BEFIKRE (CAREFREE OR CARELESS - NOTHINGNESS)

Befikre (carefree) crime-romantic-comedy film released on the 9^th December 2016 has hit the screens as well as the songs have been downloaded and listened to repeatedly few months earlier along with its trailer and banners. A film produced and directed by Aditya Chopra. The movie is a free spirited, contemporary story of carefreeness and focused on living life to the fullest. There are reviews and ratings already being flashed. Well, who am I to criticize or judge the movie…I personally enjoyed watching the movie….but I think apart from watching the movie…it truly speaks of the culture we are living today in the 21^st century…allow me to use the word carelessness…and in living my life to the full that means living with no fear, no limits, no boundaries, no rules, no laws, allow me to add to the list…no morality, no religion, no God…I think we would run and are actually running the risk of living a selfish, egoistic, highly motivated yet disillusioned and destructive lives. I think this movie has much to offer by way of reflection and living our lives in family, in communities, in society, in the world. Where we need to love and care, to live for others, to make this world a better place so that we can really live our lives with Befikre…..with trust, with believe, with confidence, with love, with courage…

Philosophically reviewing this movie…I think it is also an invitation to all of us to attain nothingness (in Sanskrit Ṡūnyatā – Nishkama karama, in Japanese mu, and in Chinese wủ), a realm of metaphysics where Parmenides (empty world is possible), Rene Descartes (to seek the existence), St Augustine (why is there something rather than nothing?), Martin Heidegger (ontological neutrality), Victor Hugo (contrast universal negation with universal affirmation), Peter Van Inwagen (the infinite lottery), Gottfried Leibniz (something – universal designer), William James (from nothing there can being there can be no logical bridge)…How could I ever forget Jean Paul Sartre who contends that human existence is a conundrum our conscious choices run counter to our intellectual freedom – the consciousness….Thinking of Creation out of nothingness presupposes the possibility of total nothingness…now such a construction seems logically illogical and this is the opening verse of the literal reading of Genesis 1.1. If the world is created out of nothingness…then what about the creation? What about the faith and believe and hope which we Christians base on Love? My thinking has lead me to question even the insights of Blaise Pascal, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstien, Sigmund Freud, Soren Kierkegaard, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Rudolf Carnap, Frank Wilczek, Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow, Lawrence Krauss. I am reminded of the Bhagavad Gita verse , “Nâsato vidyate bhâvo, nâbhâvo vidyate satah” (the unreal never is, the real never is not)[2:16]. This once again spells to us: “ex nihilo, nihil fit” (out of nothing comes nothing). We see from history of philosophy many studying and reflecting on this phrase of Parmenides to mention one among the many St Thomas Aquinas who seeks to reason out this phrase through one of his arguments on the proof of the existence of God. Crossing the boundaries the of nothingness I think that we do not need to compromise nor confront some truths neither care-a-damn attitude…

DIVINE MERCY

Its been a long time that I have blogged....

Here is a simple conversation and dialogue that led to this thinking...

Yesterday in the oratory I had an interesting talk with one of our kiddo...I happened to ask him what he wants to be and become in life...now he is just 9 years old but he said "Brother Romero....I have many options that I have been thinking" and so I asked him, "name a few of them". He began by saying, "I wanna be a policeman, a singer, a priest". I said, "wow, cool..." and then I asked him, "but why you want to be a policeman?" and then he replied saying, "because I want to help my family, my country to serve and save them". and then I asked him, "but why you want to be a priest?" and then he replied saying, "because I want to help my family, my country to serve and save them".

Thinking about this he had the same answer to both career/vocation in life....I pray that as he grows he may find what his heart desire. May this boy be like his name is...generous and saving....thanks to him that I began to think of this reality - in my life, of my life, for my life.

Today is the feast of Divine Mercy and it lead me to think about these two words Justice (policeman - law) and Mercy (priest - love). I think that as humans, as christians, as catholics, as priests and future priests we need to have a balance of both in life. This is what the Divine Mercy is. It is also a reminder to me and to others to forgive and forget which is both very difficult in our lives. But let us pray for this gift through the intercession of St Faustina & St John Paul II. As Pope Francis exhorted us to be APOSTLES OF MERCY.

The Image of Divine Mercy has from the heart flowing water (grace) and blood (love) which reminds me of the scene of Jesus on the Crucifix and the soldier piercing the lance in his site. The image also reminds of Jesus being Resurrected in his white robe and rays of light shining. It is a reminder to me and you that the Holy Eucharist is nothing else but celebrating Christ at Mass and living this Mass, this Jesus in our daily lives. Being Jesus, Living Jesus, Sharing Jesus.

People of Faith in Jesus Christ I believe in the Divine Mercy and the best example I can share is that of my family and my mom in a special way. I recommend to you all those who have read this start praying the prayer of Divine Mercy.

Appreciate your time for reading this thought...