“From his fullness we have received Grace upon Grace” (John 1:16)

I thank you Lord for all your abundance of graces which we have received and even for the unasked blessings regarding which we have never had thought of. Enteresting all the credits and benefits to the author and creator of all I cheerfully submit this request of a 2 days program at NBCLC on Challenges in the mission today “

This program was inaugurated on 3rd January 2025 at 9:30 a.m. along with 55 novices from 11 congregations in the presence of Rev. Fr. A. John Baptist the Director of NBCLC, Rev. Father Jerry the resource person and all the staff and the directress of the novices from respective congregations.

The section started with the event of lighting lamps and proceeded by the prayer sessions. the program was scheduled in the manner of having five sections per day. Fr. Jerry began the sessions with the words of appreciation saying that appreciate yourself that you have accepted the call of Jesus in this challenging Modern era. Through your call you have to become new and have some challenges to live by. Accepting them that your life may be fruitful. The introductory session had ended up with the words of St. Antony of Padua, illustrating the fig tree full of leaves to the human life with full of challenges, thoughts, reflections, and even prayers. But without any practical life all throughout the sessions we have discussed about 25 challenges. we may have to take up in our life as a missionary. some of them are listed below

• Appreciate yourself in a positive, proactive and productive manner.
• Go beyond Jesus, Joseph and Mary and put on the mind of Jesus which means think and do beyond even your founder/ foundress.
• The word novices come from the Greek word ‘Nova’ which means new example “new generation, new dreams, new visions, new plans, new Ministries and new service. Most of the congregation have two years of novitiate. The first year is for knowing the past, knowing about the constitution, congregations, founders, Church history and second year novitiate is for the new dreams, visions, plans, which I must make it.
• The religious vows are also challenges and Pope Francis says that keeping up the vows itself is a daily Martydom.
• Let the integrated approach in life be built upon the count of my conscience which includes five stages first human life- be human, accept, understand, appreciate others if you see something good in them.
• Social life- respect the persons- their dignity and their age.
• Cosmic life -be grateful to God and nature because in each drop of words and each in each drop of words are in each particle of dust God is there.
• Christian life- forgiveness is the key of Christianity.
• Religious life – Life with vows + passion = to mission. A visionary can be effective missionary only when they are passionary.
• Passion: which means “PAIN FOR GAIN” example PAIN for one self and GAIN for others. Vows: for the sake of our mission (kingdom of God) we take it.
• PAIN: Means daily crosses. In terms of discouragements, desolations, depressions, misunderstanding, gossiping, loneliness which we feel .when we stand for some values say big thanks to God when you come across because ours is the spirituality of sacrifice and ask God not to take to away but to Grand the grace the strength and the blessings to carry them.
• Vision/ dream/ future of Jesus example his kingdom: 1, A new society 2. A new creation.
• Committed to create a new society example a new Earth and a New Heaven based on the new Covenant high lighting New Testament which is promulgated and practiced by new Moses, new Adam (Revelation 21) • We are in a congregation but not for the congregations. But through the congregation we are and I am for the kingdom of God.
• first, I am a mission.
• Prepare your list of No’s.
• Prepare your list of your Yes’s
• Design your new Ministries and propose it.
• Make your challenging vrsions of your vows. Mean it and apply it in your life.
• Network/ collaborate with other ministries.
• Ponder over and self-directing over’ low should be in my life’
• Graces
Finally as Gandhiji said be the change what do you wanted to bring. It was an inspiring and interesting sessions which make us awake, once again to open our eyes, hearts wider for the challenges we have taken up. Building up of the kingdom of God which is the very call and our mission.