New Year Eve

My return from the village of Andhra to Kochi. The cold weather there has given me an awful cold and sore throat. So, mostly at home dusting clean a few months of emptiness, aggravating the physical uncomfort.

Historic CSI Christ Church of Nellore

The Christmas in the remote village I was at was very lonely. The churches at Nellore and the neighborhood was busy with activities and packed for the Christmas eve and morning service. I couldn't make it to any of these churches for the Christmas eve celebrations as I did not have a  vehicle to go around with. The public transport is not so frequent and is limited. 

Though at first I was not really bothered, hoping to go for the Christmas morning service, as the Christmas eve progressed, I became restless and sad. True, there are not many Christmas to look forward to, we have to celebrate the one we got at any cost. But it was too late for me when the realization finally dawned. 

Christmas at Nellore

The crib at our nearby church in the village of Golagamudi

Crib at St. Joseph's Cathedral |Nellore

St. Joseph's Cathedral few days before the Christmas day

The canal

The public works department of our town are widening and concreting the roadside canal of our village. They dug up the entire canal network deep and wide which got wider infront of the Mercy Home run by the sisters making it difficult for the children and the elderly sisters to cross over to the other side over a narrow makeshift ledge.

Cyclone

As the cyclone passed over our town Nellore without rain but winds blowing strong, we were busy going to church and farmers planting rice plants.
I reached the church very late. Infact the service was over and members coming out of the church when I reached there.
A very special Sunday as the week that went by was the one in which my students took the university exam in the subject I taught them. Since the paper involved statistical maths, it wasn't easy for some, as they prepared only for the problems and ignored the theory. Those who prepared for the theory had a good day.

December

The fields around our village in Nellore are busy with the rice planting. An auspicious time with the best wishes for a good harvest.

I am away from Vallarpadam for a long time now. The wonderful opportunity I have got to engage with graduate students here is keeping me busy.
The semester has closed and my brief engagement will be over in a few days.

The most beautiful Christmas month is here and some stars are already up in Nellore. Christmas and New year are very well celebrated here, as Nellore was a prominent town during the British Raj for many centuries. The tradition still continues.

November Sunday

The onset of Autumn has brought the morning mist onto the wind swept fields of Golaga Mudi. It was a beautiful sight as I set out for the church in the morning.

In five minutes difference our village bus left for town and I had to wait for a long time to find a shared rickshaw to the town.

The delay made me go to a nearby church ⛪ where I haven't gone at all. A big church with only few attendees. I was glad I went there. I could meet an elderly sister who had given her entire life for the welfare of the broken hearts ♥ and those with family problems. Bless you sister and thank you very much for your life.

Just the other day I was thinking about the purpose of giving our entire life to a subject or a career and the wisdom in it. The opinion of King Solomon who says everything is an illusion and at the final end would make no difference whether one was successful in this world or not.

True, given the futility or the non permanence of everything concerning life, God advices us to engage in good things in life even if it doesn't make a difference in the end.

The career, the wealth, everything we doin this world, no matter how successful or miserable we are, it doesn't matter God could take it away from us in a moment.

The disappointment or the joy, we shouldn't take I to our hearts ♥ as it was just an option for us to engage our mind and body everyday while we are here in the world.

While we engage ourselves, we have to give our best.

Last Sunday in October

Nellore St. Joseph's catholic cathedral church.
My classes here are about to finish. The subject I teach is almost over.
Since I came to Nellore immediately after the Kerala flood I retuned home only once. Its been so many weeks since I went to Mary at Vallarpadam.
Yes I miss Vallarpadam but not God. God is always with in us no matter where we are. Yes certain place help us to connect with Him more.
Thank you my lord for the wonderful opportunity to be in the village where you sent me. Bless me with the grace to do well what you have sent me to do. Help me to be useful to the people I come across. Never let me go to stray away from you.

Bless everyone Jesus who are in similar situation, struggling with life to make ends meet still enjoying the near finishes and misses.

Bless you my lord!

Realization

May you have the blessing and grace to be aware where you are in life, accept it with all your heart-good or bad and know fully well that your life's situation can change any moment no matter what you think or do.

Sunday at Nellore

23-09-2018
It has been two weeks since I went to Vallarpadam. A surprise opportunity for a guest lecturing at an institute in a village at Nellore, Andhra Pradesh has taken me away from my home town.

I went to the St. Joseph's church at Nellore for the Sunday mass. Though the mass was in Telegu  and I did not understand most of it did not lessen the importance of it. There was one of my students who came with me to the church. Though he was like me from Kerala and had the Same language problem, he never missed a Sunday mass. I had noted very proudly he was very attentive too.

Nellore town at the moment is celebrating the state festival of Rotella Ponduga at The Bara Shahid Durga. An event which signifies the religious and political harmony of the town. Both Muslims and Hindus exchange Rotis at the Durga, a ritual of thanks giving for a wish granted and a wish prayed for.

It was so nice being back at the St. Josephs, but I couldn't meet any of the sisters I knew at the Sister Disciples of the Divine Master.

Though, I couldn't be at Vallarpadam the spiritual happiness of being in the Gods  presence was the Same and the blessed memories of Lady of Ransom kept me smiling while riding a share auto rickshaw back to the village where I stay.

Never give up

During these trying time let us continue to remain positive. We can prevail over the hard time, we can rebuild our houses and our lost dreams and hopes.

Thank you Jesus for your wonderful example. Thank you apostles for bringing His message to us.

Death & devastation

What to say, what to write when so many have died and many of us have lost everything.
Even the mere thought of rebuilding everything both in money and in physical sense appear an impossible task.
Feeling lost and outraged. Outraged 'cos if this could have been avoided why was it not?
No matter how long we live, we will not forget the force with which the water came and the ones who are responsible for it.

Flood 2018

The Sunday after the Flood.
There were hardly a dozen people in the church at noon.
The horrible rain had stopped. But the neighbouring areas of Vallarpadam lay completely submerged in water. The church neighbourhood was safe.
When so many have suffered miserably being lucky is very humbling.

Sunday

Second Sunday after the awful deluge that destroyed us.
Our neighbouring areas like Varappuzha, Kodungallore, Njarakkal, Parur etc were completely underwater.

Sunday Grace

Trolling ban during the month of June & July are keeping the boats idle. 

It was a beautiful Sunday in our Monsoon. Sunny and warm. The world Cup 2018 FIFA foot ball cup is on in Russia and last night was the match between Argentina and France. Since we had grown watching Maradona and his men winning the 1986 world cup for his country we are sentimentally attached to the Argentinian team. They lost to France 3-4 in a tense last 16 knock-out round match. 

The late night had got me late in waking up and when I reached Vallarpadam eventually it was nearing  2' o clock. I saw these beautiful boats all neatly tied up near the jetty by the flag post. Surprisingly, the air was so still, none of the boats moved at all. 

Beata Teresa Manganiello

Last Sunday a last minute call to work took me away for most of the day and I couldn't come to Vallarpadam. I missed the bliss the whole week and had slowed down quite a bit during the middle of the week. I was hoping to come in between during the week, but couldn't, some of the days it was raining very hard. So today, I was very focused and attentive with my meditative thanks giving and weekly breakups of events. I did that very earnestly. After the quite time, I was looking around when I came across this beautiful box with the picture of Teresa Manganiello by the window sill. My curiosity made me open the box and I found a light colored wooden cross inside. Someone's parents safe keep  which they have left here, perhaps after the dear one died.

The Italian nun is a very popular saint, even movies are made after her; you can read more about her at Beata Teresa Manganiello (click the name).

After the vegetarian lunch at Meenakshi Restaurant I came back and sat in the portico converted prayer hall. The Sunlight was perfect and the statue of Meenakshi Amma offering herself and her child to Mary came out well in the picture I took. Since the statue deck has been cleared recently there were hardly any thanks giving note. 

Just before the 4pm Tamil mass started I sat outside in the courtyard enjoying the afternoon breeze from the Arabian Sea which was very calming and soothing to the soul and body. The Vallarpadam special. 

It was a beautiful day, the time of the year when the Monsoon regulates the crowd, the church looked spacious and meditative with limited devotees in and around who greeted each other very warmly. 

Thank you Lord, for making me grateful for the week and work that went by and helping me look forward hopefully to the coming one by making me organize in thought what to do. Dear Jesus, the Sunday blessing is graciously appreciated. 

Remembering my Father

Fourteen years since my father died. I was working away from India in a good job and in a good position when he died. I was very grateful to God that I could make him proud and take care  of his funeral well.
Since then, my life has nose dived unbelievably. Fortunately, it has improved  in the last few years.
I wonder whether I thank God enough for my father.

I would be homeless and mostly breadless if I didn't have what he left for me.

Thank You Adonai, we the living pray for our dead. May his soul Rest In Peace.

Tith

When I put in my tithes last Sunday, I was hesitant, should I offer all that I have taken out from my purse. Monsoon means, less work in my very seasonal work and June, July are very frugal months. Still, when the offer box passed by I made the offering without holding back.
This Saturday, there was an unexpected call asking my service on Sunday morning. I was pleasantly surprised.

So on Sunday I came to Vallarpadam at noon,  happy and grateful after completing the assignment in the morning.  Ofcourse, I had a full meal too from the Meenakshi restaurant with their special chicken curry!

Thank you My Lord, please keep blessing all of us with bread!

Feast of Sacred Heart

It has been two weeks since I went to Vallarpadam. With the start of Monsoon, I couldn't make it to the church on last Sunday. It has been raining heavily since the beginning of the monsoon which literally started after the Vishu this year. The picture is the first sight I saw as I stepped into the church this Sunday morning. 

It was not crowded at all, calm and quiet, very pleasing to the mind. Even the Meenakshi restaurant was at ease. They had all the meal today. But I settled for some little snacks, though I wanted their full meal which is my practice on Sundays. 

For a moment, while praying I was blessed with a sweet connection which turned my being into joyful existence. That brief moment was enough and the inspiration stayed on for a long time and helped me with my thoughts, to be thankful and to do what I have to do in the coming days. Both the list, of things to be thankful and the things to do came out uninterrupted and effortlessly to my mind, I felt very grateful. 

One thing I need to keep thanking consistently is the blessing we all have with the English language. For those of us who has to depend on the language in earning bread, the mastery of this foreign language is so absolutely important. I am not sure whether I have kept on trying after a level, still the realisation itself was a blessing to work more on it. 

We pray Jesus, bless all of us who do not have any kind of security or connections at all in this life and has to rely solely on the skills and talents that You have blessed us with, to keep our blessings polished and updated and that we continue to earn a decent bread with it. 

Another best thing about the rainy day is the parking with out the vehicle getting scorched in the shelter less heat of the church parking. 

On my way out of the church I saw that happy family sitting on the parapet enjoying the brief break in the rain. 

Happy Day Jesus! Thank you for teaching us to be peaceful and joyful even in scarcity. 

Bless your Sacred Heart.

Life inside the notebook

July 10th, a Sunday in the early Monsoon weeks. 

It was raining straight and hard. There was not much wind. Luckily, it cleared off after every 20 minutes or so into the rain. I was worried because I  had lost my umbrella again, the first of this season. I normally loose two or three every year. With the rain like this I have to  carry it with me everywhere and as the tradition suggests has to leave it outside the door of the office or other establishments I go to, but often I forget to take it back when I leave. 

I found this note book on the bench inside the church. Written as an offering from cover to cover with some pieces of paper with special request on them. This one here is a request to Mother Mary seeking blessing to build a small house.  

Very touching, indeed." Dear Lord, bless everyone who have decided to lead the family way of life with everything they need."

I felt it was such a blessing to come across an young ones' mind who is aware of their responsibilities and seeking heavenly blessing to carry them out. The note reads for the grace and strength to reach a situation in his/her life so that the person can take care of their family. 

Expect thou to give wisdom and send holy spirit from above!

Written 868 times from cover to cover on a hundred page notebook. 

Another note found inside the book. A printed thanks giving card with a baby's photo.

Life and emotions from the world we live in. I felt so grateful that I came across it. 

The Pentecost

I was looking forward to the day since Easter. I like the big candle they used to light in every church from Easter and wanted to photograph as many as possible in different churches I go to before  Pentecost. I did take some, but not many. 

They have a new flyover infront of the Basilica on the highway. Now, if we are coming from Ernakulam we have to go much forward and take the U-Turn from under the flyover and drive back to the church. Safe, though many who come to the church continue to take a right turn infront of the church the way they used to do earlier before the flyover. Unsafe and causes traffic block. 

The feast of the Holy Ghost was on at the Church. As we know when the Portuguese Missionaries started this church in 1524 it was dedicated to the Holy Ghost. It could be the first church in Asia dedicated to the Holy Spirit according to the church notification. Naturally, Pentecost, which is the beginning of the history of the church should be a big celebration at our church. But somehow the celebrations are there but not as big as the Mary's feast in September. 

In Jewish traditions there are three compulsory pilgrimages to Jerusalem temple the Jews have to undertake no matter where ever they are settled. "Shavout" or The Pentecost is one of them which is the fiftieth day from Passover. Galileans like Jesus and disciples had come to Jerusalem for the Pessach and it was during one of those pilgrimages when Jesus was caught and killed. After The Resurrection Jesus had instructed the disciples to be in Jerusalem. So when the Shavout arrived the disciples and Mary was in Jerusalem preparing for the festival. Mostly Shavout is a two day festival which celebrates the receiving of ten commandments by Moses from God nearly 3300 years ago. Women and children light candles and lamps at home while men will stay over at night awake in the synagogue and study Torah and read the book of Ruth. Since Shavout is also coinciding with the harvest of wheat its also a harvest festival when the Israelites offered the first fruit of their harvest to the temple. The offering included the first born of men and cattle also. 

Naturally Jerusalem and the temple was crowded when the incidents of The Pentecost occurred. The arrival of  Holy Spirit with the sound of storm and the disciples beginning to speak in many tongues. Many scholars comments that was the beginning of the church history too. 

An old offering box at the church. I like the simple, yet creatively crafted wooden box, still very well taken care of. 

Wish you all the blessing and grace of the Pentecost. May the breath Jesus breathed upon the disciples continue to live through us and help us carry our crosses and follow the One who came in the name of the Father. 

Bless you Adonai, Bless you Jesus, Thank you Mary & Apostles. 

Feast of St. George at Edapally

The festival is On at our Edapally St. George church. In our Kerala tradition the festivals in temples and churches start with the hoisting of flags.  At Edapally  May First marks the Grand Entry of the saint into the courtyard of the church fully dressed and adorned with ornaments. The statue of the saint will be placed making it convenient for the devotees to visit and pay their respect. For most of us its the day and event that we do not want to miss.
Thank you Lord, for one more year.

Palm sunday

My palm Sunday was at the St. Mary's Church in Nellore, a  town on the coastal plains of Andhra Pradesh.

St. Joseph's Day

March 19. St. Josephs day.

It was also my dead line day. Through a divine intervention manifested through an angel I met the deadline successfully.

Thank you Adonai, thank you Jesus. Thank you Apostles. For the know how and the lesson. Help me make it my default operational mode.

Later went to Kannamally and melted into the crowd of thousands of worshippers enjoying the heat, humidity and the heat.

Remembered Fr. Surez who brought divine intervention to stop the further spread of the merciless epidemic of cholera from the coastal island of Kannamally in the year of 1905, through his heartfelt prayers and unshakable faith in Adonai and our Lord Jesus.

Thank you St. Joseph, your memory keeps us focussed on  how to be responsible towards the ones we love and how we should mould our attitude towards bread earning and work for it relentlessly.

St. Patricks and St. Joseph's greetings my friends.

...Past the day and the task!

The day was hot and humid. When I reached the Lady of Ransom the 11.30 mass was just about starting. Even though the heat was whipping my concentration very badly the Sunday reading took all my heart. The disciples were informing Jesus about the Greeks who had come to see Him and in response what Jesus tells the disciples rather as a discourse than as a reply reveals how much Jesus was aware the way His teachings would be accepted by the rest of the world and rejected by many Jews for whom He had come. Since my Lent thoughts was around the social and political back ground of Israel in the time of Jesus, this reading was of a special interest to me. 

I guess my mind was feeling jerky not really 'cos of the heat of the sun, but rather for the bombardment of the emotional stress I have been taking for a dead line I had to meet soon. Inspite of all my efforts I was not in control  of the situation and needed divine help to get past the task I had to face and win in the next few days. Though my faith was strong and I believed with all my heart that I would go past the day and the task successfully, I still didn't know how. The uncertainty has kicked my peace out, though I looked and behaved cool. 

Blessed are you Adonai, our Lord, the creator of the universe. Thank you for sending Jesus to us. Thank you Jesus for glorifying your Father and being our way and truth to Him. Thank you Apostles for bring the Gospel to us, the men and women of far and wide. 

This day, we pray, Father, help all of us, who are facing difficult situations in life, help us with the wisdom to trust in You, the creator of everything. In Jesus name we ask and pray. 

We believe Adonai, You will help us go past the day and task and we will continue to worship and thank You the day and the next just like our forefathers have.