HOMIL
IES & TOASTS
the
wonders of love -
Spiritual
Leadership -
Birthing Divine Conscience -
Staying Young -
The Concluding Homily
Viva!
Moments that take our breath away -
May your silence be
comfortable
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TO Celebrate THE triple jubilee OF
fr. edwin d'souza swami Premananda Naik Salgaoncar
October 16, 1993 Mãe de Deus Church Saligao, Goa INDIA
a tribute to the wonders of love [delivered in english & Konkani]
Pritichea Bhavamno anim Boinimno, Amchea Padribhavachea, Bhovmanest Edwinachea, padriponachea bhangarachea utsova disak maka vhoddli khuxi asli ho sermanv mae-bhaxen porgottunk. Punn tin karanank lagon hanv pati sortam. Poilem karan zaun asa hem. Muze mukhar maka akhea sounsarachea ani Bharotmatache bhavarti disti podtat, ani maka dista ki te amchi mae-bhas sompeponim somzochenant. Dusrem karan: amche Goynche ani kherit baxen Saligaonche bhavarti donuim bhaxeo -Ingles anim Konkani- somzotat. Tisrem ani mukhel karan zaun asam hem. Swami Premanandachea jivitachea sottor ani panch vorsam bhitor godlelim "mogachim vizmitam" vo "wonders of love" porgottunk moji mae-bhaxechi zanvai pavonam.
Dear Family and Relatives, Friends and Well-wishers, Admirers and Supporters, Disciples and Followers of FATHER EDWIN D'SOUZA - Swami Premananda Naik Salgaonkar - and my dear Delightful People assembled in this gothic edifice at Saligao, an edifice which has a memory of more than two centuries of religious ceremonies, liturgical celebrations and profession of the Roman Catholic Faith! We are privileged this morning to be the witnesses of yet another religious celebration and public profession of faith earmarked to THANK THE TRIUNE GOD FOR THE GRACES BESTOWED ON THE TRIPLE JUBILERIAN, FR. EDWIN D'SOUZA. Let our refrain resound afresh as we sing in Konkani the harmonious song of the angels at the birth of Christ (Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and Peace on Earth to humans of goodwill! Moima Devak, Moima Devak unch sorgim, [2] Ani Xanti Tachea ixttank sounsarim! (Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and Peace on Earth to humans of goodwill! 1. THE GIFT OF DIAMOND AGE Last month I was privileged to be present at the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions held in Chicago. Dr. Gerald Barney of the Millennium Institute in his key-note address entitled What shall we do? The Critical Issues of the 21st Century, addressed the council as follows: We humans have begun asking questions about "sustainable development." This is an important question, but it does not go deep enough. We must also begin asking questions about "sustainable faith." (Barney 1993, 67) The 75 years of life as lived by Fr. Edwin speak volumes both of "sustainable development" and of "sustainable faith." The lived experience of Swami Premananda is a challenging yet grateful response to God at the service of the little, the lowly and the lost. Both as the founder-director of the JUZE VAZ BOYS' TOWN and POPE JOHN XXIII HIGH SCHOOL in Quepem [entrusted generously to and run efficiently by the Salesians of Don Bosco as DON BOSCO GANV since 1986-87], and as a sanyasi of intercontinental standing with headquarters at the JUZE VAZ ASHRAM in Portais Pangim, Fr. Edwin's life is the living proclamation of the Word of God as spelt out by Saint Paul in the first reading (Eph 4:1-3, 11-13 or 2 Tim 4:1-2, 6-8). He has run the race with unprecedented novelty and success and has radiated the love of God in season and out of season! For this let us join in singing the praises of God: Moima Devak, Moima Devak unch sorgim, [2] Ani Xanti Tachea ixttank sounsarim! (Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and Peace on Earth to humans of goodwill! 2. THE GIFT OF GOLDEN PRIESTHOOD In his Letter to Priests on Maundy Thursday 1993 entitled Christ Yesterday, Today and Forever Pope John Paul II exhorts all priests to be firmly rooted "in the whole Tradition ... and in the Truth which is Christ." The past 50 years have seen Swami Premananda carry the message of the Wholeness and Truth of the Priesthood of Christ to the four corners of the globe, and in a very significant way to the four corners of Goa. Like Blessed Jose Naik Vaz, the founder of the Oratorians in Goa, Fr. Edwin has traveled through and beyond challenging territories to bring God's healing touch (Lk 6:19) to Christians and non-Christians alike. What a Priesthood! "The heart of the priesthood is the priesthood of the heart!" is one of the statements of John Raphael Quinn, the Metropolitan Archbishop of San Francisco, which appeals to me and which, I feel, sums up the 50 years of the Priesthood of Christ as lived by Father Edwin. For the wonderful and prophetic way in which Fr. Edwin mediated and continues to be an instrument of God's Love and Compassion let us praise and thank God by singing together: Moima Devak, Moima Devak unch sorgim, [2] Ani Xanti Tachea ixttank sounsarim! (Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and Peace on Earth to humans of goodwill! 3. THE GIFT OF INITIATION IN THE IGNATIAN LIFE-STYLE The Gospel passage (Lk 6:12-13, 17-19) which Swami Premananda has chosen for this liturgy describes the call of the apostles and centers on the healing mission of Christ. The Director of the International Center for Ignatian Spirituality in Rome, Fr. Herbert Alphonso, in his tiny book entitled The Personal Vocation: Transformation in Depth through the Spiritual Exercises describes the dynamic reality of the call, or election, as "becoming aware in growing inner freedom of God's personal design or plan for me, so that I can accept it profoundly in my life to live it out faithfully and generously." (Alphonso 1990, 18.) The key to Ignatian Initiation which Swami Premananda celebrates today is, in my opinion, the gift of the "Discernment of Spirits" which led him to realize his "Personal Vocation," as a project of life flowing through harmonious integration, wholesome creativity and genuine happiness. If we were to ask Fr. Edwin to give a one-word description of this gift, I am sure he would exclaim: "COURAGE!" It takes courage to answer a call, It takes courage to give your all, It takes courage to be true! For the courage which Swami Premananda, or Father Edwin, a true and courageous son of Saligao, has exhibited by his mystical approach to life and his generous response to God, humanity and the cosmos, let us praise and thank God as we sing anew: Moima Devak, Moima Devak unch sorgim, [2] Ani Xanti Tachea ixttank sounsarim! (Luke 2:14) "Glory to God in the Highest Heaven and Peace on Earth to humans of goodwill! THIS PROPHET IS ALSO A MYSTIC When all is said and done each one of us will stand at the cross-roads of life and rightly or wrongly carry with us an impression of Swami Premananda, or Fr. Edwin. What I have shared with you is a series of my impressions about a MAN, who like Jesus the Living Christ transcends humanity, whose footprints on the sands of time will last for many generations to come, and I hope will set a new trail for the Church in Goa. I want you to pause for a brief moment and consider if I have been true to the task which this MAN assigned to me on August 13, 1993 when like Mary of Nazareth (Lk 1:46-55) he wrote: "In the homily give the whole praise to whom it is due, that is, to the Lord whose mighty arm made use of my lowliness to work wonders of love." Permit me, my dear brothers and sisters, to conclude my narration of the wonders of love, praise and thanksgiving with an insightful story-meditation from The Heart of the Enlightened by Fr. Anthony de Mello. An ancient legend has it that when God was creating the world, He was approached by four angels. The first one asked, "how are you doing it?" The second, "Why are you doing it?" The third, "can I be of help? The fourth, "what is it worth?" The first was a scientist; the second, a philosopher, the third, an altruist; and the fourth a real estate agent. A fifth angel watched in wonder and applauded in sheer delight. This one was the mystic! (Mello 1989, 47.) Let us conclude this homily by applauding in sheer delight the workings of God's Spirit in the Prophetic Life of Father Edwin D'Souza or Swami Premandanda Naik Salgaonkar, who is also a Mystic of the 'WONDERS OF LOVE!' ______________________ SOURCES AND REFERENCES Alphonso, Herbert. 1990. The personal Vocation: Transformation in Depth through the Spiritual Exercises. Roma: Centrum Ignatianum Spiritualitatis. Barney, Gerald O., Jane Blewett and Kristen R. Barney. 1993. Global 2000 Revisited: What shall we do? The Critical Issues of the 21st Century. Arlington: Millenium Institute. Beverluis, Joel. [Project Editor] 1993. A Source Book for the Community of Religions. Chicago: The Council for A Parliament of the World's Religions. Coelho, Ariosto J. [Vardhan Naik Sardessai] 1993. Mandalas Within-Beyond Life: A Trans-Epistemological Inquiry into Transformation from a Dying Disciple to the Dance of Delight. [A Doctoral Dissertation] San Francisco: California Institute of Integral Studies.
TO Celebrate THE SILVER WEDDING OF
nimmi cana coelho & rosarito coelho
February, 2006Coelho Mansion Aquem , Goa INDIA
Viva! Moments that take our breath away
Dearest Jubilerians Nimmi and Rosarito, your family -Baba Rohan, Bai Nadine- relatives, friends and well-wishers assembled here
Thank you for this unique privilege of addressing this august assembly on this silvery night. I would like to share with you what a wise person wrote: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" [Author Anonymous]. October 18, 1953 was, without a doubt, a day that took my breath away. This moment recalls my very first recollection of a new born baby boy, who was later christened "Rosarito." Another breath-taking day was February 4, 1931, the day our parents got married 75 years ago. I hope you will excuse me if I do not recall that day! I'm grateful to Nimmi and Rosarito who decided to celebrate their love along with Valdemira and Xavierito on their Golden Wedding. As I focus on February 4, 1981 many a pleasant and breath-taking memory come to my mind. I'm confident that many of you, who were present on that day twenty five years ago at the Rosary Church in Navelim and at Club Harmonia in Margao, will have your own precious memories. I would like to share one incident as described by my sister Angela, who had traveled from Nairobi to participate in this dual event -Rosarito's & Nimmi's Wedding and Our Parents' Golden Wedding. She was assigned the important task of picking up and accompanying Rosarito's Bride to the Church. The golden sun was setting beneath the silvery sands at Colva beach when the white limousine drove past Aquem on its way to the Cana residence in Betalbatim. The driver took a diversion via Nuvem. The limousine had just entered a bundh flanked with tall coconut palms on either side, when a horde of grey water buffaloes decided to escort the decorated Bridal limousine. The driver honked. The more he honked, the faster the water buffaloes ran in unison in front of the vehicle. I wonder if the water buffaloes knew that the Bride was going to marry a great grand nephew of Roque TiTio, who had vested water buffaloes with the red and white opmursa and sent them around the Navelim Church a century earlier. As I recall the Nuptial Eucharist I remember blessing and addressing not one but two brides and two grooms during my homily. Nimmi was without a doubt most beautiful, captivating and radiant as she with her nightingale voice and Rosarito, her debonair groom, made their commitment of fidelity to each other "In the name of the Father, and of the Son and and of the Holy Spirit." Today, February 4, 2006 we've witnessed the same captivating and prayerful charm as they exchanged their vows flanked by their son Rohan and daughter Nadine. Over these twenty five years they have proved to each other, to their children and to all present that they "married not only the person they wanted to live with but also the person they couldn't live without" and that they complement each other in more ways than one. We're all witnesses to their love for Jesus Christ as a couple and in their various leadership roles among the Couples for Christ Movement. Along with my wife Vivian, my elder brother and sisters, Nimmi's sister Prudenciana and all the members of our families I would like to thank you Nimmi and Rosarito for your love and friendship, for lovingly accompanying our parents till the end of their lives on earth in Aquem, for your fidelity to Christ and to family traditions. May you have many more years of a very happy and peaceful marriage. May Rohan and Nadine be your greatest joy! May all who know you and come in contact with you be blessed! Finally, Rosarito and Nimmi, this is my wish and prayerful toast to you both today and every day of your married lives: May Your silence be comfortable. In that silence, may you experience the height of intimacy, the depth of communication and the powerful presence of God’s Spirit of Love that gives and forgives. I wish you HAPPINESS AS A MARRIED COUPLE! Viva!
TO Celebrate THE WEDDING OF
LEANDRA D'SOUZA & BLINSTON FERNANDES
December 23, 2006Sarzora, Saligao Nuvem , Goa INDIA
May your silence be comfortable
Dearest Godson Blinston and the beautiful Bride Leandra, your families, relatives, friends and well wishers assembled here to celebrate your love!
At the very beginning of this toast to your happiness as a married couple, let me share with you a humorous story. After his election to the papacy, Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany missed driving his car. One day he gently communicated to the chauffeur his great desire to drive. After much thought the papal driver agreed to the request of His Holiness Benedict XVI. Now the Pope was at the wheel and the driver took the Pope's seat. Within a minute the Pope exceeded the speed limit and caught the attention of the Police Officer on duty, who pursued the speeding vehicle only to realize that it was the Pope who was driving it. The confused Officer called his Superior, who advised him that he should proceed to give the lawbreaker a ticket. The Officer pleaded saying, "I cannot penalize this driver. He is someone great." The commissioner retorted, "Is he, the Major of Rome?" "No. It's someone greater." "The President of Italy?" "No, someone even greater." "Who could it be?" "I do not know, but I know for certain that the Pope is driving him." Dear Blinston and Leandra, you're in that seat and someone greater than the Pope, the Holy Spirit of Love, is driving you. That is the commitment you made a few hours earlier at the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in Sarzora. Under the inspiration of God each of you will take turns in the driver's seat at the wheel. I'm confident that your upbringing and education will enable you to keep driving through the highways, byways and super highways both on land and in cyberspace. Since your births in Nairobi and Lucknow and your schooling in Margao and Saligao your parents have been the greatest and best teachers to educate you in the ways of God and men. May you continue to cherish and practice the values they have nurtured and fostered in you. At the beginning of the twenty first century your quest for excellence led you both to the Farmagudi Engineering College where in 2002 you began to dance to each other's tunes and played musical chairs. The music of your individual lives led you to Mumbai and Ahmadnagar in pursuit of your ambitions for fame and glory, until you comfortably sat on different chairs at the Dell Company in Bangalore. Since February 2006 you've been planning to travel together and dance to the words of St. John the Evangelist, "Beloved let us love one another, for love is of God and he who loves is born of God." There's no better music for a newly married couple than this verse, which you placed on your wedding invitation card. Dear Blinston and Leandra, The reality of committed love for a married couple begins with the engagement RING, develops with the wedding RING and matures through suffeRING. As you take the driver's seat and drive though life may you learn to use these three precious RINGS appropriately:
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TO Celebrate THE EPISCOPAL ORDINATION OF
BISHOP JOSEPH ROSE, osb
June 2, 2002St. John's Parish Church, Hayward, CA
Spiritual Leadership in our Contemporary Church and Society
MY DEAR PEOPLE OF GOD: Bishops, Bishop-Elect, Priests, Monks, Oblates and Faithful Parishioners,
Twenty five years ago when Raul Nicolau Gonsalves, the Archbishop of Goa and Patriarch of the East Indies, ordained me a Priest among the Salesians of Don Bosco, I had no idea that I would be called upon to preach to Bishops about their role of spiritual leadership in our contemporary society and in the Church in America. As I went through my experiences of priestly ministry and recalled the many authors and books that I've read over these years it became clear to me that in the course of this homily I should focus on MY PRIESTLY MOTTO: With you a disciple of Christ, for you His Priest today. I want the Bishop-Elect and everyone present to know that the original quote from the beginning of the sermon of St. Augustine on the Shepherds (Sermon 46, 1-2) reads,"I clearly exhibit two distinct features: one, that I am a Christian; two, that I am appointed overseer of others. The fact that I am a Christian is for my benefit; that I am appointed an overseer is for yours. My own good is to be considered in my being a Christian; in my being an overseer, only yours." Though selected from among the People of God to exercise a functional, ministerial and leadership role, every Bishop and Priest never ceases to be a disciple of Christ. This dual responsibility is at the heart of the Priesthood. Archbishop Quinn of San Francisco described it as "The heart of the Priesthood is the Priesthood of the heart" (Homily to Clergy on Maundy Thursday, 1991). I realize now more than ever before that it is the 'PRIESTHOOD OF THE HEART' or 'The Ministry of Compassion' which sums up the responsibilities of any candidate called to participate in the fullness of the Priesthood as a Bishop in the world today. THE CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUS SCENARIO exposes us to the reality of How a "Christian Country" has become the world's most religiously diverse nation. Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs work side-by-side with Protestants and Catholics. The new religious diversity is now a Main Street phenomenon. In A New Religious America Diana L. Eck (2001), a leading religious scholar, writes: "How Americans of all faiths and beliefs can engage with one another to shape a positive pluralism is one of the essential questions -perhaps the most important facing American society. While race has been a dominant American social issue in the past century, religious diversity in our civil and neighborly lives is emerging, mostly unseen, as the great challenge of the twenty first century." The answer to such a challenge is not an easy one. Some admit that Christianity is facing a deep crisis. Gerhard Staguhn (1992) in GOD'S LAUGHTER: Physics, Religion and the Cosmos with thought-provoking honesty offers the following penetrating conclusion to his book. "The deep crisis of Christianity may be connected to the fact that it does not admit humor and has never accepted the erotic aspect of love. The crisis of modern science may be connected to its failure to introduce humor as a universal constant in nature. Research is done too obsessively and with too little humor, governed as it is by the false belief that human existence per se can be reduced to a formula. I have a dark feeling, though, that a humorous quantum of action is hidden in nature that refuses to be mathematically defined. It guarantees that behind every secret that man regards as the ultimate one, another "ultimate"secret will appear, each time accompanied by an engaging, not at all scornful, laughter. But it will only be audible for those who are endowed with truly "spiritual" ears. A Jewish proverb says: 'man thinks, and God laughs.'" Little wonder, then, that so MANY SEEKERS ARE LOOKING FOR THE "SPIRITUAL" in order to penetrate the inner secret of life and death, intimacy and isolation, freedom and responsibility, meaninglessness and purpose (Yalom, 1980). A plethora of spiritualities accompanied by a cornucopia of spiritual practices is available to the American populace. Elizabeth Lesser (1999) in her book The New American Spirituality provides directions through the four landscapes of the spiritual journey: "The mind: developing awareness, learning meditation, easing stress and anxiety - The heart: finding what one really loves, dealing with grief and loss, becoming fully alive - The body: returning the body to the spiritual fold, healing, coping with aging and fear of death - The soul: naming God for ourselves, exploring other realms of consciousness, trusting the mysterious nature of the universe, developing compassion and forgiveness." How is the Christian Church facing the issue of religious diversity and spiritual leadership at the beginning of this century? What is the role of a Christian Bishop vis a vis these challenges? The answer has to focus on how a Bishop accepts THE CHALLENGE OF CHRIST in today's Gospel (St. John 21/15-17) passage, "Lovest thou me more than these? ... Feed my Sheep." This is how Bishop Augustine of Hippo (Sermon 46, 29-30, 1-2) interprets Christ's answer to Peter: "There were many apostles, but to one he said, 'Feed my sheep.' Away with the notion that good shepherds are lacking at present; let us not entertain the idea; may the Lord's mercy never fail to produce and appoint them. ... Surely, if there are good sheep, there are good shepherds too, for good shepherds are made from good sheep. But all good shepherds are in the one, are all one reality. Let them feed the sheep - it is Christ who feeds them. ...For if I speak my own opinions, I shall be a shepherd feeding myself not my sheep; but if what I say is his, it is he who feeds you, no matter who is speaking." The Bishop-Elect belongs to the Order of St. Benedict. I would like to share two readings from the BENEDICTINE SPIRITUAL TRADITION."The whole of the spiritual life turns on these two things: we are troubled when we contemplate ourselves and our sorrow brings salvation; when we contemplate God we are restored, so that we receive contemplation of ourselves we gain fear and humility; but from contemplation of God hope and love" (The Sermons of St. Bernard). "This is the kind of zeal which monks should exercise with fervent love; ... Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and may he lead us all alike to everlasting life.(The Rule of St. Benedict)." I would also like to share an INSIGHT ABOUT SOLITUDE as described by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette in A Monastic Year (1996). "Thomas Merton, the renowned Cistercian monk and a lover of solitude, expanded on this search for the authentic self in many of his treatises. In "The Inner Experience: Christian Contemplation" he once poignantly wrote: I must return to paradise. I must recover myself, salvage my dignity, reflect my lost wits, return to my true identity. The early desert monks, with that deep realism and profound common sense that was uniquely theirs, also taught their disciples to cultivate the love of solitude. Again and again they repeated, "Stay in your cell and do not leave it. Sit in your cell, and your cell will teach you everything." For them, the humble solitude of the monastic cell was the furnace of Babylon, where the transformation from the old self into the new self in God's likeness took place. The task of the disciple was to heed his master's advice and persevere, in spite of the trials and often boredom of the cell, alone with him who is Alone. Gradually the disciple learned to discover the wisdom of this teaching. Solitude then became for him not only the place that led to the discovery of his true identity, but it even more so became the place where he could find and work out his daily salvation." It is from this deep solitude that a contemporary Episcopalian Bishop, a controversial one, describes his SEARCH FOR THE AUTHENTIC JESUS (Spong, 1993). "The worship of this Christ does not turn me into a pious or religious person, and I trust it will not so turn you. I cannot worship the Christ who fulfilled every human aspiration without also embracing the world gladly, as he did; or without walking into the future beyond every conventional frontier, as he walked. I cannot stand in awe of freedom and wholeness in this Christ and not seek to break every tie that binds me or any other human being into anything less than full humanity. My worship demands that I be willing to contend against prejudice, bigotry, fear, or whatever else warps or denies another's personhood. Worship of this Christ is thus for me a call to life, to love, to compassion, to sensitivity, and to the quest for justice. It is a call to the risks of involvement and confrontation with every other human being. To worship this Christ is to celebrate the present life and to hope for fulfillment that must lie ahead."
I am not sure how many conductors would be required to orchestrate the spiritual life of the six billion human beings on this planet. In my estimate, one out of every five who is a baptized follower of Christ could do a fantastic job both as a disciple and as a leader in our contemporary society. MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA stands out as one of those extraordinary personalities who captured the spirit of Christ and the fascination of our world as a Minister of Compassion with the 'Priesthood of the Heart.' May her tribe increase! We may do well to pay heed to her words (Collopy 1996): "Keep the joy of loving the poor and share this joy with all you meet. Remember works of love are works of peace. God bless you."
References Augustine of Hippo. (1974). Sermons. in The Divine Office Vol. III. London: Collins. pp 538,580-581 Benedict of Subiaco. (1974). The Benedictine Rule in The Divine Office Vol. III. London: Collins. p 107* Bernard of Clairvaux. (1974). Sermons. in The Divine Office Vol. III. London: Collins. p 523 Book of Common Prayer. (1928). New York: Oxford University Press. Collopy, M., (1996). Works of love are works of peace: Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the Missionaries of Charity. San Francisco: Ignatius Press. D'Avila-Latourrette, V., (1996). A Monastic Year. Dallas: Taylor Publishing Company Eck, Diana (2001). A new religious America. San Francisco: Harper SanFrancisco Lesser, Elizabeth. (1999). The New American Spirituality: A Seeker's Guide. New York: Random House. Mello, A. de, (1989). The heart of the enlightened: A book of story meditations. New York: Doubleday. Spong, J. S., (1993). This Hebrew Lord: A Bishop's Search for The Authentic Jesus. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco. Staguhn, G., (1992). God's Laughter: Man and His Cosmos. Translated by Steve Lake and Caroline Mahl. New York: Kodansha America Inc. Yalom, I. D., (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books, Inc.
TO Celebrate EASTER
WITH THE PARISHIONERS OF ST. JOHN'S CHURCH
March 26, 2005St. John's Parish Church, Hayward, CA
Staying Young in our Contemporary Church and Society
MY DEAR SISTERS AND BROTHERS, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above." [1 Col. iii. 1] As Christians we are not a Good Friday Community but an Easter People -A Community of Believers- energized by the power of the Living Christ who is eternally young. It is his power that makes us energetic and fully alive to "be still and know that I am God" [Psalm 46/10].
Easter comes with the message to STAY YOUNG for "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" [Author Anonymous].
Mr. Walter Marston from San Francisco recently forwarded to me an email with The Dash Poem. The poet Linda Ellis reflects on the dash that separates the years of birth and death on many a tombstone. The dash stands for the life of the individual. Unlike Ellis I would like to focus on the two most important breaths that describe the dash. The first breath at birth and the final breath of death. The festivities of Christmas and Easter are the celebrations of these two significant breaths or moments in the life of Christ and in the lives of his followers.
Throughout history theologians and commentators have understood the mystery and the reality of the Resurrection of Christ in a number of ways. While some have attempted to explain the resurrected body in physical terms others have described it as a phenomenon that occurs only after death. I like the way St. Iranaeus of Lyon, an author of the first century, has described it, for "The glory of God is a human being fully alive."
The fullness of life as lived by Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, is the mystery, the reality and the glory of the resurrection. John Dominic Crossan, a Christian theologian, describes the miracle of the resurrection of Christ as parabolic, i.e. like a parable, a metaphorical way to indicate the mystery and reality of the fullness of life as lived by Jesus in the here and now, for "everyone was filled with awe and glorified God" [Luke 7/16]. Taking a cue from Jiddu Krishnamurthy, a philosopher who draws deeply form the spiritual traditions of India, I would like to describe the power of the resurrection of Christ as the meeting point of history and eternity -the explosion of the moment.
The challenge of the resurrection of Christ for us today is to live our lives fully in the present -where the two significant moments of birth and death explode both within and beyond enslaving memories of the past and anxiety-ridden projections into the future. It is indeed an explosion of forgiveness and hope! It blends history with eternity in God! It accepts the creative newness of life in abundance [John 10/10 & Brihadāranyaka Upanishad 5.1.1]. It centers a flame with no name or aim of fame or shame at life’s game! It lets go that love may grow and joy overflow in imitation of Christ crucified and risen. "Today is the first day of the rest of my life, Today is the only explosion that truly matters."
Birth or death, fullness or emptiness are two states of breathing and being. It is much easier for us to experience the presence of God as energy, enthusiasm, excitement, happiness and other elevated feelings. There are times when we may be called to experience the absence of God in our lives - an emptiness that like a dry, weary land thirsts for water [Psalm 63/1, John 19/28]. St. John of the Cross, a Catholic Mystic of the XVI century, describes this emptiness as "the dark night of the soul." Thomas More, a contemporary author, in The Dark Nights of the Soul writes that such dark nights or states of depression have a purpose to purify, strengthen and make the soul soar to unprecedented levels of being, creativity, enlightenment and compassion. Jesus Christ on the cross experienced distress and exclaimed: "Oh God, my God why have you forsaken me?" [Matthew 27/47] ... "But Jesus, again crying out in a loud voice yielded up his spirit" [Matthew 27/50], thus redeeming the world.
Easter comes with the message to LIVE FULLY IN THE PRESENT in fulfillment of the Divine Plan [Jeremiah 29/11] for "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" [Author Anonymous ].
The American media these days have chosen to focus on Terri Schiavo/Schindler. Some commentators have suggested that the imposed fast unto death offers a commentary on how Americans today address life and death issues. We have also been praying for Marta Romero, a courageous woman, a loving mother and grandmother, a faithful Christian and a devotee of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who in the name of Christ decided to go on a self-imposed, deliberate and a total fast on Ash Wednesday. Yesterday, I was told that her days are few and soon she'll take her last breath. [Marta Romero died on Monday after Easter at 10am and was buried in San Mateo, CA on April 2, 2005. Terri Schiavo/Schindler died on March 31, 2005.]
We do not know when will be our last breath! The message of Easter is clear -live every breath as though it were your last. Take a deep breath: simply breathe in radiance (Awaken), fulfilled experience life (Balance), freely breathe out peace (Center), and emptied experience glory (Delight). This is the rhythm of life with the Spirit of the Risen Lord. "I pray by breathing." Thomas Merton "Breathing in I smile, breathing out I relax." Thich Nath Hanh
If ye then be risen with Christ, breathe those things which are above STAY YOUNG and FULLY ALIVE! I WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY EASTER!
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1. engage all your individual strengths and qualifications to realize your personal goals and purpose in life; 2. blend your intellectual, emotional and spiritual resources to create a new family, may all your troubles be little ones; and 3. do not shun suffering, accept it as you would accept your shadow. Finally, dear Blinston and Leandra, this is my wish and prayerful toast to you both today and every day of your married lives: May Your silence be comfortable. In that silence, may you experience the height of intimacy, the depth of communication and the powerful presence of God’s Spirit of Love that gives and forgives. If you do this, your marriage will indeed be a happy and a lasting one, and all near and dear to you, especially your children, will be happy. I wish you HAPPINESS AS A MARRIED COUPLE! Viva! |
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Graceful ▪ Grateful ▪ Peaceful ▪ Playful ▪ laughter |
