A Mahatma for our times.

What an exit, sudden but significant! So sudden, bereft of a formal farewell. But significantly, a departure of a great Teacher in the midst of his students. However, teachers we know never die. They live on in the lives of the students they have mentored. Mr. Abdul Kalam will live on in our memories and hopefully inspire every Indian to tread the path of intellectual excellence, moral integrity and social harmony.

The Nation promptly reacted to the shocking news with immense, spontaneous grief over the demise of India's most brilliant Nuclear Scientist,  an unmatched People's President and a loyal citizen, human to the core. Government News channels, private news agencies and socialnetworks, have since, opened the floodgates of 
profuse praise and admiration for Mr. Abdul Kalam. May it not remain mere lipservice which will fade as fast as it appeared.

Professor Kalam was an Indian, head and shoulders above the rest, be it in the field of Science, Public life and Social dealings. We may rightly consider him the Mahatma for our times and tainted India's solitary boast.  

Coping with 'old age'.

We spoke a lot about formation of the young when I myself was young. I thought the Youth phase of life was the challenging. Judging now from my own difficulties of coping with the problems of a 70 plus, I realize "old age'  brings us to an even more difficult phase of life and calls for formation of the whole self in order to arrive at a mature and graceful life of peace and contentment. Formation or no formation, I have certainly encountered and admired quite a few men and women, priests and religious in their advanced years who live the 'old age phase' so gracefully. But I have also come across cranky and bitter elders who are very difficult to please and live with. 
Now that I am already in this phase of 'old age', I realise the need for some spiritual and mental formation to understand that there is something new to learn in this phase which is far beyond the experiences of youth and middle age. I mean, I need to attend a course of "formation to Old age". Any such course being offered?

Servants or Friends.

The GC27 has offered us a theme or better an identity card of every Salesian called to be 'mystic, prophet and servant'. Serious efforts to delve into the "union with God" relation of Don Bosco, leads to a conviction that there is a mystical dimension to our Salesian Family spirituality which needs to be cultivated in our communities and in our personal lives, as a priority value, given the pressure of secularism and its worldly values. GC27's  choice of the term 'prophet' to witness to a fraternal life of communion is also relevant and apt, to offset the growing individualism and egoism that is creeping into our personal and community dealings.

While I subscribe enthusiastically to the call to be mystics and prophets, I wonder whether the salesian identity should include  the icon or paradigm of a 'servant of the young''. The word servant brings to mind a menial position, a mostly hired not voluntary service remunerated by a salary. To me, the term servant smacks more of a colonial or outdated image, perhaps not palatable to the younger generation of Salesians. We are certainly not 'hired shepherd' of the young. Besides, in actual life, as educators, we need to have an ascendency over our students, for the 'disciple is not greater than the Master. How then may we describe our relationship with the young? I suggest 'friend'.

Talking to the community of Apostles, Jesus says, I will not call you servants any longer, I will call you friends, because I have revealed to you all that the Father has told me. We note here, that the relationship of Jesus with his first community evolved from servanthood to friendship. Jesus gave a new meaning to the servant ministry. Even when He washes the feet of his apostles at the last supper, Jesus does so spontaneously as a gesture of love and concern rather than as an act of ritual purification performed by dutybound servants. Service for Jesus is not hired or paid servant ministry but a ministry of spontaneous, selfless and sacrificial love,

The choice of the term 'servant of the young' is new in salesian vocabulary. Don Bosoc was always considered the 'friend of the young'. We are familiar with some other terms, too, like 'shepherd of the young' or 'missionary of the young'. Since we talk today so much about the educator's role as 'accompaniment', a friend and not a servant describes better the quality of the relationship, Salesians ought to have with the young. Let's be friends with the young!

Formation to Transformation

The current concern in the Formation of priests and religious is about the very understanding of Formation and the actual role of Formators.
Formation is no more a set period of time, a package of courses or a terminal destination or point of arrival. Formation rather, is a 'process' that begins at birth and grows with the individual. More than talk about 'initial and ongoing formation, as distinct compartments, we speak today of lifelong formation process. Hence, even in the case of Religious formation, the process does not start at the phases of Prenovitiate and Novitiate but rather continues as a maturing process, accompanied by professional guidance of Formators. Today, insistence on personal responsibility obliges every Formee to be responsible for his/her religious formation, advisedly with the assistance of competent guides.  

God's Will versus Human expectations!

The tensions we face in life ultimately are the struggle between trustingly submitting to the Will of God and stubbornly striving to realise our human expectations.  The more we grow in our faith that God's Will is always wishing us peace and happiness, the less we will enforce our expectations that stir up ambition and anxiety in our lives. Let God happen in our lives for His Will is always more blessed than our expectations.

VOCATION CAMPS leading somewhere?

While there are specific "vocation camps" being held in the summer holidays, I believe every youth programme is an opportunity to promote vocations to the priestly and religious life; to married life and layministry as well. With the World and the Church going global, there is need for  "global vocation camps" with a broader vision and wider mission enabling especially the younsters to see in every walk of life, a Call from God.

We have heard over the past years of a "Vocation Crisis" due to fragility and falling numbers in priestly/religious communities. Shouldn't we also admit a more serious crisis in marriages, in families and in society as well. Infact, Humanity as a "Vocation to Life from God" is in crisis too.

From Sin to Mercy not mere Confession

Introducing the topic on Confession, the first question put to the children was - "What is the first condition to make a good Confession?" and promptly came the reply - "Commit Sin". There couln't be a more pertinent answer, for even we grown ups, associate the Sacrament of Reconciliation with our sins. Confession of sins is just one aspect of the Sacrament. More importantly, it is the unconditional Mercy of God that draws us into the overwhelming embrace of God which transforms sinners into saints.

In the parable of the Prodigal son, Jesus highlights the mercy of the father who hardly thinks of the sins of his son but waits with open arms to be reconciled with his errant younger son. The younger son desired to confess his sins and was even prepared to face a punishment, like being demoted to the level of a servant. But the merciful heart of the father bursts with joy and calls for a celebration of a meal with the fattedd calf. It is precisely this open arms welcome of the merciful father that Jesus wants us to focus on, when we return to the Father's house through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In fact, the Absolution formula says just this: God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of His Church may God give you his pardon and his peace; and I absolve you, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Though the main lesson of the parable exemplifies God's mercy towards the sinner, Jesus conintues the story but shifts focus from the younger son to the elder brother with a purpose. The big brother cannot forget and forgive the sins of his kid-brother. His gaze is firmly fixed on the sins of the sinner and he is caught up in his self-righteous and merciless attitude and calls for a justly deserved punisment and not pardon. But "God does not see, as man sees", Jesus seems to say and adds: "Man sees the appearances, but God looks at the heart". The merciful God invites all to be merciful. In forgiving others "seventy times seven" Jesus teaches us to pray: "forgive su our sins as we forgive those who sin against us".

The Holy Year of Mercy announced by Pope Francis, invites us to celebrate God's mercy by becoming merciful ourselves, like the Father.