"Go and fearlessly share the message of Jesus Christ," exhorted Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao to the faithful at the launch of the Biblical Year of the Pauline Family and the Diocesan Centre for Biblical Apostolate under the theme “That the Word of the Lord may speed forward,” on the the occasion of the 49th death anniversary of the founder Blessed James Alberione at the Bishop's Chapel, Altinho here yesterday.
Recalling the parable of the sower in the Bible, Archbishop Ferrao said, “Jesus got out of the comfort zone of his home and moved out and entered an unsteady boat in the moving waters, from where he spoke to the crowd on the land. He took risk in sharing the message of his Heavenly Father. He proclaimed the word through his words and actions. He went around sowing the seeds of faith and love. He believed in his sowing and in its fecundity though some of it fell on rocky grounds, among thorny bushes, or some were eaten up by birds. But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants produced corn, some produced a hundred grains, others sixty and others thirty. And Jesus concluded - Listen then if you have ears."
Explaining the purpose of the parable, Archbishop Ferrao said: "The seeds sown in the good soil stand for those who hear the message and understand it; they bear fruit. So listen and learn what the parable of the sower means."
In his homily, the Archbishop described how St Paul had undergone a tremendous transformation through the word of God. "Saul, a learned man, was initially a staunch enemy of Jesus, a great persecutor of Jesus' disciples. He was all out to kill the followers of Jesus. However, when Jesus asked him on the way to Damascus - Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? - there was a change of heart subsequently and Saul became Paul as Jesus gave him a new vision based on faith. And then, the great transformation saw Paul becoming a passionate friend of Jesus, tirelessly proclaiming the word."
Another example of transformation through the word of God is that of our own, St Francis Xavier, the Archbishop pointed out. "Francis Xavier was a very gifted, young Spanish nobleman who had a lot of worldly dreams. He wanted to become a distinguished scholar, a renowned doctor of philosophy. He was pursuing his worldly dreams at the famed University of Paris when he came under the spell of another Spaniard - Ignatius of Loyola. During the two years of companionship, Ignatius kept on ringing the message of the word of God and once even told Francis Xavier: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world if he suffers the loss of his own soul.?"
Francis Xavier could care less for the word of God. He turned a deaf ear to what Ignatius was telling him. For quite some time, Francis Xavier tried his level best to close his ears, to close his heart to the word of God. But the word of God, as we know has a tremendous transforming power, and it began sinking into Francis Xavier's heart who realised the futility of what he was pursuing. Now, Francis Xavier had only one dream - to make Jesus known, to proclaim the word of God all over.
Fired with enthusiasm, Francis Xavier undertook the sea journey of 11,000 miles from Europe to the East to Goa to proclaim the word of God. Once in the Goan soil, Francis Xavier undertook his mission with zeal and with great enthusiasm, tirelessly sowing the Gospel.
Both, St Paul and St Francis Xavier, two of the outstanding saints, continued with the great mission of Jesus, who came to proclaim the good news of salvation and who proclaimed the good news in the kingdom through His deeds and words and through the entire testimony of his life, the Archbishop reminded.
According to Archbishop Filipe Neri, Blessed Alberione whose feast was celebrated today lived the word of God with devotion. "He is a powerful testimony of living the word. It is the word that gave him strength to give life to five religious institutes, four secular institutes and one Association of Pauline Cooperators in the church."
Archbishop Filipe Neri exhorted the faithful to follow the path of the saints who risked themselves, who left their comfort zones to serve God’s people, sharing with them the word that heals and vivifies.
To mark the formal inauguration, the Archbishop released the eight-point programme envisaged for the year, presented in a fan shaped brochure. “It signifies the love to spread the Gospel message far and wide to all, through various programmes, pointed out Selvio Fernandes, who designed it.
The year-long programme comprises an online quiz Enter the treasure-trove of the Bible, video skit entitled Showcase your talents with scripture which encourages one to pick any miracle or parable or story from the Bible and infuse life into it using the social media; painting contest Capture the Beauty of Biblical Virtues for teenagers; distribution of Bible to the poor and needy under Let the Word of God speed forward; building up the neighborhood rooted in the Bible project entitled Live and Share the Word (Lectio Divina); telecast of seven saintly Pauline personalities under Holiness in the Pauline Family with witness of five families from the Archdiocese; environmental projects like kitchen garden, terrace gardens, vertical gardens under Laudato Si of Pope Francis and providing financial help to needy students for virtual learning (online classes) under the programme Giving Wings to Needy Students.
Those desirous of associating with the programmes may contact Fr Mariano D’ Costa, Director of Centre for the Biblical Apostolate in Old Goa or Sister Celine Sebastian, Superior of Daughters of St Paul at the Media Centres at 18th June Road, Panjim or near Mary Immaculate High School, Panjim and in Mapusa.
