Sneh Sanchar - Jan 2023

New Year Blessings to each of you, my dear sisters!!!!

We have much great news as the year 2023 has begun. First of all, we have the home going of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who was a committed theologian and has contributed much to the Catholic intellectual tradition. May we too, join as the whole Church celebrates what Pope Benedict now experiences the fullness of God’s love for all eternity. May his Pastoral leadership inspire us, as we accompany and shepherd our brothers and sisters near and far, with compassion and greater love. May each of us be more and more Spirit filled as we connect ourselves with the needy, with the right choices we make in our personal and community life.

Soon we enter into the Church Unity Octave week which begins on January18^th and culminates on January 25^th, on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Each member of the Church and every community will be planning many different ways to live this week meaningfully. Can we make this Unity Octave week 2023 a little different from the other years?Just a day after the Unity Octave, we celebrate the 74^th Republic day of our beloved Country India. Can the Flag we hoist on 26^th January 2023, fly freely in freedom and justice proclaiming that we Indians live in a secularistic country?

Take a closer look at the place we live, situations we face near and far.  Many are the situations which make our Beloved India disunited.

There are various types of fragmentation we face around, in the world. Just to mention a few……. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the largest armed conflict in Europe since World War II, the Sri Lankan economic crisis, the country’s worst economic crisis since it’s independence, conversion issues which are baseless and created for selfish interest, troubling Churches in India more than any other parts of the world, protests after protests regarding implementation of uniform Mass in Ernakulam - Angamaly Archdiocese in Kerala.

How can I promote unity or be a unifier in such a scenario?

What will be the style of my prayer specially at this Unity Octave week?

Can I have a change of mind set, a conversion of heart and mind?

Look at the great follower, St. Paul, since the Unity Octave week 2023 ends on the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.

Extract from Vidyajyoti Journal, Vol:86

“Down the centuries, Paul has been presented to us as a humble person who confesses his weakness openly and repeatedly. He    knows he is just another human, just like his fellow brother, limited, weak and fallible. We see him openly talking about his weaknesses. “I was once a persecutor, a man filled with arrogance.” (1 Tim 1:13). He calls himself the least of the believers(Eph3:8) He speaks about the thorn in the flesh which he had to live with for long years. (2 Cor 12: 8)

There is the other side of Paul that we have missed. We need to remember that Paul is equally comfortable talking about his strength – his faithfulness, his competence and his graces. Paul’s letters reveal, a Paul who believes he is a good Christian and a model      Christian. Hence he is very comfortable inviting his Christians to imitate him. (Phil 3: 17) Thus we see two sides of Paul – a happy apostle      of Christ speaking up openly of his strength and weaknesses. He has a balanced personality”.

Are we comfortable to speak about and live with both sides of our life.? Not only speak about it but respect and accept each one with all our strengths and weaknesses, believing that each one is striving to live one’s life as integrated and as balanced human beings like St. Paul, the great follower of Christ. Let us make a difference individually and as a community to live with joy and respect in our community and in our ministry. The New Year 2023 which has just begun is full of hopes. Grab all the opportunities for positive actions to be joyful. 

With the same Spirit, may every citizen of our country embrace each one, accepting one another as a human being. Let us listen to the invitation to live as Global citizens working to create a global community of compassion and hope. And with a greater sense of respect, hoist the Flag and salute one another saying “Happy Republic Day”

My dear Sisters, let us remember that each day we are called to re - commit ourselves to get more and more Immersed in the Spirit to live our life of connectedness with the world, witnessing love in all ways.

We pray for this grace to be unifiers and bridge builders to bring new hope as we prepare ourselves to celebrate the World Consecration Day on 2^nd February

S. Philo Pazhoora
Sister Provincial