40 My Monologues with St Joseph, the Silent Worker

40 My Monologues with St. Joseph, the Silent Worker

Dear St. Joseph, the Silent Worker,

The more I think and meditate about you, the more I admire you and I feel close to you.

Nothing is known about your birth or about the beginning years of your childhood or of your youth.

Nothing is known about the evening years of your life or about your death.

Yet You are a Fabulous Fascination for me!

Dear St Joseph the Silent Worker,

But who are you?

What are you?

Where are you from?

How long did you live?

When, where, and how did you die?

Dear St. Joseph, the Silent Worker,

Though there may never be a satisfactory answer to the above questions and queries, it doesn't disappoint me a bit.

You are a mind boggling mystery!

You are a brain teasing riddle of history!

You are a never fading memory!

You are an ever inspiring.

You are an ever living person!

You are yet a Fabulous Fascination for me!

Thank you!

Dear St. Joseph, the Silent  Worker,

All that I know of you is about the twelve plus years of your life covering your betrothal, your married life as a husband, and owning, loving, and caring for a son whom you did not father.

It is written you are a just man.

It is told you are a carpenter by profession.

That's all the personal information we have about you.

Yet you are:

the unsung hero,

the unhailed winner,

the unseen sustainer!

Dear St Joseph the Silent Worker,

You must have been a hardworking young adult who had been entertaining the normal and legitimate dreams of having a wife and becoming a father and rearing your children, right?

That was not to be!

You have been a silent worker trying to sustain your family, weren't you?

You know, it hasn't been easy at all to do so. Having been born and brought up in a socially and religiously highly patriarchal community, it wasn't easy to be on the sidelines and yet to be the main breadwinner for your family.

Dear St Joseph, the Silent Worker,

You did silently slog for your young wife and for your foster son.

Did you ever feel  being sidelined?

Did you feel anytime that you were being used?

Did you ever feel your services were unrecognized or marginalized?

These above mentioned are some of the usual reactions of any humans who find themselves in situations similar to what you have been through.

Dear St Joseph, the Silent  Worker,

It would have been quite normal if you have had reactions like:

as being used,

as being sidelined,

as being marginalized, and

as being unrecognized etc.

It is possible that you did experience similar reactions but you did face them and did overcome them, right?

Dear St Joseph, the Silent Worker,

This is the way I like to think of you.

I like to remember you:

as someone who struggled with those feelings,

as someone who survived them,

as someone who grew out of them,

as someone who thrived there after,

as someone who did work hard to support your wife and foster son.

Dear St Joseph, the Silent Worker,

If I were in similar situations, I probably  would have turned mad and would have become a maverick in my reactions!

With all my immaturity, I might have  thrown her out with no mercy at all.

In all probability I would have verbally  abused and hurt her who bore a baby which I myself didn't father. It is possible  that I could have been even physically violent and emotionally persecuting her.

That's very much like me!

Don't you agree with me that I need go along, long way to grow up?

Dear St Joseph, the Silent Worker,

Unlike you:

It is very difficult for me:

to find myself being ignored,

to find myself unable to be in the limelight,

to find myself sidelined.

I find myself constantly in need of attention.

Dear St Joseph, the Silent Worker,

How i wish could be like you:

sober in my reactions,

modest in my ambition,

unassuming in my dealings,

humble in accepting the inexplicable!

Dear St  Joseph, the Silent  Worker,

Often, it's very difficult for me to accept the realities of life which are contrary to what I want and expect.

Often, it's  very difficult for me to accept the inevitable struggles, trials of everyday life.

Often I become very agitated, when things happen contrary to my wishes and wants.

As look back many a times I have been cynical or silly in my reactions to things I don't like.

Sad indeed for a senior priest like me!

Dear St  Joseph, the Silent Worker,

May your life and example keep on spurring me to grow in emotional maturity and in spiritual insight.

when I face unwelcome events, experiences, and situations, how i wish to be mature like you!

I want to learn from you to remain on the sidelines.

I want to keep in check my constant urge to be the center of attention and to be star of attractions at the expense of the deserved ones.

I want to keep on learning to be happily accepting the rough and tough sides of my daily life and ministry.

I want to be a silent and happy worker following your footsteps.

May your memories keep me to do so.

Dear St  Joseph, the Silent Worker,

I am highly honored to have your name!

All that wish and want to keep on worthy of bearing your name.

Dear Risen, Lord,

Thank you for your immense patience me with my oft repeated immature behaviors.

Lord,  since the sixty plus years or so, you have been giving me time and opportunities to keep on growing.

I earnestly hope, pray, and try to keep growing  and coming closer and closer to your expectations for me.

Thank you,  Lord,  Thanks you!

I want spend some time in silence in your presence, joyfully thanking for loving patience and expectations for me!

My Lord and My God!

JoAchen

Tuesday, April 28,2015

joachenmonologues@gmail.com

Facebook:
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Joe Monologues
Blog :
www.my-monologoues.blogspot.in

PS
Dear Reader,
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my, 'Prodigal Priest's' journaling on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father. You are welcome to share them.
Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours.

I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st, and on the 28th of every month.

Thank you! 

39 My Monologues with the Evangelist Mark

39 My Monologues with Mark the Evangelist

Dear Evangelist Mark,

Thank you for gifting us with your version of the Gospel of the Lord.

They say it is the first written gospel.

Sure, it is the briefest and it has your personal touch.

Very little is known about your personal and of your past life.

Weren't you also known as John Mark?

They say you must have been one of those seventy disciples whom Jesus had called and sent as his foot-soldiers, were you?

So you must have met, heard, and talked with Jesus, right?

The Bible Pundits say you left the company of the Lord half way through, but later rejoined him, did you?

Some of them think that you were the nameless young man who got into a panic and hurriedly fled in fear as Jesus was being arrested.

Some are of the opinion you provided your home in Jerusalem as one of the usual Gathering Places for the followers of Jesus. It is possible that the Upper Room used for the Last Supper was a part of your living quarters,right?

You did accompany Apostle Paul in his First Mission Journey.

Then you did travel with Bernabas,right?

Finally you did work with the Apostle Peter and guided by him you wrote your version of the Gospel of Jesus.

Dear Evangelist Mark,

Despite having met and known Jesus, despite, being one of the Seventy disciples, despite being an Evangelist, you had the humility, the courage, and conviction to accept your own limitations.

Remember, there was something that didn't click between you and the Apostle Paul.

You both couldn't work together as a team, could you?

So you decided to part company, right?

Yet, you experienced the satisfaction and enjoyed the success in your ministry in the service of your Lord.

You were neither blamed Paul for your failure to work as a team nor you were about the differences of opinion you had with him.

You just parted company as you didn't have the required chemistry between the two of you.

Yet did succeeded in striking a real good relationship with Apostle Peter.

Dear Evangelist Mark,

As I look back into the last forty plus years of my priestly life and ministry, I have had several occasions where I could not strike a good working relationship with many of my confreres, fellow priests, and coworkers.  Invariably, I used to place the blame on others for the failed working relationship. Besides, I used to turn bitter, rebellious, and enemical with them. Well, in hindsight, most of the time, it was mainly due to my own immaturity, insecurity, and inordinate ambition etc. Though I have made some progress, there is yet a long way to go!

Dear Evangelist Mark,

How I wish, I could have learned faster as you did!

In spite of all your interpersonal relationship problems with apostles like Paul and others, you did make your life and ministry meaningful and fruitful!

You never blamed yourself alone for all the problems and failures you have had. You never gave up just because you had problems with Apostle Paul.

You were neither disappointed nor dispirited. On the other hand you tried new paths and opportunities and found success and happiness in working with Peter and writing the gospel.

I wish to have your resilience and your optimism.

Dear Evangelist Mark,

Let me not fool myself thinking that I need to be faultless and perfect priest.

Hellp me to accept myself with all my limitations and liabilities.

Please, continue to inspire e with your resilience and optimism.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Inspired by your Gospel, I want to weave a gospel story of my own little life, interwoven with my failures and success, interwoven with my tears and cheers,

interwoven with my fears and strength.

I want to enable myself so that you can live in me and through me!

Dear Lord Jesus,  

Let spend a few moments in your presence in silence and solitude!

Amen

JoAchen

Tuesday, April 21,2015

joachenmonologues@gmail.com

Facebook:
My Monologues

Joe Monologues
Blog :
www.my-monologoues.blogspot.in
PS
Dear Reader,
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my, 'Prodigal Priest's' journaling on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father. You are welcome to share them.
Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours.

I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st, and on the 28th of every month. If you do not want get these Reflections via email, please send a note and your email id will be deleted from the mailing list.

Thank you! 

38 My Monologues with Mary Magdalene (Lk 8 Jn 20)

38 My Monologues with Mary Magdalene (Lk 8, Jn 20)

Dear Mary Magdalene,

Where to begin?

The mere mention of your name provokes controversies and evokes admiration. Some do marvel at you. Some  squirm to think how bad a life you have had.

Yet, Mary, who are you?

So mysterious are your beginnings, so unassuming is your presence in the ministry of your,"Raboni", right?

Mary, what has become of you after the Resurrection Morning?

Mary, you seem to have  mysteriously vanished into thin air after your Rabbi Experience of the First  Easter Morning, right?

Dear Mary,

Your name has been much maligned and your reputation has irreparably been damaged.

Mary, you have been branded as a wanton woman of ill repute. You have been condemned as a public prostitute who even got around Jesus the Messiah as his paramour / consort / concubine / lover. Some even hold that you had at least one daughter born of him!  

Mary, from the very beginning of the New Testament  times you had been painted as a penitent prostitute who became a devout follower of the Lord.

Popes, Princes of the Church, Prelates, and Pundits of the Bible and Theology have preached about you and presented you as a penitent public sinner / prostitute.

Sure, later on Pope's have recanted and tried to rehabilitate your name and reputation.

Yet, they keep on preaching about you as a penitent prostitute which has no Biblical back up at all.

What an injustice!

How inhuman it is!

How unchristian it is!

Some are convinced you are indeed a beauty to behold and men couldn't resist your charm.

They say you are a rare combination of brunette beauty with brain and who easily had men around your little finger.

Some others think of you as a blue blooded blond beauty born with a silver spoon in your mouth.

Well, Mary, it goes on and on...

Personally for me, you are none of the above. I love to go by what is written about you in the Gospel Narratives.

Mary, you were a very severely sick person, possessed by seven demons. This would mean you were a totally sick person, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, right?

Mary, you must lost control over your own life. It was quite possible that your were out on the street unaware of your own wanderings and  behaviour.

You could have just walked away from your home totally unaware of your own actions and activities, right?  

Mary, you could also have been left  abandoned on the streets by your kith and kin as you might have increasingly become a burden, a shame, and a problem for your family.

Mary, you could have very well been  physically maltreated, emotionally abused, mentally tortured, and sexually exploited, right?

Mary, it is your 'Raboni'  

who healed you,

who salvaged from the street,

who restored your all around health,

who rehabilitated you in the society,

Didn't He?

Mary, you must have been from a very rich family as you had enough of financial resources even to support your 'Raboni' and his group of disciples, right?

After having been healed and made  healthy, you must have got hold your share of family wealth which was used to support your Raboni and his group.

Mary, your love, admiration and gratitude for Raboni grew by leaps and bounds as he was one who bought you back from total ruin, right?

So you dedicated the rest of your life for your Raboni. You just followed him like a shadow.

Mary, you were one of the fewest of his followers who had the love, the loyalty, and the courage to climb up Calvary and to place yourself at the foot of the Cross, weeping and wailing in silence and throwing your arms around cross.

Mary, the agonizing sight of your Crucified Raboni must have shell shocked you to stone silence.

Mary, prompted by gratitude, you had guts to be with your 'Raboni' as he breathed his last on the Cross.

Mary, though you wanted  to give your 'Raboni' a decent burial, compelled by the onset of Sabbath and its restrictions you had to stop with the minimum.

Mary, weighed down by the inconsolable grief, impatiently you waited to get the Sabbath behind. Then early in the morning, you hurriedly headed to the tomb to anoint the lifeless body of 'Raboni' and give it decent burial to your heart's content.

Mary, nothing could deter you,

no one could stop you,

daringly, you went,

single minded, you set out, didn't you?

Mary, there was no place for fear of anybody and of any sort in your heart, right?

Because, your heart was filled with undying love and full of inexhaustible gratitude and limitless loyalty!

As the lifeless body of your once lively 'Raboni' was found missing, you  were lost in grief and were gripped by disappointment.

Mary, you were so lost in confusion, as a result, you couldn't even recognize your 'Raboni', right?

You mistook him for the gardener, didn't you?

But as he called out your name, 'Mary'!

It clicked.

That was the unexpected moment of unalloyed joy!

And you thrillingly responded,

'Raboni' !!!!!!

Mary,

Your life instantly changed for ever!

Your dead spirit is risen!

Your lost hope rekindled for ever!

Mary,

For the rest of your life, these two words kept on ringing in your ears, right, Mary?

'Mary! '.... 'Raboni!'.......

'Mary!'......'Raboni'..........

'Mary!'.....'Raboni!'........

Dear Risen Lord,

Mary may be the one and the only one among your followers

who never ever turned against you,

who never ever betrayed you,

who never ever abandoned you,

who never ever disappointed you,

who never ever deserted you,

who always stood by you,

who always took care of your needs,

who even financially supported you,

who was ever grateful for healing her,

Right, Lord?

No wonder, you did deliberately reward her with the the Unique Privilege of being the First human being who saw you, After your Resurrection.

This honor was not granted to any of your chosen Twelve!

But to Mary! and Mary alone!

Sure, it must have ruffled quite a few 'male' feathers of your disciples.

Dear Risen Lord,

How come that your Mary suddenly vanished into thin air?

Though tempted to pursue and probe into the issues of Vanished Mary, I do not want to  distract myself from the bliss of keep imaginng the echoing the soft and sweet sounds of :

'Mary!' ......... 'Raboni!' ........

'Mary!' ......... 'Raboni!' ........

'Mary!' ......... 'Raboni!' ........

Let me keep relishing it!!!!

Dear Risen Lord,

Though I am no where near Mary in her unflinching faith and unwavering loving loyalty to you, I know you keep calling out my name repeatedly,

But, I have consistently failed to hear and respond!!!!!!

When will I be able to keep claiming you as the 'Raboni' of my life?

And keep on calling you,

'Raboni.. Raboni... Raboni... '

Amen.

JoAchen

Tuesday, April 14th,2015

joachenmonologues@gmail.com

Facebook:
My Monologues

Joe Monologues
Blog :
www.my-monologoues.blogspot.in

PS
Dear Reader,
These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations. They are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my, 'Prodigal Priest's' journaling on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father. You are welcome to share them.
Dear Reader, I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours.

I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st, and on the 28th of every month.

Thank you!

My  Lord and My God! 

37 My Monologues with the Apostle Thomas Didymus (Jn)

37 My Monologues with the Apostle Thomas Didymus (Jn)

Dear Apostle Thomas,

After the Resurrection of Jesus your Master and your Lord, you, for sure, garnered much attention and courted controversy, right?

Though very little is known about your personal life, your family background and about your occupation etc, some of your interventions do highlight your personal qualities and characteristics.

Remember, when Jesus your Master wanted to go to Judea and visit his friend Lazarus who was seriously ill, he was dissuaded by your fellow-disciples for the fear of his life. But you were courageous enough to invite your colleagues to go with the Lord, come what may, right? While your fellow-disciples played it safe, you had the guts to go and even face death!

That is remarkable of you!

Unlike your colleagues, you showed such an unalloyed affection and commitment to your Lord and Master?

Dear Apostle Thomas,

Your show of chivalry was not to impress upon. It was genuine indeed!

Dear Apostle Thomas,  

Your candid and courageous witnessing forces me to look into myself and be confronted with my own lack of courage and commitment to stick out for my Master!

Thank you for forcing me to look into  myself and be in touch with my own half-hearted commitment to my Lord and Master.

Dear Apostle Thomas,

Remember, you once told your Lord and Master that you don't know the Way?

How innocently/naively you blurted out your ignorance concerning the Way and expose your ignorance in the presence of everyone including your Master and Lord. You never felt small by letting the Lord know of your ignorance concerning the Way,

Dear Apostle  Thomas,

If I were in your shoes I would have kept quiet and wouldn't have made known my ignorance. By acknowledging your ignorance in the presence of your Lord and in the presence of fellow-disciples, you were able to get growing closer to the Lord. Very often, I am ashamed to admit my ignorance and appear to be all knowing!

No wonder, I am stuck and stunted in my personal relationship with the Lord, despite being a religious and a priest for forty plus years.

Dear Apostle Thomas,

Finally, you are unjustly branded as "the doubting Thomas" as you refused to buy and believe the Resurrection of your Lord and Master. You were defiant, you at least appeared to be stubborn.

Why?

Was your  'Doubt'  a ploy to me action?

to get attention?

Were you afraid to get hurt again?

You adamant to the point of being obstinate?

Was your "Doubt" an attempt to express your anger  and frustration?

By the way, where were you when the Risen Lord appeared to rest of your fellow-disciples?

Did you feel discounted and marginalized by the Risen Lord as He chose to appear to the disciples when you had gone out to run errands and collect provisions?

It was not just doubting for the sake doubting.

You didn't hang on to your doubt.

You didn't  feel vindicated.

You didn't boast, finally when Lord appeared and yielded to your demands to touch the wounds and place your figure in his wounded side.

You just melted..

You didn't insist to touch or place your finger.

You were totally bowled over, right?

Your spontaneous response,

"My Lord and My God" said it all.

No more doubts..

No more conditions..

Just giving yourself entirety away to your  Lord!

Surrendering!! total Surrendering!!

Dear Apostle Thomas,

How i wish to surrender myself to the Lord as did!!!

Will I ever be able?

Dear Risen Jesus,

My Lord and My God,

You never were hurt or offended by his haughty demands.

You never were angry with Thomas for insisting  with conditions!

You just yielded to his conditions!

You just heeded to demands!

Because, you just needed to seen him transform!

I guess, you do wish the same for me!

Help me to get myself transformed like your

Thomas!

Thank you,

My Risen Lord for keep patiently waiting  for me!

To say,

"My Lord and My God"

Amen

JoAchen

Tuesday, April 7th, 2015

joachenmonologues@gmail.com

Facebook

My Monologues

Blog:

www.my-monologoues.blogspot.in

PS

Dear Reader, These Reflections are neither pure scientific exegesis nor are they any highly theological explanations.

They are my devotional meditations mainly meant for my personal renewal and spiritual growth. They are a part of my journaling on my Pilgrimage to the Home of our Heavenly Father.

You are welcome to share them.

I plan on uploading a Reflection each on 7th, 14th, 21st and on 28th of every month.

I keep holding you in my prayers and I request you to include me in yours.

Thank you!

My Lord and My God!