Sunday with Mary and Meenakshi Amma

The rain was raging all through the week. Fortunately, on Sunday, at noon, the sky cleared for a long while and I could join those who visited Vallarpadam. There were quite a few though the church continued to remain closed. Meanwhile in the parish church behind the Basilica a local sweethearts were getting married and the whole event in the Corona safety settings became so novel an idea in its simplicity. 

Sometimes, I wonder, what is that make me go to Vallarapadam Basilica on every Sunday and whenever possible. Is it the service or the miracles or the grandeur of the church itself...

I guess its an emotion I feel, the carefree, happy, secured, peaceful...

A happy family who brought their newborn to Mary along with the grandparents were gratefully offering their gratitude for the blessing and the sight of them earnestly thanking God was very inspirational. The young mother beamed a hearty smile at me which warmed my heart and made me wish that all those childless couples who seek Mary's help would one day soon get an opportunity to visit here smiling with the happiness of their wish being fulfilled.  

On the way back rode quickly to the Lady of Hope at Vypeen before it started raining again just to have a look around. The pandemic has wrecked the small town of Vypeen just like any other town of the Pandemic hit world and as I rode back all I could think was when will this tragedy end and folks can go back to their work and means of bread, normally 

Third visit in the months of Pandemic

There were some visitors today on the second Onam at the lady of Ransom. 

I have hardly seen much people around the church in the last six months of which the first three have been compulsory lock down. Nice change, hopefully life will get back to normal even though the pandemic is raging. 

Though strangers, feeling happy to remember those who came to the closed church today and prayed together standing  quietly outside, everybody lost  in their own world, offering to God, in their prayers the reasons for what brought them here. 

Thank you my Lord, for the renewing spirit, which was the need of the hour, help us deal with the tolls and worries of these days. We pray your grace stays with us and help us in thinking and doing what ought to be. 

 

Pandemic or not...

 With due credits to the one who wrote this;

Pandemic or Not…

The Pandemic has broken us,

Took away our jobs, means of bread,

Tearing down our dreams, everything,

That we have ever worked for.

 

Years of Study, hard work, blown away,

With the collapse of the world, to whose,

Ways we have adapted reluctantly, to feed and cloth,

Those who trusted us to live with.

 

The Pandemic has not made us afraid of death,

But of a life and living, afraid of being,

Turned to a speck of dust on the floor, to be swept off,

And dumped in the bin not to die but to live rotting in the heart.

 

We look upto you Lord, the one Who rose from the dead,

We trust in You, who knows panic and helplessness,

Strengthen our thoughts and bless our hearts,

To find opportunity in nothing and turn it into reality.

 

Bless our spirit, with strength and dare,

To drive away the demons of destruction clawing down,

Our confidence and belief, Help us Rise again,

Pure and Joyful, to be the man and woman you want us to be,

Pandemic or not…

B. Thomas, August, 2020

A song

Vallarpadam

Another visit to church during the pandemic induced post lock down troubled days.

The church continues to be closed to prevent the social spread of the virus. 

The never empty church and its candle stands stand bare except for the occasional visits of the parishoners. 

The national Shrine and pilgrimage centre, St. Mary's Basilica, hardly have any memory of being this empty and closed for so long. I wonder how it was in 1920 when a similar pandemic 'The Spanish Flu' choked the world, especially the port cities and coastal areas of India. 

A prayer for the day!

Everyday is a journey. At the end of the day we are grateful for the joy and sorrow. Tomorrow is another day, we don't know what we will have or not have. Always cherish the moment, the present for what ever it is...and do not forget the ONE to whom we are eternally bound . 

Best wishes to every one who are going through the Corona induced difficult times. 

" May we know what to think and what to do..." we pray God please grant us the grace, we ask this in name of our Lord Jesus. 

July

Monsoon continue to be withdrawn in Kerala and it turned out to be a beautiful Sunday at Vallarpadam, bright and pleasant. Personally, though work was slow I could work hard for the preparation of peak months. May , June, July & August are slow months, the first three being not just slow but emotionally hurting too.

USWNT's world cup victory, Copa America, Wimbeldon final, ICC cricket final every thing was in the week and kept me cheerful in the evening. So when I came to Vallarpadam on this Sunday  I quietly sat in my corner, not giving chance for distraction, being grateful remembering Psalm 50.

Gratitude as we all know is the greatest of all the sacrifice and offerings.

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. 

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. 

November 5, Sunday

Mission Sunday ventures. 

Remains of the All Souls day. November continues to be a special month of Remembrance of the dear departed.. 

North East Monsoon eventually drench the November evenings. 

Today, the dark clouds hovering behind the church in the east. 

The Marian towers standing majestic in the grey back ground, I couldn't help stopping to take pictures of the awesome sight. 

Church Neighbourhood

Mission Congress & Basic Christian Community Convention

View of the church from the East on 8th October, 2017

Mission Congress and the Basic Christian Community Convention was conducted at Vallarpadam on 6th, 7th & 8th. Nearly 4000 members participated in the congress and convention representing the communities from all over Kerala. The event is without precedence in the history of the Latin Catholic Church of Kerala. There could not be a better venue than Our Lady of Ransom's Basilica at Vallarpadam for such a big gathering. 

After the lunch everybody who had come from the different diocese of Kerala, spent some time quietly, inside the old Basilica. Up in the front in the red waist band is the secretary of Congregation for Evangelisation of people from Vatican Arch Bishop Protase Rugambwa and sitting along side His Excellency is our Archbishop Kalathiparambil.

Their humility and grace was such a blessing to see and experience. 

RLCC's publication stall at the venue. They had some very good books to sell at a very discounted rate. 

Convention & Congress concluded with a high mass celebrated by the Archbishops and the Bishops of the church. 

Mary's statue which was taken out for display during the two weeks of celebration of the feast was back inside the church in its usual place. 

Starting from the Marian Pilgrimage its been a month of celebration at Vallarpadam, with the retreat then the feast and now the convention and congress. The Diocesan administrators, the Rector, church members and the staff and a team of volunteers worked very hard to make everything a success.

May God Bless you all. May the light at Our Lady of Ransom at Vallarpadam burn ever brightly and those who seek her blessing find Peace and Joy of our Jesus in life.

8th day of the Feast

I couldn't, due to my work, come to the church on the feast day. As usual, the church was crowded on the feast day and the week preceding and following it. Pilgrims & devotees from far and wide and all religious background continued to visit the church on these days. As we all know, Lady of Ransom has a special place in the hearts of those who work in the sea. Such communities make their annual pilgrimage to Vallarpadam on these days. This year too, many of them were there on the day I went to the church. 

The procession after the 11.30 am mass. It went around the Rosary Park and returned to the church. 

Though it looks like ants on the church during day time, the lights were beautiful at night. 

My blessing this year was to know more about the Saint Peter Nolasco. An year earlier I had a dream in which I saw Saint Peter Nolasco standing at the altar of the church. I didn't know the saint then, on enquiry the church staff had told me that we have a statue of the saint in the church. On this feast day, I found the statue beautifully decorated and his name written in bold letters at the bottom. More about the saint in a later post. 

The best drink to have at any time of the day. Sugar Cane Juice are nutritious and very organic, unless the vendor contaminates it. The latest machine and technology make the juice maker's job easy and the waiting less for the thirsty. 

The feast of Our Lady falls in the month of "Kanni" which is called the best month in our Malayalam Calendar. Neither rainy nor summer, just the mild weather of Kerala. 

The Unmistakeable icons of the feast, the status quo accompaniments of the Church and the feast.

One more year, My Lord, I have come to the feast with my grand mother, that is the first visit I could remember and to all the feasts after that when I was home and here in Kerala. 

My Lord and My God, I pray bless all those who seek you with the grace and knowledge to live by You and live in your peace and Joy. 

Amen. 

Feast

Retreat Prior to Mary's feast at Vallarpadam

Beautiful Gateway to Our Lady of Ransom Church

Evening Sun lighting up the Vallarpadam Sky

The new building near the highway lit by the evening's golden sun

With the annual retreat and the Marian pilgrimage this year's feast is just about starting at Vallarpadam. I was lucky to be there on a Monday evening.

Karkidakam - Monsoon Month

It rained like  it used to in the monsoon month of Karkidakam. Smashing, thrashing, torrents, non-stop. We had classes on Sunday at college till noon. I came to Vallarpadam in that brief break in the rain and had lunch at Meenakshi's. Ate a little too much of rice with the sambar and the awesome omelette they make there. A mistake, felt little heavy and sleepy after that.

4pm Tamil mass. Wonderful celebration.

I could not gather up whole of my mind today. Streams of thoughts were running parallel. Some days are like that. Thoughts cross over, mind not so stable and balanced. Yet, being there calmed me. Last week, with some artist friends we had made some pictorial study of the historical times of Vallarpadam. A very intersting and captivating conversation.