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.

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

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.

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

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!

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

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?

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.

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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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.

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.”

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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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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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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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.

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.

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.

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.

ASCENSION OF THE LORD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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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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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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.”

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.

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.