Solitary Soul

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WISDOM AND INTELLIGENCE Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             ‘Who is a wise person?’ or ‘Who is an intelligent person?’ or we could also ask, ‘What is it that makes a person wise?’ or ‘What is it that makes a person intelligent?’ As I reflect on these questions, it brings me to the realization that there is a difference. A person can be wise and may not be intelligent while it could also happen that a person may be intelligent and yet not be wise. Thus, to re-irritate the question, ‘What is the difference between wisdom and intelligence?’             To be wise involves being an integrated person and that implies the ability to choose between right and wrong; knowing why one should be good and avoid wrong doing. Intelligence involves being able to deal with situations from memory. For example, a person can play music mechanically by rote or he o...

A RENEWED VISION OF PRIESTLY MINISTRY AND IDENTITY Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             In the first place, I must acknowledge that this short reflection comes from an article written by a certain priest named Fr. Thomas Rosica and consequently, I have used the original title of this article as the title of this short reflection. There were many things that inspired me in this article, most of which were the various statements made by Fr. Thomas Rosica on the priesthood.             To begin with, he says, “Priesthood is not, first and foremost, something we do, but someone we are.” If we are speaking about who a priest is called to be, then a priest is first and foremost, one who spends himself gladly for others. Authentic priests are first washers and servants, who have patterned their living and dying on Jesus Christ, the eternal priest of compassion and service....

WALKING THROUGH THE ENTRENCHMENT IN RELIGIOUS LIVING Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             This is a short reflection which comes from an article written by Fr. Xavier E. Mananeth CMF. In fact the above title is taken as it is from Fr. Mananeth’s article. I found this article very insightful since it proves to be a good source of examination of the way we as religious live our lives (I am writing this article first, keeping in mind that I myself am a professed religious and of course this would apply more for those committed to the priestly and religious way of life. Of course, there are lot things that even the laity can pick up. But a lot of issues that are mentioned in the course of this article apply directly in the priestly and religious context).             It has been observed that in the life of many religious and priests, there is a great tendency to fall in...

TIME – A REFLECTION Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             It is often said that time and tide waits for none. Time is an everyday phenomenon which we all experience. The life that we live in today is a fast- paced life. At times we may even not have the time to breathe. But that’s life!             The need for time is felt even more today because it seems that there is so much to be done and yet so little time. If I were to ask you, “From when did time begin?” it would probably be difficult to answer and that is because in order to answer that question we would first have to define time? Many people refer to time only in terms of seconds, minutes and hours. That is, however, a far narrow understanding. Time is very much a deeper, wider and a broader concept and for that I think we need to respect it.           ...

THE FACTICITY OF HUMAN LIFE: A POSITIVE PHENOMENON Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             Some people grumble over the fact that they are the so called “good for nothing.” They feel that they have nothing to live for or that life is just not worth living. Have you ever come across a person who said, “How I wish I was like him!” or “How I wish had a good voice like her!” or “How I wish was a good soccer player like Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Messi!”             Many people, surprisingly, do think that way. There are 2 ways of responding to this problem. One way is to remind ourselves that none of us is a ‘piece of junk’ because God did not create junk. Whatever He has created is good. There is something inside each one of us that is waiting to be discovered. It is just a matter of persistence, effort, knowledge and most of all, patience. Having mentioned that, this br...

MONEY AND LIFE Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB           There was a nice quotation that I came across some time ago which goes thus, “It is good to have money and things money can buy. But it is good too, to check up once in a while and make sure that you haven’t lost the things money can’t buy.” This quotation brings about a nice contrast between money and life.             Some people say that money is the cause of all evil. However, such may not be the case. Money is important in life. If we did not have money, then who would provide for our basic needs? Everything costs today and so money has its due place. The problem however comes in when we begin to absolutize it, as though to say that was the only important thing in life. Such an attitude is wrong and this is something we need to beware of.  

JESUS – THE CHALLENGING PERSON Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             The personhood of Jesus challenges the common man. For what is considered as normal is something different altogether in the moral scheme of Jesus. The personhood of Jesus always stands for the underdog. Often a time, especially in a situation like today and also in times past, the strong, the brave, the extrovert, the bravado was given importance. Nobody thought about other sectors of society.             In the Gospel passage of St. Luke 6:20 – 26, it is written, Jesus looked at His disciples and said, “Happy are you who are poor; the Kingdom of God is yours! Happy are you who weep now; you will laugh! Happy are you when people hate you, reject you insult you and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man! Be glad when that happens and dance for joy, because a great reward is kept for...

SYSTEMATIC Vs NON-SYSTEMATIC Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             As the oft repeated dictum goes, “Prevention is better than cure” , as educators, it is always said that when a teacher is present among his or her students, a lot of mishaps can be prevented. True, no doubt! But it is also important to see the other side of it.             The basic fundamental spirituality of a Salesian educator is a spirituality of presence (I am writing from a Salesian perspective since I am a Salesian). We (Salesians) are always told that we need to be present among the boys and that is our mission. Being present is beneficial as the boys then become aware that there is someone watching over them and this would certainly ensure a preventive presence (unless if he chooses or decides not to act).             However, there i...

WHY WE NEED TO BELIEVE ? Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB             Salvation is for all. It is through our faith that we are actually saved. Faith in the Lord Jesus is the key element to our Christian living for if it were not for that, then the whole purpose of our Christian faith is meaningless. Why is it so?             There are two reasons, 1.   The first is in what St. Paul writes in Rom 8: 24 – 25, “For it was by hope that we were saved; but if we see what we hope for, then it is not really hope. For who hopes for something he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. 2. The other is found in Rom 10: 14 – 15, “How can they call to Him for help if they have not believed? And how can they believe if they have not heard the message? And how can they hear if the message is not proclaimed? And how can the message be proclaim...

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE IS TO LIVE A LIFE OF PURPOSE  Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB While I was doing my philosophical studies at the Salesian Institute of Philosophy at Divyadaan, Nashik, I remember one occasion when one of my friends had to put up the notice board. At first he did not know what to do but then suddenly he came up with this nice thought which I have used as the title of my article.             From my experience as an educator, I have seen students who just drift away into ‘nowhere’ . Basically, they lack a focus, they don’t have a goal. Some of them may have but perhaps just having a goal may not solve the problem. We need to act!             If I were to sit in a rickshaw and tell the driver to go anywhere, he may probably wonder as to what kind of a person I am. The same thing applies with the journey of life. Just as every journey has a point of ...

FAITH Cl. Mario D’Couto SDB As we keep this year as the “Year of Faith”, I would like to share a short reflection on this particular theme from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans. In Romans 3:21-31, St. Paul tells us that we are the children of God not because of our good works or something extra-ordinary but rather it is because of our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.              In Romans 4:9-12, we find a very interesting question put forth by St. Paul and that is “Was Abraham circumcised first and then did he believe?” No, he believed in God first and it was only then that he was circumcised. The circumcision was God’s covenantal sign with the people of Israel. It was an external sign of the bond that God had established.             As I apply this in the context of the priestly and religious life, it is but true that many people wish us and respect us fo...