Rightful Claim…

Everyone have the right to claim to go through an extraordinary normal suffering, a pain that has no name or don’t know how to describe it. Imagine someone suffering from acute loneliness but not depression, a sort of spiritual experience. You have then all sorts of feelings; feelings of hollow vagueness, of emptiness or feelings of unreachable or incommunicable (may be to someone you love or cared for) or dissociated self from the other, all of these can be terribly exhausting, devastating and nerve cracking. This can happen and must happen to everyone positively (can be also negatively).
Let us say that such state of being that can create or lead to such an excruciating emotional crackdown can be one like, when you know and share the truth of another person’s secret, when protecting such a secret, when helping someone to conceal a factual reality to protect a greater cause, etc. one can experience such pain. This is true more so outside confessional or professional secret.
As we walk the Holy Week, I like to imagine Jesus going through sort of emotional crackdown as he drew nearer to his final countdown. ‘If it is possible, have this cup away from me’ or ‘why have you forsaken me’ are expressions filled with untold truths. Definitely, an expression of exhausted strength but not of hopelessness, of fullness of intimacy and not abandonment.
We got to ask for a bit of such experiences. They are there everywhere in everyday life. Then, we’ll have ample opportunity to challenge God or find Him on our side.

Cultural Memories…

You keep remembering every time you forget. That's how life keeps you going. You meet someone only to remember, 'coz the next moment is already a past. But you must keep moving and pick up memories. As you go, sketch the scraps less you forget the remembrance. Never forget the root, the mother. Keep your identity worthy of your cult and culture.

Walk The Way Home…

On 14th March 2009, inmates of Collegio San Paolo undertook a pilgrimage to Basilica San Paolo fouri le Mura to mark the year of St. Paul, whose college is named after this great apostle. Definitely it is a spiritual journey, a sort of home coming or going as you like it. Accordingly, considerable quality time was given in preparation for this day. A triddum was observed and beautifully animated by different resource persons. The journey began at 7.30 in the morning from Collegio san Paolo. We took a moment of recollection at Monastery Santa Chiara where the sisters helped us to reflect and render a short spiritual exaltation. We moved on to the next station for a short pause at Parrocchia di San Damaso. Here again the priest animated a brief meditation. From here we proceeded for our final destination, Basilica San Paolo Fouri le Mura (a distance of 7km in all). At the Basilica, a solemn Eucharistic Celebration was solemnized and officiated by a Benedictine Abbot. By two in the afternoon all good is done and we are home at San Paolo. What can be concluded is true and a timely spiritual journey replenishes our interior life. We got to identify our identity from time to time. Unless we identify ourselves…? NB: Take a tour of the ‘home coming’ in slides.

An outdated Lent...?

There is a need for a Personal Program. “It should not be enough to slide through Lent by just observing the fast and abstinence laws. We should all undertake a Lenten program, an inward cleansing and purification, for oneself and the family. The program needs to be planned and organized. Ask the question: What shall I and my family do this year for Lent? Goals and activities should be realistic and reasonable”.
I came across this piece of reflection from the catholic culture, a site I frequent. This thought provoked me to once again ask for basic fundamentals to my beliefs and practices. One thought in particular keep nagging me; why we no longer value Lenten observances like fasting and mortification, prayers, almsgiving, self-denial or even good works, a practice exalted by the Church from the very early times? The point is if it was a virtue, how did/could it become a vice? Is it merely a question of being outdated? I do not think so. I would rather consider and strongly believe is the self-selfishness. We care less about others now than before, that’s the only difference I can gather from my reflection. The rest...

Here lies the KEY...

Every time you touch part of the world of St. Peter’s, Vatican you get carried away in the world of wonder to discover more and more into the infinity. The first time I was astounded to learn the architectural beauty of the entire Square, the story of the obelisk (which stands as witness to the martyrdom of St. Peter), the interior Basilica which need no certification, marvel of the Cistern Chapel of Michael Angelo least mention the Vatican Museum, from the tombs of the Holy Fathers beneath the earth to the top of the glory of the world, the cupola. It’s simply ‘incrediblile’.
This time it is an adventure (on 28th February 2009) way down into the underworld of the Basilica, the Necropoli or scavi, specifically the tomb of St. Peter. You have a guide to explain to you the details. This trip really takes you into the world of the Ancient Roman Empire back to first to 4th century: the Christian persecutions, and subsequent martyrdom of Peter himself and return of the Christendom. The
excavation speaks of coexistence of Christians and pagans from the symbols used on the tombs. The crypt of St. Peter is astonishingly revealing. Standing there you really feel the presence of the KEY face to face. You keep staring on the tomb’s stone wall on which is encrypt ‘Here is Peter’. Upon it is built the inner altar and of course upon it stands the central altar as you can see on entering the basilica, hovered by the canopy and the Dome. After all these, what now?
Can I possibly doubt the authenticity of this tomb? “Assolutamente no,” was the instant reply of the guide. Her reaction and conviction told us that no such possibilities ever exist because every aspect of it is already proven wrong and right. Well, one can only confirm it by experience but believe also the witness of one who has seen it.