Joseph and Mary – Model for Missionaries

          Two simple young people of faith from an interior village began their journey, having trust and faith in God and listening to His commands moving from place to place without worrying about their basics of life, without selfishness, without even caring for the health, weather that is day or night, cold or heat, hills or fields. They began their journey courageously placing all their trust in God. Their journey brought the Saviour to the world. They became the great cause for the salvation of the world. Their journey was a successful one. This is the simple story of Joseph and Mary from Nazareth.

         Though Jesus initiates and gives the authority to his apostles to proclaim the kingdom of God, but it is His parents Mary and Joseph who were the real missionaries of Christ who lived more than expectation of Missionary life and gives inspiration to each and every one of us the zeal and missionary spirit to proclaim Christ to the world. Joseph and Mary are the real missionaries of Christ for they brought Christ to the world. They gave Christ to the other. This is the real task of a missionary. It is every Christian’s duty to give Christ to the other. The primary and most important responsibility of every Christian Missionary is to give Christ to the other. Joseph and Mary impress and inspire every one of us to be Christ’s Missionaries and to share in their joy of being missionaries of Christ.

         Three qualities to learn from Mary and Joseph to be the Missionaries of Christ: The first and most important quality Jesus and Mary asks us to imitate to be a Missionary of Christ is: To have complete faith and trust in God. "I can do nothing on my own initiative as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.” Jn 5:30. A trust that is of child. A faith that, with God nothing is impossible. To submit oneself totally to the Lord as Joseph and Mary did. Through this we give our obedience to God as Mary and Joseph accepted the will of God in their life. We not only obey but we completely depend on God for what so happens in our life. The total surrender which helps one to go ahead with the grace of God.

The second quality to be a Missionary of Christ as Joseph and Mary is: To be Courageous. They were daring enough to fight any kind of challenge they are going to face in their journey to and from Egypt. Though they knew that they will be in trouble, but still they were courageous to go ahead to bring Christ to the other.

          The third quality to be a Missionary of Christ as Joseph and Mary is: To be Humble. Let us give ourselves wholly that we may understand his ways in our life as Joseph and Mary humbly obeyed the will of God in their lives. Let us be humble to accept all that comes to our life in this beautiful missionary journey we are going to travel as Joseph and Mary did.

Dear friends, having trust and faith, being courageous and humble will surely make us to live a good missionary life for Christ. Let us also join together in the joy of Joseph and Mary to give Christ to the other, to be his great witnesses, to be his bearers of love, peace and joy to whom so ever we meet. Let us be proud to be called as His missionaries, disciples, and workers in His great harvest of Love.

P.V. Joseph

Come Help Us!

Day by day Europe is filled with the migrants from Africa, and refugees from Syria, Israel and other parts of the world. Italy with lot many earthquakes made many people homeless. India which is in queue for many years for progress made poor the poorest with the demonetization.

The present scenario with all its fashion, technology and development made people forget the other in their life. Everyone is bothered about one’s own self. Selfishness, Consumerism, frustration, anger, and ego is reigning in each and every one of us. Life is made easy and single with the invention of latest technologies. Relationships have come to an end. Facing the people and speaking and listening to the people are no more existing. Love, care and concern have no more value. The quote, No man is an island seems not worthy, because everyone creates their own island of life where no one can enter. People are so immersed in this worldly attraction that emotions of love, mercy, care, concern, relationships got erased in them. Identifying the other as the human being became very typical. Humanity has no place because; we are ruled by the world and its apparatus. Everything became vice versa.

Years and years passed with many destructions and disturbances which are affecting our life. People are increasing their knowledge to make everything controlled in their hands. People are becoming crude and cruel and thinking to reign the whole world with their mind. God is absent in each and everyone’s life.

Come Help Us! This is the watchword of the whole world. Each and everyone in the world are in need of something or the other. Because of all this turmoil, people are moving away from God and their faith.

As we celebrate Christmas in the foregoing days, let us all remind ourselves that Christ became man to help those in need, to love the unloved, to care the uncared, to heal the sick, to welcome the unwelcomed. This is the real meaning of Christmas. Christ came to this world to spread God’s love to the other. At this juncture, let us all become missionaries of Christ in the place where we are and share the joy of Christ to all the people who are in need. Yes dear friends, Come Let us help them in giving Christ to the other. Let this Christmas make everyone of us to love the unloved, to care the uncared, to listen to the unlistened, to talk to the untalked, and to give the ungiven. Let this Christmas make everyone of us to think of the other that is to give the other his/her own dignity of human life.

Cl. Joseph Velangani

DON BOSCO: A FAR-SIGHTED VISIONARY AND

GENEROUS MISSIONARY

Don Bosco at a very young age through a dream at the age of 9 received his vision and mission in life. To be a shepherd to the shepherd less poor and abandoned youth of the world. So empowered with zeal and supported by God’s constant help and Mary’s guidance throughout his life he embarked on this journey and today we see the result of his hard work in the form of the Salesian congregation working in 132 countries, caring for all the under privileged youth in various countries around the world.

Don Bosco as a far-sighted visionary was always focused and allowed God to work and guide him in his life. He was a passionate visionary who dreamt big and always taught of the missions. He used to also seek timely advice and guidance from the people who were close to his heart like his mother Mamma Margaret and his spiritual director Fr. Caffaso. As a visionary he also saw himself to be a priest and a father to the fatherless youth around the world. He studied, worked and dedicated his entire life for them. Making his one and only goal in life to save the precious souls of the young due to which his main vision in life became “Da mihi animas catera tolle!” that is “Give me souls take away the rest!”. This helped him save and nurture countless young souls to do good rather than perish doing evil things in society.

Don Bosco was also a generous missionary. As although he never went to the missions personally he was not self-centered but altruistic and enthusiastic to send missionaries to the missions. He was a person who did everything for the greater glory of God. In 1885, even though his congregation had a few hundred members he sent out the first Salesian missionary expedition to South America and focused on evangelization of the faith to the people who did not know Christ rather than keeping them in Europe. He also prepared the young boys under his care to be good Christians and honest citizens by spreading the gospel of joy to them so that they may make a difference in society and later if inspired either join the Salesians or help in the evangelization of the Catholic faith to others. He also lived like a missionary all his life by finding real joy in sacrifice and by joyfully living the radical life of being poor.

Don Bosco thus having faith and trust in the lord and our lady was sustained and helped to follow his vision and support his mission throughout his life. This made him truly a far-sighted visionary and generous missionary who worked hard to fulfill God’s plan in his life by caring and helping all the youngsters in need around the world. Viva! Don Bosco!

 Cl. Aegidius Pereira 

COME AND SEE; GO AND TELL

There is this sensitive and odd feeling that runs through my body when anyone speaks about or asks about my opinion about the missions. The first thought that pops up in my mind when I hear the word ‘mission’ is going to a foreign land, learning a foreign language, adapting to a foreign culture and my mind gets so filled with these thoughts that the primary aim and purpose of the missionary call slips out of my mind. When anyone speaks of the missions, many questions that fill my mind may be similar to yours. Why do we need to be missionaries? , why do we need to go? ,why can’t we remain here itself and do similar work? and many more. All these questions of yours and mine are answered in the Holy Scripture. This missionary call does not originate in Jesus’ time. It has its origination way back in the beginning of time. In the Old Testament we see that God called Noah, Abraham, Moses and continues in the present times to the people of today.

 This is also what Jesus did in his time. When Jesus saw two young men following him, he turned around and asked them, ‘what are you looking for?’ to which one of them replied, ‘where do you live?’ Jesus’ reply was simple and clear- COME AND SEE.

Before sending the disciples into the world, the Lord always calls us; firstly to come and see. He calls us to have a personal experience of His love.  This experience strengthens us and fills us with faith and gives us a renewed hope to carry out our task well. After we are strengthened in God’s love, we are ready to go and proclaim. There is always a hesitation within us when it is time for us to leave and go. Often times we are so stuck to our small worlds that we do not like to go. We are so relaxed in our comfort-zones that we do not like to leave. Someone once said that “if it were possible, men would go back into their mother’s womb to enjoy the comfort.” But when we look at Jesus, everything he did and said was counter-cultural. He wants us to go because for us to receive a huge reward, a huge sacrifice must be made.

When we are told to go, many-a-time we give excuses. This is completely traditional. This is beautifully portrayed by the author Mitch Albom, in his book ‘Have a little faith,’ when he says, ‘man likes to run away from God and his call.’ There are also various examples in the Bible of the same. Jonah, when he is commanded by God to go, at once flees from the presence of God. Jeremiah’s excuse to God’s command is, ‘I am only a youth and I do not know what to say.’ Moses at God’s call wanted to substitute his brother for himself. It is by human nature that we are afraid to go. But these men, mentioned above, after obeying God’s command lived transformed lives. There are various examples in the bible itself contradicting the above mentioned. For example, Hosea at once goes as the Lord commands. There is also the example of Jesus calling his disciples. At the call of Jesus, Simon Peter and Andrew –both fishermen, drop their nets there itself and follow Jesus. Matthew the tax collector leaves his tax booth and follows the master, likewise the other disciples. Once they had a personal experience with Jesus and when He found that they were ready to go, Jesus sent his disciples out to carry his legacy- the spreading of the Good news.

As Christians our primary call is to be missionaries and witnesses of God’s love. We are called to be sent, to go out of our selves, to spread the Good news. Let us encounter Jesus who long awaits us and after having a deep and personal encounter with Him let us obey his command and GO!    

Cl. Ashely Noronha

Missionary Anthem

Missionary Anthem

What will I do to people in need?

How will I make worthy my life’s deeds?

To give something beautiful to the Lord

Ch: Go Out Go Out to serve the Light

Go Out Go Out to serve the Truth – 2

Go out to serve the Truth.

For the people in darkness want of Christ the Light

For those in confusion want of Christ the Truth

So, Go Out Go Out…

1. Behind the bars of the world

Filled with you alone in my mind

In the darkness I tread

In the path to light

To, Go out Go Out…

2. But the bars of the world O Lord

Stops me to yield for you

As I found you the light

My lamp is so bright

To, Go Out Go Out…

Cl. Palla Velangani Joseph

Cl. Sylvester Cyril

Mother Teresa – A National Highway

                 Mother Teresa – A National Highway

Recently when I was going through a News Letter of Goa Diocese, I read some news on Mother Teresa’s Canonization and her great works. Suddenly a bit of news that I had gone through made me think about Mother Teresa and her work and dedication to our Mother India. The news is as follows:

A new highway in Bhubaneswar is named after Mother Teresa, coinciding with her canonization ceremony at the Vatican. This is to show the love and homage to her from the part of Odisha government for the great work and service she rendered to India and in a special way to Mother India. (Renewal Novsornni Renovacao, Pastoral Bulletin of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman – Vol. LIV No.18, Sep 16-30, 2016.) This news made me think of Mother Teresa as a great angel who not only connected all of us Indians but also reminded each one of us the meaning of India and Indians. When I am just looking for a phrase or an expression to give a title to her where there are no differences, where unity in diversity is seen in, India is where I felt a Highway where anyone can travel. I think Mother Teresa fits exactly as the Highway leading all of us and connecting all of us in the journey of our life

A National Highway:

A National Highway is the largest road that connects many places and allows all kinds of vehicles to travel. These are the roads, which control the traffic in the cities. These roads connect many national and state capitals, major ports and rail junctions and link up with border roads and foreign highways. National Highways not only serve as the transportation but also become the economic backbone of the country.

Mother Teresa – A National Highway, I say because She and Her work exactly fits the description of architectural connectivity of National Highways. As a special and linking point, the National Highway is the only place where Indians do not lay the stamp of caste, religion, race and even special reservations. All are become equals and anyone is welcome to travel on this road. Such was the indiscriminate heart of this great woman of Kolkata, She was a saint who lived and showed us how to love. She brought meaning to life and enhanced the dignity to every form of life, specially the handicapped, the crippled, the deformed, the destitute, the orphaned. She was a mother open to all with her kind and loving heart connecting all of us in God’s Love. She won everyone allowing to travel on her road of love and treated all as mother and never created a traffic jam on her road of love. Yes, dear friends she with her motherly kindness and gentle approach won the hearts and admiration from every one of us and thereby connecting all of us in the network of her love. Let us see some of her life incidents that support my phrase, Mother Teresa – A National Highway.

Her Life as a Missionary: Her life as a missionary broadened and stretching her roads of life with humanism. She pitched her place as a missionary in India by welcoming every one into her loving home.

Her Life in the Loreto Convent: Though she was a little strict, yet, the gentle firmness won the hearts of the young girls and sisters in the convent with her little acts of love and kindness. Her tender heart towards the slums around the convent makes us understand as the first pillar or foundation for highway of humanism.

Her Life in the Calcutta Slums: Though she was initially not allowed to carry out her calling in the slums of India, nor accepted by them, she opened her little ways and shortcuts to make them enter her broad highway by being with them and loving them and serving them. She became a great Network of Love extending her kindness and little acts of mercy to everyone far and wide. She won their hearts and made them ply their little vehicles on the highway with her service and love. E.g.: An Old woman, thanking her for the great work and love she has shown towards her before she died.

Her Life with her own Sisters: She taught her sisters to be Missionaries of Christ. She trained them to be ever available to go to the place they would never dare to go. Not only her sisters, she was always present where there were crises and famine. E.g.: Even though she was not feeling well, she was present in the drought areas of Africa when they were in need. Her watch word in her work was: “They are in need of Jesus.”

One of the important and admirable traits that this woman was that she contributed not only to the Indian dynamism but also to the world’s greatness and nobility through the Inter Religious Dialogue and respect for all faiths. The constitution of the Missionaries of Charity expresses profound respect for all religions. It recommends never to impose Catholic Faith on others even as the sisters reach out to people of all faiths. This is how her large and broad highway paved way for everyone to love and serve. By means of her kindness, she not only won the hearts of the people but also revived the faith in many nations.

Yes dear friends, let us also travel on this highway where encounter, dialogue and love has its first place to become a truly human being. Let us also turn our small narrow roads of petty mindedness often spewing traffic jams of hatred, anger and indifference into a highway where it opens and connects with a great network of Love. Let us pray to our dear Saint Mother Teresa, that we may imbibe her spirit of love, charity and peace to make this world a better world and we better beings.

This is my humble tribute to Mother Teresa! Long live Mother Teresa in the heart of the people, not only who received direct services from her, to know her, but to me as well who had been much inspired by her singular motive of love her God in the person who were despised and disowned in this world. She lived to make known that God who took the human form to enhance the dignity of humankind, to share the divinity with the humanity.

 Cl. Palla Velangani Joseph

HE OWNS THE ROAD…

HE OWNS THE ROAD…

If you must believe in something, try a little to believe in the following. Believe that the whole trip in this world is a safari. Dust, sweat, blood, tears and fears are part of the ride. Enjoy it! I do.  Because, ‘He owns the road’.

What do I mean by the title ‘He owns the road’. Let me explain; this year our community of Divyadaan has chosen a theme BMW for the missionary week. BMW stands for Becoming Merciful Witnesses (of the Gospel). Before we become witnesses we need to realize that this creation, including You and Me are owned by God. We belong to God and thus the Mission or a particular task that is entrusted to us belongs to God. He owns the Mission, our land, our village, city, town, country, our possessions and the place where we are sent as Missionaries. One might think that I am a missionary in a foreign unknown land called to spread the Good News, to transform their lives and so on. Sorry we are mistaken, in fact we are called to carry God given task, not in an unknown foreign land, but in God’s own land. The owner of this world, the land is God. Sometimes while becoming witnesses in the mission, when things go wrong as they often do, don’t curse God. Rather believe that He owns (the road) the mission.

Life is full of surprises, not all of them pleasant, but believe in God. Because He owns all of us. there are quite simply two things we can do when sorrow  comes crawling all over us; we can hate Him (impossible) or love Him. Better to love Him because more often than not we don’t know why not so good things are happening to us, but He does. He rules!!! In the Bible it is said God even knows the movement of a blade of grass and that is comforting. He is always there. God never forsakes his own people. It is we who should not collapse when all about us collapses, get a grip, He oversees the rising sun, the waxing moon, the shining stars, the growing flowers, the cooking of a Biryani or making a lemon juice. He is present and watches our every movements from the blinking of an eye to dancing on the feet. Inspite of all these, we can cry and bear our cross or smile and bear our cross; either way we have the cross, better to smile and bear it for that is when we will become witnesses of His Mercy and Love. Yes, He owns the road the very destiny of our life. Having understood this, then one can claim of having become a merciful witness of the gospel to those entrusted in our care. Through all these we will resemble God. We will have become His Instruments proclaiming his good news to all the earth. Believe, that the God who owns our destiny, our very life, including you and me will continue pouring out His manifold blessings of love and mercy in the mission entrusted to us, through us.

Before I conclude let me caution you that: I am not just talking or writing through my hat…it means a lot to me. I have been through some thorny fields myself, I have been hurt and I have failed… but you know what? I believe that ‘He owns the road’.

Jeswin Mastan

Whom Shall I Send?

Whom Shall I Send?

            Whom Shall I Send? ‘Here I am Lord!’ becomes the exact and most applicable answer to this reflective question. Each one is called to be a missionary in his/her own way. The same question is addressed to every Christian and religious by our Lord himself, as God invited prophet Jeremiah in his younger age, to be a prophet to the nation. Jeremiah said, “Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” But the Lord said to him, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’ for you shall go to all, to whom I send you and you shall speak whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you.” Every religious in a very special way is called to for this important mission in life.

When this question is addressed to each one of us, what will be our response? ‘Here I am or Here I am not.’ God has specially created us in his own image and likeness in order to accomplish a particular mission in the Universe. Himself being ‘the true way’ he asks “Whom Shall I send?” - because he wants to accompany us in all our endeavors and undertakings. For instance, He sent his only beloved Son Jesus Christ to this world to bring salvation to the people and to redeem them from sin and darkness. During Jesus’ mission the spirit of the Lord was always with him. Similarly, when we courageously say ‘Send me Lord wherever you want’ he will not abandon us instead he will be with us completely to strengthen us, to direct us and to accomplish his mission in us.

All of us are called to be missionaries. Are we bold enough to triumph before the Lord and say “Here I am Lord”? We may give numerous reasons to be away from this mission work. We need to realize not the struggles and sufferings of mission life, but the fruit of this marvelous and awe-inspiring work. We will experience the sweetness and taste of the work if we have passion and love for God’s work. Although the prophets in the Old Testament like Jonah, Jeremiah and others gave certain excuses denying God’s invitation, He did not leave them in their own way; rather he went behind them and caught hold of them firmly for his mission. When God chooses anyone, there is no possibility to escape his watchful eyes until the work is done.

            We must be faithful and be daring to respond to God’s calling to be missionaries and to reach out to the ends of the earth. Are we ready to say ‘Yes’, to the Lord no matter how weak, less talented, incapable we may be? It is God, who gives everything to us. He knows what, when and to whom. He wants us to do His mission work not ours.

            Therefore let us beseech the Master of the harvest to sow the seed of Mission in us that we may volunteer for His work in the mission lands. Let the Spirit of each missionary inspire us too. Finally let us carry the light of Christ to dispel the darkness amidst of the hearts of many in grave need. 

Cl. Arockia Berdouil SDB

Our father Speaks to his Sons…

A Call for a fruitful Evangelization

(An extract from the talk of the Rector Major on his visit to Oceania. Source: Mission Video)

            Rev. Fr. Angel Fernandez Artime, the Rector Major of the Salesians, on his visit to Oceania Salesian missions made a great impact in the heart of the people. With the heart of a father he approached them sharing in their joys as well as sorrows. When he was asked how the dream of evangelization could be realized today he said, “it is possible through proclamation of the gospel and through life in the community.”

            During his address he spoke out his mind saying:: “We need community oriented people with community spirit and that’s why proclamation of the gospel must emphasize this profound reality of fraternity according to gospel. It is a reality of love, the reality of love as God has loved us. Proclamation of the gospel needs apostles. It needs vocation and courage from all of us, those who are living in this land.”

             On reaching papa New Guinea he said it was really a very special moment for him and felt that that part of the world is very different from other parts of the world because of its cultural richness and variety. Considering the opportunity to address the gathering there he said, “It’s an opportunity to encourage you to unite all to continue the wonderful work of proclaiming the Lord Jesus. Don Bosco has a great capacity to open the hearts of all the young people in the world. I am convinced that Don Bosco has taken roots here and no doubt that his charism will have a beautiful future in this church of Oceania.”

             With this very inspiring words emerging directly from his heart, our father invites all of us Salesians, to go to peripheries and to places where people need us most. He convinced of the effectiveness and the relevance of the mission of Don Bosco and dreams of a fruitful evangelization wherever we are. Are we too convinced of the beautiful charism of Don Bosco? Are we enthusiastic about proclaiming the gospel of Christ? What can we do to make our evangelization fruitful?

Nithyian SDB

WHAT MATTERS TO LIFE!

 Blessed was I to be born naked

Pure and innocent in everyone’s eye

Sucked the breasts of unique kind

Tasted the milk that never could match

Tender was I to be hugged and kissed

Uniquely learned to return the same

Different was the attire that I wore

Made me feel special and proud

Served was I with unique cultural food

That made me believe as the only tastiest food

Journeying East and West, North and South

Have realized how little that I had tasted

Innocent was I to be filled with beliefs and traditions

That gave my life a sense of purpose and meaning

Thought my thinking pattern the only way to truth

But sorry! It was only one among the millions

Frail was I to be conditioned by my little background

That watered down million ways of thinking to a single one

Insecure of my little world I ignored to think outside the frame

But thanks to education that freed the mind from my little world

Bestowed was I with capacity to intellectualize and argue

But what matters to life is little love and compassion shared

Shortness is the life to be lived with full zest

For naked I was born, naked shall be my return!

Romanius Barwa

GLOBAL-HEART-WARMING

Bounty was Your gift to Your beloved

Caterpillar Your beloved turned to be

Cancerously gobbled Your unassuming beauty

Thanks to You, Your beloved has realized

You with Your merciful heart
caused your beloved’s global-heart-warm

May Your beloved restore Your love

For without You beloved is hollow

Global green bestows global freshness to life

And freshness and fullness of life is Your highest glory!

Romanius Barwa

A Missonary’s Life

     A missionary’s life is full of adventure and challenge. S/he can rarely complain of an uneventful day. Each day brings with it new challenges to be faced, obstacles to be overcome and hearts to be won. A missionary’s life is one of constant activity because s/he has to take the Good News to a large amount of people who have not heard about it. This makes the work critical and yet delicate because the manner in which the Good News is communicated is as important as the content itself. One cannot preach about Joy is one carries around a long face everywhere, neither can one teach forgiveness if one has not learned to turn the other cheek oneself. So while the proclamation of the Gospel is a top priority, a prerequisite is practicing all that one preaches.

Cl Ian Pinto sdb

Be Missionaries here and now…

            “We look upon missionary work as an essential feature of our Congregation” – says art 30 of our Constitutions. Missionary Sensitivity is an integral part of the Salesian DNA. “Without missionary work the Congregation would not only be impoverished, but would be distorted and alienated from its true nature. In it one could no longer recognize the Salesian Society as its founder had visualized and wanted it” (Project of Life p. 307).

            Cagliero Institute at Ivrea in Italy, during its 43 years of existence (1922-1965), supplied over a thousand missionaries to all the parts of the world. What we are today is to a great extent the result of the hard work and sacrifices of missionaries who came to India from as many as 25 different countries, over a period of 100 years. It is amazing to note that at the death of Don Bosco, 20 per cent of the Salesians were in the missions (SGC 471). In these past 140 years, there has been 146 expeditions, from which some 11,500 Salesian missionaries left from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Valdocco to various mission lands. It is proof enough of the Congregation’s commitment to mission ad gentes.

For us Salesians, missions ad gentes are not just one work among many others; they represent something very much deeper: an essential aspect, a particular dimension of our identity as Salesians of Don Bosco in the Church. It may be true that the Congregation is not listed in the Pontifical Yearbook among the “missionary institutes” strictly so-called, that is, those dedicated solely to the foreign missions. But our founder wanted that there be in the Congregation a true commitment to missions ad gentes. GC19 expressed the same thing when it said: “The Salesian Congregation… revives the ideal of Don Bosco who wanted the work of the missions to be a permanent preoccupation of the Congregation to the extent of being part of its nature and purpose… it therefore reaffirms the missionary vocation of the Salesian Society… and intends that it be known as such in the Church as well as to its own members and cooperators (GC19, pp 178-179).

To be a missionary is a call within a call. God extends a special invitation to those whom he finds suitable to serve Him in far away places. Blessed are those who receive such call and we should be prepared for it at anytime. But this special invitation of God does not stop anyone form doing the work of God wherever we find ourselves. We are sent by God to the people in our own localities. Hence, all of us are called to play the role of missionaries wherever we are. Fr. Pascual Chavez once said, “There is no missio ad gens, if there is no missio intra gentes,” which means, you can't be a good missionary, if you are not already a missionary in your own context. Let us then take up our missionary call and serve the Lord with the spirit of a missionary.

(extracted and edited from the INM provincial circular, November, 2015)

by

Nithiyan,sdb

To our Dearest Benefactors – our Anonymous Samaritans

In the gospel we hear the story of the good Samarian, a story which truly brings about a very great truth of our faith and this truth is nothing else but love. I believe that the Good Samaritan responded to her vocation because she loved.

On the 3^rd of November all around the Salesian world we remember our benefactors and pray for them especially the deceased and ask the lord to grant them eternal life for their generosity. Here in Divyadaan we did a similar thing. In the morning during the Eucharist we prayed specially for the benefactors because of whom we are able to enjoy a simple and comfortable life and have a tangible experience of the providence of God. In the evening we spent moments together praying as a community in the light of the gospel story of the Good Samaritan. We named our benefactors as ‘anonymous Samaritans’ because of their generosity even though we do not know them. We also reflected on how Don Bosco throughout his life experienced Gods providence in the help he received from the many people who directly or indirectly helped him to carry on the mission the lord had entrusted to him. In the similar way we thanked and praised God for the many benefactors who have made it possible for us to reach this stage in formation.

We thank you dear anonymous Samaritans our beloved benefactors for all that you have done and continue to do for us …

May the lord bless you abundantly for your generosity.

Cl Felix Almeida SDB

How can I contribute to the Catholic missions?

     The document of Vatican II, Ad Gentes, which is the decree on missionary activity in the church points out three ways in which an ordinary practicing Catholic can contribute to the furtherance of mission work.

    The first is ‘living a devout Christian life’. This may seem simple and remote but its implications are great. Imagine if every Christian lived the way Christ did. Being devout Christians is easier said than done. Our situations, circumstances or culture may influence us to act in ways that are not authentically Christian. It is when we are faced with such challenges and we yet choose to live according to the gospel that we truly live our faith authentically.

    The second way is through ‘fervent service of God and neighbour’. Jesus’ teachings and example as delineated in the Gospel must be our signposts. One may ask how his/her service of people in his/her immediate proximity can contribute to the missions? It can, in as much as one is actively involved in bearing witness to Christ and His gospel. In this sense, one becomes a missionary oneself.

     The third way is through ‘prayers and works of penance’. This is seemingly the easiest way. St Teresa of Child Jesus was pronounced patroness of missions by the Pope, without ever setting foot in a mission land. She devoted her life to praying for missionaries and their intentions. One can also offer up small penances and acts of self-abnegation for the success of missionary work.

     These are three simple and practical ways the document gives us to involve ourselves in the missionary activity of the Church.

Cl Ian Pinto sdb

Proclaiming Christ’s Message

     Jesus instructed the seventy-two (and he does the same to us) to carry two messages to everyone they meet. The first message is “Peace” and second is “the nearness of the Kingdom of God”. Peace is everybody’s desire. We may not be able to do great things for the establishment of peace but if we can be peaceful people and bear the message of peace, we would be doing a lot although it might seem like little. The message of the Kingdom’s proximity is in fact a call to review one’s life. The Kingdom of God is going to be established pretty soon. ‘Are we living lives that merit a place in that Kingdom?’ is a key question. “The harvest is plenty but the labourers are few” must not become a prophetic statement. By our commitment to the call to be missionaries let us modify the statement to: The harvest is plenty and so are the labourers. 

Cl Ian Pinto sdb

Divyadaan celebrates SMD 2015

         Throughout the year on the 11^th of the month the community of Divyadaan commemorates Missionary Day. Remembering missionaries, praying for them and animating the community have kept alive the missionary spirit. There was something special this month. The missionary group along with Fr. Tony D’Souza guided the community to understand the missionary spirit and called in for a greater participation in looking at the missionary dimension of the congregation. This took the form of a Triduum celebration. 

          On the first day the community dedicated the evening prayer moments praying for missions and missionaries all over the world especially the ones facing difficult situations this was done by initially introducing the theme of the year for Salesian mission day – ‘Come Help Us’

          On the second day the meditation focused on the theme ‘Trust in me’. The intention was to help the community realize that trust in god is the fundamental requirement for a missionary. This is done with the help of readings taken from the biographical memoirs which spoke about the missionary dimension of the Salesian society at its beginnings. In the evening, Fr. Tony shared his views on the need to be missionaries. He presented the views of the Rector Major as described in his dream for the bicentenary. We also reflected on the document of the missionary formation of the Salesians which was jointly prepared by the formation and the mission commissions of the society.

          On the third day the members of the missionary group presented in gist the Vatican II document on the missions and missionary, that is, Ad Gentes. The presentation of the document in summary form brought out the most essential features that spoke about the preparation and the requirements for personnel and missionary activity.

          On the Commemoration Day the meditation in the morning focused on what it means to be missionary, it also focused on the call of Jesus to each and everyone. Thereafter the Eucharist enhanced the theme ‘praying for all missionaries’ and retrospected the day when the missionaries went on to have the first missionary expedition. The Missionary Day celebration  concluded with a very inspiring recollection talk on understanding what it means to be a true missionary and that the heart of a missionary is larger than him.

Cl. Felix Almeida sdb

Appointed to be Missionaries

     After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place, where he himself was to go. The Lord’s appointing of the seventy-two may appear as a kind of selection, which it is to a certain extent. He chose those whom he felt were ready. The harvest is abundant but the labourers are few (v. 2). This verse is often quoted to stress the need for vocations to the priesthood or to religious life but it holds meaning for all of us. Proclamation of the Kingdom of God is not the prerogative of the priests, brothers or sisters. It is part and parcel of our Christian identity. By virtue of our baptism, we are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God. So the call is universal but the manner and capacity in which we carry it out differs. Some carry it out as priests, others as consecrated brothers or sisters, others as members of families and still others as single men or women. St. Paul writes to the Ephesians about the diversity of callings within the Christian vocation: As for his gifts, to some he gave to be apostles, to others prophets, or even evangelists, or pastors and teachers. So he prepared those who belong to him for the ministry, in order to build up the Body of Christ (4: 11-12).

Cl Ian Pinto sdb

Approaches to Discipleship

     It is interesting to note that the commissioning of the seventy-two is preceded by an episode aptly titled in the New American Bible as ‘The Would-be Followers of Jesus’ (Lk 9:57-62). In this account we hear three voices besides the voice of Jesus. The first claims to be ready to follow Jesus completely. Jesus replies, “Foxes have their holes and swallows have their nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head”, implying the rigour of discipleship. To the second voice, Jesus extends the invitation to follow him but he is asked to wait till he has buried his father. Jesus instructs him about priorities. The third voice also like the first expresses readiness but displays hesitation. He wants to consult his family first.

These three voices reveal three types of disciples. The first type are those ready to brave it all for God’s glory. The second are those whom the Lord calls but who put it off for another day. The third are those who find it hard to decide for themselves. They are easily swayed by others and find it tough to assert themselves. All of us fall into one of these categories. If we are in the first category, let us ask God to give us the grace to follow Him wholeheartedly and to help us discern His will for us. If we are in the second or third categories, then let us first discern in prayer what exactly is hindering us from committing ourselves to the Lord and offer up these obstacles to Him asking Him to give us the strength to overcome them and to make us His true followers.

                                                                                      Cl Ian Pinto sdb

CURSE IS RELIGION TO GOD… is it so?

We are living in an era of extinction. So many flora and fauna, and other habitats are disappearing from the face of the earth on daily basis. Previously, so many different types of species existed but today we find them only in museums, laboratories, or in history books. Contrarily, we are constantly battling today with the rapid growth of human population. However, time is not far ahead, soon human beings will realize that even they are at the verge of extinction.

Human beings have destroyed enough and more species by playing with them and now they have began playing with their fellow human beings. When they were playing with natural habitats, they were busy with them and so as among human beings they were united. They were full time busy waging war with species and natural habitats. But today human beings have very few species left to keep themselves busy waging wars with them. So, human beings to keep themselves busy playing tragic game they are turning towards their fellow human beings. Though they realize that their fellow friends are also of the same kind, but they would not resist playing with them because in any case they had to keep busy. Otherwise, they do not know how to spend their leisure time. So, they find some excuse to differentiate themselves with other fellow human beings. Thus, in their attempt they find the excuse in religion. Belonging to another religion makes them a different species all together. So, today religion is being used as a differentiating factor among human beings and this is just to play the war of game to destroy others.

People down the centuries had believed that God created human beings and everything of the universe. But today many will not believe in such old belief because today it is quite evidently proved that human beings instead of worshiping the real God they have created god in their own image and likeness. If God were to create in His own image and likeness, the world would have been different; people would have celebrated life as brothers and sisters in the unity of love as many would say. However, in reality we see just the contrary things happening. God who is the source of love and mercy has become the cause violence and hatred in the hands of human beings.

People have created gods in their own image and likeness and because of this they are trying to defend the god of theirs. Being narrow and limited people have created gods who are no different than them. If God were to create human beings, would God require human defense to protect Him? Will God require human brutality to defend the honour of His name? The gods of human mind needs protection because they are imagery creation for psychological security. Out of insecurity human beings created gods of their own nature, gave attributes and now they are afraid that if their gods are destroyed their secure home which they have established and adorned for years will be destroyed. Hence, they do everything to protect their pity gods.

Today, in India one is witnessing the ultimate fallenness of human beings wherein animals have been treated as gods. Animals have become gods but human beings have become lower than any created creatures that exist in the world. To protect the cows, stinky people are slaughtering the once considered their fellow human beings. People of different faiths have become indifferent towards people of other faiths, and only prying to crush others. Religions have utterly divided. Instead of bringing the entire human beings under the umbrella of love, care and concern it has divided them. Human history evidently illustrates the divisive consequences brought about by religion. If religions were to concern really about God, the world would not have been so brutal and murderous as we are witnessing it. I cannot reconcile in any case that God can kill a human person to bring order and harmony in the world. If He does so than I do not doubt but unhesitatingly affirm that that God is fraud. Just like animals, even people kill only out of insecurity and not otherwise. So, if God kills than even He is insecure. Moreover, if God is the source of everything then He should be able to change the heart and mind of human beings without even causing the end to their life. But the fundamental question we need to ask is, which god is killing, is it the real God or the god of human mind?

If the God that human beings worship can kill any human life than religion is purely a human venture which is devoid of any godliness. There might be divine elements in it but since it is a human creation, creation of insecure human mind, when life becomes hard or when things do not suit their life, they change the principles of religion just to suit their behavior. Their religion is guided by their convenience. If such is the case then religion is a curse to God. Human beings have cut God into pieces and it is the slaughtering of God into pieces that is dividing and cutting human beings into pieces too.  

Is religion a curse to God? Viewing the inhuman atrocities that are being committed in the name of religion, it is evident that religion is a curse to God. Would the real God choose a religion that is murderous? It is the high time to realize that though religion is a human creation, founded to share the personal experience of God’s love, mercy and forgiveness; it is not any kind of organizations to suck the blood of others. Religion was supposed to be the epitome of love but has become the graveyard of the humanity. Can human beings who have created such a bloody mess, realize and therefore restore it? It is possible but if human beings do not turn away from their fundamentalist attitude one must be ready to face the dooms day. Hope if God wills humanity would not have to face such a day. Humanity can only hope and pray that they learn to treat each fellow human beings with dignity and respect, enrich each other with their unique experiences of God’s love and mercy, and more especially may the religious leaders bless the world with Godliness that will enable to see fellow human beings as brother and sisters.

Hatred begets Hatred

Violence begets Violence

Reaction begets further Reactions

Opposite is also True:

Love begets Love

Peace begets Peace

Acceptance begets further Acceptance

So, let us change the world, begin with the self and reach out to others… love changes in the ways we cannot see… do not wait for others to change… others cannot change you… you be the CHANGE!

Romanius Barwa