I wish you with all my heart…

Joyful JANUARY

Fabulous FEBRUARY

Marvelous MARCH

Awesome APRIL

Meaningful MAY

Jovial JUNE

Jubilant JULY

Amazing AUGUST

Successful SEPTEMBER

Optimistic OCTOBER

Nurturing NOVEMBER

                                  Divine DECEMBER       

With love and prayer…John Buckthese.ocd

The Jubilee Year of Mercy 

The Holy Year will open on 8 December 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Highlights of Pope’s Francis message

1.     The Mercy of God (Indulgence) to all faithful: It is my wish that all believers need to encounter with all people with the mercy of God, so that the faith of every believer may be strengthened. Faithful are called to forgive and forget completely the sins that committed by others as the Father forgives all. For this the faithful are called to make a brief pilgrimage to the Holy Door (the Church) as sign of true conversion. Precisely with the Sacrament of Reconciliation and participation in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and praying for the entire world.

2.     Indulgence to people who are unable to come to the Church: The sick, elderly and lonely people can relate their suffering with the Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus. Living with faith and joyful hope in their moment of trial is the way of obtaining the Jubilee Indulgence.

3.     Indulgence to people whose freedom is limited: The Jubilee Year has always constituted an opportunity for great amnesty for people who are conscious of their injustice and wants to return to the society with good deeds. They may obtain the Indulgence in their situation by their sincere efforts of conversion.

4.     Indulgence to people who witness Spiritual and Corporal works of Mercy: Concrete signs of spiritual and charitable works witness the loving works of Jesus. The faithful who performs mercy to others shall obtain the jubilee Indulgence. 

5.     Indulgence to the Deceased: The Jubilee Indulgence can also be obtained for the deceased, thus as we remember them in the Eucharistic celebration.

6.     Indulgence to people who approaches the Sacrament of Confession:  The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who repented, especially to those who approach the sacrament of confession with sincere heart.

7.     The Jubilee year of Mercy excludes no One. 

“Who are we to rectify the words of Jesus Christ?”

The End of Synod and the Real face of few powerful...

The Synod for the Family concluded on 25^th October 2015 giving a green sign to the Pope to take further step regarding “Holy communion” to the divorced and married again by “Civil Marriage”.

The expectation of Europeans, Americans both north and south from the Synod for the Family was something notable, because they expected some immediate solutions from the Synod. En reality, the Synod did not give a disappointment, as a bishop from Brazil commented that after the Conference in Aparecida in Brazil; “the great achievement of the Aparecida was that there has been no setback”

Pope Francis, who is trying to look the world from the eyes of Jesus, first of all, called the Cardinals, bishops and participants of the Synod to have mercy towards the world and people. The Synod was nothing but Pope Francis’ one of the “authentic transformative efforts” in the Church despite the Church’s Tradition, Infallibility, its dogmatism and ideological stand. He understood well that before the love and mercy of God, the ideological teaching of the Church is secondary.

As usual the pyramidal church especially few sectors within the church especially from Europe for whom the synod was convoked do not like to leave it domain and many local ordinaries resisted the transformative efforts of the Pope, but Pope is strong in his conviction that any formula, doctrine that become weapon or exclusive and damning element they cease to be Catholic. 

It is normal that there are diverse of opinions and views within the participants of the Synod and most often the conservatives are powerful than others. At the same time, this is the time to be open to the situation of the society. Most of the Church members wanted to defend the doctrines and norms but very few are interested in finding the Spirit of God in today’s society and defend the human person by applying the unconditional gift of love and forgiveness that comes from God. Hence, Pope said, when the formulas and the doctrine become weapon or exclusive and damning element they cease to be Catholic. And it is not a time of condemnation and rejection.

If the Church wants to excommunicate the divorced who have married with another partner through Civil marriage, it does not actually excommunicate them from the Christian community, the Church itself exclude from those people. Hence, it is time to rethink the motherly character of the Holy Church in the world, because the Church is for people and it is not established to condemn anyone but it made to convey the mercy of God. As Pope often said, the Church wants to cure the wounds of the World with the medicine of God’s mercy.

After all these reflections, some of the Bishops resist to understand the mercy of God, for example a bishop from Spain (Bishop of San Sebastian José Ignacio Munilla made a comment; “Who are we to rectify the words of Jesus Christ. It is impossible to give Holy Communion to remarried divorced people” His comment seems logical but it is an intellectual manipulation of God’s words and it is against the teaching of the Gospel.

Because, the bishop commented further that, it is impossible to give Holy Communion to divorced and remarried. The reason, according to him was, it contradicts the faith of the Church; union between the husband and wife which is God’s grace and divorce and new marriage is adultery. Therefore the Spanish bishop commented in one of the public media; Who are we to rectify the words of Jesus Christ? He added, “It is impossible, the Synod may say it and that the Pope can say but we do not have authority over the word of God”.

This is the real mind and heart of the several Church authorities. Whatever may be their resistance against the transformative efforts of Pope Francis based on Jesus’ mission let us try to find the meaning of the words from the prayer that Jesus gave: “...forgive us our sins and as we forgive others...”. (John Buckthese.ocd)

500^th Birth Centenary Celebration in Avila (15^th 0ct 2015)

8,500 people participated in the Centenary Celebration 

of 

St. Teresa of Avila 

The city of Avila gathered once again to honour their Patron Saint Teresa of Jesus in the traditional way by offering flowers and participating in all the solemn celebrations. The Feast Mass was held in the entrance of the city before great wall. The whole city was colourful not only with feast celebrations also with people from all over the world.

Participants in the Solemn Holy Mass:

The Cardinal Ricardo Blazquez and the President of the Episcopal Conference of Spain, presided the Holy Mass and he also presided the similar Act held a year ago to open the Centenary, the year of Jubilee in the same place. More than 250 priests and ten bishops con-celebrated in the liturgy by starting the famous prayer of St. Teresa of Avila, “Nothing disturbs me..../ Laudate dominum...../ Nada te turbe...” was played by the brilliant musical performances of the Choir and Orchestra from Avila.

Rev. Fr. Renzo Fratini the General Superior of the Order of Carmel; Rev. Fr. Saverio Canistrà – General Superior of the Order of Discalced Carmelites; Fr. Miguel Márquez.ocd, the provincial from Spain were concelebrated along with the Bishops.

Message from the Homily

The celebrant who is the head of the Episcopal conference of Spain started his homily with following words: “Today, we give thanks to God, we conclude joyfully the centenary celebration of St. Teresa… We have been surprised by the ability of St. Teresa of Avila and we have revived the unfading message that continues to broadcast in the Church and the society…”

Great woman

“What a gift that God give us this great woman to us”, exclaimed, to affirm that “Avila has been forever ennobled with her birth, her life and her work”. “We put the Holy hand of Teresa, in our way to encounter our Lord in all the places and to renew the missionary dimension of Christian life.”

“If the communities that were started by St. Teresa, introduce the apostolic dimension in their prayer, they become more close friends with God in all the times to proclaim the Gospel.

 Solemn Procession

The image of St. Teresa was carried in the main street of the city, by the civil authorities from all the departments, police, military and various pious associations with music. People gave big ovation in every street by saying:  “The Saint” = “La Santa”.

The procession has accompanied with the presence of the thousands and thousands of people, with music group from Toledo Academy of Infantry, the city band of Avila and other bands. Finally, the procession reached the Church of St. Teresa from where they took the image on 14^th after the Solemn Evening Prayer that presided by the General Superior of the Order in the presence of local bishop and the authorities.

The whole ceremony was ended with the message as it was repeatedly mentioned in the ceremony “IT IS TIME TO WALK”. The Cardinal Blazquez said, “It is time to walk towards human as brothers and apostles as our parameters. It is time to walk to the heart of the Church, our House and home. It’s time to walk, like prodigal sons, the encounter with the father who awaits us, making party for returning, that restores us to the condition of children".

In short, “is walking time to the "year of mercy of God”.

On behalf of the Order of Carmel, the superior general gave thanks to the participants. 

St. Teresa of Avila: 

God proposes and man disposes

God calls every one; it is up to human ‘free will’ to accept it or not to accept. Often God proposes and man disposes it. Teresa was also disliked the proposal of God in her heart for a long time. “It seems to me that his Majesty was considering and reconsidering in what way He could bring me back to Himself....... It seems that the Lord wished to give me light” (Way of Life 2:10). Even though Teresa knew such desire was from God’s power she neglected and was reluctant to accept it for a long time. 

Teresa decided ‘Not to be a Nun’

At the beginning of her convent life, Teresa was strongly against the thought of becoming a nun, but she was happy to see good nuns because there were many good nuns in the convent who loved her very much and they were very modest and pious (ibid 2:8). Even though Teresa progressed in prayer, still had no desire to become a nun and she prayed God not to give such a vocation. But the desire was not high in her; she was not completely inclined to become a nun. Finally she saw that the religious life was the best and safest state for her soul. Therefore, little by little she decided to force herself to accept it (ibid 2:5). She prayed God earnestly to make a decision and she understood slowly the will of God. Her prayers led her to take good decision. 

Homily of Indian Cardinal in the Synod….

(far from reality)

The third General Congregation of the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops opened on Tuesday morning with the celebration of Terce (mid-morning prayer).

The homily for the Liturgy was delivered by Cardinal George Alencherry of Ernakulam-Angamaly, Major Archbishop and President of the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church.

In his homily, Cardinal reminded the Synod Fathers that “the pastors of the Church in the present times are called to take upon their lives a prophetic role of suffering and kenosis.”

(It is very sad that the reality of  India Church is not presented properly in the Synod and not even mentioned the most burning issues of India society. I think the Indian Church needs simple and humble authentic pastors for the people who ca understand the suffering and be with the people....)

Homily of Cardinal George Alencherry

Holy Father and My dear friends,

The reading from Jeremiah 22:3, gives us a message very much applicable to the goal of our Synodal deliberations on family. Prophet Jeremiah uttered a few oracles to the royal family of Judah cautioning the King against the ruin that may fall upon the Kingdom, if the King does not render Justice and righteousness and save the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor. Josiah and Jehoiakim were the Kings of Judah, at that time. We know that both of them were weak Kings, and Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon destroyed the Kingdom of Judah and the temple. Owing to the failures of the Kings the people were driven to exile and all the sufferings arising there from. Josiah and Nebuchadnezzar, the Kings of Judah could not render justice and righteousness and save the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor. Justice means the acceptance of the reign of God and righteousness is the grace of God resulting from the acceptance of God’s reign. The Kings of Judah failed in their responsibility to give justice and righteousness to the people due to which the people had to suffer the consequences.

The words of the prophet are applicable to rulers and leaders of all the times and also to the people governed by them. In many countries of the world people are denied of justice and righteousness by the promotion of individualism, hedonism and oppression by secularist values and lines of action. The question arises whether the leaders of the Church have come forward with a prophetic role like that of Jeremiah to support the people by the Word of God and by personal witness.

Jeremiah had to suffer at the cost of his prophetic role. His life was a symbol of the message he gave. Suffering and ruin, he had to take upon himself. He was asked to accept three signs in his life: not to marry, not to attend funerals and not to attend parties.

Do not take a wife (16:2): Jeremiah is not to experience the deep love of a bride, for the bride, Israel, has rejected Yahweh’s love. He must experience loneliness, as Yahweh experiences loneliness. In Christian times, celibacy becomes a sign.

Do not go into a house where there is mourning (16:5): Jeremiah is not to mourn or show compassion to the dead, because Yahweh has lost all feelings for his people. They will die unlamented.

Do not go into a house where there is a celebration (16:8): Jeremiah is not to join any celebration, because there is nothing to celebrate. Jeremiah is called to lead a terrible life, no wonder he goes into deep depression and bitter lament (cf. 20: 7ff). It is not easy to be a prophet. (The New Community Bible, St Paul Publications, Mumbai, India)

The pastors of the Church in the present times are called to take upon their lives a prophetic role of suffering and kenosis, similar to that of prophet Jeremiah. The words of Holy Father Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium (n. 49) become meaningful here.

“I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security. I do not want a Church concerned with being at the centre and then ends by being caught up in a web of obsessions and procedures. If something should rightly disturb us and trouble our consciences, it is the fact that so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life. More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: ‘Give them something to eat’ (Mk 6:37).” 

“The Church is called to live her mission in fidelity, in truth and in charity”

The Synod for the family is the one of the important moment in the Universal Church. It is almost a small Council. Pope Francis wants that the Church be as the “Hospital with open door and exist where people can come and go; and heal the wounds between couples with the oil of mercy”.

Some phrases from the Homily of Pope ......

There are three elements in the book of Genesis; the drama of loneliness, love between man and woman and the family.

“Adam felt only”

“the drama of loneliness afflicts so many men and women”.

“I think of elderly abandoned, widows and widowers, men and women abandoned by his own wife or husband...”

“So many young people become victims of the culture of the use and culture of discarding”.

“There is deep emptiness in the heart”

“So many pleasures, but little love”

“So much freedom, but little autonomy”

“People who feels alone is increasing”

“We are living the same experience of Adam”

“So much power accompanied by so many loneliness and vulnerability”

“The family is the icon of all these reality”

“Nothing makes man happier than a heart that he deserves”

“God created man for happiness, for the great experience of love” 

“The aim of married life is not only living together forever, but loving forever”.

“Conjugal love is unique till death”

“Today's man dreams of true love”

“The Church is called to live her mission in fidelity, in truth and in charity”

“Charity does not point the finger to others”

“Invite the couples to find and heal their injuries with the oil of mercy”

“Be as the hospital; go toward each other with true love, to walk with the wounded humanity”

“Sabbath is made for man... The healthy do not need the doctor...”

“The church that educates in genuine love, without forgetting its mission of Good Samaritan for the wounded humanity”

“The church with doors closed betray itself and to its mission. The Church instead of being a bridge becomes a wall”.

The Pope Francis is a Friend of the Poor

“The suffering of the people goes to the very core of his being”

Pope Francis like Jesus breaks the evil circle of discrimination and we Indians are longing to see such kind of attitude from the Pastors of the Church.

The Gospel emphasizes again and again that the action of Jesus is always inspired, motivated and driven by mercy for every human being. It is ‘mercy’ which explains and defines His personality and action. The verb used by the Evangelists (splanchnizomai ) suggests that the suffering of the people moved their bowels, penetrates to the depths of His being and becomes Jesus’ principle of action.

The important thing is to grasp that this mercy is not a simple feeling, but the basic reaction of Jesus directed all His actions. The free love in Jesus springs from the unfathomable mystery of God. From this mercy it is understood all His saving action. The Gospels emphasize especially the dedication of Jesus to cure the sick people, bringing back to normal life, eradicating or alleviating people’s suffering.

Nothing and no one could stop His freedom to act with mercy, not even the sacred law of the Sabbath: “The precept of the Sabbath was made ​​for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2: 27)

In addition, the Gospels emphasize the marvellous action of Jesus’: offering of God's forgiveness freely to all ‘sinners’. “People who are well do not need a doctor but only those who are sick....” (Mark 2:17) What was particularly shocking was Jesus’ habit of sitting at the table with sinners and people who, for various reasons, considered the most unwanted sectors excluded from the society and thus separated from the social gatherings (banquets, weddings, Saturday in the Synagogues ... ). Jesus is about to eat with them, not as a teacher of the law, but as a prophet of mercy offering His friendship and fellowship.

The deep meaning of these meals with sinners is that Jesus creates community with them before God. Sharing the same bread and the same wine; saying prayer with them, blessing them. His gesture of mercy announces the Good News of God.

Jesus’ table is a table open to all. It is not the “holy table” of the Pharisees or "pure table" of the members of the Qumran community. It is the table of God that invites everyone, with His merciful action; Jesus does not justify the corruption of the tax collectors or the life of prostitutes. Simply breaks the evil circle of discrimination and opens a new space where all are welcome and invited to meet the Father of mercy. Jesus puts all, righteous and sinners, to the unfathomable mystery of God’s forgiveness.  God’s mercy is offered to all.

The Church has for many centuries remain without hearing the radical call of Jesus. “Be merciful as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:36). Jesus has nothing better to offer of His followers, as motivation and impulse of mercy, which comes from the Father in heaven. Mercy is not a law. It is the great inheritance of Jesus. Therefore, anything that prevents or hinders, darkens, grasp the mystery of God as mercy, and forgiveness must be disappeared from His Church.

His followers have to work in the Church to increase a committed space for all physical, moral and spiritual wounds of men and women today. It is not a time to review the disciplines and content of the Church’s Canon law (sanctions, punishment...), sometimes it all foreign to the spirit of Jesus and so conditioned by doctrines inspired by the Roman law rather than the Gospel.

The Church of today must decide to follow Jesus along the paths of mercy. The Pharisees seeing that Jesus admitted all the people of tax collectors and prostitutes and accused Him as a “friend of sinners”. Jesus never defended or denied their accusation but he was friendly with all.

It is sad to note that in this year of mercy some of the Bishops, priests, religious orders, men and women congregations discriminate some people, deny the Holy sacraments, and not promote vocation from certain sectors of people.

If we contemplate the prophet of mercy – Jesus and try to internalize His Spirit, the more we will reaffirm the conviction that mercy alone can make the Church today more human and more credible as said Pope Francis. 

St. Therese of Child Jesus (of Lisieux)

How she became a saint?

1.          I desired…

“I have always desired to become a saint”

“It is our Father alone who can make us saints”

“I realized that our Lord does not call those who are worthy but those whom He will”.

“In our relationship with God we are very small children. We always will be. There is no need to be anything else”.

“From my childhood, I have had the conviction that I should one day be released from this land of darkness, that I should one day enter your kingdom of light”.

“God answered my prayer, since that day love has surrounded and penetrated me. God’s merciful love renews and purifies me”

2.          I took little way

“We live in an age of inventions; there are now lifts which save us the trouble of climbing stairs. I will try to find a lift by which I may be raised unto God”.

“I will seek out a means of reaching heaven by a little way – very short, very straight and entirely new”.

3.          Remained little before God

 “To search our Father in Heaven we must remain little”.

“Speak simply and our Father never fails to understand”.

 “To stay little, we must recognize our own insignificance and expect everything from the goodness of God”.

“We must stay little in order to make quick progress along the path of divine love”.

“Our Father’s mercy is our strength”.

“Our Father does not inspire us to do what cannot be done”

“Our Father asks only our good will”

“Our Father gives himself as generously to the least of His children as to the greatest”.

“When I found the words of wisdom… “whosoever is a little one let him come to me”, they gave me the confidence to draw near to God.

4.          Surrendered to our Father

 “The Way to our Father is the way of Confidence and love”.

“Our father calls us to love”

 “Hope in our Father will not be vain”.

“It is surrender to the Father that leads to love”.

“I understand clearly that it is through love alone that we can become pleasing to God and my sole ambition is to acquire it”.

“Love for our Father does not walk a path carpeted in flowers”.

5.          Understood my vocation as !Love!

“I have found my vocation at last – !my vocation is love!

 “When we love one another, our Father is acting within us”.

“Do good, hoping for nothing thereby and your reward shall be great”.

“Love alone can expand our heart”.

“Love will drive fear from my heart”.

 “Our Father sees only in the love with which we act”.

 “Our Father in his love will ask of us great things”.

“I love St. Augustine and St. Mary Magdalene, those souls to whom much was forgiven because they loved much”.

 “I understand now that true charity consists in bearing all my neighbor’s defects, in not being surprised by their mistakes, but being edified by their smallest virtues”.