grandparents home for holidays. We had a time to be playful with them. I feel like they are gone!
Friday, January 4, 2013
B+ve
Do you know what's the blood group of Jesus? I think it is B+ve. Jesus saw everything very positive. He even transformed people thorough His positive attitudes.
We have many negative minded people around us. Their hearts are so darkened to see positive about anyone!and they hesitate to appreciate others. I think Nathaniel is from that category.
We had a man in our village who always saw things very negative. He had a double name; bitter George. A child was born to a couple after five years of their prayers, he commented, one more human being is born to this hell! Another time, an young man in the village graduated with colourful result and George asked where in this world is he going to get a job? Now you know why people called him "bitter George".
Nathaniel asks "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Jesus faces Nathaniel's negative attitude with a positive stroke. Jesus says to him, "here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him". With this words his life changes, he sees in Jesus some one who appreciates him, feels loved and that makes him say "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel"
Many times we try to face negative type of people with our negative attitudes, in reality it will only fuel the negativity because deep inside their mind these people are afraid and feel unlovable. It is our challenge to rise above the negative attitude and love this person and to understand that he is drowning in negativity and it is difficult for him or her to see the positive. Try to be patient, listen to him or her and make them feel that they are good and they are loved. May be a hug is great even if you get a negative reaction. It is sure when he or she is alone will begin to reflect on what you have said, that will make a great change.
I have friend in Malta whom I have not seen in ages. He was a drug addict and was imprisoned for couple of years. The reason for his transformation is a positive letter from his wife, she wrote to him, I love you Joe and your children need you. These lines made him change. He is a good father and a good husbend now. I would also like to add a story from Mother Theresa. One day she begged food but he spited on her face, she said, this is for me, give me something for my children. He never expected this kind of attitude and this positive strike transformed this man and later, his house was made as the house of poor.
Dear friends let us try to be positive and let us face negative attitudes with our positive attitudes. Let us become b+ve.
We have many negative minded people around us. Their hearts are so darkened to see positive about anyone!and they hesitate to appreciate others. I think Nathaniel is from that category.
We had a man in our village who always saw things very negative. He had a double name; bitter George. A child was born to a couple after five years of their prayers, he commented, one more human being is born to this hell! Another time, an young man in the village graduated with colourful result and George asked where in this world is he going to get a job? Now you know why people called him "bitter George".
Nathaniel asks "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Jesus faces Nathaniel's negative attitude with a positive stroke. Jesus says to him, "here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him". With this words his life changes, he sees in Jesus some one who appreciates him, feels loved and that makes him say "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel"
Many times we try to face negative type of people with our negative attitudes, in reality it will only fuel the negativity because deep inside their mind these people are afraid and feel unlovable. It is our challenge to rise above the negative attitude and love this person and to understand that he is drowning in negativity and it is difficult for him or her to see the positive. Try to be patient, listen to him or her and make them feel that they are good and they are loved. May be a hug is great even if you get a negative reaction. It is sure when he or she is alone will begin to reflect on what you have said, that will make a great change.
I have friend in Malta whom I have not seen in ages. He was a drug addict and was imprisoned for couple of years. The reason for his transformation is a positive letter from his wife, she wrote to him, I love you Joe and your children need you. These lines made him change. He is a good father and a good husbend now. I would also like to add a story from Mother Theresa. One day she begged food but he spited on her face, she said, this is for me, give me something for my children. He never expected this kind of attitude and this positive strike transformed this man and later, his house was made as the house of poor.
Dear friends let us try to be positive and let us face negative attitudes with our positive attitudes. Let us become b+ve.
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