Christian Mysticism

The core of the Catholic Spirituality is ‘Christian Mysticism’ – Our secret paths of growth in God.

As a Jesus Youth, our pillars should fine tune us towards Christian Mysticism. But have to fight the emotions and temptations of flesh which will emphasize our self-importance. We are not important! Growth of Christ within us is important!

Remember, Kingdom of God is never spoon fed to anyone. Knowledge about the kingdom of God can be obtained from The Texts. But its existence cannot be experienced from texts. Its existence is revealed only to its ‘seekers’. So seek for that revelation in your life!

The truth is not what you see in this world. The truth is what is revealed to you. How much is it revealed to you? Let us reflect about it in this Lent season. God bless!

The Pillars!

When ever I go through the life of blessed “Luce” (Blessed Chiara Badano), The Focolare Movement swiftly slips into my mind. I am few years younger than Lucy. However, if she has been around there, I may travel the continents to meet that young saint. One of the beauty of VC2 is that, a common man started experiencing The Church. People became aware that, like a near to earth moving cloud, the spirit is dwelling in every corner, every whisper of Church.

Love was the spark that gave birth to the Focolare Movement. The name focolare arises from this experience. At the height of the World War II, Chiara Lubich and a group of friends who were rediscovering the Gospel began to live it concretely, realizing that everything passes in life. They discovered the God of Love, the ideal for which it is worthwhile to spend one’s life.

Couple of decades later, when the communism became an opium for the young eastern youths, signs of another movement were visible in Southern part of India – The Jesus Youth Movement. It is always inspiring to study the work of Holy Spirit and the similarities of movements which emerged after VC2. Most of the new evangelization movements have one major common factor which changes a person- The God experience, or ‘transformation’ in the words of theologians. If we miss it, then we miss the essence of the movement. Saints went through this transforming experience and I believe now this experiences are out-poured through movements within Catholic Church.

An encounter with Christ is highly important in Catholic life. It will transform a person.

Reject every opportunities to encounter Christ and we may never know the grace that touches and shields us. However, if we are transformed, a new world of heaven on earth are revealed to us and that is awesome!

Jesus Youth is such a powerful movement which can transform you, if you are ready to integrate well into her pillars!

Flowers of Tabernacle

I was sitting, looking at you Jesus
While Carmilites adorn the altar
A sudden insight flexed into versus
Smelt into broken strings of a guitar
Rim of my heart throbs with my lips
“O! flowers of tabernacle, into my heart you slips
How blessed you are clasping Lord
Hold me into your chord
So I can touch his robe
To heal broken strings of my heart”

A short visit to Kochi

Yes, I came to Kochi again, for a short visit.
Christ has born and Christmas is over, however the crowd in the street does not bother about these happenings around them. They are moving fast like a clock, seeking better happiness. And there I saw that old man with saintly face. He is sitting in street like a stilled clock. I think he is younger than my Grand Pa, but still old. In the hot sun among the dirt of the street he is begging for his daily needs. Actually he is not even begging, he is simply sitting, only thing that bothers him may be the hot, unpleasant sun. Watching him, I moved to the cathedral. Behind the current cathedral, a very posh cathedral is under construction for the sake of St. George. The cathedral is unfinished, like the life of that old man.

Cathedral can sustain the hot sun, but this man, will he survive without water? Who bothers. I came back to see him again. When I gave him a 7up, he grabbed it but did not had the strength to open the bottle and that task was assigned to me. And then I presented him with my Christmas cake. It was a joyful moment for both of us. I met my Christ and he met a human with a Christmas cake!

Time to move, to the International Assembly of Jesus Youth. I never dreamt that, I will be somewhere in any Assembly. It is Gods call, He called me to meet the old man, the painful Rickshaw driver, the JYs leaders from around the world, the spiritual directors, those world famous theologians and some of my friends. Why he called me to go through these wonderful experiences? It is a mystery.

As my friends says, Kochi has changed a lot. Yes she has changed a lot, but still Christ is roaming in the street looking for humans.

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Advent Craving!

Longing for you Lord,
Day and Night in this desert.

Me, hidden in
Palm copse silhouettes,
To hearken,
Alluring strumming Seraphs,
Tuning to their Christo praises
Longing for you Lord.

Frightened nostalgic stars,
Peeping through, bullet holes
Of dark blue sky cried:
“Brainless battles,
Carbon pollution,
Green, blazes in wild,
Cleft continents
Crave for chow”.

Harden hearts
Wax seal ears,
Disbands Love,
Laughs and utters:
“Gloria in excelsis Deo”.

Oh! Seraphs whispers,
The story of sacred child.
Let abreast you Holy,
Cannot cuddle you little child.
Your grace goes beyond my flesh,
Oh! Me, leaping into your infinite soul.

Vanquished by you, Light
Let the dark ebb
And the Heaven land.

I am longing for you Lord,
From the silhouettes of palm copse,
With the weeping stars,
With the burning
Christmas trees
With the carbon breathe
I am longing for you Lord
Waiting for you
Sacred Child!

Tu sei Chiara! (No, you are Clare!)

She’s the one who gave Elvis Presley his first screen kiss. She was born into film industry, where she had lots of opportunities to start her celebrity career, and she did. She became a celebrity actress. She was the most envied teenager in Hollywood. She made 10 highly successful films in five years, playing with most famous Hollywood actors.

However, she got a call. A call which changed her life for ever. She abandoned a successful acting career. She break up from her engagement and renounced the possible marriage. She give up worldly acclaim and wealth. The 24-year-old actress became a Roman Catholic nun at the Benedictine Abbey of Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, a contemplative monastery.

She told Pope John XXIII: “I am Dolores Hart, the actress playing Clare.” Pope John XXIII said : “Tu sei Chiara!” (No, you are Clare!)

Rev. Mother Dolores Hart, your life is so inspiring to me. Hats off to you!
Vocational calling is a miraculous calling. As Papa Francisco said the grace of God can touch you. Anywhere… Anytime. Open the ear of the heart for Jesus Christ!

“To enter the contemplative life truly, you have to go through a narrow, lonely place in your being, where you face all your fears and selfish patterns, even when you don’t know what these are.” – Mother Dolores Hart

Related articles

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Eli Eli lama sabachthani?

Petals decline
But the flower
still smiles,
Plow my heart
gushing blood
Still I smile
With a longing love
Throng my skull
With throny crown
Let me heal you
When I cry:
“Eli Eli lama sabachthani?”

Something about Helen Kowalska…

Otherwise Mary Faustina Kowalska
We often call her Saint Faustina.

She is from a very poor family, a child of a carpenter who is responsible for a big family.
When did I come to know about her? Off course, I knew her from divine mercy chaplets.
Divine mercy chaplet was not part of my life; but occasionally devoted to divine mercy. The chaplet books do not reveal her full life story.

Recently, I was very much attracted to her; I do not know why. At the age of 19, she packed a bag and left home without saying anything to her papa and mamma, purely because of Jesus. She left to a new place, where she met unfamiliar people; just to love Jesus. She worked hard for a year to get into a convent, to serve her Lord. What a girl she is? Really admirable. Is this love achievable by a human?  Convent life was not so easy for her, but she sustained. From, the day one of her life to the end she struggled. However, she chose to opt the name Faustina – the blessed, the fortunate one. How can she think she is lucky during all her struggles?

My dear lady, I cannot write about you without tears. St. Foustina, I love you.
I should kneel down and kiss your feet. You are a wonderful admirable woman.