Fr. Justus Paul OP

The Our Father, a Complete Prayer

The prayer that Jesus taught us is the most perfect prayer. It is also the most complete prayer. It is apparently a prayer of petition, asking for the most fitting and the most necessary things from God. In it we ask from God all good things we can ever think of! There are seven petitions in it. Let us examine these closely so as to pray with greater fervour, greater faith, and greater results.

1. “Holy be your name.” We pray that God’s name be held holy. It means that our lives may be so guided and blessed by God that in our hearts and minds God’s name may be adored and praised. It also means that through our lives other people too may come to glorify God’s name. St. Paul warns those who cause dishonour to God’s name because of their sinful lives: “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” (Rom 2: 24). On the other hand, those who glorify God’s holy name, and call upon him, will experience his loving kindness, for “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Rom 10: 13). The first petition in the Our Father is not merely to be prayed, but is to be lived. St. Paul tells us: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col 3: 17). When we call on the name of God with thanksgiving, faith and love, we grow in our awareness of the fact that we are indeed God’s beloved children because the Holy Spirit moves our hearts and to realize who we are. “When we cry ‘Abba! Father!’ it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him!” (Rom 8: 15b- 17).  

2. “Your kingdom come.” The second petition is that God’s kingdom may come in our lives and in the lives of all human beings. It is amazing that every petition has a universal application. We are not praying for ourselves only, we are praying for every human being! In this we share the mind of Christ who holds everyone dear to his heart. No one is left out or less favoured. It would be quite absurd if we pray for the coming of God’s kingdom and do nothing to bring it about. Christ makes us share in his ministry. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation! (Mk 16: 15). Jesus promised that wherever the gospel is preached the signs of God’s kingdom will become visible (cf. Mk 16: 17-18). Our life is not to be wasted on pursuits that bring temporary gains. He tells us: “Seek first kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Mt. 6: 33). Nothing shall be wanting to those who sincerely labour for God’s kingdom. They will share the life of Christ in every aspect: in his love for the Father, in his anointing with the Holy Spirit, in his largeness of heart that makes every human being his own, and in his sufferings, death, and resurrection. This is made abundantly clear in the reply he gave to St. Peter’s question as to what would be the reward the disciples who left all things to follow Jesus would receive: “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this tine, houses, and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life” (Mk 10: 29-30). It is good to remind ourselves that the kingdom of God we are praying for is not merely a matter of carnal enjoyment; it is far greater: “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom 14: 17).

3. “Your will be done.” We humans are marked out from all other creatures because of the manifold intellectual and spiritual gifts bestowed on us by God. One of these most valued gifts is the ability to decide, the deliberative capacity as some call it. But our decisions are often vitiated not only by our lack of knowledge and experience, but also by an innate tendency to evil which is the result of sinfulness. Some call this concupiscence, a tendency to gratify the all too human desires rather than choose the best. We are plagued by the desire for instant gratification, and an ever increasing craving for more. Any number of goods and services are available in the market. Man’s imagination keeps bringing up new products in the market which we never needed yesterday, but which have become almost indispensable today! The market tells us that we cannot be happy unless we have a whole lot of products which are put up for sale! We know we are being cheated, but we cannot say “No.” For example we know that cosmetic lotions and creams and colours and perfumes and sprays are all carcinogenic. Yet we cannot but buy and use these deadly poisons. We know that the artificial colours added to food are very harmful, but we go for the brightest looking pastries and ice-creams, and some even add colour to the rice they cook and eat! All this shows that although we have been gifted with free will, we largely misuse it causing us harm to body, mind and spirit. Therefore we take refuge in God and pray to him that his will be accomplished in all human beings as it was accomplished in Christ who said: “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 6: 38).

4. “Give us this day our daily bread.” God is concerned about the necessities of our daily life, not about our superfluities which often come from evil and lead us to evil. We live in a very unjust world where the resources are accumulated, rather horded to rot in the hands of  a few, while the majority slog to make both ends meet, and vast multitudes are hungry, malnourished, and deprived of basic necessities. Praying the “Our Father” must not only make us trust in God’s superabundant generosity, but also must make us aware of our responsibility to share equitably the goods we have received from him. While we lift up the starving multitudes of the world to the heavenly Father asking for “our daily bread” we must also know that the resources we store for ourselves are robbed from the poor by unjust means. How can we make ourselves too comfortable while living in the midst of those deprived of basic necessities? Indeed the “Our Father” is not just a prayer. It is a revolutionary document which proclaims social justice based on love which we ought to share as God’s loving and beloved children. It is also a prayer of faith and trust that the God who provides for today will provide for tomorrow as well. So we ask for our “daily bread.” It is said that St. Dominic who sent out his friars to beg for their daily necessities would not let them keep anything for the morrow. Instead, if anything was left in the evening in the kitchen or store room, he would distribute the same to the poor. He and his friars prayed and begged for bread just for the day!

5. “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” This seems to be the only request that has a condition attached to it. We must forgive others before we seek God’s forgiveness for ourselves. In the book of Sirach we read: “Forgive your neighbour the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Does a man harbour anger against another, and yet seek for healing from the Lord?” (Sir 28: 2-3).  The words and actions of Jesus show how eagerly he offered forgiveness and sought the welfare of offenders. He taught us not just to tolerate our enemies, but to love them, bless them and pray for them. The prodigal son’s story tells us about God’s merciful and forgiving heart. We are challenged and encouraged to imitate our heavenly Father. Jesus says, “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5: 48). Jesus himself prayed for those who crucified him, making excuses for them that they did not know what they were doing (Lk 23: 34).

Why does God insist that we forgive others?  Obviously it is because he loves us. He does not want us to be hurt. In refusing to forgive we are not only hurting others, we are hurting ourselves. An unforgiving person cannot be happy. If one refuses to love even a single human being one cannot experience the peace and joy that God lavishes abundantly on his children. Forgiving an enemy, rather someone considered to be an enemy, is a big struggle, no doubt. It is an adventure! But it is worth the trouble. The best way to go about it is first to pray earnestly for the welfare of the offender. There are many who offer forgiveness because it is commanded by God, and continue to nurture the hurting memory. “Oh, I forgive because I have to. But I shall not forget!” This is a very limited, half hearted forgiveness. We must forgive totally as God forgives us! Sometimes it is humanly not possible to forget, and the memory of an offence may bring back feelings of disappointment, even anger. This does not mean that we have not forgiven. What is important is our will, our firm decision to forgive. Sincere prayer for the offender is a sure sign of our forgiveness. After that we leave our hearts in the hands of God to purify us, to anoint us with the Holy Spirit. And then everything changes; even memories of wounds and hurts become moments of peace, moments of grace! This is the gift God offers us when we step close to the cross of Christ and join the crucified one to pray for those who sin against us. Forgiveness is the greatest gift we can offer to anyone; it is a gift of love. It is a gift that brings us abundance of gifts. After telling us to be merciful as the Heavenly Father is merciful Jesus tells us not to judge or condemn others. “Forgive and you will be forgiven; give and it will be given to you, and you will receive good measure, pressed down and running over, poured into your lap. For the measure you measure will be the measure you get” (Lk 6: 36-38). By refusing to forgive, we block the abundant blessings that God has planned for us.

6. “Do not bring us to the test!” Good and evil exist side by side in this world. The latter is more attractive, leading us or rather misleading us to choose evil than good. St. John reminds us that “the whole world is in the power of the evil one” (1 Jn 5: 19). The Devil is a great marketing expert who knows how to wrap up mere rubbish in glowing colours and sell it to us at the cost of our souls! St. Paul therefore warns us against the works of evil such as “fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing and the like” (Gal 5:19-21). St. John tells us that what the world offers us is “the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” which do not come from God, but from the world (cf 1 Jn 2: 16). Jesus warns us clearly that “temptations are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin” (Lk 17: 1-2). Therefore it is very important to pray for God’s protection against temptations.  We have the assurance of St. Paul who tells us that we will be empowered by God to withstand temptation: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it!” (Cor 10:13).

7.  “Deliver us from evil.” The previous petition was to save us from temptation so that we may not go against God’s will and be enslaved to sin. But this last petition is apparently for those under the bondage of sin. In answer to our prayer God washes us clean in the blood of Christ our saviour. Jesus is the deliverer. He has conquered sin and death. His very name means “God saves.” Deliverance from evil is not possible except by accepting Jesus. In the Gospels we are often reminded of the grim reality of people’s refusal to accept Jesus. We can feel the pain with which St. John writes, “He came to his own home, and his own people received him not” (Jn 1: 11). But immediately the evangelist speaks of the transformation that is effected in those who accept Jesus, “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God” (Jn 1: 12). When we pray to the Father to deliver us from evil as Jesus taught us, it implies that we have accepted Jesus as our saviour and that we have opened our hearts to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We thus experience deliverance from evil and a new life in God, “because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Rom 5: 5) through the death and resurrection of the Son of God. This is echoed in St. Paul’s cry: “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God who does this through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Rom 7: 24-25).   

Indeed, the Our Father is a prayer that is best prayed from beneath the cross of Christ. Every prayer of Christ was perfect. But for us humans who are used to making comparisons, the prayer of Christ dying on the cross is indeed the most compelling. We are sure that it not only tore the curtain of the sanctuary in two (cf. Mk 15: 38), but also pierced the heavens (cf. Sir 35: 17) into the presence of the Father. The Our Father is a prayer that transforms us into God’s children, loving and beloved. In it we join Christ to call God “Abba! Father!”  We are brought to share the Abba experience of Christ who heard the Father’s words “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased” (Lk 3: 22). The Our Father is not a prayer to be merely recited by heart. It is a prayer to be thought over and meditated upon. St. Ignatius Loyola, in the Spiritual Exercises, advises us to pray the Our Father word by word, meditating on each word for an hour, even for a day! Looking at the face of the heavenly Father, with the divine assistance of the Holy Spirit, along with Christ our Lord, let us pray the Our Father. It will transform our lives and make us Christ-like. It will unite us intimately with Mother Mary, with all the saints and angels, and with all God’s children. It is a prayer that unites us to God and to all. It is a complete prayer. Therefore it is worth praying it well as often as we can.

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes 2011

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes 2011

After nine weeks of prayerful and long preparations for the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes was celebrated on 13^th of February, 2011, with great devotion and solemnity. It was long way back from December 18, 2010 the weekly novenas on Saturdays in preparation for the Feast began. Devotees from various parishes and religious institutes of Nagpur Arch diocese took the initiative of conducting the liturgy and other pious practices of the Grotto, especially the blessing of the Flag in honor of Blessed Mother. As spiritual preparation for the feast there was three days of retreat preached by Fr. Rudolf Rodriguez and his team from 28- 30^th of January, for which many people experienced the healing touch of the Lord.   From   4^th of February, there were daily novena prayers for last nine days in preparation of the feast.

On 11^th of February, the day on which the whole world commemorates the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes,  there was solemn Eucharist was celebrated which was followed by a melodious and devotional Marian Bhajan Singing completion was organized by the Magazine Lourd Mata Sandesh. There was a very good response from all over Nagpur for the competition and the Dominican brothers were the winners of the competition.  On that same evening a replica of the grotto was displayed in front of the Grotto.  The devotees of our Lady who had come for the feast were filled with joy to watch the dance drama “The Passion of the Christ” which was performed  by the brothers of St. Charles’ seminary and some of the parishioners of the Our Lady of Holy Rosary, staged on 12^th February, after the evening Mass.

On the main feast day the celebrations began with Solemn Eucharist in English Language at 6.30 a.m., which was celebrated by the Rector of St. Charles Seminary Fr. Dominic Mendonca. It was followed by the masses in various vernacular languages, such as, Konkani, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, for which the devotees took part with great devotion and participation. In the afternoon a fellowship meal was served to all the devotees who had come for the feast. Through the generosity of many Marian Devotees, the fellowship meal was a successful one. On the feast at 2.30 afternoon there was a solemn Eucharistic Adoration and benediction service which conducted by Fr. Justus Paul O.P.,the devotees  who attended were filled with joy of the blessings of the Lord Jesus. It was after the Benediction service the Solemn Eucharistic celebration began which brought to the close of the Feast Day.

The festal Eucharist was celebrated by the Arch bishop of Nagpur Most Rev. Dr. Abraham Viruthakulangara, along with a large number of clergy, from various parts of the country and amidst a vast number of devotees of the Blessed Mother, which was followed with a grace filled candle procession with a magnificent chariot which carried in it the statue of our Lady of Lourdes.  A good number of devotees irrespective of religion witnessed these blissful occasion. It was very touching to see the devotees of various cultures and languages were unified in the motherhood of Mary.

During the Feast day there was a long queue throughout the day of the Marian devotees of several of religions, for venerating the statue of our Lady. Priests were available for the devotees for the sacrament of reconciliation throughout the day. There was praying over the sick by the various ministers of the church, though which the devotees could experience the healing power of God though the intercession of our Lady of Lourdes. As the spiritual animator of the shrine of our Lady of Lourdes, I would like to thank all the Marian devotees for all their prayers, support, co-operation and contributions towards organizing the novenas and the annual feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Through the intercession of Mary our Mother, may God bless and reward you and your families abundantly.

Fr. Jose Thomas OP.

(Director of the Lourd Mata Mandir)

Lent: God’s Call to Repentance and Reconciliation

  

From the beginning of human history, we come across the reality of sin in human life. In all of us there are inordinate desires.  These desires when executed, they result in sins.  The fruit of such sinful deeds is a momentary pleasure, but later we are often weighed down by guilt feelings, unhappiness, slavery and division, lack of peace, physical and spiritual illness and moral death. In the Bible the sinful state is diagnosed as an alienation from God.  It is a definitive turning away from God. God is the one who enters into relationship with us. Sin is the breaking of that relationship. The word ‘sin’ means “missing the mark”, “abandoning the straight road”, it also means “turn aside or become lost.” It also means “an open rebellion against God, one another and oneself. Thus our sins alienate us from God, one another and ourselves.

This is well depicted in the periscope on the illustration on the creation of the first humans, Adam and Eve. We are told of the initial goodness, harmony and tranquillity in creation; yet there is an attraction towards sin, as an apparent good, despite of God’s providential care. The effect of sin in the first parents is alienation from God who was their creator and father,  alienation from one another even though once man had acknowledged his woman as bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, now he accuses her of leading him to temptation and sin. There is also an alienation from nature and environment, as it figuratively depicted in the enmity between the woman and the serpent, the pain and the toil.  Furthermore, sin exposes them to the new awareness of themselves as naked; and it exposes them their physical self, as it brings shame on them. Consequently, they had to hide from God and one another. They were ashamed of their nakedness that was realised only after committing sin. Yet, God does not abandon them in a state of sin, rather offers them his mercy and love. He covers their shame with his merciful hands. He prepares leather clothes for them.  The author clearly indicates to us the reality of sin in human life, its hurting effects; and he also offers hope for God’s mercy.

    In the Old Testament, God reveals himself as the merciful Father, who cares for his people, yet, punishes all their offences. In the book of Exodus Moses speaks of God, who is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness who loves his people for a thousand generations” (Ex 34:6-7). The psalmist sings the mercies of God: “The Lord is gracious merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps 145). The psalmist exalts the mercies of God in various images. God’s mercy and steadfast love is as great as the heaven. God’s goodness is manifested in concrete actions of forgiveness, of healing, of assistance.  The psalmist says, “God who forgives all your iniquity who heals all your diseases. Who redeems your life for the past. Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy.” (Ps 103:3-4).

The prophets too recount God’s care for his people in the images of father and mother.  Isaiah’s conviction is that as a mother comforts her child, even more than this will our God, who is our father will comfort us. “Can a woman forget her nursing child …even these may forget, yet, I will not forget you.  As a mother comforts her child so will I comfort you” (Is 49:15; 66:13).  Hosea compares God’s care for his people to that of an affectionate parent toward a little child: “When Israel was a child I loved him and out of Egypt I called my sons, taught them to walk, held them in my arms, and healed them with human kindness and with hands of love.  I was to them like those who lift infants to their cheeks; I bent down to them and fed them.”  (Hos 11:1-8).

In the Gospel of John ‘sin’ is used often in the singular.  In John, sin implies lack of faith in God or definitive turning away from God in disbelief. The individual sinful acts result from this basic state of sin, which is lack of faith.  God does not take pleasure in the death of the sinner; rather turn from his evil ways and live. Therefore most intimate need in every individual is reconciliation with oneself, with one another and God. The season of lent offers us this opportunity every year, making us aware of the need for repentance and reconciliation, reminding us of the steadfast love of God manifested out through the Christ-event. Therefore in order to experience the fullness of life and the new life that Christ offers in this Easter season we need to renew our faith commitment to God, turning away from our sinful desires and action.  Lent is a time to ponder on the mercy and forgiving love of God, extended to us through Jesus, reconciling the whole world in his bosom.

     The greatest block to experience God’s merciful love and forgiveness is lack of the sense of sin.  In the midst of growing consumerism and materialism, the scientific mind has lost the sense of God, religion and sin.  The scientific mind seems to overlook the ethic and morality of human actions, so as to reduce personal culpability. Therefore as a first step to receive pardon from God we need to accept the reality of sin in our life.  Likewise, king David was very comfortable after having committed grave sin of adultery Bathsheba and murder of her husband Uriah. Prophet Nathan confronts him and makes him realise the gravity of his sin.  At this the king is sorrowful and repents with the words “I have sinned against the Lord.”  Only when he accepts his sinful state and then repents and confesses his sins before the Lord, that Nathan assures him of God’s mercy and announces the forgiveness of God.

Thus the sacrament of reconciliation is a healing remedy. It makes us realise the depth of God’s love, mercy and compassion towards us, despite of our unfaithfulness. In order to experience the healing touch of God, extended to us through his only son Jesus Christ, we should not focus our attention merely on human weakness, sins, failures and guilt. Rather look at the face of the Merciful Father, who waits for the return of his sons and daughters. At our repentance and return to God, he forgives us without counting and enumerating our sins. St. Thomas Aquinas considers ‘mercy’ as being the proper nature of God. In our relationship with God we need to ponder on God’s care and mercy as pointed out by the prophets.  Despite the violation of such a relationship due to our sins, God continues to be our father who teaches us to walk holding our hands, lifts us up when we are weighted down by our own guilt. He holds us close to his heart giving us his own breath, the Holy Spirit and feeds with Jesus, the bread of life.

Repentance is a basic requirement on the part of human to receive the new life in Christ. The very first words of Jesus according to Mark are “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15; cf. also, Mt 4:17). Repentance comes from Greek word METANOIA means a simple change in one’s thinking, change of heart. The change of heart has been the constant call of God from the prophets.  “Let each of you leave his perverse ways and be converted from the evil of his works.” (Jer. 25:5). “Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mt 4:17). God has reconciled us by sending his son and establishing his kingdom in our midst; but we must be reconciled to God, accepting the kingdom with repentant heart and faith in the Gospel of Christ. The way to the kingdom is metanoia. We must “bring forth fruit that is worthy of repentance” (Mt. 3:8).  The abandoning of the wrong road and the resolution of taking of the right road is the demand that is expected of the one who wants to enter the kingdom.  Repentance is thus not only a pointer to the kingdom but it already makes one ready to enter into kingdom.”  The “being at hand” of the kingdom virtually means “God is near” (Is 59:20). “God is coming. He is standing at the door, indeed he is already there, be reconciled.” (Mic 1:3)

     Jesus demands conversion as a basic requirement for entering into the kingdom of God.  God’s definitive revelation in his son demands a radical and a complete turn-about, a total and definite turning from evil and a turning to God, an unconditional surrender. This is once for all a decision. This is true reconciliation, the founding of a new personal relation of human to God. The Good News of eternal life in Christ is proclaimed with the promise of the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God, the supreme gift of the messianic age. The parables like lost son, lost sheep and lost coin portray the Messianic joy, when sinners repent and reconcile with God, which is the concrete expression of God’s mercy revealed in Jesus Christ (Lk 15; Mt 21:23; Lk 7:41-43,18:9). The tax collectors and sinners are admitted into the kingdom of God. The spiritually dad are brought back to new life; the estranged ones reconciled, the lost are returning home.

In the call to repentance, conversion to receive the kingdom of God there is a great urgency: “Time is fulfilled.  The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe in the Gospel.” (Mk 1:15). Furthermore, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt 3: 17).  The quality of self surrender must be complete of reconciliation and recognition have to take place. In the initial proclamation of Jesus, kingdom and reconciliation are related as cause and effect and vice versa.  Not only is it true that the kingdom demands reconciliation but also that the presence of the kingdom works out this reconciliation. The kingdom is the reward promised to the reconciled.  It is nothing less than eternal life.  It is to share in this life that all are called.  The call to reconciliation is given to all people the people of good will.  One who accepts this call will enter into the Reign of God to experience the fullness of life in Jesus Christ, our Lord and God.

Fr. Albert Noronha OP

Woman! You are a Precious Pearl

          A Woman is the greatest Force, Strength, Wealth and a Treasure to the Human Society…….

          We are very much aware that when we educate a man, we educate a single individual but when we educate a woman, we educate the entire family, society and the world at large. As Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru says, “TO AWAKEN THE NATION, IT IS WOMEN WHO MUST BE AWAKENED”. She is the embodiment of LOVE AND A POWER HOUSE. She needs to rise above the situation, not only as a woman of success but as a woman of strength, as an empowered woman with dignity and values. We are proud to have women icons; they have become the living beacons. Mother Teresa, Indira Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, Medha Patkar and our President Smt. Pratibhadevi Sing Patil, they have all become history makers. In the scripture we read that it is Mary Magdalene who proclaimed the resurrected Jesus to the world. She is the first messenger of good news.

          So woman! Wake up to make the world a better place, for you, for me and the entire human race. Celebrate your day with great pleasure and with the pride of being “SHINING PEARL”. Come out of your walls that imprison you and fight for your rights and live as an empowered woman. I conclude with a famous saying, “DO WHAT YOU CAN, WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, WHERE YOU ARE, BY BEING A WOMAN OF STRENGTH, A WOMAN FOR OTHERS AND A WOMAN WITH OTHERS”.

When I am conceived              …You abort me

When I am born                      … You discriminate me

When I am an adult                   … You abuse me

When I wish education            … You deprive me of it

When I reach the age of marriage … You count me in dowry

When I work equally like you       … You pay unequal wages

When I am married                          … You harass me physically

When I am old                                  … I am no one.

HAPPY WOMEN’S DAY

Shriya R. Lazarus