Lent: A Journey of Love

Many times people ask me as to what have I given up for this Lent? Many Catholics decide to forgo something for the season of Lent; may be meat, alcohol, chocolate, biscuits, smoking and so on. Apart from material forgoing, some make decision to forgo the things that help them to rediscover God in their lives. Why do we do that in the Lent alone? Why can’t we do other time of the year? What makes Lent so significant for the people of God?

Lent is one of the important seasons in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. It is a season of Grace; a grace poured into our hearts ever since we were born. We grow into an awareness of this grace and renew our relationship with God. In this season we are invited to reflect on our lives and realign our lives towards God. Lent offers us an opportunity to retrospect our commitment to God through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and penance. We acknowledge that we are weak and fragile before God despite our technological advancements. We turn towards to God so that he can work in us through his mercy and compassion. We also recognise our love for God and love for our neighbour. Hence it is a time for fixing our relationship with God.  

Lent means ‘spring’; it is a springtime where we are renewed and refreshed through the Lenten observances. We are washed clean so that we enter into paschal mysteries of Christ death and resurrection. The Latin based language use the word “Quaresma” for Lent, which simply means 40 days. After the baptism, Jesus was tempted and tried in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights whilst he was in prayer and fasting. Thus, the Church invites the faithful to reflect on one’s own life in order to be aware that we are also tempted in our every day life. Temptation is part of human life, but how do we deal with it, is more important than dwelling on the issue of temptation.

The four pillars of Lent, prayer, penance, almsgiving and fasting help not only the people in need but makes us empathise with the poor, in other words it makes us feel the pain of the needy; for instance, when we fast, we feel the hunger that a poor person goes through. These pillars help us to mend and to deepen our relationship with God. How am I going to observe these fourfold pillars? Jesus focuses on the aspect of humility in our Lenten observances. God knows our hearts and minds; therefore I need not showcase my Lenten observances. Hence Jesus’ words come true, those who humble themselves will be exalted and vice versa.

When we invite guests to our homes for dinner, we make sure we prepare well in advance with a careful style. Each of us is invited to prepare ourselves for Lent. We can prepare it spiritually and religiously with the four pillars as help. What is that God wants to give me or show during this Lent? As I deepen my relationship with God, subsequently God wants to show himself to me. Let me sit back and listen to His voice. Probably, God wants to give me something; a gift or may be God wants to free me from something that hinders my relationship with Him. It is important for me to open to His call to freedom. We need to identify the things that come between God and myself, hence erasing the block.

We are in an extremely fast growing world, where we don’t have much time to stand and stare. It is significant to find some time off for prayer, may be 10 minutes a day. In this busy world of ours, we are glued to our own little gadgets like smart phones, televisions, computer, Facebook, movies etc. It is significant for us to find some time for our own families. Can I eat one meal together with my own family, and share the fellowship as Jesus shared with His disciples on the Last Supper? Sacred Scripture help us understand the meaning of life. They give food for our thought and heart. Can I spend a few minutes to read the Sacred Scriptures? They nourish us and help us comprehend that the Love of God has. This Love will conquer our hearts and give energy move on in life.

Friendship Stream

Graceful stream far and wide

Emanating its grandeur

Splashing its ever cooling drops

Lovely are its naked beams of light

Shows forth glowing sun beams

Penetrating heart and soul of me

Bewitching my dry soul

An ultimate pleasure ever graceful

Inviting my soul to draw nearer

Soothing every fibre of my being

A beauty yonder countenance

Oh! stream, you drift never ceasing

Your destination unchanging

You are restless until you find rest

You keep destiny ever in mind

Destiny greets you with utmost joy

Oh! a stream called friendship

Serene gentle moments we share

Memories penetrate the being

Moments of joy splash into our souls

Souls meet souls in friendship

Friendship, you’re a pleasure

You clothe my heart with golden robe

Causing it to beat ever after

You tingle every inner self

You’re a beauty beyond expression

Friendship, you splash your love on me

Splashed drops dry as if love faded

You move onto your destiny awaiting

Memories fresh and green but in pain

But you’re still precious to me

Jerri Melwin Dias SJ

My Soul Thirst for You

 Oh sweetest love of my life

You linger in my hearts strife

Blessed memories prick my soul

Eternally painfully crying in my being

Beloved as evermore with beauty divine

Spotless you came to my existence

Enlightened my soul with cheer

Until at last rested my soul in jeer

You are precious as always to my being

The sound of your gentle steps

Whiz my ears with soothing accord

Your being freshens my soul

Your smell perfumes my nostrils

Memories fresh and agile

No use of lengthy poems

Songs sung in the heart go waste

Just to prompt that you are somewhere

Somewhere around me and within me

Will you remain as memory?

Please enlighten my entire being

Feels you are gone from my sight

Are you gone?

Just like the perfume of the rose

Which disappears at the dusk

You are precious to me

“Chosen by God” is my axiom to console

God has abandoned my being

My soul thirsts for you dawn to dusk

God tries to quench my soul with good things

The people I encounter satiate my thirst

Can my love be my quencher of thirst?

A real thirst within remains forevermore

Will my desire go null and void?

Will you come and rescue my soul

For it’s in the desert looking for an oasis

God tell me who is my quencher of thirst? 

A Simmering Silence

Bicentenary of the Restoration of the Society of Jesus

 The Society of Jesus was suppressed in 1773 by a Franciscan Pope Clement XIV with is document “Dominus ac Redemptor” and the it was restored in 1814 by “Sollicitudo Omnium Ecclesiarum” of Pope Pius VII, a Benedictine. What happened between these two events? Why was there a prolonged silence? My reflections are based on the article written by Fr. Freddy D’Silva of the Karnataka Jesuit province titled, ‘a prolonged Holy Saturday.’

It was during the time of Fr Lorenzo Ricci, the then general of the Society of Jesus, the papal suppression of the Society of Jesus was promulgated. The document “Dominus ac Redemptor” came into effect when the local Bishop or the delegate from the Vatican read it out. The delegate from the Vatican read it at the Gesu; Fr Lorenzo Ricci and his Assistants were first placed under house arrest. Then they were taken to the Vatican prison where they were subject to unnecessary and inhuman treatment. Fr Lorenzo was not allowed heat his room in the dead of the cold, and his food ration was halved. He was kept in a solitary confinement without any access to outside contact, not even the prison guards. He was not allowed to say mass. The new Pope Pius VI was well disposed to Jesuits and wanted to the release of Fr Lorenzo, but Fr Lorenzo died in the prison before Pope Pius VI became Pope. The new Pope with his advisers decided to give a solemn funeral for Fr Lorenzo and he be interred in the Church of Gesu.

Let us see what happened in that 41 years of suppression of the Society of Jesus; for it was suppressed by Pope Cement XIV “for all eternity.” What happened to 23,000 Jesuits all over the world, of which nearly 15,000 were in the field of education and clergy formation while another 4,000 were in distant missions? They were subject to suppression, poverty and persecution. In some places after the document was implemented, the Jesuits were expelled, communities were dispersed. On the whole most of them were succumbed to suppression; indeed a painful end. Nevertheless some countries they were treated with consideration, allowed to keep their missions and retain their corporate ownership of some houses. About 25 ex-Jesuits died martyrs in the French Revolution, 46 were made Bishops. One among them was first Archbishop of Baltimore, John Carroll. Jesuit educational institutions were taken over by the State system of education. The Jesuit libraries were handed over to other Religious Orders or State libraries. Most of the thriving missions in Americas, Africa, India and China suffered for want of missionaries.

The Prussian Lutheran monarch, Fredrick II and the Russian Orthodox monarch Catherine II refused to let the promulgation of the papal document of the suppression of the Society to be implemented in their kingdoms. Don’t think they did that for the love of the Society but for their own self-interest. In Prussia there were 400 Jesuits in 1773 and in Russia too there were 201 Jesuits who were very much involved in education apostolate. The two monarchs did not want to see the downfall of the education in their respective kingdoms. In the course of the suppression period, the number of Jesuits decreased significantly but as few as 2000 brave Jesuits constantly renewed their vows and remained faithful to their Jesuits way of life in their consciences. Some of the ex-Jesuits grouped themselves under the names like the ‘Fathers of the Heart of Jesus’, ‘Fathers of the Holy Name of Jesus, and ‘Fathers of the Faith of Jesus.’ Therefore, there was a simmering presence of Jesuits in the form of underground presence in most part of Europe except in Russia where the Clementine document was never permitted to promulgate and where the Jesuits lived openly.

There was a chaotic situation in Russia where Jesuits who were active began to dwindle and insisted that they too cease to be active Jesuits because of the painful suppression of the Society all over the world. But Pope Clement never insisted to suppress the Society in Russia because of the fear of the Bourbon Princess.

After the death of Pope Clement XIV in September 1774, Pope Pius VI succeeded. The new pope was subtly in favour to Jesuits and their work but he did not approve of them formally because of the fear of antagonising of the powerful princes and politicians. He gave a verbal approval to restart the novitiate in Russia and convene General Congregation to elect a Superior General who they named ‘Permanent Vicar General.’ Hearing the news about the novitiate Russia many ex-Jesuits went to Russia to join the surviving Jesuits. One of them was Fr Gruber who became later Superior General of the Society in Russia. Another was Luigi Fortis who was a scholastic at the time of suppression and became a diocesan priest. Now he joined the Society and was the first General of the Society elected by the first General Congregation of the restored Society. Many of the young men also joined the ‘Fathers of the Faith’ which had faithfully preserved the structure of Jesuit way of life. Thus many of these men came to fulfil important responsibilities in the restored Society after 1814.

The French Revolution and Napoleon’s depredations shook all of Europe and its Princes. The Papacy too was profoundly shaken. Pope Pius VI was taken prisoner by the French troops and died a prisoner in 1799. The same year St Joseph Pignatelli renewed his vows as the member of the Russian Society. Pope Pius VII was elected in 1800. He expressed publicly his desire to restore the Society of Jesus. In 1801 he issued a document ‘Catholicae Fidei’ through which he approved the existing Society. He encouraged the former Jesuits to re-join. Pignatelli became Provincial of Italy in 1804. He became instrumental in restoring the Society in Italy thus encouraging the Jesuits to re-join all over the world. Sadly he died 3 years before the glorious restoration of the Society on 15 November 1811. The Society continued to grow and with 600 Jesuits altogether in Italy and Russia the universal restoration of the Society takes place on 07 August 1814.

During the 40 dark years between suppression and restoration, the Society Ignatian Spirituality continue simmer like an undying flame. This captured many young hearts who re-joined when the Society was restored. Most important aspects that kept the flame of Ignatian spirit to simmer were Marian Congregations, also called Sodalities, with their rule of life, devotional practices and apostolic outreach. Jesuit authors were still read. The catechism of Bellarmine and Peter Canisius continued to be used. These became tools to keep the Society during suppression.

In the Bull of Restoration “Solicitudo Omnium Ecclesiarum” of 07 August 1814, Pope Pius VII was in high praise of Jesuits and called on the Jesuits to continue in the spirit of their founder Ignatius and his charism. This was a milestone for the Society of Jesus and a glorious day when the Society was reborn.

We know from the above reflection how the Society of Jesus kept its flame simmering in a chaotic and painful silence. Many Jesuits of the restored Society were jubilant because they were able to re-join and built their Jesuit family again. We have to admire the sacrifice of Fr Lorenzo and Popes Pius VI and VII whose contribution became corner stones to Restore the Society. Efforts of the many Jesuits in Russia and Italy must be appreciated without whose undying and relentless work the Restoration would not have been possible. It is they who kept the Ignatian fire burning despite the persecution and oppression. Therefore as we celebrate the Bicentenary of the Restoration the Society, we shall reflect on these 40 silent simmering years and how the society passed through a valley of darkness. God lead the Jesuits through the dark valley to a green pasture with care and great love.

Football Joy

Football is the first thing that comes to our mind when we think of Brazil. Football is the most popular game in Brazil. Every corner of the street you see children playing football by placing their flip-flops as the goal post. This is the passion of Brazil. If I am not mistaken Brazil has won five times the world cup. Apart from the national football team, there are clubs that keep people busy.

I had a scary encounter with a group of football fans who were completely drunk and were blocking the road in celebration of their club’s win. I was driving to a place and suddenly I encounter this huge group of young men on the road. They asked me stop the car, which I had to. Then they spread the flag of their club over my car. At this point I was helpless inside the car. They were all over the car, taking photos and celebrating. Though I was a little scared I kept my calm. After 5 minutes or so, they cleared the way for me go my way, which I did but it was a hard task since they were all over the place. This is really an unpleasant experience for me but for the fans it is a celebration. I liked the part when one of the fans to me that he was sorry as I was leaving that group.

As I was making my way to my destiny, another fan shoved a firecracker under a bus, which was just in front of my car. I thought the bus would catch fire, but the driver of the bus drove off because confronting the group will be too dangerous. This is another incident that I experienced within the time of 20 minutes. Is this the way to celebrate the joy of winning football?

Another experience I would like to share; the following day I was jogging on the main street of my area. I was concentrating on my jogging, and all of a sudden a fan of football decided to throw a fire cracket under a truck, which was just behind me. The sound of the firecracker really penetrated my eardrums and scared me to death. Is this the way to celebrate the joy of winning football?

These are the three unpleasant experiences that I witnessed in two days time. I not too big fan of football, but I do enjoy the game. I am not fanatic about football, for that matter any sport, but I do play to relax myself. I am not against anyone playing football, we need to play, we need to support our club, we need to part of a team, we need to celebrate the victory of our team, But how do we celebrate it, by harming others and by disturbing the public. Anyone would agree with me that is not the way to show our joy by becoming a public nuisance.

Our joy should not a pain for others, and then there is no meaning for our joy and celebration. But our joy should be a joy of other too. It is important that one celebrates one’s joyful moment with others but should be in a peaceful and soothing way, which eventually make that person to share with you. If on the contrary if it become a pain for others, the joy has no meaning in it. May be it is just a momentary show off kind of joy, that does not last very long. We got to choose the joy that lasts long and impacts others around us.