Christmas 2012 in Siddhpur Parish - Carols singing with Santa to Catholic homes, Shree Sthal school, Christmas Midnight Mass at Siddharth hotel hall, B'day celebrations of Joy, Naveen and Shaji - X'mas crib & Tree by Martin & Philip, Sunrise of Christmas 2012, First Holy Communion Mass at Meghrej parish, Abp. Stan's X'mas visit to Siddhpur & Parish get together and Christmas dinner

Meaning of Christmas by Xavier James

Do You Know? By Xavier James L. S.

It was winter. As usual I who was present before 2000 years, was also alive fully. I shine at night when day turns to night; I am none other than the ‘FULL MOON’.

As I passed a hospital I saw many young women standing in a queue accompanied by some men and elderly women. I inquired why they were standing and there was a reply in a mild voice that they were standing in order to abort their unborn babies.

When I passed a Church, I heard people singing and dancing and inquired what was all about and there was a reply, “Today is Christmas, the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ”. I bent down to see and saw a crib and an idol of Jesus kept and people were rejoicing.

I stood still and thought for a while, that these people worship an idol which is made out of clay or other substance, while the real Jesus is being aborted in the nearby hospital and they were not even given a chance to breathe and see the world.

Is it not a birthday of a Man and God who came to establish human values? How could these people take it for granted? Is it a meaningful Christmas, when they neglect the real Jesus in the wombs and worship the Jesus in the crib with lots of decorations and illuminations?

This question is in me and I ponder always. I can’t stand still; let me go ahead with my mission so that night turns to day because I am the MOON.   

As Christmas is drawing near all the four advent candles are lit. The Crib, Star, Tree and decorations are done in Siddhpur parish

A short reflection on the Confirmation class in Siddhpur

Completing the Sacraments of Christian Initiation  

We in Siddhpur have four young people receiving the sacrament of Confirmation and one little girl receiving Jesus for the first time in Holy Communion. These candidates were very regular, enthusiastic in attending the catechetical instruction dispensed by Fr. Xavier James and also very participative in several activities which were conducted. Some of them would spend Rs. 60 daily to come for the class. They together with their parents attended the funeral of Fr. Ignas at Unteshwari to inculcate in them greater respect and gratitude for the priests who served them in the past. Mr. Simon of Palanpur met with an accident and is admitted since two months at Mehsana Hospital. We intended to help the family financially and all responded very generously and helped the family with our collection. This brings forth the witnessing value in the children and parents as well. As these young people are preparing to receive the Sacraments may the Lord guide and help them to continue to be better witnesses of the Kingdom of God in this unknown vicinity. (16^th Dec.2012)

With Fr. Avin and Pongal Mass 2012 at Holy Name, Bombay

Value of Love by Xavier James L.S.

VALUE OF LOVE BY XAVIER JAMES

Love is a natural gift from God, which should be shared with others. By sharing our love, we express God’s love and make others feel the touch of His love. Here I would like to share a few views about love. One day an angel appeared to an Indian and showed him the list of those who love God. In that list his name was not at all seen. So he was very sad. The angel showed him another list of those whom God loves. Seeing the list he was very glad because he saw his name included in the second list. As the Psalmist says and as the reality is, God’s love is unconditional. If a responsible person makes a resolution to perform a particular activity at  a particular time regularly, can one neglect the duty which one ought to do? If one does what one is supposed to do then automatically others will be inspired by his golden qualities. The love of God is unconditional. All the same the love of God is steadfast. The parable of the prodigal son has given an appropriate example for love. It teaches a beautiful lesson regarding love. The love of the Father is something great. God loves us and waits to see us again in his loving presence.

Mother Teresa says, “Each one has a mission to fulfill i.e. a mission of love”. Through her wonderful service towards the destitute or the suffering humanity, she makes them to experience the love of God. Each one longs to be loved, the child, the adult, the aged… all long to be loved. After the second world war an American namely Ediconter had gone to Paris to visit the orphanages where he distributed sweets for the kids. As all received and were enjoying the sweets all of a sudden Mr. Edicontor sighted a girl being sad in one corner. She was neither receiving nor enjoying the sweet. He went to the particular girl and asked her, “My dear child, what do you want? Why are you sad? Immediately she shed her tears and came out with a question “Will you love me?” As a dry land yearns for the rain, so also all of us long for love. Do we spread love where ever we go? St. John says, “Beloved let us love one another  because love is from God, everyone who loves is born of God and knows God”(1Jn.4:7).

Pichter says, “Paradise is always where love dwells”. These words give us a message that we can make heaven on this earth by love. When we give a helping hand to others we make them happy and they experience the heaven on the earth itself. The person who has good conscience and who fears God, will be very careful in doing things which will please God and not human person. That is why Tirumular says, “When they know love and God are the same they will rest in God’s love.” Once there was a young man, who for his crime was condemned to death. While he was taken to a certain place to be hanged his mother ran, embraced and kissed him. But the youth did not feel anything and utter anything but went to the priest and said, “Father, this is the first time my mother showed me her love. If she had shown her love before, I would not have committed such a crime and would not have been sentenced to death either. From this, we realize how people become militants and terrorists. When parents fail to show their love and concern towards their children will surely become bad, because neither they know what is love nor they have experienced the love. If you go and show your love to someone who has already become an extremist I don’t think that he will accept or respect your love.

Now-a-days Parents are very anxious in making money and are very busy with their office work and forget to love and to be with their children, there should be no negligence in this aspect. Kingsley says, “love can make us friends as well as angels”. If so, what will hatred make us to be? By making money what are we going to gain? Losing Children? After all we came empty handed and should go empty handed. We need money to live a decent life but love for our children can never be bypassed. So if we love others, definitely the love will lead us to heaven. It is easy to speak or write about love, but difficult to put it into practice. Many a times I lose courage when I talk of love, because I am a human being and I may fail to practice it. So being a message is better than giving a message.        

With the family in Pahadia where I stayed as a seminarian and Deacon, Advent has begun in Siddhpur with lighting of Advent candles, Visit of my uncle Alphonse, ship captain to Umru, Our old uncle of the parish John Baptist Braganza