Christian Perspectives

‘Unite yourselves to defeat selfishness,’ Cardinal at Madhu feast

His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo, presided at the Solemn Festive Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, on the Feast of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary, on August 15. His Lordships Bishop Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar, Bishop Joseph Ponniah Auxiliary Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa, and Bishop Norbert Andradi OMI Bishop of Anuradhapura and several other priests co-celebrated at the Festive Eucharistic celebration.

While His Lordship Bishop Joseph Ponniah Auxiliary Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa, preached in Tamil, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith preached in Sinhala.

“Every year we gather at this Madhu Shrine to celebrate the Feast of Assumption of Our Blessed Mother. It is because of our highest honour and great love that we have for Our Blessed Mother. Those who travel around the world would know that there are innumerable shrines and churches dedicated to Our Blessed Mother, where people from all four corners of the world gather to seek her intercession and mediation. People gather at Lourdes and Fatima, and also at many other Shrines of Our Lady with great faith and reverence. Even the Sri Lankans have a great love and honour for Our Blessed Mother and we see highest number of churches in Sri Lanka are dedicated to Our Blessed Mother. In the long history of Sri Lanka, people of North and South and East and West, even people of other faiths gathered every year at this Madhu Shrine. And this Madhu Shrine has been able to bring together and unite all people in different walks of life. Therefore, from the earliest history of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankans have a highest regard and honour for the Madhu Shrine.“

“It is so difficult to understand and grasp the great love Our Blessed Mother showed us, going through all the sufferings and pains, making all the sacrifices on behalf of us even at the foot of the Cross. It may not be wrong to say, the love that Our Blessed Mother showed us, was so painful more than the love of Christ. Holy Scriptures referred her lamentations and sufferings to the sacrifice on the Mount Calvary. Therefore, like Christ, she also joined the sacrifice on the Calvary.

She submitted herself completely and totally to the will of God, to offer her beloved Son Christ Our Lord on the Calvary, for the salvation of mankind. This is the Eucharistic sacrifice of Mary Our Mother. Therefore we believe that Mary ever Virgin, on completing the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul to heavenly glory by God. We also have received this vocation to live the Eucharistic life through the example of Mary. To sacrifice means, that we shed our differences and selfishness, and be broken to allow others to experience the salvation brought by Jesus Christ.”

“First of all, it is our responsibility to give up our selfishness and sacrifice ourselves to the Lord for the good of all. Every Christian has received this vocation and mission to join the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. St. Paul introduced his mission as a sacrifice to complete the mission entrusted to him through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross. Therefore, every Christian is entrusted with this responsibility of leaving one’s identity and individuality and to commit oneself for the good of others for the sake of God.”

“Much more than the choices and the decisions we make for ourselves, much more than we think of our own selves, we should make such sacrifices and commitments for the good of our own country. As citizens of this country, we need to have courage and be brave enough to defeat the selfishness that has embraced our country.

Today, time has to come to have righteousness and righteous living in Sri Lanka. When our mind is healed, our body also will be healed. When we go to a doctor, they examine ourselves and do the relevant tests, yet if they don’t find anything wrong in our physical system, doctors ask, whether we have worries and problems. It is because, when the mind is healed, our body also will be healed. There is a Latin phrase, “mens sana in corpore sano” - “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. It is not possible to think of physical healing without a healthy spiritual life. Therefore it is important not only to heal our physical and spiritual life, but also our national mind also should be healed.”

“Even after the 30 years long war has finished, we still talk within a divided framework, that is, we talk about peace within a divided framework of religion, nationality, caste and creed. I feel we as a country are imprisoned in such divisions. Even after the war still there are such divisions among us.

Still they are not healed. Time has come for us put away such divisions and unite ourselves with everyone to work towards true peace and prosperity in the country. To do so, everyone of us must have a selfless heart. Yes, the war of bombs and guns is over, but now it is time to start war against the national selfishness. This war is difficult than the war that is over. It is a war against selfishness, lies, fraud, and self-glorification, this is the enemy deeply rooted within ourselves.”

“Culture and language is a way for us to unite ourselves, but today we are making use of them to create divisions among us. The weapon for unity has been made a weapon for disunity and divisions. Religion is a guide and help for us to live a righteous life. Today even the religion is made use of for divisions and look at others indifferently and blindly. It is not a religious way of life for someone to become an extremist and a fanatic of one’s religion.”

“The Old Testament of Bible teaches us, love one another as you love yourself. But in the New Testament, Lord changed this concept and teaches us, to love one and another as I have loved you. Lord has shown us how to love one and another, how to forgive and how to help one another inspite of persecutions and sufferings.

Therefore, no religion or a culture will approve persecution of others or insulting others or taking revenge from others, or be indifferent to others or trample down another. There is no inner righteousness, if someone is involved in such activities. In this way, we cannot experience healing in the society. Therefore we need to make our religions, as instruments of showing love and kindness and mercy to others.

Although this country is one by law, it is still divided in hearts. It is still clear that the people of North do not think like the people of the South. We need to work flexible ways to win their hearts.

Our Blessed Mother has shown us the value of living a righteous life by appearing in several places in the world. We cannot forget that our country was about to be bombed by Japan in 1942. At that time His Grace the Archbishop Jean Marie Masson O.M.I. went to Our Lady of Lourdes church at Tewatta and prayed to Our Blessed Mother to protect Sri Lanka of such attacks and disasters.

Our Sri Lanka was saved of such attacks. This is a miracle that happened through the powerful intercession of Our Blessed Mother. Japan who captured Singapore and Burma, could not come to Sri Lanka. That is why we address her as Our Lady of Sri Lanka. Not only that, it is only after taking the statue of Our Lady of Madhu around the country, we had at least two years without a war.

As people belonging to this country, let ask this favour today from Our Blessed Mother, to help us to fight against the national selfishness in us, to protect our country from disasters that divide us, to awaken all Sinhala and Tamil leaders of this country to make sacrifices and to make commitments to build up a united nation where all live in harmony amidst differences of each other and respect the identity of everyone and where justice and peace will reign.

Let us plead to Our Blessed Mother for this intention. I wish all of you abundant blessings of Our Lady of Madhu and through the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Madhu, may our country become where democracy and peace reign.

Amen.”

Galle gets new Bishop

E Weerapperuma

Mgr Raymond Kingsley Wickremesinghe was consecrated as the 7th Bishop of Galle on Wednesday, August 31, by Colombo Archbishop His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith.

While the consecration ceremony of the new Bishop of Galle took place on his 50th birthday (August 31), the day also happened to be the 20th anniversary day of his ordination.

The new prelate was the seventh in a family of nine children born to the Wickremesinghe family, and His Lordship will go down in the history as the seventh Bishop of Galle Diocese since its creation by Pope Leo XIII, more than a century ago.

The consecration ceremony took place at St Mary’s Cathedral, Galle in the presence of a vast gathering including the religious and secular dignitaries, other invitees and the Catholics of the Diocese of Galle who waited for two years to welcome their shepherd along with Margaret Teresa Tilekaratne his mother and family members.

The Bishop elect was received at the Keells Super Complex, Kaluwella Galle and met with the heads of civil authorities including the Galle Mayor, Chief Minister and Governor of the Southern Province at Caritas SED-Galle Centre. Mgr Wickremesinghe was then conducted to St Mary’s Cathedral for consecration and Holy Mass.

The occasion was of great significance to both the Ordinandi and the presiding prelate and it would be marked as an unforgettable event specially in the life of Cardinal Ranjith, for His Eminence as the Cardinal officiated for the first time at a consecration ceremony of a Bishop of the Sri Lanka soil, associated and assisted by Vatican Nuncio Rt Rev Dr Joseph Spiteri and Rt Rev Dr Kingsley Swamipillai, the Bishop of Trincomalee and Batticaloa.

The members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Sri Lanka, Archbishops and Bishops Emeritus were also present at the occasion.

Born at the Panagoda Army camp on August 31, 1962, he was baptized by Rev Fr Don Sylvester as the Parish Priest of Christ the King Church, Pannipitiya, who later became the Galle Bishop. It was providence design that same priest as the Bishop of Galle officiated at the sacerdotal consecration of the future bishop who would follow him to look after the flock of Galle.

The idea of priestly vocation was mooted by Rev Fr Ignatious Gamlath while the Wickremesinghe family was living at Kelaniya.

He entered Daham Sevena – Kalutara (the former Sacred Heart Novitiate of the Oblates) and from there to the National Seminary of Our Lady of Sri Lanka to follow and complete priestly studies.

After ordination on August 5, 1989, Fr Raymond was sent to Ratnapura as an assistant Parish Priest to serve the mixed community. Subsequently he was appointed the Rector of Kalegana Minor Seminary.

He was also posted to the National Seminary Professorial staff as a lecturer in Moral Theology and a formator (May 11, 2008). While serving in that capacity on May 27 this year, the Vatican announced his election to the See of Galle filling the long due vacancy created by the moving of Rt Rev Dr Harold Anthony Perera as the Bishop of Kurunegala.

The Galle diocese came into existence on July 31, 1893.

Christian Thought for the Week

Ezekiel 1 23-28

There under the dome stood the creatures, each stretching out two wings towards the ones next to it and covering its body with the other two wings. I heard the noise their wings made in flight, it sounded like the roar of the sea, like the noise of the huge army, like the voice of Almighty God. When they stopped flying, they folded their wings but there was still a sound coming from above the dome over their heads.

Above the dome, there was something that looked like a throne made of sapphires and sitting on the throne was a figure that looked like a human being. The figure seemed to be shining like bronze in the middle of a fire, it shone all over with a bright light that had in it the colour of the rainbow. This was the dazzling light which shows the presence of the Lord...

Parable on the text

The prophet Ezekiel lived in exile in Babylon during the period before the fall of Jerusalam in 586 BC. He was a man of deep faith and great imagination. Many of the insights came in the forms of visions and many of messages were expressed in vivid symbolic actions. Ezekiel emphasizes the need for inner renewal of the heart and spirit and the responsibility of each individual for his own sin. He also proclaimed his hope for the renewal of the life of the nation. Presently, the raging war in the Middle East, epecially in Libya and Syria is the outcome, its provocative results the world is experiencing.

Gwen Herat from the Holy Bible

Feast of the Birth of Virgin Mary

Catholic devotees of Katukurunda in Moratuwa will celebrate the feast of the Birth of Virgin Mary on Thursday, September 8, with a festive High Mass at 8 am organized by the Parish community, under the guidance of Parish Priest Rev Fr Chrisantus Fernando OMI. The chief celebrant of the festive High Mass will be Rev Fr Bertram Ranjith, the Episcopal Vicar for Moratuwa Deanary, who is also the Parish Priest of St Sebastian’s Church in Moratuwa. Vespers will be sung on Wednesday, September 7 at 7 pm, presided over by Rev Fr Hilary Peiris. The preacher will be Rev Fr Ajantha Laksiri OMI.

A procession will be held after the Festive High Mass and also an additional Holy Mass at 6 pm.

- EW