SPRINGBOARDS and WALKING STICKS

  Mental Health in India's Material World , by Soumyajit Bhar and Kalpita Bhar Paul,  sheds light on a critical issue facing modern society, particularly in India. It highlights how our pursuit of material success often comes at the cost of our mental well-being, but also offers hope for positive change. The article reveals the growing mental health crisis in India, where relentless productivity demands and materialism are leading to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and a sense of purposelessness. However, it also presents a powerful vision for transformation. At its core, the piece calls for a fundamental shift in how we define success and happiness. Instead of chasing material wealth and status, it encourages us to prioritize deeper, more meaningful aspects of life: Community Connection: By fostering strong social bonds and supportive communities, we can combat isolation and create environments of belonging and purpose. Redefining Success: Moving beyond materialistic measu

 The article, SC steps in to protect journalists , underlines that the recent Supreme Court ruling in India against criminal cases for critical journalism marks a significant milestone in the ongoing struggle to protect press freedom and freedom of expression in the world's largest democracy. This essay examines the current state of journalistic freedom in India, the challenges faced by media professionals, and the implications of the Supreme Court's decision. Freedom of the press is a fundamental pillar of democracy, enshrined in Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution. However, as the article highlights, journalists in India have faced numerous obstacles in recent years, including intimidation, harassment, and legal challenges. The use of criminal cases against journalists for their critical reporting has been a particularly concerning trend, potentially stifling free speech and investigative journalism. The Supreme Court's ruling reaffirms that journalists should not

 The article, Building strong mental reserves , by Naveen Khajanchi prescribes  that in our fast-paced world, mental health is increasingly crucial. The article introduces an innovative approach to maintaining emotional well-being—the "ATM for happiness" concept. This powerful metaphor encourages us to view our mental health as an account we can actively manage and grow. Just as we make regular deposits into a bank account, we can nurture our mental reserves through positive actions, relationships, and mindset shifts. Mindfulness practices, gratitude exercises, and supportive relationships are like deposits that strengthen our emotional resilience. While life's challenges may force withdrawals from our mental reserves, consistent self-care and positive inputs help maintain a healthy emotional balance. This approach can prevent burnout, stress, and poor mental health. Key strategies include: Practicing mindfulness to stay present and reduce anxiety . Cultivating gratitude

 The article, A lie and its deleterious effects by T.K. Mishra provides a compelling examination of how dishonesty can profoundly impact our well-being and relationships. While lies may seem harmless or even beneficial in the short term, they often carry a heavy psychological toll that erodes our happiness over time. Lying affects us on multiple levels. Personally, it generates guilt, anxiety, and fear of discovery. The mental effort required to maintain falsehoods creates cognitive dissonance - an uncomfortable state where our actions contradict our values and self-image. This inner conflict chips away at our peace of mind and authenticity. The damage extends beyond the individual. Families and even entire nations can suffer when deceit takes root among their members or leaders. Trust, which forms the foundation of healthy relationships and societies, becomes fractured. Ironically, many lies are told with the intention of preserving happiness or avoiding conflict. However, this short-

 Sonu was one of the most promising students in that batch of under graduate visual communication students. I say she was promising, not for the results that she achieved, but for her innate talent for things visual, like photography, design, etc., and at the same time had a passion for the same; and was ready to work hard. She hardly finished her first year; I used to find her absent for classes, and I asked her friends about her. They told me she started working. I, presupposing that her family could not afford her education, wanted to ask the college to wave off her fees at least partially. Then I came to know that she has moved out of her family and is working to support herself. I was curious and enquired further, only then did I know that she belonged to a particular Christian sect and their religious beliefs and piety did not permit her to study or pursue careers in media related fields. She had tried getting out of the house and pursue, perhaps she is still not strong enough to

 There was a holy jealousy among the women of Judea towards Mother Mary. It is different from the ungodly, selfish jealously. They admired and looked up to Mary for giving birth and bringing up a son who exhibits so much kindness and compassion. A woman seeing what Jesus was doing and saying, cries out in holy jealousy, blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that nursed you ( Luke 11: 27-28). Blessed is the mother who gave birth to you and looked after you. It was in some sense the same words of Elizabeth, “Blessed are you among women.” To be blessed is  to be granted special favour by God with joy and prosperity as its result . From God's promise to Abraham that He would bless him and his children, to Mother Mary whom the angel of the Lord called blessed, to the thief on the cross to whom Jesus promised the paradise, all have received special favours from God.    In the New Testament in the light of the Beatitudes, however, the emphasis is more on spiritual rather than

 Jesus was accused by some saying that he drove out demons, or worked mighty works by the power of Beelzebul, the chief of demons (Luke 11: 14-23). Today with the luxury of 2000 and more years of time in which we could witness and experience the indisputable truth and authority of Jesus, the discussions and arguments whether Jesus worked miracles through witchcraft and black magic does not affect us; we can easily leave them behind; for we know the truth. Even levelheaded Non-Christians esteem and respect the divine and benevolent intentions and powers of Jesus. However imagine those days, when the prominent opinion makers of the time accuse Jesus of allying with the devil. It must have confused and startled the faith and religious commitment of the people who had accepted Jesus as their master, and were following him, especially the apostles. This is a repeated challenge in societies to distinguish between truth and falsehood. There are times when the virtuous is misunderstood; and th

 Knowing a prayer, or knowing what to pray, is not enough; one must persevere, endure, and persist in prayer; in other words, one must grow in praying (Luke 11: 5-13). The gospel says, “ask, and you shall receive; seek, and you shall find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” God will never disappoint someone who asks something good, goes after it, and does all in his/her capacity to get it. The passage places in it two stories relationship; one is between two friends, another is between a father and a son. Friends and parents have many things in common, one, we can approach them as many times as needed, the relationship only grows with it; two, they always wish and give the best for the other. The gospel ends in suggesting, earthly friends and parents are great in giving, if then, how much more our heavenly friend and parent will give us good things. Persistence in prayer is growing in prayer. Persistence at some level is sheer discipline of doing things. Things that seem diffi

 Prayer is the most potent, most creative and most fruitful force in the world. Persistent and enduring prayer is a weapon that would change even a heart of iron. Pray continuously even when we do not see a result immediately, but believe that at the appropriate time God will respond to our prayers. He will lead us on. Our persistence in prayer, endurance in prayer or perseverance in prayer is like a stonecutter breaking a big hard piece of rock. He keeps on hammering even when she is not able to see the slightest crack on the rock. He keeps on hammering 10 times, twenty times, fifty times, a hundred times etc. and perhaps at the 150 th blow the stone breaks into two. Now with our logical mind we would say that the stonecutter should have made that last blow first. But the stonecutter knows that every blow that went before that last blow is as important as the last blow; though they made no cracks in the stone. St. Augustine lived a very immoral and sinful life before his conversion.

 This article, titled " Making Sense of Death ," discusses the author's reflections on mortality after experiencing two deaths in quick succession - his father and a colleague. The author, Arun Sahu, recounts personal experiences with loss, including conversations with his father before his passing and memories of other deceased family members and friends. Death, an inevitable part of existence, often arrives unexpectedly, leaving profound impacts on the living. As we navigate life's journey, the untimely passing of loved ones can shatter our world, forcing us to confront our own mortality and reassess our priorities. Personal encounters with loss shape our understanding of death. From the passing of elderly parents to the shocking departure of younger colleagues, each experience adds a layer to our perception. These moments, though painful, offer opportunities for reflection and growth. The fear surrounding death often stems from its ability to disrupt the lives of t

 No Christian is a stranger to the expression, till death do us part . Some us have heard in standing on this side or around the altar; and others have said it and heard it standing on the other side of the altar. At least at your marriage, when you were close enough to the alter, you have heard it. This phrase is even part of our popular culture today—indicating the seriousness and the profoundness of marriage. Till death do us part is a responsibility statement. It is like  the ‘yes’ said by Mary of Nazareth   as the angel proposed to her to be the Mother of Jesus. In Christian weddings, it is taking responsibility for one another, come what may. Reading the full text of the promise states the particulars of the responsibility, I take you as my wedded wife/husband and I promise you love, honour, and respect; to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health, to love, and to cherish; till death do us part. So help me

 From 2023-2026 we have a series of centenaries of St Francis of Assisi. Though lived only for just 44 years, the size and reach of his life is still growing. He has many names; we call him a brother, and at the same time, a mystic. A mystic is someone who does not operate from a place of faith, instead he has moved on to a place of knowledge, experience, and living; he/she does not need faith anymore. A mystic already lives what people of faith are only believing. This year is the 800 th anniversary of the Stigmata of St. Francis—he was a mystic and he was already there. Francis was born in 1181. He lived an unconscious, unattended, normal life, like any other, for first 24 years. Returning home from the Assisi-Perugia war, as a loser and wounded, Francis went through an awakening moment. One of the existential philosophers has a story of a stonecutter, whose only tool on which he trusted was a hammer. One day, as he was at his work, the hammer breaks, and the stonecutter fell on his

 The disciples of Jesus disputed among themselves, perhaps not for the first or for the only time, about “who is the greatest among them” (Luke 9: 46-50). Most people do this at least in their mind. Many of us are fake great people. We just feel that we are great, and act as one. Feeling great without being great is a dangerous thing. Jesus gives them two parameters to measure one’s greatness. How do you treat insignificant people? Jesus takes a little child and places her in the midst of them, and tells them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name is the greatest.” Greatness depends on one’s capacity to accept people who are poor, handicapped, slow in understanding, etc. with our constant exposure to religious activities we are able to empathize, spend time with those who are less privileged than us. How do we deal with people who are equal to us? John brings up a serious matter to Jesus, their master, namely, he saw someone driving out demons in Jesus’ name and they tried to

 Life is flat like a field on which the farmer was digging in Matthew 13: 44-46. But the idea is that if you dig deep enough you will find treasures in your life, however flat your life may be, as the farmer found treasure in his flat field. In life, revival is possible. The first question of Jesus, ‘who do people say that I am’ was just a process of information gathering. The second question, ‘who do you say that I am’ demanded an answer from the disciples (Matthew 16:13-20). An unquestioned life goes nowhere. The disciples went into a moment of silence. They had to dig deep. However flat the life of peter was, when he dug deep enough, he could see, hear the revelation of the Father, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Having heard the answer of Peter, Jesus gives Peter, the other disciples, and all of us, four blessings: on you (Peter) the rock I will build my church, never will the power of death over come the church, I will give you the keys of the heaven; whatever yo

 Living according to the Gospel also makes us pay a price (Luke 9: 57-62). Jesus was magnetic; many got attracted to him spontaneously. Nobody gives his or her life for a cause that is dead. They all wanted to follow Jesus, but could not sustain because of three reasons.  Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his head. You are condemned to be in perennial disturbance. You will be homeless. You almost are not supposed to be happy, meaning enjoying the pleasures of life. Being joyful is a gospel value. There is a difference between happiness and joy ( santhosham vs anandam ). Jesus had a home; being there Jesus remained homeless. Pastoral care is our anxiety over the people. ‘Jesus found them like sheep without a shepherd.’ He had compassion for them.’  I will bury my father and come back. It is often read as ‘let me fulfill my domestic responsibilities,’ but the passage does not indicate that his father or mother is dead. Jesus

 Jesus instructs his disciples into discipleship. After speaking to them about what a disciple must not take while going for ministry (Matthew 10: 1-15), Jesus also tells them what to carry with them (Matthew 10: 16-18).  Be innocent like a dove: have personal integrity as an asset, and wear it as your shield and refuge. That is the sole capital for the distant journey. Jesus has not asked us to carry a lot of things, but only one -personal integrity; therefore we have no option to compromise on it.  Be shrewd like the serpents: Everything out there is capable of stealing your innocence, you are like a sheep amidst wolves; to maintain your innocence you must be prudent like a serpent. Serpents don’t sleep, they only slumber. Be alert like a serpent. Vivekananda began his famous Chicago address by saying, ‘Be awakened’.  Serpents do not attack people, but avoid them. As they get an alarm they withdraw. Do not run into conflicts and arguments. Even if they are attacked they try to save

  Matthew 6: 25-34 is a classic passage on the providence of God. This text gets better and better as it goes. There is poetry and mysticism in it. Once a man was traveling in a train and there was a Buddhist monk in the same cabin. This man as he was readying the gospels read out this passage loudly, the monk heard it and said, ‘It must have been written by a Buddha.’ Only an enlightened, detached man can write this. Thomas Merton prophesied that the third-millennium spirituality would be a combination of Buddha and Christ.  Life: we have life. Compared to so many inanimate things, and living things we have a life that is so evolved. “ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes” (Luke 12:23) . In the Italian neorealism film, Bicycle Thieves, the father, stuck by abject poverty tells his son, ‘that there is a solution for everything, except death.’ In other words, keep finding solutions for life, until death. Life is precious.  Something is considered precious when it d

 Corinthians 13: 1-13 is an ancient hymn of love. Love is a verb; and it is a serious responsibility. Think of St John the Evangelist. He was one of the most hostile, intolerant men among the apostles; he wanted to bring down fire to burn down an entire village because they refused to accept Jesus. But later he became the most loved one. Things changed at a Eucharistic table: John was leaning on the bosom of the Lord. The feminine word bosom is used instead of chest to highlight the feminine qualities of the Lord. Here head surrenders to the heart, the masculine surrenders to the feminine. Rigid calculations, logic, and reason of John surrender to poetry and aesthetics of the Lord. We must lean on to the bosom of the Lord and listen. John having listened to the heart of Jesus remains with Jesus till the very end, even through the time of crucifixion. The relationship between Jesus and John became so very beautiful that it was to him Jesus entrusted his mother.  Tradition has it that up