debater

The largest democracy in the world is going through turbulent times which makes one to think whether it has become irrelevant or marching towards its dead end. The way things unfold to us day in and day out make us skeptical about the effectiveness of democracy. Be it the acquittal of the powerful involved in scams, suppression of civil rights movements (NGOs), hijacking of people’s movements by political parties (Sasi Perumal’s movement has been taken over by the politicians for scoring political points), lack of tolerance in the public (recall what happened a couple of days back. A Muslim suspected of eating beef was lynched by the mob), increasing of political cults (one only needs to see the way people bow to their leaders!). The political discourse in India is moving towards the ‘right-wing’ fundamentalism – creating myths and tearing down the secular fabric of democracy. What has led to the sudden and violent opposition to civil demands for justice? It is perhaps the right ques

The post-modern world has not left anything unquestioned. If there is one thing that has come under the heavy scrutiny of post-modernism that in all probability - not so much the question of God - are matters concerning religious beliefs and doctrines. It seems clearer even to the simple minds that you cannot be the way you were in the past. Everything changes and we are caught unawares most often. We cannot present God the way it was presented to us when we were kids. We are forced not only to change the method of communication – today attention depends on attraction – but also the content of it, if not completely. This is the situation in which we live. I am intrigued by the timeless yearning of the human heart to know the Divine even in the midst increasing material prosperity! Hence, it is needless to discuss whether the study of theology is relevant today. The need is greater than in the past precisely due to the challenges that arise to theologizing. I would give three reason

1. Life Francesco Forgione who came to be known as Padre Pio was born in May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcina, Italy. His parents, Orazio Forgione and Maria Giuseppa De Nunzio, were poor peasants. From his early years he loved virtue and abhorred all forms of vice. He entered the Novitiate of the Capuchins in 1902 at Morcone. From the time Francesco entered the Novitiate until his death he never enjoyed good health. His life of prayer and penance was interfered with constant fever and attacks from the evil one. He was sent to the monastery of San Giovanni Rotondo after his ordination as his ill health demanded such a place. It was on 20 th September 1918 Padre Pio received the five wounds of Christ visibly in his body. For fifty years be bore witness to Christ in his body and breathed his last on September 23, 1968. 2. Content of Padre Pio’s Spiritual Gifts If we could point out one chief purpose of all the spiritual gifts that God in His kindness bestowed on Padre Pio that wou

As I was reading The Cost of Discipleship of Dietrich Bonhoeffer I was touched by his insight into the way we sell ourselves short to things that are worthless. Often to the evils that we give into our momentary. Take for example a student lying to a teacher in the classroom. Whatever be the reason it is to get a momentary relief that he does. Beyond that particular moment, the relief turns out to be one of guilt if ever the boy’s conscience is clear. There is a passage in the Old Testament that is worth remembering in this connection. Esau in his desperation sold his birthright to his younger brother Jacob. He knew not the repercussions of an act done to fill his stomach. “Jacob said, “First sell me your birthright.” Easu said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” (Gen. 25:31) All that stood before him was his hunger. Later, though he resents what he had done, what was done remains done! The Bible is full of examples of those who sold themselves to the immediate,

My fellow citizens, greetings as we celebrate the 69 th independence day of our country. We must be thankful at this moment for the countless sacrifices made by our forefathers. We are proud that our motherland is the second largest democracy in the world with the demographic dividend of the most number young people residing in. Clearly, we stand to gain and contribute to the rest of the world. Dear friends, while all these make us proud, I wish to reflect with you the need to say ‘yes to freedom.’ Even after 68 years, there are enslaving situations for us to see. It was rather easy for Gandhi and others to fight against the colonisers but it is relatively difficult to do so against those who have replaced them. What has happened all these years is swelling, a few people getting rich and influential. Of course, we all know that swelling is not growth but a sign of decay. Corruption, injustice, gender violence, untouchability and fundamentalism put us to shame day in day out. The

I, for one, definitely believe that age does not guarantee growth or maturity. This has been my simple observation as well as the result of introspection into my life. Sometimes as we age we could regress mistaking decadence for growth. This happens to everyone and I believe religious are not exception to this. Sometimes religious could be worse than others - self-enclosed and incapable of feeling for others! What makes us mature is the experience and the way we handle ourselves, both the inner-world and the outer. Very often we mistake age for wisdom. While it is generally expected of us to grow mature with age, the fact is that it doesn't happen to some.  If age does not assure growth or maturity so too degrees and certificates. Knowledge should not be mistaken for information that one has neither should that be equated with the certificates. Knowledge becomes truly knowledge when it transforms the person and helps him eventually to be of some help to others. Never admire any

Reading the Autobiography of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen ( Treasure in Clay) is always edifying and inspiring. The title itself is self-explanatory of the content inside. It is taken from the Second Letter of St. Paul to Corinthians 4:7 "....we hold this treasure in earthen vessels..." Reflecting on my vocation I feel it is very much true the call given is a noble one but I fall short and tumble more often than I desire and admit. This only shows the frailty of human nature. As St. Paul says "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord" (2 Cor. 10:17). The temptations are many when we are resolved to become different, committed and holy. To live up to call of Christ there is one thing necessary humility to ask the Lord to accompany us all the time than merely relying on us. For the Psalmist says, "It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people," Psalm 118:8. A good teacher is someone who knows his subjects well; a good doctor knows the medi

We hear and read the word of God very many times but sometimes quite unexpectedly  something strikes. In today's gospel the soldiers respond to those who sent them to arrest Jesus, "No man has ever spoken like this man," Jn. 7:46.  It is interesting to note that it is not always the learned who are touched by the Lord rather the ones who acknowledge the sinfulness and let the Lord speak to them. The gospel speaks to directly to those of us who claim to be possessing knowledge of religion. I am reminded of the three surprises Bp. Fulton J. Sheen speaks about. He says when we reach heaven that we may meet people whom we never imagined them to be there. That's the first surprise! The second surprise is that we may not meet those whom we expected to meet! The third is that we have reached heaven!  Indeed no one has ever spoken like Jesus! Let us say like the prophet, 'speak Lord, your servant is listening.'

The season of Lent is obviously an opportune time to reflect on the way we live, the motive behind all that we do. I suppose there is something that drives us to do all that we do and be the way we are. Depending on what drives us we either flourish or don't.  Most often - on close self-examination at least I find - we are driven by fear of what others say or feel about us. While it is good to be concerned about the feelings of others, it isn't right to completely subscribe to all that people say and make it our motive for doing or not doing what is good. Life must have a purpose and we need to live for that purpose consciously. Jesus is the best example for this. His disciples were not quite happy when he decided to suffer and die. Peter rebuked Him in fact. But Jesus went ahead keeping the purpose of life in mind.  There could only be one driving force in our lives i.e., the 'love of Christ' as St. Paul candidly puts it. "For the love of Christ urges..,&quo

A friend of mine suggested that I read Rick Warren's The Purpose Driven Life as part of my Spiritual Exercise. I read the same book a couple of years back. So, with reluctance picked up the same book again. I knew that it was worth reading again but all the same didn't have the interest I once had to read the books of that sort. I must confess that re-reading the book was an experience beyond my wildest expectations. I was truly in touch with myself and found the thirst for prayer that I lost sometime back.  The first title of the exercise is   it all starts with God. Modern world is rather too  focused on the individual self. It has lost the sense of the divine as a consequence. The results of considering the individual self as the agent of happiness are too obvious. Unfortunately, the results are often undesirable than positive. Perfectionism is one of the results of focusing too much on oneself. This happens to us, religious! Perfectionism is nothing but slow death!  W

The assembly elections in poll-bound states soon after the general elections 2014 have witnessed so far a worrisome and troublesome phenomena. The Indian political discourse by and large revolved around certain values such as 'unity in diversity,' 'brotherhood' and 'secularism'. Unfortunately the values for which our political leadership stood so far have vanished all of a sudden. Day by day there are new threats to values and people who stand for. I base my observations on facts available to anyone who is intellectually open. I was pleasantly surprised when the Union Government of India called 1994 massacre of Sikhs in the capital a genocide. It was indeed a welcome move. I am sure if this massacre is to probed without political motives, it is certainly alleviate the pain of those who await justice. However, I can only call this dubious stance of a political party which leaves no stone unturned to capture power in the capital. If you are so concerned ab

Watch out my country men may keep you endlessly laughing though they may not look like one, rather their positions don’t suggest one. But they are seriously joking! 68 years after Independence my country has not assured basic amenities of life to millions. 68 years after Independence we have not yet woken to the realities of life – to the hunger of millions, desperation of the oppressed, to the cry of infants and to the anger of the unemployed. It seemed to me that all our problems are due to the selfishness and sluggishness of the rulers. But I was pleasantly surprised that these (the problems of the country) would vanish all of a sudden if my countrymen follow one particular religion and every woman bears four children, nay, ten children. My God what a sight will that be to see every home having ten children! While foreigners would come and ‘Make in India’ Indians would be making homes – don’t misunderstand me, think about it very seriously. While Chinese intrude the border