A Life of love
Sixty one years ago Bharananganam was quite an unknown place and found no mention in the history of the world. By the holiness of a poor clarist nun called Alphonsa it has come to be known all over the world.
Sister Alphonsa was a noble woman who lived all human virtues in their fullness. Love was the special attribute of her personality. She loved everybody with a strong feeling of affection, not only those who loved her but also people who were harsh towards her. A heart which is filled with genuine love can never keep any kind of animosity, resentment or ill feelings against anybody and anything. She would say that her heart was full of love. This was the cause of her holiness.
Jesus, her beloved spouse, bestowed upon her all the virtues like prudence, fortitude temperance etc. Besides these, the theological virtues such as faith, hope and charity were granted abundantly to her. In short, we can describe her as an embodiment of virtues and love. God himself prepared her in a special way to entrust certain sacred duties to her.
The duty was to love Jesus with all her strength and might. Real love means to renounce one’s own comfort and pleasure for the sake of the loved ones. Blessed Alphonsa forced herself from the depth of her heart to abstain from everything which was found worthy in the eyes of the world. She asked for more and more sufferings to become one with the crucified Jesus. Her sufferings and agonies were never a curse for her, but a sign of the greatest love. She was ready to take any kind of sacrifice for the sake of Jesus. She felt immense joy while suffering for her beloved Jesus.
There were sleepless nights due to the violent attack of diseases; there were times of intense sufferings and hardships. There were occasions of blame and accusations. There were moments of misunderstanding and helplessness. She never felt any regret over it since she found an interior happiness in the midest of all these sufferings. Because she had an unceasing thirst to love the crucified Jesus everything was for Jesus. She was a moving temple. Here Temple means a place made holy by the presence of God. People would find the face of Jesus in her. Really her life was a holocaust for love.
The remarkable life of a young Catholic nun came to an end on 28 th July 1946. She was unknown to the public till her death. Only a few attended her funeral. There appeared no news in the media about the death of Sr. Alphonsa.
God the almighty had been well pleased to exalt and honour the one who became a burnt offering for his sake. The very next day of the funeral people who knew her sanctity started to pray through her instrumentality and received favours.
Now there is an incessant flow of pilgrims to her tomb. She lies buried in the cemetary of Bharananganam parish church. A cemetary inspires fear in the minds of the people. People will hesitate to enter it. But the cemetary of Bharananganam became a crowd puller almost as soon as her death. It continues to be so.
Courtesy: Sr. Lilly FCC
Sister Alphonsa was a noble woman who lived all human virtues in their fullness. Love was the special attribute of her personality. She loved everybody with a strong feeling of affection, not only those who loved her but also people who were harsh towards her. A heart which is filled with genuine love can never keep any kind of animosity, resentment or ill feelings against anybody and anything. She would say that her heart was full of love. This was the cause of her holiness.
Jesus, her beloved spouse, bestowed upon her all the virtues like prudence, fortitude temperance etc. Besides these, the theological virtues such as faith, hope and charity were granted abundantly to her. In short, we can describe her as an embodiment of virtues and love. God himself prepared her in a special way to entrust certain sacred duties to her.
The duty was to love Jesus with all her strength and might. Real love means to renounce one’s own comfort and pleasure for the sake of the loved ones. Blessed Alphonsa forced herself from the depth of her heart to abstain from everything which was found worthy in the eyes of the world. She asked for more and more sufferings to become one with the crucified Jesus. Her sufferings and agonies were never a curse for her, but a sign of the greatest love. She was ready to take any kind of sacrifice for the sake of Jesus. She felt immense joy while suffering for her beloved Jesus.
There were sleepless nights due to the violent attack of diseases; there were times of intense sufferings and hardships. There were occasions of blame and accusations. There were moments of misunderstanding and helplessness. She never felt any regret over it since she found an interior happiness in the midest of all these sufferings. Because she had an unceasing thirst to love the crucified Jesus everything was for Jesus. She was a moving temple. Here Temple means a place made holy by the presence of God. People would find the face of Jesus in her. Really her life was a holocaust for love.
The remarkable life of a young Catholic nun came to an end on 28 th July 1946. She was unknown to the public till her death. Only a few attended her funeral. There appeared no news in the media about the death of Sr. Alphonsa.
God the almighty had been well pleased to exalt and honour the one who became a burnt offering for his sake. The very next day of the funeral people who knew her sanctity started to pray through her instrumentality and received favours.
Now there is an incessant flow of pilgrims to her tomb. She lies buried in the cemetary of Bharananganam parish church. A cemetary inspires fear in the minds of the people. People will hesitate to enter it. But the cemetary of Bharananganam became a crowd puller almost as soon as her death. It continues to be so.
Courtesy: Sr. Lilly FCC
