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NEWS LETTER |
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Vol.2. No. 1
October,
2008
Editorial 
The XII Ordinary Assembly of
the Synod of Bishops is going on in Rome from 5to 26th
October 2008. The synod is reflecting on the theme “The word
of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.”
In this year of the word of
God and St. Paul the scholastic brothers are reflecting the
importance of it from their studies. “Word of God” is God’s
self-communication, the manifestation of his infinite love, to
his creation. Emphasizing the significance of the Word of God
for Christian life, St. Jerome says that those who are ignorant
of the Scriptures are ignorant of Christ himself. May we become
so captivated and impelled by the Word of God that we dare to
live our consecration more radically each day and be truly able
to say like St. Paul: ‘For me to live is Christ , and to die is
gain” ( Phil 1: 21).
Fr.
Biju Chempottickal M.S
Blessed Mother, Bharat Mata
Schol. Sebastian
Uriyarikkunnel MS
What
is happening to Christians in Orissa is shocking and
painful, just as what happened to Muslims in Gujarat
in 2002. At such times it is tempting to see violent
extremists as representatives of a religion or a
situation of our country at present at and in the
past, I feel I am fortunate to be born in a country
that looks like a colorful mosaic of various colors.
Its beautiful, intricate design is formed through
its variety of castes and creeds.
Who can compare with the civilization of our ancient
country or boast of a culture as ours? In the field
of science, math, medicine or technology we could be
better than the best. Our scientists, doctors and
engineers man the top positions in many countries.
Our nation has brought forth leadership not only at
home but also abroad. Several leaders of Indian
origin hold responsible positions in other
countries. We are on the brink of the great Indian
social evolution. Our family did not break its
social traditions, as each sibling married within
the family Community. But we see the next generation
opening up not only to other countries as well.
In the same way I see religions opening up to one
another, breaking up the domestic walls. Our blessed
Mother invites us to see her son not only within the
confines of biblical scripture bit to go beyond and
find him in other wholesome religious writings that
further strengthen the truths spelled out in our
scripture.
Mother Mary is very much our Bharat Mata Mary. India
is very dear to our Blessed Mother. As the feature
missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, we are
called to carry out the mission entrusted to us by
Him and let us take challenge form our Country.
Therefore it shouldn’t come as a surprise that in
our country, a land of diverse religions, she
chooses to reveal herself at Vailankanni as Mother
of Health, at Mahim as Mother of Perpetual Succor…
at Bandra as Our Lady of the Moun. In Vailankanni,
where lacks of people gather to celebrate her feast
on 8th Sept, she appeared to Hindu
children. Among those who flock to her shrine a
great number are Hindus and Muslims.
Our Blessed Mother chooses to be the mother of our
land in a very special way as we celebrate her feast
of the Assumption on the very day that we celebrate
our independence.
In a nation-freed form the colonial rule of the
British, our Queen Mother now draws us to
ever-greater freedom. Freedom from that which
enslaves our personal development and more… the
nation’s development.
She, in total freedom, chose to bring forth as
virgin, the Son of God, in obedience to the will of
the Heavenly Father who deigns to bring us closer to
him self through his Son. Jesus was brought up and
nurtured in the freeing presence of his mother,
learned as man to grow and live in the freeing
nearness of his father. Mary, our blessed mother,
teaches us to go forth fearlessly, empowering us, as
she did her little Son, to take up the mission
entrusted to us.
Mary invites us to stop, look and think, to come to
grips with our real circumstances and take stock of
our personal lives. Let us not curse the situation
today, but seek as responsible citizens to see how
we can help, where we can contribute to the unity
and progress of my motherland.
May beckons us, saying India needs her sons and
daughters now more than ever. It is at the time of
trouble we show our love. We cannot go to places
that face problems, to Orissa where fires of hatred
are burning or Bihar were lakhs of people have lost
their homes and have nothing their homes and have
nothing to eat or drink, but we can act where we
are- to help people in need, to promote
understanding and harmony among people of different
background and belief. We could do a lot to stem the
rot of bias and misunderstanding and hatred.
These days we do not often hear the sword esteem. We
do not use this word much these days the Bible tells
us to esteem and delight in one another. This would
mean to hold in high regard’, to honor and value one
another. We may not always agree with everyone
around us. At times, they may not act honorably, but
we are called to hour and esteem people because they
are valuable in God’s eyes. When we see others as
valuable, then we’ll watch how we talk to them. We
need to choose deliberately to honor the people
around me. We must ask for the grace to see the
value in others the way God sees the value in us. We
must ensure that through our actions and words we
esteem and delight in others so that we are an
example of God’s love and light. If we sow good
seeds of compassion, we will see a harvest of
blessings in our county in return.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Paul and Universalization of salvation
Schol. Jobit
Thottumkkara MS
Paul’s encounter with Jesus Christ was the turning
point of his life – he had found his Saviour. As a
Jew, Paul could understand this as he belonged to
the people of God who would be saved. However, he
went on with his mission of preaching in
multi-religious backgrounds and cultures where
Christianity blossomed. From a restricted Jewish
point of view, Paul realized that since Christ
incarnated and died as a ransom for all, salvation
is universal. This understanding is very relevant to
our situation in India today when we live in the
midst of so many different cultures and religions.
The apostle Paul’s life and experience embrace the
Jewish, Hellenistic and Christian worlds. He
preached that the Son of God lives in all those who
believe in him.
But, the Jews were deaf to the good news and
stubborn to accept Jesus as savior. Therefore, Paul
decided to turn towards the gentiles, who were open
to the salvation brought about by Jesus. He was
completely imbued with the spirit of Jesus
to proclaim universal salvation.
Paul’s understanding of salvation
In the Pauline writings
the important thing is the deliverance from sin and
from the consequences of sin. He uses the verb sozo
(to save) twenty nine times, the noun soter
(saviour) twelve times, soteria (salvation) eighteen
times, soterion (salvation) and soterios (bringing
salvation) once each. He uses rhuonai (to rescue)
eleven times. Such statistics show that Paul is
interested in the concept of salvation, more so,
than any other NT writers.
It is central to the
Pauline understanding of Christianity that salvation
is the very purpose of the incarnation of Son of
God. He conveys a sense of urgency; salvation is not
to be deferred to some convenient time in the
future.
Justification is the first installment of Salvation.
Since Jesus is central to salvation, Paul’s key
concept is justification through faith in Jesus. His
own conversion was the basis for this
understanding. Paul never sees salvation as the
result of the individual’s own efforts, but by
grace from the death of Christ. (Eph. 2/5).
Thus, when Titus was asked by false believers to be
circumcised, Paul refused it and approved that
Titus’ faith is enough to be justified in God’s
sight. At the dispute over the table fellowship
between believing Jews and gentiles in Antioch, Paul
argues that both Peter and he himself believed in
Jesus Christ in order to be justified by faith. In
the first letter to the Corinthians, He says, “But
you were washed, you were sanctified, you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and
in the spirit of the Lord” (1Cor 6/11).
In his letter to the Galatians, he argues that those
who have faith in Jesus Christ are the true children
of Abraham and the true children of God and need not
submit to take upon the yoke of the Law (Eph
2/5-8). Thus, faith in Christ leads to
justification and salvation.
Salvation for all
Universalism refers specifically to the
salvation of all human beings. Paul argues that the
righteous act of the death of Jesus brought
justification for all people (Rom. 5/1,19,24) or
rather, the grace of God and the gift in grace,
which is of the one man Jesus Christ, abounded to
many (Rom. 5/15,). The thrust of the passage is that
Adam’s sin resulted in the reign of sin and death
for all. But Christ’s obedience to the point of
death, on the other hand, resulted in the reign of
grace and life for all. Christ is thereby designated
as the inaugurator of the new humanity.
Paul speaks not only of universal salvation for
humankind but also of a cosmic dimension. Christ is
the first born of all creation. Romans 8:19-22
reveals, “for the creation was subjected to
futility, not of its own will but by the will of the
one who subjected it, in hope that the creation
itself will be set free from its bondage to decay
and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the
children of God.”
In his letter to the Colossians (1:20), he goes
even one step further. Salvation is harmony not only
on earth but even in heaven through Christ: “
through him God was pleased
to
reconcile
to himself all things, whether on earth or in
heaven, by making peace through the blood of his
cross.” It is very clear for Paul that Christ is our
true and sure foundation, not uncertain work that is
ultimately important.
Thus, justification is the present reality;
salvation is in future (Rom 5/9). One may be
justified, but can never be absolutely certain of
being saved (1Cor 9/27).
Salvation for all in Jesus Christ
For Paul, however, since Christ has died for all,
without standing firm in the gospel one can have no
assurance of salvation (Gal 5/2; Rom 10/1-4). The
response to or rejection of the gospel is the
criterion (1 cor. 1/18; 2 Cor. 2/15; 4/3). Those who
believe in the gospel are saved and those who
stumble over it in opposition perish. Rather, they
should be faithful and open in their confession that
Jesus Christ is the head.
The kingdom of God includes all people and is open
to all people in Jesus. However it demands a
personal response from each person.
Paul gathered everybody under the banner of Jesus
Christ, irrespective of race, nation, tribe, culture
etc because his basic conviction was the
universalization of salvation by faith in Jesus
Christ. No one is excluded.
In some way, therefore,
Paul tells us that the blood of Christ is present in
all of creation and in every culture and religion.
It is perhaps the first point of evangelization: to
discover and be aware of this wherever we are.
Lumen Gentium points out in its seminal
statement in Article 13
All people are called to
this catholic unity which prefigures and promotes
universal peace. And in different ways to it belong,
or are related: the Catholic faithful, others who
believe in Christ, and finally all mankind, called
by God's grace to salvation. It goes further to
point out in LG 14, 15, and 16 those who belong and
those who are related to the Kingdom – no one is
excluded.
Nostra Aetate,
therefore, points out: The Catholic Church
rejects nothing that is true and holy in these
religions. She regards with sincere reverence those
ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and
teachings which, though differing in many aspects
from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless
often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens
all men.
In true Pauline style,
however, Nostra Aetate says further: Indeed, she
proclaims, and ever must proclaim Christ, "the way
the truth, and the life" (John 14, 6), in whom men
may find the fullness of religious life, in whom God
has reconciled all things to Himself.
Conclusion
For
us in India, confronted with the multicultural and
multi religious scenario, the universal salvation in
the Pauline sense is a good starting point for
dialogue and openness – a point to discover Christ
in the whole of creation as our starting point for
relating and proclaiming him explicitly. Finally all
things will be reconciled in Him.
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Mary – woman of the
Eucharist
Schol. Prince Chirayath MS
Pedro Arrupe, the former superior general of the
Jesuits, was a young medical student when he
witnessed a great Eucharistic miracle in Fatima,
Portugal. A 20-year-old boy was brought in a cart.
He was all twisted and contorted by polio, and he
could not walk. During the procession of the Blessed
Sacrament, the bishop blessed the young man with the
Host. As he did so the young man arose form the
cart, completely cured. The crowd, filled with joy,
cried out. Arrupe’s life was completely changed by
this miracle. He encountered Jesus so powerfully
that he left his medical studies and became a
priest. Later he became the general of the Jesuit
order.
Most of us do not see such wonderful miracles in our
everyday lives. We belong to that category of
persons of whom Jesus said, “Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet believe” (Jn. 20/29). And the
one who leads us in this is Mary. “Blessed is she
who believed” (Lk. 1/25). She is our model of faith,
the one who believed that the one whom she conceived
through the Holy Spirit was the song of God.
Mary said yes to the angel, and so conceived the
body and blood of Jesus in her womb. In a similar
way, we say Amen as we receive the body of Jesus,
believing that the same Jesus Christ, Son of God and
son of Mary becomes present in his full humanity and
divinity under the signs of bread and wine.
We celebrate the Eucharist in response to the
command of Jesus, ‘Do this in memory of me’. At the
same time we are also accepting Mary’s invitation to
obey Jesus without hesitation: ‘Do whatever he tells
you’. With the same maternal concern which she
showed at the wedding feast of Cana, Mary seems to
say to us “Do not waver; trust in the words of my
son. If he was able to change water into wine he can
also turn bread and wine into his body and blood,
and through this mystery bestow on believer the
living memorial of his Passover, thus becoming the
bread of life.
Mary is called the first tabernacle in history,
because she carried Jesus in her womb. When she went
to visit her kinswoman, Elizabeth, the Son of God
still invisible to our human gaze allowed himself to
be adored by Elizabeth. Thus, Mary anticipated the
Church’s Eucharistic faith.
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* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Did Paul Convert to
Christianity?
Schol. Jojo Kachappilly MS
Every year, on January 25 we celebrate the
feast of Conversion of St. Paul? That occasion
inspires us to reflect on our lives and especially
on the need of conversion. But, we must not hesitate
to ask, Did Paul really convert to Christianity?
The
ordinary meaning of conversion is turning from a
life of dissipation to a life of grace/virtue. It is
not possible to apply this definition to Paul for
the simple reason that, unlike St .Augustine,
he(Paul) never lived a life of dissipation. He was
always committed to god (Phil.3:6). It is due to
this commitment that, full of zeal for god’s Law, he
persecuted the Way i.e. Christians. The latter
believed in and worshipped someone who ‘hanged on a
tree’ and such a person was accursed (Dt.21:23). How
dare these so-called Christians defy God’s Law.
It is at this time that, ‘as to one untimely born’,
God revealed his Son to Paul. Speaking about it, pal
obliquely compares himself to Jeremiah by saying
that God set him apart before he was born and called
him through His grace (Gal.1:15; Jer.1:5;also
Is.49:1).
What was the purpose of this Revelation? God took
the initiative in revealing his Son to Paul so that
the latter ‘might preach him among the gentiles’.
Thus, the Encounter at Damascus was an earth-shaking
event for Paul. It is there that he realized the
truth that the Messiah had come; he is none other
than the crucified Jesus. In an instant his
misgivings about the crucified Messiah vanished. Him
whom he hitherto considered as accursed he began to
consider as the Messiah, ‘whom God made our wisdom,
our righteousness and sanctification and redemption’
(1Cor.1:30). From now on he will proclaim him not
with eloquent wisdom but as crucified, a stumbling
block to Jews (who cannot accept a crucified
Messiah) and a folly to; gentiles (who cannot accept
Resurrection).
We can put all this succinctly thus; at Damascus,
Paul’s Theology did not change; his Christology did.
There was no question of Paul’s ‘returning to; the
Lord since he did not stray from Him at all! From
now onwards, however, not the Law but Faith in Jesus
Christ will be for him the source of Justification.
From a proud Pharisee Paul now became a humble
Christian, Disciple, Apostle. All this was due to
God’s grace about which he waxes eloquent, ‘By the
grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me
was not in vain’(Cor.15:10).
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St. Paul
Schol. Jiju Valiyakandathil
MS
Paul was born in Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia,
probably around 10 AD. His parents gave him two
names: Saul (Greek: Saulos or Hebrew: Sa’ul= asked
of God or Yahweh), found prior to Acts 13:9 and Paul
(Greek: Paulos or Latin: Paulus) found in Acts 13:9
and subsequently, in 2 Pet 3:15 and in his letters.
The former name was probably used in the Jewish
circles and the latter in the Roman circles, for he
possessed a Roman citizenship as well.
The spiritual journey of Paul began on the day of
his conversion. Till then he was convinced, as he
confesses in his speech before King Agrippa, that it
was his duty to fight against Jesus of Nazareth and
therefore he put the Christians into prison
supported their condemnation to death and consigned
them to torture (Acts 26:12-16).
`There
are two sources that speak of Paul ‘s conversion:
the Letters (Gal 1;11-24; 1Cor 9:1; 15:8-10;
2Cor 4:4-6; Phil 3:7-8.12) and the Acts
(9:1-19;22:1-21;26:1-32) The former must be treated
as the primary and the latter as the secondary
source.
Paul
speaks of this experience as an appearance of the
Risen Lord who commissions him to preach the gospel.
Paul grasps the core of the whole saving event and
knows that the Crucified is the risen Lord, the
Messiah and Saviour. This experience transforms him
as he responds in faith. The transformation results
in his apostolic mission whereby he is made to share
in the work of God in his Son by preaching his
gospel.
In his letters we find Paul speaking surprisingly
seldom about his conversion and call to be an
apostle. But when he does speak, he does not mince
words. Whatever gain I had I counted as loss for the
sake of Christ (Phil 3:7). It is perhaps the most
decisive statement about his life. In 1Cor 15:8 he
refers to himself being constituted an apostle
through the appearance that the Risen Lord granted
him. He appeals to it when he has to defend his
gospel and apostleship against the Jews (Gal
1:16-17).
The Damascus event is an experience he never forgot
in his life. It was an experience in which he
encountered the Risen Lord (1Cor 9:1) who made him
his slave (Gal 1:10). Even his theology bears the
distinct stamp of the above encounter. The call of
Paul (Gal 1:15-16) evokes the inaugural call of the
prophets, in particular that of Jeremiah (1:4-5) and
the servant of Yahweh (Is 49:1). It was a prophetic
experience, a prophetic call and commission to go
forth and preach the gospel.
7 Pauline
Thoughts
1.
On Marriage:
“Each man should have his own wife and each woman
her own husband, the husband should give to his wife her
conjugal rights and likewise the wife to her husband”.
(1Cor. 7/2b-3)
2.
On Life:
“To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to
set the mind on the spirit is life and peace”. (Rom.
8/6)
3.
On
Love:
“Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or
boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its
own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not
rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth”.
(1Cor. 13/4-6)
4.
On Law:
“Is the law them opposed to the promises of god?
Certainly not for if a law had been given that could
make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through
the law”. (Gal. 3/21)
5.
On
Ministries:
“Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ
and stewards of god’s mysteries. Moreover it is required
of stewards that they be found trustworthy”. (1Cor.
4/1-2)
6.
On Freedom:
“For you were called to freedom brother and
sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity
for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to
one another” (Gal. 5/13)
7.
Exhortation:
“Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be
courageous be strong. Let all that you do be done in
love” (1Cor. 16/13-14)
Events in Paul’s life
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Probable dates
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Bible references
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Birth
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AD 5-10
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Education in
Jerusalem
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AD 24-30
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Acts. 22/3.
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Birth of the Way
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AD 30
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Acts. 9/2.
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Persecutor of
the Way
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Until AD 35
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Acts. 7/58.
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Encounter with
the Risen Jesus, conversion and vocation to be
an apostle
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AD35
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Gal.
1/12,16; 1Cor. 9/1; 15/8, 9-11; Rom. 1/5; Acts.
9/3-8; 22/6-11; 26/12-19.
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In Damascus and
Arabia
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AD 35-38
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Gal. 1/17.
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First Jerusalem
visit
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AD 38
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Gal. 1/18.
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In Syria and
Cilicia
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AD 38-46
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Gal. 1/21.
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First missionary
journey
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AD 46-48
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Acts.
13/1-14/28.
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Jerusalem
council
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AD 49
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Gal.
2/1-10;Acts. 15/1-35
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Second
missionary journey
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AD 50-52
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Acts.
15/36-18/22.
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Imprisonment at
Corinth
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AD 51-52
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Acts.
18/11-17.
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Third missionary
journey
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AD 53-58
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Acts.
18/23-21/14.
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Imprisonment at
Caesarea
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AD 59-60
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Acts.
23/23-26.
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Journey to Rome
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AD 60-61
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Acts.
27/1-28/16.
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Preaching from
the prison
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AD 61-63
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Acts.
28/17-30.
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Martyrdom
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AD 63
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
NEWS
Deacon
Sijo Thekkekkunnel ms received a warm welcome when he
visited us for the convocation programme on 13th
of September 2008. He got his theological studies
through with a distinction! Congratulations.
14th
September 2008: a joint-symposium on St. Paul by Pilar
and Rachol, the diocesan seminary, was conducted at
Rachol. Bro. Jobit Thottumkara ms, one of the
four-selected student theologians, presented his paper
and it was well appreciated by everyone.
Maveli
visited us on 16th September 2008. It was
really a colorful and ‘stomach’ful celebration
Joining
the La Salettes and the devotion to the Lady of La
Salette world wide, we celebrated the feast on September
19th 2008. Fr. Rector was the main celebrant
for the occasion.
Oct. 12th
2008: on the occasion of the canonization of Bl.
Alphosamma, we had the opportunity to see the Kerala
community in Goa coning together. More that 500 people
attended the Syro-Malabar-rite mass celebrated by a
Dominican priest. Homily, which was shared by another
priest, brought out the gospel message in connection
with the life of St. Alphonsa beautifully. The mass was
followed by a procession carrying the statue of the
saint. All the La Salette brothers attended the mass,
procession and the lunch, which followed. (Though we had
to take a second lunch from the seminary because of the
excess number than expected.
October
13th 2008: Fr. Biju visited us from
Bangalore. He was much happy to see his students here
and exchange a word with them. Infact he was seen much
relieved after his ‘horrible journey’, as he himself
puts it, in which he lost his mobile phone.
Here in
Goa the second years are enjoying their pastoral
ministries in different places and the third years are
enjoying their inter-religious dialogues and vocation
promotion activities while fourth years, Sebastian and
Jiju, are busy cracking their heads over studies to
appear for their comprehensive exams on 31st
Oct. 2008. They are also preparing to return to the
community and to fly to France for their PPP programme.
BONVOYAGE.
Amedee Brunot. Trans. by Ronald Mathews, Saint
Paul and his Message, New York, Hawthorn Books
Publishers, 1959, p.30.
Edward Schillebeckx,
Paul the Apostle, trans. by Timothy. J.
Hallet, New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company,
1983, p.12.
Herman Ridderbos, Paul: An Outline of his
Theology, London: Wm. B. Eedmans Publishing
Company, 1975 p.56.
Alan Robinson, The Treasures of St. Paul,
Ireland, St. Paul (UK), 1995, p. 102.
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