FAITHFUL DISCIPLE AND FAITHFUL CITIZEN
29THE SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

“Give to creaser what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” This is the central message of the Gospel today। Jesus made this statement responding to the question of the Pharisees about paying Tax. They raised this question not with any good motif. Their goal was to tarp Jesus. If Jesus said ‘Yes’, then He would be treated as the enemy of the Jews and on the other hand if Jesus said no, then He would be treated by the Roman Government as a rebel. In either way, Jesus would be in trouble. Therefore, Jesus gave this clever answer: “Give to creaser what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God”

This statement, however, has a deeper meaning। Jesus made this proposal using the Roman coin, which has the picture of Caesar. The question is: Is there anything that does not carry the imprint of God? Is there anything that does not belong to God? When God created human being, He created them in His own image and likeness. The image of God is inscribed in each one of us. So, ultimately, we all belong to God.

The Gospel reading is, therefore, an invitation to restructure our life centering on God. What is, then, our responsibility to the society? Gandhi has an answer to this. He said, “I am in politics because I cannot separate life from belief. Because I believe in God, I have to enter politics. Politics is my service to God”. Yes, you cannot be a good disciple of Jesus without being a good citizen of the country because we live our faith in and through the society.

THE WEDDING FEAST
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Recently one of my friends said, “I went to a retreat. It was great. I am a better person now. I should have gone for this much before. Now I know what I was really missing.” We do not know what we are missing until we open ourselves to God. God has a lot to offer for each one of us.

Isaiah in the first reading says, “On this mountain, the Lord will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food…” God has everything for us in his arsenal. However, how do we profit from it depends on each one us.

The Gospel reading is about the parable of the wedding feast. Using this parable, Jesus talks about two kinds of peoples.
People who rejected the invitation of God
People who accepted the invitation of God without any interest (without the wedding garment)

The wedding garment symbolizes our baptism. At the time of our baptism, we put on Christ (wedding Garment).

The question for us today is where am in my relationship with Christ? Am I wearing the wedding garment every day? Am I growing to the person of Jesus?

When Jesus invites a sinner, he does not invite him to stay as a sinner but to grow as a saint.

FAITH IN ACTION
20 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

There was a huge mountain in front of her house। She did not like it as it obstructed the front vision of the house. She happened to read in the Gospel this saying of Jesus: “If you have the faith of a mustard seed, say to this mountain to be uprooted and fall in to the sea, it will happen.” She decided to test Jesus’ words. She went to a 10-day prayer with the intention of removing the mountain. She got into her room, closed the doors and started praying. Three days later, she opened the window a little bit to see whether anything is happening to the mountain. However, she was frustrated to see no movement. She continued her prayer. On the 9th day, she opened the window one more time to see the power of prayer. Still nothing happened to the mountain. In her anger, she said to herself: “I knew that nothing would go to happen… I wasted my time”. She quit the prayer on the 9th day.

Her prayer lacks two things: trust and perseverance। She started praying with doubt, her doubt overshadowed her faith, and eventually she gave up her prayer.

The Gospel reading for the 20th Sunday in ordinary time presents a perfect example of faith through the story of the Canaanite woman। This woman had all the reasons to doubt. She was not part of the chosen race. She was an outsider. The conventional wisdom was against her. However, she broke the self-imposed and the socially forced barriers. She took the risk and was not willing to give up. The magnitude of her faith and the strength of her persistence were tested several times. By His silence, Jesus ignored her, by His comment (I have send only to the lost children of Israel) Jesus rejected her and by the choice of His words, Jesus humiliated her. However, she sticks to her demands until it yielded result. Faith is throwing oneself into the hands of God. It is approaching God without prejudice. It is all about complete trust.

Through her story, Jesus too, taught his disciples a couple of vital lessons। First, the essence of faith is trust, and nothing else. Ritually and legally, you may be an insider in the religious structure but only through trusting faith, you can become an insider in the circle of Jesus.

Secondly, God’s house is “house of prayer for all people.” Our mission is to reach out and embrace all, regardless of their standing. This was the mission of Jesus. “I have other sheep which do not belong to this fold, I have to bring them too,” Jesus said while explaining the parable of the Good shepherd. How is my attitude towards people who do not fit into my religious category? How do I make others feel at home in our parish community?

BE STILL
19 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

While I was in India, last year, I went to see a circus with my Mom। Walking on the rope was an important item of the circus॥ This person walked on a rope without any support. The rope was placed about 20 feet high from the ground and 30 feet long. He was about to fall at different but he managed to keep the balance. After the program, I had a chance to talk to him. “How could you walk on the rope?” I asked him. “It is the power of the focus. All the time my whole body and mind was focused on one thing….As long as I could hold my attention intact, I could do that”, he replied.

In the Gospel reading this morning we have the story of Peter walking on the water. Walking on the water is something impossible. He was able to do that because his eyes were fixed on Jesus, all the time. As soon as he shifted his attention (distracted)from Jesus, he began to sink.
Walking on the water is an expression used in the Scripture to talk about people who are going through struggles। We all have struggles and anxieties. I saw a man in the chapel yesterday. He looked sad. He lost his job. A woman has a different story to tell. “My mom fell and broke her shoulder. I cannot join my new job that I got after a long break”, she said.

When we go through struggles and anxieties, we are in panic। We focus more and more on our crises. The more we focus on the problems, the more they appear to be terrible. It takes our focus from God. This was what happened to Peter. He was terrified by the storm. He looked around for help forgetting about Jesus. He started sinking.

The good news is that God is always there for our rescue। Jesus came to the help of Peter and said,” Peter do not be afraid….Have faith”. Then Jesus stretched his hand and lifted him up. God is there in our struggles and pain. He is whispering to us,” Do not be afraid”. He is there with his helping hands.

The problem is that often we do not hear his voice, because the noise of our problem is too high that they eclipse the voice of God. Elijah found God when the storm, earthquake and fire finally calm down. We need to calm down and place ourselves in the presence of the Lord. We need to go to the mountain of the Lord in prayer. We will hear the comforting message God: Do not be afraid. We will also see the helping hands of God.

18 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
IN HIS HAND EVERYTHING IS PLENTY

For our reflection, this weekend we have a great story of God’s caring and compassionate love। Jesus communicated this message though the miraculous feeding of the crowd.

Before He began His public life, Jesus spent forty days in the desert praying and fasting। He felt hungry. Saten tempted him, saying,”You have the power to perform miracle. Why can’t you change these stones into bread and eat?” Jesus rejected the wisdom of Satan. He refused to use his god given power to satisfy his needs. However, as we heard from today’s Gospel reading, when Jesus saw the crowd in the desert and realized that they had nothing to eat, He used his power to perform a miracle. He multiplied bread and fed the crowd. Jesus used His God given gifts and talents for the good of others. This underscore the basic Christian principle: We are here for others and we belong to one another.

Even though Jesus had the ability to do it alone; however, he used the help of his disciples। He asked their fair share. Jesus asked them: Bring to me whatever you have. Jesus wants to do the same today. Our community has several needs. Community does not have gifts, only individuals. No single individual has all the gifts. Together we have more than what we need.

Often time we think, we do not have enough। At times, we refused to take the initiative thinking that the problems are too huge and it is beyond our reach. God do not expect us to solve the problem alone. He is there for our help. God expects us to offer whatever we have. Nothing is too little in His hand. Five loaves of bread is more than enough to feed five thousand. “In his hand water is wine”.

“With God we are somebody, without God we are nobody” St. Therese. “Nothing is impossible with God” John the Evangelist. Let us ask this question: What are my gifts and talents? How am I using it? Am I afraid of failure?

17 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

If Jesus comes to you today and tells you: I am going to grant you one of your wishes, what is that you are going to ask?
Our first reading presents a similar situation. God came to Solomon and said,”Ask any one wish, I will grant you”. Any king aspires for three things: long life, wealth and victory over the enemy. However, Solomon asked none of these. Instead, he said,” Give me wisdom….the ability to discern what is best”.
Wisdom means divine knowledge.
Today we live in a complicated and complex world. At times, we do not know where to turn and what to choose. Push/ Pull- I have seen these two words on the door of different offices. It happened to me different times. Instead, pushing the door, we pulled it and instead of pulling the door, I pushed it.
More than ever, we need wisdom today.
Wisdom helps us in three ways.
1. Like the person in the first parable, it helps us to discover the real treasure of life. The three wise men from the east find the real treasure when they find Jesus. Jesus and his Kingdom is the real treasure.
2. Like the person in the second parable, wisdom gives us the courage to give up what is less important in view of the priceless treasure of life. Again, the three magi gave up there palace and all other material comforts to posses Jesus, the real treasure.
3. Like the person in the third parable, wisdom help us to be aware of the attractions that distract us from focusing on what really matters. For example, the Magi took a different route after meeting with Jesus.
Let us pray for the wisdom to know the way and the courage to stay focused and the perseverance to reach the goal.

17 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
IN PERSUIT OF WISDOM

Once a Genie appeared to a man and said, “You may ask any one wish that you think more precious for you. I will grand it.” My brother is dying. I want to reconcile with him before he dies. Please grant me the gift of reconciliation”, he replied. The Gene was impressed with his request. Out of curiosity, the Gene asked him, “Definitely it is a great wish! What motivate you to reconcile with your brother at this last moment?” “Oh he is worth for one billion”’ he answered.

Our first reading is about a promise. God said to Solomon, “Ask anything! I will grant it for you”. What did Solomon ask? He did not ask for wealth or power, instead he said, “Grant me the wisdom……” He knew the power of the wealth of wisdom.

All the three Gospel parables talk about people who understood what really matters in life. They talk about people who found the real treasures of life. We all treasure certain things! Do we treasure what really matters? This is important, as our heart is where our treasure is. Our life centers on what we values the most. I remember this incident. Tom was a businessperson from Mumbai. I met him about 20 years ago. He was a no practicing Catholic. On a number of occasions, I invited him to the Church. One day he said, “Father, Church and religion is for people who are over 65 years old”. A few months later, his wife died in a car accident. It devastated him. He came to the Church on the same evening, crying and grieving. He said to the pastor, “I lost my wife. My wealth and influence could not save my wife. The very thing I trusted failed me…Help me”

We know what matters in life. The treasure that sustains our life is Jesus, the Word incarnated. The question is: Do we take necessary steps to achieve it? The people in the parable not only discovered the real treasure of life but also sacrificed everything else to achieve it. Let us pray for the wisdom to discern God’s ways and the courage what is right. As Paul says, “ Everything will work for the good for those who put their trust in God.

YOUR KINGDOM COME
16 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

I was reading this story from the life of Bl. Theresa of Calcutta. One day, on the way to school where she was teaching, Bl. Theresa saw a dying man on the street. He seemed to be abandoned and helpless. She felt pity for him. Like the Good Samaritan, she nursed him and took him to a care center. She had a similar experience in the following week. These experiences made her to reflect…Little by little she realized that God had placed in her heart a compassion for the abandoned. She did not ignore that feeling. She reinforced it by responding to every similar situation. The tiny seed of compassion grew big. Bl. Theresa became a universal symbol of compassion and kindness….

Today Jesus talks about the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom? Obviously, it is not a territory, a social or a religious structure. It is reign of God in human hearts. It is a situation where God’s will materializes here on earth as it is in heaven. It is a situation where peace, justice and fellowship flourish.

Kingdom of God does not happen all of a sudden. Kingdom becomes a reality when every individual person finds out his/ her God given virtues and uses it for the good of the community. The truth is that every person has some divine sparks in him/ her. It may not be very explicit. Like a mustard seed, it may be very tiny. However, if we nourish it, like a mustard seed it has the potential to grow big. Bl. Theresa was not born as a symbol of compassion. She discovered her gift, nurtured it and used it for the good of the community.

What is the gift that I have? Every gift whether it is small or big has a social dimension. The gift is given in view of a community. Even if you do not have any gift, believe me you yourself is the gift. Your presence, the way you conduct yourself….can inspire and bring hope to many. When we recognize it then the Kingdom of God takes root in our society.

ON THE ROCK OF THE WORD OF GOD
15 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

I have a cousin. He was not practicing his faith. Recently he attended a Bible Retreat. After the retreat, he called me and said, “Father I was touched by the retreat. I am a new person today. I would have gone to the retreat much earlier. I should have listen to the whispering of the Holy Spirit long before. Now I realized what I was really missing.”

All the readings this Sunday, especially the Gospel passage, talks about listening. There are two kinds of listening.

1. Listening without passion and having no interest of changing one’s heart. The seeds fell on the stony ground, seeds fell on the way side and the seeds fell among the bushes represent this kind of listening. They are OK with either way. They are halfhearted people. One day a priest visited a dying man to administer the sacrament of anointing. The priest asked him, “Do you denounce Satan?” He did not give any answer. The priest asked him again. Still there was no response. The priest was curious,”Why don’t you respond to my question?” “Until I don’t know where I am heading to, I don’t want to take a risk”, the dying man responded.

2. Listening with a passion for Change. The seed fell on the good soil represents this kind of listening. Listening is a process. The Hindu Gurus talk about a Mantra: Sravana Manana Nithithyasana ( listen, meditate and personalize.). Listening with passion consists of these three steps.

A person who actively listens to the Word of God and acts upon it is like a person who built his house on solid rock. They also reflect the Word of God in their lives.

TRINITY SUNDAY

Today we celebrate the feast of the Most Holy Trinity. We, Christians, believe in one God. We also believe that this one God has three persons- God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This is, however, a difficult notion to understand. As we do today, people in the past had difficulties in understanding the mystery of the Trinity. People always ask: “How is it possible to have three persons in one God? or How does one God become three persons?” Our traditional answer is that it is a mystery. Of course, it is a mystery but a reality as well.

The notion of Trinity was developed based on human experience and divine revelation. In the past people experienced God as a Creator, someone who is beyond human reach. In the New Testament period, people had a different experience of the same God, namely, God as Emmanuel, as someone with them. Today we experience God as Spirit, someone who is within us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are different forms or expressions of the one God. They are different levels of God’s Existence and they are different expressions of God’s Love. At least one place in the Bible the whole trinity made an appearance. This was at the time of Jesus’ Baptism.

What helps us today is not the ontological discussion of the nature of the Trinity, but the message of the Trinity. The message of the Trinity is love and Relationship. The notion of relationship is important for two reasons.

RELATIONSHIP: THE BASIC SACRAMENT

God is a communion of three persons. God is a relationship. Therefore, relationship is the medium through which God operates. So He formed the community of Israel. Jesus himself made it amply clear when he said’ “When two or three are gathered together in my name I will be in their midst.” Consequently, to have a God experience we must be in community. Thomas missed seeing Jesus when he made his appearance after the resurrection because he was not in the community. The importance of community is evident from the working style of Jesus. The very first act Jesus did after his baptism was to form a group of disciples. The last thing Jesus did before the crucifixion was the institution of the Eucharist, the perfect symbol of fellowship. The first thing Jesus did after his resurrection was to gather the scattered disciples. Similarly, when Jesus sent them on a mission he sent them in twos.

To receive God’s grace, we must be in communion with one another. Therefore, question for our reflection is: Am I in conflict with anyone? What am I doing to improve the quality of my relationship?

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PENTECOST

Salvation History can be divided into three periods: the period of God the father, the period of God the Son, and the period of the Holy Spirit. The Era of the Holy Spirit began with Pentecost. Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit. It is the Birthday of the Church. Today we celebrate this major Feast.

A NEW BEGINNING…!

Pentecost means the 50th day। Originally, it was a Jewish Harvest Festival. Jews within the boundary of 30 miles of Jerusalem gathered together once a year to show their gratitude to God for his blessings upon their agricultural labor with favorable climate and an abundance of fruit. As a sign of their gratitude, they offered the first fruit of the wheat crop on this day. Later this celebration acquired a new meaning: Renewal of the covenant. The Israelites received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai on the 50th day of their departure from Egypt. With the reception of the Law they became a new people and others (non-Israelites) became no people. On the day of Pentecost they commemorated this event and renewed their covenant with God. Eventually, the day of Pentecost became a day of renewal and a new beginning for Israel. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit 50 days after the Resurrection of Jesus marked the beginning of a new Israel, the Church.

TRIPLE FUNCTIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, is presented in numerous ways in the Scripture. It requires volumes to explain the significance, functions and fruits of the Spirit. Therefore, in this reflection, I would like to focus on three important roles of the Spirit in our life. They are: the life giving function; the unifying function and the guiding function.

1. Life Giving Function

The first book of the Bible (Genesis) opens with this interesting statement: the spirit of God was hovering over the water... In the second chapter of the same book, we have the creation account of Adam and Eve. The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being. The New Testament also depicts a parallel story. After the resurrection, Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the holy spirit.” In this act of Jesus, they experienced a new beginning. In short, all through the Bible, the Holy Spirit is pictured as the breath of God or as the life giving principle. We share in the life of God through the reception of the Holy Spirit. Sin separates us from God whereas the Spirit reconnects us with God. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, fills us with Grace and makes us fully alive for God.

2. Guiding Function

Our life is a series of choices. Options are unlimited. The dilemma is how to make a right decision that will lead us to growth. Being the wisdom of God, the major function of the Spirit is to lead us down the right path. This role of the spirit is well presented in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, this book is also called the Book of the Holy Spirit. The Hero of the Early Church was neither Peter nor Paul but the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit intervened at every critical time with insights and wisdom. The Jerusalem Council, for instance, is the telling example of how the Spirit led the early Church from crises to growth. It was the Holy Spirit who asked the Church to set apart Paul and Barnabas for the gentile mission. The greatness of the apostles was that they had listening ears and willing hearts. If we, individually or collectively, are facing crises, it is due to our failure in listening to the whispering of the Spirit. We need to ask constantly: Where is the Spirit leading us? What is our mission? What are the talents gifted to us by the Spirit to accomplish this call?

3. Unifying Function

Every human being craves for relationship. Relationship is the matrix of growth. We find meaning and relevance in communion and fellowship. Unity does not mean uniformity or speaking the same language. Unity based on uniformity can lead to ethnocentrism, an oppressive attitude and exclusivism. Unity separated from God is destructive as well. Similarly, pluralism, though desirable, can be dangerous too if one culture pitches against the other.

What matters truly is unity in diversity; a culture of accommodation. What makes unity without threatening diversity is the desire for the Kingdom of God. Any attempt to be united for a Godly purpose will last. Two stories are narrated in the Bible to substantiate this point: the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. The Tower of Babel explains the story of a People who came together to make a name for themselves. They were of the same color, culture and language. Their attempts, however, proved to be disastrous. Not only did they fail in completing their project but they ended up in conflict and division. They started talking differently. The reason for their failure was God’s absence in their effort. It was a project outside of God. On the other hand, on the day of Pentecost, even though the crowd was a collection of different colors, cultures and languages, everyone understood everyone else. The Holy Spirit filled their hearts with a new language, a language of love. Love is the third eye. Any one who looks through the third eye will see the image of God in every human being regardless of their differences whatsoever.

Finally, Pentecost clearly reveals the universality of the Church. The Law was given only to Moses where as the Holy Spirit was given too all. Pentecost abolished the division between the people of God and no people.

ASCENSION OF THE LORD

ASCENSION AS COMMISSIONING

Angels extended Jesus a warm welcome to Heaven. Naturally, they bombarded him with questions. “Have you done something to take care of your Church on earth?” Angel Gabriel raised the first question. “Yes! I have trained a group of disciples”, Jesus replied. “If they fail then what will you do? Do you have a plan B?” they enquired. “No! I trust them!” Jesus said.

This Sunday we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, His glorious entry into heaven. The Ascension is not only about Jesus but also about each one of us. The ascension of Jesus signifies the completion of Jesus’ mission on earth and the beginning of Disciples’ mission. The two sets of instructions that Jesus and the Angel gave to the disciples undoubtedly underline this point. For example, the Angel said to the disciples, “Why are you standing here looking at the sky?” Jesus said to them, “You will receive the power from the Holy Spirit and you will be my witness in Jerusalem and to the ends of the earth (Acts of the Apostles 1:1-11). If we put together these two statements, one thing becomes clear, namely, the Ascension is a commissioning. It is an invitation to take up the mission of Jesus. According to Luke, Jesus finished his earthly journey in Jerusalem and the disciples have to continue the journey of Jesus from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.

THE CHALLENGES OF THE ASCENSION!

First, our mission is to establish the Kingdom of God. As Jesus rightly corrected his disciples, establishing the Kingdom consists primarily in ‘witnessing Jesus’ than building up a social institution. Kingdom of God is neither a territory nor an organization but it is the reign of God in human hearts. The key to evangelization is manifesting God’s reign in each one of us. Once a Bishop said, “One of the means we adapt to evangelize non –Christians is to encourage catholic families to come and stay with the non Christians for a period of time.” The principle is that action speaks louder than words. “Preach all the time but use words whenever it is necessary” (Francis of Assisi). Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.

Secondly, this witnessing must begin from Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem has biblical significance. All the major salvific events took place in Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the city of God. It is the meeting place of God. Mount Zion symbolizes God. Witnessing begins from Jerusalem. This means that any act of evangelization must have its source and inspiration in the Word of Jesus. It must be rooted in Christ experience.

Finally, the obligation for evangelization never ceases to exist. Jesus not only fulfilled his mission by offering his life as a ransom for many but also prepared his disciples to take over it. We also have these twofold challenges: Encounter the risen Lord in our lives and share it with our fellow beings, and prepare those who are in our care to continue this mission. Definitely, the starting point of this missionary mandate is our family itself. The Ascension is a call to come out from the secret service to public service.

THE ASCENSION IS A FEAST OF HOPE AND COMFORT

The Ascension is also a feast of hope and comfort. First, it, confirms Jesus’ promise of eternity. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. I am going to prepare a place for you. I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.” (John 14: 2-4). Jesus has won this divine heritage for us. This provides us not only great comfort and consolation in facing the uncertainties of our earthly existence, but also encourages us to shape and reshape our earthly pilgrimage in view of our eternal dwelling place. It reassures and reaffirms our faith in the eternal Holiday (heaven).

Secondly, the entrance of Jesus’ humanity into God’s heavenly domain remains a clear proof of God’s complete acceptance of humanity. Through the incarnation, God entered into the human dimension and by Ascension humanity entered into the divine domain. Ascension completed the mission of incarnation.

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Very often people get confused with the feasts of the Assumption and the Ascension. They are not one but two distinct realities. The Assumption is the reception of Mary into heaven. This was an act of God. On the other hand, the Ascension is Jesus’ entry into heaven by his own power. Mary was assumed into heaven by the power of God while Jesus was ascended into heaven by his own power.

SANCTIFY IN CHRIST
SISTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

Yesterday about 123 young people from our parish received the sacrament of confirmation. Confirmation is the sacrament of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel reading this morning we have the story of Jesus promising the Holy Spirit.

Why is the Holy Spirit so important in our life? Holy Spirit, the third person in the Trinity, is the principle agent of sanctification. The Church is holy because of the presence of the Spirit. We are holy because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life.

Our vocation is to be holy. We are called to be holy. Peter, in today’s second reading, invites us to ‘sanctify Christ as the Lord in our hearts’. The Holy Spirit helps us to be holy in two ways. First of all the Spirit gives wisdom to discern what is right with God. Secondly, the Holy Spirit gives the courage to do what is right with God. Therefore, every day we need to pray for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

It is also important to know that to become a full-fledged member of the Church we need three sacraments. They are Baptism, the Eucharist and Confirmation. Together they called the sacrament of initiation. Baptism is the sacrament of the Father, the Eucharist is the sacrament of the Son and confirmation is the sacrament of the Hoy Spirit. Through the reception of these three sacraments, we enter the life of the Hoy Trinity, an essential condition to grow in holiness.

HE KNOWS THE WAY
FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

“An elderly man was out walking with his young grandson. "How far are we from Home?" he asked the boy. The boy answered, "Grandpa, I don’t know." The grandfather asked, "Well, where are you?" Again, the boy answered, "I don’t know." Then the grandfather said, "Sounds to me as if you are lost." The young boy looked up at his grandfather and said, "No, I can’t be lost. I’m with you.”

The gospel reading for the fifth Sunday of Easter talks about two things. They are the destination of our life and the way to reach that goal. Our destination is the House of God. Immediately after the transfiguration experience peter suggested, “Let us make three tents here…” God, however, rejected that plan and said, “Listen to Jesus.” We do not have a lasting dwelling place here on earth. The way to reach our destination, the house of God is Jesus himself. He is the way to true life. As long as we are with him, we are on the right path.

The way of Jesus is uncolored love: A love that goes to the extent of sacrificing one’s life for the other. Our challenge is to walk the way that Jesus walked. If we walk the way Jesus walked then we reach the place where Jesus reached.

GPS
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER

A priest was coming to St। Denis church. Half way he lost his way. He went to a gas station and asked for help. “Who are you?” The manager asked. “I am a priest”, he replied. “What do you do?” He asked again. “I am teaching”. That was his answer. The conversation continued. “What do you teach?” “I teach people how to get heaven.” “What? You do not even know how to get St. Denis Church! How do you teach people to get heaven?”

We need in our life someone who knows the way। We have that person in Jesus. He is the Gate. He is our GPS.

Jesus is the gate (way to life) because God approved his way by raising him from the dead. His way consists of three qualities. Knowing each one of his fold, leading them from the front, defending each one’s life by risking his own life. These are the qualities of a good Shepherd. Jesus, therefore, identified himself with a Good shepherd. As his disciples, we have two responsibilities.

1 LISTENING AND RECOGNIZING THE VOICE OF JESUS IS THE MARK OF OUR FAITHFULNESS.

Our challenge is to listen and discern his voice. The problem is that we are bombardedwith a lot of voices (distractions) today. The voice of the secular society, the voice of the self and the voice of various isms are a few among them. Many of these voices appeal to our ears and look good. In the midst of these confusing voices how do we discern Jesus’ voice? How do we prove that we are his faithful Disciples? There are different tools to discern Christ’s voice in our life and understand God’s plan for each one of us. They are prayer, Scripture reading, the celebration of the sacraments, charitable works and different ministries in the church.

Following the Word of Jesus completes the act of listening. Listening alone is not enough. St. James says: “Be doers of the word and not hearers only” (James 1: 22). Listening is complete in the act of following all the way to the extent of laying down one’s life for the sheep entrusted to oneself. St. James continues: “If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like” (James 1:22-24).

2 RRESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP IS THE PROOF OF ACTIVE FOLLOWING.

Following Jesus means taking the responsibility of our call. We too are shepherds in our own life situations. Some of us are parents, some of us are teachers, and some of us are doctors. We are given responsibilities of one kind or the other. The important question is how we are taking care of our ‘sheep’

FOLLOWING JESUS THROUGH PRIESTLY AND RELIGIOUS VOCATION

Today we are invited to hear Jesus’ call in a in a particular way. Today is World Vocation Sunday. We are called to listen to his call to the priesthood and religious life. The vocation to the priesthood is a unique ministry in the Church. Jesus himself instituted the priesthood. During the Last Supper, after the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus said to his apostles: “Do this in memory of me”. Jesus ordered them to make the bread of life available until the end of time. Jesus established the priesthood to make the Eucharist available. Since the Eucharist is the summit of our Catholic faith, the Church cannot exist without priests. The teaching, sanctifying and shepherding ministries of the Church continue through Holy Orders.

As you are well aware, today our church is suffering from a shortage of priestly and religious vocations. We cannot imagine a situation where we do not have enough priests because no priest means no Eucharist and no Eucharist means no Catholic Church. The problem is not with God, it is with us. God is still calling us to ministry but we do not recognize either his call or fail to respond to it. If a person fails to respond to God’s call not only he/she, but the whole community suffers. Therefore, the families and communities have a great responsibility to encourage our young people to consider priesthood as one of the options. On this day, I invite the parents to see how they are listening to the voice of God and shepherding their families to bring up good shepherds. Family is the primary catalyst of faith formation. Family is the domestic church where vocations take root.

WAIT WITH PATIENCE
THIRD SUNDAY OF EASTER

A number of times Jesus made himself visible to his disciples. Any of these appearances hardly convinced them. Peter went back to his old job with his brother. Thomas wandered around looking for a proof. Disciples one by one returned to their own villages, frustrated and confused. The Emmaus incident gives us one of such scenes.

Two things are worth mentioning.

The disciples were not patient enough to see the whole things in perspective. They were carried away by one event alone. They neither bothered to see things in proper context nor in its relationship with one another. Therefore, they lost all the hope right away and left the place immediately. No event in isolation brings out the whole meaning. Meaning derives in its relatedness. Jesus helped them to see his death in the context of the salvation history by explaining the Scripture. The two disciples right away got the message.

Secondly, even though the disciples gave up on Jesus, Jesus did not give up on them. Jesus acted like a loving mother. Mothers are like that. They never give up on their children. On this Mother’s Day, let us remember our mothers with gratitude. Jesus did not give up on their disciples. He met them where they were. Jesus went up to Thomas. He met Peter on the bank of the sea. Jesus travelled on the way to Emmaus to ketch up on them.

Do not give up. Like Mary Magdalena, let us wait with patience. We will see Him.

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
(SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER)

The Emperor Napoleon was moved by a mother's plea for pardon for her soldier son. However, the emperor said that since it was the man’s second major offense, justice demanded death. "I do not ask for justice," implored the mother, "I plead for mercy." "But," said the emperor, "he does not deserve mercy." "Sir," cried the mother, "it would not be mercy if he deserved it, and mercy is all I ask for." The compassion and clarity of the mother's logic prompted Napoleon to respond, "Well, then, I will have mercy."

The Divine Mercy Sunday. The Second Sunday after Easter is celebrated as Divine Mercy Sunday. In 1930, Jesus appeared to Faustina, a Polish Nun, and revealed to her the nature of God’s love. Jesus said to her: “My love is unlimited and available to all, especially to the poor sinners”. Jesus blessed her with a prayer for mercy. Sr. Faustina started a special devotion to the Divine Mercy of Jesus and popularized it. Our Late Holy Father Pope John Paul II encouraged this devotion and in 2000 on the day of her canonization, the Pope advised the universal church to celebrate this devotion on the first Sunday after Easter.

Mercy, another name for God. God is merciful and compassionate. The whole Bible is a series of stories that proclaim the unfailing and unconditional love of God towards humanity. The expressions like “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you. See, upon the palms of my hands, I have written your name; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:15-16) talk volumes about the nature of God’s love. The Evangelist John beautifully summarized the depth and width of God’s love in the following statement: “ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life” John 3:16).

Divine Mercy! What does it Means? The word mercy is derived from the Latin word misericordia. Miseriacordia is a combination of two words: miseri and cordia. Miseri means suffering and cordia means heart. Misericordia means a heart that is willing to suffer for others. God is merciful means that God has a heart which is willing to suffer for us, willing to do anything for us.

Jesus, Mercy incarnated. “I desire Mercy not sacrifice, I haven’t come to call the righteous but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). These words of Jesus beautifully explain how much Jesus possesses the heart and mind of God. Paul says: “God, who is rich in mercy, brought us to life with Christ” (Ephesians 2: 4). Sharing the mercy and love of God was Jesus’ mission. Jesus invited everyone “To find rest in him” (Matthew 12:28-30).

The readings for the second Sunday of Easter further substantiate this point. The Gospel (John 20:19-29) talks about two specific actions of Jesus that reflect his mercy and compassion.

1. When Jesus came to the room where disciples were hiding out of fear and remorse, he said to them: “Peace be with you, receive the Holy Spirit”. Jesus did not bring the past. He did not scold Peter for denying Him on the way to Calvary. Transcending the past, forgetting everything that had happened a couple of days ago, Jesus offered them peace and reconciliation.

By offering them the Holy Spirit, Jesus was absolving them from their failures because God the Holy Spirit is the principle agent of sanctification. This is evident, if you recall the prayer of absolution in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. “God, the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit upon the church for the forgiveness of sins…”

2. Jesus showed the same mercy towards Thomas too. When Thomas was reluctant to believe in the resurrection, Jesus came to him, showed his wounded hands and satisfied his desire in the way Thomas wanted.

The way of mercy is the way of Grace. God is merciful. It is not enough to receive mercy from God. We need to show mercy to others. This is evident when Jesus said: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7) and “I desire mercy not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners” (Mt 9:13). The disciples understood this message. After they themselves witnessed the mercy of Jesus, they started a new life style based on the same principle. The second reading (Acts of the Apostles 4:32-35) is the practical application of this new life style. “They took care of each other. There was no one among them who was in need”. Jesus expects us to show mercy to one another. On the day of the final Judgment, the only criterion that Jesus is going to use will be ‘whether we were merciful to one another’ (Matthew 25:40,45). Finally, as the second reading (1 John 5:1-6) states: When we practice mercy in our daily life, we proclaim that we are the children of God.

PASSION SUNDAY Today is Passion Sunday। Today we celebrate the fist passion Sunday where people welcomed Jesus crying out and saying: Hosanna to the Son of David.

Hosanna means ‘Lord save us”. Jesus has already saved us by his supreme act of sacrifice on the cross. Therefore, our challenge today is to own the salvation. Make salvation my own. An important way of achieving this goal is through the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation. During this week, let us take time to: Discover the stones that suppress us and roll it away Find the bondage and untie it Come out of the tomb and start again.

It is not our sinfulness but the pretension by which we hide them is preventing us from enjoying salvation।

ROLL AWAY THE STONE AND COME OUT FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT A funeral director called a man for further instructions about his mother-in-law’s body. “Do you want her embalmed, cremated or buried?” “All the three!’ the man answered promptly. “Do not take any chances”. COMPLETELY FALLEN Our gospel reading for the fifth Sunday of lent is the story of Jesus bringing back Lazarus to life four days after his death. ‘Fourth Day’ has a great theological significance for Jews. According to the rabbinic belief, the soul/ spirit remain with the dead body for three more days after death. On the fourth day, the soul separates from the body and the body begins to decay. Symbolically fourth day represents the picture of a fallen man; someone completely alienated from God, the breath of life. UNWILLING TO GIVE UP We give up, not God. “Don’t go there! There is stench…Situation is too grave.” We too times share the feeling of Martha. God does not! Sometimes he waits at the well for us. At times, he goes out looking for the lost sheep. Even if it requires to travel up to the graveside, he does not care. His love is so great that he wants to give us life in its abundance. Jesus went to the graveside of Lazarus. NOTHING IS TOO GRAVE FOR GOD Nothing is outside the boundaries of God. God can bring forth good out of darkness. He created the universe out of darkness. The prodigal son never thought of a royal welcome from his father. Even when we see no point of return, God sees otherwise. Our problem is that we put limits on the power of God. Trust him, obey Him and then leave the rest for Him; you will see miracles happening. SEEKING OUR HELP God wants to work it out together. Jesus told them to untie Lazarus. Jesus continues this ‘untying ministry’ through the community of the Church. Our salvation is not an individual project. It is a community program. Be part of the community. Seek the help of other part of the Body of Christ Contribute your share to other members of the community

CHRIST-VISION Fourth SUNDAY OF LENT There is story about Buddha, the founder of Buddhism। One day he was meditating sitting under a tree. A soldier happened to go by that way. He did not like the physical make up of Buddha. He said, “You look like a pig”. Buddha looked at him with a smile and responded,” You look like God”. The soldier was amazed to hear that. “Why did you say that?” the soldier asked Buddha. Buddha said, “The whole morning I was meditating on God in my heart. When I see you in that spirit, I could see the image of God in you”.

See the way God sees! This is an important message of our scripture readings for the fourth Sunday of Lent।

Our vision is most of the time colored with too many distractions of the world। Our criteria for seeing, evaluating and judging are different. Very often external appearances influence our judgment. Our first reading for this Sunday very well substantiates this point. Samuel visited Jesse’s home to anoint one of his eight sons as the king of Israel. Jesse, however, presented only seven sons before Samuel. He could not imagine David, the youngest, leading his country. Therefore, he was not bothered to present him before Samuel. God, however, had a different plan. In the eyes of God, David was the best suited among the eight children. “Man sees the appearance but God sees the heart.” Remember the call narrative of the first disciples. In Peter and his brother Andrew, Jesus saw ‘fishers of men’.

If we see the way God see, things will be much better in our world today। To see the world the way God sees, we need to wear the glasses of God. Jesus is God’s eyeglasses for us. He is the light of God. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world those who follow me will not fall in darkness but will have them the light of life.” The Blind man in the gospel story recognized this truth. He came to Jesus and returned home with a new vision.

Many of us are living in darkness। Some of us are not even aware that we are in darkness। Two things are important for a Christ-vision. First, we need to stand before Jesus (in prayer). In his light, we see our true self. What destroys us is not our sinfulness but the pretention in which we hide our sinfulness. Second, like Buddha, we need to meditate on Jesus. We become what we meditate. As Paul says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”

Like the ancient Gurus of India, let us pray: ASATHOMA SATHGAMAYA (from unreal to real) THAMASOMA JOTHIRGAMAYA (from darkness to light) MRUTHYORMA AMRUTHAM GAMAYA (from death to eternity)

This is a sacred prayer belongs to Sama Veda (HINDU SCRIPTURE)। The spiritual significance that is implanted in this Stanza is an advice given by a Master to his qualified disciple। He asks the disciple to pray the Divine for Its mercy to liberate him from the thralldom of Samsara.

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DECEPTIVE LIVING
THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT

During the last presidential election campaign, one of the candidates said: The fundamentals of our economy are strong. A few days later came the shocking news: The economy is on the verge of collapse. Our tendency is to paint a rosy picture of everything. Once, a little boy said to the priest ‘If everything is wonderful, why is Jesus still hanging on the cross?’ Denial or deceptive living is as old as human history. “I ate the fruit because Eve gave me”, Adam said to God. “I don’t know Him”, Peter said to the woman. “I have no hand in His blood.”’ Pilate washed his hands. Many people are living in denial. As long as a person lives in denial, he/she cannot enjoy change and growth.

The story of the Samaritan Woman tells us the importance of facing the truth. She was living in denial. “I have no husband”, she told Jesus. In fact, she was living with the sixth man. Because she was living in denial, she could not stay with one man. People who live in denial fall into the trap of sin. They commit one sin to cover the other.

How does one come to the truth? It is by coming to the light of Jesus! Her confrontation with the Word of God (Jesus) changed everything dramatically. In the presence of Jesus, she could not hide her private life anymore. She met Jesus face to face at ‘noon’. The brightness of sun is at its maximum at noon. Who can face the sun at noon? The brightness of the Son of God uncovered her hidden life. Change begins when we allow ourselves to be confronted by the word of God. The Word of God hit Paul on the road to Damascus. He became a new person.

Three things resulted from her meeting with Jesus.1. The moment she accepted her deceptive life style, a new world began to dawn for her. She started thinking about things that really matter. “Where do we worship?” she asked Jesus. She became interested in a higher level of existence. 2. She left the jar. She gave up her old way of living. (Peter and Andrew left their nets and nest and followed Jesus.), We cannot have either ways. 3. She ran to the town and shared her experience with people. She became an Evangelizer.

To be the witness of Jesus is our role as disciples of Jesus. Lent is the time for reality check. Am I living in denial? If so, what do I need to do to come to the light of Jesus? What are the Jars I need to leave behind to drink from the life giving spring? Do I find pleasure in sharing the Good News with others?

HIS PLAN, NOT MY PLAN!
SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT-A

This woman prayed every day: “Lord I am desperately in need of money. Help me to win a raffle”. She said the same prayer every day. After being tired of praying, one day she yelled at God, “God, don’t you care for me? You never helped me win a lottery”. God said, “Woman, I really care about you. I desperately wanted to help you but you never bought a ticket”.

We have dreams. God is there to help us. God promised Abraham a New Land. Jesus showed three of his disciples a glimpse of heavenly life. God is there for us.

How do we reach the ‘promised land’? Our natural human tendency is to catch fish without wetting hands. Peter said,” It is good to be here. We will right away build three houses here”. God did not approve his proposal. Instead, God said to him, “Listen to Jesus.” We are here not to make plans for God but to implement God’s plan for us.

Abraham is our model in implementing God’s plan. When God said ‘Go to a land that I will show you’, he blindly obeyed Him. He was willing to give up his safety and security, and left for the unknown land. His only security was his confidence in God. There is no free lunch. It is not enough to say ‘Lord, Lord’ but we need to live the Word in our daily life. Paul says,” God saved us not according to our works, but according to His own design. Therefore, bear our share of hardships for the Gospel”.

How ready we are to listen to Jesus, the Word Incarnate. Are we willing to give up some our safety and security for doing the plan of God?

TRUST GOD NOT TEST HIM
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Every year we begin the season of lent reflecting on the Temptation Story of Jesus। It has twofold purposes: To help us to realize the areas of human weaknesses and to provide us with tools to handle them.

According to the Gospels Jesus was tempted three times। These temptations represent three basic human drives. They are in the areas of passion, possession and position. We can however approach these temptations of Jesus from different angles.

The first temptation was to satisfy a physiological need with an unconventional and unnatural method। We do not make food from stones. The end does not justify the means. The nature of means is as important as the satisfaction of the desires. God has set an order in the universe. The creation was an act of replacing chaos with order. There is a Divine and natural law. Disruption of that law is against the will of God.

We all have different kinds of hungers! It can be in the psychological, physiological, sociological, or spiritual level। How do we satisfy them? Do we follow the law of God? Are we using the moral principles as guidelines in dealing with some of the controversial issues of our time like abortion, gay marriage and so forth?

The second temptation was to replace God with mammon। I remember watching a Television interview of Tiger Wood. He said something like this: ‘I thought money ruled the world. I worked hard and made money. Money however, ruined my life. I need to return to my religion and shape my life based on my religious principles’.

The third temptation was to use religion for personal advantage। Instead of trusting God and making a commitment, Jesus was tempted to test God to show his influence on Him. There are people who use religion for promoting their personal interest. One Lady told me that she encouraged her son to b e an altar server to improve his stage confidence.

It is vital to be aware that the devil is not tempting us any longer with conventional weapons and materials। The devil has upgraded and modernized his devices. The devil traps us today in a very sophisticated way.The devil’s temptation is something like this. He makes our life busy with too many attractive activities and programs. The devil presents these things as critically important and unavoidable. He convincingly presents religion as a private enterprise and make us believe that God and religion can wait. He drives God away from the center of our life and make it one among many. This attitude is called secularism. A person who is a slave of secularism is like a person who built his house on sand.

Temptations are real. There will be Temptations. Temptation has always a promise but at the heart of the promise is a deception. What are my temptations? What are the few things need my immediate attention? We cannot stop birds flying over our head, but we can prevent them from making nest on our head. How do we do that? Jesus is our model. Jesus defeated the tricks of Satan using the Word of God. Every time Jesus was tempted, he used the appropriate Word from the Scripture. We also have no way other than the path of Jesus to defeat the plan of the Tempter!
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A driver tucked a note under her windshield wiper and dashed off:"I've circled the block for 20 minutes. I'm late for an appointment, and if I don't park here I'll lose my job. Forgive us our trespasses. "Returning, she came back only to find a parking ticket and this note:"I've circled the block for 20 years, and if I don't give you a ticket, I'll lose my job. . . Lead us not into temptation. "

ASHES ON OUR FOREHEADS AND HOPE IN OUR HEARTS…!
ASH WEDNESDAY

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).

Ashes 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.

Lent is a time of self purification. Never is better than late. 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? 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.

FOUNDATION
NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

A few years ago, a devastating earthquake hit the Himalayan part of India। Hundreds of people were killed and thousands of houses were collapsed. Many of those houses were collapsed not because of the magnitude of the earthquake, but because of their weak foundations.

Foundation is vital for solidity. There are two kinds of people. Some find their strength in God and others rely on material riches. The material riches are limited in their ability to solve our fundamental issues. John Rockefeller was the first one to reach the status of billionaire. His whole life was motivated by money. His sole focus was business. At the age of 53, however, he became ill. No money could help him. The man who could control the business world suddenly realized he was not in control of his life.

Wise people ground their life in God. According to Jesus, they are like people built their houses on solid rock. Neither rain nor storm will rock their foundation. . It is, however, hard to lay the foundation on rock. It needs extra effort, patience and time. The same way to build one’s life on the foundation of God is demanding and challenging. We need to be countercultural most of the time. We may not be able to experience some of the privileges that we enjoy today. It is like digging on the rock. Unfortunately, many people do not bother to face the initial hurdles. As a result, their faith remains shallow. They follow Jesus from a distance. The worldly attractions easily distract them. This kind of faith does not help them when they need it desperately. They are like people who built their houses on sand.

How do we ground our existence in God? How do we grow in Faith? I would like to propose four means to deepen our faith. They are:

1. Discus our faith: It is important to know our faith and know who we are.
2. Challenge our faith: Participate in the faith formation /Bible Study / Religious Education programs.
3. Celebrate our faith: Receive sacraments with preparation.
4. Share our faith: Participate in the ministry of the Church.

As Moses said, ‘we have choices.’ We can choose blessing or curse. Let us make the right choice. Let us lay the foundation of our life on God and say, “In you Lord, I take my refuge; you are my rock and fortress.”

THE NURSING HANDS OF GOD
EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

“Little Jimmy had swallowed a quarter। His mother turned to her husband and screamed for him to call a doctor. He picked up the phone, but instead of calling the doctor, he decided to call his pastor. The wife was upset and said, “We don’t need the pastor, and we need some medical help!” To which the husband replied, “Hey, our pastor can get money out of anyone!”

Every Sunday during the Mass, a basket is passed for offertory collection। What do you put in it? Money! Money is not bad. We need wealth. Money becomes a problem when it takes the place of God and begins to control us. Money cannot give us what God cannot give us and God can give us what money cannot give us.

Jesus tells us “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will be given you besides” (Mt। 6; 34). Seeking the Kingdom and His righteousness has three aspects: Trust, Appreciation, and Stewardship.

TRUST IN GOD: The awareness that God has a plan for each one of us and His plan is not for our destruction but for our wellbeing is the basic lesson of spiritual life। When we fail to understand God’s plan for us, it appears as problems. Therefore, every day we need to repeat what God had said through Isaiah,” Can a mother forget her infant? Even should she forget, I will never forget you” (Is 49: 14-15). It is difficult to recognize this truth as we go through different struggles. Once, however, we have the courage to submit our will into God’s hands, right away we will enter into a very amazing world of spirituality. We start to walk with faith, not only by sight. We begin to say with the Psalmist, “Only in God is my soul at rest; with God is my safety and my glory, he is the rock of my strength” (Ps 62).

APPRECIATE OUR BLESSINGS: The immediate result of trusting faith is the new way of seeing things। We start appreciating our blessings. This is the starting point of happiness. Very often, we grieve over on what we do not have. This causes undue anxieties and worries. Anxiety cannot destroy the sorrows of tomorrow but it destroys the happiness of today.

RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP: Once we start appreciating our own lives with its blessings, then we begin to help others to have the same kind of blessings। We share our blessings with others. Our material belongings turn into a spiritual blessing when we use it for the wellbeing of others. “What we give away in charity is our capital in heaven.” Everything, however, begins with our trust in God.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTIONS!
How do I manifest in my life ‘seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness’ is top priority?
How do I see the ‘nursing hands of God’ in the midst of my daily struggles?
What particular incident helped you to realize that God ‘will not abandon you”.

BE A LIGHT
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

This Lady went to the post office to mail a letter to Canada। There was a long line and she was the last in the line. The line was moving slowly. She lost her patience. She cut the line and rushes to the counter and said to the Postmaster, “Do you know who I am? If you know, you would have called me right away and helped me.” The Postmaster took the microphone and made this announcement: “Ladies and Gentleman! There is a woman here. She does not know who she is! Please help her!” Awareness of our identity is the basic thing that we all need to have. As the disciples of Jesus what is our identity?

Jesus describes our identity in the following way: You are the light of the world and the salt of the earth। We become the disciples of Jesus when we radiate the light of Jesus in and through our life.

Enlightening the world is the primary biblical mission। God began the creation by ordering: Let there be light. God chose Israel to be a light to the nations. In the incarnation, Jesus became the light. Jesus gave the same mission to his disciples: “Be a light”.

We become a light to others when we become a source of hope to them। This happens through different ways. First, as Isaiah says, by alleviating the suffering of the people. Secondly, by bringing out what is best in each other. In fact, these are the two important functions of salt. Salt brings out what is best in the ingredients of the food and gives it flavor. Salt heals the wounds.

How much interest do we take to bring forth what is best in each other? If we can correct a little, overlook much and see the good in others, then there is healing, joy and celebration. We become a light of the world and salt of the earth.