INDEPENDENCE DAY AND ASSUMPTION DAY

Prayer hour

Independence Day & Assumption of Bl.Mother

Today the 15^th Aug. has special significance for us Indians as we celebrate twin feasts, which have the same message of freedom and liberation. For us Christians the Assumption of Mary is the symbol of our final fulfillment the sin and death, an affirmation of the final victory of God’s love and his grace. Hence it is fitting to raise our minds and hearts to God in praise and thanks giving for the wonderful gifts of our heavenly mother who is the symbol of true freedom. Sixty years ago on this day India breathed the air of freedom from darkness to light. Yes, Aug 15^th 1947 was a day of great rejoicing for the Indians, a day of new life, a day of new power and an unforgettable day in the history of India. Freedom from the domination of others is perhaps one of the most precious gifts a person or nation can posses.

“ The voice of the mouth is but a sound, the voice of example is a clap of thunder” says St. Bernard. Dear sisters today we have one more reason to rejoice, to praise God who celebrate their B’day today. With their exemplary life of simplicity, creativity and generosity, they bring us joyful notes. Every flower that blooms and spreads fragrance today sings the melody of praises to God.

Christ is the light of faith just as the sun’s rays are the light of our lives. Every life is meant to be a light to the world. As a sign of welcoming Christ the light and surrendering ourselves to Him, let us lit the lamp and worship Christ the only and true source of our freedom.

Lighting the lamp……….

Story of tree and branches

There was a magnificent tree. It was sturdy ,graceful and shady. It’s branches laden with fruits and leaves, were gently swinging in the early morning breeze. One morning the branches began complaining to the tree. Listen to them talking.

Branch 1.  I am not prepared to remain for ever a mere branch. I want to be a tree like you with roots and trunk. I want to stand on my own feet and be independent.

Tree: You are part of the tree as all other branches. You and your leaves swinging in the breeze give us vibrant beauty and life. All of us together make the tree.

Branch 2: Why should I bear so many leaves and only a few fruits? I want to have as many fruits as the branch next to me. It is not fair that I should be treated like this.

Tree:  What does it matter if leaves and fruits are not evenly distributed among the branches? All that belongs to all belongs to each. If you were not bearing that many leaves there wouldn’t be so many fruits on the other branches. Don’t forget we all are one single tree.

Branch 3: I am fed up with having so many flowers. The bees and insects give me no peace. Even passers by hurt me by taking my flowers away. It is not just. Why should I suffer more than other branches?

Tree: Darling, beauty goes with suffering. You are the most beautiful branch. Suffering is the price. Your flowers are our flowers. Your sufferings are ours. All our leaves and our fruits are yours too. Remember we all make one tree.

Branch 4:  Why should this orchid grow on me? Why do they rob me of my sap and drain my strength. Why should I only of all the branches bear this pain and loss? I don’t want to belong to the tree.

Narrator:  With great patience and kindness the tree remarked.

Tree:  These precious orchids cannot live with out us. They need our support and service. They give to our tree an incomparable beauty and teach us to be generous. It is because of you that all of us all the branches can show compassion and love to our sisters and brothers in need .It is we not you, not  I , it’s we altogether we are one.

Dear friends, this tree symbolizes India our country, which is a home for many cultures, religions, languages, a sanctuary of natural resources and rich heritage with man power.

True freedom is an inalienable quality, the more we are free, the more we are human. Jesus invited the disciple to an inner freedom, total freedom. It is by rejecting the worldly and transient self we enjoy an authentic humanness. This is relational and open to the world, creative in terms of insights, initiatives and potentialities. It is through well discipline and well defined path one reaches the goal.

In fact we may well compare our Nation to a big Jumbo jet flying through Turbulent weather to a golden destination. For this flight, a very section of people must be stimulated together as firmly as various parts of the frame. The strength of the frame is equal only to the strength of the weakest section of the frame. One little crack that is a resentful minority would force the Jet to the ground if not repaired in time .

Let us have a glance at the symbols place at the back drop. We see a bird in the cage refusing to fly even thought the door is opened. O n the other side an eagle flying high. What does it tell me today? Do I really experience that inner freedom likes that of eagle? A I ready to let go off my comforts and securities of life so that I can contributes my best to bring freedom? To bring about an authentic human community. The world is fast moving. What is my responsibility as a religious? What are the forces that hinders me from being liberated? A I willing to face the challenges and uncertainties to make a better Nation? Or just satisfied with present comforts. Today the Lord tells us to let go off ourselves and go ahead with an unshakeable faith to bring about a liberated people.

History points out that from time to time there arose individual who dared to think differently. Le us listen to a few of them who changed the face of our country India with their enthusiasm and commitment.

A P J Abdul Kalam:

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam, is a man of great vision and dreams. He invited the millions in building of this India as a developed nation, the greatest nation in the world by 2020, where governance is responsive, transparent and corruption free. He turned out to be a people’s president who opened the door of Rashtrapati Bhavan to children, farmers and the common men. He was a superb communicator. His child like curiosity, enthusiasm, charm and innocence surprised many and attracted the youth and children. His sense of purpose and direction-ignited million minds. His accessibility and openness gave a new vision of accountability to the highest office of the country. He carved a niche for himself in the minds and hearts of Indians thought his unassuming nature and great achievements.

Mahatma Gandhi:

M. Gandhi is the father of our nation. His sole dreams was to free India our mother land from the shackles of foreign rule. He did not believe in brutal power, but believed in the principle of Ahimsa which led  him to the ultimate victory. He was a man of iron will who let go of all his laurels to identify himself with the common people of India, to share their joys and sorrows, struggles and hopes, failures and victories. He says “My devotion to truth has drawn me into the field of politics”. Not only did he fight for political freedom but also for the moral emancipation of his country from sins of sloth, cowardice, malice and untouchable ness. Powers and tittles never attracted him. He preached bravely in the face of danger and offering of one’s life as a sacrifice for the country. On the midnight of the independence day he was not celebrating it with national leaders in New Delhi, but was pacifying the Hindu-Muslim people in the villages of Navaghali. His life itself was  his message to the world. What he demanded of others, he practice in his life. When we turn to Mahatmaji for any answers we see the funeral pyre which proclaims the message’greter love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend(Jn 15;13).

Jawaharlal Nehru:

Jawaharlal Nehru, builder of republic of India, making India the largest democracy in the world, gave the world panchshila- five principles of peaceful coexistence, an ambassador of international peace and good will. He was like the face of India, his ambition height as Himalayes,his affection as deep as the Jamuna and Ganga. Posterity remembers him as a giant for the greatness of his own faith in man’ if any people choose to think of me, then I should like them say this was the man who, with all his mind and heart loved India and Indian people. And they in turn were indulgent to him and gave him of their love most abundantly and extravagantly’. As a fighter for freedom he was illustrious, the maker of modern India, his services were unparalleled. As the great poet he used to say,

The woods are lovely dark and deep

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

Miles to go before I sleep

Nehru thought of India where people talked less and worked more, boasted less and battled more, complained less and accomplished more.

Kiran Bedi:

Kiran Bedi was born on June 9, 1949 is an excellence tennis player, winning several tournaments, including the Asian Lawn Tennis championships. She is a brilliant student who earned the reputation and  pride of being the first woman to graduate from the Indian Police Academy obtaining a PhD.

Kiran was given ample opportunities to utilize her talents and promote her endeavor when, in 1994 after being promoted to the rank of Inspector General of Prison, she was given the responsibility of managing the notorious prison in the Asian Pacific Region-Tiahrt Jail in Delhi. Through her actions and measures, Kiran Bedi proved herself as an excellent Police officer who was responsible for transforming the lost lives of prisoners and  made their period within the drudged walls bearable. The qualities of honesty, courage, empathy for fellow humans, strong stand on righteous principles, hard work, determination and patriotism are the ones that constitute this woman to actualize her vision. She can be proudly proclaimed as the woman who scrubbed off the dirt on the khaki uniforms of the police force by establishing herself and her life as an example worthy to be followed.

Mother Theresa:

India honored Mother Theresa, with its highest civilian award Baratratna’ for her selfless service to the poorest of the poor and the destitute. She made the losers of life; feel the tenderness of God. She was the lamp of love that transmitted mercy all over the world. She surrenders herself to God and did every thing for Him in an unshakable. The dire needs and hardships of people urged her with compassion. What was especially striking about her was her refusal to complicate. In this thoroughly political world she stood out for her direct approach to issues of head and heart. For instance, hungry people to be fed, or dying destitute was to be first bathed and housed in humane condition. Through out her sixty eight years of selfless service Mother Theresa said, She did it because she show Jesus in every face that she fed, clothed, housed or helped to die. He was her greatest and only inspiration. During her life she never pretended to be His delegate but merely the sign post that pointed out the path to Him. Mother took a revolutionary step to go out of her structured security to a future of uncertainty. This was a radical step in response to a call within the call. Her motto was fruit of silence is prayer, fruit of prayer is faith, fruit of faith is love, fruit of love is service, fruit of service is peace.  

Blessed Virgin Mary:

B.V Mary was a fully liberated woman, a model par excellence for us to copy. Mary summarizes her life thought her magnificat explicating God concern of freedom and independence to every people. Mary sings of God’s blessings showered on generation after generation. She realizes and acknowledges her stand in the history of redemption. She was a person of deep reflection who pondered and handle the strange events with serenity in coping with the reality. With an attitude to God, she was sensitive to the needs of others handling diligently every crisis she faced. She was the woman of the spirit. Assumption is the conclusion of her journey of faith rewarded by God. Her courage’s standing at the foot of the cross and her significant presence in the upper room inspiring the nascent church, speak aloud of her, fidelity to the inner call, fidelity to what the Lord wanted of her. Let us look in silence with deep affection at this spotless, courageous and model woman mother Mary.

God sent His beloved son into this world to lift us from slavery to freedom. Jesus is the liberator who brings this freedom from the clutches of every evil. Let us now listen to the word of God.

Reading the word of God.

Intercessory prayers.

The citizen of our country stands in need of the grace of God more than ever to move forward in this modern era where everyone faces pressers, conflicts, struggles and problems. Let us place our petition before the Lord.

Concluding Prayer:

Father most holy, you crowned BVM with glory beyond compare. Thought the intercessions of our heavenly mother and patroness of India. We implore your blessings on our mother land that she may be preserved in its original beauty, unity among its leaders, brotherhood, peace and justice among citizens. May your grace be upon us to enlighten our minds and strengthen our will to free ourselves from destruction, darkness and enslavement of evil? We make this prayer though Xt our Lord.

Lord Jesus we pray for sr. Leonila as she celebrates her birth day, thank you lord for her very being and for the graces and blessings you have showered upon her. Lord We brings her before you on this special day and prays to lay your loving hands upon her. Wrap her in the spirit of your love and cover her with the cloak of your concern lord. May she always experience your guiding and leading presence in her life? Bless her with good health and strength to continue your mission-let us pray to the lord.

2) Lord with grateful heart we remember her family, friends and relatives who played a vital role in molding her. It is they who sowed and nurtured a deep faith in you. As we remember them with grateful heart we pray lord bless them with peace, prosperity, and joy. –let us pray to the lord.

3) We pray for all the diseased members of sr. Leonia’s family lord, especially we remember her parents and brothers whom you have called to your eternal bliss. Pardon their omissions and commissions. We believe that they are with you in heaven and praying for sr. leonila on this her special day.-let us pray to the lord.

4)lord with love we  remember sr. Apoline as she too celebrates her birth day today, lord she is a gift to IMD family may she find true joy and happiness today and the years to come, may she be a blessing to many. We pray lord, may her family be blessed with double fold, and mission may be fruitful wherever she is, and bloom ever beautiful- let us pray to the lord.

5) lord we pray for our church, help pope Benedict 16^th , bishops, priests and us religious to have a open mind and heart to accept the challenges of our time. May the church always posses the divine and human aspect of Jesus. Let us pray to the lord.

6) We pray for each one of us gathered here, bless and help us to experience the joy, love and peace which you brought to us when you became human being like us. Help us to experience it in fullness and grant us to spread it wherever we go, and whomever we meet. Make us heralds of your good-news- let us pray to the lord.