THIRD WEEK OF EASTER 23

24 - 29 APRIL 2023, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 24 APRIL 2023: ACTS 6. 8-15; JOHN 6. 22-29   Pivot: Not for the perishable! Indicative: There is always a contrast between people of God and people of the world   1.      The people of God are always filled with the Spirit of the Lord. So they believe in the Lord. They are filled with wisdom. It is a wisdom that speaks the truth that no others can contest or defeat. The people of God are also filled with the power of the Spirit that emboldens them against all resistance and persecution. 2.      Stephen represents these people of God. They cling to Jesus. They remain loyal and committed to him. They seek and work for food that is imperishable and conduces to eternal life. This food symbolises all that nourishes and strengthens us. It implies grace, God’s word and the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. 3.      On the other hand, people of the world are marked by many negative features. They do not tolerate the truth spoken with the wisdom of the Spirit. They resent and resist it. They distort the truth as blasphemy, anti-religion, anti-law and revolting. 4.      Consequently, they instigate the simple people, stir up false emotions, accost, seize and bring before the Sanhedrin and present false witnesses. And in the gospel, these people of the world look for Jesus with shallow motives. They search for him, not for the food that endures for eternal life but for the food that perishes, that gives only temporary satisfaction. 5.      As human beings belonging to the world, we too may be pulled and at times driven by temporary and worldly interests. We may not be able to completely eliminate all the worldliness. However, like those people, we must be open to know what we are doing, and what is wrong with what we are doing, so that we can know what we can do and change for the better.   Imperative: Faith is a matter of a relationship with God and an entire life of loyalty. If we believe truly, we must persevere and strive for the higher and lasting things   (Reflection 2 from 2022, 02 May)   Indicative: Those who are on God’s side will be full of grace and power. The people of the world cannot withstand and defeat their wisdom and Spirit   1.      Evil is always against good, falsity is against truth and Satan’s way is always against God’s way. That is why, those who were religiously stubborn and distorted could not tolerate Stephen who was filled with God’s grace, power of the Spirit, and wisdom, and was preaching God’s way and was doing wonders and miracles. 2.      Their blameworthy human knowledge could not stand before his Spirit-filled proclamation. So, crookedly they fabricated false witnesses, blamed him for blasphemy, and stood him as an accused before the Council. What hypocrisy! 3.      The main purpose of the preaching and miracles of Jesus was to reignite in the people the power of wisdom to discern and enable them to follow the right values. Why? People are not still able to distinguish between material and spiritual, temporal and eternal, perishable life and imperishable life, cheap works and divine signs. They are lacking the wisdom to discern. Consequently, they are inclined and succumb to what are worldly, temporary, and showy displays. 4.      That is why Jesus is sternly warning: it is futile to toil for what perishing food that can fill the stomach and satisfy only for a while. Rather strive for imperishable food that gives eternal life. Only God and the Son anointed and sent by God can give it. Therefore it is wise to trust Him totally. 5.      The people who had stomach-full searched for Jesus with motives of physical satisfaction and temporary gain. So the Lord admonished them to turn and raise their sight, and perspective and search for higher motives and realm.   Imperative: What about us? What is our search and race for? What are our values and what is their level? What things give us satisfaction?   (Reflection 3 from 2021, 19 April)   Focus: The quality of life and its direction depends on the height and the propriety of the goal and the purpose   1.      We often find that the life of many is not qualitative and it is not well-directed. We find them often in wrong pursuits and faulty ways. It is all because they have faltered in the very purpose of life: they have set wrong goals and targets, and accordingly, they seek satisfaction and the fulfilment of life in shallow and superficial matters. 2.      It is such people that Jesus sternly and directly warns: Do not work for the worldly and material things which do not last long but perish; rather strive for what is imperishable. What can obtain for one eternal life thereafter? What can also here and now give a sense of meaning and fulfilment? It is only the Lord, it is only faith in him and love for him, it is only in being loyal and committed to his mission, and striving for eternity. 3.      Stephen in the Acts of the Apostles stands as an emblem of this unearthly concern. It is this concern of the above and the spiritual, the “supernatural focus” that distinguishes Stephen from others. They were caught up with the below, the unspiritual, and the earthly leanings. This lofty focus endows him with wisdom and passion that none else can resist or match. 4.      Only such wisdom makes one clear of the priorities in life. Only such fire makes one ablaze in the midst of all tepidity and lethargy. And only such passion makes one undaunted and indefatigable amidst all adversities and evil forces.   Direction: It is not enough to work hard, but it is more important to discern what one is working hard for. It is not enough to be intelligent to do well in many affairs of the world, but it is more important to be wise to be concerned about the higher concerns   25 APRIL 2023: 1 PETER 5. 5-14; MARK 16. 15-20, FEAST, ST MARK   Pivot: A mission commissioned! Indicative: Our call is to follow the Lord and do his mission. For sure he will accompany us, empower us and accomplish his mission through us   1.      We celebrate St Mark’s feast. He was a disciple of Peter, a cousin of Barnabas, and a companion of Paul on his first missionary journey. He is one of the four evangelists. He died a martyr’s death, being dragged through the streets of Alexandria. 2.      Rightly in tune with the festive theme, today’s liturgy of the word of God focuses on mission. Mark was clear, convinced and committed to the Lord’s mission. It was a mission by word and deed. He preached the word. He wrote the word. He also lived it on his way of virtue and teachings of the Lord, accompanied by signs and wonders. 3.      In the words of Jesus, it is the mission of “going into the whole world”, “proclaiming the gospel to every creature”, and making others “believe, be baptised and be saved”. Therefore, our mission cannot be “restrictive”, either by place or people. It is a universal and expansive mission. This is indicated by the phrases, “whole world” and “every creature”. 4.      It is a mission to proclaim the gospel. We should proclaim only gospel and not anything evil. It is a mission of leading all to faith and salvation. Therefore, anything that leads away from faith and leads to destruction, is not true to the mission. 5.      What will be some conditions and features of a missionary and fidelity to the mission? The first reading enumerates some of them in terms of virtues. A life of mission is a life of virtue. The mission is not only doing something but living as someone of Christ. 6.      One fundamental condition of the mission is humility, as Peter exhorts us, “Clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for God opposes the proud but bestows favour on the humble”. 7.      Surrender is another condition” “Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you”. Vigilance and alertness is another requirement: “Be sober and vigilant”. Resistance to evil and steadfastness in faith is the other condition. 8.      What will be some effects of the power of this mission? The power over evil, to drive out the demons, the ability to communicate and proclaim, by speaking new languages, being shielded from what is harmful, and the power to heal.   Imperative: The greatest effect and sign of God’s power in our mission is that the Lord will himself “restore, confirm, strengthen and establish us”   (Reflection 2 from 2022)    Indicative: Those who are touched by the power of the risen Lord will be led by the light of his Spirit and spread the same light and power to others in word and deed   1.      Today on 25 April we celebrate the feast of St Mark. He is one of the four evangelists. He was a close associate of Peter. He acted as Peter’s scribe and recorded his teaching and preaching in his gospel. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on a missionary journey. Though not a direct disciple of Jesus, surely he knew Jesus and all the more confirmed by Peter. 2.      He worked for the spread of the faith. He is known to have founded the church at Alexandria. He was martyred by pagans who tied a rope around his neck and dragged him through the streets until he died. 3.      Mark’s gospel forms the basis for both Matthew and Luke. He is not concerned about the details but centres on one’s personal choice to act. “Immediately” is a frequent characteristic expression in Mark. This is not a mere technical expression. Rather it shows the sense of urgency of the mission. In the mission of the Lord, there is no time to waste. There must be “haste and promptness”. 4.      Mark presents Jesus as the “Lion of Judah”. This is in contrast to the devil, the “roaring lion” in the first reading from 1 Peter. The first lion rescues and saves from harm and death. The second lion devours and destroys. The purpose of Mark’s gospel is exactly the purpose of God’s call, as stated in the first reading. It is to “restore, confirm, strengthen in faith and establish us in eternal glory”.    Imperative: We are commissioned with the Lord’s own mission. We are empowered by his own Spirit to accomplish this mission   (Reflection 3) Focus: Those who experience the Lord, cannot but be his witnesses through life in its entirety and integrity   1.      As we celebrate today the feast of Saint Mark, one of the four evangelists, we are once again reminded of one essential trait of a true disciple of Christ. That is namely to be an evangelist. But here, we must understand the term ‘evangelist’ in its holistic sense. 2.      It should go beyond the restricted sense of one who wrote the gospel. It is also not only one who preaches about Christ, as some preachers make it be. To be an evangelist truly means “one who carries the good news”. 3.      Accordingly, an evangelist is one who bears witness to the Lord, through the word (proclamation), through the mission (missionary journeys/walking and working for the Lord), through enlightenment, animation, guidance and renewal (writing the gospel and laying directives of discipleship), and through an edifying and testifying life (life in the footsteps of the Lord through discipleship to Peter, and dying for the Lord).   Direction: Humility and witness are the two greatest marks of a true disciple and these are the two equipments for effective fulfilment of the Lord’s mission   26 APRIL 2023: ACTS 8. 1b-8: JOHN 6. 35-40   Pivot: Persecuted for God! Indicative: God does not will anyone to perish. He wants everyone to obtain eternal life. And this is possible through His beloved Son   1.      Jesus alone is the source of salvation. He is the bread of life. He is the one who nourishes and strengthens us as the bread. He also makes us live for eternity. Those who believe in him will never be hungry or thirsty. This means those who seek and confide in God will not be “frustrated” or “dissatisfied”. They will not be misled or tormented by the forces of death. They will be the promoters of the culture of life. 2.      Strength and growth, perseverance and fidelity are the hallmarks of the life of God. That is why the more the early Christians were persecuted, the more they became strong and grew more. They became persevering and faithful. 3.      We must see the guts of the apostles. There was widespread persecution. It was also spearheaded by Paul before his conversion. They ran the risk of unjust imprisonment, even to the extent of death for the sake of Jesus. 4.      But no amount of intimidation or imprisonment, persecution, or dispersion could arrest the unsurpassed work of the Lord. Along with the wisdom and courage to preach about Jesus Christ, Two things stand out in the early Church: the power of healing and the exceeding joy.   Imperative: Jesus is our courage and strength. Therefore those who believe in Jesus shall come out of the “scattered” mind. They shall be bold and strong to face any opposition and persecution   (Reflection 2 from 2022, 04 May)   Indicative: Troubles and trials will come in the way of following Christ. But nothing can destroy faith or stop the spread of God’s reign   1.       The history of the spread of the faith and the establishment of the church is very interesting and paradoxical. The more the church was persecuted, the more it grew. The more the followers were intimidated, the more they stood bold and firm. The more they were scattered, the more they were united in one faith and mission. 2.       They were wounded but they gave healing to others. They were imprisoned but they liberated others from slavery to sin. They were insulted and defamed but they gave new dignity to others. This is all because they believed in the Lord and clung to him. They hungered and thirsted for him who said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst”. 3.       Jesus clearly declared the purpose of his coming. That is to do not his will but the will of the Father who sent him. And the will of the Father is not to lose anyone but gain everyone so that they will gain eternal life. The disciples and the believers are that precious gain. They receive the gift of faith and obtain eternal life. 4.       The apostles and the disciples were convinced of their call and mission. Their only focus was to believe in the Lord and resemble him both in life and mission. Accordingly, they would constantly strive to gain all for the Lord so that no one would perish.   Imperative: The Lord clearly says that it is God’s will that no one is lost. But if someone is lost, it clearly shows that it is one’s own free choice to reject the life offered by God. For God never rejects anyone.   (Reflection 3 from 2021, 21 April)   Focus: The war between God and Satan, the struggle between good and evil, the opposition between faith and unfaith never ceases, but the evil can never permanently destroy the good   1.      God’s will and ways are always mysterious, in the sense, we may not always understand the sense and logic behind them. But one thing is sure: His ways are always productive and constructive seen in the whole picture of life and faith. It only needs a holistic vision of faith. 2.      In themselves, persecution in Jerusalem and scattering into different places are sad and destructive factors. But they become productive means of germinating faith and constructive occasions of gathering faithful to the Lord, through preaching and miracles. No amount of persecution could intimidate their faith or shake their conviction. 3.      This is the beauty and the power of faith. On one hand, anti-Christ forces like Saul were ravaging and persecuting the church. They were trying in every way to suppress the spread of the believers. But on the other hand, apostles like Philip, persisted to preach and heal, and the believers continue to grow in numbers as well as in the firmness of faith. 4.      They truly inherited the spirit of their Master Jesus who is the bread of life. He came from the Father. He had only the singular purpose and mission of “fulfilling the will of the Father”. It is this through “offering eternal life to all” without exception, and “never losing anyone”. However, unfortunately, there are many who reject faith and thus reject life itself.   Direction: God’s will and salvation should alone be our strengths and driving forces, because God will always sustain our every effort on His behalf, and no other forces or fears would crush us