Ignited My Mind
I was elated and delighted to read the article of Sr. Manisha Gonsalves in the November issue. The topic enthralled me and the concepts ignited my mind to overcome negative forces that have ruthlessly disturbed my heart and soul for years in my priestly life. The article made to understand the valuable life of priests and religious. They are not simply born through physical intimacy of parents; rather they are born since they are called by God, like the prophets in the Bible. The other articles in MAGNET helped me to remain strong in my faith and in my priestly life. I doff my hat to the hard work of the entire team to make it most powerful and successful amidst constant challenges. May God bless you to be creative and informative.
Fr. S. Robin Stanly
Diocese of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu
Journey of Diminishment
The magazine is rich. It touches different aspect of life, for instance, spiritual-touching reflections and quotes, legal issues, like contracts, advertisements, e.g., vocation promotion and the fun page. The spirituality of diminishment is what stayed with me. I think it is something to reflect on especially as I live my youthful age, to remember that someday, there will be diminishment. This is HUMILITY. It is my first time to read the magazine but I am impressed by the good work. It is worth the effort. Congratulations.
Sr. Nancy Shitambasi MSHR,
Kenya
True Fasting
I am immensely pleased to read a lot about Lent and Easter in MAGNET magazine, as we had just entered the Lenten season 2020. There are very many useful suggestions to be adapted in the lent.
I was also surprised to read about alternative for fasting, but no one is talking about a true fasting! I always remember, and of course taught my children too, what my mother taught me about fasting.
Fasting is not merely skipping a meal or a food item that we like the most; instead, it is to give the food to anyone who has not eaten and we do fast, as there is nothing for us to eat. Or in other words, fast and give that food to those in need.
There is also a practice of keeping apart a hand full of rice, as we cook every time during the lent (40 days) and give that to the parish, so that it is distributed to the poorer families. Similarly, the money saved from skipping meat during the Lenten season is also used likewise.
Mrs Mary Edison
Mumbai, Maharashtra
A walk through the Lent with JESUS
As a married man, I see lent more than just giving up something for forty days. It is a time of self-analysis and reflection. People take or see lent as a custom of any religious festival that comes in a calendar. As a tradition, they fast by skipping one meal or two, but the point here is what change it brings in us. Fasting with no change in our realistic life doesn’t make any sense.
Walking with the Lord, growing closer to Him, strengthening our faith by preparing our heart with intentional thoughts and plans make a difference. It is a time to truly reflect on what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us. It is a time to slow down from the pace of life, to reach the peak of a greater mask of wants and greed, lust and desires.
As humans, we are filled with fear, anxiety, pride, envy, anger and a whole lot of other emotions that keep us away from the Lord. Lent is the perfect time to silence these dins of emotions. Instead of filling your eyes and mind and heart with pings and beeps of your mobile phone, fill them with the messages of truth found in the Bible. However, it is not going to be that easy, but, yes, it will bring you a sense of peace and clarity as you walk with the Lord, reading the Word of God. Lent is not just giving up a meal or two, instead, it is making a sacrifice of something you crave for and comfort that has eased life. Reflect and find out what are the unwanted desires we carry in our daily life. For example, alcoholism, greed and other defects. By giving up such things and filling our heart with the Word of God, love and care of all those around us will certainly make a perfect lent and bring us closer to Jesus.
Attend Mass from the beginning till the end, pray for others, help people in need. If you happen to see someone asking you for help, remember it is Jesus who is knocking at your door. Make reading the Bible a delight.
We celebrate Easter or the mark of Jesus Christ’s victory over death. His resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him. In a married man’s perspective, I would say that Easter is the time that we resurrect from our sins, having evaluated and knowing what you are in the forty days of Lent. Sacrificing and washing up dusts from our minds and hearts will lead to a meaningful resurrection from our sins which in turn makes a perfect and meaningful Easter.
Ralph Dennis Lobo
Bali, Indonesia
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