Globalization of Indifference

It has been said that the opposite of Love is not Hatred but Indifference. Very true indeed! 
Infact, in the book of Revelations God has this message for the church community in Laodicea: Because you are neither hot nor cold , I will vomit you out.
Pope Francis remarks that the increasing violence in our society today has its roots in what he terms, 'the globalization of Indifference' shown by good people. Perhaps, there are more good people in our society who prefer to be indifferent rather than committed to the demands of love. Such good people are only 'good for nothing' . 

Arise! Stand on your feet.

Addressing the youth during the special Jubilee Mass on 24th April, 2016, Pope Francis exhorted them, saying: Stand on your feet. God created us to stand on our feet. He reminded the youngsters of the words of Jesus; Arise (stand up) and Walk.

True to this statement, confirmed by his own spontaneous gestures, Pope Francis is infact, 'a pastor on his feet', physically and spiritually. His  indefatigable zeal and zest is stirring the lives of all people, to stand up, to 'rise and walk'. Despite his age and limp leg, Pope Francis gives no thought to his own comfort. Observe him during the liturgical celebrations and at the general or private audiences, following the rituals of ceremony or courtesy, be it walking, climbing steps or riding in the popemobile. He is indeed, physically on his feet, alert and attentive and betrays no signs of fatigue. Strengthened by the Spirit!

More significantly, Pope Francis is 'a pastor on his feet', with no questionable leanings, but one who stands firmly on Gospel convictions, faithfully proclaiming God's mercy and walking in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd, among the marginalised immigrants and refugees. Strengthened by the Spirit!

SORROWFUL MYSTERIES

The five Sorrowful mysteries of the holy Rosary highlight the various types of human sorrow that Jesus endured not only from Getsemany to Golgotha but all through his earthly life, from the Crib to the Cross:
* It was a mental torture that anticipated the reality and sweated blood; 
* It was a physical pain inflicted by the scourgings, the nailing to the cross; 
* It was a deep pain of humiliation; it was a moral pain  of shame and humiliation, condemned as a criminal and mockingly crowned with thorns as king of the jews; 
* It was a painful journey trudging to calvary and stumbling under the weight of a heavy cross; and finally, 
* It was the pain of death, a sting of a final defeat upto the last breath.

The sorrow and pain Jesus experienced was not merely an exhibition of endurance but a practical lesson for his disciples to follow Him, carrying their own crosses/sorrows. Rather than dabble with questions like why pain and sorrow, Jesus provides a challenging example to imitate, reminding us that the "disciple is not greater that the Master".

Broad-minded & Big-hearted

At Divyadaan Institute of Philosophy, in March 2016, six students of the MPh concluded their studies and may be considred as Philosophy graduates. But now, what! What I mean to ask is, if all the painstaking five-year efforts to delve into the lofty thoughts of acclaimed and not so acclaimed Philosophers resulted in a certificate of qualifiication as a teacher of Philosophy? I believe that Philosophy is not just an academic subject of intellectual content or a mere history of philosophers and their ideas. While it is all this, Philosophy is not a terminus ad quem achievement, but rather, a transforming process  that makes a person broadminded and bighearted - developing a mind that expands to accommodate and dialogue with the ideas of others; a heartwarming process that enlarges and embraces a wider circle of people. 
A philosophical mindset that is stubbornly imprisoned within one's own thoughts and ideas fails to enrich the personality, leading to an intellectual paralysis. Worse still, a philosophical mindset that generates mostly self-centered emotions of love and concern leads to, pardon the expression, a constipation of the mind and heart which develops into a spiritual constipation which which refuses to let go of erroneous concepts and experiences in order to give space to the God of Revelation. 
Hence to what purpose, if the discipline of Philosophy fails to develop a personality thats may be defined as "Broadminded and Bighearted.