Divine Sparks

2011-10-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-10-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-08-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-08-04T12:38:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-07-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-07-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-07-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-07-14T22:52:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-07-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-06-14T09:08:00.000-07:00

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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2011-06-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-05-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

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.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

2011-05-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-05-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-05-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-05-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-04-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

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.

2011-04-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

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।

2011-04-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

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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2011-03-22T16:28:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-03-17T20:29:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-03-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

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. "

2011-03-07T09:53:00.000-08:00

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.

2011-03-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

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.”

2011-02-24T07:53:00.000-08:00

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”.

2011-02-04T15:32:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-12-23T17:12:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS
NOT CONDEMNATION BUT REDEMPTION

When Jesus was born, the Angel appeared to the Shepherds and said: I have good news for you: A savoir is born…He will save you from sin। Today we come together to celebrate this good news: In Jesus, we are a new creation and in him, we have life and hope. Jesus gives us salvation in the following FOUR ways:

OFFERING HIS PRESENCE
God saves us not as an outsider। He involves in our history and integrates himself with our daily life. He is Immanuel. Jesus said to Zacchaeus: Come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.

OFFERING FORGIVENESS
Jesus saves us by offering forgiveness। Many people are captives of the past missteps and mistakes. Many feel that they are unworthy to come closer to God. Many feel that there is no hope. I invite your attention to the story of the prodigal son. According to this story, even without asking anything of his past reckless life, his father, embraced him. Jesus wants to share this Good News with us: “Do not be afraid! Come to me… I will give you rest…”

OFFERING A NEW WAY
Jesus gives us salvation by offering a New Way। The Old Testament Principal, a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye will not work anymore. They were tested and failed. So after washing the feet of his disciples Jesus said: I am giving you a new way, a way of service, humility and sharing.

OFFERING HIS LIFE
Jesus was born in Bethlehem। The word Bethlehem means House of Bread. Jesus continues His saving work by being food (Eucharist) for us.

At the birth of Jesus, the Angels sang: Glory to God in the Highest and peace on earth. When we accept the way of Jesus, there will be peace on Earth and Glory in heaven. Because as Paul said: Everyone in Jesus is a New Creation. Let this Christmas be a time to begin a new way of living. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and every blessing of this season.

2010-12-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS GIFT
4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT

We are a few days away from celebrating Christmas। Many of us are ready with our Christmas presents. God is ready with his gift too. God is giving us presence in human form. “A virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel”. Emmanuel means God with us. God’s presence is the richest treasure one can have in one’s life. Presence of God is the foundation of our hope and absence of God is the beginning of crises (Rf: Tower of Babel; Jesus stilling the storm).

Receiving God in our life is the richest blessing that we can have. It is, however, a challenge. The reason is that God comes to our life the way He wanted not the way we wanted। The first receivers of Emmanuel had struggles to cope up with this reality. John had to send his disciple to clarify the identity of Jesus. Mary had to question the wisdom of the Angel. Joseph had to face the ethical and religious challenges.

In order to let God in their lives, John, Joseph and Mary had to go beyond the conventional wisdom। All three had to enter into the divine milieu. They had to break their self-wisdom in perfect obedience leading to complete surrender. Mary said, “Thy will be done according to your will”.

We oftentimes struggle with our faith. At times, it is difficult to see God with us. Like Martha and Mary, we also complain: Where were you when I was in most need of you? Jesus did not answer them in words. Instead, he wept with them. He identified with their pain. Jesus is with us in our sadness, our struggles and joys. Like Joseph and Mary let us ponder on the word of God in our hearts. God will reveal His plan for us and strengthen us to peruse that plan.

GOD OF SURPRISES

2010-12-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

Third Sunday of Advent

The third Sunday of Advent is known as Gaudete Sunday। Gaudete means Joy. The Mass for the Third Sunday begins with this Antiphon: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! The Lord is near (Phil 4:4-5). The reason for the joy is that in Jesus we have a different kind of God. Jesus is coming not to condemn but to comfort; not to punish but to promote; not to destroy but to save.

Most of the ancient religions including Judaism that John the Baptist represents present a scary picture of God. Announcing the coming of the Lord, John said, “Messiah is coming with winnowing Fan. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fear.” Things did not happen the way John predicted. Jesus came with a different image. He became a friend of sinners. Jesus invited them for conversion with a sympathetic heart. Paradoxically, the Jesus ‘preached’ and the Jesus ‘encountered’ by John was different. As a result, John was puzzled about the identity of Jesus. He sent his disciples to Jesus for clarifications.

The good news about the incarnation is the new revelation of God. God is not a God of horror. He is a God of compassion and mercy. It is not the sword but unconditional love is his weapon। He is a loving father who is completely interested in our well-being. Jesus revealed the reign of God by ‘giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and life to the dead.” This was what Prophet Isaiah also prophesied about the Messiah (Isaiah 35:1-10).

Often we approach God with our preconceived ideas। At times, we make absolute statements about God. The truth is that God is beyond our comprehension. The moment we define God, God becomes an idol. The moment we define God we miss Him. Let God defines us instead we define God. Approach God with a receptive spirit, God will surprise us. If we approach God with our own criteria, we receive only in that proportion.

Recently I read a story about a retired teacher। She decided to volunteer some of her times to tutor children at a children’s hospital. She was given the name and room number of a nine-year-old boy. With all excitement, she went to the Children’s hospital. She was shocked to find that he was in the burn unit. His condition was pathetic. She thought of going back home. She, however, got some courage and told the boy, “I will be your teacher while you are here. I am going to teach you English grammar. This will help you in your future.” She spent half an hour with the boy and returned home. She, however, thought that she was wasting time on this boy, and decided not to return. A few days later the boy’s mom called her and said,” Please come and teach my son. After your visit he started responding to the medicine.” The teacher returned to the hospital the following day. As soon as the boy saw the teacher, he said to his mother, “Mother I know I will live. If were dying they would not have sent her to teach me.”

Had we been hopeless and condemned, God would not have sent Jesus to the world. We are precious and priceless being before God. God trust us. God has great plans for us. Jesus came to reveal the heart of God for us. It does not matter who we are today. What is important is who we want to become. As every saint had a past, every sinner has a future. Jesus, who healed the blind, raised the dead….is with us. Do not be afraid! Let us approach him with our blindness and deafness…. He will bring us back to life. There is hope. Where there is hope, there is joy.

2010-12-02T08:26:00.000-08:00

COMMON GROUND
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Two days ago, the leaders of both the parties (the Republican and the Democrat) had a summit at the White House with the President Obama. After the meeting they said, “We are trying to find a common ground where we can work together for the good of the country. “ Most of the time people talk about the differences that separate them rather than the common thread that ties them together। The result is not peace but competition, jealousy, rivalry and division.

Finding the common ground and coming together as one family is the challenge of Jesus’ ‘coming। All the readings for the second Sunday of Advent talk about this reality. For example, in the first reading, Prophet Isaiah envisioned the messianic era where everyone lives in peace with one another. He said, “Then the wolf shall be the guest of the lamb….There shall be no ruin or harm on my entire holy mountain…” Yes! Peaceful human co-existence must be the result of Jesus’ coming.

To fulfill this messianic vision of life we need a common ground. We find this common ground in the person of Jesus. He is the common image of the entire humanity। In the mystery of incarnation, this image became a visible reality. If we experience division and conflict today, its primary reason is our failure to see this image in each other. Instead of seeing the image of Jesus in each other, we see our own image. We stress too much on independence ignoring the natural law of interdependence. To assert my ‘self’ and my ‘right’, I focus on my uniqueness that individuates me from others. We tend to limit our life to ourselves. The result is temporary good feeling and permanent feeling of loneliness. We express our lonesomeness through antisocial behaviors.

To have a harmonious existence, our hearts needs to be conformed to that of Jesus। It is by developing having the attitude of Christ ‘who though in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, rather emptied himself’.

For many people conversion to Jesus means going to Church and doing religious rituals. Conversion is more than that. John says, “Produce good fruit as evidence of repentance.” We produce the fruits of conversion when we grow from rituals to relationship. The ultimate purpose of repentance is building bridges with one another. Paul exhorts the church of Rom the same thing. The reason for reaching out the other is the mystery of incarnation. Human body becomes the dwelling place of God. This is our common ground.
Harmonious co-existence is possible when every person lives the threefold Christ-principle. They are:
Mutual acceptance
Mutual respect
Mutual promotion

On this second Sunday of Advent, let us ask these questions. Do I accept others as they are? Do I respect their rightful place and position in the community? Do I give the other what is due to him/her?

REFRESH YOUR HEART IN CHRIST

2010-11-22T11:31:00.000-08:00

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
NOVEMBER 28

We grow in spiritual life by celebrating and participating in the paschal mystery of Jesus। The paschal mystery includes the incarnation, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Every time we come together to celebrate the Eucharist, we celebrate these events. We also celebrate the mystery of our salvation throughout the year by assigning each event a season. Thus, we have the season of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passion, Resurrection and Ordinary time. We call this the liturgical year.

Today we begin Advent, the first season of the liturgical year। The word Advent means coming, coming of Jesus as a saving event। In fact, the Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Advent begins with a warning। Jesus says, “For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you must be prepared for at an hour you do not expect the Son of Man will come” (Mt 24: 37-44).

Evidently, this is in reference to the Second Coming of Jesus. One may wonder why we talk about the Final Day on the very first day of the year. It is not by accident. It is important that we must be aware of our destination before we begin our journey। Jesus came into history not to keep us here on earth but to prepare us to stand before the Lord holy and undefiled and lead us to eternal life. Thus, incarnation is complete with the Second Coming of Jesus where He presents us to the Father.

Whether Advent is all about Jesus’ first coming in the history or His second coming at the end of time what is important for us is his coming in our life। During this Advent, therefore, our challenge is how we make the coming of Jesus a reality in our life. Definitely, there are numerous ways. I would like to mention three of them.

KEEP THE FOCUS ON THE REASON FOR CELEBRATION

There is this story. One day a few women came to a restaurant. They were in a very happy- go- lucky mood. Out of curiosity, the manager asked them. “Why are you here, today? What is special?” “Oh. Today is the birthday of my only child. We are here to celebrate it,” one of the women said. “Where is the child? I would like to greet him,” he said. “We did not bring him. He is at home.” she said. “Do you think he would have allowed us to enjoy this food if we brought him with us? He would be a real disturbance,” she added. A birthday celebration without the birthday baby being present? The focus of the celebration was shifted from the center to the periphery. Advent is a holiday season for many. Naturally, people are busy with buying and sending gifts, organizing parties and so forth. All these are important. They are part of the celebration and life is meant to be a celebration. However, the Gospel reading on this very first day of Advent begins with a warning; Jesus says, “Be vigilant and Stay awake.” If we are not vigilant, there is a danger of missing the REASON for our celebration. The reason for this season is Jesus: the Birth of Jesus and the second coming of Jesus. If we are not attentive to the coming of Jesus, his coming becomes a non -starter in our lives. Therefore, as Paul says, “Stay awake! Put on Christ and make no provision for the desire of the flesh” (Romans 13:11-14).

OPEN TO CHANGE

The good news of Jesus’ First Coming was that He chose a human body as his dwelling place. By assuming a human form, He restored human dignity. The human body became the temple of God. The incarnation of Jesus must take place in every human person. The Divine must penetrate into every cell of our lives. Therefore, it is not enough to focus on his coming alone, but we need to prepare our lives to welcome him. We need to allow him to enter into our lives and transform us. “This coming of Jesus is not merely an interior, spiritual affair; it happens rather in palpable, concrete forms. Each individual Christian personally and the Church of Christ as a community, is a sign of the fact that God has come and is with us forever.” Our challenge during Advent is like clay in the hands of a potter। We need to place ourselves in the hands of God and allow him to shape and reshape our image until he forms a pot of his liking. St. Erenaus said this: As long as the clay is wet, moist and supple, the shaping is painless; but on the other hand, if the clay is hardened and reactive, it can break under the influence of the Potter. In Adam, the clay became brittle and hardened, so the shaping became painful and even impossible. What kind of clay are you? We can make the clay of our life moist and supple by doing a number of things: By reading, the bible every day during these 25 days; attending Mass on weekdays; preparing for a good confession; attending the bible studies and so forth. Therefore, one needs to ask: What is it that I need to stop doing and what is that I need to start doing during this Advent?

MEET JESUS IN THE ‘NEIGHBOR’

The incarnation of Jesus made every human person another meeting place of God. The uniqueness of Christianity is that we can relate to God only through our neighbors. In the story of the Good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite tried to reach the temple by avoiding the victim on the road. Not they, but the Samaritan who stopped on the way to meet the victim caught the attention of God. Where do I find Jesus? Remember, Jesus was born in a manger, not in a palace or any other place of luxury. Jesus is there where people are struggling to celebrate their life with human dignity…Jesus is there where there is a person in need. During this season, let us try to be generous to people who are in need. Thus, let us make this Holiday season a Holy season.

THY KINGDOM COME!

2010-11-16T20:39:00.000-08:00

There is one prayer that every Christian knows by heart and that is the Lord’s Prayer. The center of this prayer is the concept of the Kingdom. For example, when we pray the Lord’s prayer, we say, “Thy Kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Today as we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King, it is quite fitting to reflect on the meaning and implication of Jesus’ Kingdom and His Kingship. (Evidently, king and kingship is not an attractive terms in this age of democracy. As people become more and more focused on individual independence, the term kingship does not have any fascination at all. For many people the word King is a synonym for tyranny and subjugation.)

WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD? It is very different from our popular understanding. The petition “Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven” gives sufficient insights to this question. Kingdom of God is equivalent to heavenly life. Heavenly life is life in the presence of the Lord. This was the life style of the paradise which we lost by human defiance. Therefore, Jesus said to the penitent thief, “You will be with me in Paradise.”

When we are in the Kingdom, we are in the presence of God. This does not mean the disappearance of pain and struggle. The presence of God in our life, however, gives us a new way of seeing things. We are able to see things from the perspective of God. This makes a difference in life. For instance, forgiveness, sacrifice, love and sharing find new values. This is exactly what happened to the ‘good thief’. In the presence of Jesus, he discovered himself in a new way. He brought heaven to the Earth. Therefore, Kingdom of God is not a place or an institution, it is a situation where I allow God to take over my life and replace my plan with God’s plan. It is living as Jesus lived.

WHY IS JESUS THE KING? The Kingdom of God became a complete reality in the person of Jesus. Jesus submitted His life to His Father and consequently He mirrored God in His life. The result was that Jesus and God, the Father became one. Jesus became the way to God, the Father. As far as Jesus is the Way, He is our King.

Jesus was not an oppressive king. His was shepherding. In Jesus’ presence, everyone experienced freedom, life and joy. For Jesus the king the lost sheep never lost His attention. For Jesus neither the prodigal son nor the women caught in adultery was a hopeless case.

PARAMETERS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

REGENERATION: According to Jesus, what we need is not merely a good example or new teaching but regeneration (conversion). He said to Nicodemus, “Except one is born anew, he cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3-7). Continuous openness to growth, profound desire to confirm after the image of Jesus and courageous acts to accomplish it, is the principal mark of a person in the Kingdom of God.

EXTRA MILE MORALITY: Jesus said : Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and Scribes, you will not enter the Kingdom of God. Sermon on the Mount explains this new code of conduct. This is a total reversal of secular values. According to this new approach, greatness comes through service and love, not by power and might. “Great people show their strength through forgiveness where as the weak prove their strength through fight under the façade of ‘justice.’

CENTRALITY OF HUMAN PERSON: In the Kingdom of God, we grow from rituals to relationship. Jesus said, “Sabbath is for man and man is not for Sabbath”. Man/woman and his/her needs determine the course of action. Remember how Jesus appreciated the act of the Good Samaritan. (The priest and the Levite ignore the wounded man in view of offering sacrifice with cleanliness.) It is sad to see how these days cats and dogs take the place of human beings!

SHARING AND CARING: “If you want to follow me, sell your possessions, distribute it with the poor and then follow me”, Jesus said to the young man. He returned home sad since he had a lot of wealth. God punished the Rich Man not because he was wealthy but because of his reluctance to share his blessing with Lazarus, the hungry. Zacchaeus found salvation when he decided to share his wealth with others. The criterion for the last judgment is ‘nothing but our willingness to reach out to each other with a sharing and caring hand.” The road to the Kingdom passes through the neighbors’ house.

COSMETIC LIVING TO COSMIC EXISTENCE

2010-11-10T17:32:00.000-08:00

33rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

“When you have my funeral procession, keep both my hands opened in the open casket। Let the people know that their king is not carrying anything with him when finally he leaves this world” ,Alexander the Great told his friends. Alexander conquered more than two third of the world. Towards the end of his life, he realized the truth. Nothing in the world has real worth in the final analyses. They are just fleeting bubbles. Jesus tried to communicate the same message when He made this comment about the temple. “All that you see here- the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down” (Lk 21 :5-19). Three things are important.

WORK FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS!

People live in one of the following three levels:- Appearance level, Having level and being level.
The first group’s main concern is accidentals. They are shallow minded people. They are living in the cosmetic world. The second category is crazy after possessions. Like Alexander the Great, they believe that piling up worldly things create heaven for them. Unfortunately, appearance will disappear and possessions will perish. People living at the being level are the real people. Their focus is substance rather than accidentals। All the saints belong to this rank.

CHALLENGES OF LIVING THE TRUTH!

Many people these days live in denial। They pretend things are great and try to create this impression. The fear of losing security is behind this deceptive mode of living. To live an authentic life in this social milieu is tough. The challenges are colossal. Jesus himself warned against these challenges. There will be false prophets. These ‘prophets’ can be people from our own faith community who spread false teaching which has an easy appeal. There will be war and insurrection. This can be our own personal conflicts between ‘narrow gates and wider gates’. One may experience earthquake and famine. In other words, in the midst of confusion and chaos, one may be scared of losing one’s ground of faith. The holy people faced similar experiences. They, however, faithfully stood with truth and thus their life became a living testimony of what really matters. They became a model for us in faith.

PROMISE OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE!

Remember the comforting and encouraging words of our Lord: “I myself will give you the wisdom to make your adversaries powerless…You will be hated by all because of my name but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.” We hear the same message from Malachi: “For you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays” (Malachi 3:20). Therefore let us ‘stand erect and raise our heads’ and by our perseverance we will secure our lives.

Work for things that you can carry with you when you leave this world। What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?

2010-11-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

ANGELIC EXISTENCE
32ND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

We know the story of St. Maximillian Kolbe. He willingly took the place of a stranger who was unjustly condemned to death. Kolbe was a man of consideration and boundless love. Clearly, there was greater reason than this behind this ultimate sacrifice. Evidently, this was his faith in the continuity of life after death.

There is no doubt about the doctrine of life after death. Every religion, barring one or two shares the same view. This belief encouraged the seven brothers to prefer death to pagan religious practices. We have this story in the first reading, this Sunday (2 Maccabees 7:1-14).

The question is not whether there is a resurrection but what is going to be the mode this new life. According to our faith, after death a person continues to live with a transfigured, elevated and spiritualized body through the love of God. The resurrected life is not like life in the world. It is not returning to the ordinary life. While responding to the question of (Lk 20:27-38) Sadducees, Jesus said ‘they will be like angels.’ This statement gives a valuable insight. Angels are spiritual being. They have no bodies. In other words, they are independent of physical / worldly needs as needs emerge from material existence. Death is the cessation of bodily existence. The end of bodily existence ceases the bodily needs. The spiritualization of the body freed the person from needs. Jesus explains this truth using the example of marriage. Marriage has two-fold purposes: perpetuation of life through procreation, and completion of love through mutual giving. Our human existence is saddled with mortality. We carry on life through children. Heavenly life is not saddled with mortality. It is clothed with immortality. Therefore, we do not need to carry on life through children. Secondly, God is the fullness of love. In his presence, we have the fullness of love. We do not need to take any effort from our parts to complete the love. In death, we are losing our last name. We will become children of God in the truest sense.

The lesson for us is this: Live and shape our life in view of our eternal life. Detach from worldly needs and greed. We have started this process at baptism by our partaking in the Pascal event; the dying and rising process of Jesus.

2010-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

THE POWER OF INVITATION
31 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

One day, after the Morning Prayer I approached a Lady and said, “Would you like to be a Lector.” I thought she had a beautiful voice, clear and distinct. She reluctantly agreed. She is an excellent lector today. Recently she told me, “Father, thank you for inviting me to be a lector. I really wanted to do some ministry but I was not sure about my ability. Your invitation was timely and that gave me a lot of self-confidence and affirmation.”

A simple invitation and a loving word of affirmation can do wonders in the life of people. The best example is the story of Zacchaeus (LK18:9-14). Zacchaeus was not a bad person. (Our general impression about Zacchaeus is that he was a sinner) The gospel does not label him as a sinner. Zacchaeus did not confess any sin. Instead what he said was: “If I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.”

Zacchaeus’ problem was social stigma. People labeled Tax Collectors as sinners. The society could not see him differently because of his profession. Actually, Zacchaeus wanted to follow Jesus. He wanted to share his blessings for the good of others. His dilemma was twofold. On the one hand, there was social prejudice against his profession and on the other hand, his fear of societal rejection. As a result he did not make his desire public. Jesus, however, saw his heart. Jesus could see him independent of his profession. Jesus saw his desire. Jesus found in him a suitable companion. Jesus found his home a suitable resting place for him. Jesus made his opinion public. This acknowledgment and public recognition made a big difference in his life. He was even willing to share his own property with others.

There are high spots in all of our lives, and most of them have come about through encouragement from someone else. Some are victims of prejudices. Some are victims of fear. They have a lot to offer. They want to be part of the main stream. Can I help them to come out of their shackles of bondage? Do I have the courage to act like Jesus? People criticized Jesus. They may not spare you either. Do not crowd let dictate our behavior!

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Sandhill cranes are large birds who fly great distance across continents. They have three remarkable qualities. First, they rotate leadership. No one bird stay in front all the time. Second, they choose leaders they can handle turbulence. Thirdly, all during the time one bird is leading, the rest are honking their affirmation. (Bruce Larson)

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2010-10-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

TRUSTING PRAYER, NOT TESTING PRAYER
29TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

A clergyman observed a poor man breaking stones, and kneeling so that he could do it more effectively। The clergy man remarked,” I wish I could break the stony hearts of my parishioners as easily as you are breaking these stones।” “Yes you can,, if you work on your knees” ,he replied.

EFFECTIVENESS OF PRAYER

Prayer is effective if it is said with proper disposition and passion. The readings for the twenty-ninth Sunday in ordinary time (Exodus 17:8-13, Lk 18:1-8) explain this fact. After explaining the story of the dishonest judge and the poor widow Jesus said, “Will not God then secure the right of his chosen ones who call out to Him day and night?” As long as Moses kept his hands raised up, Israel was winning. God answers our prayers.

Very often, our prayer seems to be ineffective. This may be due to the following reasons. We are not persistent in our approach. Our prayers are not trusting prayer but testing prayer. Our prayer seldom accompanies sacrifice. Our prayers lack the element of commitment. Finally, we wrongly identify prayer with prayer programs. There is only one way to grow in prayer that is by praying. Reading hundred of volumes on prayer and attending a million seminars on prayer will not make anyone a disciple of Jesus. A minister was talking to a woman on an airplane flight. The flight got very bumpy. The woman said: You are a minister! Can’t you do something about this storm?” Oh…! I am in sales not in management.” He replied.

DISTRACTIONS IN PRAYER

As in other areas of life, in prayer life also at times we experience weariness and lack of interest. Human tendency is that we easily give up our efforts. Moses let his hands rest when he experienced weariness. The result was immediate. His enemy started winning the war. Distraction in prayer is not anything new. “We cannot stop birds from flying over our heads. We can prevent them from making nests on our head.” Apart from maintaining a spirit of prayer "always" and "without ceasing," we need to resort a number of precautions to re-energize our lost spirit in prayer.
1. Preparation for prayer. As someone said, “To pray for five minutes effectively one needs ten minutes of preparation.”
2. Choose the time for prayer when you are fresh. Prayer involves mind, spirit, soul and all. Jesus often chose the early hours of the day for His secret communion with the Father.
3. Focus in prayer. When there is no focus in prayer, your mind will begin to wander. Be definite and specific about your requests. Keeping a prayer list and praying over the items one by one is helpful.
THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY IN PRAYER EFFECTIVENESS

When Moses was tired, Aaron and Hur helped him to remain in prayer until sunset. We are not lone travelers but pilgrims. We journey together. We are here for each other. This is especially true with regard to our spiritual journey. There are number of incidents in the Bible that substantiate this truth. For instance, remember the scene where four men brought a paralyzed man to Jesus (Lk5:17-21). Seeing their faith Jesus healed the paralytic. Our faith can do miracle for others. Many people have spiritual paralysis. How do we lift them up as Aaron and Hur supported Moses? On another vocation disciples came to Jesus and said: Lord, teach us pray just as john taught his disciples (Lk 11:1).. The prayer of John’s disciples inspired them to know more about prayer. Be part of a worshiping community. We will remain faithful in our faith until sunset.

NOT SELF-TAK, BUT GOD TALK
30th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

A rich man came to the church to pray. He prayed, “Lord I have a business deal. I need two million dollars right now. Help me.” Then he saw another man praying standing next to him. He was a poor man. He prayed, “Lord, I have not eaten anything for two days. Please give me hundred dollars.” The rich man was distracted by his prayer. He pulled out a hundred dollar bill from his pocket and gave to the poor man. The poor man was very happy. He ran out of the church, thanking and praising God. Immediately the rich man looked at Jesus and said,” Lord the distraction is gone now. Now give me your full attention.”

The focus of this Sunday’s readings (Lk 18:9-14; Sirach 35:12-18; 2Timothy 4:6-18)) is prayer. It is about the right attitude/disposition in prayer. According to the parable, two men went to pray; a Pharisee and a tax collector. The Pharisee was a practicing Jew and the Tax Collector was a public sinner. However, the Pharisee returned home humiliated where as the tax collector went back home justified. What was gone wrong with the Pharisee? What did go right with the Tax Collector? Two things are important here!

1. While praying, the Pharisee stood before the tax collector. When he stood before the tax collector, the Pharisee looked better. Prayer is not comparing oneself with one another and making oneself look better before God. It is standing before the Lord with humility and honesty. It is seeing oneself as God sees. The Tax Collector precisely did that.
2. Prayer is not self-talk. It is God-talk. The Pharisee talked to himself. He made claims before God, explaining to Him all the marvelous things he did for God. Prayer is not talking about me rather it is recognizing and acknowledging the mercy of God. It is not about what I am doing for God but what God is doing for me.

Prayer is effective if it is offered in humility and honesty. As we read in the Book of Sirach, the prayer of the lowly pierces the clouds; it does not rest until it reaches its goal.

2010-10-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

THINK AND THANK
28TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OCTOBER 10,2010

“Thank you”, “Well done”, “Good job”. We often hear these words of appreciation. This is one of the greatness of American culture. This is biblical too. All our readings for the 28th Sunday express this view. Naman came back to Elisha to show his gratitude. Our responsorial Psalms says, “Praise the Lord for He has done wonderful things for us.” The Gospel reading tells us how Jesus appreciated the Samaritan leper for his gesture of gratefulness.

THANKSGIVING IS AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH

As St. Paul rightly put it, ‘We do not have anything that is not coming from God’. A sense of gratefulness naturally flows from the gifted nature of life. The only value of our life is that it is a gift of God (Thomas Merton). Thinking of one’s blessings should stir one to thankfulness. Hence, Mary said, “My soul glorifies the greatness of the Lord.”

GRATITUDE IS OUR EXPRESSION OF OTHER-CENTEREDNESS

An egocentric person cannot appreciate the goodness in others. They feel threatened by the good of others. People of gratitude reaffirm the fact that ‘I am not the center of the world.” When I acknowledge some one’s contribution, we profess the communal nature of our human existence. “God always uses the man closest to him.”

THANKSGIVING IN ACTION

A Gratitude that is not translated into action is fake, not real. The full expression of thankfulness is commitment. Naaman said to Elisha: “ I will no longer offer sacrifices to any other God except to the Lord.” The leaper not only returned to Jesus but also expressed his willingness to follow Jesus. How do we show our gratitude?

EUCHARIST IS THE CELEBERATION OF THANKSGIVING

The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. When we gather every Sunday to celebrate the Eucharist, we are giving thanks to God through Jesus for the gift of salvation. All the Eucharist prayers and prefaces begin with prayer of thanksgiving. For example, the second Eucharistic prayer begins “Father it is our duty and salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks through your beloved son Jesus Christ.”

Let us try to be people of gratitude. A four year-old boy said he was thankful for his glasses. “Why?” someone asked him. “Because it keeps the boys from hitting me- and the girls from kissing me.”

2010-10-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

ROSARY DEVOTIONS AND SPIRITUALITY

Devotion to the rosary is one of the most notable features of popular Catholic spirituality. Pope John Paul II placed rosary devotions at the very center of Christian spirituality and called them "among the finest and most praiseworthy traditions of Christian contemplation." In his 2002 encyclical Rosarium Virginis Mariae, Pope John Paul II wrote: The final goal of Christian life is to be transformed, or "transfigured", into Christ he stated that the rosary helps believers come closer to Christ by contemplating Christ. He stated that the rosary unites us with Mary's own prayer, who, in the presence of God, prays with us and for us . He characterized the contemplative aspects of the rosary as follow: "To recite the rosary is nothing other than to contemplate with Mary the face of Christ." And quoting Pope Paul VI he reiterated the importance of contemplation, and stated that without contemplation, the rosary is "a body without soul".

HISTORY OF THE ROSARY

There are differing views on the origin of the rosary, with some traditions attributing it to Saint Dominic while others suggest a more gradual and organic development। However, it is clear that by the middle of the 15th century the Dominican priest Blessed Alanus de Rupe, had spent significant effort to spread the devotion in France and the Netherlands, founding his first brotherhood for praying his Psalter in Douai in 1470. The practice of meditation during the praying of repeated ‘Hail Mary’ started in the 15th century in Germany by the Carthusian monk Dominic of Prussia who died in 1461. By the 16th century the practice of meditation during the rosary had spread across Europe. For instance, Bartolomeo Scalvo's Meditationi del Rosario della Gloriosa Maria Virgine (i.e. Meditations on the Rosary of the Glorious Virgin Mary) printed in 1569 for the rosary confraternity of Milan provided an individual meditation to accompany each bead or prayer.

In 1569 Pope Pius V, a Dominican himself, officially established the devotion to the rosary in the Catholic Church with the papal bull Consueverunt Romani Pontifices and in 1571 he called for all of Europe to pray the rosary for victory at the Battle of Lepanto। According to Pope Leo XIII (often called the Rosary Pope), re-Christianization is not possible without Mary. Therefore, Leo XIII promulgated Marian devotions via ten encyclicals on the rosary and instituted the Catholic custom of daily rosary prayer during the month of October. In 1883, he also created the Feast of Queen of the Holy Rosary. Pope Pius XII, often called the "most Marian pope", emphasized the benefits of rosary meditations in his encyclical Ingruentium Malorum . The popes of the 19th and 20th centuries, up to Paul IV had stressed the Mariological aspects of the rosary, however, in 1974 in his Apostolic Exhortation Marialis Cultus, Pope Paul VI emphasized the Christocentric nature of the rosary and stated: "The rosary is therefore a prayer with a clearly Christological orientation."

TEACHINGS OF THE SAINTS

In the sixteenth century, Saint Peter Canisius, a Doctor of the Church, who is credited with adding to the Hail Mary the sentence "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners", was an ardent advocate of the rosary and its confraternities। Saint Louis de Montfort, one of the early proponents of the field of Mariology, was a strong believer in the power of the rosary. He joined the Third Order of the Dominicans in 1710, soon after being ordained a priest, in order to preach the rosary. His books Secret of the Rosary and True Devotion to Mary influenced the Mariological views of several popes. In Secret of the Rosary, he taught how "focus, respect, reverence and purity of intention" are essential in praying the rosary. He stated that it is not the length of a prayer that matters, but the fervor, purity and respect with which it is said. Later in the eighteenth century, Saint Alphonsus Liguori, a Doctor of the Church, also emphasized the need for reverence and devotion when praying the rosary. In The Glories of Mary he wrote that the Virgin Mary would be more pleased with five decades of the rosary said slowly with devotion than with fifteen said in a hurry and with little devotion. He recommended that the rosary should be said kneeling before an image of the Virgin Mary and before each decade to make an act of love to Jesus and Mary and ask them for a particular grace. Saint Padre Pio, who died with a rosary in his hand, reportedly said 35 rosaries a day.

MARIAN APPARITIONS AND ROSARY

References to the rosary have been part of a number of reported Marian Apparitions spanning two centuries। The reported messages from these apparitions have influenced the spread of rosary devotions worldwide.

Saint Bernadette Soubirous stated that in the first apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes in 1858, the Virgin Mary had a rosary with her and that Bernadette prayed the rosary in her presence। In the subsequent apparitions, Bernadette stated that she often continued to pray the rosary in the Virgin Mary's presence. The Rosary Basilica was built at that site in Lourdes in 1899.

The rosary was prominently featured in the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima reported by three Portuguese children in 1917। The reported Fatima messages place a strong emphasis on the Rosary and in them the Virgin Mary is identified as The Lady of the Rosary. According to Lucia Santos (one of the three children), in one of the apparitions the Virgin Mary has a rosary in one hand and a Brown scapular in the other hand. Reports of the Fatima apparitions helped spread rosary devotions and a Fatima prayer is now often added to the end of rosary recitations. The Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, Fatima was built at that site in 1953 and has fifteen altars, each dedicated to a mystery of the rosary.

In January 1933, an eleven year old peasant girl called Mariette Beco reported apparitions of the Virgin Mary in Banneux, Belgium which became known as the Virgin of the Poor. Mariette reported seeing the Virgin Mary with a rosary in hand. Mariette reported that the apparition repeated three days later after she went outside her house and prayed the rosary. The reports of this apparition, also known as Our Lady of Banneux, was approved by the Holy See in 1949.
In the reported messages of Our Lady of Akita, Sister Agnes Sasagawa stated that in 1973 she was told by the Virgin Mary: "Pray very much the prayers of the Rosary. I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach." In 1988 Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger ( Pope Benedict XVI) gave definitive judgment on Our Lady of Akita messages as reliable and worthy of belief.

THE FIRST MIRACLE

The first major Rosary miracle, and one of the most impressive, is the one that occurred at the Battle of Lepanto। In 1571 the Christian army, after intense devotion with the Rosary, succeeded in one of the greatest naval victories in the Battle of Lepanto against the powerful Turks. The sixty-five thousand men prayed the Rosary for three hours. Finally, after these devotions, the men were given absolution. The Turks had nearly three times more troops. The winds were against the Christians and the conditions were poor, but after the devotions ended, the winds, at the very start of battle, aided the Christians to a colossal victory against the Turks. This was one of the greatest naval upsets in history, from this, the Turks never fully recovered and their threat in the Mediterranean Sea ended. Following this victory, Pope Pius V established the Feast of Our Lady of Victories on October 7th. The name was later changed to its present form - the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.

PRAY ROSARY

Servant of God Father Patrick Peyton, CSC believed in the slogan “The Family That Prays Together Stays Together। ” Families that come together to pray the Rosary encourage each other to live in truth, to trust each other and to communicate. Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter on the Most Holy Rosary (Rosarium Virginis Mariae) stated, “The Holy Rosary, by age-old tradition, has shown itself particularly effective as a prayer which brings the family together. The family that recites the Rosary together reproduces something of the atmosphere of the household of Nazareth: its members place Jesus at the center, they share his joys and sorrows, they place their needs and their plans in his hands, they draw from him the hope and the strength to go on.” From these words of Pope John Paul II families can be encouraged to gather to pray the Rosary as it will be a source of enormous strength for individuals as well as families to live in truth, trust and honesty।

Families can gather together in their living rooms or around their dining room tables to pray the Rosary. Each member of the family can take a turn to lead the Rosary. They can share their concerns before beginning to pray the Mysteries of the Rosary and they can discuss how their lived experiences relate to the Mysteries of the Rosary. There are various and creative ways families can gather to pray the Rosary। Families may want to begin by praying one decade a day or week and increase to praying the entire set of the Mysteries of the Rosary.

IT IS IMPORTANT

 Be persistent: Do not get discouraged; keep trying. Find a time or place that works for your family and stick to it.
 Be prudent: Be reasonable about your family's capacity. Do not overload them.
 Be flexible: Be creative about where and when to pray the Rosary। Try to pray in the car, or a single decade as part of evening prayers, or a five-decade Rosary first thing in the morning.

THE MYSTERIES

THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES
(Said on Mondays, Saturdays, Sundays of Advent, and Sundays from Epiphany until Lent)

First Joyful Mystery - The Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary
I Desire the Love Of Humility
Think of... The humility of the Blessed Virgin when the Angel Gabriel greeted her with these words: "Hail full of grace".

Second Joyful Mystery - The Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth
I Desire Charity Toward My नेइघ्बोर।
Think of... Mary's charity in visiting her cousin Elizabeth and remaining with her for three months before the birth of John the Baptist.

Third Joyful Mystery - The Birth of Jesus
I Desire the Love of God
Think of...The poverty, so lovingly accepted by Mary when she placed the Infant Jesus, our God and Redeemer, in a manger in the stable of Bethlehem.

Fourth Joyful Mystery - The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
I Desire a Spirit of Sacrifice
Think of... Mary's obedience to the law of God in presenting the Child Jesus in the Temple।

Fifth Joyful Mystery - Finding Jesus in the Temple
I desire Zeal For The Glory Of God
Think of... The deep sorrow with which Mary sought the Child Jesus for three days, and the joy with which she found Him in the midst of the Teachers of the Temple.

THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES
(Said on Tuesdays, Fridays, and daily from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday)

First Sorrowful Mystery - Agony of Jesus in the Garden
I Desire True Repentance for My Sins
Think of॥Our Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemani, suffering a bitter agony for our sins।

Second Sorrowful Mystery - Jesus is Scourged at the Pillar
I Desire a Spirit of Mortification .Think of... The cruel scourging at the pillar that our Lord suffered; the heavy blows that tore His flesh.

Third Sorrowful Mystery - Jesus is Crowned With Thorns
I Desire Moral Courage.
Think of... The crown of sharp thorns that was forced upon our Lord's Head and the patience with which He endured the pain for our sins।

Fourth Sorrowful Mystery - Jesus Carries His Cross
I Desire the Virtue of Patience
Think of... The heavy Cross, so willingly carried by our Lord, and ask Him to help you to carry your crosses without complaint। Matthew 27:32

Fifth Sorrowful Mystery - The Crucifixion of Jesus
I Desire the Grace of Final Perseverance
Think of... The love, which filled Christ,’s Sacred Heart during His three hours' agony on the Cross-, and ask Him to be with you at the hour of death।

THE GLORIOUS MYSTERIES
(Said on Wednesdays, and Sundays throughout the year)

First Glorious Mystery - The Resurrection of Jesus
I Desire a Strong Faith
Think of... Christ's glorious triumph when, on the third day after His death, He arose from the tomb and for forty days appeared to His Blessed Mother and to His disciples।

Second Glorious Mystery - The Ascension of Jesus
I Desire the Virtue of Hope
Think of... The Ascension of Jesus Christ, forty days after His glorious Resurrection, in the presence of Mary and His disciples।

Third Glorious Mystery - The Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost
I Desire Zeal for the Glory of God
Think of... The descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary and the Apostles, under the form of tongues of fire, in fulfillment of Christ's promise.

Fourth Glorious Mystery - The Assumption of Mary into Heaven
I Desire the Grace of a Holy Death
Think of...
The glorious Assumption of Mary into Heaven, when she was united with her Divine Son.

Fifth Glorious Mystery - The Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth
I Desire a Greater Love for the Blessed Virgin Mary
Think of... The glorious crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven by her Divine Son, to the great joy of all the Saints.

THE LUMINOUS MYSTERIES
(Said on Thursdays throughout the year)

First Luminous Mystery - The Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan
And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

The Second Luminous Mystery - The Wedding at Cana, Christ Manifested
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

The Third Luminous Mystery - the Proclamation of the Kingdom of God
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: "This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."

The Fourth Luminous Mystery - The Transfiguration of Jesus
And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.

The Fifth Luminous Mystery - The Last Supper, the Holy Eucharist
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. Matthew 26:26
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2010-09-30T09:06:00.000-07:00

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LIBERATING SERVICE
27TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
OCTOBER 3

Recently I have read about an incident from the life of Bala Gangadara Tilak. He was one of the freedom fighters of India. He started his career as a schoolteacher. During the Independence Struggle, he entered the political ring. Slowly he became the right hand man of M.Gandhi. Once, in an Interview, he was asked, “Sir, If India gets her Independence, what position would you prefer in the Indian Administration? Do you want to become the President or the Prime Minister? His answer was a eye-opener to many. He said, “If India gets Independence, I would quit politics and go back to my village and continue my service as a school teacher…!” He continued, “I became a politician for my country, for my people but not for me. Once I have accomplished my mission, I should not remain in politics. I should move to other places where my service is most needed. ..”

Unconditional service is the highest expression of faith. Every religion shares this same view. For example, ‘Nishkama Karma’ (performing one’s duty detaching from its reward) is an important concept of Hindu Religious Philosophy. According to Hindu scripture, a disciple must “Do his duty and leaves the fruits to God”. Jesus teaches the same lesson when he said, “When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do’” (Lk 17:5-10). This is a difficult concept to grab as the desire for recognition and acknowledgment is very much rooted in human nature. Nonetheless, it is achievable for a person of faith. For, faith helps a person to rise above his human nature with its desires. Faith works in the following three ways.

1…A person of faith sees the gifted nature of everything॥God is not indebted to us but we are to Him। We are not owners but caretakers. Therefore, whatever we do, even in the form of service is only an expression of our gratitude for what we are and what we have today. Our ‘great works’ never exceed the goodness of the Lord. For this reason, our ability to respond to God’s graciousness in itself is our reward.

2…Faith in God instantly connects us with one another in a household relationship. We become the stewards of God’s family. We serve one another in our family not out of compulsion but out of love.

3… A person of Faith sees the deceptive nature of worldly things. Our Gospel readings for the last three weeks were about people who tried to build heaven with the material things. (Ref: Prodigal Son, Dishonest Steward, Richman and Lazarus). Wealth failed them in achieving their goals. People who look for reward unfortunately compromise with little. Blessings surround a person who serves out of love.

People who operate from the milieu of faith are capable of changing the world. Others, reward being their prime goal, do more harms than good. They compete and pull down anyone who seems do better than himself or herself. Real service is total giving, as Jesus did. Real service is liberating. A man can do a great deal in this world if he does not mind who takes the credit. (P.Parker) Often our service is possessive. We do not respect the freedom and the ability of the receiver. We make the object of our service our life project. The act of the Good Samaritan is the perfect model of service. Once his role was over, he allowed the man to go on his own way.
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A pig was lamenting his lack of popularity. He complained to the cow that people were always talking about the cow’s gentleness and kindness. The pig admitted that the cow gave milk and cream, but maintained that pigs gave more. “We the pigs give bacon and ham and bristles and people even pickle our feet. I don’t see why you cows are esteemed so much more”, the pig complained. The cow thought awhile and said gently, “May be it’s because we give while we are still living.”
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2010-09-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES!
26 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 26

There is a sin that many of us commit on a daily basis but are not aware of it. Our lack of sensitivity to the needs of others falls into this category. The attitude of indifference to others or the lack of attentiveness to the world around us often makes the issues facing others invisible to us. Our failure in responding to this can lead us to sin of omission. The parable of the Rich man and Lazarus talks about this truth of our life.

The sin of the rich man in this parable (Lk 16:19-31) is not that he violated the Ten Commandments but his insensitivity to the needs of Lazarus. The rich man’s world was too narrow that he could not see anyone but himself. He was in a position to help Lazarus, however, he chose not to. Probably he did not see anything wrong in missing the opportunity to serve. Legally he did not do anything wrong. However, he was morally wrong. He did not share his blessing to lift his brother up. Jesus criticized him not for what he did but for what he did not do. He committed sin of omission.

For many faithful Catholics, sin of commission is their main concern. They take all efforts not to break any of the Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Church. They feel great about that. The sad part of their faith is that they do not see the core of Christian faith. It is all about helping the helpless and giving them hope by sharing our blessings. It is not what sin you avoided but what good you did will be the criterion that Jesus is going to use on the Day of Judgment.

We are all rich, rich in different ways! We are all in a position to support one another.

Who is Lazarus in your life? Who is looking up to you for a hand of support?

There are ‘Lazaruses’ out there seeking for your immediate support. Probably they themselves are responsible for their crises. They may not be always seeking for financial aid. Their needs may vary. The question is can you do something for them out of humanitarian concern. Can you raise Lazarus from the dead? Your timely intervention can make a difference in their lives.

There are ‘Lazaruses’ out there because of your own faults. You might have created ‘Lazaurses’ through your selfish ways of functioning. When you invade into somebody’s rightful space or manipulate others for your own advantage, you are adding to the number of ‘Lazaruses’. This is the time to open your eyes, see the wounds around and heal them.

The way to heaven passes thorough our neighbors house. There is no detour. The person who sits next to you is your sacrament of salvation.
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Mother Theresa has this story to share: One day she visited a Hindu family with rice because they had nothing to eat for some time। As soon as she gave the rice to the family, the mother of the family divided it into two and then she went out. When the woman came back, Mother Theresa asked her: “Where did you go and what did you do?” “They are hungry too” the woman replied. “Who are they?” Mother Theresa asked. “A Muslim family next door”, she said. When this woman knew they were hungry, she felt their hunger and therefore she had the courage to share with them.

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2010-09-14T12:06:00.000-07:00

RESPONSIBLE LIVING
25TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
SEPTEMBER 19, 2010

Recently I was in India for my vacation. One of my neighbors invited me for a dinner. They prepared delicious dishes. I enjoyed it. The following day, however, he came to me requesting a favor. Was the dinner a bribe? This is election season in America. Big corporations are donating generously to the candidates. Each penny they donate is a kind of bait. People are very smart. They know how to use their resources for a better deal. Jesus uses a similar story to substantiate this point. Jesus praised the shrewdness of the steward, not his behavior (Luke 16:1-13). This particular steward offered a huge concession to his subordinates. He caught two fish with a single bait. He assured a place in their hearts as a compassionate boss. He also improved the image of his boss as he worked as his agent even though his employer has nothing to do with it. This steward put his boss in a predicament.

We are smart and shrewd. Jesus challenges us to use our wisdom and intelligent for things that matters eternally. We have resources at our disposals and people who need our help are at our sight. Possessions and material resources are not bad in itself. They can be a great blessing and a source of eternal life for people who spend it wisely. Amos (Amos 8:4-7)in the first reading talks about the potentials of wealth in shaping one’s life. Wealth is a blessing if used for the good of the poor. Zacchaeus found salvation in the sharing of his wealth. God condemned the rich man because of his insensitivity to the poor Lazarus. The poor are the sacrament of the rich.

Jesus invites us to live wisely. These are the marks of a wise man:

GRATITUDE: “We must be a people of gratitude because all that we are and all that we have belongs to God and they are gifted to us” (Mother Theresa). How do I live a life of gratitude? “Using our blessings and talents for the purposes intended by God is the best expression of gratitude.” (St. .Augustine)

ACCOUNTABILITY: Wise Men take care of God given treasures and talents responsibly and honestly. In fact, God expects that. The parable of the Talents (Mt 25: 14-30) beautifully expresses this notion. The compassionate and forgiving God became impatient when he discovered that one of his servants buried and wasted his talents. His frustration was so intense that he took away the talent from the irresponsible steward and gave it to the other two who handled them diligently.

COMMUNITY CONCERN The Wise Men invest their blessings for the wellbeing of the community. “God give us gifts and talents with a mission. Every blessing is a responsibility. Every blessing has a corresponding need to address” (John Paul II). If you read the story of Abraham, this idea becomes clearer. God called Abraham and said, “I will bless you so that you may bring blessings to the nations.”(Gn12:2-3). When God blessed Abraham, He placed a task along with that. Since every blessing is a responsibility, if we fail to use it (talents), then we are defeating the purposes of God. Every blessing comes with a mission. Naturally, towards the end of our life, we need to give an account of how we fulfilled that mission. We need to prove our credibility and accountability by living our blessings the way God wanted. Ultimately, we are going to be our own judges by the way we lived our life (Mt 25:31-46).

The question is how do I use my gifts, namely, time, talents and treasure with all its forms, to build up the body of Christ in my area? What role am I playing in my parish? This is an important question, because as Cardinal Roger says, “Ministry in the church is not an option but an obligation and a privilege. This obligation is coming directly from our baptismal call.” Many people make excuses saying, “I don’t have any talents…I am Shy…and so forth.” Prophet Jeremiah raised the same excuse. He said, “Ah, Lord God, I know not how to speak; I am too young.” God replied, “Don’t be afraid. I am with you.” If God is with us what is not possible? If you ask people who are in ministry, I am sure; they will share the same view.

Let me conclude this reflection quoting from Pope Pius the X. “What you are is God’s gift to you, and what you become is your gift to God.” Let us show God our gratitude, accountability and community concern in action, by being responsible and accountable stewards.

2010-09-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

SPIRITUAL PRESENCE
24th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
September 12, 2010

What makes us untouchable to God is not our sinfulness but the pretensions with which we hide our sins. The truth is that we all fall short of the glory of God; we all are sinners. The self-righteous Pharisees denied this truth. In order to show them how everyone is in need of God’s mercy, Jesus told them three parables: parable of the lost sheep, lost coin and the lost son. These parables sum up the entire Christian message. They are:-

• All are in need of God’s mercy
• God is eager to seek and find the lost ones
• God’s love is personal and unconditional
• God receives repentant sinners with joy
• God’s joy consist in our conversion

Everybody needs conversion. The parable of the prodigal son amply explains this fact. There is no question about the sinfulness of the younger son. He separated himself from his father, physically and spiritually. It was a complete departure. The elder son thought that he was perfectly holy as he was staying with his father. He was physically present. His problem was that he was not spiritually present. Even though he was physically near to his father, he failed to develop the heart and mind of his Father. Physical presence does not necessarily bring spiritual proximity. He was also in need of conversion.

Physical proximity is not enough. Spiritual proximity is the key. As long as our hearts are away from God, we are in need of conversion.

2010-05-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

THE 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 Creator, someone who is beyond human reach. In the period of the New Testament, people had a different experience with 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, which is love, and Relationship. The notion of relationship is important for two reasons.

IMPORTANCE OF RELATIONSHIP

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 part of the 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.

Relationship: the basic environment for growth
The story of ‘The Cave Girls’ is very popular among the psychologists. I believe that this incident happened in the 1960’s. These two girls, seven and nine years old respectively, were found in a cave with wolves. The wolves were taking care of these girls. These girls themselves behaved like wolves. They walked on all fours and talked by making sounds just as wolves do. It took several years to rehabilitate them and to teach them to act like human beings.

Only a human environment can develop human personalities. All of us are social beings. We are born from a community into a community. Our identity, our existence, our growth and development, everything takes place in communities. My name is Sebastian because you call me by that name. If you would call me Subash, I would become Subash.

The nature and quality of a community determine the nature of a person. A healthy community is prone to beget a healthy person. A wounded community most likely creates reactionaries. Therefore, we have a tremendous responsibility to form our community as a loving entity.

DIFFERENT ROLES IN A COMMUNITY

There are four kinds of people in any given community. They are leaders, contributors, critics and sleepers. Leaders and contributors are the strength of a community where as critics and sleepers are its liabilities. Not everyone may be in a position to provide leadership. However, everybody can be a contributor. When we use our talents, treasures and time for the good of the community we are playing the role of a contributor. No matter how insignificant one may be, still he/she has something to offer for the wellbeing of the community. Unfair criticism not only kills the spirit of a community but also it creates reactors. Sleepers are inactive and indifferent people. They are the majority. Their lack of interest in the common cause indirectly supports the rise of all kinds of dangerous tendencies in the society.

2010-05-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

PENTECOST SUNDAY

We can divide the history of salvation three periods: the period of God the Father, the period of God the Son Jesus and the period of God the Holy Spirit. The Era of the Holy Spirit began at Pentecost. This was also the beginning of the Church too. On the day of Pentecost, as the result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, two extraordinary things took place.

A NEW LIFE FOR THE DISCIPLES

Even though the disciples witnessed resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the impact of Jesus’ death was so traumatic that they never totally recovered from that shock. The disciples were living in fear and doubt. The presence of the Holy Spirit however brought about a sea change in their lives. They resurrected themselves from the shackles of fear and started preaching about Jesus. They received a new life, vigor and spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the prime principle of life. 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 to God. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, fills us with Grace and makes us fully alive for God.

A NEW LAW OF LIFE

People who gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost were people from different languages, cultures and colors. The presence of the Spirit transformed them and enabled them to see the common bond. They saw their own image in each other and understood each other’s language. The Holy Spirit filled their hearts with a new language- a language of love. Love is the third eye. Anyone who looks through the third eye will see the image of God in every human being regardless of his or her differences whatsoever.

Unity in diversity and accommodation of differences; these are fundamental to Christian belief. The core of Jesus’ priestly prayer was for unity. This is why Church is catholic.
Pentecost clearly reveals the universality of the Church. The Law was given only to Moses where as the Holy Spirit was given to all. Pentecost abolished the division between the people of God and no people.

LIFE EMANATING FROM PRAYER

Before ascending into heaven, Jesus instructed his disciples to stay in the city praying for the Holy Spirit. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit happened while they were in prayer. Prayer creates the environment for discernment.

2010-05-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

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.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.

2010-05-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

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SUMMER ADULT BIBLE STUDY

St. Denis is offering a SIX WEEKS STUDY on the Gospels of
LUKE & MATTHEW & JOHN
TUESDAY at 7.30pm to 8.45pm
June 22, 29, July 6, 13, 20, 27
in
Potthoff Hall
Mark your Calendar and tells your friends
Presenter: Fr. Sebastian Vettickal
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2010-05-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

OH! MOM

Last night I had a telephone call from my mom. I said to her, “Mom, it is very expensive for you to call from India. Please hang up the phone. I will call you back.” “That is Ok! If it is for you, nothing is too expensive,” my mom replied. Mothers are the perfect embodiment of love and care. On this beautiful day, dear mothers, I wish you God’s blessings and everything beautiful. I would also like to tell all moms that we love you and we appreciate all you do for us.

Mother’s Day celebration originally started during the Civil War by Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis. She organized a day of prayer to share the pain and agony of the mothers whose children were fighting in the war. Later Julia Ward Howe, and Anna Jarvis, the daughter of Mrs. Anna Reeves Jarvis, popularized the Mother’s Day get together and made it into a national event. President Wilson established Mother’s Day in the USA on May 9, 1914. We celebrate mother’s day on the second Sunday of May to show the ‘public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.

The role and importance of a Mother is second to nothing. Motherhood is so great not only because they bring new life into the world but also for what they do to nurture and nourish that life. As Olive Schreiner rightly put it, “There was never a great person who had not a great mother- it is hardly an exaggeration”. There is no parallel for their love, care, compassion and sacrifice. (Remember an incident where you were touched by the love of your Mother. Tell your Mom about it today, if possible.)

In Mary God found a perfect mother for His Son, Jesus. This made her a paradigm for motherhood for all times. FOUR qualities that Mary reflects in her life make any mother an ideal Christian Mother.

Found Favor with God

Every time a child is born to this world, God tells the parents, “I trust you.” God blessed you with children because God found confidence in you. When Angel Gabriel approached Mary with the good news, Angel said, “God is going to make you the Mother of His Son, God found favor with you”. Mary found favor with God by totally submitting to the will of God. Mothers, since you are the corner stone of your home, finding favor with God are the best thing that you can contribute to your family. (Discuss: What are the few things you need to do to find favor with God?)

Chose life, despite opposition

The greatness of Mary consists in this that every time she confronted with different values; she chose the values of God. Different voices confronted her at least five times: - The Annunciation, The Presentation, and The Finding in the Temple, The Public Encounter and the Encounter on Calvary. At each encounter, there was a beckoning for a radical choice by three different voices: the voice of society, the voice of self and the voice of God. In all five encounters, Mary came out victorious since she said: “Yes” to the Voice of God. Recollect the Annunciation scene. Three different voices pressurized her: The Voice of God ----Be the mother of Jesus...The Voice of Society --- You will be stoned to death if you keep the child. The Voice of Self --- Why should I undergo such a needless struggle to take such a risk? However, Mary chose the Voice of God and that became her way for life.

Raised Jesus the way God wanted

Mary’s greatness was that she raised Jesus in the way God wanted. She did not make her own personal plans for Jesus. She and Joseph did not impose their family trade on Jesus. Instead, they discerned God’s plan for Jesus, created an environment to support that plan and accompanied Jesus all the way to Calvary and even after. This is the role of any mother: Discern the plan of God for her child, create an environment where he/she could pursue that plan and support him/her all the way.

Accompanied her Son all the way

Nine in the morning, this little girl approached her Mom and said: Mom you look so beautiful today.” The mother was a little embarrassed and said: “Why do you say that? I have not dressed up. I did not have any face-lift…” “This is the reason why you are cute... This means you are not going out today! You are fully mine!” the little girl replied. The best things children expect from their mothers are their accompanying, understanding, supporting, listening presence.” Mary was did that! She was always with him like His shadow. She was with her Son in good times and bad.
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2010-04-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

EXPECT A LITTLE AND GIVE A LOT
Fifth SUNDAY OF EASTER: Jn 13:31-35

It was a winter night. I was returning to my little parish in the northern part of India by my motor bike. On the way, I saw an elderly man who was walking along the road, carrying two heavy bags. He was going to visit his daughter. His train was late and he missed the last bus. He had no choice but to walk. I felt sorry for him. I offered him a lift. On the way, he asked me, “Sir, are you a Christian?” “Why do you ask that question?” I was curious! “Only Christians do this kind of service”, he replied. Love marks the uniqueness of Christian identity. If we, Christians, fail in love, the world has no other place to look for it.

LOVE MARKS CHRISTIAN IDENTITY

Jesus said to his disciples, “This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” If there is no love, there is no Christianity. If we do not abide in love, we do not know anything about God because God is love. Love is not a quality of God. It is the essence of God. God is love. Jesus underscored this view when he said ‘by your love you will reveal that you are my disciples.’

There are numerous definitions on love. However, the statement ‘God so loved the world that he sent his only Son’ excels all other definitions of love. This statement explains the nature of love. Love is giving. God manifested his love in giving, giving His only Son. Jesus did the same. He gave His life as a ransom for many. We witness this supreme act of love in the celebration of the Eucharist. Giving, and not receiving, characterizes Christian love. The desire for receiving shows one’s deficiency and the eagerness to give tell one’s sufficiency. Problems arise when one’s sole concern becomes receiving. What motivates me in my life? Am I a generous giver?

CRITERIA OF CHRISTIAN LOVE!

How do we know that we really love someone? What are the parameters of love? Christian love has three characteristics:

It is other oriented। The moment you start to think about others and their growth, you have begun to live Christian Love। If your life and activities do not bring happiness and growth to others, yours is not Christian love।

Christian Love is action oriented. Love is not an abstract thing. It should take on a concrete form. For example, we make available our time, talents, and treasures to the person we love. In genuine love, there is always an exchange of words, an exchange of persons and an exchange of gifts. God so loved us by sending His own Son. Jesus loved us by giving His own Body and Blood. We must show our love through concrete actions.

Christian Love is expensive. There is no genuine love without a price or sacrifice. For example, to forgive someone who offended us or to defend somebody whom we do not like…is really a sacrificial act. The amount of sacrifice that goes along with our concrete actions measures the real depth of our Christian Love!!

“Don’t look for flaws as you go through life; It is easy enough to find them. It is wise to be kind, and sometimes blind, and to look for the virtues behind them.”

2010-04-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

Call to Friendship
4rth Sunday, Easter

“I know my sheep and they recognize my voice.” This is the best description of Christian Discipleship. Christianity is not about rules and regulations. It is not a set of rituals. Christianity is about our relationship, relationship with Jesus. Everything else is expressions of this relationship. Our challenge is, therefore, to grow in this relationship or friendship. Spiritual fathers recommended four principles towards this goal.

Quality time: Friends who never find time for each other soon or later break up. To grow in personal relationship with Jesus, one needs quality time for prayer.

Shared Meal: Eating together is a sign of unity of hearts. One cannot grow in Jesus without participating in the Eucharistic meal.

Fairness: We may share everything and care for each other but if we are not fair enough to each other, our friendship will begin to decline. The acceptance of failure and the willingness of asking for pardon is the central aspect of friendship. This is true in our spiritual life as well. We do it through the sacrament of reconciliation.

Learn more. People who are serious about their friendships are always eager to know more and more about their companions. We will know more about Jesus by studying the Scripture.

In short, Prayer, Eucharist, Confession and Scripture Study are the four means for developing personal intimacy with Jesus.

2010-04-16T18:53:00.000-07:00

The Broken Rock
3rd Sunday of Easter (Jn. 21:119)

A couple of weeks ago Pope Benedict appointed Bishop Jose Gomes as the Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles. In the gospel reading this morning we have the story of another appointment. Jesus appointed Peter as the head of the whole Church. Jesus did a couple of important things before he entrusted Peter the responsibility of shepherding the Church. They are:

Removed the Doubt and Assured Success

The first condition to be a disciple of Jesus and take responsibility in the Church is an unwavering faith. The death of Jesus shattered the faith of Peter in Jesus. Even though the resurrected Jesus made a couple of appearances before his disciples, they remained confused. Hence, Peter went back to his old job. Therefore, the first challenge of Jesus was to wipe out the shadows of doubt from the mind of Peter and give him confidence and hope in His power. Jesus did it in a miraculous manner. He enabled them to catch fish from the same place where they faced failure after failure. They caught 153 fish, which was a symbolic number.153 was the number of known nations during Jesus’ time. Through this symbolic but real act Jesus was assuring them success in their mission not only in Galilee but thorough out the world. However, they have to work with him and take His instruction.

Made Peter renew his Faith

During the Easter Vigil, we witnessed a number of people receiving the sacrament of Baptism. They made the profession of Catholic Faith before they received the sacrament. Public profession of faith in Jesus is the second condition for discipleship. Jesus asked Peter to do the ‘same’ before he assumed the responsibility of shepherding his sheep. “Peter, do you love me?” Jesus asked him the same question three times. It could be a reminder of his triple denial. It could also be a warning against making emotional decision without considering its consequences. This enquiry, however, has a deeper meaning and implication. The Greek language uses three different words to express three different levels of love: they are eros, phileo and agape. Eros is sensual love, phileo is love that results from admiration and agape is sacrificial love. Jesus was looking for agape love when He asked Peter ‘do you love me.’ Peter, however, responded with phileo love. Jesus continued the same question until Peter responded with agape love. Any commitment to Jesus demands agape love- a love that is willing to die for others even if they do not deserve it.

We are Jesus’ disciples today. It is our turn to continue the mission of Jesus. Like Peter, we also require these two qualities: Unwavering Faith and Agape Love. Jesus is always there to support us. Listen to him: We will catch fish in large number. We are fishers of men.

2010-04-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

DIVINE MERCY SUNDAY
(Second Sunday of Easter)

The Divine Mercy Sunday. The first 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 every one 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.

2010-02-20T12:48:00.000-08:00

PURIFICATION AND CLARIFICATION
Fist Sunday of Lent, February 21

Tiger Wood, “I thought I can use whatever I have, to get whatever I want. Today, I realized that this is a wrong philosophy. I messed up my life. I want to return to my religion”.

Lent is a time for purification and clarification

The Temptation Story of Jesus helps us to identify our own temptatations and they also teach us the ways to overcome them। For instance: Jesus was hungry. He was tempted to change stone into food. It is important to eat when we are hungry. However, changing a stone into food is not a normal way of earning our bread. The Word of God helped Jesus to realize it. Means do not justify the goal.

We all experience different kinds of hunger: hunger for food, hunger for pleasure, hunger for job, hunger for fame, hunger for name….They are real. We need to handle them properly. How do we satisfy our hunger? Where do we turn to fulfill them? Similarly, gifts and talents are given to us for the good of the community. Jesus used his ability to create food when he saw the hungry crowd.

Jesus turned to the Scripture for answers……Scripture is our reference point. “It is not how much we achieve but how much we overcome that matters…”

2010-02-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

WELCOME TO LENTEN REFLECTION AND PRAYER

St. Denis is offering series of reflections during lent based on the book:
The Tragic and Triumphant Cross

When? February 18, 25, March 4, 11, 18, 25
Where? POTTHOFF HALL
TIME: 7.30pm

PRESENTERS:
Msgr. Jim Loughnane
Fr. Sebastian Vettickal, cmi

ALL ARE WELCOME……….

2010-02-11T13:25:00.000-08:00

WHO KNOWS? GOD KNOWS!
SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

There was a farmer. He lived a happy life spending most of the time taking care of his farm with the aid of his horse. One day he lost his horse. Neighbors came to sympathize with him. “What a shame”, they said. “Who knows? God Knows?” He replied. A week later this horse returned with another horse. The neighbors came to share his joy. “What a blessing”, they said. “Who knows? God knows”, he replied. One day while riding the horse his son fell down from the horse and broke his leg. Again neighbors came to offer their sympathy. “What a shame”, they said. “Who knows? God knows!” he replied. A week late a war broke out in their country. The king ordered all men over 18 years of age to join the military. They spared his son because of his broken leg. Once again neighbors rushed to his house. “What a blessing?” they said. “Who knows? God Knows!” the farmer replied.

ATTITUDE THAT BEATIFIES

Life consists of a series of ups and downs. In order to cope with these fluctuating situations of life with a calm and serene mind, a person needs an authentic vision on life and a right attitude. The readings for this Sunday talk about two mutually opposing attitudes: the right attitude and the wrong attitude. God-bound people have the right attitude of life and the earth- bound people have the wrong vision of life. Without seeing the deceptive nature of material offerings earth bound people make the worldly riches their final goal. They are eventually faced with two problems. First of all, the very thing in which they place their trust cannot help them in times they needed it most. Secondly, as it is confined to this world, it cannot go beyond the time and space aspect of our existence. Naturally it cannot connect the events of life and in turn presents things incomprehensible. On the other hand, life founded on God gives a completely different perspective on life. The beatitudes talks about that. Beatitude is an invitation to empty our heart from material possessiveness and fill it with the Spirit of God. God-bound people withstand any storms of life.

BLESSED ARE THE POOR…!

Jesus started his teaching proclaiming the beatitudes. Jesus’ audience were people with broken hearts and broken hope. They were poor, victims of prejudice and victims of religious oppression. They were real people with heavy burdens. The interesting thing about Jesus was that he found blessings in their seemingly desperate situation. Jesus did not condemn their situations. Instead, he showed them the possibility of using their situations as a means of blessings. He did so by helping them to relate their present day struggle with the cross that bridges to heaven. Jesus showed them how they could transform their poverty and other struggles as a means for achieving eternal happiness. No situation is hopeless for a person who places his trust in God.

BLESSED ARE THE RICH…!

Jesus had no problem with the Rich. In fact he blessed the rich. So, he appreciated the gesture of the one who multiplied his talents and disapproved the behavior of the lazy man. He went to the extent of saying, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich. But from the one who has not, even what has will be taken away.” Jesus was not against the rich. Jesus wants us to take responsibility of our lives. Jesus criticized only three categories of people: Those who put wealth in place of God; those who were unwilling to share; and those who amassed wealth through illegal means.
If I do not fall in any of these categories, there is justification for my wealth.
In the parable of the rich and Lazarus, he criticized the rich man because of his insensitivity to the need of his neighbor and his unwillingness to share.

The needy and the poor are the Sacraments for the rich. When they approach the poor with their sharing hands they are administering the sacrament of their own salvation. Jesus said to the people who were sensitive to the needs of others “Enter the Kingdom of God, for you gave me food when I was hungry; You welcomed me when I was a stranger; you cared for me when I was sick…..” The rich have a better chance to please God as they have enough resources to serve the poor.

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A priest gave a beautiful sermon. The sermon had three points. The first point was: Get all you can. To this an old rich man said, “Amen”
Next the priest said, “Keep all you can” Again the miser said, “Amen. ”
Then the preacher said, “Give all you can” And the selfish man said, “What a shame to spoil a good sermon”.
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PLEASE NOTE: I WILL NOT BE POSTING REFLECTIONS DURING LENT. I WILL RESUME MY BLOG AFTER EASTER. THANK YOU!

2010-02-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

YES! YOU CAN!
FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Is 6:2-8; 1Cor 15:1-11; Lk 5:1-11)

Yes! We can! We heard this slogan during the last presidential election campaign. Many psychologists believe that we become what we believe. Many people, however, do not believe in themselves. They constantly find excuses to shy away from taking responsibilities. The scripture reading for the fifth Sunday of Ordinary time presents three great biblical figures (Isaiah, Paul and Peter) who debated with God when they were called for ministry.

EXCUSES OR EXPRESSION OF GENUINENESS

A few days ago I said to a person: You would be a good lector. Would you please consider becoming one? This person said: “Sorry, I am very nervous to face people.” Later I found out that this person is a professor at a university. People bring excuses to avoid responsibilities. Excuses lead to empty victories. On the other hand, excuses can be expressions of who we are. They can be expressions of our state of being. In the stories of Peter, Paul and Isaiah, their excuses were not defense mechanisms but genuine confessions of their lives. It was a genuine surrender. Isaiah was in the presence of the Holy, Peter was experiencing the divine manifestation of Jesus’ power, Paul was aware of what he had done to Christ. They were taking their place before God. They were seeing their humanness. They were proclaiming that they were not in the realm of God to take up His mission, but are creatures with creaturely imperfections.

SENSE OF UNWORTHINESS AS THE BEGINNING OF DISCIPLESHIP

According to Matthew, Jesus started the Sermon on the Mount, saying: “Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” Standing before the Lord with complete transparency is the supreme quality for discipleship. When God calls someone for ministry, it is not their expertise but their willingness to serve that God counts. For it is not us but God working through us. Jesus said to his disciples, “Do not worry about what you are to say and how you are to say it; when the hour comes you will be given what you are to say. For it is not you who will speak but it will be the spirit of your Father in you” (Mt: 10:19-20). God spoke to Jeremiah, “They will fight against you but not prevail over you, for I am with you to deliver you.” God empowers whoever He commissions for ministry. For example, God cleansed the lips of Isaiah. An Angel touched his mouth and said, “Your wickedness is removed, your sin is purged.” God in His goodness makes us good enough to serve Him.

YOU ARE PERFECTLY FIT

People who performed great things in the past were not always great from a worldly standpoint. For example, St. John Vianney, the patron saint of priests, was below average in intellectual capacities. He struggled to complete his seminary studies. Jesus’ selection of the Twelve Disciples tells us the same truth. Only one among the twelve had a surname! You may not be fit for a particular ministry but definitely there are ministries that are suited for you. It is not the power associated with a ministry but the manner in which you perform a ministry that makes you powerful. In many movies, the minor characters get more applause than the main character.

FOCUS ON THE MISSION, NOT ON YOU

Problems creep up when we turn to ourselves for resources to solve the issues. People who had successful ministries were always preoccupied with the needs of the people whom they were serving. That’s the key to success! As Jesus clearly spelled out in the gospel, our mission is to become fishers of men. Our focus must be on people. People and their struggle give us power beyond our imagination. For example, the scene of people suffering in Haiti inspired many of us to make contributions beyond our calculations in spite of our financial restraints. “Yes, I can! Here I am Lord, Send me.”

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There are Three Classes of people:
The few who make things happen
The many watch things happen
The majority who have no notion of what happens
(Nicholas Butler)
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All that is necessary for the victory of evil is that good people do nothing.
(Edmund Burke)
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2010-01-26T12:29:00.000-08:00

LOVE NEVER FAILS
4th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME-C

Taj Mahal is a major center of attraction to any tourist who visits India. The wonder of Taj Mahal lies not only in its immeasurable beauty but also in the unfathomable love behind its construction. Emperor Shah Jahan’s heart was broken at the death of his beloved wife Muntaz Mahal. His love towards her was so deep that he wanted to immortalize his love for her. He took 22 years and used 20,000 people to complete this epitome of love. Later, even after he was ousted and imprisoned, he celebrated his love for her, looking at Taj Mahal- the symbol of his love for her, through the prison windows. Such was the power of his love. Taj Mahal announces to the world the unfailing nature of love. Love never fails. “Deep waters cannot quench love, nor floods sweep it away” (Song of Solomon 8/7) St. Paul, today, talks about this eternal nature of the spirit of love.

LOVE FAILIURE!

There is an inner urge in every human person to love and to be loved. Everyone talks about the beauty and fruit of love. In spite of all this talk and excitement about love, everyone finds it difficult to stay in love. Where is the problem?

1. The problem lies in the fact that many of us are confused with the concepts of loving and liking. They are two different realities. Liking is the function of instincts of which we haven’t much control. It is an instinctual behavior. Anything that flows from an instinct is not premeditative. A human Instinct responds to whatever appeals to the senses. It can be the look of a person, the color of an object, the way she/he dresses, a certain manner of behavior, a particular quality of a person and so forth. We subconsciously fall in love with whatever is appealing to the senses. Very often we fall in love with people because of certain fascinations that have a quick impression on the senses. This sort of love ceases to exist as soon as these qualities disappear. Love based on liking alone is doomed to fail because the external appearances are transient.

On the other hand, love is a decision. It is an act of the will (Thomas Aquinas). Therefore even though we may not like someone, still we can choose to love him/her. In genuine love, likeability is only one aspect of many. Likeability definitely makes love easy; likeability makes a person more lovable. Even though, we may disagree with someone or do not like certain behavioral patterns of a person, still we can make a decision to love him/her. The decision to love someone helps us to look for the likeability in that person. That in turn changes our attitude towards him/her.

2. It is also important to know the difference between Eros love and agape love. Eros lies in the realm of sensuality and Agape on the other hand belong to the divine milieu. In the former case, we love a person because of the goodness in him/her. We love him/her as long as he/she serves my purposes. How often we hear people saying how the other disappointed them! Relationship based on Eros is destined to fail.

On the other hand, in agape love, our love is a reflection of the goodness within us. This love enriches the other rather than the lover. It enriches the receiver rather than the giver. This is the nature of God’s love. God’s love to the world does not add anything more to His Being. In agape, we love a person, not for what he is but for what he could be. Every person is created in the image and likeness of God. Every person is a potential saint. Every sinner has a future as every saint had a past. Our love is not based on his/her past but on his/her future possibilities.

NO LOVE, NO CHRISTIANITY

If there is no love, there is no Christianity. If we don’t abide in love, we don’t know anything about God because God is love. Love is not a quality of God. God is love. Jesus himself underscored this view when he said: ’By your love you will reveal that you are my disciples’ For example, the second reading (1John 4:7-10) starts with this advice: “Beloved, let us love one another, because God is love; everyone who loves is begotten by God”. Jesus repeats the same message in the Gospel: “As the Father loves me, so also I love you. Remain in my love” (John 15:9-17). Therefore, Christian vocation, as St. Therese of Lisieux put it rightly, is a call to love.

CRITERIA OF CHRISTIAN LOVE!

How do we know that we really love someone? What are the parameters of love? Christian love has three characteristics:
1. It is other oriented. The moment you start to think about others and their growth, you have begun to live Christian Love. If your life and activities do not bring happiness and growth to others, yours is not Christian love.
2. Christian Love is action oriented. Love is not an abstract thing. It should take on a concrete form. For example, we make available our time, talents, and treasures to the person we love. In genuine love there is always an exchange of words, an exchange of persons and an exchange of gifts. God so loved us by sending His own Son. Jesus loved us by giving His own Body and Blood. We must show our love through concrete actions.
3. Christian Love is expensive. There is no genuine love without a price or sacrifice. For example, to forgive someone who offended us or to defend somebody whom we don’t like…is really a sacrificial act. The amount of sacrifice that goes along with our concrete actions measures the real depth of our Christian Love!!

“The Crucifix is our Taj Mahal. It is our supreme parameter for love. Whenever you waver, look at Calvary. You will return home with hope and confidence.”

2010-01-21T14:28:00.000-08:00

PEOPLE OF THE GOSPELS
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Last Sunday while I was having a discussion with the participants of the RCIA program, one person asked: “What is the importance of the Bible in our Spiritual living?” It was a great question. You may have numerous answers. However, Psalms 119:105 offers the best answer: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path”. The responsorial psalms for this Sunday Liturgy repeat the same: “Your words, Lord, are Spirit and Life.”

JESUS AND THE SCRIPTURE

The gospel talks about how Jesus was in the Synagogue, read the Scripture and discovered his mission in the Book of Isaiah. After reading the passage beginning with “the Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor…” (Lk 4:16ff), Jesus said “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled.” Scripture helped Jesus to identify His mission. A number of times in His public life Jesus turned to the Scripture for direction. For example, when He was tested in the desert, Jesus cited the scripture to defeat the devil’s plan for Him (Mt 4:3-11). If the Scripture was that vital in His life, how much more significant it should be in our lives!

JESUS, THE SCRIPTURE

Words reveal what is in one’s heart. The Word of God reveals God’s heart. In Jesus, the Word of God became Flesh. Jesus became the heart of God; the message of God. At the age of 12, Jesus said: “I must be about my Father’s business”. In the desert Jesus said: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God”. On another occasion Jesus said to his disciples: “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to finish his work” (Jn 4:34). At Gethsemane Jesus said: “Not my will but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). And finally, on the cross He said: “Father into your hands, I commend my spirit”. (Lk23:46). Jesus started his life taking the job of doing His Father’s business and He faithfully completed it on the cross. Jesus, not only turned to the Scripture for guidance but also became Scripture, the Word of God itself. Hence Jesus said: Whoever has seen me has seen the Father; The Father and I are one” (Jn10/30, 14/9).

THE IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURE IN MY LIFE!

Since the Word of God is incarnated in Jesus, He became the True Way to Life. The Gospels sum up His life in words. The Word of God leads us to life in the following ways.

1. Word of God: The Lighthouse! The role of a light house for someone lost in the sea during night is beyond description. The Bible does the same to a lost soul. It removes the darkness. The first word uttered by God was: Let there be light. So Peter asked: Lord where shall we go? You have the words of eternal life! (Jn 6:66, 20:31). The Bible has the answer to all your problems.

2. Word of God: The Sounding Board! Scripture serves as a reference point for our thinking and acting (2Timothy 3:16). Scripture helps us to evaluate our present life style. For example, the Ten Commandments give us the right mind set we need towards God and others.

3. Word of God: The Divine Medicine! Jeremiah said, “When I found your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and happiness of my heart” (Jeremiah15:16).

4. Word of God: The Guaranteed Hope! Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, the Word of our God stands forever (Is 40:8) The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any double edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart Hebrew 4:12) For just as from the heaven rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seeds to him who sows and bread to him who eats so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it (Is 55:10).

PEOPLE OF THE SCRIPTURE

The Word of God transformed the life of many. Paul discovered his mission when he was confronted with the Words of Jesus (Acts 9:3ff). Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Francis of Assisi, Francis De Sales, Vincent De Paul, Mother Theresa, Gandhi and many others talk volume about the life transforming influence of the Word of God in their lives. They became the
Gospel! For instance, Paul said: Imitate me as I imitate Jesus. Living the gospels is a process of listening, meditating, assimilating and delivering. This is what Mary did. She listened to the Word of God, pondered over it, made it part of her being and delivered it to the world in the form of Jesus. How do I approach the Word of God?

2010-01-14T12:47:00.000-08:00

THE EPIPHANY OF MARY
SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Two weeks ago we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany of Jesus. The Scripture, however, recorded three Epiphanies; one in Bethlehem at the visit of the Magi, second at the time of His Baptism and the third at the Wedding Feast of Cana. In Bethlehem, the Magi discovered the identity of Jesus and revealed it to the world. On the day of His Baptism, the Father and the Holy Spirit together revealed Jesus’ identity to the world. At the Wedding Feast of Cana, Mary, his own mother took the initiative to reveal the identity of Jesus. Our Gospel reading, today, focuses on this particular aspect. Even though the focus is on the fist miracle of Jesus, this story also reveals the significance of Mary in the plan of salvation. From that perspective, the wedding feast of Cana also marks the Epiphany of Mary. This story reveals at least three aspects of Mary’s personality.

MARY, THE GREAT MENTOR

Mentoring is important in any area of life. Consider any game or a sport. Behind any winning team, there always is a great Coach. People who reached the height of holiness had mentors or spiritual directors. The mentor behind the formation of Jesus was none other than his mother. No one knows a son better than his mother. The greatness of Mary was that she accompanied Jesus at every step of his growth and prepared him for his mission. At the age of twelve Jesus was lost in the temple. When Mary confronted Jesus, He said: “Why did you search for me? Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?” According to the Jewish custom, a boy becomes legally an adult at the age of 12. Naturally, nobody could blame a boy if he makes an independent decision. Legal adulthood does not necessarily mean maturity. Mary convinced him of the importance of waiting for God’s time, and led him home. The Bible says Jesus grew in wisdom under the guidance of His parents. At Cana, Jesus was not sure about the timing of his mission. He said, “My time has not yet come.” Mary intervened again and helped him to see the signs of the time. She said to the servant, “Do whatever Jesus tells you”. Mary, thus, accompanied Jesus as a mentor and slowly prepared him for the mission for which he was sent by His Father. Jesus recognized the role His mother in His formation. So at Calvary, He entrusted the Church to her guidance. She faithfully accepted that responsibility and prepared the disciples for the day of Pentecost.

Do you have a mentor in your life? The help of a spiritual director is useful for discernment. Remember the story of Samuel. God called him three times. He did not recognize it. He thought that it was Eli. Finally, Eli helped him to recognize God’s voice. St. Paul says: To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. We all have gifts and talents. As Mary helped Jesus to manifest his gift, we need mentors to discern, discover and identify our gifts, talents and calling.

MARY, THE GREAT BENEVOLENT

Things may not always happen as planned. Our calculations can go wrong. Unpredictability of the situation and miscalculation on our part can at times put us in a humiliating situation. How do we respond if we see such a situation happening to some of our friends or neighbors? Here Mary stands as a great model. The host of the wedding feast at Cana was running out of wine. It was a sign of disgrace. It could have brought shame on the whole family. Mary helped to solve the crisis in a professional manner. She did not make breaking-news out of it. She did not bring it to the attention of anyone who could do nothing to save the situation. She approached the right person and solved the crisis without incurring damage to anyone’s reputation. She did everything quietly, and remained behind the scene. What a great model of service!

MARY, THE GREAT INTERCESSOR

“Pray to the Mother of God. She will get your petition to Jesus. Jesus never denies her request,” my mother used to tell me when I was a child. It is a true statement. A couple of times Jesus turned down the requests of His disciples, including Peter. Jesus, however, never rejected the request of his Mother. Even though Jesus thought that it was not the appropriate time for Him to start his public mission, He yielded to his Mom’s request. He performed the first miracle at his mother’s request. Approach Mary, she will intercede for us before her Son, Jesus.

“Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of hour death.”

2010-01-07T09:22:00.000-08:00

BAPTISM OF JESUS

Today we celebrate the Baptism of Jesus. With this Feast we conclude the season of Christmas and begin the Ordinary time.

BAPTISM: THE GREAT EPIPHANY

Even though we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany last Sunday, Epiphany in its fullest sense took place at the baptism of Jesus. This was the only incident recorded in the Bible where all three Persons in the Trinity appeared together. Jesus was formally introduced to the world on that day too. Through the three extraordinary events that had taken place at his baptism (the Heavens were opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a Dove and God the Father gave a public witness saying: This is my beloved Son’.) God revealed to the world the identity and mission of Jesus once and for all. For a deeper understanding of the implications of Jesus’ Baptism, it is important to know the meaning of these three extraordinary happenings.

The Heavens were opened. Yahweh was the King of Israel until they arrived in the Promised Land. However after the Exodus Event the leaders of Israel came to the conclusion that only through the presence of a human King could enemies be prevented from taking over their nation. They approached the Prophet Samuel with this proposal. Yahweh however, dismissed their idea and said: “I am your King. You don’t need a human king.” People remained stubborn and insistent. Finally Yahweh yielded to their request and anointed Saul as the first king of Israel. Under the reign of Saul and then David, Israel became a united Monarchy and a powerful nation. However, the golden era did not last long. Power struggles among the children of David and their successors led to the division of the country into two nations: Israel and Judah. The kings of both nations proved to be disastrous by their immoral and reckless behavior. The two nations became weaker and weaker. Babylonians and Sumerians took advantage of the situation and defeated them in the battle. The people of Israel and Judah became slaves once again. Frustrated by the manipulative and exploitative behavior of their Kings, the people of Israel started to pray: “Lord, take away all these human kings… Lord, open the heavens, come down and be our king.” On the day of Jesus’ Baptism, God answered their prayers and opened the heavens for them. Jesus is our heavenly King.

The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a Dove. What is the significance of the dove in this whole event? The Dove was the national symbol of Israel. By using the Dove as His vehicle, the Holy Spirit was symbolically anointing Jesus as the New Israel. The Dove also symbolizes New Life (Rf: Noah and Flood). Jesus is the new Israel and in him we have life.

Supreme Witness: Finally, God the Father Himself gave testimony to Jesus. “This is my beloved Son.” At the transfiguration of Jesus, God went a step further and declared: “This is my beloved Son. Listen to Him.” There is no other place in the Bible where God declares someone as his beloved son or daughter. Thus Baptism became the great Epiphany of Jesus.

BAPTISM: THE GREAT COMMISSIONING

On the day of His Baptism, God the Father anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and entrusted him with a mission. Jesus started His mission by expressing his solidarity with the people who were looking for a change. People were not happy in the way the world was functioning. They wanted a change. They realized that the world was not going to change, unless they changed. They came to John for baptism to start a new beginning. By coming to John, Jesus joined the people for their desire for change.

Jesus not only joined the movement but gave the movement a new direction. Jesus offered the real change: the Kingdom of God. Jesus offered a new way: Conquer your enemy with love. Stop striking back.

THE CHALLENGES OF MY BAPTISM: CALL TO NEW LIFE

When a person receives the sacrament of Baptism three things happen.
A NEW IMAGE
Baptism restores our lost image. God opens heaven for us and makes us His beloved sons/daughters. We become children of God. The white baptismal garment we receive at baptism symbolizes this reality.
A NEW IDENTITY
Baptism incorporates us into the Body of Christ (Church). We become a corporate identity. Communion with one another becomes the mode of our existence. The Eucharistic Liturgy celebrates this communion. So a person who is not in communion with his/her brothers and sisters are not eligible for receiving Holy Communion.
A NEW MISSION
Through baptism we participate in the kingly, royal and priestly mission of Jesus. As Jesus began his mission with the reception of baptism, we too join his movement with the reception of our own baptism. The lighted candle we receive at the time of our baptism symbolizes this new mission.

In Jesus we are a new creation. We are a chosen race, we are a holy priesthood. We are here to make a difference. Let us do it by renewing our baptismal commitment today.

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2009-12-31T10:59:00.000-08:00

CELEBRATE DIVERSITIES
EPIPHANY

Once President G. Ford was asked to name three persons he considered as the greatest of the century. The first name he mentioned was the name of Gandhi. He had chosen Gandhi’s name because he was a great unifier. He sacrificed his life to bring people together.

The message that the world would like to hear today is the message of dialogue, understanding and unity. Unity is possible if we reach out to the outsiders. The world is divided into two: Insiders and outsiders. This division is based on territory, language, color, culture, religion and so forth. The outsiders are most of the time viewed as potential threat to the insiders. As a result, we are either offensive or defensive in our approach to the outsiders.

The feast of the epiphany invites us to think in a new way. The word epiphany simply means manifestation. In our religious context, it is the manifestation of God to the world. In the birth of Jesus God manifested His intention to the world. By choosing a human body for the incarnation, God joined the human family; God incorporated us into His family. The prophet Simeon took the child Jesus in his hands and said: This day I have seen salvation. This child is a light to the gentiles. Jesus came to remove the Old Testament concept of dividing people as ‘God’s people and No people’. What Jesus did consistently all through his life was to remove the barriers that separate one person from the other.

The feast of the Epiphany, traditionally understood as the visit of the three Maggie to the Child Jesus, symbolically reveals the above said truth. According to one tradition, these three Kings represented three different categories of people: the White, the Black and the Brown. The presence of Jesus brought them together. In the presence of Jesus, they discovered their true image. The question is: Who am I? Am I a divider or Unifier?

To achieve unity we have to go through a radical transformation in our thinking. This may include a number of progressive steps.

LOOK OUT
The Three Wise Men “looked out”. We do not possess the full Truth. 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, holds his values as absolute and he does not need help from outsiders, will not see the star of possibilities. The problem with Herod was that he was not willing to look beyond himself.

STEP OUT
The Three Wise Men stepped out of their palaces. It is not enough to simply see the reality. We need to have the courage to step out from our own little ‘palaces 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.

REACH OUT
After a long, tiresome adventurous and risky journey, the three Kings arrived at the place where Jesus was. They reached out to Jesus out and embraced him. Definitely, they were not sure about the Divine origin of Jesus. The environment did not prove anything either. However, thanks to their willingness to step out of themselves, these three wise men finally reached Jesus, the truth, the way and the Life.

FIND OUT
The meeting with Jesus opened up a new horizon for them. They surrendered what they thought absolute. They found out a New Way and returned home on this way. Herod on the other hand, thought he was everything and had seen everything. He thought 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.

In order to include outsiders into our fold, we need to follow the same steps. A person who lives outside of our geographical territory is no less than us. Diversity is a reality. Every culture expresses certain aspects of Truth. It is not in suppressing diversity but celebrating differences that we make the universe beautiful and bring glory to God. We belong to God and we belong to one another.

2009-12-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We begin our New Year 2010 by celebrating the feast of Mary, the Mother of God. I can’t imagine a better way to begin the New Year. The greatness of Mary was that she brought up Jesus as the Son of God, she accompanied him all the way up to Calvary, and she held together the frightened disciples and prepared them for the day of Pentecost. Mary would do the same to anyone who entrusted his/her life to her care.

On this first day of the New Year, I would like to invite your attention to two key words from the gospel reading. The first word is HASTE. “The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem…” The word haste appears at different places in the Bible. For example, after the annunciation Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah….” What does it mean? What is its significance? When they received their mission, they did not delay or hesitate or show reluctance. They acted upon it immediately. We are being created with a mission. God has a mission to accomplish with our help. Life becomes challenging, purposeful and joyful when we find our specific mission. According to Gandhi, two things are important for a meaningful existence: hope and Commitment. We need something to hope for and we need something to commit to. We find these when we find our mission. What is my goal this year?

The second phrase is REFLECTION. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Mary reflected on everything in the light of the scripture. That gave meaning and insights to her daily life events. Life without reflection is deemed to be a failure. Reflective or contemplative life serves two purposes. First of all, it is a tool for evaluation. Secondly, it brings forth deeper meaning and implication of a particular event. People who are carried away by emotional impulses will complicate even simple things.

A person who is emotionally charged cannot make rational and, much less, practical decisions, because emotions blind our thinking. Emotional Quotient (EQ) is as important as an Intelligent Quotient (IQ). Take time before speaking or acting. Between the Stimulus and the Response (S < >R) there is a time gap. This time gap is redemptive. Make good use of it. A match stick has a head on it, but no brains. Hence when there is friction, it burns. We not only have heads but brains too. One must make use of both.

Let us begin the New Year 2010 with a clear vision and clarity of purpose. Instead of doing things nonstop, let us take times to enjoy, relate and appreciate what we are doing.

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2009-12-21T10:57:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 25

A few years ago, a young man came to me and said: Father I would like to become a Christian. Naturally I was glad to hear it. However I asked him: Why do you want to become a Christian? He said: I am a seeker. I studied different religions and only in the Bible and in Jesus did I find a God who came to save sinners like me. He is right! As many of you know, many religions believe in the incarnation of God in one form or another. For example, we read in the Hindu Scripture: When there is a moral degradation, God will come down and destroy the sinners and save the Good people. Here comes the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. Jesus came, not to destroy anyone but to save all. So when Jesus was born, the Angel appeared to the Shepherds and said: I have good news for you: A savoir is born…He will save you from sin.

Today we come together to celebrate this good news: In Jesus we are a new creation and in him we have life and hope. Jesus gives us salvation in two ways, namely, by offering forgiveness and showing a new way of life.

OFFERING FORGIVENESS

Jesus saves us by offering forgiveness. Many people are captives of the past missteps and mistakes. Many feel that they are unworthy to come closer to God. Many feel that there is no hope. I invite your attention to two Gospel stories: the stories of Zacchaus and the prodigal son. Zacchaus was afraid to come close to Jesus. Knowing his heart Jesus went up to him and said: Zacchaus, come, I am going to stay in your house today. In the story of Prodigal son, even without asking anything of his past reckless life, his father, embraced him. Jesus wants to share this Good News with us: “Do not be afraid! Come to me… I will give you rest…”

OFFERING A NEW WAY

Jesus gives us salvation by offering a New Way. The Old Testament Principal, a tooth for a tooth and an eye for an eye won’t work any more. They were tested and failed. So after washing the feet of his disciples Jesus said: I am giving you a new way, a way of service, humility and sharing.

At the birth of Jesus the Angels sang: Glory to God in the Highest and peace on earth. When we accept the way of Jesus, there will be peace on Earth and Glory in heaven. Because as Paul said: Everyone in Jesus is a New Creation. Let this Christmas be a time to begin a new way of living. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and every blessing of this season.

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HOLY FAMILY
DECEMBER 27

Today, (December 27), we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family. This feast gives us an opportunity to reflect on what makes a family holy. A holy family is the foundation of everything good and beautiful. So on this Feast day, let us ask this question: What makes a family holy? How can we make our family Holy?

To answer this question we don’t need to go anywhere, just look at the life of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. For example consider the life of Joseph. I cannot imagine any Husband who went through struggles and pain more than what Joseph had to go through. He found his wife pregnant even before he had any relations with her. He experienced humiliation because he could not find a place for her wife to give birth to her son. He had to flee to Egypt at midnight. But he did all this faithfully. In all these things, what he did consistently was that he obeyed God. He knew precisely whom to obey. He subordinated every thing to the will and purpose of God. That made him holy and his family holy. We see the same attitude in Mary and Jesus too. When Jesus was lost in the temple, Mary asked him, “Why did you do this to us?” Jesus replied, “Didn’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?” For Jesus, Joseph and Mary, the Father’s business was the number one priority. That made them Holy.

Like many other families, their family was not perfect from a worldly standard. They were poor; they had struggles; there was confusion; there were doubts. But none of these broke their family bond, because they had one purpose in common: To do the will of God. They had one lens to look through: the lens of God. So Joseph did not think of abortion when he found Mary with child. He did not think of separation, accusing her of infidelity. They did not make excuses from doing their responsibility to God. They followed the Tradition and Conventions.

Friends, the family is the foundation of a society. It is the home where we find love and warmth. It is the farm where we saw the seed of a new generation. It is the domestic Church where we meet God first in the love of parents. If the families are broken, our world becomes homeless. To attack the culture of the family is enough to destroy the world. Knowing this reality, there are forces working tirelessly to destabilize families and family values.

TWO THINGS THAT DESTROY FAMILIES

1. PRESENTING RELIGION AS A PRIVATE ENTERPRISE
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 (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 (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 (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 (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. Devil is successfully using the tactics of taking God away from the family by keeping us and our children busy.

2. Redefining the divine institution of Marriage
Marriage is and marriage can be only between a man and a woman. This is natural law. Even the animal kingdom follows this natural precept. There are concerted attempts from certain corners to destroy this sacred reality of marriage. If their intention is to procure the same economic right and privileges of the married couple to them, they could do it very well through other means.

Friends, we cannot let our family values disintegrate on our watch. It is time to wake up. As we celebrate the Feast of The Family, let us be aware of it and take bold steps to form our families after the image of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

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Forget Father
About And
Me FAMILY Mother
I I
Love Love
You You
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2009-12-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

JOYFUL PRESENCE
FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT

“What should we do to welcome Jesus, the Messiah? What should we do?” Excited by the preaching of John the Baptist, people from different walks of life came to him and said. This was the last Sunday’s gospel reading. On this fourth and final Sunday of Advent, the Church raises another important question: What can happen to a person who comes under the influence of God? What are the fruits of spiritual living? The life of Mary is the perfect answer to this question. Hence, the Gospel story on this Sunday, focuses on the life of Mary. Mary made a fundamental option for God when she said ‘yes’ to the Angel. The result was the complete taking over of Mary by the Holy Spirit. She became all together a different person. God’s presence in Mary’s life found expression in four different ways. Anyone who surrenders one’s life to the will of God will manifest the same fruits.

1. HUMBLE PRESENCE

Mary became the Mother of God, a position no one can wish for even in dreams! Even though she was aware of the greatness of her call, she never claimed her worthiness for it. On the other hand, this made her all the more humble. She said: “The All Mighty one has done great things for me. He has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness.” She credited everything to the greatness of God. Humility is the mark of a genuine spirituality because Jesus, the incarnated Spirit, humbled himself, took the place of a servant and even washed the feet of his disciples. Humility is not denial of one’s dignity but accepting one’s worth in relationship with God. It is walking with God. It is truthfulness. Humility means transparency. It is unmasked presence.

2. OTHER-CENTERED PRESENCE

There are three kinds of visions: I am for myself; others for myself and I am for others. A person who lives in Christ belongs to the third category because Jesus was totally a man for others. A God-oriented person has no problem in finding greatness outside of himself/herself. The first thing that came to the mind of Mary after she received the Spirit of God were the needs of Elizabeth. She was looking for help. Mary did not wait for her to call. Mary did not consider her position as a hindrance for doing something good. She did not keep her blessings for herself. Seeing Elizabeth’s needs, she stepped out of herself in haste and reached out to Elizabeth. We see the same attitude in all holy people. “If a man does not have something worth dying for he is not fit to live. A person’s highest life does not consist in self expression but in self sacrifice.” (Martin Lither King)

3. JOYFUL PRESENCE

Spirit filled people are joyful people. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit. Mary’s presence became a happy presence. Her arrival not only made Elizabeth happy but the child in her womb leaped with joy. According to St. Therese of Avila, a sad saint is a sorry saint. One thing we all do during this season is exchange gifts. Gifts are symbols of our inner joy. They communicate one’s care and support for the other. They ritualize our appreciation for one another. The best gift, however, is our own presence. Jesus’ presence was a comforting presence. People found rest in his presence. Does my presence brings joy or gloom to others?

4. TRANSFORMING PRESENCE

The visit of Mary not only brought joy to the family of Elizabeth but the presence of the Holy Spirit as well. It was an enriching presence. At the greetings of Mary, Elizabeth experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Mesmerized by the overwhelming outpouring of the Spirit, she said: “How does this happen to me that the mother of My Lord should come to me?” In Mary’s presence, Elizabeth saw God’s work in action. People who came to Jesus returned to their homes taking a new path. How does my presence make others better people?

CHALLENGES…!

In a few days we celebrate Christmas. If we approach Christmas just as a memorial of a historical event, this Christmas too will pass without touching our lives. This must be a personal celebration, a celebration of Christ’s birth in our lives. Jesus has already come into our lives at the time of our Baptism. Therefore, it is a time to awaken the presence of Christ in our lives. It is a time to begin once again living the life of Jesus in our lives by becoming humble, other-centered and joyful people. We must become another Mary. No one is great…no one is less….everybody is equal before the eyes of God. God can use any one of us to continue his saving presence as He used Judah, a tiny nation, to host his Son at his coming. We read in the second reading: “You, Bethlehem-Ephrata, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be a ruler in Israel.” On this final Sunday of Advent, let us say with Mary and Jesus: Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. I have come to do your will.”

2009-12-11T11:50:00.000-08:00

REJOICE IN THE LORD
Third Sunday of Advent

The third Sunday of Advent is traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete means Joy. The Mass for the Third Sunday begins with this Antiphon: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice! The Lord is near (Phil 4:4-5). Zephaniah (3:14-18) and Paul (Phil 4:4-7) repeat the same theme in the first and second readings respectively. For instance, Zephaniah says: “Shout for joy, O daughter of Jerusalem! Sing joyfully, O Israel. Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.” Isaiah also explains the reason for Joy. He says, “The Lord has removed the judgment against you.” In other words, God is willing to reconcile with us. God – man separation is the root cause for all troubles. Their coming together is the source of Joy.

Zephaniah’s prophesy became a reality with the Incarnation of Jesus. In Jesus God reconciled the world with himself. As John says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son…. God did not send His Son to the world to condemn it but to save it.” (John 4:16-17). Jesus became the meeting point of God and Human. As in Jesus God reconciled with the world so in Jesus we can be reconciled with God. God –Man coming together is the real source of Joy.

We all desire for happiness. The motivating forces behind all of our actions are our pursuits for joy. People were desperately looking for happiness during the time of John the Baptist. When he announced the coming of Jesus, (Lk 3:10-18) naturally, people got excited. They asked John: What must we do to welcome him? What must we do to experience Joy? John’s instant answer was: “Repent and produce the fruits of repentance.” Repentance is an active process. It is straightening our priorities, regretting the past wrong doings, repairing the damages done and starting a new behavior. The starting point is making our priorities right. It is rearranging life on the foundation of God. Any kind of arrangement and rearrangement of things without God as the center produces disorder and chaos. When God becomes the center, then other things follow. The story of Zacchaus is the best example of this truth. When Jesus entered his home, Zacchaus started thinking of his responsibilities to others. When Jesus came into his life he started listening to his conscience.

The three categories of people (the tax collectors, the soldiers and the regular folks) who approached John for a change in their lives brought out three major sins that people often do:- the sin of exploitation, the sin of revenge and the sin of hording. John the Baptist’s suggestions to them reflect the life of a person who lives in Jesus. They are in fact the qualities of Jesus.

1. Share
John said to the crowds, “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none….” A person who is unwilling to share his belongings with the needy cannot welcome Jesus who shared everything with humanity. God is sharing. According to Mother Therese, whatever we possess more than what we need belong to the poor. As long as they remain with us we are disturbed. Remember the story of Zacchaus. He experienced peace and joy when he started sharing his wealth with the poor.

2. Care
He told the tax Collectors, “Stop collecting more than what is prescribed.” Taking advantage of others is a mortal sin. Once, a waiter at a restaurant said: “Father they don’t give me a tip. I can’t complain because I have no proper documents. If I complain they will report my case to the police”. How do we treat others, especially those who come under our authority? Do we exploit others’ helplessness? Jesus was always there at the rescue of the less privileged and the outcast. Like the Good Samaritan how many times did you stop on the way to help a ‘Victim’?

3. Be Fair
He told the soldiers, “Do not practice extortion, do not falsely accuse anyone.” Using one’s authority or position to destroy others or taking revenge on them is a grave sin. It is against Christianity. How do we use our authority to protect and promote innocent lives? They must not use their privileged position to take revenge. Jesus even went to the extend defending his adversaries saying,” God forgive them…They don’t know what they are doing!”

4. Be Aware
Finding one’s place in the order of things is important for joy. Everybody has a place in God’s order. John the Baptist was well aware of his place in the economy of salvation. Impressed by his life and preaching people came to anoint him as the Messiah. He could have easily stolen the lime light. He could have denounced Jesus. However John went to the background and said, “ I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming…” Problems begin when one oversteps his boundaries and desperately tries to capture the spotlight. For example, problems arise when a secretary begin to act like his/her boss. Problems begin when one begins to interfere with others business and intrudes into others lives. Whether it is in our family or work place or the monasteries we always see someone doing crazy things for attention and popularities. They not only destroy their happiness but ruin the peace of others also.

Joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. A person who lives in the Spirit is a happy person. Therefore, as we come closer to the celebration of Christmas, let us ask this question: What must I do to welcome Jesus in my life and find joy that lasts?
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2009-12-02T19:39:00.000-08:00

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT
DECEMBER 6, 2009

The Word of God came to John in the Desert (Luke 3:1-6). If there had been cable network 2000 years ago, then definitely this would have been Breaking News. This happened when Tiberius was the Ruler of Rome and Annas and Caiphas were the high priests of Jerusalem. The irony, however, was that God bypassed the political and religious centers and went all the way to John in the desert. To introduce Jesus the King to the world God had chosen a simple man living in the desert. What does it means?

God centered world order

The purpose of the Incarnation is the transformation of the world. Political and religious powers that operate from a philosophy of domination and power cannot bring out qualitative changes in the world. Transformation happens only on the foundation of God, the source of all goodness. Change takes place only through individuals who are open to God. Hence the word of God went to John who was in the desert. The desert is a free land, totally untouched by worldly pollutions. A desert is also devoid of attraction or distraction of any sort. Therefore, the desert is the place where one can listen to God and discern his plan and start new. Jesus started his ministry from the desert, with the power of God. The new world order that God envisages must begin from the desert, from God. God must be the starting point, the center and the final destination.

Ordinary people:-God’s Messengers

The Word of God came upon John. He was poor in Spirit. The word of God does not go to the arrogant and the mighty, but it apparently seems to go to the unremarkably ordinary citizens. Like Mary said: “He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly.” (Lk 1:51-52) The implications are these:
1. God does not depend on our power or strength to accomplish His mission. For example, Abraham was chosen when he was in his nineties. The leadership role of Israel was given to Moses who had a speech impediment. God works through ordinary people who are poor in spirit.
2. If God chose ordinary persons of the world to deliver the message of salvation, then God can come to you and me as well. And this is really the good- news. Jesus is coming to us regardless of our social standing.

Conversion of heart: the basic demand

John was blessed because he was poor in spirit. He was in the desert. He was totally at the disposal of God. As we are preparing for Christmas, John is requesting the same kind of disposition from us. He says, “Repent.” Repentance means conversion of hearts (metanoia). It is straitening our winding roads and smoothening our rough ways. There are two things that one needs to consider.
1. What are some of my ‘exits’ on my journey of faith that are unethical and ungodly?
2. Am I putting obstacles on the path of others making their journey difficult?

We all have blind spots. Conversion is finding the blind spots in our lives and dispelling them by the light of Jesus. Jesus is waiting to come and fill our emptiness. As long as there is emptiness in our lives, we cannot live our lives in its fullness. We must discover our emptiness and then approach him with an open mind. He will fill our life with his richness.

Conversion is not merely regretting the past but moving forward with commitment. It is growing in love, discerning what is of value, producing fruits of righteousness and standing blameless before God (Ph 1:9-11). How do I show signs of conversion in my life during this Advent?

2009-11-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
November 29

We grow in spiritual life by celebrating and participating in the paschal mystery of Jesus. The paschal mystery includes the incarnation, passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. Every time we come together to celebrate the Eucharist, we celebrate these events. We also celebrate the mystery of our salvation throughout the year by assigning each event a season. Thus we have the season of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Passion, Resurrection and Ordinary time. We call this the liturgical year.

Today we begin Advent, the first season of the liturgical year. The word Advent means coming, coming of Jesus as a saving event. In fact, the Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Advent begins with a warning. Jesus says:
“Be vigilant so that that day will not come upon you as a surprise.” Evidently, this is in reference to the Second Coming of Jesus. One may wonder why we talk about the Final Day on the very first day of the year. It is not by accident. It is important that we must be aware of our destination before we begin our journey. Jesus came into history not to keep us here on earth but to prepare us to stand before the Lord holy and undefiled and lead us to eternal life. Thus incarnation is complete with the Second Coming of Jesus where He presents us to the Father.

Whether Advent is all about Jesus’ first coming in the history or His second coming at the end of time what is important for us is his coming in our life. During this Advent, therefore, our challenge is how do we make the coming of Jesus a reality in our life. Definitely there are numerous ways. I would like to mention three of them.

1. Keep the Focus on the Reason for Celebration

There is this story. One day a few ladies came to a restaurant. They were in a very happy- go- lucky mood. Out of curiosity the manager asked them. “Why are you here, today? What is special?” “Oh. Today is the birthday of my only child. We are here to celebrate it,” one of the ladies said. “Where is the child? I would like to greet him,” he said. “We did not bring him. He is at home.” she said. “Do you think he would have allowed us to enjoy this food if we brought him with us? He would be a real disturbance,” she added. A birthday celebration with out the birthday baby being present! The focus of the celebration was shifted from the center to the periphery. Advent is a holiday season for many. Naturally people are busy with buying and sending gifts, organizing parties and so forth. All these are important. They are part of the celebration and life is meant to be a celebration. But, the Gospel reading on this very first day of Advent begins with a warning; Jesus says, “Be vigilant and Stay awake.” If we are not vigilant, there is a danger of missing the REASON for our celebration. The reason for this season is Jesus: the Birth of Jesus and the second coming of Jesus. If we are not attentive to the coming of Jesus, his coming becomes a non -starter in our lives.

2. Open to change

The good news of Jesus’ First coming was that He chose a human body as his dwelling place. By assuming a human form He restored human dignity. The human body became the temple of God. The incarnation of Jesus must take place in every human person. The Divine must penetrate into every cell of our lives. Therefore, it is not enough to focus on his coming alone, but we need to prepare our lives to welcome him. We need to allow him to enter into our lives and transform us. Our challenge during Advent is like clay in the hands of a potter. We need to place ourselves in the hands of God and allow him to shape and reshape our image until he forms a pot of his liking. St. Erenaus said this: As long as the clay is wet, moist and supple, the shaping is painless; but on the other hand, if the clay is hardened and reactive, it can break under the influence of the Potter. In Adam, the clay became brittle and hardened, so the shaping became painful and even impossible. What kind of clay are you? We can make the clay of our life moist and supple by doing a number of things: By reading the bible every day during these 25 days; attending Mass on weekdays; preparing for a good confession; attending the bible studies and so forth. Therefore, one needs to ask: What is it that I need to stop doing and what is that I need to start doing during this Advent?

3. Meet Jesus in the ‘Neighbor’

The incarnation of Jesus made every human person another meeting place of God. The uniqueness of Christianity is that we can relate to God only through our neighbors. In the story of the Good Samaritan, the priest and the Levite tried to reach the temple by avoiding the victim on the road. Not they, but the Samaritan who stopped on the way to meet the victim caught the attention of God. Where do I find Jesus? Remember, Jesus was born in a manger, not in a palace or any other place of luxury. Jesus is there where people are struggling to celebrate their life with human dignity…Jesus is there where there is a person in need. During this season, let us try to be generous to people who are in need. Thus let us make this Holiday season a Holy season

2009-11-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

THE SEASON OF ADVENT

Advent is a ‘Liturgical Season’ that began in the ninth century. The word advent is derived from the Latin root: adventus which simply means ‘coming’. In the context of our religion it means the coming of Jesus as a saving event. Obviously, this is good news as it gives new hope. People naturally prepare themselves and joyfully wait for this event. So, summarily, advent is a time of Hope, Joy and preparation.

The early Christian communities celebrated the incarnation of Jesus differently with different names such as: Advent, Epiphany and Nativity. All these three names denote the same reality: the redemptive revelation of God.

The incarnation of Jesus was celebrated at different dates. In some places it was celebrated on January 6. Christmas was also celebrated in the months March or May in certain other places. The celebration of Christmas on the 25 of December started in the fourth century. There were two prominent reasons for this change.
1. The ‘Solar Festival of the Romans’ was celebrated on December 25th. In order to counter the Roman Pagan religion, the church decided to celebrate the Birth Day of Jesus, the real Sun that enlightens the world, on December 25th.
2. December 25th is the longest night of the year. The longest night symbolically indicates the dominance of darkness over the world. Evidently, the world is in need of a sun that can overthrow the rule of darkness. Jesus is the light (sun).The celebration of the birth of Jesus on December 25th is right, fitting and proper.

The Historical development of Advent

A. In the eastern Churches and in France, in lieu of the Nativity of Jesus, people celebrated the Baptism of Jesus. According to their theology, it was at the time of His baptism that the Divinity of Jesus was fully revealed. The Baptism of Jesus was the only recorded incident where the entire Trinity was present. On the other hand, in the Western Churches, the visit of the three Wise Men was celebrated on the Feast of the Epiphany. Again in the Eastern Churches, the epiphany was a Baptismal Feast. It was the time for the renewal of Baptismal vows. Hence they observed this period of preparation as if it were Lent. Modeled after the 40-day lent, they observed 40 Lenten Type days before the Baptismal Feast. They started this on November 11, on the feast day of St. Martin. This was known as St. Martin Lent. Actually this practice started in the diocese of Tours (380) and then in 581 the Council of Macon reduced these days into four weeks and introduced in France. In short, Advent was an ascetic period in the East.

B. The Epiphany was not a baptismal feast in the Western Churches. It was the visitation of the three Wise Men. The focus was on the Birth of Jesus. Naturally advent was not a Lenten period but a period of Liturgical Celebration.

C. The Roman Liturgy was introduced in the Gallican Church in the 9th Century. Because of this new Liturgy, their understanding of Advent went through a Change. Advent became a mixture of Lenten and Liturgical celebrations. In the Gallican Church, Advent was also a period of preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus. This Gallican understanding of Advent influenced the Roman view of Advent. Hence from the 10 the century onwards, Advent added a new nuance, the expectation of the second coming of Jesus.

D. There was a second reason for this new development in the understanding of Advent. The redemptive work that Jesus inaugurated would complete only with the final judgment and with the inauguration of the eschatological era. Thus Advent acquired a wider meaning: the expectation of the Final Judgment, his coming in Majesty.

E. In the 20th century with the advancement of theology, Advent acquired a third dimension: the coming of Jesus in Mystery. Jesus has come in history. He w9ill come in Majesty. But he has never left the church. He is present in the church through the sacraments and many other ways.

The Spirit of Advent

The Spirit of advent is expressed well in the parable of the bridesmaids who are anxiously awaiting the coming of the Bridegroom. There is profound joy at the Bridegroom’s expected coming. And yet a warning of the need for preparation echoes through the parable. Advent is therefore not simply a time of celebrating a historical event, it is not a just period of hope but a time for deepening our awareness of the presence of Christ in us and in his Church. Between His first and second coming, Jesus is still coming in grace. It is ca time of awareness and awakening. The prayer of Advent is:
Come, O Come, Emmanuel!
And ransom captive Israel!

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Christmas Trees

Use of Christmas tree came from a Germanic Tribe. They were tree worshipers. The main reason for worshiping All Green Tree was their growth was upwards. When they accepted Christianity, they retained their reverence for the trees but with a new meaning. As per their thinking the incarnation of Jesus gave human being a God orientation and thus an upward movement. The Christmas Trees symbolizes this new movement in Jesus.

The Advent Wreath

The advent wreath is a circular evergreen wreath with five candles, four around the wreath and one in the center. The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, his eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end. The green of the wreath speaks of the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life.

Candles symbolize the light of God coming into the world through the birth of His Son. The four outer candles represent the period of waiting during the four Sundays of Advent, which symbolize the four centuries of waiting between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Christ. The light of the candles remind us that Jesus is the light of the world that comes into the darkness of our lives to bring newness, life, and hope. It also reminds us that we are called to be a light to the world as we reflect the light of God’s grace to others( Is 42:6) The progression in the lightning of the candles symbolizes the darkness of fear and hopelessness receding and shadows of sin falling away as more and more light is shed into the world. Finally the light that has come into the world is plainly visible as the Christ candle is lighted at Christmas.

The first candle is traditionally the candle of Hope or expectation. The remaining three candles are organized around characters or themes as a way to unfold the story and direct attention to the celebrations and worship in the season. The sequence for the remaining three Sundays might be Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angel. Or peace, joy and love. Or John the Baptist, the Magi, Mary. Or the Annunciation, Proclamation, Fulfillment. The third Candle for the third Sunday is traditionally Pink or Rose, and symbolizes Joy at the advent of the Christ. The Center candle is white and is called the Christ Candle. It is lit on Christmas Eve or Day. The central location of the Christ Candle reminds us that the incarnation is the heart of the season, giving light to the world.

The colors of Advent

Historically, the primary color of advent is purple, the color of royalty to welcome the Advent of the King. The purple is also the color used during lent and holy week. It points out an important connection between His birth and death. However, many churches use blue to distinguish between the seasons of Advent from Lent. Royal Blue is sometimes used as a symbol of royalty. Some churches use bright blue to symbolize the night sky, the anticipation of the impending announcement of the King’s coming, or symbolize the waters of Genesis 1, the beginning of a new creation.

The Christmas Crib

The Christmas Crib dates back to St. Francis of Assisi. It was in 1293 that the fist Crèche was celebrated in the woods of Greccio near Assisi, on Christmas Eve. Francis called upon John (Messier Giovanni Velitta), a holy man of that city, about two weeks before Christmas and said to him, I want to enact the memory of the Infant who was born at Bethlehem and how he was bedded in the manger on hay between a donkey and an ox. I want to see all of this with my own eyes.” The man prepared everything that Francis had told him. Greccio became a new Bethlehem. The crowds gathered and rejoiced in the celebration. Solemn Mass was sung. After the Mass, Francis went to the crib and stretched out his arms as though the holy Child was there. The Babe appeared and empty manger was filled with the radiance of the new born King.

St. Francis’ idea of bringing Bethlehem into one’s own town spread quickly all over the Christian world, and soon there were Christmas cribs in churches and homes. The Moravian Germans brought this custom to the United States.
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2009-11-17T09:43:00.000-08:00

YOUR KINGDOM COME…!
November 22

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. Jesus is King. He is the King of Kings. In 1925, during the Jubilee year, Pope Pius XI instituted this Solemn Feast of Christ the King. Though this is relatively a new feast, the Church always honored the Kingship of Jesus. The Three Kings from the East paid homage to Jesus at his birth. People tried to make him King on Palm Sunday. “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of Jews.” This was the title Pilate inscribed on the top of His cross. The thief begged Jesus: “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” The disciples had no doubt about his Kingship. James and John said’ “Give us a place on your right and left when you establish your Kingdom.”

Jesus himself claimed his Kingship when he said to Pilate, “I am King.” In fact Jesus began his ministry announcing the coming of the Kingdom. He said: “The Kingdom of God is at hand, repent.” On this Feast Day, therefore, it is important to consider two things: What is the Kingdom God and how is Jesus the King?

The Kingdom of God is not a place or a territory or an organization. It is a situation or a disposition where one is simply accepting the reign of God in one’s life. Those who accept God’s supremacy in their lives come under His Kingdom. Jesus completely surrendered to the will of God even to the point of his death. Kingdom of God became a reality in his life. Jesus himself asserted it when he said: “Those who see me, see my Father. I am the way, the Truth and the Life.” God confirmed this truth about Jesus at his Baptism and Transfiguration. At the transfiguration of Jesus, God said,”This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased, listen to him.” The disciples had no doubt about this so Peter said, “Between heaven and earth no name is given for our salvation other than the name of Jesus.” Jesus is the King.

Dimensions of Jesus’ Kingdom

Jesus began his teaching about the Kingdom with the following statement. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” He ended his teaching with similar words: “Enter the Kingdom of God because you fed me when I was hungry……” This set the tone of his Kingdom. It is a new method of functioning, and a new paradigm for thinking. Jesus, the King, is different from all other kings in 6 different ways.
· In his Kingdom accepting God as our Father and doing His will is the ultimate goal and purpose of human existence. God is the ultimate reference point.
· Jesus accommodated differences. The composition of his core group of disciples itself is clear evidence for this. He envisioned a Global Family, so He broke down the “man made walls” that separate us. He integrated differences and made them something to be celebrated as well. On the other hand, the problem we face today is intolerance. An ethnocentric attitude, making my culture as the criteria for evaluating others and the world, only widen the split and creates conflict which is very much a part of our world today.
· In His Kingdom, the role of the leader is to defend and promote the life of the people. In his kingdom the model of leadership is that of a shepherd. Unlike the other kings and leaders, Jesus, the Leader, laid down his life for his people.
· Jesus emphasized the centrality of the human person. He placed the human person, neither the economy nor the religious rituals as the center and the object of development. He preferred human culture to consumer culture that values human dignity and equality. In his kingdom we are the care takers of our brothers and sisters.
· In his Kingdom, the power and strength come from love and service. The role of the King is to serve the people. By serving the poor, Jesus became poor. By serving the poor, our leaders are becoming Billionaires.
· And finally, His Kingdom aims at communion through dialogue and reconciliation.

Kingdom on Earth

A lot of people argue that Jesus’ Kingdom is a spiritual Kingdom or an otherworldly Kingdom. People who hold these views consider religion as a private matter and keep silent in the face of growing secularism. They do not voice when they see God, worship or anything related to the Kingdom of God is removed from the public place. We already started seeing the consequences of this! For Jesus, God’s Kingdom is not a private thing. It is not something to practice in secret places. Remember his words: “If any one denies me in public, I will deny him in front of God, my Father.” The Kingdom of God is a new way of thinking, feeling and acting. It is something that we need to live here on earth. So he taught us to pray:’ Your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

To establish a society envisioned by Jesus, requires a structural transformation and a personal conversion. A structural change may not be within our personal reach. We may not experience any drastic change from our world leaders. But we can initiate a personal conversion in our own lives. We all are Kings in our own little world. We can bring changes there. If we can do whatever possible in our way to establish the Kingdom, we are declaring Jesus as our King. On this Feast Day of Christ the King, let us proclaim “Jesus is our King and if God does not watch over the city, in vain watchmen keep the vigil.”

2009-11-11T18:13:00.000-08:00

WAKE UP CALL
33 SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Here is a quiz for you. You are sleeping. You are dreaming. A big Tiger is chasing you. You try to run away and you see a lion coming in front of you. You turn sideways, but every side you turn to, you find a ferocious animal coming after you. How can you escape? The answer is: Wake Up. (Fr. Munachi Ezeogue cssp)

Wake up! Be Vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man (Gospel Acclamation). This is the message of the 33rd Sunday in the Ordinary Time. (Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-14,8; Mark 13:24-32) This is a timely message as we are coming to the close of the Liturgical year B. Next Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. On the penultimate Sunday of the year B, therefore, all the readings focus on the End of Time with a wakeup call.

It is an undisputed fact that the world will come to an end and the Son of man will appear in the sky to pronounce the final judgment. This can be scary but not for all. The wise and those who lead the many to justice will find their place in the Book of salvation. The Gospel therefore warns us to be alert so that that day may not come upon us as a surprise.

Wake up Call

“Dig the well before you are thirsty.” There is a lot of sense in this proverb. How do we stay awake? How do we make every day as a preparation for the final day? The Scripture proposes three means to make our life ready for God’s favorable judgment.

Read the signs of the time. We are living in a privileged time. With the advancement of science and technology, we can foresee movements in the universe; predict future events and take necessary precautions to face them. A lot of things are happening every day. Some are good, others are not. Every incident, no matter how significant it may look like, has something to communicate. Every happening in and around us has a message. They are God talks. A wise person is someone who is attentive to the signs of the time and responds to it constructively.

Live in the Present. A lot of people are either living in the past or the future. We don’t have any control over our past but can have a lot of control over our future since our present shapes our future. We don’t need a lot of wisdom to see how a high School drop out can become a collage professor. If I know that one day I have to stand before the Lord and give account of my life, then I need to take every day seriously. C.S Lewis said, “If you give me ten minutes to chop down a tree, I will spend my first two minutes sharpening my ax.” We may not have enough time when we feel like we are ready to perform something. Procrastination is a big problem for many. ‘Don’t worry, there is time and take it easy’. Satan successfully uses this phrase today. Focus on what is in front of us today, appreciate it and make the best out of it.

Pray Constantly. To pray constantly means a couple of things. First of all it is all about discernment. Discern to prioritize things according to its values. Secondly, it is all about seeking God’s help to accomplish it.

A person who responds to the wake up call of God shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament and shall be like the stars forever.

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A painter went to paint and the only place to park his car was at a “No Parking” Sign. He put a sign on his car that read, “Painter working inside.” When he came out, another sign was on the car. It said, “Sorry, policeman working outside.”
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2009-11-05T09:28:00.000-08:00

FAKE TO REAL
32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Hahti Ke dhand dikkane ka Kuch, Khane ka kuch”. This is a popular saying in India. It means that an elephant has two sets of teeth:-one for eating and the other for show. Evidently this saying is about hypocrisy. There are people who have two faces. They are not the same on stage as behind the stage. We see hypocrisy in every field. Religion is not an exception. The gospel reading for the 33rd Sunday in the Ordinary Time is an invitation to an authentic life. Jesus does this by condemning the hypocrisy of Pharisees and Scribes and also by praising the genuineness and authenticity of a poor widow’s offering (Mk 12:38-44).

FAKE TO REAL

Jesus praised the offering a poor widow. Her offering was real. It was offering was genuine and authentic because of the following reasons:-
1. IT WAS AN ACT OF REALISM. This woman was a widow. Imagine the plight of a widow in a society where only men were counted. Naturally she had no status at all. To add injury to the insult, she was poor too. In other words, there was no reason to believe that her offering would get attention or receive some social favor. She was an insignificant part of the crowd. She did not have any need to impress anyone.
2. IT WAS AN ACT OF SACRIFICE. She did not posses much in her possession. She had to make a big sacrifice from her part to make that offering. The only motivation behind her offering was her choicest love for God. Her love for God made her needs less important. The sacrifice behind her offering made the offering all the more attractive. Two years ago, I had to go to the hospital for a medical procedure. A gentleman offered to take me to the hospital. He said that he was off on that day. Later I found out that he took a day off to help me. I was so touched by the sincerity of his love. My appreciation towards his gesture of charity goes beyond description. A love that does not know pain is not real love.
3. IT WAS AN ACT OF TRUST. Her offering was total. There was no calculation or gambling on her part. It was a wholehearted act. It resulted out of her trust in the providence and goodness of the Lord.

On the other hand, the spiritual practices of the Pharisees and scribes were mere gambling. Like a chameleon they changed color from situation to situation. They did things that would inflate themselves. They made certain that their names would be displayed in prominent places before they made pledges. They made sure that the spot light would fall on them always. There was giving only when there was publicity. There was neither a spirit of sacrifice nor a sense of trust. They satisfied with the minimum but exaggerated a lot. As Jesus said, “They go around in long robes and accept greetings in the market places, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of owner at banquets.” Jesus rejected them because of their hypocrisy. Jesus’ criticism was so severe that He even said: “If your righteousness does not surpass to that of the Pharisees and scribes you do not enter the kingdom of God” (Mt 5:20).

BOUNCE BACK

Our acts of commitment never go unnoticed. We will be given in the same measure with which we share our blessings. Whatever we give away in charity will come back to us in one form or the other. On a winter evening Peter saw an elderly lady on the street. She had a flat tire. She did not have a spare tire to replace it. Not knowing what to do and where to turn, she tried to get the attention of other travelers. Peter stopped his car, got her flat tire fixed and helped her to continue her journey. She was very appreciative of his help. She offered him some money. Peter gracefully refused it but told her: “If you see someone in need, do not hesitate to help.” Late in the evening, she went to a restaurant for dinner. Before leaving the restaurant, she placed an envelope for the waitress under the napkin. As soon as the waitress reached home she gave the envelope to her husband and said: “Don’t worry how to pay your medical bill tomorrow. God is taking care of us.” He could not control his tears when he opened the envelope. There were a few hundred dollar bills and a note along with the money: “If you see someone in need do not hesitate to help. I learned this lesson from a stranger today. I want to communicate this message to every one.” God will provide the generous giver. The story of the widow who offered hospitality to Elijah also has the same message (1Kings 17:10-16). As Elijah says, “God never make empty the jar of flour and dry the jug of oil of a generous giver.”

NOT QUANTITY BUT QUALITY

God is full in Himself. His existence does not depend on us. Our offerings are not to enrich God but to help us grow in holiness. Therefore if anyone tries to please God by offering much he will become a laughing stock. On the other hand if we offer whatever we have, even if it is ‘five pieces of bread or a jar of water,’ He will transform them in a way that will help us. God is neither interested in calculated half hearted offerings, or leftovers.

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We are living in a world that measures greatness in terms of performance. The inevitable result of such an attitude is: 1.Many people get knocked out from the stage of competition. 2. Some will not compete in fear of possible failure. 3. Good work of ordinary people remains invisible 4. People who are incompetent resort to negative tactics to capture attention.

Jesus wanted to change this world view on greatness. He did so by focusing the spot light on a poor widow. When people from different walks life were competing to get attention by throwing money into the collection box, a poor widow came quietly and offered a couple of coins. She never thought that someone was watching her. To her surprise, Jesus noticed it. Jesus found greatness in her offering as her offering was an act of love. God hails actions performed out of love and hates that which comes from ego.

Human behavior has three components. They are knowledge, action and feeling. It is feeling that binds knowledge and action together. For example: Consider a scenario where you are visiting your employer who is admitted in the hospital after an accident.
The knowledge factor: My employer is in the hospital. I need to visit him and offer my prayers. Normally people do that.
Behavior factor: The actual visit at the hospital.
Feeling factor: Fear or Love that motivates the action.

It is the feeling that translates the knowledge into action and that is really matters. One may visit him to make an impression on him or from the fear of what the employer may think about him if he fails to visit him. In this situation the feeling that connects the knowledge and behavior is fear, or ego satisfaction. On the other hand one person may make a visit to show his real empathy and concern. Only this person really touches his heart. In the gospel story (story of the widow), the motivating factor was her pure love and trust. It in turn made an impact on Jesus.

God is not interested in our generosity towards him. He is interested in our total commitment. Even if our commitment does not look big before the public, if it is full, it never fails to capture the attention of God. There is nothing small in the eyes of God, if it is coming from the heart.

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2009-10-29T13:40:00.000-07:00

ALL SAINTS DAY

Today, November 1st is All Saints Day. This day, we honor the life of every Christian who walked the path of Jesus. Some of them were canonized; others were not. Some of them were popular; others were not. Some of them were simple people but lived their lives with a passion for Christ. We celebrate the memories of all of them today.

Who were these people? Who are these Saints? These are the ones who lived the Beatitudes. This is the reason why we are invited to reflect on the Beatitudes (Mt 5ff)on this All Saints Day. Beatitudes are not a substitute for the 10 commandments. They are the spirit behind the 10 commandments. They are in fact the reflection of Jesus’ own life.

Beatitude means blessedness or happiness. The desire for happiness is natural to every living being. No one can survive without it. Finding the true source of happiness and discovering the right means to obtain it make one’s life genuine, holy and real. The beatitudes offer both. In fact all the eight beatitudes have two parts: Promise of a blessing and the condition to obtain that particular blessing. For example, in the first beatitude, the promise is the Kingdom of God and the condition to attain the Kingdom of God is poverty of spirit. Saints are those who discovered the true source of happiness. They realized that true happiness is finding God. They also discovered the restlessness of heart without God. (Augustine).

Many of us know the source of happiness. The dilemma is that often we get confused with the multiple choices. Saints are those who discovered the true path to happiness. The second part of the beatitudes spell out the means to obtain these blessings. Have a look at the first beatitude. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of God.” To come under the reign of God, one has to empty one’s self. One has to make space for God, casting out all other rulers from one’s heart. This is the first commandment. Remember Jesus’ instruction to the rich young man, “If you want to enter the Kingdom of God, sell the property and share it with the poor.” (Mk 10:21). Abraham had to give up everything and threw his life in the promise of God (Genesis 12:4). When Jesus emptied His Self God raised him up (Philippians 2:8-9). Liberation from the bondage material ambitions is the foundation for holiness.

Holiness is not limited to any particular group or individual. Anyone who is open to God’s call is holy. For this matter any baptized Christian is a saint. Since baptism make us part of the Body of Christ and members of God’s Family, no one is outside of holiness. St. Paul understood this truth and addressed every Christian Saint (1Corinthians 1:2, Ephesians 2:19). The same reason inspired the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council to emphasis on the Universal Call to Holiness. This was a remarkable change from the traditional view on holiness. For centuries people understood holy life as something reserved for a chosen race! The fact that most of the canonized saints were either from priestly and religious class or from royal and elite class reinforced this belief. Consequently ordinary people were even scared of dreaming to become a saint. Vatican Council corrected this view on holy life and restored the biblical understanding of holiness.

Living a holy life or beatitudes does not require extraordinary talents or gifts. Remarkable and spectacular works have nothing to do with holiness. Good works may not always reflect holy life. Holy life, however, always bears good works. It is not success but faithfulness that matters for God. Martin De Porres was a humble servant in the monastery. John Viany struggled to complete his seminary studies. Little Therese never ministered outside the convent. Sr. Alphonsa was sick all the days of her life. They were ordinary people from ordinary parents. All of them became great saints. We don’t need great talents to feed the hungry or to visit the sick or to clothe the naked or to welcome a stranger. We need only a heart of Christ. We all have the basic ingredients to make a great saint out of us.

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As every Saint had a past, every sinner has a future.
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ALL SOULS DAY

We know the story of St. Augustine. He struggled a lot in his life to find happiness. He tried several things in his search for joy. Finally he found happiness in the presence of the Lord. After his conversion experience, he made this beautiful statement. “O Lord, you made me for yourself. Until I find my rest in you, my heart remains restless.” Every saint has the same message for the world. As we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the goal and purpose of our life is to know God, to love God and to live in the presence of God, seeing his face, eternally.

Who will see the face of God? Jesus himself answered this question. In Mathew chapter 5 verse 8 Jesus says: “Blessed are the clean of Heart, for they will see God.” The beatific vision of God belongs to the clean of heart. In other words we need continuous transformation until we are totally conformed to Christ. People who reached this stage are saints and they enter the Kingdom of God immediately after their death. According to the Fathers of the Church they become part of the Glorified Church.

Those who do not experience that transformation, need further purification before they are to be admitted to heaven. They go through a stage called purgatory. To purgate means cleansing from the effects of sin. The Fathers of the church call them the suffering church. On All Souls’ Day we remember all the departed who need further assistance.

According to Scripture, a person in purgatory cannot do anything for himself or herself, we, the living, can. That is why we need to pray for them. Some times people say: “I have been praying for a particular person for a long time. How long do I need to continue? The answer is: Our prayers never go in vein. If that particular person already reached heaven, then our prayers goes to someone else who needs our prayer. We are a corporate entity. We are the Body of Christ.

Our challenge! Do not conform to the values of the world, even though at times they may have glittering appearances. But they are deceptive. They are empty promises. Our call is to choose between the Kingdom of Light and the Kingdom of darkness…the Kingdom of life and the Kingdom of Death. It is hard. Hence, Fathers of the church called the Earthly church a Militant Church. It is possible to have a successful fight because God has given us grace at baptism; God has given us guidelines to follow in the form of Commandments and beatitudes. The saints had proved it. And finally we are not alone in this fight; Jesus is with us.

2009-10-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

WILL TO BE HEALED
30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October २५

A few days ago I met a man on the street. He was drunk and was totally confused. He said, “Sir, Can you please help me to get home? I am lost?” The experience of being lost is a common phenomenon. The gospel reading for the 30th Sunday presents a situation where Bartimaeus, a blind man, is desperately looking for a way out. He was living in the street of Jericho. When he heard about Jesus passing that way, he cried out, “Jesus, I lost sight, help me to see.” (Mark 10: 46-52). The question is: What made him blind and what kind of blindness did have?

City of Fall
He lost sight and direction because he was living in the wrong place and he was on the wrong path. He was living in Jericho. Jericho was a symbol of fall. Remember the story of the victim in the parable of the Good Samaritan. He fell into the hands of robbers while he was leaving Jerusalem to go to Jericho. Jerusalem is the city of God whereas Jericho was the city of evil. He was leaving the city of God. There is no clarity, no safety and no peace outside of God. We find Zacchaeus also in Jericho. He was struggling to find peace. Bartimaeus, the hero of our present story, was also living in the streets of Jericho. He was in the wrong place and on the wrong path. The result was total disorientation. He lost the way. He was in total darkness. People who live out side of God are in the wrong place. Where there is no God there is darkness, confusion and conflict.

Son of Honor
Every miracle of Jesus has historical and symbolic significance. Bartimaeus might be physically blind, but the focus is on his spiritual blindness. A number of things will substantiate this point. First of all, physical blindness was attributed to sin by traditional Jews. It was considered to be a punishment from God. Secondly, this was the only place in the Synoptic Gospels where the name of a person who was healed was mentioned. In this story, he mentioned Bartimaeus’ name twice. The word Bartimaeus has a double meaning. In Aramaic it means son of defilement and in Greek it means son of honor. Mark uses the name Bartimaeus in both senses, first in Aramaic and then in Greek. It means he was living in shame but had the potential to live in honor. Thirdly, Jesus said to him, “Your faith has saved you”, instead of saying, “You are healed.” Finally, Mark says, “He followed Jesus on the way,” a clear indication that he had been living on the wrong path.

Will to be Healed
The great thing about Bartimaeus was that he did not waste the moment of grace. He did not let the opportunity fade away. As soon as he came to his senses and realized the need for vision, he rushed to Jesus. He was not influenced by the crowd. Nothing stopped him from pursuing the desire of his heart. He responded with urgency. He ended up in the world of Jesus. The gospel says: “He followed Jesus on the way. He discovered the way of Jesus and took a new direction in his life.” The result of conversion is a new way.

Work of Grace
We all experience moments of conversions. We all witness strong feelings towards God. These are works of grace. The irony is that these moments of conversions rarely occur and even if they happen, they may not last either. Jesus visited Jericho several times. Even though Bartimaeus was living in Jericho, only once did he feel Jesus’ presence. If we delay in responding to the call of grace, we may lose the urgency of the call. Do not despise or ignore the inner call for conversion. They are moments of grace. We need a will to be healed.

Helpful Hints
In order to respond to the work of grace, Bartimaeus did a number of right things they are helpful hints on our journey of Faith. First of all, he accepted the truth about his life. He had the humility to acknowledge his blindness. Secondly, he was not ashamed of bringing his weakness before Jesus. Thirdly, he did not pay attention to the thinking of the mob. Fourthly, he was persistent in his appeal to Jesus. Finally, he showed his sincerity by living the new way.

The important questions we need to ask are these: What is the Jericho of my life? Is there any obstacle in achieving my goal? How seriously am I trying to make my way right?

Mission Sunday

2009-10-15T09:08:00.000-07:00

-October 18-

Today is Mission Sunday. We often talk about being on a mission. What is a mission? How can we become missionaries? A mission is simply sharing our faith experience. If we have a strong experience, we cannot help but share it. I remember an incident that happened some time ago. One of my friends developed blood cancer. He visited many doctors but none could help him. My friend was terribly disappointed. “There is a Pilgrimage Center in Goa. Make a pilgrimage there and offer some prayers then you will be healed,” someone told him. He made the pilgrimage and to his great surprise he was miraculously healed. He was very excited by this, to say the least. Since then, whenever he meets a cancer patient he tells them: “Go to Goa…! You will be healed.”

This is what mission means. It is sharing our Christ experience with one another. If we have a strong experience we cannot help but share it. Saint Paul says: “The love of God urges us.” Pope John Paul II said: “Faith is complete when it is shared.” This is what we see in the lives of the Apostles and the Disciples. When they experienced the power of the Risen Lord, they started to share it. When they were stopped from preaching, Peter and John said to the Sanhedrin, “It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). We are the fruits of their sharing.

Our Church is missionary by nature. The dimension of sending was explicitly implied in Jesus’ calling. He called them to ‘be with Him and to be sent’. Different times in his ministry Jesus reminded his disciples of this Task. When he appeared to his disciples after the resurrection Jesus said: “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.. I am with you always, until the end of the age.”(Mt. 28:19-20) Minutes before His Ascension Jesus repeated the same: “You will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the Earth”( Acts. 1:8).

Now it is our turn to continue this mission. How do we carry out this mission? How do we proclaim the God News of Jesus? We can become missionaries in three ways:
1. By becoming pray-ers. Our model for this is Little Theresa of the Child Jesus. She never saw the world that was outside of the four walls of her convent. But, by her prayers alone, she became the Patroness of Missionaries.
2. By witnessing. Jesus says: By your love show the world that you are my disciples. So living our faith in our day to day life is the most powerful way of Evangelization. People may not read the bible but they do read our lives. Actually mission begins with the evangelization of the Evangelizer.
3. By sharing. Jesus himself is our model. He emptied Himself to fill our emptiness. He became poor to make us rich. By sharing our being and our possessions with the underprivileged we can become living Gospels.

I would like to conclude this reflection with this little story. Once when Jesus and his Disciples were traveling they saw a handicapped person on their way. Seeing this person’s misery, Peter asked Jesus: “If God is such a loving Father, why did He create him without hands. Doesn’t He have any solutions for this person’s problem?” Jesus replied: “Yes! He created you with two hands.”

Less Luggage, More Comfort

2009-10-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Once, a European visited a Monk at his residence. It was a small hut. The visitor was surprised when he saw his room without any furniture. Out of curiosity he asked the Monk, “Where do you keep all your furniture?” The Monk smiled and said, “Where is yours?” The European replied, “Are you kidding? I am a traveler…I carry only what is necessary for my travel.” “I am a traveler too,” the Monk answered.

Whether we accept it or not, the truth about the life is that we are on a journey. As St. Paul rightly put it, “We do not have a permanent city here on earth. We are on a pilgrimage.” The gospel story emphasizes this point today. The rich young man said, “What should I do to inherit Eternal life? Or how should I prepare for the final journey?” He was aware of the eternal nature of life.

Last month I traveled to India. Two things were in my considerations while I was packing the luggage: Take things that are allowed to carry in a plane and take whatever is necessary to make my stay pleasant when I reach the destination. This is true with our life journey too. We need to make discernment. We need to sort out things according to priority. We need to push and pull things. Jesus explained this using the picture of ‘a Camel and Needle’s Eye’. Evidently a camel cannot pass through the eye of a needle. The eye of the needle in this context represents the narrow gate on the outer wall of Jerusalem. This gate is too narrow that a camel can barely pass through. If the camel is carrying a load, even if it bent down, it cannot pass through. The camel has to be unloaded.

The rich man wanted to enter the eternal life. As the camel needed to be unloaded, he was required to be unloaded too. Jesus instructed to him to fix two things to make his travel possible. They were: sell the property and share it with the poor. His attachment to wealth and his lack of care for poor were the obstacles on his way.

Every person is different. Different people have different kinds of attachments. What are the things I need to unload to enter the Eternal Life?

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Choose Life, Your Mother Did

2009-10-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Respect for life -October 4

A gentle man said: “I am a good Catholic. I follow 7 out of 10 commandments.”… 10 commandments are not 10 recommendations; they are 10 requirements to become part of God’s family. Hence, even if we follow 9 commandments and violate one, we fall short of glory.

This Sunday, October 4, is Respect for Life Sunday. We are invited to reflect on the value of life and our obligation to defend and promote life. Respect for life is the FIFTH Commandment. It says, “Thou shall not kill.” This commandment presumes three principles. They are:-
· Life belongs to God
· Right to life is a fundamental right
· We are the care takers of human life.

From this perspective the fifth commandment goes beyond its literal meaning. It is a call to Pro-life. Very often we restrict pro life to the anti-abortion movement. It is more than that. Pro-life means:
· Defend and protect the unborn child
· Create healthy atmosphere for children to grow and mature
· Reach out to the poor who are denied of basic human conditions for a dignified life
· Work for justice and equality for all
· Take care of the elders and homebound
· Avoid hatred, war and violence
· Cultivate moral and human values
· Safeguard the good name of others

Respect for life means all these. It is defending and celebrating life from womb to tomb; conception to natural death. No one can be a Christian without opting for life because Jesus came to the world to bring life in it abundance. Tagore, the great Indian Poet and Nobel Prize winner said: “Every time a new born child is born into the world, God says two things: I love humanity. I trust humanity.” When we accept and appreciate life, therefore, we are responding to God’s love and proving that we are trustworthy.

How do we promote life? There are number of ways. The first and foremost thing in this regard is upholding the sacred institution of marriage. Appropriate sex education, moral and religious formation and disciplined and purpose oriented life are other ways to enhance the appreciation for life.

Religion of the Heart

2009-08-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

22nd Sunday in ordinary Time
(Dt. 4:1-8; Ps 15: 2-5; James 1: 17-27; Mk 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23)

Jesus said, “I have come not to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.” Very seldom do we see Jesus obeying the Jewish laws. The Bible reported many incidents where he broke the sacred law of the Sabbath. In fact, this was one of the accusations against Jesus.

We cannot imagine a situation devoid of laws। Lawlessness creates chaos. Obedience to the law is the foundation of discipline and discipline is the mother of life. Law creates order and order produces life. The purpose of any law is order and life. A law that does not serve this purpose is not binding anybody. Let me give an example. On our highways and in our cities we have traffic regulations. Traffic rules are for our safety. They are made to help avoid accidents and help save lives. At a red traffic light, we must stop the car. Ignorance of this rule will invite accidents and the loss of life. So we observe traffic rules to save lives. But an ambulance can continue to go ahead even if the signal is red. Why? For, the ambulance may be carrying a patient who is seriously ill. A delay may cause this persons’ death. The ambulance breaks the law to save a life.

The criterion of law is, therefore, whether it protects and or promotes life। Jesus violated the law to heal the sick, to feed the hungry and to save a life. He came so that we may have life. He is life and his activities are life giving.It is not the letter of the law but the spirit of the law that is binding.

On the basis of this discussion we can talk about two kinds of Religion: Religion of the Heart and Religion of the Rituals. Pharisees and Scribes belong to the religion of the rituals. They are happy if the rituals are performed correctly. As they were obsessed with rituals, they missed the core of religion that is relationship. The purpose of religion is to facilitate relationship. Jesus focused on this aspect of religion: Conversion of the heart and the resultant growth in fellowship. So Jesus said’ “What comes out of man make him defiled or undefiled.”

Religion must help us to grow from ritual to relationship. Jesus therefore summarized all the religious laws into a single law: Law of Love. There is only one law for Jesus- ‘Do what is more loving in a given situation.’

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I will be on vacation during the month of September. Reflections will continue in the month of October.
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Choose Life

2009-08-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
(Joshua 24:1-2, 15-18, Psalm 34: 3-21, Ephesians 5:21-32, John 6:60-69)

When Jesus finished his teachings about the Bread of Life, his disciples came to him and said, “Many returned to their former way of life, saying, ‘this teaching is hard; who can accept it?” However, Jesus’ reply was simple. He said to them, “Do you also want to leave?” By making this seemingly harsh statement, Jesus was inviting them to make a radical decision in life – a decision for or against life.

Life is a series of decisions। There are only two choices:-Life or Death. The first man (Adam) was confronted with this challenge. He was asked to make a fundamental decision – a decision, either for life by denying the fruit of the tree or for death by eating it. He failed the test and paid the price. At the very outset of his public ministry, Jesus, too, was asked to make a similar decision – to eat the bread of the earth or to eat the bread of the Father. Jesus came out victorious in this test. He said, “Doing the will of my Father in heaven is my food.” God the Father approved his decision and introduced him to the world as his beloved Son. Before sending the disciples out for their mission, Jesus gave the same test to them: “To eat the flesh and to drink the blood of the Son of Man.” They, also, passed the test. Peter, representing all, said to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Now, it is our turn…! Jesus is inviting us to make a fundamental choice. Life is a constant struggle to make the correct choices, because in every person two principles are at work – the life principle and the death principle. (S.Freud). It is easy to opt for death (the pleasure principle) as it is less demanding and immediate in terms of results. The pleasure principle is behind the fast development of the instant or consumer culture. Instant culture is tolerable as long as it does not enter into human relationship. When it becomes a style of human relationship, the result will be ‘adultery, divorce and abortion’. Option for life is difficult, though it is messianic. It is difficult as it demands sacrifices. But the result of delayed satisfaction (Sacrifice) is eternal happiness and peace.

Like Joshua addressed his people, Jesus also tells us today, “Decide today whom you will serve?” Can we answer with Peter, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the Words of life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.”

The Eucharist, The Basic Sacrament

2009-08-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A few days ago I visited a Bible Study Group. They were discussing about the Catholic Faith. During our conversation I asked them: “Can you please summarize the Catholic Faith into a single word?” There was a long pause. A gentleman finally broke the silence. “The Eucharist,” he said. I thought that was a great answer. The Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our Faith. Everything else is centered around it.

THE EUCHARIST, THE BASIC SACRAMENT
The importance of the Eucharist in Christian Spirituality is an undisputable fact. First of all, the Eucharist is not just one among the seven sacraments. For example, while the Eucharist offers Jesus himself, other sacraments confer his grace. Through the Eucharist, we share in the life of God and become part of the body of Christ. Secondly, in the Eucharist we have a complete encounter of the Risen Lord. All other forms of Jesus encounters are real but partial. The Eucharist is the real presence of Jesus. A story is told about Emperor Napoleon. This incident happened during a Sunday Eucharistic Celebration. The priest while saying the words of consecration, all of a sudden went into an ecstasy and cried out with wonder and awe:
“I can see Jesus in the Host. Come on everybody and see Jesus in the Bread.” Everybody but the little Napoleon rushed to the altar to see Jesus in the Eucharist. After the mass, Napoleon’s parents asked him, “What is wrong with you? Why didn’t you run to the altar to see Jesus in the Eucharist?” Napoleon replied, “I feel sorry for you. Only today you see Jesus in the Eucharist? I see his presence every time I come to Mass.” Thirdly, the Eucharist is our food for the Journey (viaticum). Life is not a destination in itself. It is a journey. Life continues after death. Manna provides nourishment only for our earthly pilgrimage. We need bread that keeps our life alive until we reach eternity. Jesus offers that bread in the Eucharist. Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever.” (John: 6). Fourthly, the Eucharist is the ultimate sacrament that takes away the sin of the world. During the Last supper Jesus said, “This is my blood, the blood of the New Covenant which will be shed for all for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mt: 26:28). Finally, the Eucharist offers us an action plan for Christian Life. When Jesus said ‘Do this in memory of me” he was inviting his disciples to begin a new life style; a life of sharing their blessings and bearing others burdens.

A PROPER APPROACH TO THE SACRAMENT
The Eucharist being so precious and beyond human imagination in its significance in our lives, it is vitally important to approach this sacrament with right respect and disposition. To make our participation in the Eucharist meaningful and experiential I would like to suggest three things.

1 REVERENCE
Jesus was angry when he saw people making the Temple less reverential. He said, “Stop turning my Father’s house a market place.” (John 2:16). Often people show me pictures of their visit with Pope. They dressed like queens and Kings and are at the best of their behavior. Going to a town Hall meeting and going to the Church (temple of God) is different. How respectfully we enter the Temple of God? Proper attitude brings proper disposition.

2 PREPARATION
The amount of preparation one takes shows the importance of the event that one is going to attend or the importance of the person whom one is going to meet. To make the Eucharistic celebration memorable, two kinds of preparations, namely, remote preparation and immediate preparation are necessary.
1. Remote preparation. The key to remote preparation is the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Remember the words of Jesus: “If your brother has something against you, reconcile with him before you offer your gifts at the altar…” (Mt: 23). St. Paul repeated the same in a more aggressive way. According to Paul sharing of the ‘cup and bread’ with a blemish heart will invite curse not blessing.
2. Immediate preparation. Before we start any game or sports, we spend a few minutes for warm up. Today as we are busy and are distracted by too many things, it is not easy to switch over from one activity to another like a machine. We need time to dispose ourselves for the next item in the agenda. This is true with regard to the liturgical celebration too. Once a lady said: “ I am there at the Church at least five minutes before the Mass begins. I open the mislet and go through the readings of the Mass.” Another person said:
“When I enter the Church, I mark the sign of the cross on my forehead and reflect about my baptismal call.” We need to develop a way to create the right disposition.

3. PARTICIPATION
The entire Eucharistic Celebration is one single action. If we miss one part then, we miss the whole. For instance, through the penitential rite we prepare ourselves to listen to the word, listening to the Word prepare us to make the commitment (offering), offering enables us to receive Jesus in our hearts and this in turn transforms us and commissions us to serve the lord. Active and conscious participation in the full celebration is not an obligation, it is a right and a privilege.

Bread of Life

2009-08-05T22:05:00.000-07:00

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The central theme of the readings for our liturgy these days is ‘The Bread of Life.” The first reading (1Kings 19:4-8) narrates an interesting tale from the life of Elijah. He was on a forty year journey towards mount Horeb. On the way, however, he lost hope, spirit and energy. Totally frustrated and exhausted from the burden of life, he slept under a tree praying for his death. An Angel appeared from heaven with food and drink. He ate the food, received power and continued his journey.

Two things are significant here. First of all, forty years of journey in this particular context symbolizes a person’s span of life. In those days there were no medical facilities as we have today to extent and expand their life span. Even though some may claim today that they can live the full span of their life with the support of science, the truth is the opposite. Without God’s help we are just dust. Secondly, even though Elijah could continue his journey with the bread from an Angel, he still could not reach the destination, the Mountain of God. The bread was still made of material things. This ‘food and drink’, however, foreshadow the Eucharist.

It is important to notice two things here. First of all, our life does not end with death. Secondly, because our earthly life is a destination in itself we need bread that sustains our life after death. In the Gospel reading, Jesus introduces himself as this bread. Jesus says, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I give is my flesh for the life of the world.” (John 6: 41-51)

Bread of Life has two levels of meaning in the Bible. First, bread of life is the Word of God. The Hebrew Bible used the word food for Torah, the Law. (Ps 119) Jesus also used the word bread, with the same meaning when he said, “My food is to do the will of the One who sent me and to carry out his work.” (John 4.34) With his incarnation, the Torah (the food) became Flesh in the person of Jesus, so that every word that came out of his mouth became bread for Salvation. The way of Jesus became the True path (food) for eternal life.

Secondly, not only his words but with His sacrifice on the cross, his body and blood, the acceptable offering of God, became our bread of life. Today we find this bread in the Eucharist. In the breaking and sharing of bread we receive enlightenment, nourishment and hope as experienced by the Emmaus Disciples.

The breaking of the Word and the breaking of the Bread, together constitute the Bread of Life. The word of God enlightens us to see the things above and the Eucharist grafts us to God like a branch of a tree attached to the main trunk. The immediate effect of this relatedness with Jesus is the New Way of life as mentioned in the Second Reading. Live in love as Christ loved us. (Ephesians 4:30-5:2).

2009-07-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

RIGHT VISION AND CORRECT PATH
(18th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

There was a King. One day he gave his golden cane to his minister and said, “Travel all over my country, find the poorest of the poor and give him this golden cane as a support.” He started traveling from place to place, searching for the poorest man; however, he could not find any one who was really poor. Finally he gave up his mission and returned to the palace. By that time, the king had already developed a serious illness and was almost at the brink of his own death. Seeing the minister the King said, “My days are numbered…. I may die in a day or two…. I am afraid to die because I have earned nothing to carry with me when I pass from this life to the next.” The minister could not control his demeanor. He said to his King, “At last, I have found the poorest man in this country. You are that person I was searching for. You knew that you would die one day. Yet, you did not reserve anything for that day. You are the poorest man.”

Two things are important in our life: a clear vision of our destination and the right path to reach there.

St. Paul, in the Second reading (Ephesians 4:17,20-24), talks about the goal of life. He says, “Put on the New Self.” This new self, created in God’s Way, according to Paul is Jesus himself. The whole purpose of life is, therefore, to grow into the fullness of Jesus, who is life and resurrection. We put on the New Self at the time of our baptism. The growth towards Jesus is to be continued until we fully conform to the glorified Christ as revealed in the Transfiguration Event. Therefore, our Challenge is to continue our Journey of life focusing on the things above until we reach our final destination.

It does not mean that we must detach totally from the world. Daily bread is important. Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread. In fact, Jesus condemned the Idle Person as recorded in the parable of the Talents. As good stewards, we are responsible and accountable for our growth and as well as the growth of the world. By our labor we are called to enrich the world.” Problems arise when we make ‘manna’ the ultimate goal of our life. The story of manna underscores this point. God said, “Gather only your daily portion.” In other words God told them not to be distracted by “What they eat and drink”. God will provide the faithful with what they need. As we read in the first reading (Exodus 16:2-4, 12-15), God sent manna and birds when He saw people were struggling in the desert for food. For God, there is no place as a desert and nothing is in short supply.

Jesus repeated the same message when People came to him looking for Bread. Jesus said, “Work for Food that endures for eternal life.”(John 6:1-15). This is important as we are wired to God. Because we are destined to God, compromising with anything less than God will never fulfill our ‘Thirst and Hunger’ for happiness. Jesus identifies himself with this food that satisfies eternal thirst and hunger. He said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst.” Jesus said the same in numerous ways. “I am the life and resurrection” and “I am the way, the truth and the life” are a few among those.

Finding Jesus in one’s life is our destination. Peter found Christ in his life. He said: “Master, where shall I go? You have the words of life.” Paul echoed the same feeling when he said: “For me life is Christ.” After a long search for truth, the Samaritan Women confessed, “I have found the Messiah.” Where do we find Jesus today? It is in the breaking of the bread, in the Eucharist…

The readings for the 18th Sunday invite us to continue our Journey fixing our eyes on the goal that is life in Jesus and working for the things that ensure our passage to everlasting life.

2009-07-23T14:23:00.000-07:00

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
(17th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Problems are part of life. How we approach problems is what matters. The Gospel reading for the 17th Sunday (John 6:1-15) presents a problem. The problem is this. There was a huge crowd in a deserted place. They were hungry. There was no way to get enough food to feed them. Jesus, however, said to his disciple to give them something to eat. A challenging situation! Two disciples approached this situation differently. The way they responded to it tells us a lot about ourselves too.

PART OF THE PROBLEM!
One of the disciples, Philip panicked. He thought Jesus was crazy. He said: “How do we get enough food for 5ooo people in the Desert? Let them go.” A totally negative, uninterested and disappointed response! He did not want to get involve. He even made it bigger by his attitude. He became part of the problem.

PART OF THE SOLUTION!
Andrew, another disciple, had a different approach. Even though he found the problem challenging, he did two important things. First, he looked around to find a way out. His effort yielded a result. He found a boy with a few loaves of bread and a few fish. Secondly he led the boy to Jesus. A miracle happened. He became part of the solution.

There is a big contrast between these two approaches. Philip tried to solve the problem by himself. It is not possible to solve everything by oneself. We need to resort to the help of others. Ours is not an isolated existence but a shared one. No one can solve all the problems alone. We need others. It is equally important to turn to God. Nothing is in short supply with God. In his hands everything multiplies. Andrew realized this.

A HELPING HAND!
It is not enough to turn to others and God to solve all the problems, we need to do our part too। The boy played a crucial role in solving the problem. He was willing to share. The result of sharing was a miracle.

Our surplus is not ours. It belongs to the needy. God has provided the world with more than what is needed. He has shared everything with us. He even shared His Son. He needs our cooperation. In a certain sense, He has only whatever we offer back to Him.

What may happen if we are unwilling to share? I shall never forget this little incident. In the monastery, I was in charge of the orchard. All kinds of fruit trees were growing there. The main attraction of that particular season was a mango tree. It had only two branches. Both branches produced more fruits than each branch could support. Children started to come by and eventually they started to pluck the mangos. Because of this, we had to hire a watchman to keep the children away and protect the mangos. One morning when I came to the orchard, I could not believe my eyes. Both branches were broken and were lying on the ground. The mangos were also scattered on the ground. Apparently, the weight of the mangos was too much for the branches to support.

God is so generous. He comes to us every day with so many blessings. If we do not share them, these very blessings will become the cause of our destruction. The rich man, in the story about Lazarus in the Bible, was punished not because of his wealth, but because of his unwillingness to share. Alone we are helpless but together we are strong. Togetherness must start with me. We are called to be part of the solution.

2009-07-15T07:14:00.000-07:00

TIME FOR ONESELF
(16th Sunday in Ordinary Time-B)

A few days ago we celebrated the feast of St. Benedict, the Father of Western Monasticism. He is known for his spirituality of moderation. According to Benedict a genuine spiritual life consists of three elements: Time for prayer, time for rest and time for work. In spite of our hectic activities, the importance of time for rest cannot be ignored. Jesus understood this point more than anybody else. The gospel reading for this Sunday underlines this point. When the disciples returned after their mission trip, Jesus said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” (Matthew 6:30). Before assigning them another mission Jesus invited them to rest.

Time for oneself (rest) is important for various reasons. It helps to discover who we are, to evaluate our previous actions and to get recharged for future plans. A story is told about William James, the founder of Behavior Therapy. One day a lady called him at his office for an afternoon appointment for the following day. William said, “I sorry, I already have an appointment at that time tomorrow. Please visit with me another time.” The following day, she happened to pass through his residence in the afternoon. To her surprise, she saw William James lying in the garden enjoying the breeze. She was very upset. She approached him and said: “You are a liar. You denied me an appointment saying that you are overbooked.” William said: “I did not lie to you. I have an appointment. My appointment is with myself. The time I spend for myself rejuvenates me to help others more effectively.”

Meeting with oneself is important. This becomes more productive if we discover ourselves in the presence of Jesus. In the second reading (Ephesians 2:13-18) Paul says, “Our peace is real when we come closer to Jesus because as we read in the Psalm, “When He is at my side I fear no evil.” (PS 23). Jesus invited his disciples to rest with Him. “Come to me, all you labor and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11: 28)

Jesus invited his disciples for a rest because He was attentive to their needs. Often we are aware of our needs and privileges. How often are we sensitive to the needs of others? Like a good shepherd Jesus had a personal knowledge of his sheep. He was a person-oriented leader. A task-oriented person is not concerned about the need of his subjects, only his own personal benefits. For him the task is important not the person. For Jesus, the wellbeing of the messenger was as important as the message. How do I treat people who are entrusted to my care?

Overemphasis on oneself, however, can lead us into selfishness. Here Jesus himself is the model. Even though Jesus withdrew to a deserted place with his disciples, when He saw the crowd coming towards him, his heart was moved with pity for them. He forgot about himself and made himself available to them. Jesus had the right priority and the right priority gave him the right balance.

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2009-07-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

DREAMING TOGETHER
(Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time-B)

The gospel reading for the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time talks about Jesus sending his disciples on a mission. Mission is an inseparable part of discipleship. As John Paul II put it rightly, faith remains incomplete if it is not shared. The notion of mission runs throughout Scripture. For example, Abraham had a mission to fulfill. His mission was to bring blessings to the nations (Genesis 12: 2-3). Like any other prophets, Amos also had a mission to fulfill. The first reading deals with the mission of Amos (Amos 7:12-15). The Gospel talks about the dynamics of evangelization (Mark 7:6-13).

Even though, the central theme of the reading is Mission, what struck me, however, is the way Jesus sent his disciples on the mission. Mark says’ “Jesus summoned the twelve and began to send them out two by two.” Jesus sent them in twos. No one was sent alone. People may interpret it differently. The testimonies of two people bring authenticity to the message. This could be a possible reason for dispatching them in twos. The journey that the disciples were on was through a rough route. The need for companionship or mutual support could be another reason for this particular gesture of Jesus. A deeper reflection on this topic, however, brings forth a few more insights into the discussion.

Evangelization is Team Work, not a One Man Show…!

I remember a discussion that I had with a Seminary Rector some years ago, he said: “The number one criterion I use in evaluating a candidate for priesthood is whether he has the ability to get along with other Seminarians; whether he can work together.” I thought it was an interesting norm for evaluation. This is true precisely because of the nature of the message and the message is communion and fellowship.’ It is a message of dreaming together. A seminarian who could not work with his fellow seminarian is unfit to become a priest as he is called to represent Christ, the great reconciler and mediator. This is equally applicable to any messenger of Christ. A disciple is not called to walk alone but work together for the glory of God.

Evangelization is more than preaching, it is living the Gospel…!

The world does not need any more preachers. It is desperately looking for doers. Jesus wanted his disciples to show the world what does it means to be Christian in concrete terms. Jesus expected from his disciples more than preaching but living the Gospel. When Jesus sent them in groups, probably this was what he had in mind. Jesus emphasized this point right from the beginning of his ministry. 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 together the scattered disciples. Working together is the concrete expression of living the Christian message that is a message of love. I know a Bishop in North India who has a novel method of evangelization. He invites Christian families from South India to come and live with non-Christians for a couple a years. The Bishop believes that the non-Christian families will get inspired by the life style of Christian families. Like Francis of Assisi said’ “Preach the Gospel all the time but use word only when it is necessary.””

The Challenges of working together…!

Working together is not easy in a situation where people want to put their thumb impression on everything they do. The question of who gets the credit can interfere with ministry. People who prefer a ‘One Man Show’ preach not Jesus but self. They attract people to themselves not to God. Hence, Jesus instructed them to focus on him alone and not depend on anything else on their journey. He also told them not to waste time trying to impress upon others. “If any one does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there…”. Our goal must be to remain holy and without blemish before God (Ephesians 1: 3).

If you look at any group, you may find four categories of people. Four different kinds of roles displayed in any given group. There are leaders, contributors, spectators and critics. Everybody may not possess the ability for leadership. People who are good at certain areas may not be effective in a different field. Problems arise when people compete for positions/ power. They do this as they count success as the norm for greatness. The truth is that it is not success but faithfulness that matters in the Kingdom of God. There is, however, a role that anybody can play, the role of a contributor. Everybody can be a contributor. It does not require much. For example, supporting a good idea is an example of contribution. The other two roles are destructive. While spectators (sleepers) weaken the strength of a community, critics often destroy it.

The important question one needs to ask is: Am I a team player and how do I contribute to build up the Body of Christ? For a body to function normally, every member of the body has to play its role. How does my life reflect my mission/ role?

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Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. (Henry Ford)
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2009-06-30T07:18:00.000-07:00

Crises Management
(Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time---B)

Rejection and unfair criticisms are not uncommon. The Scripture readings for the fourteenth Sunday in ordinary time deal with this social sin. During his commissioning Ezekiel was warned that his message would be rejected by people. The gospel reading also describes a situation where Jesus faces opposition, rejection and humiliation from his own people. Like Jesus and Ezekiel, we too may have stories of rejection to share.

It is impossible to eliminate oppositions and prejudices as long as people differ in ideologies and perceptions. Therefore the challenge is how to approach people who always oppose us and put trouble on our way? How do we handle them without losing our peace? The Gospel reading this Sunday has an answer to this question. When Jesus was outrageously criticized and humiliated by racial comments, instead of being carried away by their attitude and observations, instead of getting frustrated and impatient by their inhuman behavior, Jesus approached that crisis situation in a very gentle and professional way. Jesus did 4 things:

1. Jesus put things in its proper context/ situation: Before reacting to their criticism, Jesus analyzed the psychology and the nature of the people. Jesus discovered that they did the same to other prophets too. So this was nothing new. Jesus realized that being this was the nature of the people; he could not expect anything better from them. The same way, when people criticize us or pass negative comments about us, wait a minute and ask: who are these people? What is their background? Are they mature? If they are mature people, listen to what they are saying otherwise ignore them.

2. Jesus waited with patience for a favorable time: When Jesus realized that they were stubborn and prejudiced, he did not try to convert them by argument or by force. Jesus gave them time to reflect. Argument will not do any good. Give them time to realize their folly.

3. Jesus did not take it as personal. Jesus did not take their criticism as personal. Criticism can be self destructive if we allow them to touch our ego. In that case, we become self defensive and over reactive. In this context St. Paul’s experience is educative. He said’ “When I am weak, then I am strong. Power is made perfect in weakness. God’s grace is enough for me.” Our moments of failure can be turning points in our lives that eventually lead us to greatness

4. Refocuses his attention: Jesus did not change his teaching because of their rejection of his teaching rather he changed the audience. Jesus moved to another place where they were willing to listen. When we are faced with rejection and humiliation, instead of wasting our energy justifying our position, go to the people who understand and appreciate us.

If we can apply this methodology of Jesus in our crisis situation, that will give us hope and peace।

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One minute wisdom
A little black boy was watching the balloon man at the country fair. He was trying to get the attention of a crowd of young customers. The balloon man allowed a red balloon to break loose and soar high up in the air. Then he released a blue balloon, then a white one and a yellow one. They all went soaring up into the sky until they disappeared. The little black boy stood looking at the black balloon for a long time, then asked, “Sir, if you send the black one up would it go as high as the others?” The balloon man gave the kid an understanding smile. He snapped the string that held the black balloon in place and, as it soared upwards, said, “ It is not the color, son. It is what’s inside that makes it rise.” (Anthony De Mello)
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2009-06-24T19:49:00.000-07:00

Challenges of Faith
(13th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The gospel reading for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time presents two healing stories for our prayerful consideration: The healing of a woman afflicted with hemorrhages and the raising of the synagogue official’s daughter (Mark 5:21-43). These stories are important as they give us insightful tips for our spiritual life. I would like to mention a few of them.

1. Equal availability of God’s love…!

The Woman and Jairus, the main characters of the stories respectively, represent two groups of people: the marginalized and the centralized. The woman in the story personified the ‘voiceless, nameless and faceless’ people of the society. For example, she has no name, no title and no address. She is simply nobody. She is one among the crowd. On the other hand, Jairus has a name, title and address. He represents the elite and the privileged. Differences in their social standings, however, did not make any impact on the approach of Jesus. He was equally present to both. God is the God of all. Everybody is equally precious before His eyes. He has our names carved in the palm of his hands. He does not leave the lost one on the way thinking that “I have the 99 with me.” (Lk 15: 4-7). As St. Paul says: Jesus became poor to make every one rich before God (2Cor 8:7-15).

2. Faith, Precondition for God’s Grace…!

Jesus asked everyone who came seeking his help: “Do you believe that I can do this for you?” It is faith that does the magic. The faith of the woman was unparalleled. She said: If I touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” What a tremendous example of trusting faith. Like Abraham she believed with full confidence that ‘God will provide’. A genuine faith has the following two characteristics.

A). Expectant Faith: It is praying with the conviction that you have already received what you are praying for. This little story may help to illustrate this point. A whole area was very badly affected by a drought. People started praying for rain. The parish priest arranged a prayer service for this petition. The date was picked and was announced in the church. People from all over the region rushed to the church to pray. But after the Holy Mass, the parish priest, to everyone’s surprise, announced that the prayer service for rain has been canceled. “Why?” all the people shouted. “Nobody brought an umbrella”, the priest replied.

B) Action Oriented Faith: A genuine faith is always accompanying some action. For instance, the woman in the gospel story touched the edge of Jesus’ cloak. The synagogue official fell at the feet of Jesus. Zacchaeus climbed the tree. These were external expressions of their faith.

3. Crowd, a constant obstacle

When Jesus said, “This Child is not dead but sleep”, the crowd ridiculed him. “Why trouble the Teacher, she is dead.” Even Jairus’ own people responded in a similar fashion. Very often crowd is an obstacle to come closer to Jesus. Zacchaeus had to climb a tree to avoid the crowd. The four men who brought a paralyzed man to Jesus had to break open the roof to bring him closer to Jesus (Mk 2: 3-4). Jesus removed the doubting crowd before he healed the child. Mark says, “He put them all out.” (Mk 5:40). How do I overcome the pressures of a crowd? A disciple is someone who steps out of the crowd and declare Jesus publicly.

2009-06-18T08:19:00.000-07:00

LOOK UP
12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

The gospel reading for the 12th Sunday of the ordinary time (Jesus stilling the storm) reminds me of a story that I heard when I was in the fourth grade. Once, a teacher took his students on a trip to the ocean shoreline. They took a ride in a sailboat. Suddenly they ran into a tempest which really rocked the boat. The sail itself was snapped into two and part of it fell into the boat. The boat lost its control and direction. The roaring waves began to spill over into the boat. “We are in danger. If any one of you has the courage, climb up the mast and then tie the remainder of the sail to the mast. That way we are able to regain control of the boat,” the Captain said.

One of the boys climbed up and tied the sail to the mast. Then he tried to climb down. He couldn’t because while he was climbing down he looked into the boat and into the sea. He saw that the boat was filling with water. The waves were crashing into the boat and rocking it. He was scared and started crying out in panic. “Don’t look down. Look up and climb down,” the Captain instructed him. The boy did as the captain ordered. The sky looked calm and quiet now. So the boy no longer felt scared and nervous. He felt confident, so he continued to climb down while looking up. The captain then told the students, “The world is an ocean and our lives are like small boats in it. When problems and difficulties arise and rock our little lives don’t get panic but look up, look up to heaven. God is there to comfort and console us.”

Look up. Turn to God. Come into his presence. You will be safe. This is the message of the Gospel reading too (Mk: 35-41). Remember the Gospel story. The violent storm rocked their boat. The disciples were in panic. In fear and tremble, they cried out and awakened Jesus. Everything cooled down. They experienced stillness and calmness. Three things are important to notice.

1. They did everything right. It is true that they were panic and fearful. Their frustration, however, turned into a prayer. Frustrations and hopelessness, anxieties and worries, pain and struggles, all these are part of life. What is important is how we respond to that. The story of Job is a great example of growing through struggles.
2. Who was really sleeping, Jesus or Disciples? The faith of the disciples was asleep. Even though Jesus was with them, they experienced his absence. This is possible in our life too. The busy-ness of our life can take away our focus from God. They re-turned to Jesus, everything once again returned to the normal. Focus on Jesus. Only then you will be safe. When you focus on yourself, all kinds of problems will pop up. Doing the latter is like looking at things that are too close when we are traveling in a car at a fast speed. When you look at objects that are close up, they will appear to be moving away from you. But if you look at distant things, they will move along with you. Those who are rooted in Jesus are never uprooted.

3. Peaceful storm. Jesus and the disciples were facing the same storm. They, however, responded differently. While the storm shattered their peace, Jesus, slept peacefully. Jesus did so because He was always in the presence of God, his Father.

Awaken to God’s presence and awake his presence in you. You will be safe and no storm will touch you. Those who put their trust in the Lord are like mount Zion, that cannot be shaken, that stands for ever. As mountains surround Jerusalem, the Lord surrounds his people both now and forever (Ps 125:1-2).