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Cover Feature it. For the son of man will come like the lightning, which flashes across the sky from East to West” (Mt 24:26-27). True, he came as Emmanuel, Godwith-us (Mt 1:23) and departed saying ‘I am with you always, till the end of time” (28:20); and he is with us as we struggle in the sea of life and death (Mt 14). While he has an inalienable central place in all human history marking it after himself as BC and AD, he is not confined to space and time anymore! He grooms us We can indeed find him in the Catholic Church. We have the the Bible which makes the Word of God accessible.We have also the Body and Blood of Christ, his presence and life shared with us through the sacraments. By law of nature, higher forms of life feed on lower forms. Here we feed on God to become like Him! As a monument and memorial what ingenuity! What serves as a memorial is then dissolved in Communion into the hearts of men and women! This is how we are groomed for eternal life with him. The Bride and her mission The Church unashamedly calls herself ‘The Bride of Christ’ (Act 9:5) by special gift and legitimacy (Rev 21:2; 22:17). The avowed Mission of the Church in the world is to be and to become One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. This is a situation of yes but not-yet, with a mission inwards to her own children and mission outwards to all others. The Church is the ‘universal sacrament of Salvation’ (Vat II)- established by the Groom himself to share the goods of Faith and Hope with all in Charity. “I have other sheep, them too I must bring to be one flock and one shepherd” (Jn 10: 11, 16). The Church knows that she has no monopoly of all truth; the autonomy of the secular is acknowledged (Vat II). She has committed mistakes. On behalf of the Church Pope John Paul II has openly asked pardon for unduly acting as a brake on scientific progress, be it with Galileo Galilei or Charles Darwin. But She has been a promoter of Science most often; think of the pioneers of science like Canon Copernicus, the Abbot Gregor Mendel or the mystic Blaise Pascal. The vision of this mission of the Church, so clearly outlined now, is no new discovery of today. But what of the innumerable crimes against humanity, Christians have perpetrated among themselves and against others down the centuries? The Church of sinners that we are, we ask pardon of God and mankind. The ideal was put forth with clarity at the very beginning of Christianity. Paul has it: “Finally my brothers, your thoughts must be wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves respect, to all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous or worthy of praise”. And he adds: “live according to what you have learned and accepted, what you have heard me say and seen me do. Then will be the God of peace with you” (Phil 4: 8-9). To this the Bridegroom, after his own heart, invites us afresh in our own days. Yes, He is our Light and our Delight! “Go Out!” So the time of waiting for the Groom’s Day is no idling time (Act 1: 11, Mt 24) (2Pet 3:12). We have a lot to do. We need ‘Education’, leading out, drawing out, which includes selfeducation and life-long transformation. We should examine and benefit fully by the credentials of the Church, which is the gift of the Groom for our growth and maturity, to reach his stature. WE need to move from childish credulity to critical examination to deeper personal experience, to be “able to give an account of the hope in us”(1Pet 3:15). We may begin with children’s belief in Santa Claus, but as we grow, we should move on to exploding the commercialized myth, to imitating St Nicholas in his Christian concern for the poor. Other religions We can learn to deal with other religions from Jesus’ response to the Jewish establishment, which was one of reverence and sovereign freedom at the same time. He knew the history of salvation ran through the Jews (Jn 4:22) in himself to all the world (Mt 28:20), ”the light of revelation to the gentiles and glory of Israel”(Lk 2:32). He made use of the Temple and the local synagogues for worship and teaching but was not confined to these. He called for worship in Spirit and in Truth (Jn 4: 24), while he claimed himself to be the new temple (Mt 12:6) In our multi-religious world we must necessarily ask and seek what we also can learn from other religions. We all sail in the same boat (mother Earth) with the same opportunities and threats. Today to be religions is to be inter religious; peace between cultures is an absolute necessity for world peace. We are happy that the Church, especially after Vatican II, promotes this Dialogue and invites all of us to get involved in this higher education to promote mutually beneficent coexistence and beyond to fruitful proexistence. Buddhist karuna resonates with Christian compassion often stressed by Jesus (Lk 6:36; Mt 25; Hos 6:6). We too can embrace it gladly. Hindu pantheism and multiple local avatars (incarnations) (Gita 4:8) would seem an exaggeration to the Christian. Yet he can become more aware of the omnipresence and the universal concern of God for the salvation of all. We also can very profitably practise the Pantanjali (ashtanga) yoga; we too can cultivate religion “through philosophical enquiry, ascetical practices, profound meditation or a flight to God through love and trust” (Vat II). Islam might seem to be a drastic simplification to sheer surrender to God. As it does not have the concept of original sin (weak humanity) it does not have the need for a Redeemer. Critics allege that Islamic regimes deny democratic rights to their citizens, especially to women. Denial of secular autonomy (Mt 22:21) and legitimate freedom and human rights would work against democratic values and human dignity. Yet we must admire in Islam the absolute supremacy of God over saints JIVAN: News and Views of Jesuits in India NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012 8
Cover Feature Peace is a more modest yet very useful description of Heaven. This is the deeper meaning of all our greetings and best wishes. and priests, the love for the community and the care for the poor and other such aspects. Science & Technology “Going out” will require us to appreciate the progress made by Science and Technology and the wonderful means they provide for the welfare of mankind. We must thank God who gave such power to us in using them rightly. Reason (the basis of science) and Faith (intuitive knowledge, which is not against reason but transcends it) are the two eyes of man. They can mutually support and correct and reinforce each other. We have many warring hungers (drives) within us. Most important among these is the hunger for Transcendence (God) as our destiny. This needs to be nurtured and grown by sublimating or at least keeping at bay all other hungers. Jesus guarantees fulfillment in due time, “I will not leave you orphans. I will come back to take you with me to see my glory (Jn 14:3; 17:24). “Peace I give you..” Peace is a more modest yet very useful description of Heaven. This is the deeper meaning of all our greetings and best wishes: ‘Peace of Christ!’ (Jn 14:27), ‘Rest in Peace (RIP)’; ‘Shalom’, ‘Salaam’, ‘Shanti’; ‘Adieu’ (to God), Goodbye (with God). St. Augustine has said it well: “You, O Lord, have made us for yourself and we are restless till we rest in you.” Augustine defines Peace as ‘the tranquility of order’. All disorders like sin, sorrow and death shall be wiped out. Then everything will be ok, because of the Groom who once died for us, but rose and now “stands as the Lamb slain” with us in God’s presence.This is why the mystic Juliana of Norwich exclaims “Everything will be OK; every thing will be OK!” Joy, Joy –Jesus, Others and You Joy!” Maranatha! – Come, Lord Jesus! (Rev 22:20). Therefore not Doomsday but the Groom’s Day awaits us. Alleluia! • Fr Mathew Moolel, SJ, a scientist and former educator, is the spiritual animator at St John de Britto shrine, Oriyur, Tamil Nadu. JIVAN: News and Views of Jesuits in India NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2012 9
Page 2 and 3: By James Torrens, SJ Garden Urgency
Page 4 and 5: Cover Feature By Mathew J. Moolel,
Page 6 and 7: Cover Feature ‘The Son of Man’
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Page 12 and 13: Jesuits - Assistancy PCFs meet in P
Page 14 and 15: Jesuits - Assistancy Delegate for F
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Page 18 and 19: Mosaic Stories to tell In October 1
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Page 24 and 25: Christmas Special Once Christianity
Page 26 and 27: Jesuits - World Australian Jesuit s
Page 28 and 29: Obituaries Desiderio pinto, SJ (PUN
Page 30: By C. Amalraj, SJ Lessons 10 Lesson

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