A Quote for Myself (3)

Unbelievably, what we keep forgetting, or denying, or failing to understand is that nature itself is intrinsically graced from the beginning.

A Quote for Myself (2)

Those who read are those who lead.

A Quote for Myself (1)

The best way to behave when crisis strikes is to be brave.

Free by Creation

These days in the first readings for Mass, we are reading the Genesis stories of creation. Humans are created -- male and female they are created. They are created in the image of God. We also read about the entry of sin into the world. God did not create sin. Human beings by their disobedience and acceptance of the Evil One permit sin to enter into their lives. Evil comes from the outside of the human person, but it also comes from within them.

Evil comes from the outside: the Evil One propagates lies and misunderstanding about God. False ideas of God given to the human person. False ideas that God is jealous of the human person, that God is an enemy of freedom, that He is an enemy of knowledge and that He limits our freedom. That is not the case. I am reminded of Thomas Merton's words in his autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain: "Free by nature, in the image of God, I was nevertheless the prisoner of my own violence and my own selfishness, in the image of the world into which I was born."

So, more properly, evil comes from within the human person. Adam and Eve, the first human beings, accept the lies of the Evil One. They believe that God is against human freedom, against human joys. Human temptation is nothing but accepting false ideas about God.

Human beings fall into sin by rationalizing, that is, they don't use true reason. Instead of accepting limitaions to their knowledge and to their freedom, they try to become God. Temptations, therefore, are also an occasion to play God, and to forget our limitations.

Moreover, Adam and Eve become conscious after having eaten the forbidden fruit; they also become self-conscious. We can also say that they become ashamed of themselves. Scott Peck in his Further Along the Road Less Travelled says: "It is human to be shy, and we became shy in the Garden of Eden when we became self-conscious. When this happened to us, we became conscious of ourselves as separate entities. We lost the sense of oneness with nature, with the rest of the universe. And this loss of sense of oneness with the rest of creation is symbolized by our banishment from Paradise."

A Memorable Day

Yesterday, 11 February, was a memorable day for me. It was on this day that my parents got married. If my dad were alive, my parents would have celebrated the golden jubillee of wedding. Alas, it wasn't to be... Moreover, in 2004, it was on this day that I made my perpetual profession. Eleven years gone. 11 February, being the feast of our Lady of Lourdes, is also the World Day of the Sick. It was on this same day, in 2013, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, citing that he was 'sick.' A memorable day indeed...

The Broom Sweeps Clean

A thumping majority, a clean sweep, a complete landslide, a tsunami, ... all these phrases don't exactly explain the marvellous victory of Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi elections. According to exit polls AAP would win around 48 of the total 70 seats. No one expected... even they themselves... that they would win all but three of the 70 seats. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won two seats, and its ally one. Complete decimation of all other parties... Congress scored a duck.

AAP's victory is a ray of hope in the Indian politics. Integrity, honesty, sincerity, truth... can all now enter again. Kejriwal himself has said, "When we walk on the path of truth, the forces of the entire universe come to our aid." The Delhi population has voted for truth. May this trend be imitated in other states too.

Getting the List Right....

The list of canonized Indian saints:

1. Gonsalo Garcia (Vasai)

2. Alphonsa (Kerala)

3. Elias Kuriakose Chavara (Kerala)

4. Euphrasia Eluvathingal (Kerala)

5. Joseph Vaz (Goa)

The list of canonized saints in the Salesian Family:

1. Don Bosco

2. Maria Mazarello

3. Dominic Savio

4. Joseph Cafasso

5. Luigi Versiglia

6. Callistus Caravario

7. Luigi Orione

8. Leonardo Murialdo

Keep alive your blog!

Vincent Castilino writes to me in an email today:
"...keep alive your blog!
Regular reading and writing is something that has kept me sane over the year!
So take my advice, it is the voice of experience!"
How badly I need to follow this.
A new year wish, a new year resolution.... perhaps, as I post the first blog for this year.

Preparation - Appreciation

As I was preparing for my doctoral defence, two days from now, I was reading Gerard Whelan's thesis. (He is my second reader too.) He uses very simple language in his thesis. I love his simplicity in explaining some difficult notions from Bernard Lonergan's Insight. And also his sincerity when he admits once: "I have not been able to locate where I read this statement."

Block to Blog

Michael Shute writes, "As to the question of how to begin, I am reminded of Henry Miller's advice for overcoming writer's block: Write! What do you write about? Write about writer's block!"

[Michael Shute,“Functional Collaboration as the Implementation of Lonergan’s Method. Part II: How Might we Implement Functional Collaboration,” Divyadaan: Journal of Philosophy and Education 24/2 (2013) 182.]

To be, to live..

"How vain it is to sit down to write when you have not stood up to live." - Henry David Thoreau

Accidents and Cast(e)-aways

Earlier it was Raman Lamba, now it is Phillip Hughes. Two cricketers who died because of their fatal injuries incurred on the cricket field. May they attain eternal rest and peace. It is not just Formula One or sky-diving that have killed some sportspersons, cricket too. Unimaginable. Freaky accidents on the cricketing field. This can't be controlled. But what can be regulated is politics in sports: cricket and hockey seem to be the most corrupted sports in India. Recently I watched a Tamil movie "Jeeva" that talks about cricket. A simple but powerful movie how some succeed, and how some fail in this field. It shows how dirty politics not only ends the career of someone, but also leads to suicide. Concretely, the Tamil-nadu cricketers who have played for the Indian international side are all Brahmins (almost all - not sure of the West-Indian born Robin Singh). Even many other Indian cricketers are Brahmin. Is this to say that the others aren't as good as these? Shouldn't we openly talk of these dirty politics and casteist racism in Indian cricket?

Back in the Eternal City

Reached three days back (on 25th November 2014) here in Rome for my defence which is scheduled for 5th December, at 5 p.m. The doctoral journey has been an important one in my life. It has been a time to learn how to learn, to keep going the way in spite of darkness... it has been a time to learn that the lightning guides the way (Heraclitus). Flashes of light, here and there, opening up here and there, ... It has been a time to learn that the process, the method, is as important as the end result. (Method here is not to be understood as a set of rules or a recipe.) This is what Pope Francis has taken pains to show in the recent experience of the Synod on Family. (Though I have not followed the developments very closely, I can put together a few of my thoughts and feelings with regard to the Synod.) We express ourselves, we need to listen to others, as we expect others to listen to us, we respect others' opinions, we show patience. The Holy Father was against showing any restlessness in jumping the gun, in arriving at solutions immediately. He listened carefully to others. He has taken the risk of being misunderstood, he has taken the risk of getting into the bad books of both the liberals and the conservatives. Hats off to this man, to this man of God.

Hermeneutics Course for the M.Ph.

Today I completed the course on hermeneutics for the M.Ph. students (Divyadaan). This was my first course that I taught the Masters' level students - ten of them. I thoroughly enjoyed the course, though it was intensive - from 4th to 20th November. I used Fr Ivo Coelho's notes, wonderfully prepared notes - comprehensive and systematic. I liked the parts on Heidegger, Gadamer, the postmoderns (in a very special way) and, of course, Lonergan (especially the parts of Fred Lawrence's comments - including his comments on Heidegger). Perhaps I could add a bit of details to the notes on Ricoeur. Thanks to Fr Ivo for preparing such wonderful material. Thanks also to the active participation of the students in class, and thanks to them in  a special way for their daily presentation of timelines (summaries). Those posts can be found on mphdivyadaan.blogspot.in.

Lonergan Conference at the Greg

It was an enriching experience to attend the Lonergan Conference entitled "Revisiting Lonergan's Anthropology" at the Gregorian University, 27-30 November 2013. I was happy to listen to some wonderful talks during this conference by Fred Lawrence, Matthew Lamb, Ivo Coelho, Neil Ormerod, Massimo Pampaloni, Michael Paul Gallagher. I was also touched by the friendly atmosphere that prevailed during the conference. This gathering was helpful to sharpen some of my notions too, especially those connected with my doctoral thesis. At the encouragement of Ivo, I put a few questions to Fred Lawrence during a personal conversation with him in order to find out the "why" behind a certain thought of Lonergan.

Numerical consistency

Yesterday (1 December 2013), Banzelao, Previnth, Christopher and I had a discussion of numerical consistency in the context of Salesian Rector Major and Provincials insisting on the need of three or more members in a religious community... But rural ministry needs a good look at least in the context of the Salesian India. And can we say that numbers big or small shouldn't matter, but the intervention for the poor should be foremost in mind? Can we also tend to think that the ministry is just a factor of the community, that ministry is entrusted to the community and not to individuals?

This is an old discussion but I'd like to think that we need to keep clarifying ideas with regard to this. The necessity of clear and workable ideas is of paramount importance. Very many times we see how wrong ideas lead to unjust social systems. There is an "intimate relationship between false ideas and an unjust social order." [Gerard K. Whelan, “The Development of Lonergan’s Notion of the Dialectic of History: A Study of Lonergan’s Writings 1938-53,” doctoral dissertation (Toronto: Regis College, 1996) 317.]

A 2004 movie entitled Vera Drake, among other things, brings out the importance of having correct ideas in order to help others. The story is about a 1950 working-class Vera Drake, an honest, loving and hardworking woman, who goes around her locality "helping out young girls" in the sense of helping them to terminate their pregnancies by way of conducting illegal abortions herself. As a backroom abortionist she does not charge for her services and thinks that her service is important until one of her patients nearly dies because of the "local" procedures. Vera is arrested by the police and ultimately sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment "as a deterrent to others." [See Wikipedia.]

Siamo servi inutili!

“Siamo servi inutili. Abbiamo fatto quanto dovevamo fare”. Sia questo il nostro sentimento nella nostra vita religiosa, nella nostra vita quotidiana. Sia Dio l'agente principale nelle nostre attività.

In Italy

I’m in Italy for the last three and a half months now...

First Mass in Don Bosco Community

I’m in Italy for the last three and a half months... I presided over the Holy Mass in our community (Don Bosco community) for the first time; earlier I have presided over in Don Rua community, during the Italian course. A first experience.

Wounds and Resurrection

The following commentary on wounds and resurrection touched me:

"One of the real enigmas of the risen Christ is that the wounds are still present in his body. Why wouldn't they be somehow healed? Why wouldn't his body be whole and perfect? Perhaps in order to really see Jesus, the wounds must be visible. After all, it is we who caused those wounds to be there, and God's revelation to us would not be complete without them. They remind me that, despite suffering and dying because of me, God is willing to be there with me, to share my humanity so that I might have a share in his divinity. Escaping human suffering is my value, not God's. God is willing to put up with all my human weaknesses, even death, in order to be with me in love. How slow I am to believe! My sins are forgiven and I need to repent."

Why am I so afraid of suffering? Isn't it the way for resurrection? It's a necessity, not an option. Right?

Commit your life

“Commit your life to the Lord, trust in him and he will act, so that your justice breaks forth like the light, your cause like the noon-day sun.” (Psalm 37) The antiphon to this psalm in my prayer book reads thus: “Commit your life to the Lord and he will act on your behalf.”

In Rongjeng

I am wondering sometimes where I am… I am losing count of the places… it’s 6.58 p.m., and I’m in Rongjeng. Reached here around 10.00 a.m. Tomorrow I’ll be in Tura.

In Rangblang

I’m in Rangblang now. A beautiful and quiet place.

Old Logs

I'm searching for the old logs (log books on the computer).... and can't find them.

Priestly Ordination

I was ordained a priest at my home parish Church of Our Lady of Fatima today by Most Rev. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop of Coimbatore.

Animation Programme for the Cathedral Youth

It was by chance that Lam, Andrew and Ethel met me. It was a Sunday, and we had just finished the monthly check-up of the Rickets Eradication Ministry on the 9th of May. They said they are from the Seng Samla, Laitumkhrah, and expressed that they would like to be helped because they wanted their association to be united in a deeper way and be effective thereby. Rev. Fr. Jose Varickasseril, sdb, the Rector of Sacred Heart Theological College, was kind enough to grant the permission. Later in that week itself possible dates were seen and various details discussed. Fr. John Mathew, the Administrator, and Fr. James Poonthuruthil, the President of the Faculty, made available the various things needed for the programme.

The day fixed was 23rd May. Seventy youngsters turned up for the programme with full of life and expectation. This animation programme would not have been possible if it not were for the enthusiasm and sacrifice and hardwork of Brs. Suresh Innocent and Robin Lakra. The programme started one hour late because of the late arrival of the youngsters. But they sacrificed the scheduled coffee break and cut down the lunch break from one hour to just half an hour to do justice to the timetable prepared. The sessions were conducted in the Conference Hall (below the M.Th. Lecture Hall). All along the programme, Br. Thomas Salew, Srs. Rihun Sten and Rona Kharkongor kept the participants on their feet with their action songs and hymns and dances. In the afternoon, Rev. Fr. Richard Majaw, the Asst. Parish Priest of the Cathedral Parish, came to visit and encourage them.

The first session was taken by Sr. Celine D’Cunha, fma, the Superior of the Sacred Heart Convent. Her session was on career guidance. She insisted on the need to have dreams and visions, and working towards their realization. It was followed by a session on self-esteem animated by Br. Sujeet Peter. He made them realize that self-esteem, self-confidence and self-acceptance is essential towards achieving their goals. After this session was the lunch break. The youngsters had brought their lunch from home. Before the third session was a sing-song session by Srs. Rihun and Rona and Br. Salew. The third session was entitled ‘God, Prayer and Eucharist.’ It was animated by Br. Thomas Santiago. He along with giving practical tips with regard to prayer and Eucharist, elucidated that being spiritual is something that is not out of this world, but being in this world. At 3 pm we had the Holy Eucharist presided over by Fr. Varickasseril. He prayed for them in a special way and reflected on the mystery of Ascension during the homily. At the end of the Mass, he also asked the youngsters to apply for various courses like Nursing – both for females and males – and other Medical courses. During tea there were surprise gifts for the participants sponsored by the Seng Samla. The animation programme ended with the visit to the DBCIC Museum. Rev. Fr. Joseph Puthenpurackal, sdb, the Director of DBCIC gave an introductory speech on the relevance of the Centre and the Museum for today’s society and explained about the various aspects of the Centre.

The participants acknowledged the animators with gifts and speeches. They were very grateful to the house for arranging this animation programme within a short notice. Since the idea to have this kind of programme came from the youngsters themselves, they found it all the more useful, interesting and inspiring. The response was good from their part.