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THE WAY JESUS LOVED_John 15, 9-17

SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (B) 13 May 2012
 
John 15, 9-17

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.   Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.    You are my friends   if you do what I command.   

I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.   

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you   to go and bear fruit   —fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.    This is my command: Love each other.
 

THE WAY JESUS LOVED

José Antonio Pagola

 Jesus is bidding his disciples farewell. He has loved them passionately. He loved them the way the Father loved him. Now he has to leave them. He is aware of their selfishness: they do not know how to love one another; he sees them arguing among themselves for the top honors. What will become of them?

   The words of Jesus take on a solemn tone for they must remain ingrained in all of them: “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you”. Jesus does not want his model of love to be lost among his own.  If one day they forget it, no one will be able to recognize them as his disciples.

   Jesus left an indelible impression on them. The first generations summarized his life thus: “He went about doing good everywhere.” It was good to meet him for he always sought the good of people. He helped them live;  his life was Good News. One could find in him the loving nearness of God.

   Jesus has a unique way of loving. He is very sensitive to the suffering of people. He cannot pass by anyone in misery. One day on entering the little village of Nain, he chances on a funeral procession. A widow is on her way to see her only son buried. The love of Jesus for this unknown woman surfaces from within him: “Woman, do not cry.” Whoever loves like Jesus takes care to alleviate suffering and wipe away tears.

  On several occasions the gospels recall how Jesus took in with his gaze the suffering of people. He would see them and be deeply moved: he saw how miserable or disheartened they were, like sheep without a shepherd. He would at once set about healing the most sick, or encourage them with his words. Whoever loves like Jesus learns to look with compassion at the hardship revealed in the faces of people.

   Jesus’ readiness to do good is admirable. He does not think of himself. He attends any call, always prepared to do whatever he can. On his way,  he reaches out with these words to a blind beggar asking him to take pity on him: “What do you want me to do for you?” Whoever loves like Jesus goes through life with this attitude.

   Jesus knows how to be at the service of the most destitute. No one need ask him. He does what he can to heal their ailments, free them from guilt or transmit faith in God. But he cannot solve all the problems of those people.

   He then devotes himself to doing acts of kindness: he embraces street children: he does not want anyone to feel orphaned; he blesses the sick: he does not want them to be forgotten by God; he touches and comforts lepers: he does not want them to feel excluded. These are the acts of one who loves like Jesus.

Spread the way Jesus loved

 

Jose Antonio Pagola,  vgentza@euskalnet.net , San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain.
English Translation by  Valentine de Souza S.J.  Mandal, Gujarat , India.394650
Subscription is free. To unsubscribe e-mail:  vallydesouza@jesuits.net,

 

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Farmers’ Unrest, A Problem of Plenty

Farmers’ Unrest, A Problem of Plenty
By Father Anand Muttungal (M.P.)

 The Bengal’s Famine of 1943 which claimed around four million people, till date it is recorded as the worst food disaster in the world.  The historians believe that its impact haunted India even after Independence so food security and public distribution system was at the top priority in the free Nation. Our Country initiated Green Revolution with three main objectives namely continued expansion of farming areas; double-cropping existing farmland and using seeds with improved genetics. It may not have had absolute success but except a few incidents of importing onion, sugar etc. we did not have scarcity of food in the country in general. 

 The present farmers’ unrest in Madhya Pradesh is problem of plenty. The wheat production in the state is estimated to be around 8 million metric tons which is two times higher than last year. It has led to a serious problem of scarcity of jute storage bags for packing, safely storing the procured wheat and inefficient public distribution system. The present widespread protest by the farmers across the state began with the suicide of a farmer due to delay in procurement. While protesting the farmer’s death former Bareli village council president Hari Singh Prajapati was killed in police gunfire and several others were injured in separate incidents of violence in different parts of the state. 

 If one side we are brimming with plenty on the other side scarcity impact is very much felt, a recent survey has pointed out that around 60 percentages of children and a good number of pregnant women are malnourished in Madhya Pradesh. After procuring wheat from the farmers Government goes to stores it in the open space due to lack of godowns. It is very often reported by the media that the procured wheat is getting spoiled in the rain.  The public distribution system seems to be less efficient to deal with this special problem. The Bhartiya Janata Party led Madhya Pradesh Government puts the entire blame on the Central Government for the problem while the State Congress blames the State Government for the same. In the previous year Government of Madhya Pradesh had distributed six months of ration to the below poverty line card holders to control the problem of plenty. Even though it had its own drawbacks it helped to solve the problem but it is said that did not go well with the union government.

 This issue calls us to a deeper problem of farmers across the Country where very often suicides of farmers are reported. We can go on blaming the entire system for not doing anything for the farmers but it shall not bring any positive result. Probably at this juncture we need to think in the lines of the father of Indian   Green Revolution, M.S. Swaminathan, who in an interview to  InfoChange News and Features,( April 2008, Edition), said, “India needs to come up with a drought code, a flood code and a good weather code. They need to come up with a scheme very quickly. Grain reserves are important for food security, seed reserves are important for crop security and a proper contingency plan must be in place to ensure minimum devastation in case of floods. Such a plan does not mean a mere piece of paper, rather it should help direct a farmer who has lost his main crop to come up with a second plan; what kind of crop he should grow next.”

 India needs a comprehensive agricultural policy including climate concerns and public distribution system. India can not claim to be a developed nation if its 70 percentage population namely farmers are less benefited from the development efforts. It is a right time our politicians, scientists and technicians put their heads together to find a solution to the present and the imminent future crisis.

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લુર્ડસના માતા મારિયાની ટેકરીનું ઉદ્ઘાટન

આજે કઠલાલ તાંબાના મહીસા ગામે લુર્ડસના માતા મારિયાની  ટેકરીનું ઉદ્ઘાટન માનનીય  બિશપશ્રી થોમસ મેકવાનના વરદ હસ્તે કરવામાં આવ્યું. ગામમાં આવેલ પોળોમાંથી પસાર થયેલ બગી સાથેનું સરઘસ અને તેમાં સવાર થતા માતા મારિયાની પ્રતિમા અને બીશપશ્રી તથા જોર જોરથી ગવાતા માતા મારિયાના ભજનોથી આજે મહીસા ગામ ગુંજી ઉઠ્યું હતું  

 મેં મહિનો એટલે માતા મારિયાને વિંનતી અને અરજ કરવાનો મહિનો ધર્મસભામાં અને  શ્રધાળુંઓમાં પ્રચલિત છે. "ગુલાબમાળાનું  વર્ષ" આ અનુસંધાનમાં કઠલાલના સભા પુરોહિત રેવ. ફા. રમેશ મેકવાનના પ્રયત્ન અને મહીસા ગામના ખ્રિસ્તી શ્રધાળુંઓના  સાથ સહકારથી લુર્ડસના માતા મારિયાની  ટેકરી બનાવવામાં આવી છે.

લોકોના માનીતા માનનીય બિશપ થોમસ મેકવાનને બસ સ્ટોપથી ખ્રિસ્તી ફળિયા સુધી સામૈયું કરી નાચ ગાન સાથે લાવવામાં આવ્યા હતા.  આ સમયે મહીસા ગામના સરપંચશ્રીએ બીશપ સાહેબને ફૂલહાર  ચડાવીને આશીર્વાદ લીધા બાદ ગામમાં તેમના પાવન પગલા સર્વ ગામના લોકો માટે ભાગ્યશાળી ગણાવ્યા હતા. તેમણે માતા મારિયાની પ્રતિમાને પણ ફૂલહાર  ચડાવી વંદન કર્યા હતા. માતા મારિયાની  ટેકરી હોવાનો  આનંદ આ ટાણે મોટી સંખ્યામાં આવેલ  બહેનો -ભાઈઓ અને બાળકોમાં  જોવા મળતો હતો.

ધાર્મિક પ્રસંગો એક બીજાને  એકતાનું અને પરસ્પર પ્રેમનું  ઉદાહરણ પૂરું પાડે છે તે આજે અહી શ્રધાળુંઓમાં જોવા મળતું હતું    

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આણંદ પ્રેસમાં "શ્રમિક દિન"ની ઉજવણી

આજે  આણંદ પ્રેસમાં "શ્રમિક દિન"ની ઉજવણી કરવામાં આવી હતી. આ ઉજવણી માં દરેક કામ કરનાર  પોતાના સહ કુટુંબ સાથે  રહી શ્રમિક દિનનો મહિમા વધારિયો હતો.  આ શુભ દિને સવારે દરેક કર્મચારી  માટે ક્રિકેટનું આયોજન કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું. ત્યારબાદ 11 વાગે પ્રેસમાં  રેવ. ફા. અનીલ સેવરીન એસ. જે. તથા રેવ. ફા અગ્નેલો  એસ. જે. ( મેનેજર, આણંદ  પ્રેસ)  ખ્રિસ્ત યજ્ઞ  અર્પણ કર્યો હતો. પ્રભુ ભોજન બાદ  બાળકો, બહેનો તથા ભાઈઓ માટે રમતોનું આયોજન કરવામાં આવ્યું હતું. ઇનામ વિતરણ બાદ સર્વે બપોરના ભોજન બાદ હર્ષોઉલ્લાસ સાથે વિદાય લીધી હતી.

બ્ર.અગ્નેલો, ફા.મેક્સીમ તથા ફા. આલ્બર્ટ (પ્રિન્સીપાલ) ની હાજરીથી આ શુભ દિનની ઉજવણી વધુ આનંદમય બની રહી હતી તથા બ્ર.અલ્પેશ અને આગળ પડતા કર્મચારીઓના સાથ સહકારથી સર્વે શ્રમિક દિનની ઉજવણીનો વધુ આનંદ માણ્યો હતો.          

- બી.બી.એન.            

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સિ. પુષ્પા કાનીસનું બહુમાન અને રજત જયંતિની ઉજવણી

કાર્મેલાઈટ  મિશનરી સંઘમાં સિ.પુષ્પા કાનીસ સાધ્વી તરીકે Chille માં પોતાની સેવા આપી રહ્યા છે જેમની ગઈ કાલે રજત જયંતિ મરીયમપુરા, પેટલાદમાં ઉજવવામાં આવી. આ શુભ પ્રસંગે તેમના પિતા શ્રી કાનીસભાઈનો જન્મ દિવસ પણ ઉજવવામાં આવ્યો.  હાલમાં તેમના  ૯૪ વર્ષ પુરા થયા છે.

  

 આ પ્રસંગે તેમાંના ભાઈ કથાકાર ફા ઇગ્નાસ કાનીસે તેમના માટે  અને તેમના પિતાશ્રી માટે ખ્રિસ્ત યજ્ઞ અર્પણ કર્યો હતો. મોટી સંખ્યામાં આવેલ  ફાધર્સ-સિસ્ટર્સ તથા ધર્મજનોની મેદનીથી આ બંને પ્રસંગ મરીયમપુરા ચર્ચમાં આનંદમય ઉજવાયા હતા.     

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Sunday With E-sermon By Fr. Nagin

Please click on the video

Note: The e-sermon was recorded last year in Anand. 

FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER (B) 29 April 2012

HE IS WITH US  

John 10, 11-18

 The symbol of Jesus, the Good Shepherd , produces a certain annoyance in some Christians. We hate being treated like sheep in a flock. We don’t need anyone to govern and control our lives. We want to be respected. We have no use for a shepherd.
 

Rev. Fr.Valentine de Souza S.J

 The first Christians did not feel this way. The figure of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, soon became the most popular image of Jesus. He was already depicted in the catacombs of Rome carrying the lost sheep on his shoulders. No one thinks of Jesus as a dictatorial pastor who monitors and controlls his followers, but as a good shepherd who takes care of them.
  

 The “Good Shepherd” looks after his sheep. It’s his first characteristic. He never abandons them, for his life is closely linked to theirs. He always cares for the weakest or the most sick. He is not like a hired shepherd who flees to save his life when he senses danger. The hireling deserts the flock because the sheep don’t matter to him.
   

 Jesus was unforgettable. The Gospel stories show him caring for the sick, the marginalized, the children, the helpless and forgotten, those lost beyond hope. He’s not worried about himself. He’s always seen thinking of the others. The most destitute concern him deeply.

 There’s something more. “The good shepherd gives his life for his sheep.” It’s the second characteristic. The Gospel of John repeats these words six times. Jesus’ love for people has no limits. He loves others more than himself. He loves all with the love of a good shepherd who does not flee expecting danger, but gives his life to save the flock.

 For this reason, the figure of Jesus, “the good shepherd”, soon became a message of strength and confidence for his followers. Christians learnt to pray to Jesus with words taken from Psalm 22: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want… even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me… Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”

 We Christians often have a rather poor relationship with Jesus. We need to have a more lively and intimate experience of him. We do not believe he cares for us. We forget we can approach him when we are weak and weary, or lost and confused.

  A church made up of Christians who relate to a poorly known Jesus, believed in through doctrines alone, a distant Jesus whose voice is not strongly heard in communities… is in danger of forgetting her shepherd. But who will take care of the Church, if not her Shepherd?

Make the Good Shepherd known

Source: URL of José Antonio Pagola's Buenas Noticias Web site: http://sanvicentemartirdeabando.org

Jose Antonio Pagola, vgentza@euskalnet.net , San Sebastian, Guipuzcoa, Spain.

English Translation by Valentine de Souza S.J. Mandal, Gujarat , India.394650

Subscription is free. To unsubscribe e-mail: vallydesouza@jesuits.net, 

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Happy Wanderer, A tribute to Late Fr. Anthony de Mello SJ

Fr. Anthony de Mello SJ breathed his last on 2 June 1987 in New York. To mark the 25th anniversary of his death, his younger brother, Mr Bill de Mello, has written a biography that reveals little-known facts about Tony’s family and early life. Entitled “Anthony de Mello SJ, The Happy Wanderer, A tribute to my brother”. The book was released on 22 April at St Stanislaus’, Bandra, Mumbai.

Bill calls it “a work of love” in which he has painstakingly recorded Tony’s spiritual evolution. The volume fulfils the need of a comprehensive biography of the man who has been described at various times as the Laughing Saint, The Happy Wanderer, a prophet and a rare mystic.

Details: Anthony de Mello SJ, The Happy Wanderer, by Bill de Mello: 252 pages, hardbound, with 14 pictures. Price Rs. 240.

Published by Gujarat Sahitya Prakash.
Email id: booksgsp@gmail.com 
Ph  09879475345


News and photo by
Rev. Fr. Jerry SJ,
Gujarat Sahitya Prakash
Anand

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Sunday Bible Reading

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પીઢ મિશનરી સિસ્ટર આર્કોનાડાનું અવસાન

તા ૧૫-૦૪-૨૦૧૨ રવિવારેની વહેલી સવારે  અમદવાદમાં  ગોમતીપુર નર્સિંગ હોમમાં પીઢ મિશનરી સિસ્ટર  આર્કોનાડાનું અવસાન  થયું. ગોમતીપુરના લોકોમાં શોકમય વાતાવરણ રહ્યું હતું. સોમવાર તા ૧૬-૦૪- ૨૦૧૨ ની  સવારે ૧૦ વાગે ગોમતીપુર ચર્ચમાં માનનીય રેવ. આર્ચ બિશપ સ્ટેની તથા માનનીય રેવ. બિશપ થોમસ મેકવાને  ખ્રિસ્ત યજ્ઞ અર્પણ કરી છેલ્લા આશીર્વાદ આપી સિસ્ટરને અંતિમ વિદાઈ આપી હતી.

 સિસ્ટર  આર્કોનાડા પોતાના સ્પેન દેશથી ભારતમાં ૧૯૫૬માં આવ્યા, ભાષા અને સંસ્કૃતી ને અપનાવી અને  સેવા માટે ગોમતીપુરમાં શુભ શરૂઆત નર્સિંગ હોમથી  કરી ત્યારબાદ ૧૯૭૬ માં તેમની બદલી બાલાસિનોરમાં કરવામાં આવી ત્યાં ગામે ગામે ઇસુ સંઘી ફાધર્સ સાથે લોકોની મુલાકાત લઇ પ્રભુના મહિમા માટે કામ કરતા અને સાથે સાથે બીમાર લોકોને દવા પૂરી પાડતા. ગામડાની બહેનોનો વિકાસ થાય તે હેતુસર તેમણે બાલાસિનોરમાં છોકરીઓ માટે ૧૯૮૦માં છાત્રાલયની  શરૂઆત કરી. આજે ઘણી મહિલાઓ તેમના માર્ગદર્શનથી નર્સ તરીકે ગવર્મેન્ટ અને નોન ગવર્મેન્ટ નોકરી ધરાવે છે. ગુજરાતની ધર્મ સભામાં લોકોના વિકાસમાં સિસ્ટરનો ઉમદા ફાળો રહ્યો હતો.

 અમદાવાદમાં પાછા આવ્યા બાદ કોમી હુલ્લડોમાં અન્ય ધર્મના લોકોને બચાવવા માટે પોતાના નર્સિંગ હોમના દ્વાર ખોલી હજારો લોકોના જીવ બચાવ્યા હતા  એવા  આપણાં  પીઢ મિશનરી સિસ્ટરના આત્માને શાંતિ હો !

 આ દુઃખદ પ્રસંગે દુરથી આવેલ ઘણા સિસ્ટર્સ તથા ફાદર્સ અને ગોમતીપુરના લોકો ખાસ કરીને અન્ય ધર્મના લોકો હાજર રહી પીઢ મિશનરી સિસ્ટરને ચીર વિદાઈ આપી હતી.
  
 ચીર વિદાય નિહાળવા માટે વીડિઓ ઉપર ક્લિક કરશો.




 Late Sister Arconada passed away on Sunday early morning in Gomtipur, Amdavad. Late Sister Came to India in 1956 from Spain. 

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નવરંગપુરા ચર્ચમાં વેદ્રુના ના સાધ્વી બહેનોના આજીવન વ્રત

ગઈ કાલે રવિવારે તા  ૧૫-૦૪-૨૦૧૨ ના રોજ નવરંગપુરા ચર્ચમાં વેદ્રુના ના સાધ્વી બહેનોએ આજીવન વ્રત ગ્રહણ કર્યા હતા. આ શુભ પ્રસંગે બધાજ સાધ્વી બહેનો ઇસુ માટે જીવન અર્પણ કરી રહ્યા હતા તેનો આનંદ મોટી સંખ્યામાં આવેલ સર્વે સાથે માણ્યો હતો. મોટી સંખ્યામાં ભેગા થયેલ શ્રધાળુઓ તથા ફાદર્સ અને સિસ્ટર્સ દ્વારા વ્રત લીધેલ  સર્વ સિસ્ટર્સ ને વધાવી લીધા હતા.
આ પ્રસંગે રેવ. બીશપ થોમસ મેકવાન અને ઇસુ સંઘના પ્રાંતપતિ રેવ. ફા. ચંગનાચેરી એસ. જે. તથા મોટી સંખ્યામાં ઉપસ્થિત રહેલ ફાદર્સ દ્વારા મહા ખ્રિસ્ત યજ્ઞ અર્પણ કરવામાં આવ્યો હતો.   
વધુ માહિતી માટે વીડિઓ નિહાળશો. 

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