Happy New Year !

As 2014 goes by, thanking God for the might He gave us to live and accepting with a open heart all the joys and saddness in that effort.

Wish you all a Happy New Year!

Do Not Give Up!

Easy to say. Give up what?

We have decided to walk The Way. The way will keep us away from the "Mayas" of life which can take us up or bring us down. That is the way our human minds are. We are designed that way.

The Way, make us-help us look at Life in a different way. Not the ability to control events from happening or not happening, but the blessing to react to events differently from our default.

Abraham is an example, Job is an inspiration, there are plenty in the Bible; stories that can keep us whole.

May our Mind has the Grace to be with Him always and in everything.

Carols & Infant Jesus

The family Carol which comes around every year did not come this year. Their dad said, the kids have grown up and has gone to unviersity. :)

Christmas Stars

Merry Christmas

Advent

A small prayer for all those who do not have much to look forward to and celebrate this festive season. May Angles keep you company. Yes! they do break into 'lonely' worlds and light up the stars.

Every Day worries

Boatmen struggling with the water weeds to moor the boat at Vallarpadam Kadavu (Jetty)

The more we think of Jesus, we wonder at the kind of troubles and tension he had to face every moment and everyday of his public life. When the scholars and keepers of the law were very much around, here was a very ordinary Man without any titles and power talking about the right interpretation of the very scriptures which the others thought they knew very well.

As we ourselves go through our day, there are a lot of things which we wish we could handle very well. Not so life threatening, but these little issues sometimes take up our sleep and mind space. Contemplating on how Jesus handled his days in the times He lived is a very good inspiration.

Edward Gibbons   "The decline and fall of Roman Empire" give us a very good idea of the time and lives of the People in Jesus time.

Thank you!

Thank you!

An unexpected Gift..

There are some incidence in our lives which make us aware God is watching over us and He see to every aspect of our lives. I was aspiring for two books which I wished I could own for my recent reading and research I am doing but could not 'cos one was expensive and the other was out of print. One of my friend who has both loaned me one of them for some time and I had to return it before I could finish with it as he himself was referring to it for his work.

Yesterday, I accidentally got an opportunity to meet the spokesperson of the big organization which had actually printed the expensive book and he considering my interest and the work I am doing gifted me a prized copy of the very book I was longing for.

Without realizing, I stood up and bowed as I saw God's Hand working through him.

Wonderful are your ways and amazing the way You read the minds of your faithfuls...

A blessed one

Rosary Month

Work and efforts for bread was little too occupying this month that, missed being in the church for long.

Bread

Wishing everyone the strength and grace to enjoy their toil for bread. Blessed are they who can earn theirs from work they love to do.

Illusion

Life and its illusions. Its difficult to see through the happiness, sorrows and the other emotions and its phases life bring to us. We go up and down with it. Some elate and exhilarate us, some broke us. But the end we know we are carried away and has missed the point.

At those times, when we are blinded by the "Maya" the thought of the eternal existence, the memories of the titbits of the true colors of the real being, keep us going, without being too much affected by the illusion.

PS: Picture borrowed

Thank you

Any merit, any worth,
If any little streak of beauty shining through,
The coils of my mind, in my deeds,
Its Your Way, My Lord,
Though miserably I fail often,
When I try to follow.

Thank You for giving me a heart, atleast to try to Walk Your Way and be at peace with the world. 

Consolations

As the years pass and our mind evolves, we learn to face the storms in life, realizes the fact that the tough hour will pass and our reliance on the Almighty help us to survive the incidents without any emotional wounds. Last week I got the opportunity to hear Fr. Mathew Naickomparambil stress this again. Just when we are down with our miserable situations, offer it to God and pray for strength of thousands of others who are going through the same situation.

Using our pain to reach out to others spiritually, who may not know how to deal with them.

With these thoughts I was sitting near the doorway of the church, the cool sea breeze that blew through the church made me fall  asleep. :)

Bird Grains

Just before I came to Vallarpadam, one of my friend, called me to join him at his home near the backwaters to enjoy the monsoon which has been pouring down for the last few days.

The invitation was very tempting. Sitting in the church trying to hold the mind which was jumping too much, I noticed the little birds, a gang of them, pecking on the rice grains on the floor which is brought to the church as offering. Though I could not see any of it with my eyes, was surprised there were so many spilled on the floor as the birds were feasting on them fearlessly for a long time. 

The rain is still continuing, in this month of Karkidakam - our Malayalam month of rain - monsoon caught up in inches for shying away for a while in the start of the season. 

Wishing you all a prayerful and safe month of Rain. 

Pope Francis

Happy to live in the times of Pope Francis...

Beauty

Life is beautiful when highs and lows goes hand in hand. For some it is high for a while then the lows. For some it is lows at first, then  the highs. But for some lucky few, highs and lows goes at the same time. Beauty of such simultaneous impact is we know exactly how to deal with both.

Neither jubilant nor sad. The best example of being spiritual.

Muziris

I was reading the acts of Apostle where Paul takes the ship to meet Cesar and the 14 day ordeal he had to experience at sea. What an amazing account of life at sea during those times. Perhaps the ship he was travelling which was bound for the ports of the eastern land Asia could be our Malabar shore-Muziris- which  was a famous trading port of that time.

Hope

The rain and few other things stopped me from getting to Vallarpadam today.

As I stayed home in the rainy day, I was feeling real glum about some events of last week when the positiveness of certain things I did dawned on me which cheered me up unbelievably.

A few good hearts tried to open a door of sunshine for an unfortunate neighbourhood who was loosing all the trading opportunities from tourism just because they were on the other side of the road where all the action and crowd was.

Earlier, I had did some work on a few things that had the potential to develop this part of the town an attraction too. But the people concerned where not thinking the way they should have been for their own benefit and for the ones around too. So the agony continued.

All of a sudden something happened by way of apparent destruction of the old quarters and some good heart were on to it for its protection and I was called in too. For three days we worked together the laybrinth of heirarchy, people and attitude to ensure the 'interest' stay intact over the weekend when the protecting machinery would be on holiday.

A lot to do to turn the dream of the neighbourhood to a reality, but a new hope and energy is filling me as more and more good hearts are joining in.

Sunday

This Sunday started with whipping winds and chopping rain. On Saturday night, Brazil again lost to Holland in the looser's final. A sad phase of a great football playing country who have given unforgettable moments of football delight to the game lovers all around the world over the years.

An early morning call from an elderly aid to remind about a forgotten responsibility.

Getting ready for the day trip to Vallarpadam.

First Commandment

Our mind is a power house. Most often we are amazed at the amount of thoughts it generate, how far it goes and what all it comes up with. Since we are bound by the connections and networks of the world around us, most of our thoughts are in relation to the world around us, our ambitions, our work, our relations, the way world perceive us etc...

It's no wonder sometimes we are bowed down by the weight of these thoughts that churns our mind out. When I hit a horrible patch like that, I was gently reminded by a good soul that forgetting of the First Commandment is what leads our mind and us to such an emotional carnage.

Understanding God the supreme is the first thing in our lives and He is in control of the world and us help us direct our mind and its thoughts in a better way which help us to think thoughts that we can live and deal with bearably.

Meenakshi Amma

A replica of the original Portuguese image of Mary which was lost in the flood and retrieved by the then Prime Minister to the King, Paliathachan.

A history of the church is available at book store at Church.

I hope and pray Meenakshi Amma will not be forgotten. Without her story, Vallarpadam church is just another of the many church in the Cochin area.

David

In Second Samuel, chapter 7 : 28-29, David is thanking the Lord of Israel for the good things He has announced through Prophet Nathan for the Kings family. True to God's promise David's name remained and Jesus who has descended from Him became the Lord to the whole world. It's not worthy that David, even at his height of glory was always committed to God and stayed humble before Him. He always prayed he remained that way.

I had to go through a personal set back this week. But with the Grace of the God, I could withstand it and remain hopeful in life. Just like the day and the night God has created, I take my happiness and sorrow to God and enjoy/bear it in His glory.

Picture of the Altar at Vallarpadam, yesterday. This Sunday is Peter & Paul's feast.

Prayer

We pray that the Sunni's and Shias of Muslim faith reconcile and they live among themselves as brothers and sisters like in the times of the Great Prophet.

...that there is peace and love in the middle east, especially in Iraq and Syria, where innocents die everyday.

Power house

Church yesterday, in the rain.

St. Sebastin

Monsoon Sunday

The Sunday after the feast of Holy Ghost. Vallarpadam Church was beautifully decorated. I did not take my camera. What a miss.

The blue pearls of serial lights glowed all over the main hall. The altar was decorated with more flowers and fresh covers over every table top.

The Portuguese image of Mary was placed in the middle of the main tower at the entrance. 

Since the festive mass on the 8th day of the feast was celebrated at length, the 11.30 am mass was at 12. Since the schools were opened the worshipers were less today.

Twice it rained, giving all of us the rich feel of the the strength and boldness of the monsoon at Vallarpadam. Sky cleared quickly both the times. 

Met a local committee member who gave me some information about Meenakshi Amma. There is a book available there now, written by Fr. Joseph Thottath, which has some history of the Church.

It is nice to see the Hindu family still has some connection with certain rituals of the church. I wish it continues that way forever. The symbol of our Kochi society's harmony and brotherhood.

The annual trolling ban started yesterday and there were many boats moored infront of the church. Another beautiful sight and a great photo opportunity.

Prayer of the season

Monsoon is on. For the fishing folks in Kochi, life has become little tougher.

Life for everyone, brings tough times. May we all have the strength and grace to deal with it positively. May we not even lose a moment worrying over what we are going to do, how we are going to deal with situations etc..

Let us bind our life in faith, God provides, He keeps, He leads..

Amen.

Monsoon at Vallarpadam

For some personal reason, I could not go to Vallarpadam today. When I am in Kochi on a Sunday, missing the mass there is a big time emotional worry.

First Sunday of the monsoon, so as to speak. It rained good. But the monsoon is yet to pick up. Last week I could post some pictures of the changing landscape around Vallarpadam. Today somehow I was thinking about how lucky we were to get an approach road to church from the Container Terminal Road. I guess it was around the time when Vallarpadam was declared a National Shrine Basilica and impending visit of the Prime Minister/President of India which did the favour. I have  heard  Fr. Jose Pulikkan, ex-parish priest speaking gratefully about it.

Vallarpadam neigbourhood

Trucks which are part of the  new harbour parked on the big highway that is being build infront of the church. 

The new port and its accessories are spreading all around. The place is taking new metro look.

First Sunday in May

The very beautiful adoration chapel adjacent to the old church. I love sitting there, its very calm and consoling. The tin roofs make it hotter during the day. But the lady there keeps the place spotlessly clean. Its been few years now since they started the new chapel, still it gleams new. Wonderful work by the lady who is assigned the responsibility.

I was little restless at heart while I was there at Vallarpadam today. Did struggle to find the union with the God. But after sometime in meditation, my peace returned. 

Jesus always kept reminding us, what He told and did was what He heard from Father. For me this awareness has been a great strength for me to walk in the new path which I am taking now. Though I got a lot of training for the conceptual part of what I do now, practical tips to make a dream a reality is hard to come by.

As we pray and ask our Lord for guidance, the things that we hear and understand in those meditative time is the way I am going now. Lot of things, some work, some do not. Discernment is something we pick on the way. Still, the effort is to  keep doing, putting  into practisce what we "hear".

Thank you Lord for being my Light and my Way. The refuge of a lonely traveller of life.

Summer of 2014

One of the few remaining glorious sunsets at Kochi before the Monsoon arrives.

Holy Communion

How lucky those children who received today their first Holy communion, the day-April 27th- when two Popes, John XXIII and John Paul II was declared saints.

Palm Sunday

 

I was in Kochi and went to Lady of Ransom at Vallarpadam. The 11.30 am mass was almost over when I reached there. From our side, the buses to  town were few and I lost a lot of time while travelling. 

The Palm leaves were in plenty at the church. I took a few. 

The facility to confess at the church is very helpful. They have  separate session for that. I did mine there. In Andhra, I had the language problem and its been a while since I confessed. 

It was nice to be back at Vallarpadam. Old friends, some hellos, but mostly an internal journey. When we connect with God, the place do not matter, still I felt a little bad, the lady of Ransom church have been out of my  mind for some time when I was trekking the Andhra life at the university. :(

 

Travelling

Across South India in 18 days, Thank you Lord for the wonderful opportunity.

Before Lent

Being a decisive week  coming ahead at the university, I went early for the 8.30 am mass at the cathedral church in Nellore. 

It was a wonderful day, the new graduating students from the the St. Joseph's Nursing college was initiated into service during the mass today. It was beautiful ceremony with all the nursing graduates holding a light. Too bad, I did not take my camera. 

The summer is warming up in Nellore. 

Secret truths

Who did Jesus came for? What was his purpose?

"...to give good news to the poor, to give freedom from bondage, to give sight to the blind, to liberate the oppressed and to proclaim the year of Lord's Mercy..."

So that even the most unfortunate find peace and happiness in this life and this world. It means too, the journey starts within ourselves first. The urge and need for a way to live this life, without being jeopardized by the "maya" of this world.

May we all have the grace to seek the way!

Equilibrium

I came back to Kochi for a quick visit around the Pongal Holidays. The trains were busy as the Sabari Mala piligrimage was on. Andhra has a lot of devotees of Ayyappa.

At Lady of Ransom, I had a quiet time, as always it refreshed me. But the question I asked myself was did I miss being at Lady of Ransom. Yes I did.
But on a bit of reasoning, if faith is for maintaining the connection with God and that oneness in God is the Kingdom of Heaven, how are we justified in associating a particular place, to favor our state of being.

We humans have our own preferences, but it is our challenge to adapt to the changing situation and maintain our equilibrium as long as the situation demands. One great learning lesson for me, especially when, I have struggled with the situation in many ways. Except for a few unfortunate occassion, by and large I could maintain myself emotionally.

That was my offering and thanks giving at Lady of Ransom.



First Sundy 2014

The first Sunday in the new year. I was occupied with a class today at the University. They were going at double pace to catch up with the holidays they gave us for Christmas.

I went to church in the evening after the class. Little tired and the different language took me a herculian task to stay attentive. Three young men were dressed beautifully as the wise men visiting the "Bala Yesu" were sitting in the front row all through the mass and after wards a small procession went to the big crib on the far end of the Cathedral. There the young priest sang and read out something, I do not know what it was.

What touched me most was the hundred odd students from the lower primary hostel which the sisters run came in a very disclipned line to attend. They were children from very poor families who are kept in the boarding for the whole year for a nominal fee. The elder ones help in altar service and on Sundays they are real proud to be helpful.