A Pilgrimage to the Church of Lady of Perpetual Help

 

On 3rd April 2025

A Pilgrimage to the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

  We went to Our Lady of Perpetual Church in Fujairah(UAE) on Sunday, March 30, 2025, as a pilgrimage to attend Holy Mass and for a holy hour of adoration. All of us had a unique experience. Since I could recall my conversion to Catholicism, it held great significance for me. Our Lord patiently waited for my soul during a protracted procedure. My conversion brought to memory how deeply Mother Mary cared about my decision to become a Catholic when I first began to meditate. She is a strong instrument or Co-Redemptrix of preparing people for Jesus and his kingdom, making them his disciples, and assigning every one of them a specific mission. The Holy Spirit reminded me of all my past experiences while I prayed in the church. The Holy Spirit was reminding me of all the earlier experiences I had with Mother Mary (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor) while I was praying in the church. She and I first interacted when I was a child, and my family would visit my mother's residence in a nearby village. We all sleep in the house's main hall, brothers, sisters, and cousins. On the majority of those times, I was able to sleep beneath the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor. I can see her face when I raise my eyes, and she might glance at me since she was dear to my heart, not me. Somehow, she never stopped staring at me, even if I didn't want to acknowledge this. I was reminded to pray Our Father, Glory be and sign of the Cross as she was staring at me, so I did so as I lay down to sleep. Since our church is known as the Marthoma Syrian Church, a sect that is distinct from Kerala's Orthodox and Jacobite churches, we never mention Mother Mary in our prayers at home or at church. At home, we never say the Rosary. The second incidence occurred in Muscat in 1979 when I was twenty years old. I was really depressed at the moment I lost my job. After noticing my predicament, a friend of mine who lived in my neighborhood called me to his house one day and told me to remain composed and pray to Jesus in perseverance. He was the one who taking me to Church on Sundays for to attend the Mass in Marthoma Church and he was a Marthomite. He was carrying a Catholic Bible, which I was unaware had two different translations; it was a POC Malayalam Catholic Bible, and since he was not a Catholic, he should never read it. What surprised me even more was that he had taken a picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor from the Bible. "This picture of Mother Mary has had a great impact on my life," he said, adding, "I ask her for intercession for many of my sufferings and she never hates me, always hears my pleas, and helps me." Then I noticed that he was sobbing quietly and that tears were streaming from his eyes. None of these suggestions made sense to me or had any immediate impact. In order to alleviate my sadness, my roommates have taken me to a neighboring government hospital to see a psychiatrist. After speaking with the doctor, he told me not to worry and sent me on my way. I miraculously recovered and began working for a different multinational company.

   I was thinking why should I be honored by the visit of Mother Mary, as St Elisabeth said: Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?  (Luke 1:43, NJB) Later during the years of my conversion, I understood Mother Mary had healed me from the mental depression. The above two incidents in my life got a great impact in my life for the searching the truth of my faith. Then in 1990 I got married to a Catholic girl. After the marriage, in 1997 I got the conversion by attending two of the retreats. Lord has provided me the truth, through the Word of God, consecrate them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17, NJB) When I got the real conversion in 1997, I was recollected both the incidents of encountering Mother Mary. I make it short the intervention of Mother Mary in my life and its never ending. She has presented me to Jesus, and I thank her all that wonderful l things she has done in my life.

 

Word of Life

On 26th March 2025

Meditating the Words of Jesus from Holy Scriptures 

Lord, teach us to mourn for our sins 

   We should mourn for our sins. When we lament God will console us. Mt 5: 5 Blessed are those who mourn: they shall be comforted. We can see in Scriptures how David was lamented for his sins. He wrote Psalm 51 to lament for his sins. The verses 1 and 2 is his lamentation for his sins. Prophet Nathan came and told King David about the sin as he has done, that is he slept with Bathsheba. Then David is pleading to God for the forgiveness of his sins and renew his heart and not to thrust away from the spirit of holiness. Same St Peter cried bitterly, when Jesus looked at him, Peter was remembered how he denied three times. ⁶⁰ Peter said, ‘My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.’ At that instant, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed, ⁶¹ and the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter remembered the Lord’s words when he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will have disowned me three times.’ ⁶² And he went outside and wept bitterly. When Jesus looked at him, he could not control himself and cried bitterly for what he had done towards Jesus and went a lonely place to pray. 

 

The Feast of Transfiguration

On 16^th March 2025

The Feast of Transfiguration 

God spoke to them, ‘this is my Son, the beloved. Listen to him’.

   Mk 9: 2-8 ‘There in their presence (Peter, James & John) he was transfigured, his clothes became brilliantly white, whiter than any earthly bleacher could make them. Elijah appeared to them with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. Then Peter spoke to Jesus, Rabbi; he said, ‘it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ Jesus was transfigured today as we are celebrating the Feast Day of Transfiguration of our Lord. When we visited Holy Land, this prophecy became true as we saw the huge church with three different Altars to honor Elijah, Moses, and Jesus. The first church was built in 400 A.D, but Muslim Invaders destroyed it. In the time of the Crusaders, the Benedictines built a Monastery there. Many of the Benedictine Monks were martyred on this mountain. This is the place called the Altar of God (the natural Altar) as Fr. Eugene and our guide was explaining to us.  We could see many caves there; those were used by the monks as individual cells to pray and live. When we see this mountain from far, it’s an amazing experience. The Muslim invaders destroyed that one also. Again, the Franciscans came to rebuild it in the 17th century. The Franciscans were there to protect the church when it lay in ruins. It came to my mind that our Lord had given another key to St. Francis just as he has given to St. Peter for the safe keeping of His household in a perfect manner. 

 

  This mountain is very blessed with the serenity and the silence of nature allowing one to hear properly what God spoke to his people. As my personal experience, I was just recollecting my memories, at a night Jesus had visited me in my early years of conversion. It was a mountain experience for me. Jesus came to meet me in the form of Eucharist and embraced me in a night which I cannot forget. He also brought Mother Mary to give me in that night. Since I experienced this, I never missed the Holy Mass in my life, unless there may arise any difficult situation. We felt the presence of God everywhere. God spoke to them, ‘this is my Son, the beloved. Listen to him’. ‘Then suddenly, when they looked round, they saw no one with them anymore but only Jesus. God the Father is asking us to listen to Jesus while we are reading and meditating the Word of God. We can hear his voice while we are praying by humbly in the presence of him. 

 

  This holy mountain (Mount Tabor) was one of the places Jesus touched me with his gentle Love. 

 

 

Word of Life

On 10th March 2025

Meditating the Words of Jesus from Holy Scriptures 

Lord, make our heart gentle and humble like you.

Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth as inheritance Mt 5:4. Our gentleness is a virtue to obtain many blessings from the Lord. Jesus was humble and gentle in heart as mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew 28-30 for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul, Mt 11: 29 Jesus is always ready to have us on his shoulders to give us rest from all the troubled waters in our life. Then again Jesus says in Gospel of Mathew, Shoulder my Yoke and learn from me, Mt. 11: 29 When we are gentle and humble, we can trust in Jesus and bear any load or cross in our daily lives. Jesus says once more: Yes, my yoke is easy, and my burden is light It is difficult to bear the burdensome crosses in our lives. But put your faith in Jesus, and trust in him whole heartedly. During todays Holy Mass the Celebrant(father) said in his homily: "Your see, how David became penitent when he sinned against God's will, the sin in flesh, by sleeping with a woman, the wife of his trustworthy soldier. When God became enraged with him, David recognised that he had offended our Lord. David sincerely repented when he penned Psalm 51. David has been forgiven by God, let us pray to our Lord, "Jesus, I trust in you."".  We all may sin, but we must also repent deeply and get over all kind pride in our mind and heart,  but should ask the Lord for forgiveness. Never get weary of pleading for Jesus' pardon.

The Word of Life

 

On 15th Feb 2025  

Meditating the Words of Jesus from Holy Scriptures 

Lord teach us, how to be poor in spirit 

Jesus was giving his sermon on the mount on the bank of Galeelli. He was instructing the crowd how can anyone obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. Then he began to speak about how we become poor in spirit.Those are poor in spirit always lead a life in humility. When humility comes we will serve others in a gentle and humble way. Humility is a special grace, and Br Shaji says: it’s a most difficult virtue to practice, if it comes we are able to love and serve others unconditionally. “This is what he taught them: 3 How blessed are the poor in spirit: the kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”

Word of Life

 

On 5th Feb 2025  

Meditating the Words of Jesus from Holy Scriptures 

Lord, teach us to serve you in a humble and gentle way 

   Mt 4: 23-25, When we entered the Bank of Galilee on my trip to the Holy Land in 2007, I was reminded of these verses. I was observing the surrounding mountains when our guide informed us that Lebanon was to the left, Syria and Jordan to the right (because in the time of Jesus Syria was was Greater Syria, which includes some part of Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and some other nearby nations). I began reflecting on these verses, and as I looked up and down, I had the impression that Jesus was sharing the gospel with everyone on the earth, regardless of race, color, or language. Then I saw that the entire seashore was covered with tiny blue stones rather than sand. In all the seashores I have visited since I was a child, I have never witnessed such occurrences. I kept some of the stones in my shoulder bag after kissing them. Jesus's presence was still felt on the coast, and I was so moved, then I started crying softly. I collected stones, sand, leaves, seeds, and flowers, but I never purchased any artwork or mementos to preserve as souvenir. I turned all of these small items into a mural or fresco because I felt they were priceless treasures that would serve as a reminder of my journey I had taken with Jesus, my Lord. Mt. 4: 23-25 He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and illness among the people. 24 His fame spread throughout Syria, and those who were suffering from diseases and painful complaints of one kind or another, the possessed, epileptics, the paralysed, were all brought to him, and he cured them. 25 Large crowds followed him, coming from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judaea and Transjordan. Jesus, his apostles, and his disciples never wasted any time in sharing the Good News with the entire world.  Everywhere Jesus went, there was a sizable crowd that followed him, and he healed everyone who was ill. We may be prepared to accept Jesus Christ's personality and completely surrender to his plan for our lives when we make the decision to follow him. Jesus himself says ‘I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’ By following Jesus' example and learning from him, we grow like him and are equipped to handle life's obstacles. 

 

Word of Life

 Word of Life mural, commonly known as 'Touchdown Jesus.'

Copyright University of Notre Dame

On 3rd Feb 2025  

Meditating the Words of Jesus from Holy Scriptures 

Jesus Said. “Come after me and I will make you fishers of people”

 As he was walking by the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast into the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, ‘Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.’ 20 And at once they left their nets and followed him. 21 Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 And at once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him. Jesus called the four of them to make them his disciples. He told them that he will make them fishers of men These disciples were selected by Jesus to be the first part of his plan to establish his kingdom on earth. They were straightforward, common impoverished people who fished and lacked worldly intelligence or wisdom. When Jesus called the four of them they gave up their father, the fishing net, and everything that was rightly theirs when Jesus asked them to join him. Since he promised to make them fishers of men, they were given the mission of advancing God's Kingdom and leading all peoples to salvation through Jesus Christ. Because he wanted to fulfill the mission in a new way in accordance with the Father's will, Jesus chose the weakest and poorest members of society. The three disciples who had the greatest privilege of accompanying him to Mount Tabor, where they witnessed Jesus' glorification or transfiguration, were Peter, James, and John. It was a wonderful vision they had seen. When heaven opened, the two most potent prophets of God, Moses and Elijah, met Jesus and told him of Jesus' sacrifice to God for the sake of both His own people and all of humanity.