ധ്രുവദീപ്തി: Christianity // "Chavara"// Loving Words of a Founding Father to his Community: Dr. Thomas Kadankavil C.M.I.

ധ്രുവദീപ്തി: Christianity //             "Chavara" 

Loving Words of a Founding Father to his Community: 

Dr. Thomas Kadankavil  C.M.I.

Dr.Thomas Kadankavil C.M.I.

Model of the First Christian Comunity:

As there existed a deep spiritual brotherhood among us and because we wanted to have fellowship also in the things of the body similar to the spiritual fellowship, we decided to put together all our material earnings and the fruits thereof belonging to us, following the example showed by St. Peter in the beginning as a replica and foundation Stone.(Vol.1,208)

Spiritual Reading and Mystical Union:

I wish that all of you listen to and learn this Little advice. The staight way to the summit of perfection and the means not to tumble down from the hight is simply this: avoid wasting your time in useless conversation. The time you save after your proper work and recreation should be spent in spiritual reading. It nourishes a religious with love and enables him to enjoy solitude and when a soul delights in solitude, Jesus Christ will come to Converse with it. At first you will not understand the language. Then it is the Lord himself who will lead you to the wine-celler and pour out some wine for you.- a Little at first. 

In the couse of time you will beginn to understand the language. When your spouse sees that you underhand his speach, he will speak more and more distingtly and Show you the magnitude of his love. Then the Bride will love him more and the bridegroom will rejoice over it and adorn her with Ornaments. Thus commences the divine union. Consider how sweet the voice of your loving spouse is. he is alwas accompanying you whereever you are, Looking for all your Needs and watching whether you love him more than anything else. Then on there will be Nothing to fear. This is the clear way to spiritual life and perfection. (Vol. 4, 116, 117).

Silence and Soilitude :

I can tell you with my tongue in the Meditation. Here is your father eagerly waiting to recieve you affectionate love and with outstretched arms to embrace you in the silence and solitude of the retreat. So  abandon your old tepid ways, resolve to follow him with fervour and Diligence. Now is the acceptable time ; who knows whether such a favourable day will dawn for you again. We cannot enjoy the the sweetness of religious state and fulfil the obligations thereof unless we keep ourselves aloof from others now and then. Since, as was reminded by our Lord, our Spirits are awake but our flesh is weak, it is necessary that we awake from time to time and renew our zeal(Vol.3, 53).

Meditation :

 Meditation is dialogue with God. It is an act of Dialoge of the Person united in love with the divine spouse, Jesus Christ, as if two Friends are united in love. When Friends sit close to each other, they find enough topics to talk about without end. For if there is love the conversion goes unbroken and no one needs to to teach either of the two friends how to go on talking... So also if there is true love for, there will be enough matter to converse with him in Meditation(Vol. 3, 14, 15).

Examination of conscience : 

Oh, Soul of the servant of God ! Check what are you doing now; where are you going and where will the path you are treading take you and how fruitful is your present life and how effective will it be in the future. Make a review now and then to see whether your life is leading to eternity or not, as a traveller is on his guard on his way making sure that je is the Right path(Vol. 3, 49, 50).

Religious house a Little heaven:

Religious hous is a Little heaven on earth when ist members live in mutual respect., respecting the higher autorities, immidiate superiors and one another. The strength of the monastry is not in the thickness of the walls of the monastry Building but in the zeal and virtues of the members who live in it. They are founded by God to make it the mirrors of virtue and Assembly of the holy People(Vol.4, 100, 90, 94).

Co-responsibility:

O, my beloved brethren, if we having been called by God, had joined the monastry to leave according to our own will obying only the superiors whom we like, then our behaviour is no better than the unbelievers. If it were our wish to live as we like, why did we choose this vocation,. One must take the responsibility of the Task entrusted to him. let the superiors do the Management of everything.The procurator's Duty is to get the work done. The rest of the community should obey with humility. Be charitable and be industious. Let each one take care not to waste any time.Remeber the reward we are hoping for. Everyone is Duty- Bound to keep the monastry and ist property without Damage and to use them with care as if they belonged to other as well.(Vol. 4, 91, 92, 93, 113).

Commitment to Religious Life:

My beloved brothren, loving sons, none of us was drawn to this life in the monastry, being driven by hunger or desperate Living circumstances in the world. We could have enjoyed the best of comforts, had we been in the world. But we have by our own will, renounced our parents and our Wealth to come here. Now if we forsake the Lord through our negligence and our indolence, what a great mistake it would be, and how great a Madness!(Vo.4, 94, 95).

Priestly Holiness:

"I am holy and therefore those who serve me must also be holy" said the Lord. Examine how you have behaved in the house of Lord. Arround the altar, a place most holy and sacred, there the Seraphim and hosts of angels of different order bow trembling in Adoration. With what devotion are you ascending the altar, a place most holy and sacred, there the Seraphim and hosts of angels of deferent order bow trembling in Adoration. With what devotion are you ascending the altar day by day to perform the sacred rituels. ? In the old dissention when rams and oxen were offered in sacrefice at altar, a little carelessness on the part of the priest was punished very severely. Fire descended from heaven and consumed everything and the priest fell dead. But here on this altar it is not ox or doves that are killed and offered in sacrifice, but the Son of the eternal Father who by a single word is able to annihilate evrything. You touched the same Son with your Hands; you receive him in your heart every day. Remember then how pure should your Hands be and how clan should be your heart! (Vol.3, 51).

God's bountiful Love:

Remember what the Lord has done for you. He Chose you from out of thousands. There were many who more worthy than you were. Yet, wonder of wonder, called you to his home, endowed you with many Gifts of matter and spirit. It looks as if you were wresling with God choosing to go your own way. The more he loves you the more you are ungrateful. The more he is Patient with you the more you grow impatient and insulting. O! What a tragedy is! You have been Chosen to love him and serve him. But you have joined Hands with the world that hate him and insult him. O! Servant of God arise from your lethargy. Do not allow yourself to be caught in the clutches of the devil whose only desire is to drag you into perdition. How Long has God been patient with you? How lovingly has he accompanied you? (Vol, 3, 52, 53).//-

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