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2008 International Goan Convention
Toronto, Canada
Early Bird Discount Registration closes March 31, 2008
http://www.2008goanconvention.com
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17-Mar-2008
Dear Friend,
Thousands of stories, poems, songs and movies are alltalking about love and how
wonderful it is to be in love! Usually love isportrayed as a warm cozy feeling
of being special to someone and of possessingsomeone as one's own. This kind of
'love' is centred on 'I, me, myself'. Itbelieves is getting and grabbing as
much as I can, whenever I can. Jesus cameto show us a new way of loving,
other-centred, where one wants to give and giveand give. Christians are called
to live the new commandment - (Maundy) to be'under the new management'! Have a
loving weekend being touched and served byJesus! Fr. Jude
Sunday Reflections: Maundy Thursday -To love is to serve!
20‑Mar‑2008
Readings: Exodus 12: 1-8, 11-14; Corinthians11: 23-26;
John 13: 1-45;
Today's first reading from the Book of Exodus describes indetail the ritual for
celebrating the Passover meal. The Passover, seen as apermanent feast was meant
to recall God's fidelity to his covenant and be anassurance that God would look
after his people. It was at one and the same timea looking back with gratitude
for what God had done for his people and alooking forward to the many blessings
in store for his faithful ones. ThisPassover meal would prefigure the Eucharist
celebrated today in the Church, amemorial that looks back at the sacrifice of
Jesus on the cross at Calvary andlooks forward to the resurrection.
Praying hands -Memorial
Two young friends in Germany, Albrecht Durer and FranzKonigstein, were
struggling to become artists. Since their funds were toomeager for attending
the university, they decided that one of them should findemployment and support
the other until he had completed school. Then he couldsell his paintings and
finance the other's education. They drew lots and Durerwent to school and
Konigstein went to work. Durer turned out to be a genius.After he had made a
good deal of money from the sale of his paintings, hereturned home to keep his
part of the bargain. Only then did he painfullyrealize the great price his
friend had paid. Franz's delicate and sensitivefingers had been ruined by years
of rugged manual labour. Although he had toabandon his artistic dream, he had
no regrets, but rejoiced in his friend'ssuccess. One day Durer saw Franz
Konigstein kneeling with his gnarled handsintertwined in prayer. The artist
quickly sketched the praying hands. Today'sart
galleries feature many of the works of the famous Albrecht Durer, but
thepeople's favourite is the 'Praying hands'. That painting has been
copiedmillions of times the world over, telling its tender eloquent story of
love,sacrifice, labour and gratitude -Love demands sacrifice! Where there is
nosacrifice, there can hardly be genuine love. The story of these two friends
isa reminder to all of us that sacrifices made because of genuine love will
neverbe a waste!
Percival Fernandez in '100 Inspiring Anecdotes'
In the second reading from St. Paul's letter to the Corinthianswe are made
aware of the tremendous generosity of the Lord shown to the pointof death. Paul
passes on the tradition, which he asserts, goes back to Jesushimself. In fact
he is passing on an established liturgical formula. But thecommand to repeat
the action, 'Do this in memory of me' does not refer merelyto celebrate the
Lord's supper, but to keep alive the memory of Jesus by livingas he did and
spending our lives in fruitful service.
Giving Generously
Harry was a confirmed bachelor. I do not know why he nevermarried. He had a
decent job and lived with his brother's family. This brotherwas a respectable
hard-working man. However, his modest income was notsufficient to sustain a
somewhat large family. Harry was very sensitive to hisbrother's financial
difficulties and would quietly pick up and pay off a few ofthe bills or slip
money into his hands to take care of some of the major familyexpenses. His
married brother was always grateful for whatever help hereceived. When Harry
died they found among his belongings several slips ofpaper and receipts for
medical or other expenses that he had borne for a goodmany poor people he had
come to know of through the St. Vincent de Paul Societyof the Parish. Harry
always gave generously yet anonymously. True to thegospels he didn't want his
left hand to know what his right hand was doing. Hedidn't even allow his name
to be published. He didn't want to be praised
forhis generosity. God, he felt was the giver of all good gifts and that he
wasonly giving to others what God had given him in such abundant measure.
Vincent P. in 'Challenged by the Scriptures'
John carefully sets the last supper in the Passovercontext. Jesus is about to
pass over to His Father. He leaves his disciples asignificant example by
washing their feet. This parable in action indicatesChrist's servant role.
Jewish slaves were exempted from this menial task. Peteris shocked and refuses
to let Jesus wash his feet. He has to learn that to bewashed by Jesus is to
have a part with him. Humble service goes well with theexercise of Christian
authority. An exemplary act of humility precedes hisinstitution of the
priesthood. The association is inseparable. John's is the only gospel to
describe thewashing of the feet and the new commandment that Jesus gives his
disciples. Itis fitting that in place of the narration of the last supper we
have thenarration of the washing of feet. Both are acts of love and service
done in aspirit of humility. Jesus is about to give his disciples a
suprememanifestation of his love and by this act of humble service
he clearlyindicates what he wishes to communicate to his disciples. "If I then
yourLord and master have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet.
Ihave given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you."As has
been indicated in the second reading -Philippians' hymn, the journey ofJesus
from and to the Father involves a supreme act of humility, the wordbecoming
flesh. He lays aside and takes up his garments as he speaks of layingdown his
life and taking it up again, his death and resurrection. The disciplesare
called not only to imitate this supreme gesture of service but also tomodel
their lives after his own, ready to serve rather than be served. To live
hislife they have to be part of him, and they are made part of him by his act
ofcleansing, washing their feet. Hence true union with Christ in the Eucharist
ispossible only if we are ready to humbly serve his brothers and sisters,
thecommunity. To share in the Eucharist is to
commit ourselves to the lowlyservice of the brethren under the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, who is neverabsent from the Eucharistic celebration.
Sacrifice for Love
A Duke's diamond-studded snuffbox had vanished. After thecustomary dinner for
some of his old officers, he had handed it around forinspection. Now it was not
to be seen. There were no servants in the room atthe time, so the guests agreed
to turn out their pockets. But one officervehemently objected to the proposal,
even to the extent of leaving the room.Suspicion naturally fell on him;
especially since nobody seem to know muchabout him. The following year, putting
on the same coat as the year before, theDuke discovered the lost snuffbox in
his inner pocket. He hunted up the oldofficer who had been suspected, found him
in a miserable garret apartment, andapologized. "But" questioned the Duke, "why
did you not agree towhat the other officers suggested, and thus save yourself
from the terrible embarrassmentand suspicion?"
"Because," explained the venerable old gentleman, "mypockets were full of
broken meat scraps I had saved from the table to feed mywife and family who at
that time were almost dying of starvation!" The Duke wept with emotion at the
officer'slove for his family and saw to it that the old officer never was in
want again!
Percival Fernandez in '100 Inspiring Anecdotes'
A fitting memorial
Vishweshwar Dutt Saklani has planted 20,000 trees in andaround his village
Pujargaon, fifty kilometers from Dehra Dun. It all startedin 1948 when Saklani
lost his brother whom he loved dearly. Incidentally, hisbrother was a lover of
trees and had begun planting trees before he passedaway. Grief-stricken,
Saklani used to roam the hills to seek solace. It wasduring one of these
meanderings that he got the brainwave to create a trulyfitting and lasting
memorial to his dear brother. Now 74, Saklani has been atit the last 48 years,
covering over 100 hectares of land with oak,rhododendron, cedar and walnut. He
has thus brought back life to the area inmyriad forms: the once-denuded hills
have become green again; soil erosion hasbeen arrested, dry streams have begun
to flow again, the traditional sources offodder and fuel for the villagers have
been restored and birds have returned tothe area. In the process Saklani has
found peace of mind. He had to face a
lotof opposition from the villagers and officials when he started his project.
Histransparent sincerity has won the people over. In fact many have joined him
inplanting and growing trees.
-Ganesh Saili
May our lives be patterned on Jesus who loved to serve!
Fr. Jude Botelho
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been
collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and
from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever
possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you
could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in
these reflections. These reflections are also available on my web site
www.netforlife.net Thank you.
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