5 New Catholic Saints

Pope Francis proclaim 5 new saints as he canonizes four religious and one lay person;

Cardinal John Henry Newman, 
Sister Marian Thresia, 
Sister Giuseppina Vannini, 
Sister Dulce Lopes Pontes, 
Marguerite Bays.

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis brought the Gospel of Luke into context explaining how the nine lepers who sought the help of Jesus and one only, that too a non-Jewish leper, came to thank Him once they were cured.

Mariam Thresia Mankidiyan

Cardinal Henry John Newman

Saint Cardinal Henry John Newman wrote a lot of songs, this one is particularly suited for the occasion, as saints are our leading lights.

Lead, Kindly Light

                    —————————————

Lead, Kindly Light, amidst th'encircling gloom,
Lead Thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home,
Lead Thou me on!
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene; one step enough for me.

I was not ever thus, nor prayed that Thou
Shouldst lead me on;
I loved to choose and see my path; but now
Lead Thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years!

So long Thy power hath blest me, sure it still
Will lead me on.
O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone,
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!

Meantime, along the narrow rugged path,
Thyself hast trod,
Lead, Saviour, lead me home in childlike faith,
Home to my God.
To rest forever after earthly strife
In the calm light of everlasting life.

                    —————————————

Source

Pope Francis quoted the newly proclaimed  Saint John Henry Newman, who had opined the holiness of daily life as: “The Christian has a deep, silent, hidden peace, which the world sees not... The Christian is cheerful, easy, kind, gentle, courteous, candid, unassuming; has no pretence... with so little that is unusual or striking in his bearing, that he may easily be taken at first sight for an ordinary man”

Marguerite Bays

2019, 28th Sunday reflections.

Being Thankful is the Key, to survive in grace.

Psalms 137

Psalms 137:5-6

5. If I forget you Jerusalem

May my right hand forget its skill

6. May my tongue cling to the roof my mouth,

If I do not remember you, 

If I do not consider Jerusalem, 

my highest  Joy. 

As our Nation is celebrating the Shakti Festival for Nine days and Rama Navami, everybody is counting their blessings and thanking God for their blessings with their family and loved ones. 

Family, loved ones, the means to take care of them are perhaps the greatest gifts one can have. Unfortunately, we know, some do not have it. Either the means or the mind to have love and family. For whatever reasons one may not have it, may one know it in ones heart the way life should be. The way ones happiness and joy ought to be. In that ideal Jerusalem, one praise God and pray that everyone have that blessing in their life and be grateful. 

Our blessings may be few, we still remember you Jerusalem, may our right hand forget its skill if we forget you, may our tongue cling to the roof of our mouths if we do not consider you as the highest of our joys. 

A "Gentile" thought. 

Mercy

After finishing a work at Chennai I was walking around the streets of Triplicane when I came across a mosque in one of those narrow sub-streets on the Triplicane High road which had a message written on the front door:

"O Allah, open the door of your mercy for me"

I found it very inspiring and encouraging. 

I was at Chennai at the end of a work, which involved lot of hard work and time (over an year)  to accomplish. There were times of stress and anxiety especially towards the end and the fear whether I could pull it off successfully. To start with, in the beginning, there was nothing and I had to think it up with only a very few people to discuss or turn to for advice. 

God, the lord of the host, guided me and encouraged me. 

In this age of technology which is giving us the tremendous opportunity for searching the truth within ourselves and the knowledge in search of truth available everywhere, God, more than ever appears to be real and near with the religious barriers disappearing. 

As we know, God, the creator of the universe reigns supreme and those who follow Him in truth and essence tend to have a harmonic and non-violent benevolence for anything and everything. 

May God bless mankind and the whole universe. 

Sunday

The morning was overcast. Considering the difficulty in finding a less crowded share auto to town I was apprehensive on reaching the church on time. The trick is to wait for that dark horse of an auto, who would jump the line and would head to town before they are fully loaded with passengers. I was lucky last week. This week too.

The sisters who were running a shelter home for abandoned children asked a helping hand for the education of three students. With some networking I could find a benefactor without delay. Thank God.

What surprised me most was the craft work the sisters used to do with needle and paper making awesome greeting cards before old age stopped them from undertaking such work. I wish they would continue the magnificent work.

Before  I could return to my village it started raining. In the low lying plains of our village a drizzle could make puddles.

Sunday

So, the institution where I have an academic collaboration called again for another semster.

A quick round of good byes.

One last look around before to taking the train ..

We had an old styled priest's quarter at Vallarpadam too. But unfortunately we lost it amidst structural maintenance.

The picture is from St. Lawrence, EdaKochi. The roof on the right still has some very old tiles. We can make that out from the difference in pattern.