Dear friends,
It is with lot of joy and happiness that we, the Entertainment Sodality bring before you COMPANARE, the monthly magazine of our community. Companare means companion or the one who stand beside us. Yes, the whole endeavor is aiming at such a vision of companionship and friendship. It is an opportunity to get into the nourishing moments of reading with refreshing words and expressions.
Francis Bacon says that reading maketh a ready man and writing maketh an exact man. As we present this magazine before you, our vision is that of promoting love and interest for the world of literature among us. And we gladly invite all of you to join in this venture of literary experience.
We thank all who have contributed generously in the actualization of this effort. We exhort all of us to value it as our magazine and contribute into it in the coming months.
Jithin SDB
Animator Speaks...
For the first time I am speaking as an animator of a sodality. It gives joy with the realization that to speak I need words. It is through words that we access the physical world. “There is no World without Word.” I am glad that the Entertainment sodality is making an attempt to speak about the Word of God in their latest issue of the Companare.
There is no World without Word” is my bold claim since it has a scriptural evidence. In the beginning was the Word… (John 1:1f). Everything came from the Word. The Word was God. This Word took flesh and lived among us. Therefore the Word of God is a person, and not a collection of pious injunctions or not even a collection of stories. The Word of God has to be treated as a person; a person with feelings; a person who speaks to us day in and day out. What should be our response? Listen! Listen! Listen! The Word of God has to be more and more listened to. But today just like everybody else we claim to be busy the full time. ‘There is no time’ is our oft repeated fashionable slogan.’ We are becoming part of a generation that simply keeps running from pillar to post. Pause is the need of the hour; a pause to sit and listen to the Word of God. Let us not have false pretension that we don’t have time. Instead let us spend quality time with the Word of God and feel the warmth He offers. Let us believe Him to be the essence of the World. May our belief enable us to taste this essence and be filled with Him. I don’t call it the need of the hour but the need of our existence.
ThankYou
Bro. William D'Souza SDB
"Listen to the Murmuring Sound of the Lord"
“In the beginning was the word
The word was with God
The word was God”
(Jn 1: 1 – 2)
The word of God as written down in the Bible is the most fundamental book of Christians. The word of God finds many expressions as liber nature, liber scripture and liber vitae i.e. the books of nature, of scripture and of life as pointed out by St. Bonaventure. In this, liber scripture forms the backbone of Christianity. The paschal meal of the Israelites not only enacted the rite that led to exodus but also recalled the memory of the community about the event of liberation. The importance of written scripture can be understood from the study of the paleontologists who noted a recital of the deeds of God remembered by the community along with the sacrificial rituals of the adivasis.
“Mortal man, take the scroll and eat,
I ate and it tasted like honey in my mouth.” (Eze 3: 1)
The early Christian communities gave such an importance to the scriptures that the highest proficiency in scholastic times was considered to be writing the commentaries on scripture. St. Jerome declared: “Ignorance of scriptures is the ignorance of Christ.” I’m sure that almost all the Christian homes will have Bibles. It is no more a Tyndale-tragedy now. Even at subsidy rates small pocket Bibles are available. Bibles are everywhere, but what about the knowledge of the Bible?
It was the Bible Sunday celebrated with full vigour in the parish. Rally was organized, Biblical garden was made and huge posters too appeared. In the catechism class I just thought of asking them few questions. The first question:
“In which form did the holy spirit come down on the apostles?”
Without any exaggeration, let me tell you that the first answer given by the students was ‘dove’. Though startled, I gave them another choice. They told the names of all the living creatures in the vast wide earth except the right answer. Taking another ‘dangerous attempt’ I asked the second question.
“Who is St. Elizabeth?”
Some looked at me with open mouth as if they know only the Elizabeth next to their door. After a long wait they started answering, “She is the sister of John, the Baptizer.” “oh! She is the mother of Mary.” I pinched myself to make sure that I’m on this earth. Since I didn’t want to take another risk, I didn’t any other question. Just think! Isn’t it funny when we Christians look for Joshua in the New Testament or brush through the index of the Bible to check whether a prophet named Zephaniah existed at all.
Down through the centuries, the Bible was taken out of the people’s hands. Thanks to the church reformers, it is the people’s book now. Living as we are in the context where individualism, consumerism and a strong tendency towards independence are militating against the life Jesus came to give to the world, we are invited to deepen the experience of the catholic community and develop an appropriate communitarian spirituality as well. Bible is not just an ancient text which we read for information about the past. It should become a word addressed to us today- i.e. an encounter or meeting the word in our contextual situations. Bible not only delivers the word of God in unalterable form (semel pro simper) but also makes the voice of the Spirit of God resound now. The Indian tradition speaks of literary dhvani or ‘resonance’ as an aesthetic source of literature. Christians find in the actual resonance of the Holy Spirit the secret of the power of God’s word to transform our lives. Let me quote the latest post –synodal letter of the Pope, Dei verbum:
“Reading should make the voice of God per-sonare (personal).”
Let us not present before the faithful the ‘Bible Aglow’ or the ‘Biblebhashyam.’ As religious, let us go back to the roots, ‘The real scripture.’ The reading of the Bible should not be limited to the liturgy. When a community of persons reads it, reflects and prays over it, they are able to correct and inspire one another and to make up the blind spots or biases than an individual alone might do. Bible must be presented not so much as another intellectual / memory testing exercise or as a matter for a mere ritualistic reading. It must become a living word to living communities in the midst of their struggles of life. Creativity in communicating the word of God is imperative. For instance, mass media, films, street plays, music and dance could be used to proclaim the word as well as inspire a deeper commitment among children, youth and even uneducated.
Br. Jerin Palaty
The Hope of Meeting Again
Behold! We were as though one in the Sea
We flew away like breezing mist.
Behold! We were as though one with the clouds
We splashed smearing the gentle rain.
DON’T WORRY!
Join the Rivers.
Running down from rivers
Conjoin the Sea.
Gushing forth from sea to sea
Join to the stillness of the Ocean bed.
Thus let us WEB AS ONE to abide forever
At the bosom of Kanniyakumari!
The Rosary in My Heart
Blooming in my heart
Is a fresh Rose
That is your fiery love
And your enchanting smile.
Dashing my face
Is a mighty hail storm
That is your song’s sweet melody
DARLING WHERE ARE YOU?
You are the blooming flower in my heart
Spread your Enchanting fragrance
You are the crystal drops of water
Unite to form a mighty ocean
You are my Heart
Couple to play the Thabala Taalam
Compound my CLOUD to pour down
The freshening rain on my heart
Let this voice echo in unison a song for you
Only when that melody strikes YOUR HEART
Then alone MY HEART dances in Rejuvenations.
Roshan SDB
Flute
When I first touched you, I can remember.
When I first embraced you, I can remember,
When I placed you in my heart, I can remember yes I can.
You were in my dream safe and secure,
I touched your lips kissed and made you pure,
Yes, I can remember yes I can.
I touched your whole body you had to moan,
Though it was a dark night, I seemed dawn,
I touched you not with lust,
By kissing your lips my vision opened vast,
Every thing became vain you became first,
Even thou many were there sax, guitar to conclude,
I kissed only you, my dear flute.
Robi Antony Sarkar
Laughter: a Monthly Dose Teacher to the student “can you give me the example of emptiness?”
“Yes my head” said the student.
“Yes my head” said the student.
Teacher: Please tell me the effect of the earth’s rotation.
Student: Giddiness sir.
Teacher: Who is called the father of the nation?
Teacher: Who is called the father of the nation?
Student: A person who has got dozens of wives and uncountable children.
“If you drink only water for the ten days what will happen?”
“If you drink only water for the ten days what will happen?”
“Sir then surely I will become a water tank” replied the student.
Lepcha Lazarus SDB
Lessons for Living
How can we influence others with our own life style?
People do say that we can influence the other by setting examples. It can be either good or bad. Yet this is only al means to influence others. Have you ever thought about the way your actions might influence others?
Few of us do so. And yet the things we do everyday, even the most insignificant things can end up having a lasting effect. Whether you realize it of not, you are a role model, some one is looking at you, watching who you live, and modeling their behavior after yours. May be a lot more people than you thought. We influence others far more than we will ever know. And so we need to set good examples before others. This is what Jesus also wants us to do in our everyday living. He says “let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory o your father in heaven.”(Mt: 5:16) In each h of our acts these words of Jesus should reflect. There is the potential within all of us to put our lives into perspective and strive to make the greatest impact we can possibly make –through gestures of love.
Therefore be imitators of God as holy as beloved children and live in love as Christ loved us. (Eph: 5:1-2)
We are called to live as Jesus lived. Jesus was truly a man who influenced the lives of many during his life on earth. What made him an influential person was the love he gave to others. So as imitators of him, we must find such love within us and it should be manifested in what we say and do, such loves should guide our every thought and action.
"We are only given today and never promised tomorrow
So be sure to tell someone that you love them"
Eight Golden Rules to be a Good Communicator
1. Pay 100 percent attention:
Fight distractions and stay focused on what your co-worker, friend or any other person you’re talking to is saying. In short, listen!
2. Watch your body language:
Show you’re paying attention by maintaining eye contact, nodding when appropriate and leaning forward. Don’t start clicking a pen, checking your cell phone or glancing around. Crossing your arms sends a negative message.
3. Avoid interruptions and jumping ahead:
Thoughts come a lot faster than words. We listen at between 125 to 250 words a minute, but think at the rate of about 1,000 to 3,000 words a minute. As a result, we often evaluate fast.
4. Listen for hidden feelings:
The tone of voice, inflection, emphasis and body language of a speaker can be more revealing than the person’s words. If someone says “I’m fine” when his or her tone is sad, that person’s probably not being truthful.
5. Ask questions:
If you don’t understand something, be honest and admit it: “I’m sorry, I didn’t get that”. Ask open-ended queries to get the other person talking.
6. Paraphrase for meaning:
In your own words, repeat what you think the speake
means. He or she will appreciate that you’re paying close
attention.
7. Speak loud enough to be heard:
Do not whisper or mumble.
8. Golden rule:
Most of all, you are seeking first to understand, then to be understood.
Praveen SDB
From Your Selfish zone to Your Sharing zone
In John 26:32 we see Jesus warning his disciples, saying, “The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each one to his home and you will leave me alone.” I believe, more than what He suffered on the Cross, Jesus was tormented by the scattering of his disciples, leaving Him alone. The intense pain he experienced, when the nails pierced His hands and feet would be much less than the pain he experienced when He was left alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. All His disciples, especially, the apostles, whom He chose to be with Him, abandoned Him and ran away. Oh! what pain Jesus would have experienced during these moments of intense isolation?
In this context it is good to reflect on the cause of this “scattering.” Until Jesus was arrested they were living in an ideal world where they dreamt on the days of power and glory, name and fame that they were aspiring to possess with Jesus one day. They had their own selfish dreams and ideas on the Kingdom which Jesus proclaimed. They all loved the Kingdom but did not love to bear cross for it, as Thomas A Kempis would put it. It is because of the selfishness they had, they shrunk into their own selves. They were not courageous enough to face the reality of sharing in the bearing of the Cross of Jesus.
Now let us think how to go beyond those barriers of selfish zone. When we reflect on the verses which come further we can arrive at a solution, which Jesus Himself reveals. Verse 32 continues saying, “Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me.” By the intimate relationship Jesus had with the Father, He overcame the pain of isolation from His disciples. By following His example, one can come out of one’s selfishness. Jesus was always in a deep and intimate relationship with the Father, which helped Him to get out of the strain of loneliness from His disciples. By building an intimate relationship with Jesus, by sharing one’s life with Jesus, one will be enabled to go beyond the limits of one’s selfish zone to one’s sharing zone, where one shares one’s time, talents, health, everything for the sake of community. Slowly, this transformation will reflect in the community life too. The boundaries of islands disappear and it brings the realization that we are one. It leads us to more understanding and accepting of individuals, the other members of the community. This oneness gradually leads us to the “Peace,” which Jesus desires us to attain, as He continues telling in verse 33, “So that in me you may have peace.”
Vineesh Paul SDB
Bible versus Mobile
I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones.What if we carried it around in our pareses and pockets?
What if we turned back to go got it if we forgot it?
What if we flipped through it several times a day?
What if we used it get messages?
What if we treated it like, we couldn’t leave without?
What if we gave to our children as gifts?
What if we used it as we travelled?
What if we used it in case of an emergency?
Oh’ and one more thing.
Unlike our cell phones, we do not ever have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because
JESUS HAS ALREADY PAID THE BILL!
Behind the Shadow of the Closed Doors
“Hey, what’s your response?”
“No…!”
“Yeah, I said no.”
“So you decided that way.”
“Hm….”
“I don’t know, you seem to do not understand at all. You…. “
“Mike, enough. I couldn’t help but say no, and I said that.”
“But how long Jack; after being one year… Are you sincere with yourself?”
“Yeah… I am convinced.”
“No Jack, I know you. You can’t hide you’re…
“Mike please, enough..!”
“Jack I’m sorry, but I tell you. You don’t understand the feeling.... feelings of the heart.”
I didn’t say anything. I tried to control my tears. We walked towards our bike.
He was right, I said by myself. We didn’t talk each other. Other two of our friends, Dick and Robert were waiting down
the building. They were surprised by the unusual silence of ours. I gave the key to Mike. We started back home.
“Eva, time is ten past six. I need to go.”
“Jack… I didn’t get you. Why did you start like this?”
“Well… you will understand later.”
“Come on Jack, please.”
“Eva, do you really want to know my story?”
“Jack, it is the last year. From the day you were here, I find some differences in you. May be just because you …”
“Eva, I understand. But no one knows about those days….. What is behind the shadow of the closed doors... except three of my friends, Mike, Dick and Robert..... If you come to know all that, you may hate me, you may never talk to me.”
“Jack, please.”“It all happened six years ago. I tried to forget that like a bad frightening dream, It occurred in my life in a very unusual manner. Still do you want to here?”
“Jack, if I made you sad, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything of that... but I want to know... Please won’t you tell me?”
“If you really want, we will meet tomorrow.”
I walked towards my car. Before getting inside, I looked back. She was still there. She was writing down something. It’s her job.
Eva is a good friend. It is her last year in social communication sector. She has a great future.
I road back home. I didn’t put on the stereo, though I loved music very much. That’s my soul. Somehow, today, it didn’t strike me. It’s already seven o’ clock. The city of New York is filled with lights. I decreased the speed of my car. The city is very beautiful. I reached home around seven thirty. I went to my room and I sat down in the chair.
I was disturbed my questions. Why she is so interested in me? What does she really wants from me? Since she is my cousin sister, I gave her enough and more freedom. All that she asked, I have been giving her. Now she is asking about me.
I was not at all interested in telling my story to her. That’s the reason why I started my story that way.
I got up from the chair and sat down in front of the computer, to open my mail. I was surprised to see Mike’s letter in inbox. My mind was filled with different thoughts. Songs, performance, and audience everything passed through my mind. What will be the letter?
It took some time to open the letter. It was not so big. It was like this:
“Jack waiting for you with an unexpected gift. We are gathering, planning to re-start all again. Won’t you come? Waiting for you… Hope to see you on the 1st of December, in S.S room”-Mike
O my God! Was he serious? What did he mean b all these... I didn’t give a reply. I sat there for some more time, reflecting all that happened. That is fine news, to come together. I also had the same feeling.
But I never said. I got up, took bath. I took my electric Guitar, after the supper. It’s almost five years since I touched. I took it in my hand. My finger just passed through the strings. How long I can hide myself like this? I kept back the Guitar in the cover. When I closed the bag, one photo fell down from the code cover. I couldn’t do anything, even I couldn’t move, because I was shocked.
(To be Continued...)
Jiswin SDB
No one Throws Stones at a Barren Tree
In our life too, we are sometimes, like the chief priest, looking only for our profit without giving any importance to the people from whom we received help, love and care. I would like to give altogether another meaning to the ‘stone’, the stone of love, the stone of care, and the stone of compassion. And the ‘tree’ is the life of our neighbor. We are happy to throw the stones at a fruitful tree but what about a barren tree. We see many barren trees around us. Looking at us as a fruitful tree they are shouting “please help me”………….
Don’t see your companion as a fruitful tree instead see ‘you’ as a fruitful tree and share your fruits with others so that we will be able to build a wonderful world in this life. Not the real stone but the stone of compassion, love and care to the people whom we feel as barren trees. We can learn from the examples of Mother Teresa, Don Bosco and other saints who served the barren trees. I would like to say that, they are the ones who threw the ‘stones’ of love, compassion and care to the barren trees of their times. So let us too, help the people who are in need.
Mathew Karakkat SDB
You can Make a Differene
The smallest deed of kindness, better than the greatest in the life of someone, needs to start with a simple gesture of kindness, compassion or love. Here is the story of teacher who made difference in life of her student. The teacher’s name was Mrs Sabina. As she arrived on the first day of class in the 4th grade, she told that she loved them all. There was a boy sitting in the first bench and remained gloomy and lost in his own world. She had noticed that he hardly mingled in the playground and with his friends. Mrs Sabina took delight in correcting his class test book and marked his book. She was surprised to see that Teddy is a bright boy, does his work neatly, and has good manners. He was an excellent boy but his life changed due to his mother’s terminal illness and her death. His mother’s death has been hard on him and his father did not show much interest in him. So, Teddy could not always show much interest in school and sometimes slept in the class. Mrs Sabina realised his problem. During Christmas, her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped nicely except Teddy’s. Mrs Sabina opened Teddy’s present in the class. Some of the students laughed at him. When she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume, she stifled the children’s laughter. She exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was and smiled. Teddy stayed after the school hour that day just long enough to say, “Mrs Sabina today you smiled just as my Mum used.”She was really touched by Teddy’s words. Then onwards she gave him more attention to him. She guided and supported him as a mother.
Br.Samuel Rai
1. Love is universal. It has no limits.
2. Some times a smile can be like a drop of water in a desert.
3. When you get angry, you lose more than your temper.
4. Peace is so hard to find because it is under your nose.
5. You cannot make a fool of the one who keeps cool.
6. To have balance in all situations is the key of happiness.
7. The only way to gain respect is firstly to give it.
8. Jealousy cannot exist if I know my real quality is to love.
9. Night is the blotting paper of many sorrows.
Devaraj SDB
We wish you a very happy B’day and many
many returns of the day.
May the good Lord bless you and keep you in good cheer.
May you find happiness and joy in your life and keep others cheer.
May He grant all your intentions and keep you close to His heart.
May this B’day add more joy and prosperity in your life.
Accompanying you with my prayers and wishes that transcend distances,
With love....... your dear ones
11– Jithin
12– Fr. Rector
20– Dilip
23– M. John
29– Fr. Tom
Thank you
We thank all those who have generously contributed for this issue of Companare. We invite creative and original writings from all the readers. You are welcome to give your valuable suggestions and contributions to the President of Entertainment Group.
Congrats dear friends! All the best!
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