Why Goans should remember 29th August every year? Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 Wondering Guru (72)

Have you ever wondered 

Why Goans should  remember 29th August every year? 

               It's the death anniversary of Goa's favourite saint of course after St. Anthony and St. Francis Xavier. So how many Goans will attend the death anniversary mass of John the Baptist?  How many will remain silent, drop a tear and may be pray a rosary in his memory? 

       When someone is murdered people take out morcha and have candle light processions. Will there be lighted candles 'procession' or anniversary photos on newspapers or on FB/Insta in his name?  

        All those who had grand celebration on Sào Jòa day will they spend the day in silence and prayer? The bitter truth is people will be with us during our happy days.  The birth of JB is celebrated with great pomp and glory but his death..? 

       When we laugh the world laughs with us. When we cry we cry alone. After our death we are remembered no more. It's  good to wonder about why we do what we do. JB remained honest, faithful and fearless till the end. May we have the courage to imitate his principles and virtues. 

Feast of Assumption & Independence by Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 WONDERING GURU (114)

As Indians Independence Day is important for us and as Catholics the Feast of Assumption is equally important. Have you ever wondered? We adore Christ in the  man made Tabernacle. Mother Mary instead became the Living Tabernacle chosen by God. She preserved and nourished in her womb a lawgiver greater than Moses; the living bread greater than manna in the Old Testament; the High Priest greater than Aaron. 

With this she becomes the new Ark of the Covenant. So is it any surprise that this Living Tabernacle and the Ark of the covenant is taken body and soul to heaven? Wherever there is Jesus there has to be the Living Tabernacle and the New Ark of the Covenant.   

Today we also bless the first fruits/first crop of the harvest. The best is offered to God in gratitude like Abel. Mary is the first and the best fruit of humanity. She is our gift to God. Think about it and be proud of our Catholic Faith. 

On patriotic days we are naturally inclined to think of our freedom and our rights but we forget our duties and our contribution to the society.  On feast days we think of celebrations and parties but we forget to imitate the virtues and the inspiring life of the saints or of our dear Mother Mary.  More than external celebrations let's try to become good citizens and good Christians.

Wish you a very happy Independence Day and a very Happy Feast of Assumption. God bless our country and our church.

Pastor's Day Thought by Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

Wondering Guru ( 112)

As the church is celebrating the feast of St. John Mary Vianney the patron of all priests I wish all the priests a very happy Pastors Day. 

The life of a priest in today's world is very challenging: too many demands and expectations from the people and the government.  On many occasions when expectations are not met people get disappointed. Inspite of all the failures, hardships, criticism, accusations, unnecessary gossip, back biting, character assassination it's still wonderful to be a priest. What sugar and salt is to the food a priest is to his church. A church without a priest is like a headless chicken.  

So today when you decide to pray for your priests what are you going to pray for? Pray that God may bless them with...

the faith of Abraham, 

the endurance of Moses, 

the patience of Job, 

the humility of St. Peter, 

the fearlessness of St. Paul, 

the power to preach the Word of God like St. Anthony,

the patience to sit for confessions like St. JM Vianney and

like SFX to go in search of souls. And finally to die like the first martyr Deacon Stephen praying in return for the each stone that killed him. 

Happy Pastor’s Day dear Fathers.  God bless your vocation and your ministry. 

The Great Pardon (Indulgence) of Assisi by Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

Portiuncula-The Cradle of the Franciscan Movement

Pace e bene Fratelli e Sorelle

Peace and Goodness to You!

2^nd August  is a very special day for the thousands and thousands of Franciscans all over the world, as they celebrate The Feast of Our Lady of the Angels of the Portiuncula. Portiuncula what is this Portiuncula? Well let me tell you the story.

2.  When St. Francis of Assisi in Italy was discerning his vocation, he heard the Lord tell him, "Go and re-build my church". Francis took God’s voice literally and started repairing the chapels that were deteriorating or dilapidated. The word Portiuncula in Italian means the “Little Portion,” or the little place dedicated to St. Mary of the Angels. It was one of the three chapels he repaired. In 1209, after returning from a visit to Pope Innocent III, during which Francis received permission to form a “religious order,” Francis and his first companions took up residence at this little place called porciúncula.

3.    The chapel and the little portion of the land actually belonged to the Benedictines for it was given to St. Benedict in the 6th century. However, the Franciscan friars or brothers came to live at Portiuncula from 1210 onwards. It became the “motherhouse” of the Franciscans.  This little chapel is now enclosed in a large basilica in Assisi (416 feet long by 210 feet wide)  and the original structure of this little chapel in Portiuncula is still preserved of course with minor repairs.

4.   So what is special about this place?  Why should we know about this place? Is it important only to the Franciscans? NO. It’s important to all the Catholics. But Why? Here is the story.

5.  A special impulse led St Francis on a certain night to go to the chapel. There he saw our Lord and His holy Mother the queen, surrounded by a great host of angels. Filled with astonishment and reverence, the saint prostrated himself upon the ground and adored the Divine vision. Then he heard the voice of our Lord urging him with tenderness to ask some special favor. Nothing was so near to the heart of Francis as the salvation of souls, and so, he asked for the grace of a full pardon for all the people who, being contrite of heart and having confessed their sins, would visit this little place. This pardon is called indulgence or Pardon of Assisi. It is said St. Francis pleaded the Lord’s mother to intercede on his behalf. And so, on behalf of St. Francis the queen of the angels also pleaded the Lord. Thereupon the Lord said to Francis: "It is a great favor that you request, nevertheless it shall be granted to you. Go to my Vicar on earth, the Pope to whom I have given the power to bind and to lose, and ask him in My name to grant this indulgence/this pardon." So Saint Francis presented himself to Pope Honorius III, who, after having assured himself of the truth of the vision, granted his request, but with the restriction that the indulgence could be gained only on one day of the year. The 2nd of August was the designated day. At the command of the pope and in the presence of 7 bishops, St Francis preached the extraordinary indulgence at the Portiuncula before a great crowd of people. From that time the Portiuncula was annually the goal of innumerable pilgrims.

6 But why did St. Francis choose 2^nd August as the special date?

Here is the story-On 2^nd August the Portiuncula church was dedicated to the Our Lady of the Angels. 1^st Aug is the feast of the chains of St. Peter. The day Peter was released from prison, freed from his chains. St. Francis felt 2^nd August following this feast would be a good day to liberate the souls from the chains of sins by seeking indulgence.

7.What about you and me? Very few of us can afford to travel to Assisi. Can we receive this indulgence (Pardon of Assisi) in our own country in our own church? By virtue of their apostolic power the popes have extended this indulgence to all Franciscan churches since 1481, and under special conditions even to some other churches. They have also granted that the indulgence can be gained every year provided one has gone to confession, received the Holy Communion, prayed the Lord's Prayer and the Creed, prayed for the intentions of the Holy Father and visited the appointed church on Portiuncula day ie. on 2nd August.                                                         

8. So my dear friends take this opportunity, visit any Franciscan church close by to your parish fulfil the conditions of the indulgence and receive the Lord’s pardon for all your sins. The Franciscans remember Portiuncula the little portion as the beginning of the great Franciscan movement and the end of St. Francis’ earthly life. And you my listeners you must remember Portiuncula because of the pardon of Assisi or the indulgence.

Evolution of Cricket & Evolution of Life by Fr Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 

Evolution of Cricket is a good analogy to decode evolution of modern life. In the past test cricket signified having lot of time to play with loads of patience. As life changed gears into 5th lane cricket invented itself into 50-50. It meant now people have only 5 hours (50 overs) for cricket not 5 days. As life became instant sensation n instant success cricket too changed into automatic gear so came up 20-20. We have no patience. Speed is the mantra. Instant result is the expectation. 20-20 provided all that n also affected the mental game of 50-50 so today 50-50 with changed rules is now played like 20-20. I feel by 2030 cricket may evolve into 10-10. Life is going to be excruciatingly paced out. Everything fast has tremendous consequences on our life, on our relationships and on our health. When we get opportunities to slow down we need to grab them to really see and enjoy life as it was meant to be.  

First published on Facebook on 10 July 2019

Caring Parents a complicated issue in the ‘Flats culture’ by Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

 26th July

Feast of St. Joaquim and St. Anne

The feast of St. Joaquim and St. Anne, the so called grandparents of Jesus and the international day for grandparents (usually celebrated in September) rack up the issue of caring for the senior citizens.  Old age homes, Retirement homes, Home away from Homes whatever name you may give such institutions the reality is the same and they are mushrooming everywhere.  Visit to such homes and interaction with senior citizens in them leaves our hearts concerned.  The nagging issue that crops up in our minds is that “Why do children abandon their parents?” But the question is: are they really abandoned?  This is a debatable issue in modern times with nuclear families embracing the “Flats culture’. With both parents embracing “office culture” in order to make a quick buck and remain in this man created rat race of affluence and wealth the issue about the care of the aged parents especially in the flats becomes a complicated issue in the modern times. 

The debatable questions that make this issue knotty are:

• Who feels more abandoned: the aged parents in such homes or the parents at home who witness the brutal neglect of their basic needs right before their eyes?

• Who feels more pain the parents admitted in such homes or neglected in their very homes where sons living in the same house (owned by the parents) do not even talk to them?

• Are children revengeful when they admit their parents in old aged homes? If they are vindictive, why such a revenge? Is it because the children did not receive the necessary time and love from their parents when they were young? Is it because the parents abused them physically, psychologically or even sexually in their childhood?

• Are children forced to ‘abandon’ their parents due to job issues, migration issues, constant travel issues, siblings rivalry issues, partiality and favouritism issues on the part of the parents?

• Why does family life change the day children tie the knot?

• Why do sons make U-turns after marriage?

• Why do DIL and MIL can never have peaceful existence in the same house?

• They say old age is second childhood. Senior citizens once they cross three scores and ten (Biblical number -Ps 90:10- which is 60+10) begin to behave like kids. Does this create a problem to those who care for them?

• Are senior citizens governing their homes and properties with an iron hand?  Do they expect the youngsters to follow ‘My ship my order’ commands?

• Is there a clash between the old and the new generation? Especially the uneducated old and the highly educated new? Is the generation gap cause of neglect of senior citizens?

• Are old age homes a fall out for embracing ‘flats’ culture?

• Is unemployment the cause of neglect of parents?

• Is modern life style of “me & myself” the principle cause for division in the families?

How has the modern society got into such a scenario?  

From single (Adam) to double (Adam and Eve) from double to family (Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel), from family to joint family.  Now trend is reversing:  From joint family to nuclear family (Two are too many), from nuclear family to no family (live in relationship), from no family to single. For thousands of years families lived together (they had immediate help to care for the old about to depart and the new arrivals) but now in the last fifty years or so we have seen nuclear families mounting due to the real estate boom of flats and bungalows. Is there a solution in sight? Can we stop such a trend? Will the children suffer the same fate? The golden rule says “do not do to others what you don’t like done to yourself”. The Bible says: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” (Mt 7:12). Will it be pay time karma issue when children grow old? Remember the popular wooden bowl story? When the 4th commandment says respect and honour thy parents: How can children honour thy parents? What about those children who even physically abuse their parents (literally hit them)? What about those children who psychologically torture their parents (either with their abusive words or by their indefinite silence)? An old man went to the mobile shop to check if his mobile was working.  The shopkeeper said that the mobile was working fine. The old man replied “if my phone is ok why is my son not calling me?”

 

      As life progresses it becomes complicated.  World is geared for material development. Speed is the mantra. Slowness is a curse.  This takes up all our time.  World is no longer centered on God.  Governments and big corporates do not design their system based on what God wants.  The world system is geared on what man wants.  Therefore all of us are caught up in this race. Money not only talks it rules. We have no idea how to get out of this complex web. When we go after money we are caught up like an insect in the spider’s web. We dangle in the air with our hands and legs tied up with deadlines, targets and no leaves.   So in this state of affairs to give and make time for the elderly, the sick, the poor, the dying becomes agonizingly tricky. The Catholic Church (other organizations too) reading the signs of the times have always put its right foot forward. Wherever there is suffering the Catholic Church has always tried to reach out to the needy.  Therefore so many Homes for the aged were started to lessen the pain of the elderly, to give them a proper descent burial.  With no other solution in sight this could be everyone’s future. Airports will be places of farewell tears, Old age homes will be places of déjà vu, ancestral houses will be places of historical visits and flats will be our golden prisons. Every action has opposite and equal reaction said Newton. We embraced nuclear families and welcomed the ‘flats culture’ and kicked out our living together in traditional homes. So let’s put up with the inconceivable side effects. 

First published on Facebook on 18 July 2019

 

7 Things about the Holy Trinity by Fr. Nelson Lobo OFM Cap

   1. The Trinity is Christianity’s most unique, defining, awesome BUT incomprehensible mystery. You can keep on meditating on it and it will never cease to impress our little minds.  1+1+1 = 1 and not 3. You can meditate on it for eternity like the little angel on the sea shore who told St. Augustine. That you may not lose your hair thinking too much about it you can use the examples given by saints.

2. The doctrine of Three Persons in one God, co-equal and co-eternal in Divinity yet distinct in Person, is not explicitly spelt out in the Bible. The origin of the doctrine of the Trinity can be found in the Bible, although the word Trinity is not used in the Bible. We believe in this Mystery because Jesus, who is God, taught it clearly even though He did not use the word, Trinity. There are vague and hidden references to the Trinity in the Old Testament. But the New Testament gives clear teachings on the Holy Trinity or on the three divine persons. The Annunciation, the baptism of Jesus, the missionary command by Jesus to his disciples before Ascension speaks about the action of the Holy Trinity. John’s Gospel, chapters 15–18 speaks more on the role of each Person of the Holy Trinity: a) God the Father creates and provides for His creatures. b) God the Son redeems us and reconciles us with God. c) God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us, strengthens us, teaches us, and guides us back to God.

3. From the very beginning of the church, Christians have understood the mystery of the Trinity, even before they began using the term, Trinity.

4. The Church father Tertullian (AD 160–225) was the first to apply the term Trinity to God. Tertullian uses the term to explain and defend the Trinity against the teaching of his contemporary Praxeus, who espoused the Monarchian heresy.

5. To counter all heresies (such as Monarchianism & Arianism -Arius (ca. 256–336)) and also the schisms the Fathers of the Church tried to explain it, and the Councils of Nicaea (325) and Constantinople defined it as a dogma of Christian Faith. For exact definition please refer (CCC #234, #253-256).

6. All prayers in the Catholic Church begin in the Name of the Holy Trinity and end glorifying the Trinity.  All Sacraments are administered in the name of the Holy Trinity. When Church bells ring thrice daily, they remind us to give glory to the Holy Trinity. We bless ourselves, and the priest blesses us, in the Name of the Holy Trinity when we make the sign of the cross.

7.  What does this feast mean to us? It means 3 things.

7.1 Let us respect everyone because everyone is the temple of the Holy Spirit where all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity abide.

7.2  Let us have the firm conviction that the Trinitarian God abides in us, that He is the Source of our hope, courage and strength, and that He is our final destination.

7.3  Let us practice the Trinitarian relationship of love and unity in our family relationships because by Baptism we become children of God and members of God’s Trinitarian family.