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Monday, April 22, 2019

EASTER SUNDAY – 21 APRIL 2019-04-16


Easter also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday is the solemn commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead which occurred according to the Gospel writers on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by forty days of Lent.
The resurrection of Jesus is not a fabricated fiction rather a historical reality. Risen Jesus was seen, heard, touched and experienced by both men and women. He appeared to his disciples and greeted them; “Greetings” (Mt 28:9); “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19). This greeting was very much needed for they were completely frightened.  Meeting the risen Jesus brought different feelings and blessings to different persons. To the disciples going to Emmaus who were discouraged and disillusioned it was a “Hearts burning experience” (Lk 24:32). Risen Christ invited his disciples to touch his body, and ate food in their presence (Luke 24:39).  He opened their eyes, and they “recognized him” and he opened their minds to understand the scriptures (Lk 24:45). 
The risen Lord also commissioned to those whom he appeared to be the witnesses of his resurrection. Thus, he said to Mary Magdalene: “Go to my brothers and say to them” (Jn 20:17) and to his disciples he said: “Go to the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15)
Mary Magdalene bore witness to the risen Lord saying: “I have seen the Lord” (Jn 20:18).The Emmaus disciples testified saying: “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon” (Lk 24:34). Bearing witness to the risen Lord was a hard mission but the experience of the risen Lord made profound impact in the lives of the disciples they courageously bore witness amidst of several life threatening obstacles from the men in power not wanting to acknowledge their share in condemning and crucifying him. John and Peter spoke boldly witnessing the resurrection of Jesus ignoring the order of the Council saying: “We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
Paul personally encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9).  This encounter of the Lord totally transformed the life of Paul and became a new creation in Jesus.  He preached the resurrection of Jesus forcefully and courageously amidst several adverse and dangerous situations. He preferred to face sufferings rather than remaining silent about his experience of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. He preached that the resurrection of Jesus is fundamental to our faith. Writing to the Church in Corinth Paul says: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain“ (I Cor. 15: 14). This is a point that today we need to hear desperately. If Christ was not raised from the dead, the Christian faith is based on a lie. If Christ was not raised from the dead, all our liturgical celebrations, the preaching and missionary service through the centuries has been for nothing and they are only rituals and activities of a social club. If Christ was not raised from the dead, we have no hope of life beyond the grave.

The risen Lord today greets each and every one of us with the gift of “peace’.  He is ready to open our hearts, eyes and minds to have his experience and thus to believe in him that our lives shall be transformed thus become a people of new and hope filled life freed from our hopelessness, fears, discouragements, and disillusions. Blessings of the Risen Lord be with you all!



By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF
arulcmf@gmail.com


Friday, April 12, 2019

PALM SUNDAY (14th April 2019)

 1st Reading – Is. 50:4-7
Psalm – 21:8-9,17-18a, 19-20,23,24.
2nd Reading – Phil. 2: 6-11
Gospel – Lk 22:14-23,56 (or 23:1-49)

“They brought the donkey and colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.  A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is he who come in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest”
On our Lenten pilgrimage we are at the final Sunday, known as the Palm Sunday and also Passion Sunday.  Holy Week begins with the Palm or Passion Sunday. Palm branches are widely recognized as symbol of peace and victory. On this Sunday liturgy palm is blessed at the beginning of the Holy Mass and the faithful holding the blessed palm take the presiding priest celebrant in procession singing hymns recalling the solemn entry of Jesus in Jerusalem riding on a donkey before his passion and death on the cross. The use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic, it represents the humble arrival of some in peace. According to the Jewish tradition during the feast of the “Pass Over,” nearly 25,000 lambs were sacrificed but the lamb which was sacrificed by the High Priest was taken to the Temple in a procession four days before the main feast day.  Symbolically it signified that on Palm Sunday, Jesus, the true Paschal Lamb, was also taken to the Temple in a large procession.
This Sunday serves as a preparation of our hearts for the agony of the passion and the joy of the resurrection of Jesus.  Listening to the Gospel reading of today taken from the Gospel of Luke there come across different people who shared their part in causing Jesus to suffer.  Peter denied Jesus even though he made a solemn promise to Jesus that he wouldn’t do that, Judas betrayed Jesus, Pilate acted against his conscience and condemned Jesus, Herod ridiculed Jesus, and the leaders of the people preserved their position by getting rid of Jesus. Failure to understand Jesus, love for money, pride, fear, jealousy etc., were the reasons that led Jesus to the cross.  When I point my fingers to the above said people let us ask ourselves in what way I share my part causing to suffering of Jesus?  We all have a share in the passion and death of Jesus by our sins. It is not enough today to sing and satisfied holding the palm on the hand like the crowd of Jerusalem, rather, let us know that the merciful and loving Lord wants us to repent and return to him so that we can participate in the joy of His resurrection.                                                            




By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF

arulcmf@gmail.com

Thursday, April 4, 2019

5th SUNDAY OF LENT ( 07 April 2019)

1st Reading - Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm - 126:1-2,2-3,4-5,6
2nd Reading - Philippians 3:8-14
Gospel - John 8:1-11

The gospel reading of the fifth Sunday of Lent taken from John 11th chapter presents Jesus encountering a woman brought to him by a group of scribes and the Pharisees with the accusation of adultery. They brought her to Jesus with the malicious intention of testing him and thus get some charge to bring against him. Placing the woman before Jesus the men said, “the law of Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” If Jesus approved the law of Moses and thus allowed her to be stoned then his claim that Son of God came to call sinners will be questioned.  If he contradicted then he would be interpreted  disrespecting the law of Moses which was punishable. Knowing the conspiracy of the men brought the women Jesus did not respond to them instantly in haste, rather took time and meditated over the matter and certainly sought the guidance of his heavenly Father as it had been his normal practice before taking any important decision.
Jesus used the occasion to stir the conscience of those men who always thought to be right and law abiding with a challenging invitation, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Such an unexpected personalized invitation from the part of Jesus whom they wanted to trap shocked them and pricked their conscience and hearts.  They realized their sinful situation and must have been ashamed of their act of hypocrisy and thus, left the place in silence leaving the woman with Jesus without getting an answer from him. 
In 2016 Pope Francis on the occasion of the Jubilee of Priests in Rome, meditating on this particular gospel episode said that Jesus was in fact opening a space of "non-condemnation". He freed her from the judgement of others and neither had he judged her: “Nor do I condemn you”. The command of Jesus, "Go and sin no more", had to do with the future, to help her to make a new start and to "walk in love", the Pope said. "Such is the sensitivity of mercy: it looks with compassion on the past and offers encouragement for the future." 
The season of Lent is a season of special grace to experience the compassionate and merciful love of God. He doesn’t condemn us rather calls us to begin a new life.  He offers repeated opportunities to come out of our sinful life related to both chastity and charity like that of judging others and wanting to see and enjoy others being punished, being self-righteous like the Scribes and Pharisees looking at the dust in others eyes while ignoring the blocks in our own eyes. The liturgical readings of today give us the happy hope that our God does not condemn us rather wants us to repent and return to him for which he offers additional time and opportunity: “Nor do I condemn you,” “go and sin no more.” With a sense of gratitude to God for this act of merciful love for us sinful people let us make a new start and walk in His love.

By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF
arulcmf@gmail.com

Saturday, March 30, 2019

4th Sunday of Lent (31 March 2019 )


1st Reading – Josh 5:9a,10-12
Psalm -33:2-3,4-5,6-7
2nd reading – 2 Cor 5:17-21
Gospel – Lk 15:1-3,11-32

Rejoice, Jerusalem! Be glad for her, you who love her; rejoice with her, you who mourned for her, and you will find contentment at her consoling breasts." The fourth Sunday is known as Laetare Sunday and is a Sunday of joy. The entrance antiphon for the day begins with the Latin word "laetare" and the vestments worn by the celebrant are rose-colored, not violet. This Sunday is also known as "Rose Sunday" for the vestments for this day will be rose, and flowers may adorn the Altar.

The Gospel reading in the Holy Mass today is taken from Luke 15th chapter is about the parable of the prodigal son. The younger son in the parable failing to understand the love of his father didn’t want to be under his guidance and authority. He wanted to be of his own and enjoy the worldly pleasures being away from his father and thus, demanded his share of inheritance.  The father must have felt heartbroken with the attitude of his son because the normal practice was that the inheritance goes to the son only after his father’s death. However, the father being so loving yielded to the demand of his son without questioning. The parable says that he took his share of inheritance and traveled to a distant place and spent his entire inheritance in extravagant living that led him to a miserable situation. In his misery realized his situation and the merciful love of his father. Therefore, with a repented heart and hope took the steps of humility returned home. His father seeing the son returned embraced him and received him with unconditional love and forgiveness ordering for a celebration.

The elder son stayed away because he did not really understand and approve the attitude of his father towards his younger son who squandered all his wealth.  He felt hurt and complained his father for not rewarding his own life long faithfulness and obedience. The father justified the welcoming of his brother and the celebration and gently invited him to join the party.

God gives each one of us a personal invitation to return to him. He is waiting to receive us with unconditional love and forgiveness and to celebrate our return to a new repented life. We need to come to our senses and realize our situation, attachments and addictions, priorities and preferences that keep us away from the love of God and from his presence.  We need to have hope in the mercy of God, humility and courage to leave behind and go to him acknowledging our situation and ask for his forgiving love and mercy. In Jesus God reveals that he welcomes the sinners: We known that the “Pharisees and scribes began to complain, this man (Jesus) welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Let us get up and go back to our father in heaven for he welcomes us sinners.






By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF
arulcmf@gmail.com

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Third Sunday of Lent (March 24. 03. 2019)

1st Reading  - Ex. 3:1-8a,13-15
Psalm – 103:1-2,3-4,6-7,8,11
2nd Reading – 1Cor 10:1-6,10-12
Gospel – LK 13 – 1-9

The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. (Ps 145.8)

Season of Lent gives us the good news that our heavenly Father is waiting for our return to Him with repentance and renewed life for He doesn’t want any of His children remain in a state of sin, for sin leads to enslavement and death.  Jesus began his public ministry with the invitation to “repent and believe in good news” (Mk 1:15). He rejoices over our conversion with the change of heart. “I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (Lk 15:10)

The liturgical readings of this Sunday speak of God’s mercy and compassion.  At the same time there are indications of disciplining with occasional punishment by God for those stay in repeated sins with stubborn and heard heart ignoring the invitation of God. 

The responsorial psalm speaks of God’s mercy: "He pardons all your iniquities; He heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction; He crowns you with kindness and compassion…. “ (Ps.130). While the Lord is gracious and merciful, abounding in steadfast love, the psalmist says he is slow to anger. (Ps 145.8). God is merciful also he is just and demanding.

Paul found the Christian community of Corinth with the sins of sexual perversion and idolatry and thus, reminds them that the Israelites were punished for not being to faithful and pleasing God.   Jesus wanted that the disasters were the signs inviting for change of life.  Through the parable of barren fig tree he also warns that the merciful God will not put up with us indefinitely.  He says: "… unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

Lent is a favourable time to repent without procrastinating and return to the Lord with the contrite heart and renewed fruit bearing life and thus avoid the anger of God upon us.



At this point let us take to heart what Pope Francis said in his homily on 28th February 2019, “we are not eternal, we cannot think of doing whatever we like, trusting in the infinite mercy of God. Don't say: "God's compassion is great, he'll forgive me my many sins", and so I continue doing what I want.   "Don’t wait to convert yourself to the Lord, don’t postpone it from day to day because the anger of the Lord will suddenly burst forth."



 By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF
arulcmf@gmail.com

Saturday, March 16, 2019

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (MARCH 17, 2019 ).


1st Reading – Gen. 15:5-12, 17-18
Ps – 27:1, 7-8a, 8b-9, 13-14
2nd Reading – Phil. 3:17-4:1
Gospel – Lk 9:28b- 36

One of the suggested scriptural ways to journey during the season of lent is to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord through prayer.   Prayer has been a privileged and effective means of communion for Jesus with his heavenly Father and thus, he gave priority to prayer in his life.  As a preparation to his public ministry Jesus chose to be in communion with his Father in silence and solitude for forty days in a desert withdrawing from the noise of the world.  Once he began his mission entrusted by his Father he was busy preaching and caring the needs of the people so much so he even didn’t have time to eat and rest.  However, he was faithful to his prayer and thus he always set aside time for it.  In prayer Jesus understood the will of his Father and received the grace of standing firm amidst the adverse situations that challenged him during his mission.   

Today’s gospel reading taken from Lk 9:28-36 speaks of Jesus being in prayer and his transfiguration. It was in prayer transfiguration takes place. This was an important moment and event in the life of Jesus for it was here that his true identity was manifested to his companions who would be his messengers and witnesses.  It was also an occasion to have true understanding of their own vocation and the implications of following Jesus for they were in a disturbed mind because of his teachings about the cross and the conditions he laid for his followers.  This experience of Jesus’ transfiguration transformed the lives of those disciples so much so that later on they were able to pass on this experience saying:“we have seen his glory” (Jn 1:14), “we declare to you what we have seen and heard” (1Jn 1:3).

Followers of Jesus above all need to follow the prayer life of Jesus.  A constant and committed prayer life alone can transform the lives of those who are called to follow him in a special way. For this reason the Claretian Constitutions say: “Daily prayer, faithfully made, is a primary need for both the community and the individual missionary; therefore, it should be given priority in our life.” (CC.37)




 By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF
arulcmf@gmail.com

Monday, March 11, 2019

Cardinal Larraona Academy @ Claret Nivas Kandy Sri Lanka.

Cardinal Larraona Academy's 3rd meeting for the academic year 2018 - 2019 held on 4th March 2019 @ Claret Nivas Kandy. Student G. Selexon presides over the meeting under the Theme:- "SRI LANKA: AN ISLAND PARADISE"




Today is the memorable day in our Community (11.03.2019)

Today is the memorable day in our Community.Triple events made us to be glad and happy.
1. Inauguration of the 25th Jubilee celebration of Claret Nivas Community Kandy.
2. Perpetual Vows Preparation of four of our Students. Dilan, Ronson, Christy and Iresh.
3. Farewell to our young missionaries- Fr. Abilas CMF, Fr. Leenas CMF & Fr. Thipucious CMF


Saturday, March 9, 2019

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT (March 10, 2019)


First Reading : Deut. 26:4-10
Ps. 91:1-2,10-11,12-13,14-15
Second Reading : Rom 10:8-13
Gospel:  Lk 4:1-13

Temptations are intimately associated with our day to day life. No human being is exempted from being tempted.  The creation account in the Book of Genesis exposes the temptation to which our first parents yielded in the Garden of Eden and its consequences.  The list of temptations can be exhaustive and endless.    Temptation for forbidden food and drinks that can cause even health problems;  temptation for bodily pleasures, temptation for gossiping; temptation to cover up the faults and failures;  temptation to seek after and postings and positions that will bring power and prestige while avoiding  hardships and sufferings;  temptations to associate with the rich and the powerful; temptation to go after things that can grant instant gratification; temptation to be always connected with social media; temptation to disobey etc., etc...

 Gospel reading of today in the Holy Mass taken from Luke 4: 1-13 speaks of the three temptations that Jesus undergone in the desert after 40 days of prayer and fasting as the preparation for his public ministry entrusted to him by his heavenly Father that he is going to carry out according to His plan and the will.  The devil uses this occasion to trap Jesus to his side proposing sneaky ways and easy methods whereby Jesus could easily access to food, power and prestige.  Jesus defeated the devil and his proposals with the power that he gained from his forty days of intimacy with his Father and set a model to us not to go after easily available ways and means that can provide with instant gratification going against the will of God. To withstand and overcome the temptations coming from our enemy the devil in our daily life intimacy with the Lord and the Word of God are the sure means.  Peter says, “Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prows around, looking for someone to devour (1 Pet 5:8) and Paul admonishes to “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.  Put on the whole armour of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph 6:10-11).  Let this season of Lent be a time of intimacy with the Lord and thus we can know and do the will of God in our lives defeating the trap of the devil.





By - Fr. Maria Arul CMF
arulcmf@gmail.com

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

ASH WEDNESDAY – 6 March 2019

 Image result for ash wednesday
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. This year Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 6 March, and will conclude on Holy Saturday, 20 April, the day before Easter.  On the Ash Wednesday the priest places the blessed ashes on the foreheads of believers participating in the liturgical celebration with the dictum "Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 

This season of lent reminds the faithful the need of genuine repentance and return to the Lord with the practices of prayer, fasting and alms giving.  The Gospel of today Mathew 6:1-6, 16-18 lays down certain norms and cautions in exercising above said values.  Jesus cautions not to do the acts of charity to the poor, praying and fasting in order to draw public attention and appreciation but rather with the right motivation which alone will bring promised results of blessings and divine rewards.  During this season of Lent let us put into action what Pope Francis has asked the members of the Church.  He said, “Let us leave behind our selfishness and self-absorption, and turn to Jesus’ Pasch.  Let us stand beside our brothers and sisters in need, sharing our spiritual and material goods with them.




Sunday, March 3, 2019

WHY ALWAYS HUMAN RIGHTS, YET THE WILL IS NOT DISCIPLINED






WHY ALWAYS HUMAN RIGHTS, 
YET THE WILL IS NOT DISCIPLINED

The fundamental moral principles always call for a conscious understanding and conceptualization of what is basically universal to all: “Human Rights and Dignity of All.” This seems to have lost some aspects of its definition and its purpose by the very fact of how unconsciously people understand or respond towards the promotion of that common good.

For centuries and since time immemorial, there has been a great search and a great call for promotion of the vitality of each and every human being. This is akin to our very nature and our nature of existence which is ever provoking a continuous appeal to the preservation of “life” simply because life is such an ever affected “good,” with a lot of troubles; expressed through conscious and unconscious attacks. The perish-ability of it and the singleness of it does not allow its multiplication and this leads to the understanding of the individuality of life.

When we talk about the individuality of life, we simply set a premise that life is one of its kind, one of its applicability to an individual and one as a reference and source from the Supreme Being: God. There should be no search for a superior form of life than what we possess because “Everybody is entitled to one” in as much as they are to be called “finite beings” and their being has a sole end: to reach that perfection of love that would promote each in “act” towards that “supreme ruler” whose being is infinite and yet ours is a participation.

Having a mindful existence of a single living on earth, there ought to be a desire to promote that which belongs to us yet it is not ours. We did merit it out of the love of the creator yet, we promote it out of the love we have for the creator. The preservation of it is one way towards a responsive answer-which is positive as far as the creator-creative love is concerned. Yet a destruction or a reckless-selfish and carefree attitude towards it is a limitation of our love to the unlimited love of the creator.

All this is in one way or another a way of drawing ourselves away from that primordial will which wills each and everything. This does not seem to suggest that the will can be shattered at the creature’s failure to conceptualize the needful positive response but, a way of turning away and seeking an inferior will contaminated with vices and a lack of conscious look into the “Supreme Will” as a will that draws and maintains existence towards their ultimate goal and attainment of the fullness of that will where purification and sanctification of will is done in objective sense.

And so, the purification and sanctification of the will necessarily and predominantly leads to a conscious fostering of the “wholeness and fullness of life”. This is all based on the love which is unconditional and everlasting. Out of the selfless out pouring of love, much is given and much is perceived to be a way of enhancing a totality of being and de-alienation of vice. In doing so, that which looks as self-seeking are deducted and reduced into a rendering of a service aimed at satisfaction of the one is expected to.

Selfishness, however on the other side, does not facilitate the objectivity of the intended wholeness. It will ever look for possibility of de-alienating and pessimism entailed in all that is meant to render goodness. It will ever create the possibility towards repulsive forces that in any case while dealing with the “good” negative is achieved instead. This proves the inner force of evil, the emotional appeal and application towards situational moments in which by their very nature a prudent approach is required as a means of acquiring proper results towards sustenance a greater good and a maintenance of an existing good.

Therefore, since life cannot be recycled, it is our mind which appeals to our nature and creates imperatives within our minds of a need to not only be conscious of the preciousness of life but also a willful need to promote and it just even without appealing to the universal declaration of Human Rights document. And this is simple to understand just in a way of “relation.” In this way of relation, there is ever a conscious and continuous desire to ever attain what is desirable and a positive force which is ever against what we do not desire in life. So, it is with the promotion of life.

 These factors considered as necessary, “The Why Always Human Rights!” would not develop ever in various scenes that is in political realm. Theological realm, social realm, Psychological realm to mention but a few. Before we seek assistance from such disciplines for a clear resolute, the mind and our beings have already given us clear explanations to the Human Rights. This is seen in our very initial attempt to act in any way, the mind is that very first voice or conscience that speaks to you about the goodness of a given act and the badness of failing in a good way. However, still on the other side, the mind is ever commanding you not to act such a bad way and still highlights to you on the resultant effects out of acting the way it is not deemed to bring goodness.

So, in all the acting and no-acting, according to the desirability and the willfulness that stems from “or inside and hence act according to our outside”, there is a great deal of pressure we insert on the goodness as we give an applause to the evil that lies in await for our submission towards it. And at the end, all this leads us to ignore what is most fundamental in form of good and choose what may seem to bring lesser goodness as the mind may interpret and at the end, there will be a strict alienation of both our fundamental moral obligation and violate the fundamental Human Rights.

Human rights, therefore, are inherent and this seems not to be sophisticated to understand and are universal. Their violation is not an excuse just like one can be excused for breaking a glass, the very existence and very desire to promote our rights simultaneously calls for the promotion of the rights of the other. This is our nature and it is incontestable and inseparable from the mind and our conscious; so we cannot claim ignorance of one right or the other, we are the very reference points when it comes to matters of promotion and protection of the rights of the other.  
                                      
     Compiled by,                                                                           
     Bro. Derrick Samuel, CMF (kawukiderrick@gmail.com)




Sunday, February 17, 2019

Domestic Violence: A mistaken idea on the side of women alone……..





Introduction


It is quite painful that the couple who promise to love and care for one another from the very beginning of their meeting till death, fail to do so after some period of time. A number of men and women have been crippled or wounded as a result of being beaten or mistreated by their spouses. They live in serious hostility as if they were forced to marry one another. One puzzling thing is that those spouses who beat one another do not inherit this habit from their parents. This is because both the rich and poor people have been undergoing this painful experience from time immemorial. The victims reveal some of these cases to their neighbours while others do not reveal them because that would result in more painful experiences. In fact neither the young nor the old men have been left out of this menace. Domestic violence can either be verbal or non-verbal, financial abuse, spiritual abuse or stalking. The first section of this article will discuss about the causes of domestic violence, and the second section will give the Church’s stand on this issue. Section three will give some possible solutions to this problem and section four will hair out some possible challenges to these suggestions.


Causes of Domestic Violence


A number of reasons for the occurrence of this bad omen in the society have been queued. Some of them come from the partners themselves while the rest come from either the family members or from the society in which they live.

Abandonment of the traditional system of marriage is one of the contributing factors. It is absurd that men who have the responsibility of making the introduction of marriage to women according to the traditions are the very first people to abandon this. They only meet a girl for the first time and for the second time, after some inadequate agreements, the two finds themselves staying together as a husband and a wife. In this case, the two may not have had the necessary understanding about themselves. On the other hand, forced marriage witnessed as a result of the negligence from the traditional marriage is another contributing. Women who keep their high emotions as a result of being forced to marry a given man may decide to release their emotions through beating up their husbands and vice versa. This leads to the failure to handle even minor issues within the family.

Unemployment is another cause of domestic violence against men. Women have a mentality that it is the responsibility of men to provide for them the basic needs in the family. A reverse of this has resulted in bitterness among some women who end up beating up their husbands. They beat them while claiming that they are pushing their husbands to play their roles of providing food and other basic necessities in the family. A person cannot force himself to be employed if there is no job which conforms to his area of specialisation.

Another cause of domestic violence is child abuse. Women who were abused when they were still young, particularly by their male parents would dare to punish their husbands. This would be as a matter of compensating them. Their memory still remembers what had happened to them at birth but since their parents who might have violated their rights might be away, they resort to abusing their husbands instead and vice versa.

Drug abuse is another cause of domestic violence. Many partners who over drink alcohol or misuse other drugs resort to abusing themselves. This is because these drugs interfere with their reasoning capacity. The rest of the partners who do not misuse drugs also take the advantage of their partners who misuse the drugs. For example a man who is drunk and fails to fulfil his manly duties in the house like providing food to his family members are subjected to beating by their wives.

Mental health is another contributor towards domestic violence. A man who is mentally ill can be beaten by his wife and vice versa. On the other hand, a woman who is mentally ill may beat her husband since her reasoning capacity has been interfered with.

The acute rate of poverty which is prevalent across the globe has also aided the increased rate of domestic violence. The inaccessibility to the basic human needs brings in bitterness in people and the only possible way to express out this bitterness in women is to beat or stalk their husbands. Some women also hold it that their husbands are too lazy to provide for the family when their fellow men are working too hard to maintain their families.


Social Teaching of the Church on Domestic Violence


During matrimony, one of the prayers of the faithful reads, ‘may their house be a small church and their family a good foundation for the nation.’ (Tanzania Episcopal Conference, Misale Ya Waumini, 1978, p. 999). Hence the church begins at home making it to be a small domestic church and not a place of domestic violence. The Church as such is Christ cantered and Christ came purposely to save us. (Fr. Israel, J., 2001, p.5). Our salvation entails the bringing peace which is a necessary tool for eternity. In this case, domestic violence is against the peace which Christ brought us.

According to St, John Chrysostom, peace in the couples’ families should flourish from their respective parents. The parents should teach their children to be good, meek and forgiving making them to adorn the image of the King of Kings as they grow. Husbands and wives should trust and love one another. A husband should use gentle words and his examples to teach his wife to be virtuous. This begins with the husband telling his wife how much he loves her and enjoying being at home with her. (Roth, P., and Anderson, D., 1986, pp.18-56).

On the piled up anger by the married couples, St. John Paul II in his massage for the celebration of the world day of peace (2002, pp.8-9) says that forgiveness is not a proposal that can be immediately understood or easily accepted. It involves a real and permanent loss. It may look like a weakness but demands a great spiritual strength and moral courage. It leads to a fuller and richer humanity, more radiant with splendour of the Creator. 

According to Murray, D., (1983, p.89), God saw it in the book of Genesis (2:18) that a man should not be alone creating a demand for the need of a woman and the institution of marriage which is the origin of the human family. Adam’s partner was created in the image and likeness of God and hence with equal dignity with him. Adam was then happy for someone from his own bones and flesh and come out from him. They were to live together as companions and become one something which would give rise to interpersonal dialogue because man by his very nature is a social being. Unless he relates to others, he can neither live nor develop his potentials. Domestic violence is therefore opposed to this development and the social nature of man.


The plan of action


A number of measures can be taken to curb this illegal act in marriage. Some of them are institutional based and some others individual based. Thus they come from an individual.

Social engagement is one of the measures. The couples should engage themselves in the activities such as swimming, dancing and taking of a nature walk together. This would help in reducing the stress that the couple could be having. The poor couples should at least find any social engagement which could be bearable to them such as taking a nature walk together. While doing this, they should be free to talk together while walking.

Counselling the couples is another measure. This calls for a personal dialogue between either the family members with the couples or friends to the couples with the couples. Thus it calls for a brotherly concern from our neighbours. One should not get into this dialogue with an aim of looking for fame or money but to help in bringing peace to these couples. There are also professional counsellors who can be engaged in this aspect. A special attention should be given to them and not just taking their words for granted.

Prosecution of women who beat their husbands can also help in curbing this menace. Women, from the creation story in the book of Genesis are to be men’s helpers and not men’s beaters. They should be humble and caring to their husbands. Those who go against this teaching should be rendered some punishments in the prisons. There should be varied punishments or jail terms such that those who beat up their husbands and even chop off some of their body parts should be given severe punishment than those who just give their husbands the normal stress.

The government policies should also be revised. There are certain countries that still hold it that when a man beats his wife it is unlawful but when the wife beats the husband then it is normal. Such women who beat up their husbands cannot be persecuted in any way.  The reason behind this is that men are stronger than women. A man who has been beaten up by his wife could be having some psychological problems or weak and does not deserve to marry and be called a husband. Therefore these policies should be revised to allow men to become free from these tortures from their wives.


Evaluating Action


In as much as the above solutions could be put into practice, there could be some barriers towards their success. Most of these are based on the old mentalities from the various traditions. Some people would find it hard to leave their old way of abusing their husbands while fearing that their husbands would turn against them and start revenging on them. Others who might have used a lot of money in buying some medicine from the witchdoctors making their husbands not to reveal they are being beaten would prefer to remain quiet. This is because witches are highly discouraged in the contemporary societies.

Some poor couples would also find it expensive to afford paying for the trained counsellor. They would therefore resort to people who are untrained in this aspect resulting into being misled. This would attribute to the increase in the rate of domestic violence. Some people are also ignorant and would not value the guidance provided by the psychologists. Moreover, the social engagements are also expensive on the side of some families. This makes the couples to pile up their emotions and release them later on through domestic violence.

There are some men who would not allow their wives to be imprisoned. They fear the burden of taking over their wives’ responsibilities after they shall have been imprisoned. Some women are also tortured in the prisons making their lives to deteriorate. They can die after finishing their jail terms. The result of this therefore is to persevere while tolerating all the beatings and stalking from their wives.


Conclusion


Domestic violence is a sin. It opposes the love portrayed in both the Old and New Testaments which give a Christian family a domestic church. The church fathers also emphasized on the couples being hospitable to one another. Pope Benedict XVI for example emphasized in his Encyclical, Deus Caritas est (2005, p.17) that a husband and a wife should love one another just like our monotheistic God also loves us. This objects any elements of violence within the family. I believe that the recurrent cases of domestic violence can be curbed. The only problem which is there is that people wants to handle all of them at once. They should be handled one at a time and those who have benefitted from its solutions should share with the other people who are still having problems with it. Each person is a messenger of peace. Therefore we are called to preach this peace to all the married couples in order to solve this satanic act.
    


Compiled by: Ken Omondi