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.