GRACE...!

I was none... is now one... but will be none... When I was none... there was one... to make one... Thank  God I was none... for, there was one... and now I am One... Cos God is One... there is none... beside One... God is near... no more fear... when He is near... Cos God is One... I am ever One... Will never be One... Like the one never before... is the only one ever after... will never be hereafter... 

Pastoral Counselling Course  27th-28th September 2018  1. Write an integration paper of understanding and insights received?    The two-day sessions were guided by the Holy Spirit and the grace of God. It was a moving experience invoking the Spirit with a hymn Spirit be our spirit... On the first day, we were put into context by drawing our attention to Jesus. Evangelists tell us how Jesus was compassionate, empathetic and yet effective in his three years of public ministry. Therefore, Jesus the Good Shepherd is our model and inspiration to emulate and imitate. It was an eye-opener for me, that (in the contexts of the Religious Life) ‘if we are left to ourselves then we come to know the truth of our convictions and commitments.’ Perhaps, today a majority of laypeople, faithful, domestic staff and people who associate with us in work know how autonomous, authoritative, assertive, independent and even disobedient we are. This sets everything in perspective of the Pastoral

Monday: 1 Cor. 11:17-26, 33; Lk. 7:1-10   The first reading presents to us how Paul explains the attitude and the disposition of the community with regard to the Lord’s Supper. In fact, Paul gives a scolding to the community because they failed to understand the meaning of the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. As we all know that the Eucharist is the expression of Jesus love for the twelve apostles. But, the community was disloyal to this Eucharistic love due to disunity and lack of eschatological orientation. One of the reasons why Paul does not commend the community is that while celebrating the Eucharist they were stuck to their divisions and factions. Thus the community failed to understand the primordial things over the trivial issues. They gave away the eschatological essentials by being bogged down by the existential elements. Paul is rather emphatic as he says that what he received from the Lord he passed it on. But then the community could not do so. Therefore, at

Once, a friend asked me to prepare a talk on the role of the young people towards parents, family and the Church. Today, the young people are seemed to be busy doing many things but they fail in life. In fact, many young people end up in life as drunkards, drug addicts, rapists and then commit suicide. As teenagers, they are so promising and so active in studies, sports and music but then as they complete teenage something goes wrong with them. Where are the principles that they learn in the School? Where are the values that they learn in the family? Where is their faith? Being young is adventurous and challenging. But then, suddenly there is a drastic change in their lifestyle, dress code, talk, food habits, picnics, new and unknown friendships and online late night chatting etc. Dear young reader, I am happy that you are reading this and while you read if you find yourself uncomfortable then you’ve got to think seriously about your life. Today all the young people who are victims

A las! B itter tale is mine. C omes to my mind like an unceasing sunrise and D rives me into depression and dejection. E ventides are filled with assignments galore. F requent trials of text-familiarity tests add on to my grief. G riever, I have become more grievers my associates turned. H ighlighting, again and again, the highlights of the Bible text, I nch is not left without colouring the page. J ust how contrast to my day; colourless and lifeless. Knowledge of the scripture I sought to master L amentations unending is what I fetched and M ourning and in misery, I sink deep. N ineveh, the old destroyed city O h! What a similar pathetic state we both have P arched for comfort and longing for consolation. Q uestionable life is mine, is it worth treading? R ender your answer, O Lord, and restore my soul. S ilence, my dearest soul, loose not your hope T rust in Lord, take time to test your motives U nwrap your true self, strive for the truth

Dear friends in Jesus Christ... first reading presents to us how Paul’s evangelical mission was established on God’s initiative. (Sosthenes Acts18:17). Paul refers to the Church of God and the believers as set apart . He uses this highly condensed formula kletois hagiois , means that believes have been set apart by God. However it does not qualify that they are intrinsically holy, but they are sanctified through Christ . To understand the phrase ‘ Those Sanctified ’ we must know the context of Paul and Corinth. Paul’s earliest preaching in the city took place in the local synagogue where, both Jews and Greeks accepted his message. It is in this context that Paul tells of those who are made ‘ Holy ’, and ‘ Set apart.’ For Paul every Christian is set apart, sanctified and made holy by the merits of Christ’s sacrifice (Heb.10:10). This comes to us in Baptism. Therefore, he encourages them to call on the name of the Lord in prayer and worship.    Besides, Paul reminds, ho

Dear friends today, the Church invites us to celebrate the Queenship of Mary. Her coronation as the Queen of all creation is intimately connected to her Assumption into heaven. This feast was first proclaimed as a Liturgical Feast by Pope Pius XII on 11 th October 1954 through his Encyclical Ad Caeli Reginam . The wisdom of the Church makes this feast significant for us to celebrate all the more with great favour and faith. Considering the fact that Jesus was descendant of the House of David, Mary being the mother of Jesus is entitled by tradition to sit at the right hand of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Queen Mother. This tradition dates back to the Old Testament when Bathsheba was enthroned as Queen Mother because of the role she played in making her son, Solomon, the King. We contemplate this wonderful scene in the fifth Glorious Mystery of the Holy Rosary. In the fifth Glorious Mystery, the Church believes that Mary as the Queen of Heaven, Our Lord comes back to us again t

Hurrey...! we the SHTC family (Staff and Students) inaugurate another academic year of 2018-19 on 7th of August, 2018. The auditorium is packed with students both of BTh and ITLR. The President at the end of his report invited all the students to give the best and get the maximum out of this academic year. Interestingly, another professor had only two things to say; One is to READ and the other is to WRITE.   Today's youth, students and netizens perhaps lack these two academic virtues; hence, he might have felt that the students of SHTC also might have fallen into this current of media. Therefore, his challenge and invitation to Read and Write, I believe are relevant even for us all SHTC students, particularly as we venture into yet another year of learning and unlearning and growing and becoming.  The Theme of the Day: "From darkness of ignorance lead us to the light of knowledge oh God..."    

It was on the eve of the community day celebrations that one of the staff members insight-fully opened my eyes with his thoughtful, insightful and emotion filled speech. Well, that great soul is Rev Fr V.V. Paul who is known for editorial work. What did he say? It was a great day for all the students of theology celebrating the community day on which we would be served good food and drinks. Hence, everyone was waiting for this good and great day. In view of this beautiful day, Fr V.V. Paul gave us food for our thought. For me it was a solid and nutritious food for my thought.  There are always two types of families, societies, communities. I believe that this formula even applies for the type of the self. The first type is the Ideal and the second is Actual . He said that 'these two types are equally important." Because, if Ideal is neglected then we become cynical and on the other hand if we reduce the actual then we fall into hypocritical syndrome. Therefore, the ch

    Introduction: The Greek word apocalypse means ‘to reveal’ what is concealed. The book Apocalypse is a revelatory literature with two approaches, namely apocalyptic and prophetic. The apocalyptic approach distinguishes the righteous from the wicked and rewards them accordingly. In a prophetic dimension, the wicked may repent and change their ways; the righteous stand in need of exhortation to faithfulness. It is highly pictorial, symbolic and metaphorical. There are about 800 allusions to the Old Testament. It was written in the reign of Roman Emperor Domitian 81-96 C.E. The scholars have opined the date from 90-95 C.E. The apocalyptic imagery and language reveal the severity of God’s judgement. The dominant image of the Lamb shows that God’s word of judgement was spoken in the Cross. Therefore, this book contains prophetic messages to the seven churches in Asia Minor. It is here that we must see the universal salvation that is intended by the author despite a deep strugg

Readings: Ps 118: Act. 4: 32-35; 1 Jo. 5:1-6; Jn. 20:19-31     Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, in this second Sunday of Easter, the mother church invites us to understand God’s immense love for us. As a response to God’s love manifested in His only son the three readings help us to reflect on God’s mercy. As his faithful children we therefore are encouraged to thank him and praise him for his goodness. In fact the Responsorial Psalm invites us to give thanks to the Lord for he is good and for his love has no end .    The gospel reading continues to explain to us about the immense love of Jesus; even when his own frightened to speak for him, afraid to stand for him and lacked faith to witness to him and secured themselves in the closed doors instead of overcoming trials and tribulations. Like the apostles we do face a lot of difficulties, doubts and uncertainties. It is at this situation the Lord intervenes and strengthens us through his Holy Spirit and by his peac