Gospel’s sharing - June 25, 2013

Benedict Krasaesing

Today’s first reading from the book of genesis  describe the quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram and those of Lot two group must go separate ways. The narrative’s Abram and reflect in two points.

The first Abram was “peace” not wealth, honor or security he said to Lot “Let there be no strife be between you and me on between your herdsmen and mine. For we are kins-people. This peace is marked with dignity and love. Secondly, Abram’s was characterized   by “generosity”  if you prefer the left I will go to the right, if you will go right, I will go to the left. Abram said to Lot.

Today’s Gospel, we have seen in 3 parts. The first “Do not give that which is holy to dogs and do not cast your pearls before pigs. Lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and rend you. This messages means that are certain people who are not fit not able to receive the good news is so will to give.

Secondly, we must refrain from doing to other that which we would not wish them to do to us. As we have seen the parallel to this saying in negative way that is golden rule of Jesus that message compel us to do a new attitude to our friend, help other and to be kind to them.

The last one, life at the cross roads. This message the Jew have been known as well.  Life in every action of life man is confronted with a choices and never evade the choices. For that passages, the prophet Jeremiah heard the voice of God saying to him “and to this people you will say thus says the Lord behold I set before you the way of life and the way of evil. (Jeremiah 21:8)

What is the way we take it, someone take easy way, they many who take it but the end it ruin. And hard way and they are few who take it. Today’s we beg God can take the way of life and compel us the evil way by your gracing’s of God.

Mt.6: 19-23 - Reflection of Novice Nidhin

A short reflection about today’s gospel

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So if your eye is healthy your whole body will be full of light.”(mt.6:22)

The eye is the window by which the light gets into the whole body. As we know if the window is clear and clean the light can come easily into the room and illuminate every corners of the room. But if the glass of the window is dirty and obscure the light will be hindered and the room will be in darkness. The amount of the light which gets into the room depends on the state of the window through which it has to pass.

Since our eye is the window of the body the light which gets into our hearts our souls and our being depends on the spiritual state of eye through which it has to pass. Our eyes are the basic sense organ that we use to perceive the world around us. We look at people with different attitudes. The views we take of people depend on the kind of eye we have. Our prejudices, jealousy and selfishness can blind our eyes and distort our vision. In this sense we can say that our eyes are our attitudes and our body is our behavior. If we have a good attitude towards everything we will have a good behavior. But if our attitude is bad we behave accordingly. Today we have a good model for such good and positive attitude; St. Aloysius Gonzaga. We see in his life that from his early childhood he had acquired the grace of discernment, he could clearly distinguish what is good and what is bad. He had already a good eye through which he looked at people and world around him in a positive way. Let us try to follow his example.

2 Novice Indians: 5 days in the car

On the 9^th of June we started our journey to Hatyai the border of Thailand. Though there were some problems on the way we reached there safely at 6.30 am on 10^th of June. After taking breakfast at the border we went by a car with the driver of Visa Run agency named Len to the Songkhla Consulate General of Malaysia at Songkhla, 2 hours away from the border.

With lot of expectations we ended into the consulate office but we met a lot of troubles there. We had no enough papers to get Malaysian visa. We were lacking the reservation hotel ticket in Malaysia. Anyway thanks to God Fr. Joseph was able to arrange everything from Phuket. All  the plans were suddenly changed. We decided to fly to Kuala Lumpur instead of going by car to Penang. We got the fly ticket and reservation ticket of hotel by fax thus we were able to get the Malaysian visa on 11^th of June.

On 12^th of June, we went to Hat Yai airport to go to Kuala Lumpur. We thought all the problem were solved by getting Malaysian visa but when we reached for check-in again another problem came in, we should minimum of 20,000 Baht each in our hands if we want to enter into Malaysia. Again we contacted Fr. Joseph. He had a friend a Salesian priest there in Hat Yai. So from his school a teacher came with money. Thus we were able to fly to Kuala Lumpur. Len the driver was waiting there for us. We went with him to Kuala Lumpur to Penang by car around 430 kilometers. We stayed in the hotel that night then on the nest day that is 13^th of June we went to the Consulate General of Thailand in Penang. There we had another problem. With the documents we had in our hands we cannot apply ED visa for Thailand from there. The office had told us to fly back to India and apply from there. We had no other choice; we came back to Penang from Hat Yai on the same date.  From the Songkhla border, we got the Visa at the arrival for 14 days. From Hat Yai to Trang we went by van. At Trang we were fetched by Fr. Peter. We went to our school and stayed there overnight. At last on 14^th of June, we reached at our home – novitiate safe and sound but without fulfilling the intention of our travelling.

This 5 days of traveling was good experience for us. We learned many things from this journey. First and foremost, we learned to trust in God and wait for His time. Hope things will be cleared.

Visa Run: 2 Filipinos Acquired Thai - Visa

       Living that of Wednesday night after the dinner together for the feast of St. Gaspar, there was a little bit of anxiety and excitement. We felt anxious because it was our first time to leave from the foreign land to another foreign place. But we were excited of course because we were surely gazed another country with different culture.

       I and Carlos were bound for Malaysia to get our Thai visa . We left Phuket 8:00 pm and reached the Songkhla border at 5 am by van. We were seven passengers – 2 Russian girls, 2 Australian, and British.

       Despite of heavy rains, there were no problem on our journey. We reached Penang, Malaysia safe and sound. It was already 9 am when we arrived in Banana Hotel where we stayed overnight. So then, we ate our breakfast. At 10 am we check- in in our room.

       There in the hotel, we met a Filipina who was also there for same reason - to get Thai- visa. We had good conversation with her. Though we were in the foreign land, we felt comfortable that we are in our country- Philippines.

       In the evening, the Australian citizen named Robert joined us at the table. We exchanged experiences just to familiarize one another.

       This Visa Run experienced left us one good impression of being a Tourist that is, witnessing one’s country with its culture and people.

Feast of The Visitation of Mary and Socialization

The solemn mass was celebrated in honor of Mary the mother of God around 6:30 pm as they commemorate the Feast of the Visitation of Mary. It was concelebrated by Fr. Jimado Pura and Fr. Joseph Wattanasak.

After the communion, the whole novice community offered rose flower to Mary as a sign of their gratitude. While giving the flowers, they sing one Marian song "Holy Mary now We Crown You"

Then after the celebration, the first socialization followed around 8:30 in the evening. The novices presented their country about its history and culture. After its presentation, the 2 Filipino novices dance their national dance – Tinikling. The 2 Indian novices did Yoga. Their assistant formator, Fr. JImado Pura, CSS rendered a song entitled “I Won’t Give Up” by Jason Mraz.

 Fr. Paul Krittapart and Bro. Sujin witnessed their first socialization in this year. Fr. Joseph Wattanasak was their also watching the event. They were entertained with the dance of the Filipinos and the Yoga of the Indians.

This event will be held always at the end of the month as part of the program of the international novitiate.

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Personality and Human Relation Assessment for the Novices

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"A Priest should be a person of great character like of Jesus."

The character or the personality of a person is one factor to consider in the formation of the 5 young novices who would like to become a Stigmatine religious brother or priest. So, the formators of this international novitiate provide them with special programs for the whole year that will help them to become a better religious stigmatines in the future not only for intellectual aspect but also for their Personality and Human Relation.

Thus, on Saturday, May 25, the 5 young novices undergone a lecture and personality exam from 9 am til 12:30 in the afternoon with Mrs. Marrietta Briones in the novitiate house, Chaofa Road. Mrs. Briones used the Dominance-Influencial-Steady-Conscientious personality tool in assessing the novices' personality. 

Prior to the lecture, the psychologist adviced them to answer the assessment test. As they knew already the result of their personality, she explained to them on how these different characters make them more responsible if being addressed properly or if known by the person himself.

She said that this will help them to be more effective in relating to other people and of course be more effecient in their given assignment. 

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