Sathish Paul sdb

            Nothing is easier in all the world than attaining forgiveness from God. This is the biggest truth that we got to believe. God is more eager to give forgiveness than we to receive it. Many refuse to believe this. They constantly brood over how miserable and wretched they have been, wishing they had never sinned, wishing they had always kept a clean sheet.             For Jesus, even though to sin is the greatest evil, to be a sinner is a value. Hate sin with all your heart and avoid it. But if you have sinned and repented, then you have reasons to rejoice, because there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Lk. 15:7) Who can understand this kind of madness? That’s the crazy God we have.             Then we may ask: Why not sin deliberate...

          Have you noticed that no where in the New Testament (Bible) does Jesus explicitly tell us that in order to receive forgiveness for our sins, we must be sorry? Whereas we have made such a fuss about contrition. So many are worried whether they have sufficient contrition or not, whether their contrition was perfect or imperfect, and such questions which are irrelevant as far as forgiveness is concerned.             Jesus did not demand these things. What he explicitly and insistently demanded was this: He said, “If you want forgiveness from my heavenly Father, then you must forgive your brother/sister.”(Mt.6:14) There’s another thing that Jesus demanded of us if we would have the sins forgiven: Love. As simple as that.             Come to me and say you love me and your sins will be forgiven. Observe that scene with a sinful wom...

            Today a vast number of Christians are full of fear of God. We are still trapped within a religion of rules (law) which Jesus abolished twenty centuries ago. He preached a God who was love itself and a liberation from the burden of the law. Sometimes our dealings with God are characterized by one big round of duties. This is the fear that brought and still brings many Catholics to mass on Sundays. I sometimes get an irrational feeling that if there were no commandments. I would be a saint. I’d feel so free and liberated – and I know I would keep every commandment spontaneously. One day a seminarian found himself saying to this God whom he was serving with all his heart and soul, “God, I really hate you. You are a kill-joy. I just cannot enjoy life while you are around, You won’t allow me to be as I am, You won’t leave me free.” Here, with whom lies the problem. The problem is certainly not with God but with us. ...

“If you want to be remembered forever, write something worth reading, or do something worth writing about.” I can say that mom will be cherished forever because what she has been and done are worth writing about. It has been my long time desire to put my pen to paper about the extraordinary personality of my mother to whom I owe my existence. So here comes a treatise from a simple son about his splendid mother. Growth of the Giant Heart             Born in a simple family of two daughters, she grew with virtue and responsibility. God fashioned her unique character with much gifts and talents. Her younger days were filled with artistic adventure and other creative capabilities. Her tender heart knew no deceit and despair. The way she went about with all her human qualities made people around her feel so good and warm. Caring for others, being responsible and sincere, taking lot of initiatives etc. were her typical traits....