The Relevance of Incarnation

 God

the Most Intelligent

Chose

not to use

Alerts

Messengers

Video Calls

and Apps 

that Create 

Virtual Presence.

Instead

He 

Chose to

MEET US

in Person..

Let us Keep

Virtual Presence

to the Minimum.

Merry Christmas!

புத்தாண்டே வருக - பாடல்

Breaking the Chains

Scholars have often repeated the same thing about violence.
Violence often begets violence or that violence is spiral – it continues eternally.
Take the example of a son whose father is killed by someone. The son, when he identifies the culprit, waits for an opportune time to take away his life. The same fate will await for him.

The enmity between two persons or groups or nations continue although the initiators of violence are no more. The chain can be only broken when one of the descendants one day forgives the other.

The idea of forgiveness and the breaking of the continued violence can be explained with an example. Charles Taylor writes how this was possible in the political realm of South Africa. According to him the harmonious living is possible today only because of the victim who rises vertically to forgive the other. It is possible. What one has to do is to break the chain of hatred with love; break the chain of resentment with forgiveness. It is not that you do it because you are powerless but because you are powerful, inspired by the love of God.

Nietzsche had spoken in his genealogy of morals that resentment of the weak created the morality of evil. In his dictionary, forgiveness is the tool of the week to subdue the powerful. For the one who wanted to retrieve the sense of self-transcendence against instrumental rationality and establish the transformation of the values it may have seemed correct. He wanted to recover the human creativity and transcend nihilism through aesthetics.

When it comes to the political realm, Nietzsche's genealogy does not help. I am not undervaluing the moral motive behind the claim of Nietzsche, but the political outcome of it. Taylor himself suggests that Nietzsche's followers turn to be anti-humanists. Leaving aside the philosophical debate, when one turns to the political conflicts between nations or groups, the only way to break the chain of hatred and war is to forgive.

The Death of Christ on the Cross is the real witness to the end of bloody sacrifice. Unbelievers may not subscribe to the faith of the Christians, but the fact is that humanism one values in the world has come out of and shaped of the agapeic gospel of Christ.

PAPA - POPE

Pantheon, Pentecost and Petals

On the Pentecost day one witnesses showers of rose petals passing through the eye of Pantheon. Pantheon itself a wonderful pieces of architecture and petals come down it seems wonderful. I have heard of them but did not see them. Today I happen to be close by although without a good camera...

My cellphone captured at least the three firemen on the top of Pantheon who were thrwing petals....

Difference between Christmas and Easter

We had a break in the library. Four of us came out and discussed about the Church, Documents, Pope, Festivals. In the course of the discussion, one of my friends was sharing with us about his conversation with an altar boy during the season of Christmas.

He asked the boy what is Christmas? The boy seemed to have answered - "Christmas means that Child Jesus is risen ."

If that is so what is the meaning of Easter? - one could very well say - "Easter means that Adult Jesus is risen."

My friend was very sad and angry and said how badly we transfer our faith to the younger generation. We don't really pass on the faith narratives to the kids well.

Could any theologian tell me whether that kid, who said Christmas is the celebration of the resurrection of Child Jesus, expressed an important truth about God?
If Jesus as God died to his Godhood and was born to a woman - Could this be considered as resurrection? If Resurrection is dying to one life and being born to a new life, can the birth of Jesus be considered as resurrection?

I am trying to rescue the baby who said that Christmas is the celebration of the resurrection of child Jesus? Do I blaspheme?

THOMAS' DOUBT

St. Thomas is often seen to be doubting Thomas as though all other apostles never doubted. However Thomas has become the figure of the doubt of the apostles themselves. He is seen to be the personification of the 'doubt and suspicion' of our own.

Why did St. Thomas doubt? One could see St. Thomas to be a representative of the empiricist tradition of philosophy - unless I see and touch I will not believe. This seems to be as simple as that. But there is something more to it. When does one believe what someone says? Think of a situation in which you have witnessed something spectacular in your life. You convey this wonderful news to your colleagues that you had witnessed something great without any felicity, gladness as though you are a news reader. Do you expect the other to believe that you had witnessed something spectacular?

This is what happened with Thomas. He sees his own friends in the same way as he left them after the death of Jesus. Thomas was like all others in a closed room. In his absence Jesus appears and all the other apostles were present and Thomas was missing. When Thomas returned to join the company of his own colleagues, he did not see anything different in the room. The room was still closed. There was no enthusiasm. The fear that surrounded them still seems to be there. And they tell him that they had seen the master. Would anyone believe that they had seen the master?

Think of another situation where the room is wide open. The other apostles are very happy. They have become courageous. They want to go out and preach the truth about the Master. They want to go to the streets. Thomas enters and wonders what had happened in his absence. They tell him that they had seen the Master. Would anyone doubt that they had seen the master? Do you think that Thomas would doubt it?

This is the situation that happens with the apparition of Jesus again – when he asks Thomas to touch him. Not only the doubt of Thomas disappears but also that of all other apostles. They open the doors – go to the streets. Thomas can be seen to be the one who transformed the life of the apostles by his doubt.

It is not enough that one witness something wonderful and extraordinary, but it should touch you, it should transform you. It is not enough that it transforms one’s life but he shares this wonderful joy with others.
It means  that it is not enough that you see Jesus but you should allow him to touch you, to transform your fear into courage, courage to proclaim the truth.

POPE FRANCIS

The Catholic Church has a new Pope – Pope Francis. I was having fever and I could not go out of my room for three days. These days I was telling myself that I should be there in St. Peter’s Square when the new Pope makes his appearance. The privilege to be there in the basilica is not given to everyone. Many who want to be there cannot be there. I was motivating myself that everything will be allright. The white smoke appeared on 13.3.13 around 7.05pm. 

It was raining and I had cold and fever therefore I was in a dilemma. Would not it be better to watch the whole event clearly in T.V. rather than being in the piazza without getting able to go any way near the pope - I asked myself. I was hesitant to go out but I should say that I was almost drawn towards the Basilica. The motivation came from a priest. We reached the Basilica around 7.35pm. We found a place at the center of the Piazza.

The drizzling slowed down as though helping the people to gather in peace. The piazza and the street were full…around 8.10 the senior cardinal announced the good news that we have the Pope – Cardinal George Bergoglio who will take the name of Francesco. I was amazed – I am sure others too. His name did not make an appearance in the newspapers and television. I was thinking that he is from Italy, the name suggested it. Somewhere from the crowd someone said – Argentina.

The Pope appeared – the crowd shouted – the Pope stood still – unmoved, at least I thought he was. When he started speaking I was moved literally. He said: “My cardinal brothers have found one from the other end of the earth to be the bishop of Rome” – He laughed and we too. He then called everyone to pray for the Pope Emeritus. The most important and moving part was this: he said: before I give my blessing, please pray for me that lord bless me. I was astonished to see him bowing his head – No wonder he chose the name Francis.

I am sure that the Church has a very humble, simple pope who will be a living witness to many. He seems to be the ‘first’ in many ways – I hope it continues.

Prayers for You Always – Viva il Papa.