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You are here:Home / Family News / NEF 2013 / Family News - 2013 July 14th / Narratio fidei
Jul 13, 2013

Narratio fidei

of Father Wilfred Perepadan, scj

Narratio fidei

 

“Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness. And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt 9,35-36)

...Oh! If only we could gather together a society of priests having for their programme the very programme of the Heart of Jesus, eternal priest, servant of the heavenly Father: absolute generosity and obedience, perfect simplicity, unchanging gentleness! These priests would be a real mobile camp of picked soldiers, ready to hasten at the first signal of their leaders, where ever they would be called, even and above all to the most difficult ministries, unwanted by others! »

« Jesus Christ is our mirror our example that we must never lose sight of; His life, His interior and exterior way of life… Let us compare ourselves continually with Him: “is my heart like His? at the present moment what would He do?” Yes He alone is my life»

«Give me a heart that truly loves! It grows, and tastes the things of God, it leaps and runs along the path of our Lord Jesus Christ. Love is what leads a man forward; it is the secret spring necessary to discover in postulants and novices; and there is found the divine seed to develop in the hearts. If it is lacking, you can do nothing.»    (Saint Michael Garicoits)

Narratio... The first impression of the gospel passage from Matthew says to me, Jesus an image of God who interacts with humanity. He can be found and be known. He is available to reach out to the needy. It is a profound explanation for me the insights of the mystery of Incarnation that is God comes to dwell with the ordinary circumstances of life to affirm and strengthen my life. Real people in Jesus’ time like each one of us saw Him, spoke with Him and felt His compassion. He shows His compassionate Heart that itself manifests an offering of kindness to the Humanity. Jesus Heart inspires me to say… yes my heart is ready to learn how Jesus treated people, what kept Him focused and how to live in a way that pleases God. I am capable of being compassionate about people but in the first instance I may hear from within because it is challenging and it is painful.

Sometimes, I hear people use a common phrase to ‘Have a Heart’. It happens when people considered the other person is too demanding or not being approachable or too unsympathetic. They are considered to be heartless. St Michael urges his companions.  ‘Have a Heart’ and be in tune with the very programme of the Heart of Jesus, The heart of Jesus reveals a meek heart, a heart that endured injury with patience and without resentment. Full of patience, devoid of bitterness and totally fixed on His Father’s will. Yes, for me it is a mirror of Christian love as it is revealed to me in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. As penny catechism teaches that God created me in order to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in the next. God’s love is the reason for my existence. This motivates me to say that His love leads me forward to always make a response. It is a response to Him as a living and loving person.

After joining our congregation, I can happily say that spirituality and mission focused on the theme of the compassionate Heart of Jesus has made an impact on my life. The first living and loving impulse of Jesus’ Heart towards the Father allowed Him to say ‘Here I am’ without any delay or hesitation. Following to live out that impulse of the heart not only provokes a challenge and implications but also needs a tremendous strength to carry out in practice. When I was asked by Fr. Gasper Fernandez and General Council to become Vicariate Superior of English Vicariate, I thought myself why I, a young religious a recently ordained priest to take up the responsibility. In February 2012, I received an encouraging letter from Fr. Gasper in response to my ‘why’ question. He quoted from St. Paul’s first letter to Timothy, “Let no one disregard you because you are young, but be an example in the way you speak and behave, and in your love, your faith and your purity (1Tim. 4:12). Fr. Gasper also noted in that letter by saying that he wants me to know that I am not alone in this task and the congregation is a project of the Sacred Heart of Jesus  whom we serve by serving our brothers. Yes, that’s true from the beginning St. Michael taught us we are modelled on the very programme of the Heart of Jesus. The programme of the Heart of Jesus, we spread to become a messenger of Christ for the salvation of all and our salvation.

Jesus opened His Heart wide open, knowing that people misunderstand him and pierce Him. I too confront the same reality of Jesus suffering in my life when I called to open my heart wide open. To become more charitable, more thoughtful, God invites me to make my life’s foundation on love. My life is the result of God’s love for me. I am not just a product but a being called out to live to the fullest expression based on God’s love. It would be wonderful if every day in my faith journey I could be moved to tears by the indescribable, literally unspeakable enormity of God’s love for me.

My humble prayer would be ‘Lord, Thank you for giving me your Love, guide me in your love, seek your love and love you more and more every day.   Amen.


Fr Wilfred Perepadan was born on 15 October 1979 at Kuttikad (Trichur), a village in Kerala (South India). He belongs to the Syro-Malabar Rite. He studied Theology at Oscott College (England) with Frs Pascal Ravi and Vincent Masilamani.  He made his Final Profession at Olton in 2009. After being ordained priest on 13 August 2011 at Kuttikad, he was called back to Olton where his confreres and all the parishioners and friends were thrilled to have him back as a warm and nice shepherd who knows when to tease  and when to be serious. He is at present the Regional Vicar for England.

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