The Narrow road - A Journey

All of us have a dark side to our life’s. They continue producing guilt to the extent of mental death. And the issue cannot be discussed, nor you know how you could find a solution. I am not scared of telling the world that yes even I have a bad truth which has nearly killed my senses for the last 2 and half years. A truth which I could not share with my closest kins not even parents.

Many a people do not acknowledge the power of confession, because of their upbringing or could be many other reasons. The thought of having to talk to a person (priest) who is unknown to us.

God helped me understand that today. Priests are more like counselors. We can easily talk to a counselor rather than our near one’s. That’s because we do not want our people to know our dark realities. And saying “your sins are forgiven” is same as saying “your soul is clean of the sin”. Our absolution probably does not wait until we meet the priest at the confession box. But it starts right from the time we feel remorseful and start repenting. But it only completes at the words of the priest. The satisfaction you get once you realize that the battle is over is amazing.

I had a rather unusual confession today. As soon as I took the sign of the cross, tears rolled down my eyes. I was crying . The priest stopped me at this and told me to calm down because there is nothing which Jesus cannot forgive. So I asked him, if he means ‘any’ sin. He asked me to look at the cross holding the risen lord with open hands. And told me to concentrate on him, and what is it that cannot go into those hands. The priest said, “when the time one realizes the wrongdoings and try’s to turn to God’s mercy, there is nothing through Jesus that can avoid the mercy flowing to us.” He was right. I started feeling sudden calmness. The priest didn’t want to know what my sins were. He said “God knows. I’l just pray the prayer of absolution so that the forgiveness is complete.” No Acts of Contrition and no prayer after confession. He just wanted me to look at the cross. And before leaving from there I just asked him to pray for me.

All through these years, I was struggling with my sin. Trying to understand how and when I can get rid of it. Even if its through confession, how could I talk about it to the priest. Jesus made it easier for me when I decided to confess. Through the priest, he did not even ask me what my sins were but just forgave me. God is the actual forgiver not the priest.

Our God speaks to us through our priests. Thank you father.

Evu

The target now are Indian Christians. I request all to constantly pray for India. It started with Orissa (though there have been many incidents in other regions earlier). Now its slowly moving down south to Karnataka. Before communal violence starts burning India down, the whole world needs to pray for India.

Pray for protection of Christians and forgiveness and change of heart for those causing disturbance.

One rosary decade for India a day will surely bring the power of God to overcome the bad.

Pray pray pray.

What could that possibly mean. Well here’s the story.

It was my cousins wedding this week. During the homily, the priest was giving advice on how a couple need to live their lives. And so he said ” we come across a lot of problems and shortcomings, but we should never give up. When the young couple at cana would have faced embarrassment, our Lady realized their fears and what was bothering them. She then asked Jesus to do what needs to be done to help this couple out of the situation.”

Jesus at first stepped back but on his mothers request did exactly what she said. Was it God’s plan to tell his people that he has blessed Mary to such an extent that His son would do what she wants him to do? That son, who is God himself?

No one at cana, approached Mary on what was happening nor did the couple or their household share what was going on. Then what was the power in her that she could see what was coming and rightly request her son to do what we call the first miracle. Did Jesus really not know that it was time or was it God’s plan to make it known to Jesus through his mother?

As God the father our creator knows everything thats going to happen to us and since he has empowered Mary to see and understand what he knows about her children (us). Its true, that God will bring forth miracles in our life’s everytime Mary sees our troubles and requests Jesus to take care of them for us.

All we need to do is acknowledge Mary in our day today lives.

-Evu

I saw the movie, where our Lady appeared to three children. Its up on youtube. Well youtube carry’s a comment columnar where one particular person was constantly throwing rubbbish on how satanic these apparitions are and why the rosary itself is evil. On one comment, this person has even written beyond limits and called our mother as “mother of satan”.. Suddenly the verse from the bible flashed in front of me, Sin against His church, His name and Holy Spirit is never forgivable. Though I have not quoted the exact verse its just a combination of different verses which speaks of sin and grave sin. And calling Mary the mother of satan, this person did not realise he/she was actually calling Jesus ’satan’?

Well anyway I continue to pray for them. In my journey, I have realised another new thing, on what people think about my heavenly mother. My love for her will never cease.

–Evita

It took me hours to log into my profile today. But worth the wait and I blame myself for not remembering my password. But I am finally in and typing. So glad. Thanks stblogs and thanks wordpress for your patience and thank myself for my own patience ufff…

Evu

I came across this question recently, why do catholics depend on structured or pre-written prayers. Do we think that a ‘Our Father’ and a ‘Hail Mary’ suffice the need of every situation. If yes can you explain how these prayers help during death or birth or like. We dont know to pray like our non-catholic bretheren do. Their prayers are customised to situations.

The question does not really hold great significance, but is capable enough to make one think. Is catholic dependent on just these few prayers. Lets see.

I appreciate surely those christians who are able to pray ‘on spot’. Infact, I surely agree that it makes a lot of sense to pray like that. Now, what about those who struggle to pray as such.

I think our god clearly understands human weakness. As he has blessed some of us to pray instantly, for others, he taught us how to pray. When his disciples asked him “Master how do we pray”, he did not simply ask them to talk their heart out but taught them how to pray. Can anyone say the prayer our Saviour taught is not a complete prayer. Can this prayer be used in any situation. The answer is ‘YES’.

So does our church believe, when it is excellent that one can pray on own, we cannot completly disregard the beauty of these composed prayers. Afterall they are directly taken from the bible, arent they?

I went for confession last christmas time, as a part of preparation for the coming of Christ. Well, I ended up crying while confessing and telling the priest how I felt at certain times. I always wait for the consultation part, because that is so consoling.

I was quiet surprised by what the priest told me. He did not give me ways to escape my pain, instead asked me to bear it. He made me think and to this day it keeps me thinking and keeps me strong when I come across a bad situation.

I am going to share the secret, you might just happen to find this useful. He said, “Jesus did so much when he was on this earth. He preached the good news, healed people, he bore everything a human bears, he chose poverty. Such an awesome God he is. But what did he get in return, reproach, betrayal, denial and finally the cross. So Jesus calls us to be like him, when overcome with pain - pray for those who trouble you, forgive again and again. Our little burdens in life are our little crosses. We should not cry nor give up. Stop cribbing. Instead be happy that you are getting to bear them to ‘BE LIKE HIM’ “

The priest was so right. Today I feel very tired bearing the pain but I can still walk up as if I were strong because Jesus is my refuge and my strength. Amen.