Thus He Preached to Them- Sermons of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas

8/11/2019 Thus He Preached to Them- Sermons of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas

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THUS HE PREACHED TO THEM

A Collection ofHomilies and Reflections of

Servant of GodMgr R. F. C. Mascarenhas

Edited by

Ronald Serrao

Published byAsian Trading Corporation

Bangalore, India


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THUS HE PREACHED TO THEM

A Collection of Mgr R. F. C. MascarenhasHomilies and Reflections

Imprimatur + Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D Souza

Bishop of Mangalore11.08.2014

Copies : 1000

Copyright 2014

The Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any

form or by any means - for example, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying and recording without the prior writtenpermission of the Superior General.

All Rights Reserved

ISBN: 978-81-7086-705-0

Published by Brenda Fernandes for Asian Trading Corporation,58, 2nd Cross, Da Costa Layout, P.O Box 8444,St Marys Town, Bangalore - 560084, IndiaTel: +91-80-25487444, 25490444; Fax: +91-80-25479444E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.atcbooks.in

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1. On Will and Testament of Jesus

(Holy Thursday Homily, 1919)

2. Solemnity of Annunciation

(Homily, March 25)

3. The Wedding at Cana

(Homily, II Sunday after Epiphany, Jn: 2-11)

4. The Cleansing of a Leper

(Homily, III Sunday after Epiphany, Mt 8:1-13)

5. Jesus Calms the Sea

(Homily, IV Sunday after Epiphany, Mt 8:23-27)

6. The Love and Grief of Jesus

(Holy Thursday, Bendur, 1921)

7. I believe in the Resurrection of the Body

(Easter Sunday)

8. Catechesis to the First Communion Children

(1902)

9. St Rose of Lima(For the Sodality of Girls, St Agnes Convent,

Bendur, 30 August 1929)

CONTENTS

11

15

20

24

29

32

36

38

41


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10. To Parents - On Christian Education of

Children

(Palm Sunday, Bendur)

11. On the Agony of Jesus in the Garden of

Gethsemane

(The Four Gospel stories in one narrative with

pious reflections on the same, suitable for

meditation or Spiritual Reading).

12. Diamond Jubilee of Rev Fr B Aranha

(Homily)

13. Retreat to the Cloistered Carmel Sisters,

Kankanady

14. The End of Man

(Meditation - I)

15. You are Called to be Holy

(Meditation II)

16. Tantum Ergo Sacramentum

(Homily)

44

51

59

63

70

74

77


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On 19thMarch 2014, Sr Lillis BS requested me to write an

article on Mgr RFC Mascarenhas for The Compassionate Pastor.

She assured me that she would give me three months for

the assignment; so I saidfiat. She gave me a number of topics

for the article, but I preferred to work on his contribution to

the Church in the area of liturgy. When I requested Sr Lillis

for material on the subject, she promised to send

immediately; and in a few days, Sr Hilarita BS came to me

personally with lots of material, both in English and inKonkani. Indeed, I had more material than needed for an

article!

Reading through the material supplied to me, especially

the homilies and reflection notes of Mgr Mascarenhas, I felt

that it was valuable and wondered how such a precious

treasure has been kept hidden! That is why, while returning

the material I suggested to Sr Lillis that it be published so

that many may be inspired by Mgr Mascarenhas spiritual

wealth. Sr Lillis was surprised! I could sense her anxiety as

regards my suggestion. Perhaps, she was asking herself, butwho will do it for me? I put her at ease saying: Would

Foreword


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you mind, if I take up this task? Now, I saw her brightened

up. She was more than happy! This is the story of this book:

Thus, He Preached to Them.

As editor, I have given a shape to the homily/sermon notes

given to me, may be a little sense to the texts when they

were unclear, and an omission of a line here and there when

it was impossible to know its sense! I am grateful to Fr

Aloysius D Souza for his help. I am glad that MgrMascarenhas thoughts are now available to many.

Ronald SerraoSt Josephs SeminaryJeppu, Mangalore

Solemnity of Assumption15thAugust 2014


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How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the

messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who

announces salvation ( Is 52:7).

The Servant of God Raymond Mascarenhas, the Founder of

the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethanyand former Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore was

an eloquent preacher who brought the good tidings of peace

to various categories of people. He was acclaimed as

Bossuet of Mangalore. The book, Thus He Preached to Them

edited by Fr Ronald Serrao, is a collection of sixteen homilies

and reflections of Mgr Raymond, preached during the years

1902-1938 while he was serving in various parishes and as

Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore. After his

ordination in 1900, enthused by the missionary zeal of his

patron saint, St Francis Xavier, Fr Raymond Mascarenhas

gave his best while serving in the parishes of Milagres-

Mangalore, and Milagres-Kallianpur, as assistant parish

priest, and at St Francis Xavier, Udyavar, Most Holy Saviour,

Agrar and St Sebastians, Bendur, as the parish priest. The

eye witnesses of Mgr Raymond have recorded that people

used to flock to St Sebastian Church, Bendur, to listen to his

homilies especially during the Holy Week. We are

privileged to have a few of them in this book. They are

addressed to different categories of people- the parishioners,

Message


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children of the sodality, parents, sisters of the cloistered

Carmel, and one to the people on the occasion of the first

Diocesan Eucharistic Congress.

Mgr Raymond had peerless competence to bring home to

the hearers profound truths in simple language and make

it captivating. Only the one, who is intimately in love with

Jesus and has the openness of a little child, could give such

a personal touch to the homilies and conferences. Fr Ronald

Serrao deserves credit for identifying these as treasures tobe unearthed and shared. I thank him for volunteering to

edit them. May God bless him for his commendable service.

I am highly indebted to Most Rev Aloysius P D Souza, the

Bishop of Mangalore, for granting the imprimatur. Thanks

to Mr Gilbert Miranda for sparing time for translating some

of them into Konkani. The late Mr Leo D Souza, with the

assistance of Sr Theresine and the late Sr Bertha had

translated the renowned homily of Mgr Raymond preached

on the occasion of the First Diocesan Eucharistic Congress

in 1938. It was published as a booklet on the occasion of the

104

th

Ordination Anniversary of Mgr Raymond in 2004. Thesame is included among the other unpublished works. Sr

Lillis, Sr Hilarita and Sr Miriam have made unique

contribution to make this book see the light of day. May the

Word of God that the Servant of God preached more than a

century ago continue to bear fruit in hundredfold.

[Sr M Wilberta BS]Superior General

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Hic calix novum testamentum est in meo sanguine (This is the chalice

of my blood of the new testament, 1 Cor 11:25). When we sing

the Konkani hymn: Sorgim Thavun we say: On the last night

of Holy Thursday, the Master with His disciples sat at the table.

There is no such a beautiful day in the life of our Lord other than

that night of Maundy Thursday, the day the Sacrament of the

Eucharist was instituted! It was a day brimming over with His

mercy, compassion and love. We cannot fathom his love on the

Cross.

He showed us his great love by dying on the Cross on that day;

but his sufferings were restricted to that day, and Good Friday

was over within a day. But the Holy Thursday was not like Good

Friday. The day which had begun then has not yet ended. The

day which had dawned on that day had not set yet, and it willnot until the end of the world. Jesus had made that day, the love

shown on that day, and the light that shone on that day

everlasting. Haec dies est quae nescit occasum (Exultet) - It is a

day which does not set.

That day was the day on which Jesus had made His (last) testament,

or His will. Jesus knew he would be dying on the following day

and would not be around. He remembered that He is a father; so

like a good father, he makes his last testament or will.

1. ON WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JESUS*(Holy Thursday Homily, 1919)

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Making or writing a will in a family is a heavily burdensome

matter. Heavily burdensome is to the one who makes it and

heavily responsible to the ones who continue living. We can say

that it is the last action of a person. On the one hand, the act may

be the last, but on the other, it makes the departed person or his

love or his goodness stay back.

When making a will, a good father gives away all he has, whatever

loved possessions he has he shares them among his children. He

gives everything except himself because it (his body) is not his. Itbelongs to somebody else and he gives it to him. But the testament

of Jesus is quite different (Jesus wills Himself to others. He gives

everyone a portion of Himself).

Unlike the man who makes a will, Jesus did not have any wealth,

property, possessions, a house or even a place of his own to resthis head at the time of His death. Those who eagerly expect to get

a share of His worldly possessions will not get anything. The only

worldly possession that he left was His Cross, His nails, and His

crown of thorns. His followers, who got these things left by Him,

have kept them safely. But Jesus did not have any possessions or

money to give. If He had, how many people would have come

forward for a share! In order to get a share of this, they would

have tried to become good Christians and would have come

forward to be His disciples.

Though He did not have such possessions, like a good father Jesus

made a testament. He gave Himself up which no one else couldhave done; yes, giving Himself, because He is both God and man,


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and as He is God, He is the Lord of all humanity, He is able to give

us his humaneness, and with it another thing, His God-head, His

divine nature. He truly gives this to us; He is not giving it to us

just to experiment, but entirely as a gift.

And to do this, He Himself deals with it. If an ingot of gold or

silver is to be useful to us, we should get it in the form of a coin or

a note. Likewise, Jesus who is gigantic in stature and wants to be

such as could be given to us, and that we are able to accept Him,

He not only deals but also melts Himself.

Big machines, big vehicles or cars are transported from one country

to another. They are dismantled and packed in an easily stackable

knocked down condition, ready to be re-assembled. Likewise

when loose cotton is to be transported from one place to another,

it is tamped down hard in manageable bales so that not muchspace is required. Thus, Jesus, the great Lord whom the heaven

and earth cannot contain, wants to give Himself to us and makes

His body, blood, soul and divinity, His virtues, power, wisdom,

might, strength, goodness and love, all rolled into a small negligible

unit, so that we can hold it in, keep it. He hides Himself in the

bread, becomes bread so that we could hold Him, eat Him and

enjoy Him. See then our Lord Jesus Christ who became our

bequest, left by His testament.

But alas! When He gives Himself to us like this, how many do not

want Him! Some others want Him but find the terms set by Him

in His will, that is, a good, clean life, too hard to follow, and theysay, keep your will and bequest to yourself.


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This moment loved by Jesus and made by His love, is a loving

miracle of miracles. No one else could have thought of this, except

Jesus; neither the angels nor the Holy Virgin could have ventured

to pray for it or think about it.

Jesus says to us: Do you like bread? Do you relish it? It is the best

of all the food you eat. So, I shall become bread and give it to

you. Thus, He died happily, giving us this bread, leaving this

bread for us. A father, who has worked hard all his life, dies

happily, thinking: It does not matter if I die now. My followerswill have for themselves all my earnings to live comfortably.

Hic calix novum testamentum est in meo sanguine(This is the chalice

of my blood of the new testament). We have everything, in the

chalice and the host of the new testament. During the Mass, the

priest raises the host and the chalice in both his hands, showingthem. Likewise, every Christian could raise them up to our

heavenly Father and say, O Eternal Father, I offer you the most

precious blood of Jesus for the reparation of my sins and the needs

of the Church.

The Church has very many needs; we have very many needs; wewant a lot of Gods grace; we need Gods powerful grace to obey

the rules of our (religious) career, to practice virtues, to avoid sin

and to overcome our evil desires.

* This homily was preached in Konkani on the First Sunday of

October 1919, as Vicar of St Sebastian Church, Bendur (Cf Doc:

5, F 121.1.8). This is a translation by Gilbert Miranda, Bajpe.


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God from God, light from light! The eternal Son of God

became man in her womb. You express this mystery during

the angelus- How devoutly do you say it? When we say theCreed during the Mass and when the priest reads the final

Gospel of the Mass, he and the people genuflect when these

words are said. How do you kneel at that time? Do you

think about the great favour done by Jesus?

The moment Mary gave her consent, herfiat,she becamethe Mother of God.He called her Mother at that instance.

In spite of this, how humble she is! She says that she is the

handmaid of the Lord. Therefore, learn from her to be

humble. When God raised you up, even though you were

not worthy of it, He was humble and gave you more. Glory

be to Him.

And the angel came to her and said, Hail, full of grace,

the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and

blessed is the fruit of your womb.The angel came to her.

How respectfully and courteously he speaks to her. How

do you behave when you speak with God? How respectfullydo you enter the house of God? Or how long do you visit

2. SOLEMNITY OF ANNUNCIATION*(Homily, March 25)


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it? How do you say the Hail Mary to our Lady during the

angelus and the Rosary? Do you meditate on that salutation?

At least try to understand it now. The Lord is my light and

my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector

of my life. Whom shall I fear?It is a great honour to be

with God. Blessed Mary was always with God. But you,

how rarely are you with God? About whom do you think?

What words do you use? Try to make them lead you to God.

Hail, full of grace! This is the commendation in the presence

of God, and joy that of being in abundant grace. God began

to fill your soul with grace at Baptism, and He would

increase it daily through a Sacrament or any other pious

means but you obstruct Him by your sin. Do you, a sinner,

let God to fill your soul with grace? By committing a mortalsin you obstruct its penetration and lose whatever grace you

had already been given. The angel said to Mary, full of

grace. Must it not be said of you, full of pride, anger, envy

and other faults?

The Lord is with you.During the Mass and at other times,the Holy Mother the Church prays for you and says Dominus

Vobiscum, the Lord is with you. Prophet David says, What

God considers is quite different from what man feels. God

likes justice, devotion, celibacy (chastity), humility; man sees

family, riches, pomp. Whom do you try to please? If you

want to please God, try hard to earn what God likes.


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You are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of

your womb. Mary is blessed among women, for, her

immaculate conception, the perfection of her body and soul,

accepting Gods grace fully, giving us the perfect example

of every virtue, in every calling: as a child, a wife, a mother,

a widow and a virgin., being the holy temple of God, the

virgin mother of God, the mother of man, taken to heaven

body and soul, and crowned the Queen of Heaven and earth.

Therefore, be happy that she, who belonged to our race andwas of flesh and blood, received so much of respect from

God. Thank God for having received through Mary the

favour of salvation, see her greatness and joy and be happy;

recite well your Hail Mary, your Angelus and your Rosary,

in order to show your happiness for these favours; try to

understand that true greatness and respect lies in doing the

will of God, and accepting His grace and if He makes you

great, you will then reign in the house of Jacob forever.

To be in Gods grace!The angels intention here is to allay

all apprehensions. Those who love God need not fear

anyone. So, one should try to please God. You would be

pleasing to God, if you shun the companionship of evil

people and stop doing things in order to please them.

Praise the Mother, meditating the greatness of her Son. Adore

Him with a humble heart, acknowledging Him as your God.

Trust Him entirely and have faith in Him. Ask Him to lead

you, pray to Him and let Him to reign over you.


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When she heard this, she was confused by the words of the

angel as she did not understand the angels greeting our

Lady is confused and sad because of the praise and respect

shown by the angel. How much difference is there betweenour Lady and you! You will be pleased when someone

praises you. You will get angry if someone shows you your

shortcomings. Mary does not want even the praise that she

rightly deserves. You try to get praise which you do not

merit and which is dishonest.

The angel tells her: Mary, do not be afraid. You have found

favour in the sight of God. You will conceive and bear a

Son. You shall call him Jesus. He will be great and will be

known as the Son of God Almighty. Mary asks him. How

can it be, since I do not know man? With these words, the

Virgin Mother shows that she likes much more to remainimmaculate than to becoming the mother of such a great

Son. She wants to know whether there is going to be anything

against the vow of chastity she had made. So, try to pray to

this immaculate Virgin and look after the purity of your

body and soul.

And the angel replied: The Holy Spirit will descend on

you and the power of the almighty will overshadow you.

And so the holy child who will be born of you will be known

as the Son of God. The angel explains to her how she will

conceive with the help of the Holy Spirit while remaining a

virgin intact. Therefore, praise and glorify the Holy Virginwho became the spouse of the Holy Spirit, and go and

meditate on how the Holy Spirit lives in you, talks to you in


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your heart, and tries to make virtues grow in your soul.

Heed his inspiration. Do not think about, talk about and do

anything else.

Mary said: Behold, I am the Lords handmaid. Let it be

done unto me according to your word. In the beginning

the Lord had said, Let there be and everything was done

instantly. Let there be light, he said and there was light.

He had said, Let there be and the sky, the sun, the moon,

the stars, the oceans, the rivers, the mountains were made.He said, Let there be man and man was created. All these

happened instantaneously. But a greater wonder took place

when the Holy Virgin had said, Let it be done.

Jesus, Our Way, Our Truth, Our Life.Jesus says, I am the

Way, the Truth and the Life. So, let us learn from Jesus

how to move and behave, what truth is and how to live. We

shall learn this if we meditate devoutly on the life of Jesus.

God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in

Galilee to a virgin who lived there and who was engaged to

Joseph, and the virgins name was Mary. The Virgin Mary

was poor, engaged to a carpenter but who had offered herbody and soul to God. She was chaste and led an

unblemished life. Her husband was also a poor person, a

carpenter, but just.

* This homily was preached in Konkani Cf Doc: 01, F121.1.8).

This is a translationby Gilbert Miranda, Bajpe.


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Jesus goes to a wedding with his Mother and his disciples.

He wants to make marriage an abiding and strong, a respected

and holy institution. Blessed is this wedding, which has Jesusand Mary as the invited guests; They have come and enriched it

with their blessings. How nice wouldnt it be if this happens at

all weddings of the faithful! How pleasant would it be if those

getting married and those who give them in marriage tried to

invite Jesus and Mary in their midst at their wedding! This

happiness could be had by keeping the commandments of God

and the Church concerning marriage, by shunning the

worldliness which makes us forget God and by maintaining

Christian decency in everything.

They have no wine. There is no wine. It is finished, says theMother to her Son. This is the quality of the Mothers generous

heart, understanding everything without asking or requesting,

and offering help. The person who helps only after a lot of asking,

pleading and imploring, has a worthless heart, incapable of love.

Woman, what does it matter to you and to me? My time has not

come yet. We must try to understand the correct meaning of the

reply of Jesus to his Mother, keeping in mind the relevant facts.

3. THE WEDDING AT CANA*(Homily, II Sunday after Epiphany, Jn 2 : 1-11)


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Calling his Mother woman is not insulting, but it is a word of

honour and respect according to the local parlance, like saying,

Lady. From the Cross, Jesus had called his Mother, using the

same word. God had used this word when He had envisioned

Our Lady at the Garden of Eden; St John in his Revelations

explains the vision he had, she was the woman who was robed

with the sun, who had the moon at her feet and a crown of

twelve stars on her head.

What is to you and to me, my time has not come yet, according

to the wise holy fathers these words are spoken in the form of a

question: what you are saying and what I am saying, has not

my time come yet, or what is in your mind and also in mine, has

not my time come to start my divine work with a miracle?

Do whatever he tells you!When Mary hears the words of Jesus,

she is relieved; she boldly asks servants to do what Jesus wants

them to do; Jesus performs the miracle. From the very beginning

the Mother has won over the heart of Jesus and he has performed

the miracle for her sake.

The way Jesus speaks to his Mother makes her and through her

makes us understand one more thing, that is, Jesus must have

waited for his Fathers will and time for his redemptive work

and in this matter, he need not have obeyed his Mother.

Nevertheless, the time of the Father coincided with the Mothersdesire; or, the Father made the time for Jesus come earlier and

made it merge with her desire. These things demonstrate


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Mothers support and authority in relation to God. Therefore,

how confidently must we say everyday Holy Mary, Mother of

God, pray for us, now and forever.?

Fill the jars with water! Mary asking the servants to do what

Jesus tells them also applies to us. The tired servants fill the six

empty water jars meant for the ablutions, without knowing why,

but respecting the words of the simple looking guest; this is a

lesson in faith and humility for us, who listen to the words ofJesus.Thus, we must show our love and devotion to the Mother

by listening to the words of her Jesus.

Any one serves the good wine first and when all are drunk then

the cheap wine! This is how the world treats us and cheats us,

making the nefarious pleasures appealing at first and we loseourselves in them only to know our folly at the time of our death

and for all eternity, filling us with bitterness that emanates from

them and damnation.

This was the first miracle of Jesus:This means that he worked

his miracle for the first time to proclaim his divinity and to do

his work as the Redeemer. He might have worked many other

miracles in private, about which we do not know, because many

of the things that he had done have not been recorded.

And his disciples believed in him! The faith the disciples had

become more firmly grounded after seeing this miracle of Jesus

likewise, by seeing every miracle and every extraordinary deed


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The people who have come to hear Jesus sermon on Mount,

follow him when he comes down. The crowds following him

teach us that once we listen to a sermon, we must not leave itbehind; we must try to profit from it and be drawn towards

God and follow him.

Then a leper came to see Jesus!When Jesus comes down a leper

comes to see him. The plight of the leper even now is pitiable,

but at that time it was more so. According to the law of Moses,a leper had to cover himself in a long hanging garment, his head

uncovered, and a piece of cloth covering his mouth; whenever

someone was about to come towards him, he had to shout, I

am unclean, unclean; he had to live outside the camp occupied

by the people, in a lonely uninhabited place. He was not to touch

anyone, and no one was to touch him.

Such a person comes running to Jesus, prostrates himself before

him, and says, Lord, if you so desire, you can make me clean. You

have, in his action and words, an example of a great prayer

which is proper and it reaches God.

Prostrate. This word shows us how we honour God in our

prayers. By saying Lord he humbly expresses Gods greatness,

4. THE CLEANSING OF A LEPER(Homily, III Sunday after Epiphany, Matt 8:1-13)


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Do not tell anyone, said Jesus! These words of Jesus teach us

that when we do good, we must not let everyone know about it

by speaking about it or showing that we are doing good, and

not to seek worldly praise for it. Jesus did not have to be careful

about it, and it was also not an order; he just did not want it

publicized. The leper does not keep quiet because he is grateful,

and spreads the news everywhere. He teaches us not to be

ungrateful people who forget the favours as soon as they are

received.

Show yourself to the priest and offer a gift as a testimony! The

law required that the priest recorded the leper as unclean, and

later if he finds that the leper is cured of leprosy, he records that

the leper is not unclean. Jesus wants the leper to do his duty; he

teaches us to give respect to the priest as required by the law.Even though the priest may not have a good character, we must

not go against Gods commandments and our duties towards

them.

Offer a gift that Moses commanded as a proof ofProof that he

is completely cured of leprosy; that he has become healthy again;but more than that a clean and outstanding testimony as to how

he was made clean, as leprosy was thought to be a scourge from

God, a testimony that the man who made the leper clean has

really come from God, that he has the power of God so that

they would not have any excuse to be used in their intrigues.


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The Healing of a Centurions Servant.

A Centurion came to him and said, My servant is paralyzed.

The centurion, a man of responsible position, goes to Jesus toplead for his servant; he shows that he really cares about him.

This is indeed praiseworthy! Our servants are not just for making

them work hard get a lot of work done, and abandon them in

their sickness and infirmity. In their good health, they have done

their duty of serving us; likewise, it is our duty to look after

them in their sickness and their hour of need; along with this

just duty, there should be Christian charity and compassion.

The servant must be treated as a member of the household.

I will come home and cure him. The Lords tender-heartedness

is shown to be greater than that of the centurion. He says that

he would come to his house to cure the servant. Jesus had no

need to go to the centurions house; he could have just said a

word from where he was. On another occasion, when an official

asked him to come home and heal his son, he had said, Go

home, your son is healed from where he was, but here, even

though he is not asked to come home, he says that he wouldcome home to cure a servant of a disease. The heart of a

Christian does differentiate between the position and status of

a person; it is inclined more towards the poor and it shows them

more love and charity.

Lord, I am not worthy!How humble, beautiful and full of faiththese words of the master are! The Holy Mother the Church has


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made them long-lasting as she makes us say these words before

every Communion

For I am also a man of authorityThe centurion explains hisown, the Masters authority. He says that those who are under

him, a petty master, obey him without fail and with fear. But

Jesus is an all powerful Master. You can have this small ailment

of my child obey you. Your word is sufficient to chase it away.

I have not seen such a faith in Israel. Jesus was amazed!:When Jesus says this, he does not compare the Centurions faith

to that of Abraham, John the Baptist, the Apostles or the Virgin

Mary, but to that of those who have come to hear him, who see

his actions, who want to know him or those who want to believe

him.

Jesus was amazed not because he has not seen, as he knows all

things, but to show those people how miraculous the faith is.

We of the orient and occident are the children of the Kingdom.

The Jews were the chosen people of God and were given the

rights of the Kingdom. The piercing anon, the darkness, theweeping and the gnashing of the teeth express eternal suffering

of the soul and body, in Hell.

* This homily was preached in Konkani (Cf Doc : 03, F 121.1.6)

This is a translation by Gilbert Miranda, Bajpe.


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Jesus was asleep! The sleep of Jesus is the sleep of human

fatigue. This shows that Jesus had a body just like us. This body

could feel, and endure and Jesus used to wear it out for our sakeBody of Christ, save me. Must not I wear it out and tire it in the

service of Jesus?

They woke him up. Lord save us or we will perish! Jesus slept,

may be because of tiredness of his human nature, but also to

give the disciples an opportunity to know their own weaknesses

and also let them know of Christs love, its outcome and above

all, to show his power over the dominant forces of nature. St

Ambrose says, Jesus slept in order to wake them up, that is to

say, to make their faith spring up and unwavering.

You are of little faith!Jesus tells the disciples that they are of

little faith; though they had enough faith to wake him up and

ask for his help, they had thought at the same time that he had

slept and he did not know what was happening around him

and he would allow them to be sunk. This shows that lack of

faith. Meditating on this event St Bernard says, When the world

is chaotic, when the wicked are enraged, when the body risesup against the spirit, I shall trust in Jesus; is there anyone who

has trusted in him and at the same time is bewildered?

5. JESUS CALMS THE SEA*(Homily, IV Sunday after Epiphany, Mt 8:23-27)


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The men were amazed what sort of man is this whom the sea

and the winds obey! Men here does not mean just his disciples;

it includes all those in the boat, the rowers, the travellers, in that

and the other boats following it; they who witnessed this act of

power, were amazed. In this world of ours, around us, any

event, big or small from the rising of the sun to its setting, like

the thistle growing among the blades of grass, the lightning

striking the mountains, and the populated areas inundated by

the floods, is the deed of Gods immense power. Only we do notrecognize this power properly, and do follow it in our life. If

only we recognized it and lived accordingly!

The boat is a representation of the Church.This boat is in the

sea amid the surging waves that is to say that the Church faces

troubles, harassment, rebellions; the sea is the world and thewaves are the dangers faced by the Church. It looks as if our

Lord is sleeping because of his patience with us, until the prayers

of the saints seem to wake him up. Then, finally, he rises and

calms all the storms and tempests.

The Church is the boat rowed by the apostles, with our Lord at

the helm and the wind from the Holy Spirit filling the sails; the

words of the sermon taking it forward; this is a priceless force.

The sea is world, disrupted by the waves of all types of sins and

temptations. The stormy winds are wicked and dirty spirits

which like the waves of the sea raise all sorts of temptations and

deceits and try to fragment the ship of the church, and drownit. Jesus can be seen as if he is fast asleep in the boat, letting his

Church undergo hardships as a result of the attacks of the world


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and the wicked men. The disciples shouting and waking him

up, asking him to help them are the prayers of the holy souls for

the Church. This type of prayer is also said by the priest and the

faithful after the low Mass. Let us say that prayer properly.

Lord save us, we will perish! This prayer, said by the disciples

is a proper prayer for us to say during our physical and spiritual

distress. Jesus commands the sea and the winds to be still and

immediately all their disturbances stopped, and there was calm.

He commands you many times to calm the turbulent state of

your mind. Has it ever calmed immediately or even gradually?

What sort of man is this whom the sea and the winds obey?

Marvelled those men in the boats! But the heavenly angels say

to you: what sort of a person you are who disobeys him whom

even the sea and the winds obey? Yes, todays Gospel teachesus many lessons.

* This homily was preached in Konkani (Cf Doc: 04, F 121.1.6)

This is a translation by Gilbert Miranda, Bajpe.


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God has granted that we shouldonce more see this Blessed

Day and that on this Blessed day we should once more meet

together. It is a Holy and Blessed day filled with the goodthings and favours of God who could express all its beauty

and loveliness.

This is the day on which we have received the favours from

our Mass, our Communion and the Priesthood. On this day,

he ends the Old Testament of fear and the begins the NewTestament of love. This is the day in which men who

remained in fear and away from God and as servants, were

brought near and treated as friends and were made to sit

and eat with our Lord. This is the day in which man, we

may say sat in the place of God and God sat at his feet andkissed his feet and held themjust to his breast!

Who can embrace its beauty and loveliness? Jesus says:

Ego Dominus et Magister (I am your Lord and Master). While

such are the favours of this day, what must have been the

invitation and joy of this day! But at the same time, it is aday of dauntless mourning and weeping. It is a great day of

great sorrow for the Church. Why? Because it is a day of

6. THE LOVE AND GRIEF OF JESUS*(Holy Thursday, Bendur, 1921)


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great sorrow for our Lord and a day in which our Lord wept

more than any other day. Why? He said: Truly I tell you,

one of you will betray me(Mt 26:21). This was the sorrow

of his life, which is crowned today and which sorrow he

had often expressed.

When he came into the world, In propria venit et sui eum non

cognoverunt (He came to his own, and his own people did

not receive him).This might be excused perhaps, becausehe was so hidden! But when he manifested himself his lot

did not accept him. Surrounded by his wonderful miracles,

he was not recognised! Therefore he was forced to say: The

Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man

by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been

better for that man if he had not been born (Mt 26:24).

Abraham desired to see my day and saw and he was glad.

Queen of Seba wanted to see the riches of Solomon and she

travelled all the distance. But the Jews failed to recognize

the son of God amidst them! Therefore he wept over

Jerusalem and said because you did not recognize the time

of your visitation from God (Lk 19:44). Today all this grief

is together! He feels intensely in his heart the grief that they

do not know him. The day of the Lords Supper - Who knows

his thirst? Is not today the same? Jesus says: Accipite et

manducate(Take and eat). And around him how little he isknown! How little he is thought at large! And by us too!

How little we know His love and we think of His love? This


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is the waste of his love that grieves him. Waste then - and

waste now! Waste in our souls! How much is it wasted little

that need of human love which is wasted in the Church?

Not knowing would be tolerable. But those who knew,

betray him!

It is the day of his betrayal. Jews wanted to kill him and

they were afraid of the crowd. They want to do it suddenly

and later trickily. But they had no courage. They were alsoafraid of the disciples that surrounded him. At this time

Judas offers himself. They fix price for Jesus. This guide

throws his plans and programmes to give his master in the

hands of those who want to destroy him for thirty pieces of

silver! He says to them: What you are not able to do I

accomplish. Jesus could not resist the plot although he had

eluded the Jews formerly.

What would we do, if one in whom we had confided betrays

us? It is this sadness which tears the heart of Jesus and of

those that are dear to him, of those connected to him! Todayif Jesus suffers in his Church in this betrayal; it is not from

outsiders but from insiders - those who betray him and deny

him. Those who eat at his table and those who kneel for the

absolution! It is in their grief and sorrow and broken hearted

men, Jesus finds out the treasures of his heart. It is like

breaking the alabaster jar at our feet. But who could express

his humility when he goes to wash the feet of his apostles!


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Who could express this? One of the disciples? St John? St

Peter? Perhaps Peter must express it. Thy should have filled

for him the basin and towel. But what is His humility!

Jesus takes bread not only what was there before him, but

all the bread that was to be consecrated in the world and

says not only to them that were there but to all who would

have been possible at any age, and says: accipite et

manducate (take and eat). What would have angelsthought at that time?

What has been the effect of this accipite et manducate?

Christians, who adore that host, do you consider through

what ocean of sorrow that host has travelled! Christians who

receive that communion do you consider this sacrifice! Letthe great sacrifice of our Lord be to us a reason to love him.

Let us not be a grief to him; grief by our carelessness towards

the Eucharist; grief by our bad life; grief by our betrayals;

grief by not arresting the efforts of those who want to weaken

faith and destroy religion!

*This homily was preached in Konkani on the Holy

Thursday, 1921 as Vicar of St Sebastian Church, Bendur

(Cf Doc: 08, F 121.1.8). But, it appears that the text was

prepared in English.


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Cupio dissolvi etesse cum Christo(I desire to depart and

be with Christ, Phil 1:23-24). This must be our desire when

we contemplate the risen saviour. It is faith that not onlyour souls but our bodies are destined to rejoice for ever

with God. Credo carnis resurrectionem! (I believe in the

resurrection of the body!).

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now

know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have beenfully known (1 Cor 13:12). The selfsame body, but will be

strengthened, beautified and nicely adorned with

supernatural gifts and powers, beyond the power of the

highest inequities. Imagine the most beautiful form that has

ever aroused the admiration of the world. Indeed it is the

work of God but God who did it could easily make anotherhouse as beautiful and thrice for him!

It is God who does it entirely and directly in beauty and by

his power. Our piquant bodies are only imperfect but the

risen body will be the perfect work of a perfect artist. The

present body is made to suffer. It is a load upon at the end.Hence subject to suffer in punishment for sins. But the risen

body is made in such a way that it has not to suffer anything!

7. I BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTIONOF THE BODY*

(Easter Sunday)


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The present body is for a few years, but the other, for eternity.

How a permanent house is built amid the lodgings of a

traveller! Our present body is to live upon the things of this

world and the surroundings of the world in the midst of

filth and of animal love. Whereas the other body must be

worthy of the heavenly city, to live with heavenly spirit.

Angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel. The latter was terrified

and fell on the ground speechless. He had taken the form

of a man clothed in linen, girded with finest gold, face like

lightening, eyes like lamp burning, arms and all downward

and even feet like glittering brass and the voice of a

multitude. Daniel trembled before him, his joints were

loosened and he fell to the ground. If the shade of the

angel was such, what will be the presence in heaven! Andin heaven, we shall have to be in familiar company with

them and with all the nine choirs! And there the angels are

innumerable! There, we shall know each other! All loved

and respected by each other unlike as in this world! Come,

you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance,

the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world

(Mt 25:34). Yes there, He that shall overcome shall possess

these things and I will be His God and He shall be my Son

(Rev. 21:7).

*This homily was preached in Konkani on Easter Sunday,

1921 as Vicar of St Sebastian Church, Bendur (Cf Doc: 09, F

121.1.8).But, it appears that the text was prepared in

English.


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My dearest children,

I feel great pleasure in seeing you here. When I see you, I

remember the children that were brought to Jesus when on

earth by their mothers. The mothers bring but the apostles

hinder them. At that time, our Lord says: siniteparuulos venire

ad me(Let the children come to me). And I say: You know

there is Jesus in the tabernacle. He was telling your parents.

He is telling us: sinite paruvolos venire ad me. But are you notsuch a big God ? The angels tremble before you! But he

says: Sinite Talium est regnum coelorum (Letfor the

Kingdom of God belongs such as these).

Come my children, Jesus invites you. Yes, within eight days,

you will go to him or rather he will come to you. He willmake you sit on his lap. He will embrace you. He will kiss

you as a mother. He gives milk to his children. He will give

you his blood, his flesh. But how will you go to him? With

your dirty clothes? This does not matter! He knows that you

are poor. But he sees your soul! He sees with how many

sins it is filled! Will you go with this soul?

8. CATECHESIS TO THEFIRST COMMUNION CHILDREN (1902)


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When you go to him your soul must be filled, like a glass of

clean water, so clean. Like a flower so beautiful, so adorned!

Like a lighted lamp, so shining! How beautiful was your

soul, when the Priest poured over it the waters of Baptism!

Do you know what happened to you at your Baptism? Just

what happened at the Baptism of Jesus! At the Baptism of

Jesus, heavens opened! The Holy Spirit came in the form of

a Dove. A voice was heard from heaven, saying. Hic est filius

meus dilectus in quo mihi bene complacuii (This is my beloved

son, with whom I am well pleased).So at your Baptism, the

heavens had opened. All the angels had come to see you!

The Holy Spirit had come upon you and put in your heart

the virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity . The Eternal Father

was telling all the angels: Hic est filius meus dilectus (This is mybeloved son).He had told the Church: Take good care of

him. He was telling the angels: Talium est regnum coelorum

(For the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these). He was

telling others: To go to heaven you must be like children.

You were an angel on that day!

If you had died on that day, God would not have judged

you. You would have had no purgatory. You would have

gone straight to heaven like the Blessed Virgin Mary. You

would have been among the choir of angels! The church

would have rung festive bells for you! She would have put

flowers upon your grave! She would have invoked you in

the litany of saints and said Omnes Sancti innocentes(All the

Innocent saints!). Such you were on the day after your

Baptism!


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But now are you like that? When you were sitting on the

lap of your mother and sucking her, and when she was

feeding you and was teaching you, with your little hand

you were making the sign of the cross and pronouncing the

holy name! Are you so now? When others were feeding

you, you were so! But when you used your own hands you

began to steal! When you could not walk, it was your delight

to come to Mass! But when you could walk, no; you

remained away from Mass! You were falling when kneeling,but when you could do so yourself, you gave up prayer!

You were pronouncing the holy name of Jesus! But when

you could speak, you began to say few things. From venial

sin to venial sin you got companions. You escaped the eyes

of your parents. You learnt bad before you learnt good. You

were ashamed and at last you sinned! You turned against

God. You became his enemy. You left his house. If you have

died, you would have become a devil. You were a child of

God! Are you an angel now? Are you the child of God? He

was preparing a garden for you but then came the devil

and you said yes to him. You left your Fathers house likethe prodigal son and you died. Is it not?

*This catechesis was given to the First Communion

Children in Konkani as Assistant Vicar of Kallianpur

Mount Rosary Parish (Cf Doc: 01, F 121.1.7).It appears that

the text was prepared in English, as many priests of thetime did.


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My dear Children of Mary,

The Feast of your patroness, St. Rose of Lima, has brought

us here together. Most of you are already children of Mary.

Several others are going to be received among the members;

others are offering themselves as candidates for that

privilege. Anyway, each and every one of you desires to be

a dear one, as favourite of your Mother Mary.

In this your desire you could not have a better model thanyour patroness, St. Rose. She received her name Rose

because when an infant, she was once miraculously

transfigured so to appear like a Rose! And Our Lady added

to her own name as a surname and ordered her to call herself

Rose of St Mary. And today while you all assemble aroundher as children of her own Mary, this is what she tells you

Be like me; every one of you must be a Rose of Mary!

And now, your face must be transfigured like her face so as

to appear like a rose. How can it be done? Not by soap or

powder or paint, but by making it a mirror of your rosy

heart! The face is the window of the heart and a rosy heart

will make it a rosy window! You know what rosy windows

9. ST ROSE OF LIMA(For the Sodality of Girls, St. Agnes Convent,

Bendur, 30 August 1929)


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are! You have to go to Jeppu Church or to the Cathedral to

see rosy windows! They illumine and colour the whole

church. But they require two things: beautiful colours of the

glass and the light of the sun. Now your heart must be like

that of rosy window, full of colours! They must have the

virtues of faith, hope, charity infused into them. The image

of Jesus Christ must be carved upon these windows. But

the grace of God, the charity of God must light this window.

It must not be darkened by sin neither mortal nor venialsin. Even venial sins, as feeling envy and disobedience

tarnish this window. Therefore, you must also keep it

polished by humility.

If you fill your heart with that true love of God and love of

your neighbours, the window of your heart will beillumined. It will shine through your eyes, your ears, your

tongue, your whole demeanour- and your whole being.

Then, you will indeed be a rose under the protection of

Mary, and in fact, a Rose of St Mary.

Remember my children, a rose grows upon thorns! St Rosegrew upon thorns-thorns of penance and mortification. She

made a vow of virginity. She cut off her hair that she may

not be compelled to matrimony. She fasted the whole Lent

without any bread having only five little balls of citron.

Later, she joined the third order of St Dominic and doubled

her austerities. She had a crown of thorns under her veil

and a chain on her body to which were attached needles. A


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chain around her neck! Her bed was made up of knotty

pieces of wood the interstices of which were filled with

pieces of tiles or bricks and over this she disciplined herself

and then she had to bear sickness, contradictions from her

own sisters and calumnies. Thus she grew upon thorns!

You may not have courage to imitate her fully, but

remember that without the thorns of mortification of your

body, you cannot be a red rose. Can you not mortify yourself

by using less soap and less powder and less scent on your

body? By being in your simple dress? By imitating the world

less and imitating St. Rose more? If you cannot mortify your

heart, mortify at least your self-will and pride by being

humble, obedient, meek and gentle. It is only by imitating

her you will be a Rose of St Mary.

*This catechesis was given to the Sodality of Girls, St. Agnes

Convent, Bendur, on 30 August 1929 in Konkani as Vicar

of Bendur (Cf. Doc: 04, F.121.1.8/04). It appears that the text

was prepared in English.


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Filias Jerusalem nolite flera super me sed super vos ipsas flete et

spper filiis vestres (Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for

me; weep for yourselves and for your children). You havehave heard these words often! When our Lord with the cross

on the shoulder was walking the way of Calvary, he met a

group of women who were weeping over him. He paused

on his journey and with the cross on his shoulders he spoke

to them. Making little of his own suffering, he said most

pathetically: Filias Jerusalem nolite flera super me sed super vos

ipsas flete et spper filiis vestres.

Our Lord bids them weep. He speaks to the women that

accost him but through them he speaks to all women,

daughters of Jerusalem, nay all sons of Jerusalem, to allhaving children, especially to all Christian parents and tells

them to weep; weep over themselves. What is special to

weep over their children? Yes, he bids all parents weep for

their children.

They are two kinds of weeping: one fruitless because thereis no hope, and another fruitful in time. Hence, you must

weep in time by entertaining great anxiety about your duties

10. TO PARENTS ONCHRISTIAN EDUCATION OF CHILDREN*

(Palm Sunday, Bendur)


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You are not like a tutor to teach a language or like one in

whose house a boarder is kept. If a man would give a child

in the hands of another, how much the mother would feel if

the child is allowed to fall down, to weep and to get its

clothes dirty? Or if allowed to wander in the street, if it were

allowed to get drowned? Or if it were not fed properly and

allowed to starve? Therefore your children are, the children

of God. God has given a charge to you, for God is their actual

father, therefore, you must educate them for God.

Videte ne contemnatis unum on his presillis, quia angeli eorum in

caelis semper vident faciem Patrismei qui in caselis est - (See that

you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you

that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father

who is in heaven (Mt 18:10). To bring up the children to

their proper end, therefore, the parents must have good

tongues to teach them the knowledge of God, the fear of

God and the love of God.But what is actually done? Teach

them how to eat, drink, stand and walk? This is what a cat

or dog does! To speak, to read or write? This is what

heathens do! To teach them a trade, earn a living, to be well

employed in this world? This is what all men in the world

do! But is the other object taught, what they may do in the

real life? Will he reach the house of His Father? Will he be

an angel? In heaven or will he be a devil in church area?What a serious question! If this is not properly answered,

parents, you will become the murderers of your children!


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St. John Chrysostom says; Aliisuis fillis provident, aliihonores,

aliidignitates, aliidivitias (Some provide to their children

honour, some dignity and some riches).

But, if this is to be true, they are like plants. Like soft wax

says St. Basil. They are like canvas says St. John

Chrysostom. You can paint upon it the face of the devil or

the Lord. Therefore, teach them now the fear of God, as the

psalm says: Venite filii, audite me: timorem Dominidocebo vos

(Come, Ochildren, listento me; I will teach you the fear of

the Lord (Ps 33:11).

St. John Chrysostom says: Libri sunt, labia parentum , nempe

ad eru- diendos filios (the lips of the parents are books for

instructing their children). But, how? Not only a little byheart, but make it enter into the soul as food is given by the

mother. The mother does not merely shows the food to the

babies but necessarily makes into pieces and puts into their

mouth. When the child is not eating but is running about,

how the mother is after it to make the child eat with a lot of

ingenious ways! In the same way, you must speak of God

our Creator and Father, about his rewards for those who

love Him, about displeasing him and hence how hard sin

is in his sight, about prayer to him, about our Lord Jesus

and about his life and pain. Take to heart the example of

St Edmunds mother or Queen Blanch!


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Is this enough? Send them to the Church. House is not

enough, therefore the Church. As Our Lady was presented

in the temple, you must see that they go. Take an account of

what they have learnt. You are anxious about their

necessities in school. Do you examine about their

attendance, about their learning and about their Confession

and Communion? Do you take any trouble about their

preparation and thanksgiving? Keep an eye over them. But

to do all this, you must have the knowledge and fear of God

yourselves. If you have no light, how will you communicate

to your children?

Kindly send them to a School, a Catholic School. The laws

of the Church and the direction of the Bishop is clear on this

point. It does not matter if they do not go to school at all,

but if they go, it must be Catholic School. Why? Because

education opens up the soul, sets before it the knowledge.

But, if there is not corresponding knowledge of God, it

imbibes only one and forgets the other. Take the use of our

hands. If we use only the right, the left becomes powerless.Therefore, the more there is of secular learning, there must

be more religious knowledge.

The Catholic school sees that nothing bad is taught and at

the same time that God is not forgotten. While secular

learning is taught or rather that from one there is love to theother, which keeps before children the example of the life

of our Lord and the Blessed Mother. This to have good


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examples before children! Besides, a good Catholic

atmosphere around them is present. Hence Pope Pius X

said: If you build a church, build also a school.

But what danger is non-Catholic school! God, and our Lord

is simply ignored. He cannot be quoted as an example. Who

is vita aeterna ut cognoscant te solum verum Deum et quem misisti

Iesum Christum (he is eternal life: that they know you, the

only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent(Jn 17: 3). Even there is a talk against God! The evil examples

are in plenty. Some may say, but there is Catechism. By

whom? This is from those not of the school. It is taught

outside school hours and only for those who may come or

without any responsibility. There, others also can teach their

religion! What will be the effect, if when these little children

see different people teaching different religion and when

they speak among themselves are praising and defending

their own story of Augustine who wanted to put Jesus

among the gods?

Some may say, we have difficulty with money. Tell me,

for what money is not spent? For food, dress and often for

fancy? If it is not to be spent for the immortal soul, why do

we need money? In a Catholic school, you have good

education and saving of money. Do you eat a food because

it is cheap? Would you take poisonous food because it is

cheap? Do you not pay a high rent for a healthy house?


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The code of Canon Law says: Christians must make

sacrifices What is done elsewhere? I have no responsibility

to what has been done in the parish without any burden

upon people in the parish.

So many are under Catholic education. Good many say: I

wish that my children have what I had - those daily prayers,

those daily catechisms, and daily points, Sunday Mass

together and catechism together and everywhere somethinginspiring!

*This Catechesis must have been preached in Konkani on

Palm Sunday as Vicar of St Sebastian Church, Bendur

(Cf Doc: 07, F 121.1.8).But, it appears that the text was

prepared in English.


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The arrival in the garden: When Jesus had spoken these

words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook

Cedron, and according to his custom he went to the Mountof Olives. And they came to a place called Gethsemane,

where there was a garden, into which he entered with his

disciples. And He said to his disciples: Sit you here, while

I go yonder and pray. Pray that you may enter not into

temptation.

If the common tradition be correct, we are at the night of the

24thof March according to our modern calendar. And, as far

as we can calculate in conjecture, it is about 9 O clock at

night when Jesus leaves the Cenacle. At this season in

Jerusalem, a chill evening and a cold night succeed to the

warmth and bright sunshine of the midday.

The full moon is shedding its tranquil light on Mount Sion,

Mount Olivet, Mount Moriah, and Mount Calvary. This still

moonlight suggests nothing but peace and repose and gives

no sign or indication whatsoever that the greatest, the

fiercest, the most stupendous death-struggle that shall everbe decided in this world is about to begin; we may say is

begun.

11. ON THE AGONY OF JESUS IN THEGARDEN OF GETHSEMANE

(The Four Gospel stories in one narrative withpious reflections on the same-suitable for

meditation or Spiritual Reading)


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Lucifer, when he assailed the first man and woman in

paradise was not only infuriated with envy against Gods

new creation which was to occupy the place lost by him,

but he and the rest of the fallen angels looked upon Adam

and Eve with unspeakable scorn and contempt because they

were beings of a lower grade and made out of the slime of

the earth. It was to confound and scatter these proud spirits

in the conceit of their hearts, that the Lord God decreed that

they were to be conquered and crushed this time, not bytheir faithful compeers, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael and

the rest but by a man and a woman of the race that they

condemned so much.

Death and life, light and darkness, are to meet in a contest

that the blessed angels shall gaze upon with silentamazement: The fight is now commencing. Let us in spirit

follow our Lord watching carefully, listening attentively and

trying reverently to read his thoughts

He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron.

From the Cenacle which is in one corner of the city, Jesusgoes to the opposite corner and through one of the gates,

gets out of the City of Jerusalem and crosses the brook

Cedron, which is across his way to Gethsemane. Jesus leaves

the city for the last time as a free man. The next time he

passes through the gates, another shall lead him as a prisoner.

Jesus leaves the city, so dear to him, the city of His

predilection, the recipient of so many divine favours, but


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the city which has shown herself ungrateful to God and

particularly ungrateful to Jesus in the highest degree.

Its sight a few days before had wrung out from Jesus thebitter words: Jerusalem, Jerusalem thou that killest the

prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee, but often

would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth

gather her chickens under her wings and thou would not?

Behold your house shall be left to you desolate (Mt 23:37-

39).

Jesus, thus, leaves Jerusalem. The favours which we receive

from God demands our gratitude and our fullest co-

operation. We should seriously fear, lest for want of this

Jesus deserts us as he deserted Jerusalem and left it to its

sad fate.

According to His custom He went to the Mount of Olives.

And Judas also, who betrayed him knew the place; because

Jesus had often resorted thither together with his disciples.

Let us learn from Jesus the custom and habit of prayer, at

the proper time and place, and with those who aredependent upon us.

Jesus does not give up this custom though he knew what

would happen to him in that particular night and in that

very place. Learn not easily to admit difficulties or

hindrances in the performance of your spiritual dutiesprescribed by daily custom or rule; much less try to create

these impediments on the slightest pretext.


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Jesus goes forth with his disciples. Here Jesus teaches us

not to miss our usual good company in the performance of

our prayers and spiritual duties. There are particular graces

attached to common prayer which are not obtained by

individual prayer. As the Imitation of Christsays, - He who

withdraws himself from the community withdraws himself

from grace.

Gethsemane where there was a garden into which he

entered. It was in the garden given by God to Adam and

Eve that Lucifer won his terrible victory. Of set purpose the

new Adam Jesus Christ has planned to begin the second

conflict in the garden of Gethsemane to make good all that

was lost in the garden of mans ruins. In a garden therefore

shall His passion begin; and when all is consummated in agarden close beside the cross His Sacred Body shall be laid.

Sit you here till I go yonder and pray. This was addressed

to eight of the eleven who were with the Lord - The three,

Peter, James and John followed him further. Contemplate

the thoughtful and compassionate care of our Saviour forHis disciples. He knows that their weakness could not bear

the sight of His infirmity; they would be over much shocked

and shaken. Despite His own trouble, he is full of solicitude

for them.

This we must not fail to note; for sorrow easily demoralizesus and renders us more intensely selfish, wants everybody

to think of our miseries, and quite deadens sympathy for


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others. Sick persons who expect service and sympathy from

others may well think of this.

Christs Prayer and Agony. He taketh Peter and James andJohn with Him.These three he had once before taken to

Thabor and there by His transfiguration shown them a

glimpse of His Glorious Divinity, which had made them

intensely happy. Their faith was there strengthened so that

now they can better bear the spectacle of their Masters great

prostration.

It is not their chastisement but a great privilege and an

earnest signal of graces to come, when our Saviour chooses

any of His disciples or friends to be with him or be close to

him in sorrow.

Even if we have not strength to drink the bitter chalice with

him or are not called upon to drink it, yet even if we merely

watch with Him in His sorrow and listen to His sighs and

feel pity for Him, He is most grateful and virtue will surely

come out from him and grow in us as it did when someone

touched the hem of His garment.

Jesus is now on the spot where five days ago He was seated,

on the asss colt and listened to the loud Hosanna to the Son

of David That was His brief hour of consolation. Now the

dark hour of desolation is settling on His soul- The change

is no surprise to Him. He knew what was in man, My Heart

hath expected reproach and misery (Psalm 68) With the

same readiness with which we receive Gods consolations


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let us also be prepared to receive His desolations. Let us

say like Job If we have received good things from God

why not evil?

He began to grow sorrowful and to be sad, to fear and to

be sore troubled. From these words we can see how the

paleness of death overspread His sacred face; and that a

look of inexpressible distress and anguish has quite

disfigured the beauty of His countenance. He is heard to

sob and groans as if His Heart would break. His tears are

falling fast and all His strength is apparently gone from His

wasted Body for his footsteps were faltering and His limbs

all trembled.

If his few tears at the grave of Lazarus provoked from the

Jews around the reflection Behold How He loved what

should not be my own reflection at the sight of my Lord

sorrowful and sad, in fear and trembling. The more lowly

you have become for my sake the more dear you are to me.

He said to them: my soul is sorrowful even unto death.

These words from the mouth of our Lord are not a mere

figure of speech. They are the exact account given by Him

of what is then and there passing within His Sacred Heart.

His Divinity has, as it were, hidden itself from His Humanity

- has so to say abandoned it to itself- so far at least as the

communication of His consolations is concerned, and He isleft to endure, strictly in its most aggravated form. All the

anguish and distress which sometimes oppresses the dying,


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when the great agony sets in and the soul must perforce go

from the body. He alone among men, without dying,

endured all the bitterness of death. So much so, that had it

not been already decreed that Jesus shall not die here, but

on Calvary, there is certainly in this hour enough of sorrow

and anguish at work within His breast to snap His life. O

Jesus sorrowful for me unto death that I may know Thee,

that I may love Thee

Stay you here and watch with me. Watch with me. Keep a

vigil with me; watch as a friend watches by the sick bed of a

suffering friend. Let me have at least the comfort of knowing

that some of those I love are remembering me in my sorrow.

Watch with me. It ought not to be hard to watch with our

Saviour. To spend the night sleepless and watchful in weary

longing for the dawn and full of anxious thoughts. Indeed,

our Saviour is watching with us and we are watching with

him, surely all is changed. May we not when we suffer

always say: In sorrow I am not alone, because Jesus the

man of sorrows, is always with the suffering.

And kneeling down, He fell flat with His face to the ground.

The growing and calumniating effect of his sadness and

sorrow unto death is that Jesus is unable to support Himself

on His legs and kneeling down or rather his knees giving

way under Him He falls flat with His face to the ground.

He fell flat. Satan had fallen flat - Vidi Satanam Cadentem De

Coelo sicut fulqur, said our Lord. By Satans revengeful


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endeavours Adam and Eve had fallen flat when from their

sanctifying grace which made them children of God, and

from their state of immortality and happy blessedness they

had sunk down to their sinful state of misery and

unhappiness, drawing down with them their whole

posterity.

All this misery and unhappiness caused by the sin of Adam

and Eve have now worked together and they have produced

such a tremendous effect on the sacred soul of our Lord

that he is not able to sustain himself erect but is completely

overpowered by the sorrow and sadness disgust and

heaviness that these have caused therein to His sacred

person.

*This meditation must have been conducted in Konkani

as Vicar of St Sebastian Church, Bendur (Cf Doc: 02, F

121.1.8).But, it appears that the text was prepared in

English.


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What is it you think, what is it you say?Is it not in the first

place, you try the cons of St Peter: Recede a me Domine

quia homo peccatus sum... . St Peter was filled with awe,

seeing his boat and net filled with fishes he had not seen in

his life at the command of our Lord, felt what great thing

had been done for him so little and unworthy and exclaimed!

Depart from me I do not deserve this. I am not worthy to be

near you. I dread to be near you. This is what happened to

you Priests, sixty years ago today. Weak your body andstill more weak your soul. As frail as Peters boat and Peters

net. God suddenly filled it with all the cells of his own

Priesthood. Jesus Priest who became man, in you became

another man. He took your hands as once he had taken his

own hands to hold his sacred bread and wine; he made your

eyes as once he had taken his own eyes to raise them up to

heaven and thank the Eternal Father. He took your mouth

and tongue to say: This is my body, this is my blood. Your body

and your blood would be like his body and blood.

Not this only he made your ears his ears to listen to the

sinful stories of his faithful and made your tongue, his

tongue to say as if you were he his words of absolution -

Son, your sins are forgiven, and nobody has condemned you neither

do I condemn you, and sin no more. And to the dying - this day

thou shall be in paradise with him.

He further anointed your hands and anointed them with

The Father anointed our Lord Jesus Christ through the

power of the Holy Spirit. May Jesus preserve you to sanctify


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(What shall I render to the Lord?). Take up that chalice of

salvation with todays chalice with all the chalices. You must

take up your own body and soul which has been our Lords

chalice which he fills with all Sacerdotal gifts, and invoke

the name of God. Invoke it in thanksgiving! But also invoke

it in great humility! Remembering what Our Lord told the

disciples to say; Quid debemus facere. What must we do? This

has been done once with his grace and strength. Weighing

what we have done in one scale and the grace of God in theother, what we have done will simply disappear. And we

shall all heartily join you in your Thanksgiving - praying

still greater graces for you, praying the blessings of the

several with festivities Ergo serve tum (Behold your servant).

*This homily was preached in English at the DiamondJubilee of Rev. Fr B. Aranha (Cf Doc: 12, F 121.1.8).


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Introduction

We have come together and for six days we shall be together

for a most important work. Most important than all the

works of the year! Most important, if you consider it or

God considers it. Most important, if you consider the good

and utility which will result to you from it.

Retreat is always a thing of high expectation for you. You

long and eagerly wait for it. You understand its importance.You always say; This time I must make a good Retreat.

But how to make this retreat good? On what does it depend?

Is it on the one who gives it? Very little on him! He is like a

bell ringer. What does it matter who rings it? One string

may pull harder and quicker but what does it matter excepta little more or quicker sound? Or even more, he may be

the bell and sound itself? It may be a sweet tone or hard

tone or even a cracked bell. It is enough that it tells time or

indicates an exercise; the right thing be done in time. But it

depends upon the one, who has to hear it and follow it. Thus

the Retreat to be good depends upon you. What then mustyou do?

13. RETREAT TO THECLOISTERED CARMEL SISTERS,

KANKANADY


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1) Persuade yourself of its importance, the supreme

importance in the sight of God. He is before you truly;

look at him well with full faith. God your creator, your

Father, your beginning, your end and there you are

before him - as clay in his hands in the Garden of Eden!

He took that clay and said Faciamus hominem, secundum

nostram imaginem et similitudinem(Let us make man in

our image and likeness). So you are there in his hands,

not like that original clay. But still like it very muchwith your poor weak and sinful body and still more

poor sinful soul.

2) In Baptism he has shaped you unto his image and

likeness. It was as beautiful as an angel then, but now

in what state this image is, if you see it through his eyes!

3) If an image or statue originally beautiful but exposed

to sun and rain, or even kept inside especially and not

taken proper care, it loses its colour and brilliance. It

will be filled with dust in every part, sometimes some

parts broken! Your soul is like that statue! And our Lordholds it in his hands and says: Faciamus hominemhe

says: Allow me to make it as beautiful, as resembling

as myself. Behold he says: I have prepared the altar

and throne. I want it in heaven, not in a corner of it but

high, very near me, around my throne and among my

chosen virgins! Therefore allow me to clean it, to repair

its parts, to paint it anew with the colour of my own

blood and my grace. If we only saw and realize this,


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we would realize how our soul ought to be! Perhaps

God has shown it to a holy soul who has seen it filled

with ulcers, wounds and there is only life in it! Your

soul is perhaps is like that! If you see your soul as God

sees it, you will see death soon!

4) If we see the evils of this world, it is foolishness. If we

see the greatness of heaven, then we see the smallness

of this world, the shortness of time and the length of

eternity! Yes, this seeing is what we want. Yes, we want

to see our soul, God, eternity and how blind we are to

them!. At times, we see things like children. They make

so much of their quantities, homes of clay. They make

sinners, king and queen! But when we are old, we laugh

at these things. So, do we make much of our body ofthis world, of the little conveniences and tastes? But one

day we shall have to laugh or rather to weep at these

things and say how foolish we have been! How much

time we have lost! What treasures we have thrown

away! We must further say: We are blind to the most

important things of our soul and body as we think much

of the little things before us, a tree, a house and a dog.

But great things at a distance like the stars, the Sun and

Moon the gnats we make little of - yet how great they

are! In the same way, as regards things of soul. They

are distant to us. God, heaven, hell, eternity, Jesus ourSaviour on Calvary, Jesus in the Blessed. Sacrament! Yet,

how great these things are! If we only saw them,


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everything else will sink into insignificance and we

would rush after these things. Good many saints have

seen this reality and therefore, they said: Quid hoc ad

aeternitem? (This is nothing before eternity). For this

reason let us take the example of the blind man of

Jericho. Let us compare his blindness to our spiritual

blindness. Yes, our soul is poor compared with what it

was in Baptism. At the time of your vows and profession

it was bright, but now? At the time of your last Retreat,it was better! Consider, how the love of God and his

Holy Will has been abandoned by desires! Has

sufferings has enabled us to grow closer to him? Yes,

the cares and seeking consolation at the world, seeking

consolation in breaking of the rule, in grumbling and

adorning of the body has blinded us! And this blindness

has closed us to the things of God and led us to our

own miseries! Behold, our Lord is passing; he is near

you. The wonderful God, your Father, you brother and

your spouse. Are you saying:filiDavid, miserere? (Son

of David, have mercy on me?).

5) St. Bonaventure says: By the grace of God, our soul

becomes the first the daughter of the Eternal Father,

secondly, the spouse of Jesus Christ and thirdly, the

temple of the Holy Spirit. The world your flesh - the

languor of your soul and the weakness of your bodywill try to hurt. But you must with still greater fervour

say: Let this be your great prayer and effort during


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this retreat. Your every meditation, instruction, spiritual

reading must resound this prayer and it must constantly

come from your heart.

6) For this reason try not to see the world, not to see others

by taking care not only of silence but of your senses

putting away distractions. Make your retreat a prayer

and a conversation with God. Consider the real truth

that you are in the hands of God as a child on the knees

of its father, as a sickly child in the arms of its mother.

This is a great truth- you must realize that God is a

loving father. Our Lord took great care to remind us of

this. You have but one Father who is in heaven ( 1 Jn

3:1). Therefore, You shall pray after this manner: Our

Father, who art in heaven listen to Jesus saying: I go tomy Father and your Father.If God is our Father, says

St T

Thus He Preached to Them- Sermons of Msgr RFC Mascarenhas

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