Sacraments a Rahner’s View...

           

We are living in an age that is very much at home with sin. It reveals that the current generation is so much engrossed in sin that this age lost even the sense of sin. This reminds me of the words of Jesus where, he said ‘this generation is seeking for sings to believe in the Son of God’. But now I would like to say that, no sings, no symbols and not even miracles are sufficient to make this generation not to sin. Such is the state of sin. The Chinese story that goes, there are two wolves (good and evil) in every person ever at fight. Given the question who would win? The answer is the one that you and I feed the most.[1] This simple story reveals what is happening to the people of the time. And even the age old saying, “God gives and forgives, man gets and forgets”[2] and another saying, “to forgive is divine and to err is human.”[3] Therefore, it is in human nature to sin and err. The unfortunate thing about this is, that human is happy to commit sin and get self consoled that we are humans after all, not making sufficient effort to fight the evil and the sin. So, sin binds us all in the past, present and future. Therefore sin is something that we all share in common. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us says St John (1 St John 1:8). So, sin is something a universal reality originating as it did with Satan in the book of Genesis. (Genesis 3:1-24). Then how to get away from our sin; well there is only one way. That is through Jesus Christ who “……poured out his blood and gave up his life for our sins” (Matthew 26:27-28).

We are sure, that there have been a number of books, articles and journals written and discussions and debates held over the issue called sin. Yet, the tension and the misconception over this doctrine of Sin were unresolved. However the authors, writers and scripture scholars have made a genuine effort to shed light and remove the misunderstandings and misconceptions over the years from a very realistic and convincing contemporary approach. So, what is clear to us is that a single man’s sin is the sole explanation for a condition of deprivation in every other human person? This is purely from Christological point of view.[4]

In sin human is brought lower state. The Latin term, peccatum indicates a fall or ruin. Also the Sanskrit root, ped means to fall. In Hebrew, the most basic word used is revolt or transgression indicating the deliberate act of defiance against God.[5] This idea is very clear in the book of Genesis where the essential problem lies in the desire of the humans to be like God. All sin is an act of idolatry, the attempt to replace the Creator with someone or something else. Usually it will be one’s own self or one’s own desire, or creation (Genesis 3:1-7).

So, sin is a fall in the moral sense. It is a failure to be what one ought to be. It is losing the way, straying from the right road, slipping away from the truth. When one commits sin, one falls from his/her dignity or moral perfection; for we are all created in the image and likeness of God. So, when we sin we disfigure the image of God in us. This is exactly what I would like to draw our attention and mind that in sin we disfigure our image that was created by God by our pure choices and decisions. Hence, like in the Old Testament we know God promised our first parents that he would not abandon them rather would send a saviour. We know that it is Jesus the saviour and redeemer who can remove our guilt and sin by his own blood and life. Jesus after his passion, death and resurrection he sent his holy spirit to guide us and he instituted the sacraments to be with us in a very divine and sublime way. What a love that God and Christ had for humanity. Now let me explain the context of the theme, Sacraments from a Karl Rahner’s view.

                    Sacraments: A Karl Rahner’s View is the theme that I chose for myself learning and understanding of the mysteries of the sacraments from a great theologian point of view. As I begin to study and delve my theological explorations I encountered this great man by name Karl Rahner, a great theologian of the 20^th century, whose contribution in the second Vatican council was enormous. Besides, the reason for me to take this theme is that I realized how ignorant I was about the sacraments and the sacramental grace all through my formative years. Therefore, as I am preparing to become a priest I feel it is my duty and obligation to know more about the sacraments. My initial study of sacraments tell that, Rahner is one of the accepted protagonists of the renewal of Eucharistic theology in the twentieth century, and an important figure during the second Vatican council. I feel therefore, a journey into his mind can be a source of guidance in the ongoing process of my theological learning and understanding. Another aspect is that, the explanation of the seven sacraments tells that, they all embrace the faithful equally in the mystical body of Christ Jesus, the source and the summit of every sacrament.[6]

                                                                             

               Hence, I deliberately chose this theme with a thought and purpose in mind. In my early theological studies I began to develop a special admiration for two great theologians of 21^st century namely Karl Rahner and Henry J. Newmen. Therefore, I deem it as my opportunity and privilege to delve over the former’s contribution in the matters of sacraments for my better understanding. All the more, it was Karl Rahner who made a systematic contribution to the theological understanding of the Sacraments. His writings tell us how there is a beautiful symbolic structure and meaning inherent in the sacraments. Hence, doing a paper or a study on any of his notions will surely be an insight. SC 59 articulates that the purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify people, to build up the Body of Christ, and to give worship to God. Thus the sacraments nourish, strengthen the faith of the people.[7]

          This methodological paper unveils my own pre-understanding over the classical theme the sacraments of course directed from a particular point of view. Especially with this study and research shed light on my misconception over this issue. To be clear about the matter I did thought for a long time that the sacraments guarantee the grace and was sure by mere physical participation and reception grace is bestowed. And I was not sure of how the sacraments were understood and administered in the pre-Vatican days. I feel it was unfortunate thing that could ever happen to a young religious aspiring to become a priest for the people of God. So, it was my ignorance and my thirst that impelled me to choose this theme and shed light over my little knowledge or rather poor knowledge over the sacraments.

      I, therefore feel that it is my obligation and privilege to delve over this must and ought topic for a religious like me, aspiring to follow Christ intensely. At this juncture I wish to quote the words of St Jerome, “Ignorance of Scripture is Ignorance of Christ.”[8] Similarly ‘ignorance of the sacraments is ignorance of Christ.’[9] What I would like to exhort is simple, that we specially, who aspire to follow Jesus should posses Christ who is treasured in the sacraments. It is wonderful to have the knowledge of Christ, from Scriptures, Revelations, and Testimonies and more lucidly from the Sacraments. For, it was the will of Christ to come close to us through the sacraments, to abide in our hearts and live in us.

                                                                             

CONCLUSION: From this paper on sacraments from Karl Rahner’s point of view is an eye opener for me. This paper explains how the sacraments posses the grace of God. Karl Rahner did accept and believe firmly that the sacraments are deeply rooted theologically in the life and the service of the Church. The Church is endowed with the grace of administering the seven vital actions of the sacred liturgy. These seven sacraments are first of all efficacious in action and nature and are the means of saving grace of Christ. However, the paper does not deal about each sacrament in systematic way but rather sacraments in general from a renowned theologian’s mind.

It is clearly mentioned how the need and the necessity of the sacraments crept into human history. Well, the introduction it is mentioned elaborately how first the sin entered human history. Later how God willed to save the humanity from this fallen state to restore and reassure his mercy and love for humanity whom He did create in his own image and likeness. God, by sending his only son to live, love and die for the humanity and resurrect from death and thus he assures life in God. Christ thus, institutes the sacraments and he himself becomes a sacrament of God and then institutes the Church as the sacrament of his grace. This Karl Rahner calls as the saving plan of God. This is popularly known by him as GUSW, God’s Universal Saving Will. What should surprise us over here is, how is that the term Sacrament is not mentioned in the either of the scriptures. This was keenly noted by Rahner. But Rahner says, that literally that term is not found in the scriptures nut the nature of the term is mentioned in the scriptures especially the ecclesial nature, the body of Christ is very clear in this regard.[10]  

At this juncture I wish to quote the words of St Jerome, ‘if we Scripture, we the Christ’, similarly ‘if we know the sacraments without doubt we the graces of ignorance of Christ.’ By doing this paper I message that I received and what message that I would like to drive home is, let us strive to posses Christ who is treasured in the holy sacraments. My invitation and exhortation is especially for those who aspire to follow and imitate Christ for life. Christ is waiting for us in most humble and sublime form in the sacraments. I am sure that it is wonderful to have the knowledge of Christ, from Scriptures, Revelations, and Testimonies and more lucidly from the Sacraments. For, it was the will of Christ to come close to us through the sacraments, to abide in our hearts.  

 

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[1] Naresh Neelam, “Two Wolves,” http://nareshsdb.blogspot.com/2014/09/two-wolves-in-our-heart.html (November 3, 2015).

[2] Saying

[3] Saying

[4] James L. Connor, “Original Sin: Contemporary Approaches,” Theological Studies, 29, 2 (1968) 240-215.

[5] Connor, “Original Sin: Contemporary Approaches,” Theological Studies, 240-215.

[6] Edmund Gomes, “General Sacramental Theology,” A Course on Sacraments in General (Sacred Heart Theological College, Shillong, August, 2015) Unpublished Class Notes.

[7] The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium (1963) 10, A. Flannery ed., Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Documents (Bombay: St Paul Publications, 1997). 

[8] Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum (1965) 25, A. Flannery ed., Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and post Conciliar Documents (Bombay: St: Paul Publications, 1997), Abraham M. Antony, Apologetically Yours: Towards a Persuasive Defence of the Christian Faith (Shillong: Vendrame Institute Publications, 2015) 31-35. It is very important to read St Jerome Commentary on Isaiah, 1.2.

[9] This is my personal appeal to those who have poor attitude towards the sacraments due to ignorance and negligence.

[10] Rahner, Encyclopedia of Theology, 1477. 

Where is GOD?

Today human being in the world is preoccupied with the rat race of power, prestige and possession. As a result the societies and the states are loosing the sense of values, morality and God. In fact, God has become a rare phenomenon in life, reduced to a concept in the modern and technological world. God is a concept, thought of only at times of need, danger, ill health, favors, jobs and ceremonies. Otherwise God is kept in the back seat as if he is a stranger to life. 

And to add fuel to the fire and to make things worse, the technology, scientism, new age thinkers, materialism, consumerism, individualism have crept into the societies crumpling down the edifices of human values, social relations and the dignity of the families. This is seen very much when the youth and the students isolate themselves while indulging in latest technologies and social networks. No wonder why the relationships have become very suspicious and inauthentic even to the extent of one’s identity is being masked with the fake identities and some are threatened to reveal their real identity presuming the danger. (Of course I don’t deny the positive side of the technology like dissemination of information and imparting education, I only say; the values are at stake.)We can see this drastic change in the societies as people are going away from Mandirs to Malls, Families to Restaurants, Class Rooms to Cafes, Priest to Celebrities, Masjid to Markets and Temples to trade centers, etc. Therefore, the words of Kant are very true “the shallowness of the present age and of the decay of profound science; the doubt, security, indifference and criticism are the thoughts of this age. To this age of criticism everything is subjected, the sacredness of religion, authority of legislation become the subjects of suspicion.”

Today the elite in the societies are plundering the poor and becoming stinking rich and while the poor people are left as if flushing away the excreta. I personally witnessed this most detestable, indecent situation in Mumbai, the financial center of India, in the month of October, 2012 when we, as a group visited the city as part of our Mumbai Darsan. To my surprise, the sky scrapers, posh hotels like Taj, esteemed restaurants, Glittering theaters, spacious Malls and luxurious mansions etc. are the common residence of the rich. The poor people are compartmentalized to the railway tracks, railway stations, under the fly-overs, road dividers, temples, slums and to the streets. This is how the humanity and it’s dignity in the city are artificialized as life in its spectacular manner seems very easy and cozy for the rich.For the poor each moment is a threat, danger, insecure and in a way like the survival of the fittest where they are just surviving and not living the life. At this juncture morality, justice, uprightness, values and human dignity are nothing but a big question mark. Thus we see how God (Religion and values) is eclipsed from the Google world as if they have become irrelevant, insipid and dull to the modern people.

Here I would like to bring to attention that, we only believe that God is powerful, majestic, mighty and splendid. Unfortunately we don’t think that God is also poor like the people in the slums, He is helpless like the people who lost their dear ones, He is oppressed like the people who are oppressed. Likewise God is most humble, vulnerable, and fragile like the help less baby wrapped in papers and thrown in the bins, like the babies who are aborted before they come into the world, God is cheated by the powerful, the rich and mighty. God is like the helpless farmer whose lands are taken away by the landlords. Thus there is a deep meaning to say that God is the poorest of the poor and most humble and sublime like the poor widows and innocent who people lost lives in the religious clashes like in Godra, Khandamal and Mumabi (Taj Hotel) tragedies. God is like a servant waiting for the master and so He is looking at us for our return.

Therefore, God is not like Plato telling eternal ideas exist and he made the innate ideas as the center. The Medieval Philosophy stressed that the adequation of the intellect to the things as truth while, giving excess priority to the reason.The Cartesian/Modern philosophy thought, what I think is the world by making I as the center to the world. Kant tried to tell us the ground of reason as the foundation of all. For Heidegger, the unveiling of Being and listening to being is important. So his approach is a very pagan understanding of person like the pre-Socratic.

All these philosophical quarries tried their best to explain what exactly the truth is. The western philosophy was more of egological, where ‘I think: I am and I think it is.’ The world is what I make of it. Hence, it is very centric (centripetal and centrifugal).

We know that Jesus telling us in the Gospel I am the way, the truth and the life. For, he is God, and God is an ever receding existent in the world.

The life in the cities is lived enclosing from the other and indulging in comfort zones and cocoons of individualism and consumerism. Thus the life in this new age is changed as if we are indifferent and abnormal to God. To put it simply we have reached even to the extent of living as if there is no God or as if God doesn’t exist. But if we turn the pages of history we see Victor Frankel who suffered pain and endured patience says that every one in the world is blessed with an element of divinity and spiritual element. It is only because of the ignorance of our minds that we some how loose the sight of this spiritual element hidden deep within our hearts like the carnal of the fruit. At this critical situation, where we have lost the sense of God in the world and even unable to recognize the fellow human person, here we have Abraham J. Heschelwho says in his work, God in search of man, that there are three starting points to think about God. First, the way of sensing the presence of God in the World and in the things, the second, sensing the presence of God in the Bible and the third, sensing the presence of God in sacred deeds. These three ways in fact are intimated in three Biblical passages:

Lift up your eyes on high and see, who created these. Isaiah 40: 26

I am the Lord thy God. Exodus 20: 2

We shall do and we shall hear. Exodus 24: 7

These are nothing but religious worship, learning and action. These three are one that we all must go three ways to reach one dimension and destination. So, in this line we can say that God of nature is God of History and the way to know him is to do His Will.

In today’s context I think God can be seen in the words of Jeremiah 22: Love of neighbor, stranger, foreigner, widower, and the poor. So, in line with Jeremiah, Levinas calls us forth saying that Ethics/Justice is the spiritual optic in which there is no glance of subject object relation. Instead, in righteousness, in uprightness where there is face-to-face encounter/relationship. Thus God’s presence is felt in the social relations.

To understand God and to prove the existence of God seems stupid. Stupid because what are we? Who are we to prove His existence? This is like fish in the sea trying to find where the water is. We know that theodicy is nothing but defending God’s existence against the problem of evil. It is to justify God’s ways to man. Leibniz coined the term Theodicia from Greek word theos, God dike/dixaia, Justice. He was interested in defending God against the problems of evil, religious indifference, cynicism, agnosticism, atheism, skepticism, human suffering and doubt. Therefore, it is only an attempt to make God’s omnipotence and benevolence compatible with the existence of evil.

There is also Natural Theology which is the way to know God through reason and not from scriptures. So this is only a human effort, through reason striving for the knowledge of God, while denying revelation and dogmas. It is only human speaking about God, theolegein. 

There have been many dangers, threats to our belief in God and God in the world. Some of the threats/critics are ….Suspicion, Atheism, Agnosticism, Indifference, Scientism, Evolution, Secularization, Theory of Projection and Sublimation, Marxism and etc. Some of them can be….

Ludwig Feuerbach: God as a Projection of Human Nature.

Emile Durkheim: Religion is a social construction.

Sigmund Freud: God is only Sublimation.

Marxism: Religion is opium of the people.

Friedrich Nietzsche: God, the Calumny of Life, the Death of God.

Max Weber: The priority is given to Rationalization and Secularization. Money rules the world.

And Today the Technology and Science have been deducing the nature of things with experiments. We are becoming more technical and less dependent on God and Providence.

The questions that we can ask are, Is God really absent from a technological and modern civilization because human no more seems to heed to God’s help?Is man trying to objectify the technology/media or Man is being objectified by media? Despite of all these negative forces we have many religions which intend to lead people to God. Religions are very sacred in their nature and purpose with specific creed, cult and custom. The etymology of the term Religion is very interesting. For, it has five senses with different meanings in Latin. The meanings of religion are—to rebind, to re-tie, to re-link, to re-join, to gather together etc. Religion is like the ligament in our knee which is an essential part to unite, to keep fit, to keep flexible the knee bones, so that we can walk, work and jump. In the similar sense it is the religion that unites us to God and keeps us more and more close to God provided we are attached to Him alone. Therefore, Religion is not we seeking for God,but the greater seeking the lower.So,it is His initiative that He is in search of human and not human is in search of God. We can see how Jesus took the initiative to wash the feet of his apostles and taught them to love each other. God telling in the Old Testament (It is I who chose you. I knew you before you were born.)

So, religion is not our choice as we think, not we electing and affirming God; this is true in Judaism and Christianity where God is seen as He is in search of man, (Parable of the Prodigal son and father, Good Shepherd) and then man’s response to God in return.

Levinas puts this point very nicely saying that Religion is the sense of God’s search for little man and the human response to this divine search of him. Thus, for Levinas Religion begins with Revelation. Christian Trinitarian God is a Life in the society between the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. This divine society of which Father is the sun, Jesus is the light and the spirit is sun rays which proceeds to the man and the world, revelation to man through world and history. The son redeems the world and the spirit sanctifies the world.

So it is God who takes the initiative in creation, sustaining and in salvation. With this the initiative is not stopped. He continues to seek the human kind in all our life asking us to turn to Him. He is after us although we are busy like Eve and Adam satisfying ourselves and indulging with the apple of egoism, power, prestige, possession. Yet God takes initiative to ask,Where are you? Gen 3: 9. He asks us, as he asked Cain Where is your brother? Gen 4:9. As he told Moses, He is telling us all, I’ve seen the miseries of my people Exodus 3:7.You will hunt me like a lion Job: 10:16.

For the Christians Father and spirit are who take initiative, (Gen 1& 2, Math 1: 18-20) and Son Jesus is incarnated in Human history. He suffered, died and was buried; But Father rose him up from the dead. Therefore, Religion for the Jews and for the Christians is not a Human “Projection,” not “Sublimation,” not “Social Construction” either. Here we see the element of the “OTHER” taking initiative than, the human self. The element of projection, sublimation and social construction and etc., are in no way valid with their arguments.

Here Christian God is the Covenantal God. Because it is initiated by God himself while giving faith to his fellowship as His gratuitous gift. His initiative is greater than the human response. He is ever faithful to human in spite of the human unfaithfulness. It is His salvific plan that human shall be saved from the bondage of sin and death. Therefore his salvific plan is covenant that differs from the Contract. The contract is more of symmetrical where both the parties are equal and agree upon reciprocity, legality and mutuality. Here the agreement is made only between equals like in psychology saying ‘you scratch my back and I scratch your back.’ Contrastingly the Covenant is characterized by non-reciprocity, asymmetry, and initiative from the greater, an imperative and no-allergy. In this covenantal project we see 1 John 4: 10,In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he has first loved us. Jesus in obedience to the Father tells us that Jn 6: 65 No one can come to me unless the Father draw him.

In this relentless search God is more interested in finding us that we are in finding Him. He is the Good Shepherd who leaves the 99 upon the mountains and goes in search of the one that is lost. He is like the woman who rejoices when she finds the coin. He is the Father who is waiting to welcome us and to celebrate our homecoming.

Conclusion: This asymmetrical, covenantal and non-reciprocity notion of God’s salvific plan entails a new horizon of the truth and reality. Jesus showed a new horizon by offering another cheek. This is non-reaction notion of responding to open the new horizons of which the other is ignorant of. This way of opening a new horizon is not so easy to live and practice because it is not normal but it is very noble. It is noble because it is not a slave response but an extraordinary way of seeing the truth from the other dimension. Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and John Paul II have lived such life and showed the light in their life to the millions.

This is Covenental Love where the Desire is highlighted in fullness and contentment. This is the Ec-centric and redemptive plan of God. In this the wealth yearns for fullness. Unlike the covenantal love, the Greek Erotic Love is where, only Need/want are highlighted, basing on Ego-centric marked out by centripetal and centrifugal. All the critics are wrong and invalid because our God is not a human revelation nor human projection but our God is, His revelation to us in the covenantal plan, it is His initiative (Ec-centric) which is very much stressed by Levinas unlike Buber who only stressed the mutual and intimacy. But the covenantal relationship is more than the intimacy. Intimacy can be only between two equals that leads only to the tomb. But the ec-centric/covenantal, asymmetrical relationship is between more than two, God, you/I and the other/world. This leads to womb, a symbolic expression of new life over death.

The egological/western philosophy would say, the world is what I make of it. This thought is centered by ‘I.’ The characteristic factors of this thought can be competition. Such people are only of 2.50%. Of course this is necessary.

The Covenantal Philosophy would say, you speak to me, therefore, I am. Such people are only of 0.50%. The characteristics are of co-travellers and noble. It is of ec-centric and asymmetrical relation. The anonymous type is of 97% people follow this. However in conclusion what we can draw home is where we can be placed. We must give importance to the self as well, if not who will think about us. Today our task is not to see whether god is with us or not but whether we are with GOD or not.May the prayer St Francis of Assisi be our prayer “I cry for the love that loved us and is not loved.”

Thank you.

CONSCIENCE IN COMMUNION

 “Conscience is human’s s most secret core and the sanctuary” (GS16). In other words conscience is the inner voice coming from God. Therefore we are to listen and walk according to our inner voice in order that one day we may become like “Shining and guiding stars in the firmament of human history”. Therefore, the formation of conscience is extremely important in order to have a clear conscience that chooses what is good and avoids what is evil. Such a formation of conscience takes place always in the culture of a community which is fundamentally Trinitarian and Communitarian (Communion).   

However, often confusion arises in our minds regarding the moral conscience and superego. According to psychologists these are conflicts that occur within a person’s mind. Hence, we should be aware that they are not identical and can be distinguished in many ways: for an instance we know that the super ego commands us to act whereas conscience is a response to this invitation; superego is selfish while, conscience is an openness to others; superego is static and respects blindly to authority whereas conscience is dynamic and respects the values meaningfully; when superego focuses on the past, conscience capitalizes on the future.

Let us now look at the scriptural perspective about Jesus. Well, in the scriptures especially in the New Testament we know how in his pure human conscience lived among us. Well, likewise we know that Jesus’ words and works reveal that He lived as a man of communion and became a model for all generation and to all generations par excellence. There are many occasions in the Gospels where Jesus deals with moral issues of his times. For example “let anyone among you who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone at her.” Everybody went away and Jesus looked at the woman with mercy and forgave her sin but at the same time He warned her go in peace and sin no more. Through this account we can understand that it is a challenge for all of us, Christians, to imitate this perfect model of Jesus in our dealings with others. Jesus’ communion with the Father and with the human beings can be illustrated in the following manner:   

Abba Conscience – ‘children of your Father’ (V.45) - Faithfulness and Fidelity.

Messiah Conscience – ‘but I say to you’ (V.44) - Truthfulness and Identity.  

Pneuma Conscience – ‘love your enemies’ (V.44) – Fruitfulness and Liberty.

In order to adopt this conscience in communion, we have to focus in a special way, on three spheres of Christian existence: namely Person, Reason and Revelation.

Person: “A person means ‘facing towards’. Because, when a person faces others truthfully, freely and joyfully, s/he has the moral integrity and human dignity. Three fundamental areas of human relation are: God, Human Beings and Creation”. In communion with God one forms his/her conscience and deepens in union with God. Thus we come to know the truth, goodness and beauty of God in our communion with the other person. And this relationship will flow towards the neighbour and creation. These are interconnected. 

Reason:  All of us are endowed with the faculty of reason to know, love and live in truth, goodness and bliss. All of us are called into existence for this purpose for which everyone is designed and destined by God, the creator. A person is in virtue of human reason to have communion with community and communicate the truth, goodness and bliss to the members of the community. In communion with the end of the intention, there can be mortification on the morality of human action. Good intention alone is not enough, but action should be good as well. Therefore, there is no place for any means of good end. It simply means the means does not justify the end to act in proper conscience towards the neighbor.     

Revelation: Conscience formation is indeed revelation. Along with person and reason, revelation gives the specificity and identity of good a (Christian) conscience.  This revelation helps us to address the unique yet universal issues directly. Therefore for us Christians Revelation in Christ reveals the dignity and destiny of the person. In this revelation process faith has a pivotal role. For, faith fills the members with vivid imagination, solid motivation and candid orientation in life. Thus, the forming of one’s conscience has to be at home with all the tribes of one’s faith in the community proper. And so, this content of the revelation is at the very center of one’s culture, since faith is at the heart of the person. 

Conclusion: Communion with God is important because from this relationship one’s conscience is formed to enable one to recognize and to know the truth. Thus it helps a person to identify truth and goodness of others which facilitates us to have a healthier relationship with others and to live in union with nature. For this end, Jesus is the perfect model of this communion with God and human being. Thus, Jesus Christ himself extends and opens this towards his neighbor and the nature, resulting in a healthier relationship and a happy and holy life.    

Work is done by Sr. Deena John (BTh)  

Kochappilly, Paulachan, “Conscience in Communion”, Jeevadhara XXXIV, 204, 493-504.    

Love begets Love...

For the one who wishes to love, always finds someone to love...

For the one who loves, always finds a tune to sing...

For the one who sings, always finds a work to do...

For the one who works, always makes his/her life, a life of prayer.