RESURRECTION OF JESUS - THE SECOND BIG BANG!

The Resurrection of Jesus can be considered the second Big Bang! Not in the sense of another creation, but in the sense of setting in motion a process in which all that is existing is restored to its pristine splendor and glory. Resurrection is an explosion of light and grace-packed energy which, like the effects of the original Big Bang (the ever-expanding Universes), will continue to course through the present and future realities, bringing in ever-evolving newness/transformation.

Resurrection/Easter is all about newness/transformation - of self and the Universe -- through dying and rising. Dying is letting go, and rising is becoming something new, something/someone that did not exist until then.  It is a process of actualizing whatever until then was only in potential.

An apt metaphor is the caterpillar becoming butterfly.  The caterpillar has to given up the caterpillar existence (Good Friday), and enter into the cocoon where for sometime nothing seems to happen (Holy Saturday), and then burst out of the cocoon as beautiful butterfly! (Ester Sunday)

Everything about Easter is about newness. Easter is set in Spring, when a dead Nature  autumn shedding of leaves and drying of plants is Good Friday, and winter when everything is buried under the snow is Holy Saturday) becomes alive again with fresh leaves and flowers. (Easter).

Then there are the symbols of newness in the Easter vigil liturgy -- new fire, new candle, newly blessed water, newly blessed oils (at the Chrism Mass), newly baptized Christians....

My Prayer

Dear God, let me know what is that I need to let go, and let me be willing to let it go, so that I can experience newness of psyche and soul.

A very Happy Easter to all.

HOLY SATURDAY -- DEADEND!

 

On Good Friday the story had apparently ended. Whatever hopes of liberation and freedom from oppression Jesus had evoked have been shattered. Remember the words of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus after the crucifixion: “We had hoped…..” Now there is only a great silence, the silence of the tomb, a silence that will last all through Saturday.

 Holy Saturday is the in-between time – between something old dying and something new emerging. Holy Saturday is the time between the seed falling to the ground and dying and then germinating new life. Holy Saturday is like a dead end, a time when nothing seems to be happening, when one sees no light at the end of the tunnel. 

Good Friday looks like the end of the story. But not really. The story will continue. Light will appear at the end of the tunnel. Death will be conquered. The silence and gloom of Holy Saturday will be shattered in a blaze of glory. Out of darkness light will break forth!

When have we felt life to be a long Holy Saturday, when we felt like we have reached a dead end – with no way forward, no light at the end of the tunnel? …. And then surprised – at the happy turn of events? As a popular song says, “there is sunshine after the rain, there is laughter after the pain.” 

A Holy Saturday Prayer

Heal us, O Lord,  of our disappointments and our hopelessness, the meaninglessness that fill our lives after loss and trauma. Fill us with hope and optimism to help us believe that pain and sorrow do not last forever, that healing and restoration is possible, that better times lie ahead. Make us instruments of hope to the hopeless and love to the forlorn. Amen

49th SUMEDHA SADHANA

The 49^th Sumedha Sadhana – A Psychospiritual Wholeness Journey commenced on February 11. There are 23 participants – 9 women religious and four priests, from 10 different religious congregations and one diocese.

Sumedha Sadhana is a programme of inner journeying together with fellow seekers in quest of greater healing and wholeness, so that we can live our lives in more fulfilling and satisfying ways and be more effective in our service to others. A variety of approaches and techniques are used to reach these objectives.

A major portion of the programme is devoted to the exploration of the psychological dynamics affecting our spiritual journey.

Several modules have concluded and the feedback from partisans show these have benefited them immensely.

The programme began with the participants looking at what is happening in their lives at this juncture on their psycho-spiritual journey. They were helped to discern what God might be telling them through all that is happening in their lives. Jose Parappully helped them explore these current realities.  He also facilitated a module on Prayerfulness.

In Somatic Meditation, Jose Parappully used a combination of Qigong, Yoga, Music, Dance and the Word of God to help participants loosen up all the knotted energies in their psychosomatic system and experience rejuvenation of psyche and soul.

Jose Parappully used insights from various psychological theories, tools and techniques from Expressive Arts and Journaling, as well as movies and music to help participants explore and integrate the psychological dynamics and transformational processes of Midlife to help participants enhance their psychospiritual wellbeing and age gracefully, finding meaningfulness and fulfilment in the second half of our lives.

In Unconscious Dynamics Johny Dominic helped participants explore the dynamics behind the helplessness participants often experience in not being able to do what they want and doing what they do not want.  Using concepts from Freudian, Jungian, NLP and Transactional Analysis theories he helped participants unleash the powers of the unconscious to facilitate healing and wholeness.

Consecrated life is facing new challenges in the context of a society that is rapidly evolving with new values and of events that are shaking up traditional Church teachings and practices, as well as faith of people. Philip Pinto helped participants look at these challenges and provided insights and experiences to live their consecrated life in ways that are more radical and relevant to changed social and Church realities.

In "Breath, Spirit and Wellbeing" KC Thomas (Kurianthanam) introduced the participants to a series of holistic exercises using breath, music and movement for the integration of body, mind and spirit.  This module integrated Eastern meditative techniques with Western therapeutic methods leading to stress release, emotional healing and contemplative silence. 

 Among the modules still to come are: Sexuality, Celibacy and Intimacy, group therapy and a spiritual and integration retreat which concludes this psychospiritual wholeness journey.

Two Important Events.

There were two noteworthy events during the past 6 weeks of the programme.

The first was the “Extraordinary Visitation” (an assessment of the way Sumedha Centre is carrying out its Mission) by the Salesian Regional for South Asia, Dr. (Fr.) Biju Michael, who is a member of the General Council of the Salesians of Don Bosco at its headquarters in Rome. This took place on March 7-10.

Fr. Biju Michael met the two Salesians who are members of the Community, and went through all documents and reports, to assess the state of affairs at the Centre. He also met with all the participants of the current Sumedha programme.

The other was the celebration of the Foundation Day of Sumedha Centre, and the feast of its Patron, St. Joseph, on the 19^th March. 

Most Rev. Ignatius Mascarenhas, the Bishop of Shimla-Chandigarh diocese presided at the Eucharist at 6.00 pm. He was warmly welcomed by the participants and staff. In his homily, Bishop Mascarenhas spoke of the import service that the Centre is often to people who are seeking enhancement of their psychospiritual journey. He told the participants that the programme can truly be a means for healing and transformation. He described their time at the Centre as a “privileged moment of grace.”