12/4/16 My Monologues & Musings
“...the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you..” ( Mk 4:24)
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
To be real honest, you know that I don't care much about the measure I give, but I am very particular and much concerned about the measure I want to get..
I want others to be polite and gentle towards me,
If not I tend to feel angry.
While dealing with others, I don't take much care to be polite and gentle towards others.
And I try to justify my rough and tough ways to others.
I want others to be understanding and caring to me.
While in dealing with others I am often prejudiced.
I want others to be forgiving my failures.
But I am rather slow in forgiving others of their failures.
I want others to be on time and i get agitated when they are late.
When I am late I want others patiently put up with me.
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
This is partly the way I tend to behave.
The priest in me is very much addicted to those ways!
The priest in me provides me with all excuses and justifications for my set ways and behaviours.
I do conveniently forget your words of wisdom:
“....the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you..”
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
It’s all in my mind….
My thoughts and imagination are that I am someone entitled to be the above mentioned ways.
I keep imagining that I am different and I deserve to be treated differently!
While I tend to dismiss others as insignificant!
I often tend to be lulled by a sort of ‘clerical superiority complex’.
I need constantly to remind myself that I ought to be a foot - washing priest rather a priest who expects his foot to be washed!
It's a constant temptation and struggle.
But I want to and I shall keep fighting. …
Dear Jesus, the Risen Lord,
I bring before you:
Everyone of my loved ones.
Everyone of my enemies who were and are.
Everyone who loves as well as hates me.
Everyone whom I love and whom i hate.
Everyone who helps me and who don't.
Everyone whom i have lead astray.
Everyone who is sick and needs healing.
Everyone who is in despair and needs hope.
Every priest who is in need of prayers.
Everyone who has met with me!
Oh, Jesus, My Lord and My God,
I thank You,
I thank the Father,
I thank the Spirit,
For Your Unsolicited gift of life for me!
For Your Uncountable blessings for me!
For Your Unlimited Patience with me!
For Your Untold Forgiveness for me!
For Your Unflinching faith in me!
For Your Unfailing Hope in me!
For Your Unconditional Love of me!
Amen
JoAchen
Tuesday, 12th April 2016
I am a near seventy year old Pallottine priest from India. I consider myself to be a "prodigal priest in process," trying to make my pilgrimage back to the Home of the Heavenly Father guided by His Son and the Holy Spirit, aided by the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph, and inspired by Thomas the Apostle and by Vincenzo Pallotti, "the apostle of Rome." Despite my academic studies in Indian Philosophy (India), Sacred Scriptures(Rome), Psychology (USA) and Teaching and Parish Ministries at home and abroad, I have yet to do a lot more and work on myself much more for my spiritual growth and personal maturity. As I lag behind, I strongly feel the urge and need to grow spiritually and wholistically. These Personal Reflections are a sort of Journal based on Sacred Scriptures and on personal experiences as a means to help the prodigal priest in me to keep coming back Home of my Heavenly Father. I need to start almost every day anew. I keep on counting the innumerable blessings which the Lord keeps showering on me for the last near seventy years and I keep on recounting my manifold sins and failures with a contrite heart.Trying out a semi-secluded way of life, I find myself perched on a Hilltop Shrine. Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my daily prayers and request you to do the same for me. JoAchen
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