Let me begin my column by asking this question to you all, are we really preparing interiorly and exteriorly to receive Jesus during this Christmas? I would like to encourage you to prepare always your soul and body by actions and words to welcome Our Savior Jesus. The word Advent comes from the Latin word “adventus” which means ‘arrival’ or ‘coming’. I read on a website this beautiful sentence: “For Christians, the season of Advent anticipates the coming of Christ from three different perspectives. Philip H. Pfatteicher, formerly a professor at East Stroudsberg University, notes that “since the time of Bernard of Clairvaux (1153), Christians have spoken of the three comings of Christ: in the flesh in Bethlehem, in our hearts daily, and in glory at the end of time”. Celebrating Advent involves spending time in spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ.  It’s a time where God hopes to emerge in our lives, especially in those times when we are distracted. The response to this invitation does not need to be perfect or exact. However, the challenge is to open our hearts and minds towards this invitation, so that God’s love might be born within our hearts. Then our waiting for his arrival on this Christmas will be much more meaningful.
During the season of Advent, most of our attention is focused, quite rightly, on the story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and we read more stories about Christmas and share with others, especially with our children. It is a good custom to continue, so that they will be well fed with the holy season and celebration of the Christmas. Here are the five ways to celebrate Advent with your family this Christmas season:

1. Start a family devotion that celebrates the real meaning of Christmas
2. Choose Bible stories related to Christ’s birth or a good book to read with your family
3. Turn off your busy schedule just for one evening and spend time with your loved ones
4. Let your family make a list of broken/unresolved issues that they can think of, and spend time praying over them together  to Baby Jesus that He will solve them all
5. Put together a family activity centered on Christmas theme.

I remember my childhood when the December first came, we hang lighted star in front of our home (every home does the same in India no matter what religion they belong to), which marks the season of Christmas. We have our spiritual preparation in the family by saying the rosary together, going to church together everyday for the mass, and do abstinence and fasting for twenty five days. It was a joyful time for all of us as we were growing up thinking of the different activities in the church, Christmas carols, and the gift we are going to receive.

May it be the same for you, may you have a lot of joy during this season of Christmas.

We read in the Gospel (Luke 23:3), when Pilate asked Jesus: “are you the king of the Jews”? And He answered him, “you have said so”. Then He proceeds on saying His vision about a kingdom and king, making known how the authorities should exercise their power to the people and how they should be model for others keeping up the expectations. A king should be a true leader and a role model and should work tirelessly for the betterment of the humanity that is entrusted to them, and makes the differences in the life of the people by creating a good atmosphere to live. All these characteristics are very visible in the life of Jesus. That is why we call Him Christ the King, King of the Universe. As we know we are in the last week of our liturgical calendar acknowledging the solemnity of Christ the King. By this great solemnity of Christ the King Church is leading us to the season of Advent. This solemnity reminds me about our leaders all over the world, and how they act when they are in Power. Many of them are just opposite of our Christ the King. They are often self-centered and selfish, and don’t see that their power is truly used for the good of the humanity and the entire universe. The lack of timely actions of the leaders can result with drastic changes in the nature, world and the entire cosmos. This is very visible now when we look around. Sometimes I wonder where are we heading to?
What are we going to accomplish by perishing the most valuable things in life and in the world which God created for good? Are we really promoting the human life, values and making our universe a better place to live or inviting troubles and calamities because of our selfishness? Here we have to look at our Christ the King and need to get the directions and inspirations. Because He ruled the world so peacefully with his profound knowledge and wisdom, He brought justice to the people, and He respected every kind of life on the earth knowing the needs of everybody. He did not have a particular kingdom to claim for here on Earth; He did not have a golden crown with jewels on it though he received a crown with thorns by his contemporaries. No one has given Him a throne but his own people gave Him a big cross to carry. But despite of all these He lived the word KING so profoundly and truly knowing the mind of the people, and their struggles, even lived among them as poor wearing ordinary dress and walking bare foot miles and miles. He established justice for the people and gave many new insights to live by. Now Jesus wants you to be the king of your lives. He is not an imperious ruler who uses and abuses His subjects, but a loving king who desires what is best for the entire humanity.
Jesus invites you to serve Him as your King. This means loving Him with all your mind, heart, soul and body then you will lead yourself to a joy filled life. May Christ the King bless your lives.

Death is uncompromising reality and it is the only truth, and no one can escape death. If you are born, you are subject to die. But as Catholics we have reason to rejoice even in death because we believe in Resurrection. Why I write this reflection because this month the church has allotted for us to pray for all our near and dear departed souls. Many parts of the world the people go especially this month to the cemetery to light the candles and decorate the graves of the deceased. The cemetery reminds us of many things. It is the most peaceful place on earth, and when you stand there you feel the calmness and silence of the place. It will make you think about yourself and the people who lay there. First of all when we stand there it reminds us that we are not permanent here on earth, secondly reminds that we still have time to repent and do good things in order to have a peaceful death and gain the eternal reward. Cemetery also reminds us that God is not going to ask us how we died but rather how we lived when you were given the gift of life. We read in the Gospel as recorded by St. Mathew chapter 25;31-46 regarding the final judgement, there he mentions “the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me……..Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me etc.”  Here we have to pause a while and think which category that we belong RIGHT SIDE or LEFT SIDE Of the KING. These are the questions God is going to ask on the final judgement day, and basing on the answers you give will receive your reward. For this we have to be well prepared, and should grab every opportunity that comes along your way.

One day one of my friends asked me are you not afraid to live so close by the cemetery? (Because back in India the church, cemetery and rectory are in one compound), especially at night don’t you have strange feelings and some uneasiness to sleep.  My answer was why I need to get frightened and feel uneasy. If ever I do so, I just pray for the souls of all the departed, moreover I do offer Holy Mass for them and encourage the people to do the same, because they need our prayers and our spiritual support for their salvation. Then he proceeded to ask me, When you go to the cemetery, does it ever make you feel creepy? Especially around sundown, are you afraid that some ghost is going to lunge out from the grave and grab your ankle?  And here I asked a counter question to him, are you really believed in Jesus Christ, and His words?  Sometimes we have been trained in our culture to think that the dead aren’t really dead. But the Bible teaches the dead don’t come back, they go to heaven the dwelling place of God or other places (like Purgatory or Hell) according to the deed that they have done in their pilgrim journey here on earth, and not living the expectations of God. However they get mercy if we really pray for them and especially this month of November. That is why I encourage you all to pray everyday for the departed and offer Holy Masses for them for the purification of souls. One day we are going to embrace the reality of DEATH.  

Nearly everyone enjoys the change of seasons on Earth – from Summer to Fall, from Winter to Spring. Nevertheless, when some of us hear the word “change” it upsets us a lot and we say a big No to it. But in reality we are subjected to that phenomenon. One thing that we can be certain about is that our God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. His love for humanity never changes. He remains the same showering His splendid blessings on us out of His benevolence. Therefore we need to understand that everything happens for a reason whether it is good or bad in our life because God is going to do something extraordinary in our life when He calls us for a change.
I know, so many questions remain unanswered in front of us. We need to understand that God has equipped us for this evil world. He has given us the commandments to live by and strategies to look into, to live  this life in a more amazing and meaningful way. He has clothed us in full armor and His angels fight for us. He comforts us in times of trouble. So friends, don’t get upset about changes and brood over the things that are never going to benefit us, rather focus on your time God has given to you and do the best you can. Time never waits for us and it keeps on moving. Sometimes we wonder how did or where did these years go by and what did we do with the time and what did we achieve in life, and how many of our friends and relatives and our dear ones departed from this world leaving behind good things and at the same time a lot of pain. However, life has to move on, and we are led on by an unknown force (GOD) who energizes us to move forward. We can’t focus on both, God and on our idols, at the same time. We have to make a choice in our life in who we are going to put our hope in, because we can’t have both. One leads us to an everlasting life of peace, and the other leads us into darkness to be consumed by evil. So let us make wise decision  by choosing  God as primordial in our life so that we will never be worried and disappointed about the CHANGES.