Day Out to Time Out

It’s a day out for Collegio San Paolo (25th April 2010), a tradition every

after Easter. This year it was a day out to Subiaco at the monastery of St. Benedict (the Benedictine monastery at Subiaco is in fact the first and origin of the Benedictine monasteries) and a time out to Tivoli at the villa d’Este (Villa d’Este is a garden ornamented by splendid display of fountains of water and natural decorations). You can imagine the contradiction and convergence of the two places, something like - in the
world but of the world. Guess what I mean.

Definitely it was a time out where we could afford to spend time to gossip and talk about anything from politics to romance, music to business and to church scandals of course. It was a good time out before we plunge ourselves into intense preparations for annual exams.

8th Ordination Anniversary

7 years has passed me by since the day my hands were anointed to be at HIS service. He is ever faithful. He has never let me down. Should I …?

The Shroud of Turin

The shroud, called Sindone in Greek is the linen cloth with which the body of Jesus was wrapped and buried. The resurrection account tells us that the linen cloth was found pushed to the side in the empty tomb. Peter took it and had it preserved in a secure place (the Quran caves) and later brought at a present side at Turin (it has a long history). The various scientific researches today testify to the death of Jesus linked to the shroud.
I am particularly moved by what I saw and witnessed on 10th April 2010, the first day of the exposition of the shroud for public view. I must say, we (Breson & me) were fortunate to find a place on the very first day. First of all, the very visit itself was under hard consideration as we had just returned back from the same region after the Easter ministry but to think that we might regret it for the rest of our lives helped us to reconsider of making it.
When we reached at the Ingresso – the entry check point, there was definitely chaos – too crowded for the organizers to maintain order. The crowd in hundreds passing through a metre width bridge and into a small entry door reminded me of the narrow gate Jesus indicated. From this point to the duomo –where rested the shroud took us 2 hours. They led us to an open garden at the back of the duomo. There were not less than 10 major stops to scan us through. Finally we arrived at a dark hall before we could enter the Holy Sanctuary of the shroud. Here every single group was animated in about 5 minutes on the shroud with audio visual aid. Then we made a past through the shroud in semi darkness and stopped in front of the casketed Holy Shroud (illuminated) at few metres away.

Here was a moment of intense prayer assisted also with prayerful audio comments for all. Then we made a quiet exit. There is another entry to the duomo where recourse to the sacrament of reconciliation is made available or spend time in prayer and contemplation.
What I gather from here is the faith of the people. On the one hand we see the dying faith and yet the thirst for God on the hand. What we see here on the Holy Shroud is the suffering God – the marks of the real brutal torture, the stains of human cruelty to Jesus, the vengeance of sin. The blood stained face of Jesus imprinted on the shroud, besides other marks like the wounds on the hands and legs, the bruises all over the body, bore witness to the fact that Jesus really suffered inhuman torture. The shroud has left a perpetual fountain, a bleeding suffering God so that his creatures may recognize HIM.