GRACE...!

           As I was taking an oral exam with my students; I asked one of my students about what is/was God for him? He answer saying that God is complete to which we cannot neither add anything nor subtract anything from him. Beautiful answer and I began think over it.          Today as I was reading a book Awareness by Anthony de Mello I came across a similar ideas about God. He quotes Meister Echart, "God is not attained by a process of addition to anything in the soul, but by a process of subtraction." We don't do anything to be free, we just drop something of the self then we are free. This has been an eye opener for me to think of God's greatness and my limitedness. In his greatness is our strenght. But not by our will and power. God is therefore, complete in himself and pervades everywhere. 

           Dear Friendz, Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows. This feast reminds us dat mother Mary suffered mentally, psychologically and spiritually. She suffered not for herself but for us. The pain and suffering of our Blessed Mother tells us that, if we suffer for ourselves it is endurance but if we suffer for others it is noble and meaningful. This is the kind of suffering our mother experienced in her earthly life. For suffering is a mystery. Suffering is God's visit to us in disguise. Praise God for having brought Christ through our Blessed Mother. May she intercede for us dat we may imbibe her virtues of patience and purity.     The feast of our lady of sorrows reminds us that the cause of joy is painful but the fruit of suffering is sweet like the salvation brought by Jesus by his death on the cross. Pain is never desired by anybody but the truth is that we all of us have face some sort of pain and suffering. So, the lesson is to accept pain an

HOUSE OF OUR LIFE: "God invites us to build the house of our life on a rocky foundation. For this enterprise we are the contractors, masons and dwellers. Therefore, ultimately we are responsible to build the house of our life either on a rocky foundation or on sand." Those who are wise will build their house on a rocky foundation and the foolish build on sand. It is all in one's individuals choice. No one can make us to choose either of the options but the others can only advise and suggest us to help to choose either of the choices.......Be watchful therefore  

              "God forgives but nature will never forgive." Bec God is not a principle, not a law (natural law), not a system (barter system, where we exchange goods for goods), God is Mysterious LOVE. Therefore as God's children our christian life invites to live beyond laws, principles and systems. This is what we call going extra mile. And living Virtuous over being good. Bec, our life is beyond tit for tat, where we experience God's love as He embraces equally despite our differences and vulnerabilities. Bec, God cannot but love us; for He is love itself. This does not mean that he is conditioned by His love for us? No not at all. Bec, our minds are too small to grasp this profound truth. The point is that we are called to transcend from our limited level of eros to philia and from there to Agape level where we become complete. For we are called to go beyond tit for tat. At this level we begin to respect the individuals as they are rather than limiting them int

Love keeps no score of wrong, and does not gloat over any sort of unpleasant happenings. Just like the love of Mamma Margaret and Don Bosco during the wandering oratory days despite the problems caused by the boys. This bicentenary celebration of the birth of Don Bosco, be a gentle reminder for me and for all of us to introspect about not what we are rather where we are ? Don Bosco is a saint who had foreseen the science of the times. Therefore, if our SPCSA invites him to grace the occasion of our unique celebrations in 2115 what would he tell his sons? Don Bosco would surely invite each of one of us to leave our four walls of comfort and security to launch into the civilized streets and new age youth platforms like Shopping Malls, Social Networks, Theatres, Games Clubs and Music/Dance Rooms to join the circle of friendship and love them as they are without any preconditions at the same time as catalysts to challenge them for something better. Thus for 2115 celebrations of t

          Down the history we see many a people irrespective of creed, complex and community strive to make life worth living. Today no wonder why positive thinking books become the best sellers in the markets. However this is very transparent when a Psychologist Adler makes life all about Power.           For Adler, life is centered around Power. From this dimension we strive to dominate others. And thus we try to become the center of the attraction. We instead of serving and caring, begin to dominate others. Thus we try to make our life happy and easy.                   On the other hand Freud opens the eyes of Adler and unveiled the dimension of Power to Pleasure. It is very appealing for the Western lifestyle. He makes a move from Power to Pleasure. So, at this level we always strive to work to make life as a Pleasure. Thus from the Freudian perspective we become prey to the subconscious mind. At times without our knowledge we try to make life more as Pleasure than Pain

           Today during my interaction with a girl named Glory...tells me that "Take things light and you will be bright." I think she was partially right by making this spontaneous and frank statement. I began to think about it. Then I began to make sense of what she said.    In life, we find very difficult to lose our belongings and things. It is although more difficult to lose oneself for the other. Especially in today's context where consumerism, materialism and functionalism creep into our minds and hearts instead service and concern.            Once, King Sree Krishna Devarayalu invited all the poets, learned and other elite to discuss about the ways to reach heaven. All great people were assembled for the show. Then one of his campus poets who was known for wit and wisdom Tenali Ramakrishan came forward and made this short statement. "If I go then I go." No could understand it. So he was reqested to explain it. Then he said, All  the world is fi

       There is a great story of the ancient legend. Of late I was watching a movie Pathfinder, where I came across this same story being told by the actress to the hero.       It is said that in everyone's heart there are always two wolves constantly fighting. One is HATE and the other is LOVE. If so, Who will win? The one that you feed the most, is the spontaneous answer given to the hero. Yes from dawn to dusk we project these two wolves through our words, deeds and intentions.      I was thrilled by this wonderful story and began to reflect upon my life over the years; how about my life? and which one I am feeding the most. Dear friendz let's be aware of the zoo of our heart where there are two wolves being inhabited. Let's feed the wolf of Love and thus become loving people and caring people. This is all about life where we make our life meaningful to self and the rest.

        No knowledge is greater than Self-Knowledge. Bec self-knowledge entails divine knowledge. Divine knowledge thus unveils the truth of our being. That's why Peter knowing who he was tells Jesus "Lord depart from me." Socrates also reminds us of the same.."Know thyself." By having self-knowledge we become aware of our frailties and vulnerabilities. By our weakness we come to know the greatness of our God. St. Paul confirms this as "When I am weak then I am strong." This makes us humble to accept that our is capable of making us strong despite our weaknesses. Therefore, our is great and doble great.