Pushpashrama honours the Infant Jesus
The annual feast of the Infant Jesus was magnificently celebrated on the 8th of January 2017, on feast of the Epiphany of the Lord at Pushpashrama, Mysore. A three-day spiritual preparation during which holy masses kept alive the devotion of the faithful preceded the solemn occasion. The theme and motto of this year’s annual celebration was: “By this shall people that you are My disciples”. During preceding triduum animated homilies explained to the multi lingual audiences the meaning of true devotion to the Infant Jesus with particular emphasis on the theological virtues, discipleship and on humility.

On the feast itself the first holy mass was at 6-45 a.m. was celebrated in Malayalam; the second, in English at 8-15 a.m. Rev. Fr Charles Serrao OCD, Provincial Superior offered mass in Konkani at 9-30 a.m. This was followed at 10-45 by the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the well-known pastor and preacher Fr Abraham from Bengaluru in Tamil. Fr Abraham concelebrated at the Kannada Eucharist at 12-00pm, and thereafter conducted a healing service as he has been doing for the last few years. During the triduum and the feast day free meals (Annasantarpane) were served to the people.

Most Rev Dr Henry D’ Souza, Bishop of Bellary was pleased to accept our invitation and presided at the solemn Eucharistic celebration in Kannada at 5-00 in the evening with about 25 concelebrants including many diocesan priests and religious. The Bishop enthralled the congregation with his deep theological and pastoral insights: as a person grows from childhood through youth to adulthood his/her search for fulfillment leads him/her to some goal or target. Can we not compare our life’s journey to the journey of the Magi who were led by the light of a star to Bethlehem?

People in large crowds came to pay their homage to the Infant Jesus at each of the morning masses and thronged the church also during the evening celebration. The music and the excellent performance of choir after choir were intended to enkindle the mind of the faithful and raised their hearts to the throne of the Infant Jesus. Our Pushpashrama students Kannada singing deserves a special mention. The liturgy was diligently and meticulously organized by the Pushpashrama brothers under the guidance of Fr Oswald Crasta. Rev. Fr Alfred Menezes, the rector of Pushpashrama honored the bishop with shall and garland. Fr Vijay D’ Costa, the shrine in-charge while attending to the overall arrangement and organization of events, kept in mind all who had contributed to the success of the celebration and proposed a vote of thanks before the congregation lined itself for the procession.

The evening Eucharistic liturgy was immediately followed by a solemn prayerful candle light procession accompanied by the band through the streets in the vicinity of the shrine, carrying aloft a statue of the Infant Jesus in a richly decorated vehicle (theru). At the end of the procession Most Rev Bishop Henry imparted to the multitude the solemn blessing of the Eucharistic Lord. The Pushpashrama community is thankful to the Infant Jesus for enabling them to conduct this annual celebration praying that their service may enhance the spiritual lives of the people of God for the greater honour and glory of the Infant Jesus.