Grief: A holy sorrow opening to grace

Grief is not a failure or a sign of weakness; it is the most natural and necessary response to loss. When we experience the death of a loved one or endure the breaking of an intimate relationship, our pain is truly an echo of our love. Far from being mere gloom or sadness, this sorrow becomes a holy sorrow when strengthened by Christian hope. This hope is far more than simple optimism or wishful thinking; it is an openness to grace – a divine power to move us from the emptiness of loss toward the fullness of the life we are still called to live.

If unchecked, however, grief can become destructive, leading to an attachment to the pain that chains us to the past. Even if the loss stems from a painful opportunity missed, a personal mistake, or a wrong choice, the ultimate focus must remain the life expected, not what was lost. Let us take courage to acknowledge the loss and, with what is gone, undergo a graceful death in the spirit, so that we may be truly free to enter into a greater measure of life.

Readiness to die: Receive a newer life

Life goes through beautiful moments of surrender, moments of offering. In fact, they are moments that we find that our life had flowered and borne fruits. There had to be a sacrificial death we had to undergo for this. Willingness to die brings the newer form of life which we may not have even imagined. Death is not just the last moment of our life, it is the ultimate moment of surrender, placing our life, past, present, and future, entirely into God’s mercy. Jesus died. One who has died once cannot die again. Readiness to die is a power we gain. In serving, helping, forgiving, in letting go of things, in accepting a painful moment, there is a graceful death, a beautiful surrender, a self-offering that gives us a newer life.

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Enter heaven now

Hell is “the ultimate consequence of sin itself … rather than a place, hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy,” stated Pope John Paul II in his General Audience on July 28, 1999. Is it a state that we enter into only after death? At every life choice we have a choice for or against grace, for or against Christ. If we have begun our life of grace there is already heaven that we have entered into - the life, the presence of God. Perhaps there is state of hell too in us (that separated state) since we have not been completely filled by grace. Since two possibilities are there to keep away from grace, deliberately and due to inability, it necessitates a community dimension of the reception of grace. Others facilitate one to be open for grace. One who denies grace cuts oneself off from the total reality, and that is only emptiness. Because, together we have the fullness of life. We speak of eternal death and eternal darkness, similarly we can imagine of the possibility of nothingness and emptiness. By denial of grace we chose for this emptiness. If hell as a place is not there, is it leading to a lawlessness? Not at all! It further adds extra responsibility to build a filial relationship with God irrespective of the fear of punishment. That will check how important and valuable God/Christ is in our lives.

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Return to the earth: Not a curse, a call

Return to the earth is not about perishability, but as transformation and a new possibility—simply a re-entry into the cycle of life’s renewal. This natural process shows also a soul-forming process in us here; it fundamentally rejects the view that the world is full of evil. The Earthly life, with its struggles, choices, and relationships, is the necessary environment for our growth into the image of Christ. Our moral choices, love, pain, and mercy are the crucible and the clay that actively shape our eternal character. Every bit of the world, its history, structures, and choices have shaped our souls. Some are created, some are brutally destroyed. Those whom we intend to desroy are essential for the completion of our own souls. The earth has yielded its fruit; in us, we are born of the earth and we return to it. Therefore, we must see in us the flowering of the earth which God has beautifully arranged. It is not a place Satan fills with lures and temptations. The earth and our own body are the sacrament of God’s love. To reject or devalue the Earthly life as a halt in a strange world is to devalue the very environment God chose for our formation. The overemphasis on the perishability of earthly life is something that tragically undervalues God’s creation and the profound work accomplished here. Therefore, let us approach our temporal lives not with hatred, but with reverence, recognizing in every struggle and joy the ongoing, sacred work of the creator.

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In exile? Live the freedom

In many ways, our faith has carried a sense of sadness; the feeling that this world is a spiritual prison, a "valley of tears," and that we are merely "exiles" counting the days until we finally escape to our true home. Christ has given a new vision to see the world, not as a broken place we must flee, but as the very place where we find the Father's home. The peace, the provision, the welcome, and the safety of Heaven are not purely future promises; they are the present spiritual reality available to us here and now. This means practicing the awareness that God is not up there in a distant, unreachable heaven, but here, in the quiet of our kitchen, the chaos of our workday, and the silence of our prayer. If we spend our entire lives feeling exiled and miserable, longing for death to simply rescue us from a painful existence, then we misunderstand the gift of Christ. Death cannot be seen as a liberation from earthly life, because our life is already meant to be lived in the freedom of the Father's home. Death does not free us into a perfect world. We must learn to live the freedom of the father’s home which may grow and sprout even after death.

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Contemplation in Service

Martin de Porres, a Dominican lay brother, spent his days in the infirmary, caring for the sick, and feeding the poor. He was known for his charity, mercy, and service, extending his love even to animals and nature. Cats and rats ate together in his presence. Martin contemplated the Truth not as a concept, not as an ideal, but as an encounter.

When Martin knelt to clean a wound, he was not just performing a medical act; he was meeting Christ in the suffering face of the poor. Through compassion he saw in his heart the divine Truth being revealed. When he forgave those who insulted him or served those society had condemned, Martin showed that Truth is not about strict judgment, but about boundless acceptance. His humble and tireless work was his deepest form of study and contemplation.

We often associate Truth with high ideals and complex systems of thought. We may be happy with books and websites. If you want to see the true face of Christ, the Veritas, look into the face of your struggling neighbor, extend your hands in service, show mercy, and bring peace. You will find the face of Christ being revealed in and through you.

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Mater Populi Fidelis

The title ‘Mater Populi Fidelis’ (Mother of the faithful People of God) is essential for clearly defining Mary’s role within the Church. It is also essential for addressing concerns that other Marian titles might distort the reality of Christ as the unique Redeemer and Mediator. The word ‘faithful’ (Fidelis) signifies loyalty and belief, immediately placing Mary in the order of grace as the first and most perfect exemplar of this virtue. Mary’s entire mission – from the Annunciation to the foot of the Cross – is defined by her free, continuous ‘Yes’ to God’s will; she models the perfect, responsive human participation in the divine plan. Consequently, the Church views her as the one who not only birthed Christ but also remained a worthy vessel of grace for all humanity, making her the mother of all believers who live by this foundational grace. This places Mary firmly within the Mystical Body of Christ and ensures that her unique motherhood extends to all members who share in the grace of Christ.

Mary’s relationship with the faithful is by grace, not through her independent power. None of the effects of devotion to her has a mechanical function. Mary helps us with maternal assistance and intercession flowing entirely from the grace of God and the unique role she received as the Mother of Christ. The title ‘Co-redemptrix,’ despite its historical use, tragically obscures the unique origin of Redemption because it is exaggerated as though Mary’s work is necessary to complete Christ’s perfect sacrifice. Since Christ’s redemptive work was perfect and needs no addition, embracing such language shifts Mary from a receptive position to one potentially parallel to Christ, undermining the truth that ‘everything comes from Him.’ Mary’s unique and indispensable cooperation in the work of salvation is entirely dependent upon and derived from Christ. She does not possess an independent power to offer grace.

Her essential contribution lies in her freely given assent (the Fiat at the Annunciation) and her profound spiritual solidarity. In these moments, she united her human will and suffering to the singular, salvific act of Christ. This is best understood as cooperation in the reception and application of the fruits of redemption, not as an independent cause. Christ and Mary do not equally merit or accomplish salvation for humanity; Christ alone is the Redeemer. Mary's participation is subordinate and derivative; her role does not in any way necessitate, complete, or perfect Christ’s own sacrifice, which was fully sufficient in itself.

Similarly, the term ‘Mediatrix’ is found problematic because, strictly speaking, no mediation in grace exists apart from Christ. Mary’s function is best explained by terms like ‘cooperation,’ ‘maternal assistance,’ and ‘manifold intercession.’ While the term ‘Mediatrix’ may be used in a clearly subordinate and participatory manner – meaning her help is secondary to Christ’s, and she is simply sharing in His single work, acting as a channel or helper – if not carefully defined, it can suggest that Mary replaces or diminishes Christ’s unique mediation. After her model, irrespective of nationality, language or faith, anyone who cooperates with grace, lives in goodwill and peace, lives the faithfulness of the people of God.

Therefore, devotion to her is a spiritual act that operates through faith and prayer, not through a magical or automatic dispensing of favours independent of Christ, the sole source of all grace. The significance and necessity of the document stem directly from the global reality that the tendency to push Mary’s powers or position toward deification is a pervasive theological and spiritual distortion. This happens when piety moves from seeking Mary as a refuge and source of tenderness to treating her as a power source independent of or equal to Christ. For example, in some Marian shrines and popular movements, we see the anthropological distortion where salvation is presented as a transaction secured primarily through specific Marian rituals, sidelining the essential role of personal commitment to Christ’s teachings. There is also the Christological distortion, where miracle claims associated with Marian statues or certain prayers become the central focus of faith, effectively draining true Christian belief and turning it into a cult that obscures the centrality of the Incarnate Son. Furthermore, the ecclesiological distortion occurs when devotion to Mary becomes the primary marker of Catholic identity, overriding the unity and sacramental life of the wider Church. All these cases, there may be Eucharistic celebration and adoration, preaching on Jesus and claim that they have not distorted. When certain titles, practices are misinterpreted or pushed to a dogmatic or devotional extreme, they do create severe imbalances. Therefore, the goal of ‘Mater Populi Fidelis’ is not to limit Marian devotion, but to sustain and accompany the love of Mary by grounding it firmly in Scripture, Tradition, and the central mystery of Christ. This approach ensures that Mary’s honour remains true to her unique but receptive role of an outstanding faithful.

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Unconditional belonging, grace and freedom

We are truly the children of God. That is what Jesus taught us. Being one in Christ the Son, we are all children of God. Moved by the Spirit we are all the children of God. The same spirit of being the children of God makes us cry out ‘Abba father.’ It is in the home of the Father the children grow, find their being, welcomed, strengthened when they are weak, healed when they are injured, and found when they are lost. This is the core of Christian life, it had to be the essence of our life. Yet, for some reasons, through history, we were fascinated by sin and guilt, and the entire faith was often framed within a legalistic focus on transgression. This focus tragically obscured the profound, unconditional welcome found in the Father’s home. Perhaps there is a background of the retributive theology of the Old Testament which supports a ransom theology.  If the sin is necessary to explain salvation, perhaps we have understood salvation wrongly. Children-freedom-grace model would have given a much better face to Christianity than the sin-salvation model. Freedom of the children of God is something we need to meditate deeply and grow. It is not something that we need to merely experience but also to ensure where it is not found.

Prayer vs Court Process

The parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8) is one of Jesus’ most insightful teachings on how we understand our relationship with God and how easily that image can be distorted. The widow, with her unwavering insistence, is often our model, and the unjust judge, by analogy, becomes a reluctant God who needs to be persuaded. So, often, we hear this parable interpreted simply as a call to persistent prayer: “Keep asking, keep knocking, eventually God will give in!”

While perseverance in prayer is, without doubt, a virtue, Jesus’ intention in this parable goes deeper. He isn't saying, "God is like this unjust judge, so we must keep on asking Him." He is saying, "If even an unjust judge, who cares nothing for God or humanity, will eventually respond to persistent pleading, how much more will your loving Heavenly Father, who yearns for your well-being, listen and act on your behalf!" The warning here is vital: God should never be pictured like this judge.

The Pharisaic system, for all its devotion, often maintained an image of God as a distant, legalistic judge, meticulously weighing merits and demerits, demanding endless rituals and perfect adherence to an complex system of law. Prayer, in such a system, could become less about heartfelt communion and more about proving one's worthiness, a transaction to earn favour. This placed a huge spiritual burden on people, leading to anxiety, guilt, and a constant fear of not being "good enough."

Jesus showed us a home and introduced us to have conversations in that home. God has made a home with us. Prayer is a conversation in that home. Other than in a homely atmosphere, where can we find true justice? The parable clearly shows the need for perseverance in prayer. Jesus assures us that God, unlike the unjust judge, will “grant justice to his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night.” More than what we say or what we practice, true prayer is an attitude and a growth. In one way or another, prayer is an openness to the righteousness of God. When we seek God’s action, asking for personal favours or spiritual growth, it is all about calling for the establishment of God’s righteous order in a world often marked by emptiness. The prayer Jesus taught us is all about the just and righteous rule of God. “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven,” is not only a request, it is also an openness for God’s will in our life. This is the ultimate request for a just, equitable, and truthful reality. Similarly, “Give us this day our daily bread,” desires economic and social justice and also shows willingness to work for that justice. “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us,” looks for restoring peace and reconciliation, also the readiness to forgive and be reconciled.

Seeking God’s will in prayer leads us through a growth in truth, justice, and trust as an essential environment for genuine communion. Prayer is not just our pleas or performances of rituals, it is also our genuine actions of kindness and of standing for justice where there is injustice.  Prayer acknowledges one’s situation, needs, failings, and genuine intentions without any pretence. It is also a freedom from seeking any hiding places in the name of piety, religiosity, or social activism. Prayer challenges us to come face-to-face with ourselves. As the truth of our life is before us, what gives us confidence in prayer is our trust that God is just and will respond to our sincere appeals according to His perfect will. So, the prayer is not just a personal request, but aligning our will with God’s righteousness. Prayer is never a religious activity, but a life style.

How often in different ways we hear, that the best way to approach God is to beg harder, plead and suffer helplessness? The widow's insistence models the unshakeable faith that God will indeed "grant justice to his chosen ones." It teaches us to trust deeper. When we embrace Him as the loving Father who has already made a home with us, the entire nature of prayer transforms. Prayer becomes a sincere conversation in the secure atmosphere of that home. It is a radical act of vulnerability, laying bare our genuine self—our needs, our failings, and our deepest intentions—without the pretense of piety or activism.

To pray, then, is to step out of the lonely courtroom of self-righteousness where we have to defend our case, where we fear the judgment of a legalistic God, and to fully embrace the truth of Christ's desire: "Your kingdom come, your will be done." This is an openness to God's righteousness that bring our anxious, self-seeking will to His gentle, just, and life-giving reality. 

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Be compassionate

Be compassionate, grant pardon, do not judge, and do not condemn… they ask from us something so great from our deep resources. To approach the truth of a person or an event, we do need wise judgment and a process of discernment. It isn't about ignoring wrongdoing but about reorienting the purpose of judgment itself. In this sense, it is less about a detached, forensic analysis of actions and more about a heartfelt attempt to see the whole person – we may be able to see them where they are freed from our biases and prejudices. It’s the discernment of a compassionate heart to reread and retell the story of their pain, their struggles, and their value. Then, wisdom guides us to judge in truth, which has a compassionate face.

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Capax dei

We know a missing element in our hearts, may be formed in different ways although our lives. This emptiness is a yearning for grace, one way or the other shapes the very uniqueness of a person. This Capax Dei is a spiritual longing in our being.

In Mary, the capacity for God blossomed into the most beautiful flower. She received in her the Son of God. She is also the living testament, that the capacity for God prepares generations to form grace structures to fill us with grace. About her conception, our faith defines, Mary, from the moment of conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved free from all stain of original sin. If we see it as a divine magic of one moment we have less reason to rejoice. Of course, what happened in Mary is a divine grace, but it also signifies a completion of that inherent receptivity, perhaps as a culmination of grace-structures formed through many generations, culminating in Mary utterly open to the Divine.  These generations, persons showed their truthfulness and openness to receive grace to fill their yearning, being healed of wounds that sins would originate in them and breed.

Mary has a face, a blueprint for humanity’s ongoing transformation. Her "fullness of grace" is not a static, unreachable ideal, but an active invitation. Mary’s Capax Dei radiates a boundless compassion that shows the Divine love she so perfectly contained. Each generation, holds the potential to build upon this sacred lineage, to cultivate anew this capacity for God. It is in acts of empathy, in selfless giving, in the fearless embrace of the marginalised, that the ‘Capax Dei’ of a generation truly expands. Her birth, then, is a constant spring of hope, reminding us that the human spirit, imbued with its sacred capacity, can continuously transform itself, mirroring her grace, extending her charity, and thereby becoming, in every living moment, a fresh epiphany of God’s presence on Earth.

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Blessedness

Being poor and hungry, suffering and mourning were not signs of divine blessing, but signs of a curse according to many beliefs. Even now many prefer to believe so. But to these, Jesus attaches the blessedness of God’s kingdom. There is a freedom to trust because he taught about God to be our Father. The Gospel sets people to feed, console, stand for justice, and ensure resources for the feeble. The hungry being satisfied, those who weep being consoled and so on, are the signs of liberation the Gospel brings. These are the marks of Christ humanity can bear on their lives; the beauty or the glory revealed in us with Christ’s Glory. The blessedness is a gift and a responsibility which reflects the opening words of Gospel announcement “… he has sent me to proclaim good news to the poor, liberty to captives, to open the eyes of the blind…”  These acts of grace make a renewal in us in the image of the creator. See around, see within - he is everything and he is in everything. There are no differences, domination and divisions, no one is higher or lower, outsider or one’s own, nothing is strange or hostile … only Christ. The things of above, for Jesus, were not super-transcendental high ideals, instead they were breaking one’s separating boundaries and extending oneself to others in love in the freedom of the gospel.  Live the beatitudes in the freedom of the gospel, see the beauty of Christ being revealed in us, and in the church.

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Beyond Vengeance: Embracing Life for All

When prophets called for repentance, a self-critique for renewal, they condemned those on the other side who were apparently strangers or enemies. Jonah is a symbol of all those attitudes, and the time they held this approach. If they pleased Yahweh, they could expect Yahweh to do what they liked.  Jonah, though he spoke of the nature of Yahweh as full of love, compassion and slow to anger, he does not expect Yahweh to act according to his nature. Jonah represented the general approach of the people. Gradually, in some sectors, the understanding took a renewed outlook, taking a universal vision; God's goodness and compassion extend to all people. Jesus revealed God as Father of all, and we are all God's children. The righteousness of God is inclusive of all, seeing the good of all. It is natural that we may desire to win. Divine righteousness means the winning of everyone, and the life of all. Seeking vengeance and destruction is not about divine justice, but about self-righteousness. Every other person, other nation, or other race may be destroyed in establishing justice; that may be our expectation of justice. Ultimately, that which would remain is a 'me' who is justified. That is actually a hell. In our evaluations, viewpoints, and even in prayers, revenge-seeking attitudes may be present. Unless our perspectives, choices and observances are moulded by the nature of divine righteousness, which desires good and life for all, we have not known the heart of Christ. 

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