Saturday, February 28, 2009

Stay Awake…!

The Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Lent is always the story of the Temptation of Jesus. This story is included in the gospel not to show the human side of Jesus rather to teach us how to handle temptations in our life.

Temptation is real. It is all over. Every day we are bombarded with temptations. However, very seldom we are aware of them. Jesus discovered it when he was in the Desert. The Desert is a place of silence and solitude. When Jesus stood before God in silence, he discovered the different pushes and pulls that had the potentials to distract him from his mission.

First of all, to discover and deal with our temptations, we need a desert; a place of silence and time for silence. Since we are distracted with too many things, very often, we become aware of our temptations only when we become a victim of it. Try to find time and place for prayer and personal reflections during this lent. In His light we see our true self.

Secondly, the devil is not tempting us anymore with traditional weapons and materials. They upgraded and modernized its tactics. They trap us today in a very sophisticated way. First of all, they make our lives busy with too many attractive activities and programs. They present these things as vitally important and unavoidable. They convincingly present religion as a private enterprise and make us believe that God and religion can wait. They push God away from the center of our life and make it one among many. This attitude is called secularism.

When God is pushed away from the center of my life, then I become the center of my life. My primary concern becomes the glorification of my self and not of God. This is called individualism. How do we measure glory, greatness and success today? It is in terms of wealth and things that we possess/ have. As a result, the driving force of our life becomes the craving for wealth and everything associated with that. This is called materialism.

The truth is that we are never happy with what we have. Material things seldom give us fulfillment. They get outdated and out fashioned easily. Nothing seems permanent and stable. Evidently, we look for novelty. We try for the latest in the market. This is called consumerism.

The basic principle of consumerism is ‘be different and go for the latest brand’. Eventually consumerism, the ‘use and throw culture’ creep into human relationship and families. People give up relationships for silly reasons and go for new ones. Experimentation in human relationship breaks families and spread chaos in the society which is the ultimate goal of Devil.

In short, secularism leads to individualism, individualism leads to materialism, materialism leads to consumerism and consumerism leads to chaos. This is the way devil operates today!

The devil ensures our fall by pushing God away from the center. The effect may not be immediate though certain. The devil knows how to kill without shedding even a single drop of blood. Many of the world’s most attractive temptations are like some television commercials: frequently deceptive and frightfully costly (William Arthur Ward). Stay awake! Be alert!

Jesus survived the temptations by using the Scripture. Each time he was tempted with other priorities, the Word of God reminded him of God’s plan for him. The best way to recognize, resist and overcome temptation is to turn to the Scripture, Teachings of the Church and its Sacred Traditions.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Ashes on our Foreheads and Hope in our Hearts…!

Today is Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, people come to church on this day in large numbers and formally begin the journey of lent by applying ashes on their foreheads.

The Old Testament and New Testament refer to the use of ashes and sackcloth as signs of repentance. The prophet Jeremiah, for example, calls for repentance in this way: “ O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, roll in the ashes” (Jer 6:26). Jesus, while talking about Chorazin and Bethsaida, remarked: “ Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes” ( Mt 11:21, Lk 10:13).

Ash Wednesday Practice for all believers started in the 10th century. Prior to that, ashes were given only to the public penitence. This was given to those entering the Order of Penitence. As time went on, others began to show their humility and their affection for the penitents by asking that they, too, be marked as sinners. Near the end of the 11th century Pope Urban extended the imposition of ashes to the whole congregation under the presumption that
“ all have sinned and all fall short of glory”.

What is Lent all about? Lent is a reminder of our mortality. Before God breathed into the nostrils of ‘Adam’ he was nothing more than a clay image. The breath of God raised him to the level of a living being. Without God’s life in us, we are dust. Naturally, Lent is a time to discover one’s status before God. It is a time for self -discovery. Our fall may be slow but steady. As in the story of the lost sheep (Lk 15: 1ff), at times we may not even be aware that we are drifting away from God. Sin progresses gradually. The story of the ‘Prodigal Son’ ( Lk 15: 11ff) gives a glimpse of the mechanism of sin. They are:-
• Selfishness : The son went to his Father and said: “Give me my
share”.
• Separation : By asking his share, he separated himself from his Father.
• Sensuality. : He went after worldly pleasures
• Starvation. : He looked around for food
• Subhuman behavior : He started eating with swine.

Lent is a time of self purification. Late is better than never. Our distractions tell us who we are and where we are. The Bible offers three spiritual tools for our purification: prayer, fasting and alms giving. They are not three independent entities but three aspects of the one and the same reality. Prayer is nothing but being with Jesus. In order to be with Jesus, we need to detach (fast) ourselves from material things. Whatever we may give up may help others to meet the necessities of their lives. Our detachment ( almsgiving) will benefit the needy.

Lent is a time for self-restoration. There is a beautiful passage in the book of Prophet Isaiah: “Do not remember the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not, I am doing something new, says the Lord” “ Your sins I remember no more” (Isaiah 43: 18, 25). God is a God of the future, not of the past. God wants to do something new in our life. In order to experience this newness that God promises we need to let our past go with all its bad and sad memories. We might have done awful things in the past. We may be still doing things that are unchristian, unethical and uncharitable. This is the time to break the chain of sinful habits. Brooding over the past memories of which we have no control do nothing good. They only paralyze our present. If God does not bother about our past sin, why do we? A person must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them. As every saint had a past every sinner has a future. Lent invites us to continue our journey focusing on Jesus with Hope in our Hearts…! Those who are in Jesus is a new creation. Lent is an invitation to climb the mount Calvary and have a vision of Mount Zion.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Lent is at the doorstep!

A few years ago, I visited Badrinad Temple, one of the three pilgrim centers of Hinduism in India. The High Priest in this center has the status of a Demigod. Imagine the process to get an audience with such a high profiled personality. However, I was lucky enough to get an appointment with him. During our meeting I asked him: Where are you from? He did not respond to me right away. He looked at me as if I had asked him a stupid question. After a long pause, he broke the silence and said, “Father if we knew from where we are coming and to where we are going how nice it would be”. I never forget that meeting. His remark still echo in my heart.

Life is not a destination in itself. It is a journey. It is a journey towards God, the Alpha and Omega of our existence. We need to ask this question constantly: Where are we today on our journey of life, especially in our relationship with God and with one another. In fact these were the two questions God asked the first human family. God asked Adam, “Adam where are you?” God asked Cain, “Cain where is your brother Abel?” (Gen 3: 9, 4:9)

The best time to examine the route of our journey is the time of Lent. It is a time to reclaim and restore our focus. Jesus went through a discernment process at the crucial juncture of his life, just before inaugurating his mission. He went to the desert (Mt 4:1-11). In the silence of the desert, he discovered the two conflicting voices: the voice of his self and the voice of God. Why do you remain hungry? You have the power even to change stone into bread! Why don’t you use it for your own advantage?’ He recognized this as a temptation to satisfy the hunger of his bodily desires using inappropriate method and things. He also found his human desire for popularity and worldly riches. He discovered the voice of his self for possession, position and passion. He became aware of the distractions on the way and renewed his commitment to the will of God. He listened to the voice of God.

Temptation is real. Temptation, unlike opportunities, will always give us a second chance (O.B.Battista). Devil is smart. They won’t tempt us any more with bad stuff. They tempt us with things which have glittering appearances. For instance, one may say what is wrong in living together before getting married; after all they give us a chance to test our compatibility…What is wrong with premarital sex as long as there is genuine feeling towards each other. They sound attractive and logical! Devil never let us thinks about the consequences of our actions. Devil shuts our intellect and encourages us to think with our emotions and feelings. They blind our sense by offering instant gratification for our needs. They don’t demand anything from our part. In the long run they are deceptions. They offer empty victories.

Jesus understood the trick of Satan because He scrutinized his feelings, thinking and imagination in the light of the Word of God. The Word of God became his frame of reference.

Lent is a time to get into the desert of our life. It is a time to meet with our own self. It is a time to see our real picture. In the silence of our hearts we will hear the whispering of our ego. They tell us who we are. William James once remarked: “The time one spends in self reflection and self evaluation is the magic that saves one’s life.” When did you meet with your self last time?

Lent is also a time to see our self as God sees it. In his light we see our true image. Recollect the story of Zacchaeus (Lk 19:8). The moment he came in the presence of Jesus, he discovered his self. When did you stand before the Lord last time?

Lent also challenges us to see how we stand before others, especially in terms of our roles and obligations. As we read in the Gospel of Mathew, on the Day of Judgment Jesus evaluates us in terms of what we were to others (Mt 25: 31-46).

Our life is like traveling on a freeway. On the way we see a number of ‘Exits’. A person who takes all the exits will not reach the destination. Our life is made by the choices we make. We are free to make choices. Lent is a time to discover the ‘Exits’ on our way and decide which one is helpful and which are destructive. It is the time to learn which bridge to cross and which one to burn.

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Monday, February 16, 2009

Who Are You?

The story about the donkey which Jesus rode on the day of Hosanna, His entry into Jerusalem, is a well known and humorous tale. The donkey misunderstood the entire event. He thought that all the people were praising him, so on the very next day he went back to the same street expecting another great reception. But instead of receiving cheers and praise he was pelted with stones.
A correct and accurate awareness of oneself and one’s vision is essential for growth and development. It is important because our behavior depends on our perception of reality. If our perception is wrong, then our behavior will be undesirable or unwelcoming. People know or perceive us based on our behavior. There are three different visions in the world. They are:

I am for me.
This is the vision of ethnocentric people. The basic attitude of this vision is: I am the center of the universe. They do and think only in terms of themselves. They are not in the least bit concerned with or about others. They live in their own private world. They are a people of indifference about others and other happenings.

You are for me.
The ultimate aim of their life is themselves. They cooperate with others as long as these others help them with their own personal interests. They don’t hesitate to use human beings including their own children as if they were some sort of animals if this action serves their own personal plan. Their love is very pragmatic. The majority of people may belong to this group. Sometimes it seems that they are doing a lot of good for the world. But in reality they are not. These same people can be compared to a huge tree. This tree affords shade for many and nests for birds. But no other trees, especially small trees, can grow nearby.

I am for You.
This is the vision of Jesus and His religion. The most important question that Jesus is going to ask us on the Final Day of Judgment is: What were you to your brothers/ sisters?

Friday, February 13, 2009

Step Out

A few months ago, we had a seminar on Eastern Spirituality. During the informal discussion, one of the participants made a comment about young people turning away from God and leaning towards worldly pleasures. Responding to this comment another participant made this observation that perhaps these young people are searching for truth and happiness in their lives and in the process they may be making mistakes. This does not necessarily mean that they are turning away from God. He is right. Life is a learning process. Each one of us seeks for the truth and real happiness in life without knowing that we can only discover it with God.

In the Gospel, there is a story about a real seeker, the “Samaritan Woman”, (John 4. 7-43). The Samaritan Woman was searching for God, and during the process, she came upon Jesus. The Bible says that, she was a “woman with five husbands”. According to many scholars, the word “husband” in this particular context symbolizes ‘religion’. The ‘Samaritan Woman’ was an earnest seeker. She was searching for God and in the process she moved from one religion to another until she found Jesus.

As soon as she discovered Jesus, her search was complete. She immediately embraced him and began her mission. She went back to the town and told the people there, “Come and see the man who told me everything that I have done”. This action was a clear proof for her possession of the Truth.

Christian life is a journey towards Jesus. It is a process. The story of the “Three Wise Men” (Matthew 2. 1-12) will help us to understand this process. These men went through three stages before they found Jesus in their lives.
● “they looked out”
● “they stepped out”
● “they reached out”

The Three Wise Men “looked out”.
We do not possess the full reality. The entire universe together constitutes the full reality. Hence, to see this reality, we need to “look out”. All things in this world are symbols that point to the truth. These wise men were kings, they were self sufficient in many ways but they had the humility to explore different possibilities. They “looked out” and they saw the “star”, the symbol of a greater reality. A person who thinks that he knows everything, his values as absolute and he does not need help from anyone will not see that star of growth.

The Three Wise Men “stepped out”
It is not enough to simply see the reality. We need to have the courage to step out from our own little ‘palace of security and world of illusion’ to see the truth and embrace it. The three wise men took the risk. They stepped out of the palace and made the dangerous trip.

Very often we travel the wrong path, our values and beliefs are not authentic. But we are not ready to change because we don’t want to take the risk. Success belongs to the Brave.

The Three Wise Men “reached out”
Thanks to their willingness to step out of themselves, these three wise men finally reached Jesus, the truth, the way and the Life. They returned home ‘by another way’.

“Herod” on the other hand, thought he was everything and had seen everything. He thinks of himself as the center of reality. He stepped in to his own world. He was afraid of facing the realities. He “looked in”, “stepped in”, and “stuck in”.


Let us continue our search for truth with an open mind and reach the fullness of Truth.

Fr. Sebastian Vettickal, CMI