OCEAN OF MERCY

A catechist was concluding  her class on forgiveness of sins and the sacrament of reconciliation. She asked a question to her children, "Tell me, what we must do first, to obtain forgiveness of sins?" An innocent child replied, "Sin!"

                    A young woman, who led a sinful life, became thoroughly depressed and decided to commit suicide by jumping into the sea from a tall rock on a sandy beach. As she walked along the beach towards the rock, she felt that she should write her sins on the sand before ending her life. She sat down and wrote her major sins on the sand and stood up to read it. Suddenly a strong wave washed the shore and erased her words completely. Seeing the blank beach, she recalled and realized the power of God's forgiveness. She rushed to a church and confessed her sins. She started a new life of peace and hope.

                   St. Anthony of Padua was in the confessional. A penitent person came for confession, but he was overcome with repentance, sorrow and nervousness and so could not utter even a word. The saint advised him to go home, write his sins on a piece of paper and return with it. When he returned, he was asked to read the sins one by one. As he read out each sin, the inscription of the sin vanished from the paper miraculously. Finally, at the end of the confession the paper became blank. The saint asked him to burn the paper showing him that God has forgiven and forgotten all his sins.

                   A young man approached Archbishop Fulton. J. sheen and asked him how he could be sure that his sins would be forgiven by God after the Sacrament of confession and reconciliation. The Archbishop led him to a beach and asked him to collect a handful of sand. He then asked him to throw the sand into the sea.  Then he asked the young man if he could recover or recognize the grains of sand he had thrown away. The man understood the power of God's forgiveness. When God forgives our sins, he casts our sins into an ocean of mercy, kindness, forgiveness and forgetfulness. St. Isaac the Syrian taught, "Our sins are as so many grains of sand cast into the ocean of God's mercy."

                 The Lord says, "Now, let us settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool" {Isaiah 1:18}.

© By: Prof. Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally,  Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.

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FOOLISH FRIENDS

 A rabbit and two ducks were intimate friends. They used to meet on the bank of a river and have detailed discussions. One day the ducks told the rabbit that they had found a carrot farm on the other bank of the river. The rabbit was excited and sought the help of his friends to cross the river, reach the farm and relish the carrots. The ducks agreed to carry him across the river.

                       They devised an ingenious plan to cross the river. The two ducks entered the river and stayed close to each other. The rabbit carefully mounted on their back and stayed still, placing his forelimbs on one duck and his hind limbs on the other duck. Then the ducks slowly swam across the river, staying close to each other. The rabbit cautiously balanced his body on top of the moving birds.

                       As they reached the centre of the river, the ducks saw a large number of fishes swimming together. In the excitement of finding a delicious meal in the shoal, the ducks quickly swam to either side to catch the prey. They forgot about the poor rabbit who fell down into the deep river as the ducks moved away. The ducks remembered their mission only after they finished their feast. But, by that time the rabbit had drowned. The foolish ducks were sorry to miss their dearest friend. They cursed their crazy craving for food.

                       The Book of Proverbs in the Holy Bible advises, "Keep company with the wise and you will become wise. If you make friends with stupid people, you will be ruined" {Proverbs 13: 20}.

                       St. John advises, “My children, our love should not be just words and talk; it must be true love, which shows itself in action” {1 John 3:18}.

                       Jesus taught us, “My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love that a person can have for his friends is to give his life for them” {John 15: 12, 13}.

© By: Prof. Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally,  Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.

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BLIND LOVE

 The story entitled, “Iruttinte Soundaryam” (The Beauty of Darkness) by Mr. Artson Pothy, published in the Malayalam weekly, “Sathyanadam” (14 January 1996, page 11) depicts the impulsive infatuation of a young man with a gifted and graceful girl and its consequences.

                                     The hero, Anirudhan was watching a concert. The beautiful girl who sang with a sweet voice caught his special attention. She was singing in the most melodious voice he had ever heard. She wore a beautiful white dress and stylish dark glasses which intensified her natural beauty. In the lovely and well-lit stage, the graceful girl appeared to him as a radiant angel descended from heaven. He watched her exquisite performance and enchanting charm as if in a dream. He contacted the Orchestra and learned that her name was Nisha. He talked to her directly over the phone. In an excited tone, he told her how much he adored her graceful face, attractive attire, lovely smile, pleasing performance and divine voice. He declared that he was madly in love with her and could not live without her and requested her to agree to marry him. He said he would come to meet her in person the next day.

                                     The girl was amazed, shocked and confused on hearing his words. She replied calmly, “See, I am very poor and moreover…” He did not permit her to complete the sentence. He told her that he knew everything about her and that his decision to marry her was firm and final. The girl discussed the proposal with her friends and relatives and they encouraged her to proceed with the proposal as he had told her that he knew everything about her. She eagerly awaited his arrival.

                                     Carrying a pair of the most expensive dark glasses to present to her as his gift, he went to her residence, dressed like a prince. He met her and presented the gift to her with eloquent words of ardent admiration. She opened the packet and decided to wear the new pair of glasses before him. She removed her own glasses and the young man was stunned and shocked to see that the girl had no eyes at all! There were only two small depressions in their place on her face, suggesting complete blindness. His attraction, appreciation and admiration for her alluring and appealing appearance disappeared in seconds. He rushed out of the room and vanished without a word leaving the girl in a perplexed state.

                                     The Holy Bible teaches about true love, “Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope and patience never fail” {1 Corinthians 13: 4-7}.

                                     The young man’s love was not true or sincere. He displayed several defects in his personality, character and behaviour. He made an important decision in his life without forethought and analysis. He gave a promise to a poor girl which he could not keep. His love was only an immature infatuation to the physical glamour of the gorgeous girl. Impulsive decisions may lead to disaster.  Seeking God’s will by fervent prayer leads to correct decisions. If we are willing to follow the will of God, He will make His will clear to us. William Barclay taught, “There is only one way to bring peace to the heart, joy to the mind and beauty to life; it is to accept and do the will of God.”

                                   “The Lord says…I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for” {Jeremiah 29: 11}

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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BITTER HALF

 Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, had a nagging and quarrelsome wife, Xanthippe. One day she shouted furiously at Socrates and his friends. Finding no reaction, she got into a violent temper. She picked up a bucket full of washing water and poured it on the head of Socrates. He remarked with a smile, to his friends, "We know that a thunder will be followed by a rain!" Later, he advised a young man, "By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you will become happy. If you get a bad one, you will become a philosopher."

                     A recent cartoon depicted the most effective seat belt  for a husbands driving with his wife in the other seat in the front. It effectively covers the wife's mouth while supporting him. Its advantage  is that it lets him drive without her interference!

                     The teacher of biology in a school distributed plantlets to all the students with instructions to plant them near their home, look after the growing plants regularly and observe their condition every day. All the students except one reported that the plants were growing steadily. One student complained that his plantlets refused to grow. The teacher questioned him and discovered the reason. The boy was in the habit of examining the roots of the plants every day after pulling them out of the soil in order to assess the growth of the plants. Obviously, his idiotic over-enthusiasm had deprived the plant of an essential condition for steady growth - lack of disturbance!

                     An over-enthusiastic and highly religious lady was worried that her husband was a heavy drinker. She used to torment him by her constant  complaints and unnecessary advises. With much effort, she managed to bring him to a Charismatic convention. After informing the organizers, she occupied a seat close to her husband's seat and was continuously disturbing him, expressing irritation whenever he showed any sign of sleep or restlessness. She frequently complained to the priest that her husband was not attentive. The priest finally told her sternly, "Please occupy a seat in a different place and leave him alone. Tell more about him to God and less about God to him. It is God's grace and not your presence that will transform him."

                     Let us add to every prayer the words taught by Jesus in the 'Lord's prayer'. He taught  His disciples, "May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven" {Matthew 6: 10}.

                     Several families maintain peace  by surrendering to the dominance of the stronger partner. Real happiness results only when there is close co-operation and mutual respect between partners. Otherwise the better half becomes the bitter half. In several oriental Christian churches, during the sacrament of matrimony, the priest adorns both the husband and the wife with the matrimonial ring. It symbolizes that the spouse is received from God. Matrimony is thus a union of three - the husband, wife and God. Marriages are conceived in heaven and celebrated on earth. The ideal family is an image of heaven.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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A LOVING LION

  The legend of Androcles and the lion has undergone several modifications through ages. It was adopted by Aesop in his famous fable where Androcles is portrayed as a fugitive slave who ran away from his cruel master and befriended a wounded lion which later refused to harm him. In his famous play, 'Androcles and the Lion' (1912) , George Bernard Shaw(1856-1950) presents Androcles as a compassionate Christian tailor who was saved in the Roman amphitheatre by the lion he once nursed. The following is a variant version of the old legend.

                     A king was influenced by the priests of pagan gods. They considered the Christians as their enemies because the Christians refused to worship idols and preached against idolatry. The pagan priests conspired against the Christians and inspired the king to issue an order that everyone must worship the idol of the king in public and offer incense and sacrifices as acts of adoration to the king. Anyone who refused to adore the king's idol publicly was to be thrown into an arena before a  hungry lion. The king's army was ordered to arrest anyone who refused to adore the king and bring the culprit before the king for trial and judgment. Hundreds of Christian martyrs were killed by the king's lions and thousands of people used to gather around the arena to enjoy the public massacre.

                     Fierce lions were captured from the forest by the hunters appointed by the king and kept in strong cages in the palace.  They were starved before being let loose in the fenced arena into which the helpless Christians were thrown down mercilessly amidst the applause of thousands in the gallery around the arena.

                     Androcles was identified as a practising Christian and was chased by the king's armed guards. He escaped into a dense forest and sought refuge in a cave. A wild lion with a large thorn stuck in its right paw entered the cage, limping on three legs and crying in great pain. He raised the swollen paw and showed it to Androcles who examined it with great care and compassion. He carefully removed the thorn and applied the fresh juice of medicinal herbs to alleviate the pain and cure the wound.  The lion felt relieved and licked the hands of Androcles as a mark of gratitude and love. He wagged his tail like a tame dog and left the cave thankfully. A few days later, the king's men traced Androcles and captured him. He was produced before the king. As Androcles refused to renounce his Christian faith, the king ordered that he shall be thrown to be eaten by a wild lion in the arena the next day.

                     Thousands arrived to witness the cruel murder. The king and the queen was seated in a special box. Androcles was brought to the arena . He knelt down and prayed to God fervently. A hungry lion was brought in a cage in a carriage. Its heavy grating was opened and the lion was let free to attack the helpless Androcles. The hungry lion jumped from the cage into the arena, roaring fiercely, ready to pounce upon his prey.

                      But, quite unexpectedly the lion became tame as he approached Androcles. He wagged his tail and licked Androcles with great affection. The lion recognized Androcles as the person who removed the thorn from his painful paw and affectionately nursed him before the lion was caught from the forest and was taken into the custody of the king's troops.

                       Everyone was struck with wonder. The king learned from Androcles  the story of his encounter with the lion and praised his kindness. The king was deeply impressed by the religion of Androcles which enabled him to show mercy and love even to animals. The king stopped the persecution of Christians and allowed Christians to practise their religion with full freedom. Androcles was appointed as an important officer in the king's palace but he thankfully declined the offer and devoted his life to care for the poor, the sick and the illiterate people of his country.

                       Jesus said, "And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples"{John 13: 34, 35}.

                      "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them! Happy are the pure in heart; they will see God!" {Matthew 5: 7, 8}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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God and Gold

  There was a saintly sage in ancient India. He resided in a hermitage in a forest. He was a great scholar, philosopher and gifted physician who had mastered the science of Ayurveda, the superb system of indigenous medicine which is very popular in India even today. He used to provide free medical aid to the poor people of the neighbouring villages. He had several students who stayed with him and learned under his expert guidance.

                      On a stormy night, a young man rushed to the hermitage and sought the help of the sage to save his father, a poor villager who was very sick and bed-ridden. He was actively involved in the festival of the local temple when he suddenly fainted and fell down and was carried home and laid on bed.

                      The sage collected the necessary medicines and asked one of his disciples to accompany them. He lighted the traditional portable oil lamp from the lamp of the hermitage and handed it to the student. "Carry it carefully as the night is dark and windy. See that it is not extinguished by the wind and that the oil is not spilled out from the lamp." The student led the way carrying the lamp carefully. The sage and the young man followed. They reached the end of the forest and proceeded along the narrow path through the village. They could see at a distance the temple which was illuminated and decorated beautifully in connection with the festival. They reached the patient's house. The sage examined the patient in detail and gave him all necessary medicines. He gave directions to the family members and started his return journey. He volunteered to carry the oil lamp and the student followed.

                      On reaching the hermitage, the sage asked the student about the decorations and illuminations he saw on the way. The student innocently informed him` that on their way to visit the patient, he could not watch the scenes as he was carefully guarding the lamp from the wind and possible spillage of oil. But he could watch and enjoy every scene during their return journey. The sage then told him, "You could not enjoy the scenes when you were concentrating on the lamp. But when your attention was not fixed on the lamp, you could enjoy the scenes. This incident teaches us an important lesson about spiritual life. We cannot give equal attention to God and gold. If you want to be with God, you must avoid worldliness. If you are immersed in worldly pleasures, you cannot please God. If your aim is a pure and saintly life, leave all interest in amassing wealth and focus on studies, meditation and serving the poor people, practising poverty and austerity with sincerity."

                   "No one can be a slave of two masters; he will hate one and love the other; he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" {Matthew 6: 24}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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Inspirational Parenting Stories

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'

DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.

SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.

SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'

SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: 'May I please borrow $25?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down and started to think:

Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.

'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money and started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.

'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.

'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours... But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. courtesy : greatdad.com

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Test by Tempest

A ship  was sailing through the open sea with several passengers. The captain’s wife was one of them.The ship was caught in a violent storm. The ship swayed dangerously in the turbulent rough waters. The passengers cried aloud in fear.. But the captain remained very calm, cool and bold, using all his skills to keep the vessel under control. The staff offered all necessary assistance to the captain. Many passengers started to pray fervently.


The captain’s wife could not tolerate the calmness of her husband. She complained, “How can you be so cool, while we are frightened to death?” The captain quickly drew a pistol from his pocket and aimed it at her. He touched the trigger and asked her, “Are you not afraid that I will shoot you?” “Not at all,” she replied. “Why?” asked the captain. “Because the gun is in your hands,” she answered.
Then the captain explained, “That is the situation here also. There is one who controls the storm and the sea. He is our loving Lord. God is more concerned about us than we are. So do not worry. Pray for His help with confidence. He will save us from any disaster.”

Inspired by his confident words, she joined the group engaged in prayer. Their prayer was answered soon. The sea became calm and they could sail safely.

When the disciples of Jesus were sailing across the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was sleeping in the boat. Suddenly a strong storm hit the boat and the waves were spilling over into the boat. They feared that the boat would sink. They woke up Jesus and sought His help. He commanded the wind and the waves to be calm and they obeyed Him. There was a great calm {Matthew 8: 23-27, Mark 4: 37-41, Luke 8:23-25}. To the startled disciples, Jesus asked, “Why are you frightened? Have you still no faith?” {Mark 4:40}.

Our life is like a boat, sailing through the sea of the world. We may be threatened by the tempests of troubles and temptations. But we can sail safely if our faith is strong. Jesus has control over the forces of nature.

He may give us tests and trials so that we may grow further and stronger, but he never abandons us during hard times. He is with us through our joys and tears throughout our life. Let us pray, “Do not bring us to hard testing,but keep us safe from the evil one” {Matthew 6: 13}.”

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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horse and a goat

There was a farmer who had a horse and a goat…..

One day, the horse became ill. So he called the veterinarian, who said: 

"Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days. 
I'll come back on the 3rd day and if he's not better, we're going to have to put him down. 

Nearby, the goat listened closely to their conversation. 

The next day, they gave the horse the medicine and left. 

The goat approached the horse and said: “Be strong, my friend. 
Get up or else they're going to put you to sleep!” 

On the second day, they again gave the horse the medicine and left. 

The goat came back and said: "Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die!
Come on, I'll help you get up. Let's go! One, two, three..." 

On the third day, they came to give the horse the medicine and the vet said: 
"Unfortunately, we're going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise,
the virus might spread and infect the other horses". 

After they left, the goat approached the horse and said: "Listen pal, it's now or never! 
Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! That's it, slowly! Great! 
Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on...... Fantastic! Run, run more! 
Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you're a champion...!!!" 

All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting: 
It's a miracle! My horse is cured. We must have a grand party. Let's kill the goat!!!!

The Lesson: 
Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or who's actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen. 

Remember: 
LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT RECOGNITION IS A 
SKILL!!!! 

If anyone ever tells you that your work is unprofessional, remember: 

AMATEURS BUILT THE ARK [which saved all the species] 

and 

PROFESSIONALS BUILT THE TITANIC [all died tragically]

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Happy Home

Archbishop Fulton. J. Sheen (1895-1979), in his renowned book, "Way to Happiness" narrates an incident in the life of a pious nun residing in a cloistered Carmelite convent (chapter 31). The nuns were leading a simple, silent and austere life and were practising penance, prayer and meditation without access to the outside world. Once, during the feast of St. Therese, the cloister of the convent was opened to visitors who wanted to witness their lifestyle. Among the visitors was an industrialist who could not appreciate the silent lifestyle of the sisters. He met a young, beautiful and highly educated nun and showed her a large, palatial house on the opposite hill. It was large and luxurious with all modern amenities, a gorgeous garden, beautiful buildings, expensive cars and fine furniture. He asked her, "If you had the fortune to be born in and own such a house with all facilities for a luxurious modern life, would you have left it and joined this convent with only poverty, penance and prayer?" The nun gave a short but firm reply, "Sir, that was my home!"

Her words displayed the spirit of true dedication to her vocation. She could find real happiness in a simple life of poverty, silence and sacrifice with prayer, penance and meditation. So she could easily abandon her rich home and all its luxuries following the footsteps of Jesus. She could appreciate the beauty of austerity, simplicity and poverty.

Jesus concludes the parable of the rich fool who planned to build bigger barns to store his corn, with the words: "But God said to him, “You fool! This very night you will have to give up your life; then who will get all these things you have kept for yourself?”{Luke 12:16-21}.

Once a  rich, young man approached Jesus to learn the way to receive eternal life. Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven; then come and follow me" {Matthew 19: 21}. Jesus advised, "“Provide for yourselves purses that don’t wear out, and save your riches in heaven, where they will never decrease, because no thief can get to them and no moth can destroy them {Luke 12:33}.

Money may fetch us amusement, but not happiness; a bed, but not sleep; books, but not brains; a car, but not safety; companions, but not friends; education, but not wisdom; flattery, but not respect; food, but not appetite; a house but not a home; luxuries, but not culture; medicines, but not health; ornaments, but not beauty; a violin, but not music.

Let us save our riches in heaven.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com   

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Mounting an Elephant

Elephants are essential elements in traditional festivals of India. They are decorated with gold-plated caparisons and displayed with dignity in colourful processions. During such a festival, one of the organizers of the festival wanted to climb upon an elegant elephant as it was his long-cherished dream. The man was old and stout and was afraid of the exercise. With the expert advice and assistance of the mahout, and a lot of personal effort, he managed to climb to the top of the elephant. But unfortunately, as he reached the top with much fear and difficulty, he got seated with his face facing the tail-end of the elephant. Noting his awkward position, his aides shouted from the ground, "Sir, please turn yourself to face the front side of the elephant!" But the scared dignitary could not move a bit. He sat still, holding the animal with all his might. He told his well-wishers, "I will sit as I please. If you want a change, you may turn the elephant to face my front."

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), one of the greatest composers and musicians in human history, was born in Bonn in Germany. He was proficient in playing a variety of musical instruments. He could mesmerize millions by his melodious music, crowning compositions and outstanding performance. Once, while playing his musical instruments he noticed that they did not produce any sound. He thought that the instruments had developed some trouble and decided to repair them. Later he could realize that the problem was not with his instruments but with his own ears, which became deaf suddenly. He continued to create excellent compositions ignoring his deafness.

When God confronted them for sinning, Adam blamed his wife and Eve blamed the snake {Genesis 3: 11-13}. But God did not accept their excuses {Genesis 3: 16-19}.

It is human nature to assume that disorders are caused by the faults of  the society and the people around us. But often it is the discord within a person that causes disorder in his social life. The first step in correcting the society is correcting ourselves {Matthew 7:1-5}. We can initiate social change only by changing ourselves.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com   

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A Manager's Malpractice

The proprietor of a large construction company had a dishonest manager who used fraudulent means to cheat the customers and make money for himself. He used to manipulate the accounts, use raw materials of poor quality and neglect the design, technical specifications and workmanship to make unauthorized personal profit. The proprietor had full confidence in the manager and gave him complete control in the concern.

One day, the proprietor told the manager that he was proceeding on a tour of many foreign countries and would return only after several months. He asked the manager to undertake the construction of a new house for the proprietor using the best materials  and workmanship available.

The wicked manager decided to betray the proprietor and make a fortune. He used the cheapest construction materials of the lowest quality and completed the construction at a fast pace. He ignored the technical specifications and quality in every aspect of the construction - design, foundation, materials, masonry, plumbing, wiring, carpentry, plastering and painting but gave an attractive and appealing appearance to the final structure. He withdrew a very large sum of money from the proprietor's account giving false and exaggerated statements about the expenditure.

When the proprietor returned from abroad, the manager was ready to receive him at the airport. He escorted the proprietor to the new house and ceremoniously handed over the keys to the proprietor. The proprietor thanked the manager for completing the construction in a short period and embraced him. The proprietor told him, "You may keep the keys with you. I am giving this house and the surrounding land to you as my special gift to you in recognition of your splendid services to me and our establishment."

The manager could not believe these words. He never expected to receive such a gift. He was afraid to occupy the new house as he was fully aware of the poor quality of its construction. He was in a real dilemma. He felt sorry for his fraudulent practices.

Honesty is the best policy. It is a good rule that we should be faithful and truthful in every action - both big and small.

Jesus taught the golden rule of Christianity, "Do for others just  what you want them to do for you"{ Luke 6: 31, Matthew  7:12}

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com   

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The Greatest Gift

Arrangements for a wedding ceremony were in progress in a house. A lamb and a puppy belonging to the house were talking about their life in the house. They agreed that their master and other members of the family were providing them good food and care. “But what do we give them in return for their services?” asked the pup. The lamb replied, “I don’t know. But we must express our gratitude. I will ask my mommy and tell you later.”

A large number of guests arrived to participate in the wedding and the party. Everyone was happy.The master and his son, the bridegroom were busy greeting and welcoming the guests. But the lamb was weeping. Seeing this, the puppy asked the lamb, “Why do you cry, when every one here is happy?”

The lamb replied, “Yesterday you asked me how we can express our thanks to our master. I went to ask my mom. But I saw her being slaughtered for our master. They removed her skin, cut her into pieces and cooked her body in a large vessel. They will enjoy her meat in today’s party. She showed me how to express our gratitude.” The lamb continued to cry. The puppy could not pacify the lamb.

Jesus is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” {John 1: 29}. He was killed for us on the Cross at Calvary. His sacred sacrifice delivered us from sin {Hebrews 9: 28}.

Jesus continues to offer His body and blood in the Holy Eucharist  to purify us, strengthen us and lead us to heaven. Jesus promised, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him to life on the last day {John 6: 54}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com  

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Fight At First Sight

A mother was very fond of her only son. When he married, she felt that he was more attached to his wife than to her. Soon she developed an enormous enmity to her daughter-in-law. She used to shout foul words at the young lady frequently and furiously fight with all might at the first sight of her daughter-in-law, every day.

             One day, filled with rage, the old lady started to shower abusive words at the young lady at the top of her voice. She started with the words, “You bastard…” But as she uttered forcefully, the syllable “Ba” of ‘Bastard’, she opened her mouth so widely that her jaws got locked, leaving a fully opened mouth which could not be shut. She struggled hard and panicked in pain but could not close her open mouth.
              She was rushed to a hospital by her son and his wife. The old lady was immensely irritated but cried helplessly in agony. The doctors diagnosed her complaint as an acute anterior dislocation of the lower jaw bone (mandible) from the temperomandibular joint. The ball (condyle) of the joint had come out of its socket, moved forward and got stuck in front of a section of bone and could not go back into its proper place. The doctors carefully manipulated her lower jaw and released the lock. Suddenly, in a fit of rage, she burst out, “Bastard!” and showered on her daughter-in-law a torrential stream of vulgar words, trembling with a terrible temper.
             The doctor was struck with wonder. After a few minutes, she recovered from the tantrums. Then the doctor advised her to give her jaws sufficient rest and limit their range of movement to avert another accident.
              Let us remember that ‘ANGER’ is only one letter short of ‘DANGER’. Robert Green Ingersoll said, “Anger blows out the lamp of the mind.” Benjamin Franklin said, “Whatever is begun in anger ends in shame.”
              Lord Buddha taught, “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burnt.”
              The Bible advises, “There is no excuse for unjustified anger; it can bring about your downfall. Wait and be patient, and later you will be glad you did” {Sirach 1: 22, 23}. “If you cannot control your anger, you are as helpless as a city without walls, open to attack” {Proverbs 25: 28}.
               St. Paul teaches, “Get rid of all bitterness, passion and anger. No more shouting or insults, no more hateful feelings of any sort. Instead be kind and tender-hearted to one another, and forgive one another, as God has forgiven you through Christ” {Ephesians 4: 31, 32}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com 

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A Handsome Horse

A wild horse became envious of the zebras which are naturally blessed with beautiful black stripes all over their body. The horse spent sleepless nights meditating about a method to get decorated with beautiful stripes like a zebra. He sought the advice of a monkey who was the best scholar, artist and beautician of the forest. The monkey led the horse to a place where a wildfire had just burnt down several trees. Using the pieces of charcoal from the burnt wood, the monkey painted fine stripes on the body of the horse.

The happy horse thanked the monkey and joined a group of zebras who accepted him without a doubt. As they were grazing together, a heavy rainfall occurred. The 'painted zebra' was in great trouble. The stripes of charcoal dissolved in the rain and created a dirty mess. The stripes lost their outline. The zebras rejected him. The horse ran away with a disfigured body. He came to his own relatives who were reluctant to accept him seeing his weird appearance. Dejected and depressed, he approached the monkey who created the stripes and requested him to end his misery. The monkey led him to a stream and washed his body, rubbing hard with the husk of a coconut. Having restored his natural appearance, the horse watched his appearance in the still water. He said to himself, "I am really beautiful!"


Every creature is blessed with a unique form and appearance. We must be ready to accept the gifts of God instead of worrying about our appearance. Comparing our features with those of others and trying to imitate others creates unnecessary worry. Let us look at the less privileged brothers and thank God for His generous gifts. That is the path to peace and progress.


"Charm is deceptive and beauty disappears..."{Proverbs 31: 30}.


St. Peter advises, "You should not use outward aids to make yourself beautiful, such as the way you do your hair, or the jewellery you put on, or the dresses you wear. Instead your beauty should consist of your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight" {1 Peter 3: 3, 4}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com 

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A Proud Peacock

A proud peacock boasted that he was the most beautiful bird and the best dancer in the whole world. He looked down on the other birds which lacked beauty or skill in dancing. Once a crow tried to make friends with him. He scornfully told the crow, "You are very ugly and small in appearance and offensive in sound and behaviour. You are a scavenger feeding on garbage and decaying flesh. How dare you come near me? Look at my elegant, elaborate, enormous, exquisite and exotic plumage. I am admired for my beauty and grace and excellent skills in dancing. Go away from me."

The peacock displayed his long and colourful tail and fanned out his brilliant feathers. He quivered gracefully, boastfully displaying his superb dancing skills. Suddenly a leopard made a surprise attack from its hiding place and caught the peacock before he could make any defensive movement. His fanned out feathers made it impossible to escape from the predator. But the simple crow could make a swift flight and easily escape from the ambush. Seated on a tall tree the crow watched the tragic fate of the proud peacock. He sobbed in sorrow.

"The Lord hates everyone who is arrogant; He will never let them escape punishment" {Proverbs 16: 5}. "Pride leads to destruction, and arrogance to downfall" {Proverbs 16: 18}. "No one is respected  unless he is humble; arrogant people are on the way to ruin" {Proverbs 18: 12}.

"Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised" {Matthew 5: 5}. "For everyone who makes himself great will be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself will be made great" {Luke 14: 11}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com 

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Cinderella Of India

Sindhu was the only daughter of a learned cobbler of South India. Her mother died while she was very young. Under her father's instruction, Sindhu earned proficiency in the principles of morality, stories of virtuous characters and the divine messages depicted in the great epics of India. She was very beautiful and good-natured. She loved nature and had several pet animals. She used to teach the girls of her village the stories she learned from her father.

They were staying in a house owned by a landlord. The cobbler made a pair of extremely beautiful sandals for Sindhu using all his skills and the finest materials available. She preserved the sandals as a treasure. Once there was a large flood and their landlord's daughter fell into the flooding river by accident. Her father died while trying to save the girl. Poor Sindhu was orphaned.

The kind landlord let her stay in his house where there were a large number of servants. But the landlady was cruel and made Sindhu work hard. She cut off Sindhu's beautiful black hair and gave her only the old clothes worn by her own daughter as the landlady and her haughty daughter were envious of Sindhu's natural beauty and unusual knowledge. The other servants made her do most of the hard works and ill-treated her in all possible ways. She had to draw and bring water from a distant well, clean, feed and milk the cows, clean the house, premises and the animal house, look after the vegetable garden and work in the kitchen to prepare the meals for all. She suffered in silence and did her duties with dedication and perfection.

Every evening, she used to go to the small temporary tomb where the remains of her father's dead body were preserved for an year before the ceremonious mixing with the water of a holy river. During this visit she used to put on the pair of sandals her father had gifted to her, in remembrance of her loving father. Reaching the tomb, she would remove her sandals and light an oil lamp in memory of the departed soul as per the customs of her community.

One evening, as she was lighting the lamp at the tomb after removing her sandals, a bird snatched one of the sandals and flew away. The bird dropped the sandal before the king while he was engaged in an evening walk near his palace. He showed it to his son, the prince. They were fascinated by the beauty of the sandal. The court astrologer advised that it was a signal from heaven and the owner of the sandal should be identified. She would be the ideal bride for the prince.

The king decreed that the prince would marry the girl whose foot correctly fits the sandal. He sent his soldiers all around the country with the sandal. A large number of  ladies of the country rushed to test their feet, but none of them suited the sandal. Finally the soldiers found out that Sindhu was the real owner of the sandal. The king and prince arrived to meet and greet her. She reluctantly produced the other pair of the sandal from her bundle of old clothes. The king and the prince were impressed by her unusual wisdom, winsome manners and natural beauty. The royal wedding was celebrated ceremoniously. Sindhu reigned successfully as the princess and later as the queen for several years. She introduced reforms to help the poor and downtrodden people. Her days are remembered in the country as the golden age in its history.

God speaks through Jeremiah, "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for {Jeremiah 29: 11}.

"Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land" {Matthew 5: 4,5}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com 

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Unity In Diversity

Three cats lived in neighbouring houses. They were close friends and used to meet to discuss  matters of common interest. One of them was white in colour. Another one was black. The third was brown. One day the black cat argued that his colour was the best as he could hide in dim light and pounce on the prey without getting noticed. He added that the white colour of his friend was a terrible disadvantage in catching a prey in dim light.

The white cat retorted  that white was a superior colour as it was a combination of all colours and a symbol of purity. He added that black was the absence of any colour and a symbol of hell. When the argument became uncontrollable, the brown cat intervened. He said, "I will tell a story. Listen carefully and then decide which is the better colour." He narrated a novel story:

"Before the creation of cats, God made models of cats using clay. Then he put them one by one in the fire to strengthen and harden them before instilling life into them. When he introduced the first model in the furnace, he had no idea about the optimum time for hardening. He kept it for a long time and it got charred and over burnt. That was how the first 'black' cat was created. He learned a lesson but brought the black model to life. All black cats are his descendants. The next time, God was very cautious to avoid overheating. So he removed the model from the furnace a bit early to avoid overheating. The model was under burnt and white in colour. The white cats descended from him. Now God became proficient in the art and science of hardening the models. So the third experiment was successful and the model was removed after correct heating. It was perfect and had a beautiful brown colour. All brown cats, including me, are his descendants. We were heated and hardened correctly for the optimum time and temperature.  Now you know who is the result of a perfect creation."

The story amused the black and white cats though they knew that it was fictitious. They stopped their fight and became friends again, realizing that external appearance is insignificant and that nobody wins by an argument.

Man  has fought thoughtlessly, throughout human history, arguing about the superiority of one race over others. Men may differ in characteristics and qualities such as calibre, caste, character, charm, cognition, colour, community, complexion, costume, courage, creed, culture and customs. But he is the  roof and crown of creations and a noble work of God. We must appreciate unity in diversity and harmony in variety.

"God created man in His image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them" {Genesis 1: 27}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com 

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A Foolish Fox

A cunning fox was moving around a village in search of food. It was dark but he easily located the chicken-shed and examined the place in detail. He found a stray hen sleeping outside the shed. She could not enter the shed as the careless servant had closed it before the hen could reach it. The fox got ready to pounce upon the hen. Awakened by the movement of the fox, the hen opened her eyes. She felt that her end was sure and so made a last attempt to save her life. She begged to the fox, "Sir, I am ready to die and be your food, but kindly grant my last wish before killing me."

                        The fox asked her angrily, "Be quick. What do you want?" The hen pleaded, "I know that you are the best singer in the forest. I wish to hear your melodious music before I breathe my last." The fox was flattered. He sat on his legs, opened his mouth gracefully and started to howl happily, enjoying the melody of his music  by moving his hands rhythmically in the air. A few moments passed and hearing the howl, all the dogs in the area rushed to the scene and sprang upon the fox. He fled for his life at top speed. The chickens in the shed praised the presence of mind, ingenuity and courage of the hen. Intelligence combined with innocence leads to success in life.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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The Beautiful Birds

 Two young and pretty parrots were seated on the topmost branch of a tree. They started a quarrel. Each one claimed that he was more beautiful than the other. They argued angrily and were about to attack each other physically. Then they heard an affectionate call from a lower branch of the same tree.

                 A cunning cat was seated there, watching the conflict carefully with intense interest. He tried to console the birds with his apparently pleasing words. "Do not fight, my dear birds", he told them. "I will tell you who is more beautiful. We will have a beauty contest. I will be your judge. Please come close to me so that I can examine you clearly and pronounce my just judgment."

                 Excited on hearing this offer, the foolish birds moved towards the cat. They were blind with envy and enmity and could not realize the real aim of the cunning cat. Suddenly the mother parrot reached the scene. She sensed the imminent danger and immediately pushed the young parrots away. She gave a stern warning to them to fly away. Seated safely on the highest branch, she convinced the parrots that the cat was actually planning to pounce on them and eat them as soon as they came near him. They realized their mistake and breathed a sigh of relief. They thanked their mother for arriving in time to save them. They were really sorry for losing their senses by their ignorance and arrogance. The mother drew them close to her body and told them affectionately, "Listen, children, both of you are equally beautiful. Try to love and appreciate each other. No one wins by an argument."

                Jesus taught that real beauty is a gift of God: "Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild grass.."{Matthew 6: 28-30}.

                St. Peter teaches us, "You should not use outward aids to make yourselves beautiful, such as the way you do your hair, or the jewellery you put on, or the dresses you wear. Instead, your beauty should consist of  your true inner self, the ageless beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of the greatest value in God's sight" {1 Peter 3: 3, 4}.

© By: Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India. For more moral stories, parables and anecdotes for students, catechists, teachers and preachers, kindly visit my web-site: http://www.moralstorieschristian.blogspot.com

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