Dear friends,
Hope you enjoyed a bit of the warmer weather this past week. Hope this weather keeps coming again and again or keeps steady till the spring comes.
Now we are in the ordinary time of the liturgical year. This will continue until the second week of February when we start another important season of the liturgical year. In a Catholic’s life, it is a very important season when people become more and more good towards God. Let us wait for that.
I was watching a talk show on the television the other day. It was about young people loving (dating here?). The young boys and young girls were the participants. The talk was about how deep they love for each other, how crazy they love each other, what could they do most to express their love each other and things like that. Then the talk came to a point when they were asked about hurting themselves. When a boy or a girl gives up the other or when the love breaks up, they would feel so bad and anxious or sorrowful that they hurt themselves physically.
Though this seemed stupid they made a point there. When the anchor of the show asked why they would hurt themselves like that when it does no good to both the parties one person replied: When I physically hurt myself, I feel happy because of the fact that I am hurting myself FOR my person, whether a boy for a girl or a girl for a boy. Apart from the stupidity or irrationality of what they do, the depth of love they expressed was the point I would like to focus on.
We hear many times that people are killed for their religion and God. This happens mostly in Christianity. This is the most expensive way of expressing the love towards God. The depth of love that one has for God can be so deep that it can give strength of mind and heart to withstand or bear all pain for the love of God. This would be the measuring rod for the love we have for God. I say this because, when we are able to hurt ourselves for the love of a human being, the love is so deep and expressly strong. If we could so love in this way, and if we really love God, no pain or suffering should abstain us from loving Him.
If our love for God is true, we would go through any amount of pain for the love of God. Remember the days of old, when in spite of all difficult situations, our ancestors made their way to church for Mass and other activities in the Church. But what we now see is entirely the contrary. Even for small and very little inconvenience we abstain going to the Church, even if it is the day of Obligation. Do we love God, really?
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. A. Antony
Hope you enjoyed a bit of the warmer weather this past week. Hope this weather keeps coming again and again or keeps steady till the spring comes.
Now we are in the ordinary time of the liturgical year. This will continue until the second week of February when we start another important season of the liturgical year. In a Catholic’s life, it is a very important season when people become more and more good towards God. Let us wait for that.
I was watching a talk show on the television the other day. It was about young people loving (dating here?). The young boys and young girls were the participants. The talk was about how deep they love for each other, how crazy they love each other, what could they do most to express their love each other and things like that. Then the talk came to a point when they were asked about hurting themselves. When a boy or a girl gives up the other or when the love breaks up, they would feel so bad and anxious or sorrowful that they hurt themselves physically.
Though this seemed stupid they made a point there. When the anchor of the show asked why they would hurt themselves like that when it does no good to both the parties one person replied: When I physically hurt myself, I feel happy because of the fact that I am hurting myself FOR my person, whether a boy for a girl or a girl for a boy. Apart from the stupidity or irrationality of what they do, the depth of love they expressed was the point I would like to focus on.
We hear many times that people are killed for their religion and God. This happens mostly in Christianity. This is the most expensive way of expressing the love towards God. The depth of love that one has for God can be so deep that it can give strength of mind and heart to withstand or bear all pain for the love of God. This would be the measuring rod for the love we have for God. I say this because, when we are able to hurt ourselves for the love of a human being, the love is so deep and expressly strong. If we could so love in this way, and if we really love God, no pain or suffering should abstain us from loving Him.
If our love for God is true, we would go through any amount of pain for the love of God. Remember the days of old, when in spite of all difficult situations, our ancestors made their way to church for Mass and other activities in the Church. But what we now see is entirely the contrary. Even for small and very little inconvenience we abstain going to the Church, even if it is the day of Obligation. Do we love God, really?
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. A. Antony