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40 DAYS WALK WITH ST.FRANCIS DE SALES

40 DAYS WALK WITH ST.FRANCIS DE SALES

First Day – Ash Wednesday

Theme: Understand True Devotion is true love for God…

Dear friends, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the season of lent. The season of lent gives us three pious practices to focus on - Prayer, Fasting and Alms-giving. Ash Wednesday reminds us of our beginning and end in God. In order to make the season of lent a season of grace, we need to understand the true devotion to the Lord. True devotion to God would enable us to participate meaningfully in the season of Lent and enrich us with the gift of God’s grace.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Dear Philothea, devotion that is true and living presupposes the love of God, rather it is nothing else than a true love of God. It is not however, love as such. In so far as divine love enriches us it is called grace, which makes us pleasing to God. In so far as it gives us the strength to do good, it is called charity. But when it grows so such a degree of perfection that it makes us not only to do good but rather moves us to do it carefully, frequently and promptly, it is called devotion,”  (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 36).

Yes, understanding the true devotion to God, that is, to love God truly is the first step to come closer to God. Let our Lenten observances that we begin today aim at loving God truly. I am sure our love for God would enrich us with grace to practice the Lenten observances meaningfully.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Love God truly in all things by making a Genuine Prayer, Genuine Fast and Genuine Giving to someone who is in real need…

Live Jesus!

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Second Day – Thursday

Theme: True Devotion in action is Charity…

Someone has very beautifully shared the meaning charity. “Charity is the act of extending love and kindness to others unconditionally, which is a conscious act but the decision is made by the heart, without expecting a reward.” Yes, charity is an unconditional love and kindness, without any reservation and expectation from anyone for any reasons. A charitable person gives his/her time, money, experience, talents and resources to help others in love and kindness freely and voluntarily. A charitable person does charity willingly and joyfully without any force.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Devotion is nothing else than a spiritual agility and liveliness by means of which charity realizes its actions in us promptly and lovingly. To be devout one must not only have charity but a great liveliness and promptness in doing charitable actions. He further gives a beautiful analogy saying, “Charity and devotion are not more different from each other than the flame from the fire. All the more, charity is a spiritual fire which when it burns with intense flames is called devotion. Devotion adds to the fire of charity only the flame which makes charity prompt, active and diligent not only to keep God’s commandments but also to put into practice his counsels and inspirations,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Pp. 36-37).

Yes, true devotion enables us to be charitable to one another. When we engage in charity, we experience real happiness. Because, in giving away the things that we love the most, sacrificing something for the good of the other, we give happiness to ourselves and to others as well.  Although, we notice quite a lot people engaging in charity or charitable works, yet they are faced with problems, because they are not genuine themselves or their motive is not right. Let us remember self-love is not selfish love, because I love myself and love others as well; selfless love is higher standard of love, because, even to the extent of risking one’s own life, I show love for others. So let us practice charity to oneself and to others.

Today’s Lenten walk:

“Charity begins at home,” is the familiar proverb. Let us be charitable to oneself, those around us in families, societies and world at large in showing love and compassion.

Live Jesus!

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Third Day – Friday

Theme: A Guide is necessary to progress in devotion…

Dear friends, we all know that guide is a person who assists us to travel through or reach a particular destination in an unfamiliar area, by accompanying or giving us directions or showing us the ways and means to reach the spot proper. A guide stands as the model and example to assist and support us in all ways and always. All the more, he/she is an expert in guiding or directing people. Today guidance is the need of the hour both in families and in religious life to progress in devotion. In life, most of the times, because of situations or circumstances, we lose the sense of direction, we de-rail and are disturbed, confused as to where and how to journey on. Therefore, we all need a good and genuine guide both in experience and knowledge of God, so that the guiding method and principle a guide offers to us would be simple but solid, persuasive but practical.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Dear Philothea, if you want to set out earnestly on the path of devotion, find some good person to guide and direct you. This is the most important advice,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, P. 42). Further, he says, “Since it is so very important for you that on this holy journey of devotion you travel with a good guide, pray very earnestly to God to give you one after his own heart and do not doubt. Even if it is necessary to an Angel from heaven, as he did for young Tobias, he will give you a guide who is good and faithful, (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 43).

Yes, to progress in the path of devotion to move towards God, we all need a spiritual guide. We cannot make a choice of a spiritual guide at random or for name sake. It is not that whom we like but who can capture our hearts for God by spiritual guidance and orientation. Otherwise, it would only make us lose the spiritual flavor and fervor. As St. Francis De Sales very importantly says that we need pray earnestly to God to seek and find a guide after the heart of God, who is good and faithful, let us seek and God will help us to find one such guide. 

Today’s Lenten walk:

Think and thank the spiritual guides of the past and present in your life. If not, let us seek and find a spiritual guide, who is good and genuine after the heart of God. For such a spiritual guide, we need to pray earnestly and constantly.

Live Jesus!

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Fourth Day – Saturday

Theme: Self-Purification is a must in the path of devotion…

The word ‘Self-purification’ in itself is self-explanatory that it is a call to purify oneself or wash clean from all uncleanness or filth or dirt that makes us impure. What make us impure are our sins in different forms like our wishes, desires, motives, ways and means. Our minds, hearts, body and souls get contaminated, when wishes, desires, ways and means that we have or employ is deviated and are not good or healthy. Perhaps, everyone is not interested to purify oneself, because one feels comfortable, having been used to such ways of life as they have become now habits. To shake off or dust them out becomes difficult, as we have to make a move from our comfortable zone, what we thought to be comfortable but in actuality it is not. Therefore, for a self-purification we need to undergo self-denial, a willing mind and heart to change and a humble spirit to let go and accept new changes in life. Such dispositions will help us to see God’s plan more clearly and make ourselves clean, a pure offering to God.

St. Francis De Sales asks, “What are the flowers of our heart? Our good desires certainly. As soon as they appear, we should get hold of a pruning knife to cut off from our conscience every deed that is useless and irrelevant,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 44). Further he says, “The practice of self-purification cannot and should not come to an end as long as we live. Therefore, let us not be disturbed by our imperfections, because our perfection consists in fighting them. And we cannot fight them unless we see them, nor can we overcome them if we do not come across them. Our victory is not in not being aware of them but in not consenting to them. And to be bothered by them is not the same as consenting to them,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 46).

Yes, first of all we need to become aware of our desires, the healthy and unhealthy.  We need to take courage to prune unhealthy desires as they affect our path of devotion and make us stagnant to move towards God. We should never feel that we have already lost in the battle against imperfections that we face daily. We need to be strong and be courageous. As long as we have the courage and confidence in God to fight against our imperfections that arise out of desires, we shall always be victorious and successful by God’s grace.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us make decision to purify ourselves and pursue the path of devotion that leads to paradise. Let us shake of the dust of pride, arrogance and selfishness. Let us not be worried about imperfections that are common and natural to us but pray to God and have strong conviction not to give consent to them and fight till the end to overcome imperfections.

Live Jesus!

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Fifth Day – Monday

Theme: Make use of the Sacrament of Confession…

Dear friends, we all know that the Sacrament of Confession obtains pardon from God’s mercy for the sins committed against God and one another, when we seek God’s mercy and compassion. The Church makes use of this for the purpose of reconciliation with God and with one another. By the Sacrament of confession, we renew our life and commitment to God, promise God by saying ‘no’ to sin and ‘yes’ to grace.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church very beautifully explains about the Sacrament of Confession. It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus’ call to conversion, to all those strayed by sin (CCC: 1423). It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner’s personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction. It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. It is also a “confession,” acknowledgment and praise of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man. It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest’s sacramental absolution God grants the penitent pardon and peace. It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles (CCC: 1424).

St. Francis De Sales says, “The scorpion that stings us is poisonous when it does so. But made into an oil it becomes a powerful remedy against its own sting. Sin is shameful only at the time we commit it. Changed into confession and repentance, it is honorable and brings salvation. He also says, “Contrition and confession are so beautiful and of such fragrance, that they remove the ugliness of sin and dispel its stench. If we have true humility, Philothea, our sins will displease us very greatly since God is offended by them. But Confession our or sins will be pleasant and delightful because by it God is honored. To explain clearly to the doctor, what illness is troubling us, brings us some sort of relief. (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 72) Yes, the sacrament of confession is a sacrament of healing, which gives us relief and we rely on God always. The depth dimensions of the sacrament of Confession, we have failed to understand and have not given emphasis. It is like as sin abound we lose grace, while immersed in sin we have forgotten way to come out of sinfulness and have been blinded to give importance to the sacrament of Confession.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us frequent the Sacrament of Confession as and when we can. Let us not treat the Sacrament of Confession as we get license in a RTO Office for the vehicle to driving or riding and once its expired or lost we appear again. Let us treat the Sacrament of confession as sacred bond and not view it as a secular thing. Let us find relief and rely on God’s mercy, renew life through the Sacrament of Confession.

Live Jesus!

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Sixth Day – Tuesday

Theme: Prayer is necessary and non-negotiable act of human life…

Dear friends, there are different definitions and description on prayer; prayer is talking/dialogue/conversation/communication with God; prayer establishes and strengthens our bond with God as children; prayer helps us to overcome daily tests and temptations, crisis and chaos of life. In prayer, we praise God, thank God, adore and worship God, express ourselves who we are, place various requests and needs based on our wants and wishes etc. Let us remember, prayer is not just an accumulation of words rather our association and accompaniment with God. Today, most of us have lost the taste and zest for prayer, because we have diluted prayer with pride, prayer with position, prayer with possession. It is a life of duplicity and pretence. We have become worldly than godly, because worldly pursuit of happiness has become the pattern of life.

St. Francis De Sales gives a meaningful description of prayer saying, “Prayer is opening our understanding to God’s brightness and light, and exposing our will to the warmth of his love. Nothing else purifies so well our understanding of its ignorance and our will of its sinful attachments. It is a spring of blessings and its waters quench the thirst of the passions of our heart, wash away our imperfections, and make the plants of our good desires grow green and bear flowers. I strongly recommend to you prayer of the mind and of the heart, and especially that based on the life and sufferings of our Lord. By looking at him often in meditation, your whole being will be filled with him. You will learn his attitudes and model your actions on his,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 85).

Yes, prayer embraces us with God; prayer purifies us from the stain of sin and sinful actions; prayer makes us to immerse with God fully and enables us to follow him, his attitudes and commandments. Today, prayer has become mechanical and monotonous, because there is no genuine involvement with God and genuine interest in prayer life. We are so busy in life. We have no time for God, who has given us time to spend joyfully on earth. Let us realize that a busy life can make prayer life hard but prayer life will make busy life so easy, if we trust in the power of prayer. Therefore, prayer is basically a trust in God; trust in God paves way for genuine relationship; genuine relationship develops intimacy with God; genuine intimacy is obtained by constant communication with God. Prayer could be silent or spoken, but God hears and understands our prayer both in silence and speech. Let us realize that the purpose of prayer is to be in touch with God and to reach out to one another in the world.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us ask ourselves; what is the definition and description of prayer for me. We all of us are used to the definition and description of prayers that others have expressed by their experience, but we need to find our own definition and description of prayer. Such a meaningful definition and description would come about, when we have a deep personal experience, encounter and communion with God. Let us make it a point to pray every day without fail. Make a short and simple prayer possible. The best prayer that we can make every day is, ‘Our Father,’ the universal prayer and a prayer taught by Jesus.

Live Jesus!

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Seventh Day – Wednesday

Theme: Holy Eucharist is centre of life…

Dear friends, Holy Eucharist is one of the Sacraments instituted by Christ, so that we celebrate and participate in memory of Christ this divine sacrifice and remind ourselves of the ever-loving and everlasting presence of Christ with us. In utter faith, we believe that bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. It is a mystery and only an eye of faith would perceive. As we are aware that the Holy Eucharist is also called in various other names like Holy Mass, Holy Communion, Blessed Sacrament, the Last Supper, and the Lord’s Supper. The Second Vatican Council describes the Holy Eucharist as “the source and summit of Christian life” (Lumen Gentium 11). It shows the importance of the Holy Eucharist and how we must revere and hold close to our heart this holy Sacrament Eucharist.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Holy Eucharist is the sun of spiritual exercises, that is, the most holy sacred and supreme Sacrifice and Sacrament of the Mass. It is the centre of the Christian religion, the heart of devotion, the essence of piety. It is a mystery beyond description that encloses the abyss of divine charity. Through it God touches us in reality and gives us his graces and favors with abundant generosity. Prayer united to this divine Sacrifice has a power beyond words. In fact, Philothea, by it each one overflows with heavenly blessings, as if leaning on the Beloved (Songs 8:5). By him one is completely filled with spiritual fragrance and delight,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, p. 112).

Yes, Holy Eucharist is the centre of Christian life, because it contains Jesus’ life, ministry, passion, death and resurrection. As Jesus is center of our lives, the holy sacrifice of Jesus becomes the center of our life too. It is a holy sacrifice made by Christ to sanctify entire humanity. Holy Eucharist is sun of spiritual exercises, because just as sun shines forth for the entire earth and it illumines, so also the Holy Eucharist stands at the center of all spiritual exercises as sun and gives nourishment to rest of the spiritual exercises, helping and enabling us to unite closely with God. So our reverence in participation in the Holy Eucharist and importance to the Holy Eucharist must be shown in our lives at all at all times.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us make earnest effort to attend the Holy Eucharist every day. It is not mere attendance of Holy Eucharist that matters but our single-minded devotion and attention, full participation and proper disposition to the Holy Eucharist is most important. So let us prepare well, show reverence, participate fully in the Eucharist, experience Christ and share it with others as a mission. Let us ask ourselves; what is our attitude, approach and disposition to the Holy Eucharist, where Jesus reveals himself and wishes to embrace the humanity very closely?

Live Jesus!

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Eighth Day – Thursday

Theme: honor and look upon saints as pure examples of holiness…

Dear friends, the Catholic Church commemorates one each saint every day. They are remembered for their holiness, sacrifice, service and witness of life by the divine grace of God. The saints are mere human persons, but they become pure and holy person, when the grace of God descends upon them. The holy and devout persons or martyrs who give up life for the sake of faith in Christ are canonized as saints, by a long-standing tradition of the Holy Catholic Church. The saints are reminders to us to understand how God makes use of them as instruments of love and salvation. Perhaps, the saints’ life is a sign of hope and proof that God continues to be with us and grants us opportunity to become holy and sacred.

St. Francis De Sales says, “God sends us inspirations very often through his Angels. So, we must also send him our longing for him frequently through them. The faithful departed who are in Heaven with the Angels do similar work. They bring us inspirations and they express by their holy prayers our longing for God. Dear Philothea, let us unite our hearts to the heavenly spirits and to be the blessed in Heaven. The young nightingales learn to sing while with the older ones. In our holy sharing with the Saints, we shall learn better to pray as well as to sing the praise of God. Make a choice of few special Saints, whose lives you can best appreciate and imitate. Have a special confidence in their intercession. The Saint whose name you bear has already been assigned to you at your Baptism,” (Part II, Chapter 16, SFS IDL, pp. 116-117)

Further, St. Francis De Sales says, “Read also the stories and biographies of the Saints. You will see there, as in a mirror, the image of the Christian life. Find inspiration in their actions, drawing profit for yourself according to your life situation. Those who live their life in the world are not to imitate in every respect many of the actions of the Saints. Yet, they can imitate all the actions to a greater or lesser extent,” (IDL, SFS, Part II, Chapter 17, p. 118).

Yes, today saints are great models and inspiration for us to follow Christ and experience the nearness of God in our lives. It is not that If we wish to become holy rather our call as Christians demand life of holiness and service. Therefore, the life of saints and their teaching is an access for us to become holy and pure before God and one another. It is also a reminder that through the life of saints we can become holy with the help of God, by good works, ways and means that please God….

Today’s Lenten walk:

We shall honor the saints, imitate their holy lives and sacrifice, pray to them, show respect to the relics and images. Let us choose one of the favorite saints we like or a saint whose name we bear by the sacrament of Baptism, learn about them and follow their teaching and life-style to be with God and to bear witness to God.

Live Jesus!

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Ninth Day – Friday

Theme: Love for the word of God

Dear friends, we hear in letter to the Hebrews, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart,” (Heb 4:12).  The Bible verse manifests the power and wisdom of God’s word. The word of God has the power to pierce through our hearts and can effect positive changes in life. Someone has beautifully given the expansion for the word BIBLE (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth). Yes, the Word of God inspires us, instructs us and becomes an instrument of change, leading us all to redemption.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Love the word of God. Listen to it always with attention and deep respect, whether your hear it during familiar conversation with your spiritual friends or in sermons. Draw as much profit from it as you can. Do not let it fall to the ground. Receive it in your heart like a precious balm. Imitate our Lady who kept carefully in her heart all the words spoken in praise of her child. Remember that our Lord gathers up the words we say to him in our prayers, in the measure in which we gather up the words he says to us in sermons. Always have with you some good book of devotion, like those by St. Bonaventure, or The Spiritual Combat, the Confessions of St. Augustine, the Letters of St. Jerome and such others. Read a little from it every day with great love. Read as though you were reading letters sent to you by the Saints from Heaven, to show you the way and to encourage you to follow it,” ((SFS, IDL, Part II, Chapter 17, p. 118).

Yes, we need to read or hear the word of God with utmost devotion. We cannot read the word of God as we read a story book in a narrative style. The word of God has to be read devoutly, respectfully and carefully. Today many of us have not understood importance of the Bible or the word of God in our lives. We need to ask and check ourselves as how many biblical episodes we have read or really know or how many bible verses we know with reference. Let us remember that the bible has the word of God that’s spoken, work of God that’s done, voice of God that’s heard and the wisdom of God that’s marveled even today, when we get in touch with the Bible.

Today’s Lenten walk:

How many of us read the Word of God daily? Let us read the word of God everyday to connect ourselves with God and understand the secret emotions of love and affection, mercy and forgiveness of God for us in depth. Let us firmly resolve at least an episode in the bible we shall read every day.

Live Jesus!

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Tenth Day – Saturday

Theme: Receive God’s inspiration…

Dear friends, inspiration is a feeling of enthusiasm or zeal, energy or power that we get from someone or something. It elicits in us new, creative, innovative ideas to plan and execute well. Perhaps, God inspires us to do good or to be good, to be holy and to make others holy. It need not necessarily be a direct appearance of God to inspire us. God could inspire us through his word or work, or persons or place or an object at different point of time in our lives. It could be in ordinary or extra-ordinary ways, but we need to be ready and receptive to obtain inspirations that God gives us to grow in intimacy with him and with one another.

St. Francis De Sales says, “By inspirations we understand all the interior attractions, movements, consciousness of wrong done and regrets for wrong doing, enlightenments and insights. These God produces in us. By his fatherly love and care, he anticipates our heart’s desire with his blessings (Ps. 21:3). He does this to awaken in us, to stir us up, to urge us and to attract us to holy virtues, to heavenly love, to good resolutions, in short, to all that moves us forward to our everlasting good,” (part II, Chapter – 18, IDL, SFS, p. 120).

Further he says, “Be determined, Philothea, to accept whole-heartedly all the inspirations that God may be pleased to send you. Accept them with a consent that is total, loving and unchanging. If you do this, God who cannot be under any obligation to you will hold himself bound by your love. However, before giving your consent to inspirations concerning matters that are important or extraordinary, always get the advice of your spiritual guide. Let him examine whether the inspiration is true or false. Once you have given your consent to an inspiration, you must take great care to put it into practice and obtain its results; this is the height of true virtue. In fact, to give consent to an inspiration in your heart, without putting it into practice, is to plant a vine without desiring it to bear fruit,”  ((part II, Chapter – 18, IDL, SFS, p. 122).

Yes, every day we are offered with variety of chances and opportunities to be inspired to do good or tempted to do bad, it all matters what do we choose. We could perhaps be inspired to do good or bad, it all depends on, who inspires us. If we are inspired by good people by the divine assistance, we would be always good, our motives and movements, interests and intentions would be always good.  Once we are inspired by god’s blessings and grace, the interventions that God makes with us through various persons, place, time, objects etc, we would be able to do good to all people we encounter in our lives. Let us realise that inspiration that God gives us makes us genuinely good, provided we give consent to the inspiration that God gives us, pratice it and make it part of life, so that others too are inspired by our way of living.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Be ready and alert to obtain inspirations from God through various persons, place, times and things during the day. Think of the people who inspired you and be grateful to them.  Thank God for the good inspirations given in life. Think of the ways and means that we can inspire others. . Let us remember that God inspires those who desire for good.

Live Jesus!

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Eleventh Day – Monday

Theme: Regular Confession renders spiritual cleansing…

Dear friends, the sacrament of Confession offers us an opportunity to keep ourselves away from sin and cling on to God always. The Sacrament of Penance or confession or reconciliation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, by which we the faithful are absolved from sins committed after baptism and reconciled with God, others and oneself. We all know that anything that is done regularly becomes a habit, as part of life. When we do regular confession for the purpose of genuine spiritual cleansing, it becomes part of us without boredom and monotony. So anything that is continued constantly becomes strong positively or negatively. If good things are continued constantly positivity is cultivated but if negative is continued constantly negativity stands out the most. Let us realize that regular confession is good and a path toward spiritual progression and so it needs to be nurtured for a spiritual purification.

St. Francis very beautifully points out that “Our Saviour has entrusted to his Church the Sacrament of Penance and Confession. It was his intention that by this Sacrament we cleanse ourselves from all our sins, every time and as many times as we may be defiled by them. Therefore, Philothea never let your heart remain poisoned by sin for a long time, since such an easy remedy is available to you.” He further substantiates with an example saying, “A lioness that has been in the company of a leopard goes at once to wash herself and remove the unpleasant smell resulting from this contact so that when the lion meets her he will not be displeased and provoked. Thus whoever yields, to sin must have a disgust of himself and cleanse himself as soon as possible, out of respect due to the divine Majesty who sees him. But why do we choose a spiritual death, when we have such an excellent remedy?”

Moreover, St. Francis urges us saying, “Go to confession every week with humility and devotion. Do so always, if possible, whenever you intend receiving Communion even though you are conscious that you are not guilty of any mortal sin. In fact by Confession you receive more than absolution for the venial sins you confess. You are also given a great strength to avoid them in the future, much light to discern them well and abundant grace to repair whatever loss they have caused you. You will practise the virtues of humility, obedience, simplicity and charity. In no other act will you exercise more virtue than in this single act of Confession. Always have a sincere sorrow for the sins you confess, no matter how small they may be, with a firm determination to correct yourself in the future,” (St. Francis De Sales IDL, Part II, Chapter 19, pp 123-124).

Yes, the Sacrament of Confession gives us a spiritual cleansing and purification from every stain of sin and disgrace. Although, many might consider the Sacrament of Confession is not necessary, we need to realize regular confession keep us holy and pure, acceptable to God. Real confession brings true contrition and sorrow, transforms the person to leave behind the old and start a new life in Christ. Let us remember, when we do exercise regularly, we keep our body fit free from health issues, similarly, if we go genuinely for regular confessions, we would keep our heart, mind, body and soul pure and holy, fit and healthy always.

Today’s Lenten walk:

We need to ask ourselves how many times we go for confessions. Is it once in a week or a month or a year or never?  Does it really change me or makes me sick? Let us make efforts to do periodically regular confessions. Let us pick up and choose as we go to the confessional, a particular sin that haunts or torments us, seek God’s blessings to overcome them with the help of God gradually. Let us not look for instant results rather look towards God for help.

Live Jesus!

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Twelfth Day – Tuesday

Theme: Frequent communion brings freshness to life…

Dear friends, we know formerly it was not very easy to receive Holy Communion frequently. It was Pope Leo XIII in his encyclical Mirae caritatis in 1902 argued for frequent communion as a source of renewal of faith with his successor Pius X arguing in his motu proprio Sacra Tridentina that the laity should receive communion as frequently as possible. Definitely, frequenting Holy Communion has an effect and a transformative power to remain firm in the faith that we profess in Christ Jesus. We have already learnt that St. Francis de Sales has high regard for the Eucharist. Here he invites us to frequent the Holy Communion to be in communion with God daily.

Just as a little baby talks to its mother or father to be in touch with them, so also we can be in touch with God in prayer more closely and very specially through frequenting Holy Communion, where we become the carriers of Christ and sharers of Christ to the world. When we receive Holy Communion frequently, we make Christ dwell in our hearts everyday and as he permeates our entire being and we strengthen our bond and union with God. The frequency of Holy Communion needs to be received genuinely and not for name sake. The frequent genuine reception of Holy Communion makes us to befriend God. Ultimately, when God dwells in us and takes control of us, we become totally his.

St. Francis De Sales says, “The Saviour has instituted the most glorious Sacrament of the Eucharist, which truly contains his body and his blood, so that whoever eats it will live forever. Therefore those who receive it frequently with devotion strengthen their spiritual life and well-being, to such an extent that it is almost impossible for them to be poisoned by any kind of evil attachment. We cannot draw nourishment from this living flesh and find life in attachment to death. If men were to continue living in the earthly paradise, they could have avoided bodily death by the power of the life-giving fruit placed there by God (Gen. 3:22-24). In the same way, by the power of this Sacrament of life, it is possible for us to avoid spiritual death.”

Moreover, St. Francis De Sales says, “Fruit that is very delicate and decays easily, life cherries, apricots and strawberries, remains good for a whole year without difficulty, if preserved in sugar or in honey. So, it is not unusual that our hearts, though frail and feeble, are kept safe from the corruption of sin when preserved in the sugar and honey of the incorruptible flesh and blood of the son of God. Daily reception of Communion at the Eucharist is something I neither praise nor condemn. I advise and encourage everyone to receive Communion every Sunday, provided the heart is free of attachment to committing sin.” These are the very words of St. Augustine. With him I neither condemn nor praise without condition daily Communion,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part II, Chapter 20, pp. 127-128).

Yes, frequenting Holy Communion strengthens our spiritual wellness and our relationship with God. It is an opportunity to renew our faith in God and participate in the redemptive work that God offers in and through the self-sacrifice Jesus made. Just as things are stored in a safe place to be protected and preserved for a long time, so also when we remain or immerse in the highest good or most perfect spiritual exercise, Holy Communion, we are protected and safe-guarded from every temptations and sin and its repercussions.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us frequent Holy Communion on Holy days and days of obligation that the Catholic Church proposes. If daily food that we eat everyday nourishes the physical body, the daily bread or Holy Communion we receive daily nourishes our spiritual soul. Let us make these forty-days of lent a special treat for oneself by frequenting Holy Communion and thereafter continue the same to be bonded in union with God.

Live Jesus!

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Thirteenth Day – Wednesday

Theme: Select all virtues to practice, but prefer what corresponds you… 

Dear friends, we know virtue is a good moral quality or a behavior which shows high moral standards. The opposite of virtue is vice a moral weakness or bad habits that set bad examples largely. Virtues strengthen one’s moral character and become an essential string that ties or pulls together to disseminate good and positive feel and approach towards life. Most of us like to be virtuous and practice virtues to live a good moral standard but our human nature makes us weak and vulnerable to live a virtuous life. However, history has proved that we can live a virtuous life, provided we practice virtues in little or larger ways for good moral standards of living.

St. Francis De Sales very beautifully tells us, “In the practice of virtues, we must prefer that virtue which corresponds more with our duties than with our tastes. Every life-situation requires the practice of some particular virtue. Different are the virtues to be practised by a Bishop, by a prince, by a soldier, by a married woman, by a widow. Although all should have all the virtues, nevertheless, all are not bound to practise them equally. But each one must devote oneself to those virtues much needed for the state of life to which one is called.”

Furthermore, he says, “Usually, the comets (dirty snowballs – celestial bodies in heaven) appear bigger than the stars and occupy more space as seen by us. All the same, they are not comparable to the stars either in their size or in their importance. They appear great because they are closer to us, and are of a coarser substance than the stars. Similarly, there are some virtues which as they are close to us, are more visible and in a way more physical. They are highly esteemed and always preferred by the common people. Thus they usually prefer temporal almsgiving to the spiritual, hair-shirt, fasting, going barefoot, discipline and mortifications of the body to gentleness, good-naturedness, modesty and other mortifications of the heart which however are more excellent. Choose, then Philothea, the best virtues and not the most esteemed, the most sublime and not the most spectacular, and the most excellent and not the most showy,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 1, pp. 138-139).

Yes, all can be virtuous in life if we practice virtues sincerely and daily. It is not mandatory that we follow all the virtues but it is not bad as well if we practice or select all the virtues. But, we need to give time for a particular virtue to grip us completely to progress well in the highest moral good or standards of living. So that we precisely focus on the particular virtue and make it part of us completely. However, we need to select virtues that are more pertinent to our duties and responsibilities as they become immediately useful and become part of us daily. All the more, let us not to choose virtues for people to see and seek self-appreciation rather choose virtues to live life authentically and inspire others by good intentions.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us make a special effort to identify first of all, what virtues I need right now. After identifying what virtues required the most in life, we shall sincerely practice for quality life. Gradually, once we master the virtue and are completely into it, we shall pick up another most important virtue that suits us and is suitable according to our situations and responsibilities. So one by one, we shall pick up, practice and progress in the path of devotion and moral standards of life.

Live Jesus!

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Fourteenth Day – Thursday

Theme: The virtue of Patience…

Dear friends, patience is the quality of being able to remain calm without being or getting angry, especially when there is a difficulty or one has to wait a long time. The virtue of patience gives us the capacity to accept delays or problems without being anxious or worried. Most of us become impatient with things and situations around us, when it does not happen as we wish or plan. We need to remember that the disturbed mind or anxious mind leads to more complications than looking for solutions to solve an issue. So it is by the virtue of patience we shall win life over many trials and tribulations. We all know patients in the hospital. They are hospitalized because they are sick and need treatment. If we look at one way or the other, mostly we become patients by being impatient, become sick and get admitted in the hospital. So patience would help us avoid being patients in life. Let us practice patience.

St. Francis De Sales quotes the two biblical verses, “You have need of patience so that doing the will of God you may receive what he has promised (Heb. 10:36) says the Apostle. Yes, for as the Saviour has declared, you shall possess yourself in patience (Lk. 21:19). It is the great happiness of man, Philothea, to possess himself. The more perfect our patience, the more perfectly we possess ourselves. Often recall to your mind that Our Lord saved us by his sufferings and endurance. In the same way, we must work out our salvation by sufferings, trials, bearing insults, conflicts and troubles with as much gentleness as possible.

In addition to the above, St. Francis De Sales points out saying, “Do not limit your patience to this or that kind of insults and trials but extend it without exception to all that God will send you or allow to happen to you. Some wish to suffer only trials which are honorable, for example, to be wounded in battle, to be prisoners of war, to be ill-treated for the sake of religion, to be impoverished by some lawsuit in which they are successful. Such persons do not love the trials but the honor they bring. The really patient servant of God bears with equanimity the humiliating trials as well as the honorable,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 3: Patience, p. 145).

Yes, patience will help us to be calm, composed and relaxed in life. Let us not allow ourselves to limit patience for honorary titles or for honorable duties rather have patience at all times. Just as the real gold is tested in fire, so also the real value and originality of a person is tested in times of obstacles and humiliations. So let us withstand all humiliation calmly and practice patience for the serenity of mind, heart, body and soul.

Today’s Lenten walk:

First and foremost, we need to find out where are the areas we become impatient. Let us focus in particular and address them one by one slowly and gently without being hard and harsh with oneself. Let us try to take the moments of impatience on a little lighter note and see we would definitely find peace and be at ease with ourselves.

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Fifteenth Day – Friday

Theme: Practice patience both in important and secondary circumstances…

Dear friends, we have inclination to choose that we would practice patience only at an important moment and avoid moments that are secondary or less important. Perhaps, practicing patience is required at the secondary circumstances or least moment but a little attention, for which we cannot avoid the practice of patience in the least moments or less important events. The great moment of pain or little chances of pain, all require patience, it is by dealing with them diligently and patiently, and we would be able to obtain peace of mind and serenity of heart.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Be patient not only in the main and important details of the misfortunes which may come upon you but also as regards the secondary and accidental circumstances which flow from them. Many would be willing to accept trouble provided they were not in any way inconvenienced. Now, I say, Philothea, we must have patience not only at being ill but also at being ill with the illness which God wishes, in the place where he wishes and among the persons he wishes and also with the discomforts he wishes. The same is to be said about other trials.

Further, St. Francis De Sales says, “When any evil happens to you, make use of such means which are possible in accordance with God’s will. To do otherwise would be to tempt the divine majesty. After taking the means, await the outcome which is pleasing to God with complete resignation. If it pleases him that the means overcome the evil then thank him with humility. But if it pleases him that the evil overcomes the means then bless him with patience,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 3: Patience, p. 146).

Yes, by all means we need to practice patience at all times. Let us remember that it is by addressing the little issues or minor sufferings at first we will be able to handle the bigger or greater sufferings with patience. of course, the degree or the intensity of suffering differs depending on how great it is. But we obtain firsthand experience to practice patience from the little to the greater. So it is better to be prepared to deal with patience both in important and the least important occasions. One might ask what if we are to encounter greater sufferings at the very first instance. Still, we need to deal it with patience. If it is that we may have to undergo, then we may have to go through and there is no other option. Be certain, patience pays the prize. It may be hard initially but soothing at the end.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us be prepared to deal with patience, whatever may be the problems or sufferings we may have to face during the day. Let’s list out what’s great and least moments that need patience, deal diligently and prudently such moments with patience. Thank God for making you strong and patient in tough times. It has helped us to withstand bigger problems. If you have been impatient both in greater moments or the least moments of suffering, nothing to worry, we have still time to deal it with patience. Patience is the only way to peace. So practice patience always and at all times.

Live Jesus!

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Sixteenth Day – Saturday

Theme: Patience in times of humiliations…

Dear friends, humiliations in life hit us very hard at times. We feel that we are caught up and not able to come out of it. But be for sure, patience in times of humiliations bears fruit, however hard it might be. As long as we have the control over the humiliations or humiliating experiences, we will be able to easily handle it well without much difficulty. Most of our problems is that the moment we are humiliated, we lose patience and lose peace of mind. If we could be little more slow and less prone to anger and anxiety, humiliations can be handled quite normally well. But it requires courage, will-power and determination. Above all, patience in times of humiliation requires God’s grace and blessings. Our complete trust in divine providence would help us to overcome humiliations in life and would help us to practice patience.

St. Francis De Sales gives us a beautiful example saying, “Remember that the bees at the time of making honey live and feed on very bitter food. Similarly we cannot make acts of the greatest gentleness and patience nor compose the honey of excellent virtues except by eating the bread of bitterness and living amidst trials. As honey made out of the flowers of thyme, a small bitter herb, is the best of all, so also the virtues practised in the bitterness of the most vile, low and mean trials and humiliations are the most excellent of all.”

Moreover, St. Francis De Sales gives us a picture of how Jesus practiced patience during the hard moments of pain and suffering and so he says, “Look often with your interior eyes on Jesus Christ crucified, naked, blasphemed, slandered, abandoned and overwhelmed by every kind of trouble, sorrow and pain. Consider that all your sufferings are not comparable to his either in quality or in quantity; you will never be able to suffer anything for his sake compared to what he suffered for you. Consider the torments endured by the Martyrs of old and those so many people suffer now are incomparably more severe than yours and say: Alas! My sufferings are comforts and my thorns are roses in comparison with those who without help, without assistance and without relief live in continual death weighed down by afflictions infinitely greater than mine,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 3: p. 48).

Yes, we need to understand that life is not bed of roses rather it’s a mixture of both. However, if we compare our sufferings and pains with others, it may be heavy or lighter sometime, but nothing compared to the sufferings of Jesus. Jesus practiced patience in many places during his ministry with scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, authorities and even the people he loved as his own. It is just a pointer for us to realize that if we make efforts to practice patience in hard times, God would definitely give us his assistance and strength either to accept or to overcome the sufferings.

Today’s Lenten walk:

First and foremost, we need to accept that humiliations are a part of life. Secondly, we need to understand that everything is within our control, provided we don’t allow it to overpower us or haunt us. Thirdly, the most important thing, if we can’t handle humiliations, we need to just surrender it to God. Although, it is hard, let us try it, it will definitely work out for us. Let us remember, “If God is for us who can be against us,” (Rom 8:31).

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Seventeenth Day – Monday

Theme: Vain Glory is never a true Humility…

Dear friends, we all know that vain glory means an excessive pride in oneself or one’s achievements. Vainglory takes undue desires in the popularity, prestige and the praise and respect of others. Such desires make us sinful when it becomes excessive and immoderate. It is like we begin to take credit for everything, even though we have not contributed anything at all. So vain glory is zero glory or empty glory. The root cause of vain glory is pride and the vain glory can be put to an end by the virtue of humility. If we don’t address vain glory at earlier stages, it can be a hurdle to essentials of living our goals and focus. It can hamper our growth at personal, social and spiritual level too. The only remedy for vain glory is HUMILITY…

St. Francis De Sales says, “Vain glory is the glory we give ourselves for what is not in us, or for what is in us but is not ours, or what is in us and is ours but for which we do not deserve any credit. Nobility of race, the favor of the great and popularity are not in us but either in our predecessors or in the esteem of others. Some feel themselves proud and haughty because they ride on a good horse, have a feather in their cap or are splendidly attired. But who does not see that all this is folly? If there is any glory in these things, it belongs to the horse, to the bird and to the tailor. What meanness to borrow one’s esteem from a horse, form a feather or from a garment,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 4, p. 149).

Another simple example of vain glory that St. Francis de Sales gives us is the following: “Some take pride in their curled moustaches, a well-trimmed beard, crisped hair, soft hands, in their ability to dance, play or sing. Are they not showing lack of courage in seeking to enhance their value and increase their reputation through such trifling and silly things? Some wish to be honored and respected by people for a little learning as if everyone ought to become their pupils and hold them as masters; they are, therefore, called pedants. Some strut themselves like peacocks thinking they are beautiful and believe everyone is courting them. All this is extremely vain, foolish, insolent, and the glory based on such silly things is called vain, foolish and frivolous,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 4, p. 149).

True indeed, the book of Ecclesiastes very beautifully speaks of vanity saying, Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun? One generation passes away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abides forever,” (Eccl 1:2). Yes, if vanity is applied to everything, definitely it applies to vain glory as well, which is not ours and that which we take credit for ourselves. All too shall pass away. It is better to be humble and accept what comes on our way and give others what is their due. Most of us have the tendency to gain self-praise or self-appraisal but how many of us really appreciate the one who has done good things or when good things happen or done by others? Sometimes, we fail even to pat the shoulders of the others to encourage and say, ‘Well done’ or ‘you have done well.’ sometimes, we like to take credit in someone else’s work and contribution than genuinely accepting the contribution of the real person involved. Let us realize, all that we have not worked for or deserve for, but still we hold on to name, fame, position, power, authority and their privileges is just a vain glory. Humility is the only remedy to fight against such weaknesses in life.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us accept that we are all created by God and realize that we need to respect everyone. What is our due concerning respect and privilege is as well due of others what is theirs. Let us appreciate others when they do good works in places wherever we are or we work or we see. Finally, let us acknowledge every day the work of God in our lives, be grateful to God and give glory to God always.

Live Jesus!

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Eighteenth Day – Tuesday

Theme: Genuine goodness is genuine humility…

Dear friends, today picturing an image of genuine goodness is very easy for a media world than to live a genuine goodness by life in acts of kindness and humility, because, media can make every possibility to change the truth to falsehood and falsehood to truth or create an impact to such a larger extent.  However, Cultivating genuine goodness requires a path of sacrifice and it manifests true humility. The path of sacrifice may lead to leave behind our personal growth, comforts, attachments, interests, goals and dreams. This path of sacrifice is for common good and for the growth of humanity as one family. Such examples of genuine goodness are rare but create a quite a good impact on people for goodness, because, the sacrifice is made not for oneself but for the sake of others. Such genuine goodness can emerge only from people who are genuinely humble and humbly genuine.

St. Francis De Sales says, “We know genuine goodness like we know genuine balm. We test the balm by pouring it in water. If it goes to the bottom and takes the lowest place it is judged to be the finest and most precious. Similarly to know whether a man is truly wise, learned, generous, noble, we ought to see whether his good qualities tend to humility, modesty and submission for then they will be really good. If they float on the surface and wish to show themselves then, the more showy they are, the less genuine will they be. Pearls conceived and nourished in wind and the noise of thunder are only shells devoid of substance. In the same way, the virtues and the good qualities of men received and nourished in arrogance, boastfulness and vanity have only the appearance of good without sap, without marrow and without firmness,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 4, p. 150 ).

Furthermore, St. Francis De Sales say, “Honors, ranks and dignities are life saffron which grows better and flourishes when trampled underfoot. It is not an honor to be handsome when one is concerned about it. Beauty to be graceful must be unaffected. Knowledge dishonors us when it puffs us up and degenerates into pedantry. If we are bickering for ranks, precedence and titles, besides exposing our qualities to examination, investigation and conflict we make them mean and contemptible. Honor received as a gift is excellent but becomes mean when exacted, sought after and demanded,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 4, p. 150).

Yes, when good qualities are not nourished in good sense or in good essence, it would apparently look good but deep down will have no stronghold. Somehow it would lose its grip and look grim. Similarly, when we seek after for ranks and dignities without considering it as a gift, it just becomes mean on our part. SO what’s more important here is our intention. That’s why someone has very beautifully said, “Do good with intention and not for attention.” Yes, most of us do quite a lot of things not with good intention but for attention and appreciation. It is something part of us as human persons to seek attention for. But we need to realize that the more we seek for attention and appreciation of one’s own work, less do we think of others and their contribution.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us nourish all the good qualities that we have with the virtue of humility. Let us not seek for ranks and honors in life. If we deserve it, we would get it, when time comes. Let us not be attention and appreciation seeking persons for one’s own work always. Let us sacrifice our time, energy, gifts and resources for the good of humanity or for the common good in communities, homes or in societies wherever we live or wherever it’s possible. Let us try, if not always, at least whenever and wherever we can. The virtue of humility will raise us up always.

Live Jesus!

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Nineteenth Day – Wednesday

Theme: The highest point of humility is to love and to take pleasure in one’s own abjection…

Dear friends, Abjection is the state of being extremely unhappy, poor and unsuccessful. There are many times in life we are lead to disappointments and bad luck, frustration and rejection. All these can lead to a feeling of abjection. The feeling of abjection can be a moment of terrible pain and suffering. Sometimes we won’t be able to accept ourselves that we have gone far behind so bad. It is a kind of rejection and dejection. We all know when we feel rejected or dejected, we feel that we are thrown out of oneself or thrown oneself away from a family or a community. It is a feeling of abandonment. It is a feeling of hell when we are neither with oneself nor with others in a family or a community. Such times can also be an opportunity to practice the virtue of humility, although it is very hard.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Philothea, I advise you that in all circumstances and everywhere you must love your own abjection. All the same, there is difference between the virtue of humility and abjection. For abjection is the littleness, lowliness and meanness which is in us without our thinking of it. But the true virtue of humility is the real knowledge and voluntary recognition of our abjection. The highest point of humility consists not only in the voluntary acknowledgement of our abjection but in loving it and taking pleasure in it. This is not due to any lack of courage and generosity. Rather, it is to exalt the divine Majesty and to esteem our neighbor all the more in comparison with ourselves. Among the evils we suffer some are abject and others honorable. Many adapt themselves to the honorable but scarcely anyone to the abject,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part II, Chapter 6, p.157)

Further, St. Francis De Sales substantiates it with the examples saying, “You see a devout hermit in rags and shivering from cold. Everyone honors his torn habit and has compassion for his suffering. But if a poor artisan, a poor nobleman, a poor young lady is in the same state, people despise and mock them and thus their poverty is abject. A religious receives a harsh rebuke from the superior or a child from its father. All call this mortification, obedience, wisdom. Let a gentleman or a lady suffer the same treatment from someone, it will be termed cowardice and lack of spirit though accepted for the love of God. Now I say that we are not only to love the evil by the virtue of patience but we are also to cherish the abjection by the virtue of humility,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part II, Chapter 6, p.157)

Yes, true humility makes us realize not only to accept disappointments or disturbances in life rather make us love and take pleasure in such disappointments and disturbances. Such an understanding helps us to consider and accept disappointments or disturbances as part of life. This perspectives and approaches to life would enable us to give glory to God and to value our neighbors more than oneself.  In evil that we suffer, there is a tendency in us to choose for the honorable than the miserable. But, St. Francis De Sales says that the truly humble person would cherish the misery than the honor. So true humility not only loves or honors the honorable but even the miserable. The miserable state could be of oneself or others, but the humble person accepts, loves and cherishes always. Let us realize that humility is a virtue that lifts up the other or oneself although one may feel or find that he or she has fallen in the bargain.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Humility is a virtue that enables us to accept, love and cherish in all the circumstances both the good and bad. Let us not only accept disappointments or disturbances in life rather love and cherish them for the greater glory of God. It is like Jesus. Jesus not only accepted the suffering but loved and cherished it for the glory of God and for the love of humanity. We are disappointed or disturbed many times during the day. Shall we make efforts to accept, love and cherish inconveniences and difficulties for the greater glory of God or for the good of others?

Live Jesus!

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Twentieth Day – Thursday

Theme: Preserving our good name while practicing humility…

Dear friends, we all of us know the meaning of reputation. It is the opinion that people in general have about someone or something, or how much respect or admiration someone or something receives, based on past behavior or character. So reputation is a general opinion that we people have about us. It could be good or bad, it all depends on what grounds other people value or evaluate us. We all of us like to have good reputation and we won’t let anyone spoil our reputation, because reputation is a good image of oneself and identifies us who we really are as good or bad persons. In the midst of many, who look for name and fame, there are people who preserve their good name always and there are people, who spoil their good name because of various temperaments or one’s bad behavior.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Humility does not allow us to have any desire of excelling others or of having the right to be preferred to others. It will not permit us to seek after praise, honor and glory which are due only to excellence. But it agrees with the warning of the Wise man who admonishes us to have care for our good name (Sirach 41:15) because good name is an esteem not of excellence but only of a simple honesty and integrity of life. Humility does not prevent us from recognizing them in ourselves and as a consequence desiring a reputation for it. It is true that humility would despise a good name if charity had no need of it. However, a good name is one of the foundations of human society and without it we are not only useless but harmful to the public because of the scandal it would cause. Charity requires and humility agrees that we must desire to have it and preserve it preciously,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 7, p. 160).

Moreover, St. Francis De Sales says, “Reputation is like a signboard which indicates where virtue resides. Virtue then should be preferred always and everywhere. Therefore, if they say: You are a hypocrite because you are devout, if they think of you to be a man of little courage because you have pardoned an insult, you just laugh at it. Moreover, such judgments are made by silly and foolish people. Even if we are to lose our good name, we are not to leave virtue or turn away from the path of virtue. In fact, fruits are to be preferred to leaves, that is, interior and spiritual good to all the external. We should be jealous but not idolaters of our good name. Just as we should not offend the eyes of the good, so too we should not wish to satisfy those of the malicious,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 7, p. 160).

Yes, it is not quite sufficient that we have desire to have good name or good repute but we need to work for it and preserve the same. The first most or best thing that we all need to do is to hold tightly to virtues, which adds weight to character and personality and transform them into good and moral standing. The more we cling on to virtues, the better persons we become. Even if people could give negative comments or spoil our good name, we are not to lose sight of virtues, which will get us back to good reputation. So the virtue of humility helps us to preserve our good name. We know at times the truth that we are accused for no reasons or there is no base for an argumentation with us to some issues. On those occasions, it is better to remain humble than to react. By reacting to reasonless and baseless points or statements of others, who are silly and immature, we would be wasting our time, losing peace of mind and losing our good name too.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Just ask yourself: what is the reputation that you have about yourself and what do others have about yourself. Does it satisfy or disturb you? Focus on strong spots for strengthening the good reputation and focus on weak spots to avoid all that spoils your good reputation. Focus on areas to have good reputation with the virtues like love, forgiveness, gentleness, patience, humility etc. Make efforts not to spoil the reputation or good name of others. Let us not only desire for good name but to work for it with good virtues and qualities and safeguard them too by virtue of humility.

Live Jesus!

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Twenty First Day – Friday

Theme: Gentleness towards others…

Dear friends, we all know that gentleness is a quality which we all aspire to be. At times when we see a gentle man/woman, we are always stunned to notice how they can remain gentle always and deal with life-situations coolly. Perhaps we can say that gentleness is the strength of the soul and one’s personality too. Gentleness manifests itself to others in forms of kindness, compassion, humility, softness and tenderness in character. By the virtue of gentleness one can do down to earth things with the virtue of humility; they would act or do without pride and arrogance; they would have nature to forgive and heal others; they would always find a way out to be soft and tender, without hurting others or without losing any temperaments in any situations. One of the best ways to maintain good relationships and friendship is to deal gently with others. The quality of gentleness inspires others and brings respect and dignity to oneself.  

St. Francis De Sales says, “Among other things it represents the two favorite and beloved virtues which shine forth in the Sacred Person of our Lord. He has particularly recommended them to us to indicate that through them our hearts are to be specially consecrated to his service and dedicated to his imitation: Learn of me, he says, for I am gentle and humble of heart (Mt. 11:29). Humility makes us perfect towards God and gentleness towards our neighbor. The balm, which as I mentioned earlier always sinks to the bottom more than all other liquids, symbolizes humility. Olive oil, which always floats on the surface, symbolizes gentleness and kindness which being the flower of charity rises above all things and is outstanding among virtues. According to St. Bernard charity reaches its perfection when it is not only patient but also gentle and meek,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 8, p. 164).

Further, St. Francis De Sales exhorts, “Take care, Philothea, that this mystical chrism made up of gentleness and humility is within your heart. For it is one of the great tricks of the enemy to make many people satisfied with words and the external appearances of these two virtues. Those who do not examine well their interior dispositions imagine themselves to be humble and gentle though in practice they are not. We recognize them to be such because in spite of their ceremonious gentleness and humility, they burst out with unparalleled arrogance at the least offensive word or at the least insult they receive. It is said that those who have taken the preventive commonly known as the grace of St. Paul do not suffer from inflammations when bitten or stung by a viper provided the preventive is of excellent quality. So too when humility and gentleness are good and authentic we are guaranteed against the inflammations and passions which insults usually provoke in our hearts. When bitten and stung by detractors and enemies, if we become proud, puffed up and vexed, it is a sure sign that our humility and gentleness were not genuine and sincere but artificial and apparent,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 8, p. 164 ).

Yes, Jesus himself said, “learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart.” These two qualities which were essential part of Jesus stood as the stronghold of his personality as the Son of God. St. Francis De Sales too warns us of the pseudo humility and gentleness, which can deceive others and could expose the real personality as arrogant, when one does not excel in the virtue of humility and gentleness. Today, most of us are easily prone to anger, quick to judge, become impatient and lose one’s temper. It is because we don’t realize the importance of gentleness. We think at times that gentleness is mandatory and expected from others for oneself and not to be given to others.  There are also some, who pretend to practice gentleness to please others but when real time or test or problems arises, they expose their true self as arrogant. Let us realize that true gentleness has a value always. True gentleness has no pretence. It becomes antidote for stress and anxiety. True gentleness neither hurts nor offends others. True gentleness always aims at respecting others in kindness, tenderness, humility and love.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us realize first of all that we need to work a lot for self-control. We should not allow the situation to control us rather we need to take control of the situations, handle it gently and humbly. Let us focus to be gentle not only in words but also in deeds, while manifesting ourselves in character or behavior. Let us try to be gentle in all the activities that we do during the day. It may be difficult but we would find peace within; we would find people approaching us easily and happily. Let us realize that gentleness is not a one day magic rather many days hard-work and effort. So let us practice gentleness and there shall be peace within us certainly.  

Live Jesus!

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Twenty Second Day – Saturday

Theme: Avoid anger and approach others with gentleness…

Dear friends, we know that Anger is an emotion that’s stored in us by enmity toward someone or something, who we feel has deliberately done us wrong. Anger triggers in us to involve in bad emotions, feelings and dealings with others. It could be a feeling or strong urge to take revenge or retaliate a person, who has done heavy damage to one’s own personality or to the family etc. Sometimes, we get angry due to injustice done to oneself or others around us. It is a good thing on one hand to feel one with others who are unjustly treated or suffer due to injustice, but showing anger is not the right attitude or approach to justify any unjust act or injustice done to someone, because, there are other ways we could deal well with unjust acts or injustice. Sometimes, anger could affect us so badly that it could ruin one’s mental, physical, emotional and spiritual well being, when it is often, too serious, prolonged or out of proportion and control. It is better that we avoid anger and be healthy always.

St. Francis De Sales says, “The holy and illustrious patriarch Joseph while sending his brothers from Egypt back to his father’s house gave them only this one advice: Do not become angry on the way (Gen. 45:24). I say the same to you Philothea: this miserable life is only a progressive journey to the happy life to come. Therefore let us not be angry at all with one another on the way. Let us walk in the company of our brothers and companions gently, peacefully and kindly. Further, I tell you very plainly and without any exception: do not become angry at all if that is possible. Do not accept any pretext whatever to open the door of your heart to anger.,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 8, p. 165).

Further, St. Francis De Sales counsels us, “We ought, indeed, to resist the evil and restrain the vices of those in our charge constantly and courageously but gently and peacefully. Nothing calms down an angry elephant so quickly as the sight of a little lamb and nothing breaks the force of cannon balls so easily as wool. We do not accept correction given in anger, even though reasonable, so well as the one that has no other origin than reason alone. For the rational soul is naturally subject to reason and is subject to passion only through tyranny. Reason accompanied by passion become odious, its rightful dominion being degraded by its association with tyranny,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 8, p. 165).

Yes, anger is something that’s so deadly in us. It has the power to take away one’s life and others life too, when it goes out of proportion or beyond. Sometimes, we may tend to feel that by manifesting anger on others we show our power or strength on them, but in reality anger makes us weak and weary. The impact of anger is such that we may lose a person in contact or in relationship life-long, because of the out-burst of emotions we manifest through the vice of anger. Gentleness generates and germinates relationships with the other, whereas anger puts others and oneself in anguish and anxiety. Further, most of us have the tendency to correct others angrily. Let us realize that although it could be for a right reason or with right intention, we don’t like to be corrected in anger, because we feel it as an insult, offensive and hurtful. Correction done in gentleness has a long lasting or a great impact than the correction done in anger. So it is pointless to use a negative emotion of anger while we have the positive vibe ‘gentleness’ within us.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us just give a thought as to how many persons we have lost in good relationships in life because of anger and vengeance.  Let us avoid correcting others in public but do in private gently and prudently. Let us as well avoid correcting others in anger but make others understand politely and gently. Let us avoid “tit for tat – attitude” and heal ourselves and others with gentleness and forgiveness. Let us not focus on the persons involved in acts rather on issues or situations or events, so that we could deal with it differently by the virtue of gentleness. The retribution or repayment for anger is not revenge but gentle dealing and forgiveness.

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Twenty Third Day – Monday

Theme: Gentleness towards oneself…

Dear friends, we all of us put in lots of efforts to be gentle with others but how much attention do we give to ourselves to deal with gentleness. We take for granted at times saying to oneself, it’s me only, so I can be as harsh as or as hard as I can be with me. I don’t mind getting hurt or wounded myself. All that we feel or learn is how to be gentle with others, but we forget to be gentle with oneself. I am sure, we need focus on the self too for right disposition and discipline, to treat oneself with dignity and respect, otherwise it would lead to puffing ourselves with pride and arrogance out of self-love.

St. Francis De Sales says, “One of the excellent practices of gentleness which we could learn to do is never to be vexed at ourselves or against our imperfections. Its subject is we ourselves. Even though it is reasonable that we must be sorry and displeased when we commit some faults, yet we must refrain from a harsh, vexed, gloomy and angry displeasure. Many make a great mistake in this regard. When they are overcome with anger, they become angry at being angry, vexed at being vexed, fretful at being fretful. By this means, they keep their hearts steeped and soaked in anger. Although it may seem that the second anger destroys the first, all the same, it serves as an opening and a passage for fresh anger at the first occasion which presents itself. Moreover, these vexations, harshness and anger which we have against ourselves tend to pride. They have no other origin than self-love which is disturbed and anxious at seeing ourselves imperfect,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 9, p. 168).

Furthermore, St. Francis De Sales says, “We must have a peaceful, calm and firm displeasure at our faults. A judge punishes the criminals rightly by passing his judgments guided by reason and in a spirit of tranquility. It is not so when he does it with passion and impetuosity. In judging with passion, he does not chastise the faults as they are but in so far as he is himself. Even so, we correct ourselves much better though calm, abiding repentance and not through harsh, eager and angry repentance. In so far as this repentance is made with violence it is not according to the seriousness of our faults but according to our inclinations. The same will be the attitude towards other things too, in so far as the judgment of conscience is not made by reason but by passion,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 9, p. 168).

Yes, when we do not handle oneself with gentleness, knowing the fact that we have imperfections, we become more anxious and worried, vulnerable to human situations and conditions. We begin to focus on our imperfection and lose patience with oneself, look for self-love, become full of self. It is the danger of obsessing with oneself. When one is obsessed with full of self and pride begins to dominate and rule over our will and desires. We know once pride creeps in, the growth of self is shunned and pride will take ride of others too. We most of us have the inclination to judge immediately one’s actions and jump into conclusions, when we make slight mistakes. We don’t rationalize or reason out rather we act with emotions and passions. Let us remember that the judgment of our acts needs to be done by reasons and not by passions or feelings. The right judgment is based on sound reasons and not by emotions or feelings or passions. Even if one is at fault, the correction needs to be done gently and not harshly. That’s how we value oneself, we create an atmosphere for growth, we give a chance to learn and a change oneself within for better.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us accept that we are imperfect and imperfections are part of life. When we are at faults or failures, Let us make efforts not to hurt or be harsh with oneself. Let us try to reason out, find solutions and resolve not to repeat them. Let us have a positive opinion about oneself and never underestimate the power within us to change for the better. Ultimately, pray to God to be gentle with oneself and we would automatically be inclined to be gentle with others by God’s grace and assistance.

Live Jesus!

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Twenty Fourth Day – Tuesday

Theme: Managing our affairs with great care…

Dear friends, affairs are works or activities done for a purpose. It could be commercial, professional, spiritual or secular, public, or personal. Affairs are routine works or daily works that we are entrusted. We all of us are entrusted by God with certain responsibilities or tasks or works on earth to exercise. Although the roles and responsibilities vary, yet we are called to exercise them with utmost care and attention; otherwise we may fail miserably and become faithless in our responsibilities. Some of us are multi-tasked and some others single-tasked, but what matters is how great is our care and diligence. The care and diligence we manifest is not to overburden us or make us feel boredom or exhausted or become anxious or worried about but to do it well with love, care and due attention.

St. Francis De Sales says, “The care and diligence we should have in our affairs are quite different from solicitude, anxiety and eagerness. The Angels are concerned about our salvation and they obtain it with diligence but they do not have solicitude, anxiety or eagerness. Care and diligence flow from their charity but solicitude, anxiety and eagerness would be entirely contrary to their happiness. For care and diligence may be accompanied by peace and tranquility of spirit but not solicitude or anxiety and much less eagerness,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 10, p.170).

Further, St. Francis De Sales exhorts us, “Be careful and diligent, Philothea, in all your affairs of which you are in charge, since God who entrusted them to you desires that you take great care of them. But if it is possible, be not solicitous or anxious about them that is, do not undertake them with restlessness, anxiety and eagerness. Do not be eager at work because every kind of eagerness disturbs reason and judgement. It even prevents us from doing well the very things of which we are too eager,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 10, p.170).

Yes, work is important for livelihood. It becomes a means to earn money and manage our daily duties and responsibilities. At the very first book of Bible in Genesis, we read, “The Lord God put the man in the Garden of Eden. He put him there to work its ground and to take care of it,” (Gen 2:15). So we get a glimpse of God’s mind that working and taking care of the land is part of humankind since the time of creation. Moreover, St. Paul tells us, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat. For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living,” (2 Thes 3: 10-12).

Certainly, work is important but care and diligence is more important while we work without any excessive working, otherwise it can be a hurdle to growth personally or collectively. Overworking or excessive involvement causes damage in all areas of life like physical strength gets drained, social life and family life at stake, spiritual growth becomes weak as most of attention is given to work and not to the spiritual realm to connect with God. Excessive involvement in our work or responsibility makes us anxious and worried. Due to excessive work, there is a possibility to lose interest later to work in what we liked the most as it becomes burdensome. So when we consider work as a charity, we will be able to do it with love, care and diligence, the work that we are entrusted with balance and equilibrium.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us realize that daily affairs or works are important to do with love, care and diligence and not to overburden them. Some of us are busy whole day, but at times when we look at closely, we do not know what we are really busy with. Being busy a whole day with works entrusted is fine, but more than being busy, let us focus on health and life. More than being busy a whole day, let us realize our commitment, care, love and diligence in our work. Let us not do duty for the sake of duty, which will lead to lack of love, care, diligence and commitment in work. Let us love the work we do and work with love, care and diligence. Let us trust in God and work with right attitude, intention and purpose, there will definitely be happiness and peace.

Live Jesus!

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Twenty Fifth Day – Wednesday

Theme: The practices of Evangelical vows are a ladder towards perfection in holiness…

Dear friends, evangelical vows are referred to chastity, poverty and obedience. These are the special vows taken by priests and religious for perfection of life in holiness to follow the Lord wholly. The vows are referred to as evangelical as it emerges from the gospel or good news of Christ preached and shared with us in the Gospels. Evangelical counsels are values lived by Jesus Christ and so it is an invitation to every follower of Christ to follow such values to attain holiness and perfection. However, being and becoming Disciples of Christ and living as followers of Christ demands that we live our vocation to the full by means of evangelical counsels. Therefore, it need not necessarily be only the religious and priests should follow the evangelical vows for perfecting life in holiness rather everyone within a state of life, whether one is married or ordained or consecrated as religious, we should live a life of holiness and obtain spiritual maturation and perfection. Holiness is the goal of everyone and it is an essential aspect in our relationship with God. Holiness adds and gears us towards perfection of life in holiness.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Charity alone establishes us in perfection. But obedience, chastity and poverty are the three great means of acquiring perfection. Obedience consecrates our will, chastity our body and poverty our material possessions, all to the love and service of God. These are the three branches of the spiritual cross, all the three however, based on a fourth, which is humility. I shall not say anything about these three virtues in so far as they are vowed solemnly nor even in so far as they are vowed simply, because they concern the religious. Although the vow gives many graces and much merit to every virtue, yet to make us perfect, it is not necessary to take the vows but to practise them,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 10, p. 172).

Moreover, St. Francis De Sales points out, “If the vows are taken, especially the solemn vows, they place a person in the state of perfection. Yet, to make him perfect, it is enough to practise them. Still, there is a difference between the state of perfection and perfection itself: all the bishops and religious are in the state of perfection though they are not perfect as it is but too plainly seen. Let us then strive, Philothea, to practise these three virtues well, each one of us according to one’s own state of life. Although they do not place us in the state of perfection, yet they will lead us to perfection itself. In fact, all of us are obliged to practise these three virtues, though not all in the same manner,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 10, p. 173).

Yes, the evangelical vows or counsels are part of our vocation to holiness and spiritual perfection. Although, we live within a state of life as married or unmarried, ordained or consecrated, yet, holiness and spiritual perfection is the path of every follower of Christ. Most of us take the evangelical vows but do we sincerely practise them is a question that we need to ask ourselves and answer authentically. Mere public profession of vows becomes only liturgical and rubrics but what makes perfect the evangelical counsels or vows is practicing them daily in life. Evangelical counsels are recommendation spiritual perfection of life or to obtain greater holiness in life. Today what hinders us to practice evangelical counsels are material possession, unhealthy addictions that make us impure and unchaste, lack of listening and acceptance to persons who are lawful in authority and power. So it is not enough that we profess evangelical counsels or vows rather we need to live and practice them in our daily lives to make it meaningful and to grow in the path of spiritual perfection and holiness of life.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us realize that the evangelical counsels apply to everyone in every state of life and remove from our minds that evangelical counsels are only meant for few individuals. Let us not merely preach or profess them rather practice them daily sincerely and faithfully. Let us realize that chastity is for purity of life, poverty is to enrich others by sharing and obedience is a total trust and self-surrender to God and others. Let us firmly resolve to practice chastity, poverty and obedience in all state of life to find real meaning and happiness. Let us consciously in conscience ask personally whether we are chaste, poor and obedient in our lives. If not let us amend our lives, love the evangelical counsels and live them in our lives to perfect the degree of holiness and spiritual pinnacle.

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Twenty Sixth Day – Thursday

 Theme: Necessary Obedience to ecclesiastical, political, household and institutional authorities…

Dear friends, we know that obedience is a behavior that’s done out of respect and careful observance of rules and laws or those in rightful and lawful authority. We manifest a sense of obedience to follow certain rules and regulations or when someone in authority asks of us to do a rightful or a lawful thing. Obedience arises basically out of trust, respect and love for the other. Obedience makes others happy and well-pleased. We know in our families or social circles, when someone tells and we do it promptly and instantly, the person feels so happy and cherishes the experience of being valued or respected or loved or accepted. They might even begin to appreciate or reward an obedient person and consider them obliging and well-disciplined. If a person does not obey the laws or the lawful persons, it causes ill-feelings, hatred and feels remorseful of such acts. However, obedience to rightful and lawful persons is to be highly valued and appreciated. It is better to obey than to disobey laws that are binding and lawful persons who are responsible to govern the country or the church or the family.

St. Francis De Sales says, “There are two kinds of obedience, one necessary and the other voluntary. By necessary obedience, you should humbly obey your ecclesiastical superiors such as the Pope, the Bishop, your parish priest and those who have been authorized by them. You have to obey the civil authorities: your Prince and the officers he has appointed over your country. You have to obey your household superiors: your father, mother, master, mistress. This obedience is called necessary because no one can exempt himself from the duty of obeying these superiors since god has given them authority to command and govern, each one in the area he has charge over us. Do then what they command you as of necessity,” ( St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 11, p. 173 ).

In addition to the above, St. Francis De Sales exhorts us. “But to be perfect, follow also their counsels, even their desire and inclinations in so far as charity and prudence will permit. Obey them when they order you pleasant things such as eating and taking recreation; for although it appears to be not a great virtue to obey in this case, however, it would be a great wrong to disobey. Obey in indifferent things like wearing such or such a garment, going by one way or another, singing or being silent, and this will be a very praiseworthy form of obedience. Obey in unpleasant, severe and difficult things and this will be a perfect obedience. In short, obey gently without retort, promptly without delay and cheerfully without murmuring. Above all obey lovingly for the love of him who for the love of us made himself obedient till death on the cross (Phil. 2:8),” ( St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 11, p. 174 ).

Yes, obedience to laws that promote life and well-being of others, obedience to lawful persons is necessary, because, it is not a voluntary obedience where we make a choice rather it is God who has given or appointed them to govern or rule the society or country or the church. The necessary obedience to those in ecclesiastical authorities (Pope, bishops, priests and religious), who serve the church and political authorities, who serve the country or state, household superiors (parents, elders), who love and serve us in the family have a greater role to play from our part. They take care of us and the day today functioning of the society and the church matters. They safe-guard and protect it from harmful and dangerous forces that destroy human life or their dignity. They make the most of the major decisions for the majority of events that occur in the family or society or country and church for the betterment of people.

Today, most of us tend to abuse or disobey or speak ill of those in authorities in the family or society or country or the church because of lack of trust, lack of leadership qualities and capacity or the scandals pertinent to the society or the church that we witness in the world around. Sometimes, it is painful to see that those in authorities are part of injustice, violence, abuse, manipulation and corruption. For such indecent and inhuman acts, we need to take precautionary measures or safety measure and keep them in our prayers constantly. So that it is not only we who obey the laws or lawful persons rather they too obey the laws and respect the humanity and each one’s dignity.

 Today’s Lenten walk:

First and foremost, Let us accept the ecclesiastical, political, household and institutional authorities as God-given persons to govern the society or state or country or the Church. Let us accept and respect them, obey them and their orders, praying and trusting in God that good things would happen. In our necessary obedience, let us be charitable but at the same time be prudent to deal all that they order or recommend us to follow, so that we decide wisely and handle with a right or safe remedy. Let us also realize that when things go beyond human power, we need to rely on God’s power and the power of God is experienced in the form of prayer. So let us make a habit to pray for those in ecclesiastical or political authorities or household and institutional authorities daily. If they can’t change or we can’t change them, God would definitely change those in rightful and lawful authority by our prayers that we make for them every day. So let us make special prayers for those in lawful authorities in the church and in our country.

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Twenty Seventh Day – Friday

Theme: Voluntary Obedience to Spiritual directors and confessors…

Dear friends, we all know what it means to do voluntarily. Voluntary acts are those which we wish to do willfully rather than any external force or coercion. Voluntary acts emerge out of one’s own willingness, freedom and choice. When our choices and decisions are voluntary we take responsibility for the act and are held accountable for the same. Today we have volunteers for various events or projects, who come forward willingly, and joyfully to help or reach out to people in need. Being a volunteer, coming on their own and doing work voluntarily give a sense of happiness and satisfaction. So, voluntary obedience arises from one’s own choices, willingness and acceptance spontaneously and joyfully.

St. Francis De Sales says, “We term voluntary obedience that to which we bind ourselves by our own choice and which is in no way imposed on us by another. We usually do not choose our prince and bishop, father and mother; often women do not even choose their husbands. However, we choose our own confessor and director. Now in choosing either we make a vow to obey him or without a vow we dedicate ourselves to obey someone. This obedience is always called voluntary since it has its basis on our will and choice,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 11, p. 174).

Furthermore, St. Francis De Sales inspires us saying, “For our individual guidance we obey our particular spiritual director and confessor. Get your spiritual exercises, which you ought to practise, enjoined by your spiritual father because they will be the better for it. Thus they will have a twofold grace and goodness: one from the deeds themselves because they are spiritual, and the other from obedience which ordered them and in virtue of which they are performed. Blessed are the obedient, for god will never let them go astray,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 11, p. 175).

Yes, today we all of us need guidance in the path of spiritual perfection and devotion, in order to progress and pursue the path of spiritual perfection in a better way. The spiritual director and confessors are not given or appointed for each one of us by anyone rather we choose voluntarily a spiritual director or confessor for spiritual guidance and spiritual empowerment. The spiritual directors and confessors are held high as they spiritually orient or direct us to God in God’s ways. The reason why we hold the spiritual directors and confessors in high esteem or value is due to the nature of their function as spiritual fathers or spiritual guides. The Spiritual directors and confessors are persons of God-experience and spiritual maturation. They guide the directees and the faithful in the right path by right means by the assistance and grace of God. Therefore, to such persons of God-experience and spiritual perfection, we need to obey them at all times, as they have not chosen us rather we have chosen them. The reward of our obedience to spiritual directors and confessors is that God would never abandon us rather he would keep us always close to his heart and guard us as apple of his eye. So let us promptly, without any delay, do the spiritual exercises given by the spiritual directors and confessors for spiritual empowerment. So that we would benefit in the spiritual riches and spiritual gifts they offer us to be in touch with God as God’s children always.

Today’s Lenten walk:

First of all, we need to choose a spiritual director and confessor for the spiritual perfection and to progress in the path of holiness and devotion. Let us realize that the choice of spiritual director or confessor need not necessarily be whom we like the most rather who can spiritually empower us or take us spiritually closer to God. So the choice of spiritual director and confessor is not based on our likes and dislikes but a person of God-experience and spiritual maturation. Let us also realize that by obeying the recommendations or exercises of spiritual directors and confessors, we do a favor to ourselves by providing an opportunity to oneself to progress in the path of devotion, leaving behind all our past baggage, focusing on the mercy and forgiveness of God and thus renewing our lives by the grace and assistance of God. So let us choose spiritual directors and confessors, be obedient to them and be blessed in the sight of God.

Live Jesus!

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Twenty Eighth Day – Saturday

Theme: The Necessity of Chastity in life…

Dear friends, we all know that chastity is a life of purity; purity of thoughts, words and deeds. Chastity in particular pertains to the purity of one’s body. The practice of chastity enables one to grow in self-discipline and self-control. It also helps us to understand better the sacred union that exists between husband and wife, treat each other with respect and dignity as God’s children. The sacred intimacy is intended by God for the creation of children and for the expression of love between husband and wife. God has commanded that the sacred union be set aside for marriage. For religious and priests, the vow of chastity becomes a door step to realize the sacredness of our own bodies and be bonded together in prayer, the sacred union with God for purity of body and soul.  Let us also realize that Chastity is not only a vow to be observed and practiced by religious and priests but by all people, reminding ourselves to accept and understand that our body is holy and sacred because of the image of God imprinted on us and the spirit of God dwelling in us.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Chastity is the lily of virtues. It renders men almost equal to the Angels. Nothing is beautiful except by purity and the purity of men is chastity. We term chastity as honesty and the profession of it honor. It is called integrity and its opposite corruption. In short, it has its own glory all apart to be the beautiful and fair virtue of the soul and body,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, chapter 12, p. 175).

It is never permitted to derive any sexual pleasure from our bodies in any way whatsoever except in lawful marriage. The sanctity of marriage repairs through a just compensation the loss suffered in such pleasure. Even in marriage, the purity of intention in the pleasure that is taken, there is nothing but honesty in the will which takes it. The chaste heart is like the pearl oyster which cannot receive any drop of water that does not come down from heaven. It cannot, indeed take any other pleasure than that of marriage which is ordained by heaven. Outside of marriage, it is not even permitted to think of such pleasure with a voluptuous, voluntary and deliberately entertained thought. (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, chapter 12, p. 175-176).

Yes, we need to understand that our human body is a gift of God. It is not meant to be abused or misused in whatsoever ways or means. We need to value and respect the gift of human body as designed beautifully by God. Very beautifully, we hear in St. Paul’s letter to First Corinthians, “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body,” (1 Cor 6: 19-20). It is not sufficient that we realize our body as the temple of the Holy Spirit rather the true realization comes when we realize that others’ body as well the residence or a dwelling of the God’s spirit. Such a realization and awareness would elicit in us a sense of respect and mutual love for one another. We become really as pure as angels, when our entire being is pure and free from sin and stain. So let us live like angels by being pure in thoughts, words and deeds. Let us realize as well that chastity is a virtue that creates in us to be honest with oneself and others; it is a sacred step of giving respect to one’s own bodies and others as well.

Today’s Lenten walk:

The good things never happen unless we scatter the seeds of good and goodness within us. Let us begin to store in our minds and hearts the good vibes, good words, good thoughts, good intentions, so that heart and mind might be full of goodness and purity, free from all impurity. Let us look at our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. Let us sanctify and make our bodies sacred by good ways and means of spiritual path and good conducts. Once, we understand the sanctification of our human body, we will begin to respect and value others well. We pray for people who underwent abuses of various kinds and seek upon them the grace of God to come out of such haunting traumatic experience and obtain healing.

Live Jesus!

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Twenty Ninth Day – Monday

Theme: Counsels to preserve chastity…

Dear friends, Counsels and recommendations are always necessary and good for preservation or safety of any virtues or vows or values. There are always ways and means to safeguard ourselves from adversaries or unhealthy addictions or desires or feelings and emotions. It is we who do not come forward in seeking for safety and healthy measures for prevention. On the one hand, the vow of Chastity or the life of chastity has lots of possibilities to be polluted or corrupted, but on the other hand, there are ways and means to keep our bodies and souls chaste and pure, preserve chastity from such dirt and devastating elements that make our body and soul impure. The desire and feelings of the body may be strong but if our life is strong in the hands of God, we would be able to live a life of chastity, because if God is with us nothing can pollute or corrupt our chaste bodies and souls.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Be extremely prompt to turn away from all the tendencies and all the attractions of lust. In fact, this evil acts in an imperceptible manner. It advances from small beginnings and leads to great misfortunes. It is always easier to run away from it than to heal it. The human bodies are like glasses which cannot be carried together, one touching the other, without running the risk of breaking them. They are like ripe and well-seasoned fruits which receive some damage by touching each other. Even water, however fresh it may be in a vessel, when touched by any animal cannot keep its freshness for long. Do not allow anyone, Philothea, to touch you in an unbecoming manner either playfully or out of fondness. Although chastity may perhaps be preserved among these actions, rather thoughtless than malicious, yet the freshness and flowering of chastity always receive some damage and loss. But to allow oneself to be touched immodestly is the total ruin of chastity,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, PART III, Chapter 13, p. 179 ).

Further, St. Francis De Sales adds, “Chastity depends on the heart for its source and on the body as its subject. Hence it may be lost by all the external senses of the body and by the thoughts and desires of the heart. It is unchastity to look at, hear, speak, smell, and touch immodest objects when the heart rejoices and takes pleasure in it. The bees not only dislike to touch dead bodies but flee from and hate extremely every kind of stench that comes from it. Such should be the devout soul: chaste, clean and pure in hands, lips, ears, eyes and in the whole body. Keep yourself always close to Jesus Christ crucified both spiritually through your meditation and really by Holy Communion. Those who lie on the herb Agnus Castus (Chaste tree, which is a shrub native to the Mediterranean and Asia) become chaste and modest. Even so by resting you heart on our Lord, who is the true chaste and immaculate Lamb, you will see that your soul and heart will soon find themselves purified of all defilement and unchastity,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, PART III, Chapter 13, p. 179-181 ).

Yes, we can be a prey to the temptations of lustful desires and its feelings, if we are not cautious and do not take due preventive measures and safety at right time and right place. The desires and feelings of the body is so touchy and sensitive, at times we fall prey to temptation, if we are not properly motivated and oriented to the Lord in life. We all of us know and have heard of the ‘rule of touch.’ This rule gives us a clear picture that we don’t allow others to touch our bodies unnecessarily, immodestly and inappropriately. At times, allowing someone to touch us can end up risking our life of chastity and could damage the heart, mind, body and soul to impurity. So we need to recognize that our bodies are the reflection and image of God and so we are duty bound to keep it intact from unchaste ways and means as far as possible and as and when we should.

Today’s Lenten walk:

First of all, we need to ourselves away from places and persons, who are immodest in behaviors. It is like knowing the fact that someone is bad and yet being part of him or her only lead to bad or worse. So it is advisable and better to maintain distance from people those who are immodest in behavior.  Secondly, practice the ‘rule of touch,’ neither you nor others should touch each others’ body immodestly and unnecessarily. Thirdly, let us be cautious and careful with our five senses of what we look, hear, speak, touch and smell. Let our sense perception be good and positive always. Lastly, there is no touch other than Jesus’ touch which could make us completely pure and clean. So allow yourself to be touched by the Lord in prayer and intimacy with Him. Once, Jesus touches us we will be made clean and pure and be healed of all uncleanness in heart, mind, body and soul.

Live Jesus!

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Thirtieth Day – Tuesday

Theme: The richness of poverty…

Dear friends, We all know that poverty is a state or a condition by which a person does not have with himself or herself the basic monetary funds or lack basic amenities for a standard of living. We term people as poor on the basis of finance, material possession, power, physical fitness, spiritual well-being and social rapport when one lacks it. However, we hear from the beatitudes of Christ, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God,” (Matt 5:3). If we have keenly observed, the poor have been always the privileged people of God in obtaining God’s power and favor. It is just opposite to the concept and attitude of our world today. If not all, at least there are many, who consider the poor people have no stand in the society. The world looks at the poor and their condition as vulnerable and feeble. But God looks at them lovingly, shows them his compassion and mercy, treats them with love and generosity. Therefore, we need not be or should not feel bad or upset for having been born poor rather we need to rely on the power and providence of God, who will enrich us with his grace and obtain for the riches of the heavenly Kingdom.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Accursed then are the rich in spirit for theirs is the misery of hell. He is rich in spirit who has riches in his spirit or his spirit in riches. He is poor in spirit who has neither riches in his spirit nor his spirit in riches. The halcyons make their nests like the closed palm of the hand and leave only a small opening from the top. They put them on the seashore and yet they remain so strong and impenetrable that, even when washed by the waves, water never enters them. Thus always floating, they remain in the midst of the sea, on the seas and masters of the sea. Your heart, Philothea, is to be like that, open only to heaven, impenetrable to riches and perishable things. If you have them, keep your heart free from attachment to them. Let it always remain above riches, and in the midst of riches, let it be without riches and master of riches. No, do not put this heavenly spirit within earthly goods. Let it always be their master, above them and not in them,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 181).

Moreover, St. Francis De Sales says, “There is always a difference between, keeping poison and being poisoned. The pharmacists almost all keep poisons, to make use of them in different circumstances. But they are not for that matter poisoned because they do not have poison in their bodies but only in their shops. So too you can own riches without being poisoned by them. Such will be the case, if you have them in your house, or in your purse, and not in your heart. To be rich actually and poor in affection for riches is the great happiness of the Christian. For he has by this means the benefits of the riches for this world and the merit of poverty for the next,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 182).

Yes, it is good to set our hearts on the riches of heaven rather than the riches of earth, because the riches of heaven are long-lasting and permanent that enriches life, whereas the riches of earth are temporary and transitory that could entangle life if proper care or attention is not given. There is no problem in being rich or wealthy or having riches in abundance. But what is significant is that we are affected and attached to wealth or the riches. The moment we are attached and affected to the riches of the world, we become detached the realm of heaven, because riches of earth becomes the focus and not the riches of heaven, which supposed to be the prime focus of human life on earth. Therefore, we need to strike a balance that’s healthy towards the riches of the world. Only a heart and mind that sets on God would be able to strike a perfect equilibrium to the riches of heaven and to the riches of earth. Let our eyes, minds, hearts aim at the riches of heaven to reach Christ.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us accept that we are all created by God and are equal in the sight of God. Let us stop labeling others as poor or stop distinguishing one has rich and the other as a poor.  Let us also accept that all of us are not perfect but all of us vulnerable as human persons with our own limitations and limits. This is the realization of the richness of poverty that we are all children of God; we are all loved by God and accepted by God as we are. Let us as well realize that setting our hearts on God, the true riches of life, we will be able to strike a balance between the two, the riches of heaven and the riches of earth. Let us remember that we all of us are rich in one way or the other. It could be in terms of talents, resources, finance, powers, material and spiritual benefits etc. Let us share with each other whenever it’s possible and enrich each one’s life. Today, our outlook should be - whom shall I help? In what ways shall I help? Why not me with whatever I can. It could be little but it has a value, because it enriches others too. Let us make others rich by our little help and support.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-First Day – Wednesday

Theme: Avoid always the attachment to wealth and possession of another…

Dear friends, we all know that in one of the Ten Commandments we hear, “Do not covet your neighbors’ goods,” (Exo 20:17). It is a clear indication from God not to desire for others goods and commodities. Perhaps, we all of us wish or like to have something or the other, which we like the most. It is something innate and natural to each one of us. However, attachment is always dangerous and unhealthy, whether it is for oneself or the other.  Attachment to wealth and possessions not only attract us but also distract us; attachment not only make us pay more attention rather in the long run we lose our attention; attachment not only haunts us rather make us consent for the same fully, when its beyond control or our reach. So it is better to always avoid attachment to wealth and possession of the self or the other in life.

Dear Philothea, I do not know whether it is a just desire to wish to have justly what another possesses justly. For it seems that by this desire we wish to take advantage of the inconvenience of another. Has the one, who possesses property justly, more reason to keep it justly than for us to desire to possess it justly? Why then do we extend our desire over his possession to deprive him of it? Even if this desire is just, it is certainly not charitable. In fact, we would not like that anyone else desire even justly what we wish to keep justly. Wait, dear Philothea, to desire what your neighbor possesses till he begins to wish to get rid of it, because his desire will render yours not only just but charitable. Yes, I wish that you have the care to increase your resources and wealth, provided that it is done not only with justice but also with gentleness and charity.,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 183).

Further, St. Francis De Sales says, “If you are too attached to the goods you possess, if you are too occupied with them, setting your heart on them, concentrating your thoughts on them, and fearing with a lively anxious fear of losing them, believe me, you have still some kind of fever. For those who suffer from fever, drink the water given to them with a certain eagerness, as well as earnestness and satisfaction, which the healthy do not usually have. It is not possible to take great pleasure in a thing to which one does not give much love. Do not desire with a full and earnest longing the wealth you do not have. Do not fix your heart deeply on what you have. Do not be distressed at the losses sustained. Then you have some reason to believe that, being rich in reality, you are not rich in affection, but you are poor in spirit, and consequently blessed, for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to you (Mt. 5:3),” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 183-184).

Yes, detachment from all that we like or wish that leads to overly attachment and feel burdensome is required most importantly. It is better to cut off from such overly attached desires at the initial stages itself, otherwise, it could ruin our entire selves, without peace and tranquility of mind, heart and spirit. Attachment to the goods of the other, which he or she loves is not the right spirit. We need to understand, what would be our approach, when someone likes to take away from us, what we really liked the most. It is almost taking away their own dear thing that they treasure or value the most. So it is better to avoid being attached to the things of the other. Such an attitude would give us a space for respect and understanding; such an attitude would promote genuine love and genuine friendship; such an attitude would make others generous towards us in giving what we like the most, even if it is theirs, for charity sake they would allow themselves to give up what they like for the good or goodness of the other.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us respect the person and value the goods and commodities of the other. Let us realize that each one has the right to have what they wish and like in a modest or sincere way. So taking away from others what is theirs is not right and it is not our right too. Let us admire and appreciate the goods of the other genuinely and sincerely. Let us be courteous to ask if we like the goods of the other and with due information and permission obtain the same. If not let us quit the idea of desiring for others’ goods and be good to them in all ways. So let us avoid being attached to the things of others. Let us remind ourselves of the scriptural verse, “Do to others what you would not want to be done to you.”  Let us ask ourselves whether we are interested in the wealth and possessions of others or the health and well-being of others, which is more significant and relevant.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Second Day – Thursday

Theme: Practice poverty while remaining rich…

Dear friends, the practice of poverty while still remaining rich is a noble and respectful gesture to be appreciated and valued. Because, having the riches and wealth yet living economically and carefully costs much from a person who has riches and wealth. We all of us know that those who have riches and wealth try to show off or try to put down others or blow their own trumpet as possessing lots of riches and wealth. Practicing poverty while remaining rich is share, care and assist the other, who is poor in every way. It is the character of generous and good-hearted persons to share and care for others those who are weak or poor in various state of life. Only the richness of person’s heart will manifest how to practice poverty while remaining rich. The richness of person does not lie in the riches one possesses but the richness of heart one has to give and share with others.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Have much greater care than the worldly people to make your wealth useful and profitable. Dear Philothea, the possessions which we have, are not our own. God has given them to us to develop and wants that we make them profitable and useful and thus render him loving service in taking care of them. This care, then, ought to be greater and more dedicated than that worldly men have for their possessions. For thy are busy only for love of themselves but we must work for the love of God. As self-love is a violent, agitated, eager love, so too the care taken for it is full of trouble, vexation and anxiety. As the love of God is gentle, peaceful and tranquil the care which proceeds from it, though it is for the goods of the world, is kind, gentle and considerate. (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 184).

Further, St. Francis De Sales says, “We should often practise well real and effectual poverty in the midst of all the possessions and riches God has given us. Give up always a part of your resources by giving them to the poor with a generous heart. To give away what we possess is to impoverish ourselves by so much and the more you give the more you grow poor. It is true that God will give it back to you, not only in the next world but even in this. In fact, there is nothing which contributes more to temporal prosperity than almsgiving. But as you wait for God to restore it to you, till then you will be deprived of it. How holy and rich is the impoverishment brought about by almsgiving,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 185).

Yes, we all need to realize that all that we have or own is not ours but God’s gift. If God could give us gifts without expecting anything in return for him, we need as well be ready to share the gifts that God has given us freely and happily with others. In all surety, there is a lot more delight, when we share with others what is ours or what we own. It is almost a double joy we can say. First kind of joy is that by our giving others are happy and secondly, we ourselves feel satisfied and contented in giving to the other what is part of us or our very own. So let us be assured that when we give to others for good of them, God will definitely reward us by giving us more in abundance. God feels really delighted, when we go out of the way to share or help others with our riches or wealth. This is one of the ways of finding meaning in practicing poverty while remaining rich in life.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us make earnest effort to love the poor and the needy with the wealth and riches that we have. One of the ways of practicing poverty while remaining rich could be that we share our gifts, talents, time with the poor without degrading or devaluing them. This sort of attitude would definitely enrich the poor or weaker section of the society, reminding them that richness is to reach out to people in love and care. Let us be generous and kind-hearted in sharing what we own or have, if not in great things, let us start with little acts of kindness and compassion. Let us try to be simple in our approach and use simple and plain language of genuine love to the poor people, so that they too feel that they are loved, cared, valued and strengthened.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Third Day – Friday

Theme: The two great privileges of poverty…

Dear friends, we all of us know that privilege is nothing but what one enjoys as a special right or an advantage that most of us may not have an access to it. Is life a privilege or a burden? it all depends on how we look at it or how we consider or perceive it. We might perhaps wonder whether being poor is a privilege or pathetic state of life. Most of us consider being born poor or living in poverty is because we are under a curse by God or because we have sinned or because we don’t have luck or many lame excuses likewise. We all know that life is given by God, common for all. What makes life happy or sad is the way we look at it and the way we move ahead with it. If our approaches towards life is something a privilege or pleasure, we would find life pleasant. But if we consider that life is a painful phase or pathetic path, we would find life as unpleasant. So it is important that how we look at life and how we move ahead with it.

S. Francis De Sales says, “Your poverty, Philothea, has two great privileges by means of which you are enabled to acquire great merit. The first is that poverty did not come to you by your choice but solely by the will of God who made you poor without the consent of your own will. What we receive simply from the will of God is always very pleasing to him, provided we receive it with cheerful heart and love of his holy will. Where there is less of our will there is more of God’s will. Simple and absolute acceptance of God’s will renders the suffering extremely pure,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 188).

The second privilege of this poverty is that it is a poverty that is truly poor. A poverty that is praised, caressed, esteemed, helped and assisted is allied to riches and at the least it is not poor at all. But a poverty that is despised, rejected, blamed and abandoned is truly poor. Such then is the poverty of the laity. Since they are not poor by their own choice but by necessity, it is not taken into much account. The poverty of the laity not being held in great esteem, is poorer than that of the religious. However, religious poverty has a very great excellence and is more praiseworthy because of the vow and the intention for which it has been chosen.

Do not complain, then my dear Philothea, of your poverty because we complain only about what displeases us. If poverty displeases you, you are no longer poor in spirit but rather rich by attachment. Do not be grieved at not being helped so well as required, for the excellence of poverty consists in it. To be poor and not to accept any inconvenience from it is a very great ambition. In fact, it is to desire the honour of poverty and the advantages of riches. Do not be ashamed of being poor and of asking for alms in charity. Receive with humility what will be given to you and accept the refusal with gentleness. Often recall to mind the journey our Lady made to Egypt, to carry her dear child. How much contempt, poverty and misery she had to endure! If you live like this you will be very rich in your poverty,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, p. 189).

Yes, the life of poverty is a real privilege, when we consider and accept that life is a gift from God and please God by the life we live and lead. Most of us have the tendency to grumble and complain about the life of poverty. Very beautifully, St. Francis De Sales points out the dual privilege of poverty, accepting what God gives us is pleasing to God and to understand the importance of poverty in the life of lay faithful and religious with the noble and genuine intentions of practicing poverty in their own state of life, which has its own esteem and value. The life of poverty might be very painful to face or live by it, but the practice of poverty becomes smooth and simple, when we accept that it is from the hand of God or the plan of God. Such attitude will bring in contentment and satisfaction to life. Let us realize that by complaining or arguing, grumbling and grudging about the life of poverty our misery becomes an added burden than never lessened to light weight.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us accept what pleases God in life. It may be poverty or riches of life. But what matters is that during both the phase of life of poverty and riches, we need to please God and that should be our sole aim. For such an attitude to accept poverty as a privilege, we need to have the virtue of humility, gentleness and genuine acceptance of life as a gift. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts and blessings that God has given to us although we are poor and weak in many ways, when compared to others. Let us as remind of the many holy saints on earth, who lived an utter life of poverty for the sake of God’s kingdom and obtained God’s favor and grace. So let us not consider poverty as a curse or punishment from God, but make the poverty of life so rich in spirit and genuine at heart by accepting what God has given us or what God sends us every day.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Fourth Day – Saturday

Theme: Love is basic and central to friendship, but all love is not friendship…

Dear friends, we read in the scripture, “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing,” (1 Cor 13:2). Yes, love is most important aspect of life on earth with human persons, animals and all the living creatures. We have seen all the living creatures have the potency and a natural tendency to manifest one’s love for the other. Perhaps, it may vary or differ, but all are capable of manifesting love, with which we have been created by God. The God, who created us is love, so we are also called to manifest love in genuine way. Therefore, love becomes the central point of deal and feel for any relationship. All love may not be true and pure. Some kind of love deceives us and sometimes it’s received well as well. It all depends on with what intentions and motives we all deal with one another.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Love holds the first rank among the emotions of the soul. It is the king of all the movements of the heart. Love changes all the rest to itself and makes us such as what is loved. Be on your guard then, dear Philothea, that there is no evil whatever in your love because if there is, soon you will become completely evil. For friendship is the most dangerous love of all. While other loves can be had without communication, friendship being entirely based on communication we can scarcely have friendship with a person without participating in his qualities,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 17, p 189).

Further St. Francis De Sales gives us a clear point of difference to understand, as why all love in not friendship and so he says, “All love is not friendship because: We can love without being loved. In this case there is love but not friendship, insofar as friendship is a mutual love. If it is not mutual, it is not friendship. It is not enough that it is mutual but the persons who love each other ought to know their reciprocal affection because, if they do not know it, they will have love but not friendship. Together with it, there must be some kind of communication between them which is the basis of friendship,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 17, p 190).

Yes, the basis of any relationship is love and friendship being as well one kind of relationship, it is based on love and it is strengthened by genuine love for each other. Today, friendship is common to all and all of us have friends. But how many of us do really enjoy and cherish genuine friendship is questionable and more dubious. Sometimes, we go through a hard process of betrayal and denial, we become very hard to forgive the one with whom once we were so close. It is because, we find difficult to accept or bear the betrayal and denial of friends. However, for a true and genuine friendship, there should be mutuality of love between two friends and the communication which strengthens the bond of friendship and relationship, otherwise, it is not a friendship rather fake and frivolous friendship, a time-pass friendship, opportunistic friendship, selfish friendship and a use and throw friendship like the disposable good and commodities. So we need to realize the true and authentic value of friendship by way of mutual love and a constant communication among friends.

Today’s Lenten walk:

We thank God for the gift of friends we have had in the past and those who we have at present in life, because, friends must have been a stronghold to us in the past or the present. At the same time, I am sure that there must have been betrayal or denial by close friends in our human relationships. We recall to our minds the good things that we have cherished with our old friends, with whom we are not in talking-terms, accept and forgive them possible. Definitely, it is not easy to do so but make attempts to call or communicate to them that we are sorry for such occasions or incidents and reconcile with him or her to begin again as new-old friends. Let us as well realize that true friendship is gained by true love. Let us not create friendships that is selfish, time-pass, opportunistic or use and throw rather make a way for genuine friendships in life. So that true and pure friendship may generate and germinate. Thus be true and genuine in friendships with mutual love and constant communication.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Fifth Day – Monday

Theme: Good friendship is based on good and genuine communication…

Dear friends, we all know communication is the art of language and the heart of relationship too. I just searched in the Google to find out what would be the definition or description of communication. I just found the following, which expresses the meaning of communication in the following words: “Communication is a process that involves sending and receiving messages through the verbal and non-verbal methods. Communication is a two-way means of communicating information in the form of thoughts, opinions, and ideas between two or more individuals with the purpose of building an understanding.”

Yes, communication is meant for sharing our ideas, thoughts, opinions, suggestions, views with others in order to make others understand what we share and then develop healthy friendship or relationship. Perhaps there are different methods of communication like verbal communication, non-verbal communication, listening, written communication and visual communication, communication through social media, which has a greater impact in today’s world. However, the purpose of communication is to inform, to express feelings, to imagine, to influence, to make other understand, to develop and sustain relationships and friendships.

St. Francis De Sales says, “According to the variety of communication, friendship is also different. The communications are different depending on the difference of the good things we communicate to each other. If there are false and vain goods, friendship is false and vain. If they are genuine, friendship is genuine. The more excellent the good things communicated the more excellent will be the friendship. Just as honey is of the best quality, if taken from the most exquisite flowers, so too love based on a most exquisite communication is the most excellent. The honey from Heraclea in Pontius is poisonous and makes insane those who take it, because it is gathered from the aconite, which is plentiful in that region. In like manner friendship based on the communications of false and vicious things is entirely false and evil,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 17, p. 190).

Further, St. Francis De Sales reiterates saying, “The communication of carnal pleasures is a mutual inclination and animal attraction. It is not worthy of the name of friendship between human beings any more than that of asses and horses for similar effects. If there is no other communication in marriage there would no more be any friendship at all. Besides it, there is in marriage the communication of life, of work, of goods, of affection and of an indissoluble fidelity. So the friendship of marriage is a genuine, holy friendship. Friendship founded upon the communication of sensual pleasures is utterly crude and unworthy of the name of friendship. It is the same for that which is based on frivolous and vain virtues because these virtues depend also on the senses. I term sensual pleasures those related directly and mainly to the exterior senses such as the pleasure of seeing beauty, listening to a sweet voice, touching and the like,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 17, p. 190-191).

Yes, communication is fundamental to our existence and survival of all of us, because we communicate verbally or non-verbally according to our capacity or the state of living as human persons and other living creatures on earth. But each one of us has special ways of communicating with others. Moreover, the communication skills help us to be clear, concise, concrete, correct, confident and confirm in what we say or share with others. Today, from kids to the elderly are used to social media and its means of communication like telephone radio, television, telegram, fax, pagers, email, newspapers, cinema, mobiles, whatsapp, YouTube, instagram, twitter, face book etc.

All these are new means of communication and the purpose is to build relationship with others in one way or the other. However, the ancient or modern or post-modern means of communication we might have obtained, we become what we are depending on what we use the most in a healthy way or unhealthy way. If it is a healthy communication and healthy means, our friendship or relationship shall be healthy and hearty otherwise it would turn out to be unhealthy. We would have no genuine relationships but only false and frivolous friendships.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us check, what dominates our communication; the ways and means or the content of our daily communication. The mind and heart takes in what we communicate the most. Let us realize that communication is most important and what we communicate is as well doubly important in our relationship with others. Most of our problems could be solved if we know what, how, when, where to communicate. The way we communicate matters a lot, because, if we don’t communicate well, there are possibilities for others to misunderstand us.

Moreover, if we don’t use healthy ways and means in our communication, our relationship would be folly, pretentious and precarious. Let us realize that it does not matter how many friends we have rather how many good friends we have. It does not matter to how many people we communicate rather how well we communicate and what good you communicate. That’s why someone has very beautifully said, “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” So let us communicate good and genuine things in our relationship with others and obtain genuine friends and people as God’s gifts in our relationship and friendship.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Sixth Day – Tuesday

Theme: Spiritual and Genuine Friendships focus on God and godly values…

Dear friends, we might have heard this quote, “Holy friendships are always sacred and mutual.” It is because, in holy and sacred things, in holy relationships and friendships, God is present. It is the presence of God that makes us holy and all that emerges in and through God is holy and virtuous. We all of us know that genuine friendship is based on mutual love. They love each other and don not expect anything in return. They will assure each other at all times to support and strengthen in times of hard realities of life. Something similar happens in our spiritual relationship and genuine friendship with God, where we fully evolve in God and God involves in every move of us in life. Thereby, the spiritual and genuine friendship with God is focused on God and godly values. Perhaps, godly values as we all know is like good values, virtues that promote and enhance the quality of life in God and with others.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Philothea, love everyone with a great love of charity but have friendship with those capable of communicating virtuous things to you. The more exquisite the virtue you put in your exchange the more perfect will your friendship be. If you share knowledge, you friendship is indeed very praiseworthy; more so, if you communicate virtues, prudence, discretion, fortitude and justice. If your mutual and reciprocal exchange is about charity, devotion, Christian perfection, precious indeed will your friendship be. It will be excellent because it comes from God, excellent because it tends to God, excellent because its bond is God, excellent because it will last eternally in God. How good it is to love on earth as one loves in Heaven, and to learn to cherish one another in this world as we shall do eternally in the next,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 19, p. 195).

Furthermore, St. Francis De Sales exhorts us saying, “I do not speak here about the simple love of charity for it ought to embrace all men. But I speak of the spiritual friendship by which two or three or more persons communicate among themselves their devotion, their spiritual affection and become one in spirit. Yes, this delicious balm of devotion distils from one heart to another, by a continual sharing, so that we may say that God has poured out his blessing and life on this friendship forever and ever (Ps. 133:3). In my opinion, all other friendships are only shadows compared to this. Their bonds are only chains of glass and jet in comparison with this great bond of holy devotion which is entirely of gold,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 19, p. 196).

Yes, genuine and spiritual relationship or friendship with God is precious and powerful. Such spiritual relationship and friendship with God makes us God-oriented, enable us to be God-like in qualities, values and virtues in life. Just as true friendship and relationship foregoes one’s differences, abilities, color, caste, region and religion etc, so also our spiritual friendship and relationship with God foregoes every difference that we human persons look for or perceive. God values our relationship than our status, power, position, money etc. Today, we look for friendship and relationship, which are temporary and transitory in nature for the sake of money or based on use-value or advantages. But God reminds us all, the moment we develop holy and sacred friendship and relationship with God, we become completely God’s and God is completely in us. It is only when we understand each other; there is a healthy friendship and relationship. So let us be united and bonded with God in mind, heart, will, spirit and soul, so that we cherish our moments of friendship and relationship with God.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Let us realize that God desires to be a friend to us, a friend, who genuinely cares, caresses, loves and gives all that we need or require to be his children. Very well we hear in the scripture as Jesus says, “I don’t call you servants but friends,” (Jn 15:15). Let us understand that God comes down to a level of human persons in taking as his children or his friends. Let us also realize that in order to make the friendship holy and sacred with God and others, we need to exchange reciprocally charity, devotion, Christian perfection through virtues and values of the kingdom of God.  Let us realize that good things come from God, if good or sacredness is sown and nurtured in human persons, what it produces as well turn out to be good and sacred. So let us cultivate the good and holy things in life, so that we see God in everything and be friendly with all that exists. Let us first be spiritually oriented towards God in relationship and friendship. The rest would follow automatically being holy and genuine in our friendship and relationship with all.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Seventh Day – Wednesday

Theme: Excellence of the virtues makes life virtuous…

Dear friends, we all know that virtue is a good quality or a good behavior that shows high moral standards of living. We call people virtuous because, they practice and develop virtues in every moment. If virtue is a good quality and the virtuous people are those who posses and practice good qualities by the gift of virtues in life. There are lots of virtues that could make us virtuous. They are love, patience, honesty, humility, courage, compassion, gentleness, generosity, fidelity, integrity, justice, righteousness, forgiveness, peace, self-control, kindness and prudence etc. A virtuous person is good in all levels of human life. They are morally and spiritually good, exceptional and highly estimable for the acts he or she does. The virtuous people are free from all prejudices, passions and emotions, feelings and desires that hamper their growth. They deal with such unhealthy and harmful passions with equivalent virtues that could normalize the situation and condition smoother and better. So excelling in virtues is an added beauty of self and soul to beautify life meaningful and joyful.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Be aware that only virtue and devotion can make you happy in this world. See how beautiful they are. Compare the virtues with the vices which are contrary to them. How gentle is patience in comparison with revenge; gentleness in comparison with anger and irritability; humility in comparison with pride and ambition; generosity in comparison with avarice; charity in comparison with envy; sobriety in comparison with dissipation. The virtues are admirable in that they fill the heart with incomparable sweetness and delight when practised. But vices leave us completely wearied and ill-treated. Let us, then, strive to acquire such delights,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter 11, p. 318).

Further, St. Francis De Sales exhorts us saying, “Regarding vices, he who has only a few of them is not happy, and he who has more is unhappy. But as to virtues, he who has only a few of them already has happiness, which increases as he makes progress. How beautiful, delightful and gentle is the devout life! It lightens our trials and adds sweetness to our consolations. Without it good is ill, and pleasures full of anxiety, troubles and disappointments. He who understands it might well exclaim with the Samaritan woman: Lord, give me this water, an aspiration very often used by Mother Teresa and St. Catherine of Genoa, though in different situations,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter 11, p. 318).

Yes, we as human persons are gifted with wisdom to discern what is good and bad. We have as well thereby the power to make choices between good and bad. Some of us by our own choice we choose to be virtuous and others by their choice become vicious. But what has the power to be good and be happy in life are virtues rather than vices. Vices are immoral, wicked and unhealthy behaviors that distance us from God and others; vices dissuade us and destroy the peaceful way of life within us and outside of us; vices are added burden, an additional unhealthy growth that becomes part of us and ruins our good, moral and spiritual standard of living. So let us set our hearts on virtues that brings peace and joy than vices that brings sadness and misery to life.

Today’s Lenten walk:

As we would be stepping into the Holy Tridum of Easter from tomorrow onwards, let us delve into our inner self deeply and see, where our life is based or focused on. Ask yourself: “Where am I? Where I would like to be? Is my life based and focused on virtues or vices? Let us find out on the one hand, which virtue is dominant in us and practice it more to become strong in the same virtue and choose virtues that are pertinent to life situation to practice and to strengthen it even more eagerly and joyfully. Let us as well, on the other hand find out what vice is dominant in me and use virtues to get rid of those vices within us that deter our moral and spiritual well-being and welfare in life. Let us realize and understand that virtues and virtuous life inspires others to come closer to us, but the vices make others to distance from us.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Eighth Day – Thursday

Theme: The example of the Saints makes us an example to others…

Dear friends, we all know that we look for examples, because examples become a pattern for us to follow and to live. The examples are quite powerful enough to attract and inspire us in positive way. If we could look at our own lives, there must be someone, who could have inspired us to be something or someone in life. It is because their action has created in us a longing or desire to be like them. There are many Catholic saints that the Catholic Church commemorates almost every day. We all know that saints in the Catholic Church are people, whom we Catholics can look up to for encouragement and inspiration. They are the heroes of faith, who lived by the examples to follow Christ, to love, to serve and to live in him. They have drawn inspiration from Christ to serve humanity and the whole universe. The saints were just an ordinary people but they have obtained extra-ordinary power by the grace of God, inspired everyone by simplicity of life, as they were in close union with God in life.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Remember the example of the Saints in every condition of life. What have they not done to love God, and to show him their devotion? Look at those Martyrs unconquerable in their determination. What torments have they not endured to be faithful? Consider above all those beautiful women, in the prime of their youth, whiter than the lily in purity, redder than the rose in charity. Some were twelve years of age, others thirteen, fifteen, twenty and twenty-five. They suffered a thousand kinds of martyrdom rather than renounce their decision, not only regarding the profession of faith, but also regarding their commitment to devotion. Some chose to die rather than forsake their virginity, other rather than giving up serving the sick, comforting the afflicted or burying the dead. My God, what constancy has this weaker sex displayed on such occasions,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter 12, p. 319).

Moreover, St. Francis De Sales says, “Think of the many holy Confessors: with what fortitude they renounced the world, how invincible they were in their resolutions! Nothing could make them turn back from their resolutions. They embraced them without conditions and kept them all without exception. My God, what does St. Augustine say of his mother, Monica? With what firmness did she carry out her venture to serve God in her marriage and as a widow! And how does St. Jerome speak about his dear daughter Paula? She had to face such great misfortunes and all sorts of troubles! What is there that we may not do following the example of such excellent patrons? They were as we are. They did it for the same God, for the same virtues. Why can we not do as much according to our state of life for our Firm Resolution and holy affirmation,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter 12, p. 319).

Yes, the lives of little and great sacrifices of saints in the Catholic Church are an inspiration and example to follow and live a committed and dedicated life as Christians. The things that they renounced to announce the good news of God’s word; the sufferings they underwent for the sake of God’s Kingdom and the martyrdom they accepted to fulfill God’s will; the virtuous life that they lived; the transformation that they brought in themselves by for reformation and renewal to oneself and others; All these speak of the wondrous deeds the saints have done, after being inspired by Jesus and taking Jesus as their sole model and example of service with love and humility.  

Today, we are powerfully reminded of the great acts of Jesus as an example as we commemorate Maundy Thursday. It is a great day because, the Lord instituted the Sacrament of Eucharist and Priesthood. It is a great day above all, as Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, signifying service with love and humility. His service with love and humility is set as an example for us to follow as his disciples and followers.  As Jesus says, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you,” (Jn 13: 14-15). Yes, the service of love and humility of Jesus must inspire us to inspire others.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Today we are entering into the first day of Holy Tridum, Holy Thursday. On this Holy Day, Jesus has set an example for us to follow him more closely in service with love and humility by washing of the feet of his disciples. We as Christ’s follower are set on action to live by his example and show the example to the entire humanity. Let us realize that just as we look for good example to follow and live life joyfully and genuinely, we need also to become examples to others, so that others are inspired by our words and deeds. Let us make known to the world by deeds that we are followers of Christ. Such an impact and imprint we need to register and instill in the mind of the people. Let us realize that more than our mere words, the deeds that we do concretely have power and privilege to touch and inspire others in life. Let us look for examples in life, admire them, accept them and practise but at the same time let us also become an example for others to be inspired and enlightened, so that by our life examples we may make known to others the God of love and humility.

Live Jesus!

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Thirty-Ninth Day – Holy Friday

Theme: Jesus’ love for us is unconditional and limitless…

Dear friends, love is a quality or a virtue, a feeling of strong and continuous affection for the other. We all know that there are different types of love we express or experience or go through the stages of human development as human persons among ourselves and in our relationship with other living creatures. However, love needs no language, because love itself is an expression of the language of God, that’s been given to us since conception. So we have the capacity and potency to express love in various ways. From the human point of view our love can be measured, expects many things in return, possessiveness creeps in, favoritism and partiality exists, true love too is expressed and experienced in sacrifices that we make. But from the viewpoint of God, love is equal for all, because we are his children and his loving creatures. That’s the bottom or top line for God, for God treats us equally and justly.

However, there could be no measures made as to how much God loved us or loves us. The nature of God is to love us, although our human tendency is leave the God, who loves us limitlessly. God so loved the world that He gave us his only Son Jesus; Jesus so loved the world that he gave his life for us. It is our turn to ask ourselves and answer in action as to what shall we offer to God, who loved or loves us still so much. Our love for God is the only repay that we can give or acceptable to God. The God who loved us into existence accepts our love in return. Even, if we do not give it in return, yet God loves us as we are, because it is not our love for God that matters to God rather God assures of his love for us every moment.

St. Francis De Sales says, “Be conscious of the love with which Jesus Christ, our Lord suffered so much in this world, especially in the Garden of Olives and on the Mount Calvary. You were the object of this love. By means of all these sufferings, he obtained from God the Father good resolutions and decisions for your heart. By the same means he obtained also all that you need to observe, nurture, strengthen and carry out these resolutions. Firm Resolutions, how precious you are being the child of such a mother as is the Passion of my Saviour! How much should I cherish you, since you have been so dear to my Jesus. My Saviour you died to win for me the grace to make my deliberate decisions. Grant me the grace to die rather than forsake them,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter 13, p. 320).

Furthermore, St. Francis De Sales says, “Remember Philothea, the heart of our Lord saw your heart, and loved you surely from the tree of the Cross. By this love he obtained for you all the good things that you will ever have, including your resolutions. Yes, Philothea, we can say with Jeremiah: Lord, before I existed you beheld me and called me by name (1:5). This is indeed so, His divine Goodness has prepared in his love and mercy all the means, general and particular for our salvation, and consequently our resolutions. Yes, without doubt. A woman with child prepares the cradle, the linen and swaddling clothes, and even arranges a nurse for the child whom she hopes to bring forth, though it be not yet in the world. So our Lord, his goodness, as it were pregnant with you, wishing to bring you forth to salvation and make you his child, prepared upon the tree of the Cross everything you would need. He got ready your spiritual cradle, linen, and swaddling clothes, your nurse and everything suitable for your happiness. These are all the means, all the attractions and all the graces by which he guides you and wants to lead you to perfection,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter 12, p. 320).

Yes, God has prepared well in advance the spiritual cradle, where we could swing joyfully in happiness and be safe in the warm swaddling cloth of his love through Jesus’ act of redemption. Therefore, salvation of the world was the alpha and omega of Jesus’ mission entrusted by God. That’s what we hear in the Gospel of John, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him,” (Jn 3: 16-17). So God’s love has been showered on us in abundance in an unimaginable and mysterious way. This self-offering of life for the sake of human family, expecting nothing in return can only be done by God, who thinks of us always. So we need to register in our memory the great sacrifice of God through his Son Jesus’ self-effacing act. God did not withdraw himself from us for our failures, weaknesses, wickedness and misery rather God has drawn us to himself ever close more than ever by giving his only Son as a ransom for many.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Today we are stepping to second day of Holy Tridum, Good Friday or Holy Friday. It reminds us of the passion, suffering, crucifixion and death of Jesus. It is a moment of sorrow and mourning, because for no fault of his own, Jesus laid down his life for love of us and to free us from all stains of sin and evil. So let us express our utmost love and gratitude to God for sending Jesus, his only Son for our salvation. Thank God from the bottom of our hearts as we pray gently the divine mercy prayer, “For the sake of his sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.” Let us ask Jesus to give us strength to walk with our own crosses and crisis of daily life. Let us not give up going towards God during time of pain and affliction but seek God’s grace and accompaniment in our lives. Today, let us remember and whisper a prayer in a special way for all those who were closely associated with us and have died and gone ahead of us. Let us draw inspiration from the dear departed, a few good and unique humane qualities and try to integrate it in life for inspiration and renewal. I am sure, we might resemble them in word and deed and place a new strategy or model for others to follow and draw inspiration from us. May the soul of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Live Jesus!

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Fortieth Day – Holy Saturday

Theme: Live Jesus for Jesus lives…

Dear friends, ‘Live Jesus,’ is the spiritual maxim of our Patron of the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales. This short maxim of St. Francis De Sales has a maximum meaning of love and zeal for God’s mission. This maxim ‘live Jesus’ has headed numerous Spiritual direction letters of St. Francis De Sales. He has used this mantra in one of his classics “Introduction to the devout life,” the opening and closing of this spiritual book, through which he calls everyone to sanctity and holiness. The maxim, ‘live Jesus’ may look short in words but it has a deeper meaning. Living Jesus in our lives happen, when Jesus lives in us and when we live Jesus through our words and deeds. So whenever, we live Jesus by words and deeds or whenever we make Jesus live by our life, Jesus lives in us and all around us.

St. Francis De Sales very beautifully says, “Those who deal with rural agricultural matters assure us that, if some word is written on almond seed that is quite entire and put back in its shell carefully, and properly closed, and thus planted, then every fruit which the tree produces will have the same word written and engraved on it… I wish therefore to engrave and inscribe on your heart, before everything else, this holy and sacred maxim: LIVE Jesus. Just as this gentle Jesus will live in your heart, he will also live in your conduct and appear in your eyes, in your mouth, in your hand, even in your hair. Then you could reverently say following St. Paul “I live now, not I but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20) (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part III, Chapter 23, p. 207).

In the last page of the Introduction to Devout Life, St. Francis De Sales says, “Finally, my dear Philothea, I entreat you by all that is sacred in Heaven and on earth, by the Baptism you have received, by the breasts which nourished Jesus Christ, by the loving heart with which he loved you, by the tender mercy in which you hope, continue and persevere in this happy venture of the devout life. Our days pass away, death is at the door. “The trumpet sounds the retreat,” says Gregory Nazianzen, “let everyone be ready, for the judgment is near.” When the mother of St. Symphorian, seeing him being led away to martyrdom, cried out after him: “My son, remember eternal life; look up to Heaven and think of Him who reigns there; your approaching death will soon end the brief course of this life.” Dear Philothea, I say the same to you: Look up to Heaven, and do not forsake it for the earth; look down to hell, and do not caste yourself into it for the sake of fleeting moments; look upon Jesus Christ, do not deny him for the sake of the world; and should the difficulties of the devout life seem hard to you, sing with St. Francis of Assisi: “I hope for good things without measure. Life’s troubles to me are but pleasure,” (St. Francis De Sales, IDL, Part V, Chapter -18, p. 327).

Yes, living Jesus in our lives is the only we to look up to heaven with trust, confidence and hope. In all surety, hope has always a scope provided we hope in right persons. God, through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit is our hope. When we hope in God and be firm in our faith that we profess and practice, our hopes wouldn’t let us to despair rather lead us to victory and freedom. Let us take it to heart that heaven is our only way; heaven is our only true homeland; heaven is our only true and precious treasure; heaven is the only place where we obtain real joy and peace; heaven is the only realm that we would feel heavenly, because, heaven is a place where God dwells and has secured a place for us all. We need to make the place where we live as heaven. We can make hell out of heaven and heaven out of hell. It all depends on with whom we live. Is it with Christ or is it with evil do we live? Let us live in, live with, live through Christ and obtain redemption from all cries and crisis of life.

Very well we read in the book of Job, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27). This above verse speaks of Job’s hope and aspiration, trust and total submission in God the redeemer. Although he had everything and lost everything, yet he understood the wisdom and plan of God, entrusted his life into the hands of God completely. This is what we exactly look towards to on Easter day, the day of hope, the day of victory, the day of freedom and the day of happiness and redemption. Our Judgment is near at hand and the salvation too is near at hand, what we need to do is to have hope in God, hope in Christ our Saviour, Christ would raise up our mortal bodies to an immortal nature by his grace and blessings, when we believe in him firmly.

Today’s Lenten walk:

Today we are stepping into the third day Holy Tridum, Holy Saturday. Holy Saturday commemorates the day that Jesus Christ is placed in the tomb after his death. It is also the day after Good Friday and the day before Easter Sunday. It is also known as Easter Eve, the Saturday before Easter. On the eve of this day, we celebrate Easter vigil, commemorating and celebrating the resurrection Christ. Let us become aware that in the resurrection of Christ is our rising resides; in the resurrection of Christ, our newness of life begins; in the resurrection of Christ we are restored to God.

So today, Jesus is although dead, yet he lives in us, with us and through us in memory, because he will never die and death has no power over him, because, Jesus has overpowered death and darkness and brought humanity to new life and to new light. We may feel that we are in a black or dark day as Jesus is dead, but never lose the opportunity of far reaching light of Christ that’s approaching so near on Easter, the day of resurrection. So how can we live Jesus and let Jesus’ light shine through the humanity? It is by making Jesus live in every move of us. Our words and deeds must correspond to the life of Jesus; our words and deeds must manifest Christ’s values and his virtues; The day is at hand and the day is almost close, Let us experience the freedom and liberation from every oppression and misery, pain and sorrow, for Christ is come to rise us and he would raise us along with him too. That’s our only hope and only faith, which keep us alive and active in the world. Let us gear up in hope and cheer up with a smile to meet the Lord, because our redeemer, Jesus Christ lives and he would make us live too.

Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

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