FIFTH WEEK DAYS OF EASTER 24

29 APRIL - 04 MAY 2024, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS 29 APRIL 2024: ACTS 14. 5-18; JOHN 14. 21-26 Indicative: True faith is that which shows itself in deep and lasting love for God, listens to Him, speaks His words, keeps His commandments, and bears witness to Him 1.      Paul and Barnabas heal a crippled. They make him walk, one who was crippled from birth and never walked. Paul said to him, “Stand upright and walk on your feet”. And he sprang up and began walking. This healing is very symbolic and indicative. To come to faith, to believe in Jesus, and to live as his disciples are like walking in the way, the light of the Lord. 2.      The mission of the apostles was very simple and clear: believe in the Lord and make others believe; walk the way and make others too walk in the same way. In this process, many hurdles come their way. In today’s first reading from the Acts, we find a mention of one such instance. At Iconium, there was an attempt to mistreat and stone them. But, they did not lose heart. They were not frightened. Rather, they seek other possibilities in the cities of Lycaonia. 3.      Their mission was a mix of success and failure, praise and blame, support and persecution. But they always kept up the same spirit of humility. They were ever aware that they were only the channels and instruments of God’s grace. They never tried to steal the show. They never sought to glorify themselves. That is why, when the people, excited at the healing, try to deify them, making them equal to the gods Zeus and Hermes, they resist them and attribute all the glory to the power of God. 4.      Such humility and zeal were possible because of their intense love and passion for God. They loved God, heard His word, spoke His word, and followed the same. They always experienced unfailing communion with God and commitment to Him. This was exactly the same experience and example that Jesus, their master had and showed. He was always united with the Father and the Holy Spirit. This was the same spirit of St Catherine of Siena. Imperative: Love is the only reason for all our vocation and mission. Jesus says, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, my Father will love him, He will send the Holy Spirit to teach all things and we will come and make our home with him. Do we experience this and testify to this relationship? 30 APRIL 2024: ACTS 14. 19-28; JOHN 14. 27-31a   Indicative: Truth Faith is not merely an intellectual subscription or a passing emotion. it is a profound relationship and an unflinching mission. To live it and share it is never a smooth sail. But, those who are full of faith never fail to be faithful   1.      Once again, in the Acts of the Apostles, we see the multi-faceted mission of Paul and Co. He was stoned and thrown off, supposed to be dead. But he rose and continued his mission as if nothing happened. He would preach, strengthen the souls of the disciples, encourage them to continue in the faith and motivate them to suffer as a condition to enter the Kingdom. He would animate the communities through elders, and with prayer and fasting, would commend all the work to the grace of God. 2.      Troubles always surrounded the apostles but they were never troubled. Fears and tensions always attacked them but they were never afraid or worried. They were thrown into violent and peaceless situations but they never lost their peace. They were abandoned and rejected but they never felt depressed about being abandoned. 3.      The sole reason for their perseverance was their total trust in their master. He said, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid”. They confided in his words. He assured them, “I give to you my peace and not the peace of the world”. He distinguishes his peace from that of the world. 4. His peace is not the absence of troubles and fears. Rather, it is the strength, confidence, and courage even amidst adversities. His peace is not avoidance or evasion of afflictions and challenges. Rather it is confronting them valiantly and ardently in a spirit of surrender and loyalty.   Imperative: The source of their strength and guidance is the Lord. They derive their power from the Lord’s love, from the Father’s sustenance, and the illumination of the Holy Spirit. How and whence is our strength and guidance?   (Reflection 2)   Focus: The Spirit of the Lord is never stagnant but ever vibrant and therefore those who confide in the Lord will never be dormant but ever fervent   Peace is the parting assurance of the Lord before his earthly departure and death. It is also the starting gift of the resurrection before his heavenly re-entrance. This peace is rooted in and derived from his inseparable union with the Father. This peace is different from the peace that the world seeks and gives. Worldly peace is something false and shallow. How? It is mostly because it lies in merely avoiding any trouble and disturbance; or at times, it is so self-seeking and can indulge in so much aggression and violence. It is peace at any cost. Thus, ironically, it is a peace built on a lack of peace, leading to a further lack of peace. Besides, worldly peace is very unstable and fluctuating because it highly depends on external factors which are very variable. But the peace which the Lord gives is something very profound and stable, which abides even amidst trouble and disturbance. No external forces however adverse they are can take away such deep-seated peace. It is this peace that Jesus always enjoyed and exercised. It is the same kind of peace that he offers to his disciples and empowers them with. That is why he tells his disciples not to be troubled or disturbed by his physical separation and absence. It is because his eternal presence and the unceasing accompaniment of the Spirit will never leave them. It is this interior power that sustains Paul and Co. to continue their mission like a whirlwind.  Whatever the situation, whether favourable or unfavourable, they persisted in their mission. No opposition, no imprisonment, restrictions, no suffering and persecution even to the point of death, could confine or control their spirit and mission. Through their preaching and personal example, they increase the number of the disciples, strengthen their souls, encourage them to persevere in the faith, and convince them that tribulations would qualify them for entry into the kingdom. They would also ensure an effective animation of every church by appointing quality elders. Direction: Zeal and dedication for the Lord's mission with courage and perseverance are possible only because of the passionate love for God and unflinching loyalty to him   01 MAY 2024: GENESIS 1. 26 -2.3; MATTHEW 13. 54-58: ST JOSEPH THE WORKER Focus: Work is not a sign of lack of something and thus a necessity to make up and gain what is lacking. Neither is it a burden which is forced upon us. Rather, it is part of our nature and essential duty   1.      01 May is celebrated May Day, the Day of Workers, in line with Saint Joseph, the worker. What can be one main lesson from this celebration? We should change our perspective toward work. We must see the essential link between life and work. 2.      Life is a celebration of work. Life is meaningful and worth-living to the extent we work. Work is not to be considered a load, something resented or resisted, something avoided and escaped from, something unpleasant and burdensome. It is to be celebrated. It is to be valued and respected. 3.      Every work is of value and honour. Therefore, there cannot be any discrimination or contempt based on the type of work. There cannot be a disparity as honourable or dishonourable, as noble or low. It is not the status of the work that decides the greatness of the person. Rather, the matter is how intense is one’s commitment, how pure one is, and how far the work is beneficial. 4.      In fact, there is no strict difference like dignified work and low-level work. Every work is sacred and divine because it is participation in the very work of God, who is an eternal, tireless worker. In and through our works productive and transformative, we become collaborators and co-creators with God Himself. 5.      We become architects of the edifice of God’s kingdom. Saint Joseph stands as a glowing example of this aspect of work, in his silence, docility, diligence and loyalty.   Direction: We are called to shed off our layers of mediocrity and sloth and to deepen our enthusiasm and dedication.   02 MAY 2024: ACTS 15.7-21; JOHN 15. 9-11   Indicative: True spirituality is not mere knowledge or expertise about spiritual matters. It is always blended with spiritual tenacity and moral integrity   1.      Unity must be the hallmark of Christianity and Christian followers. However, unity is not uniformity. In the name of unity and oneness, diversities and differences should not be crushed. The authorities and the members of the Church would do well if they maintain this delicate balance between unity and diversity. 2.      This is what the early church did. They always respected the cultural variations. At the same time, they were very clear about the faith essentials. There was no compromise concerning spiritual principles and moral integrity. But they were always flexible concerning cultural divergences. 3.      When disagreement arose about cultural or legal matters like circumcision or Jewish laws, the apostles had the Jerusalem Council and resolved the issue. They were fully open to the direction of the Spirit. Their highest priority was fidelity to their master’s teachings and values and giving God’s grace and salvation to all. 4.      They were not conditioned by petty human considerations like tribe, tradition, culture or chosen race. They were aware that God’s grace is open to all. They realise that they should facilitate others to come to faith and not put a heavy yoke on their neck. They realise that they would only put God to test by imposing unnecessary laws on the believers. 5.      They had this clarity and conviction because they were filled with the wisdom of the Spirit. This in turn was possible because they abide in his love. They continued to abide in his love because they were faithful to keep his supreme commandment of fraternal love. That is why they remain fully joyful even despite all the opposition or dissension.   Imperative: There were no ego interests and ego conflicts in the early church. Even though they were great stalwarts, the apostles set aside their life-size images and gave priority only to God’s love and fraternal mission. How often do our self-images block God’s own image and reduce others to mere shadows?   (Reflection 2)   Focus: True faith is not a servile allegiance to a set of rules and traditions. Rather it is openness to the free action of the Spirit, and thus being receptive to change   Without a doubt, the church of today is going through tough times. The outside world is increasingly hostile and blocking the church. And within the church itself, the fact of divisions cannot be hidden. The early church too was not fully exempt from differences and divisions. But these differences were more on faith issues like the Jewish laws like circumcision. The central point of dispute was whether circumcision should be imposed on the Gentile believers also, just as the Jewish; and whether the Jewish laws were core faith- matters or changeable cultural matters. And what an exemplary and imitable course of action they take! Through patient and sober discussion and discernment, they bring clarity between the primary and secondary principles. Accordingly, the insistence is not on cultural practices like circumcision, but on a life of moral integrity and spiritual fidelity. And this is what is lacking in various church circles of today. The differences and divisions are not based on real issues. Often they are due to shallow and superficial matters like caste, region, language, culture, rite, power, etc. The route to resolve and dissolve these differences is not dialogue and conciliation, but confrontation, discrimination, and condemnation. The end result is animosity and counter-witness to faith itself. At this point, Jesus in the gospel provides the reason and the answer for this problem. The only reason is the lack of abiding love for God. God chose us, not to fight and disfigure the face of the church. We are called, so that we love Him, abide in His love and follow His commandments. The greatest commandment is to love Him and to love others as He loves us. This is the best witness. The greatest effect of this is the completion of joy, experiencing complete joy.   Direction: Modern man more than ever is missing the true and complete joy, because often he is not able to identify and discover that the real joy is found in the Lord and obtain the same from him 03 MAY 2024: I COR 15. 1-8; JOHN 14. 6-14, FEAST OF APOSTLES PHILIP & JAMES  Indicative: True faith is to believe in the Lord and live his very life and mission, to know him, experience him, and follow him. A faith that does not contain these ingredients is not true and deep   1.      True faith lives close to the Lord, nurtures and enjoys a profound relationship with him, and zealously follows in his footsteps. Thus, authentic life and effective mission testify to the true faith. Saints Philip and James, two of the Twelve Apostles whose feast we celebrate today are living testimonies of such true faith. 2.      They lived intimately in the company of the Lord. They followed him loyally in the mission of preaching and guiding. Philip was a missionary preacher and James was the bishop of the Jerusalem church. They bore witness to the Lord with a martyr’s death. 3.      Today’s Word of God in reference to both, places before us some fundamental directives for our own discipleship. Philip’s request, “Lord, show us the Father and that is enough” shows us clearly that the ultimate aim and striving of every disciple must be to see the Father. This is the highest priority and this alone must suffice for one’s life. 4.      And to see the Father is nothing but to see the Son and see the Father in and through the Son. One who really sees the Son sees the Father as well because the Father and the Son are one and united. To see the Son means to know him, experience him, follow him and show him to others. A true disciple must know his way and truth, experience the divine life, follow his values and do his works.   Imperative: Seeing God and showing God are our highest priorities in life and they alone will be enough. But when some other things become the topmost priorities in our life, it is a clear sign that we are failing in our essential duty of seeing and showing God   (Reflection 2)   Focus: We are called by the Lord to keep close to him and to live faithful to him in and through our life. This would imply sharing the faith with others and leading them to Jesus, as the apostles Philip and James did   Today we celebrate the feast of Sts Philip and James, two of the Twelve. Philip was a former disciple of John the Baptist, and James, the Lesser was the brother of Jude Thaddeus, the cousin of the Lord, and the author of the Epistle of James. Philip set himself to preaching and James was the bishop of Jerusalem. Both were martyred. What marks both is their receptivity to the Lord, their close living with him, their constant listening to him and learning from him, obeying and following him. What is notable in both is that having experienced the Lord personally, both become the sharers and transmitters of the same experience of the Lord. Thus both lead others to Jesus. Philip leads Nathanael in particular and in general many others to Jesus by his preaching and witness. James was the bishop of Jerusalem, and thus he too led many believers through his ministry of leadership and animation. Whatever the variance of their mission, they both live with Jesus in personal communion, live for him through their mission, and then shed their blood in martyrdom. In today’s gospel, the request of Philip is very striking. It reflects the mindset of authentic discipleship: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us”. Yes, seeing God is the highest end of his life for a true disciple, and this alone will suffice. Nothing else can be equal to this grace, because nothing else can satisfy and fulfill a person’s life purpose. Today, both apostles stand before us as inspiration for imitation. Their singular devotion to the Lord and their faithful dedication to his mission are worth imitable.   Direction: A personal experience of the Lord is like a fire that does not limit itself only to the person that holds it, but it spreads rapidly to others as well, with the same inflaming effect   04 MAY 2024: ACTS 16.1-10; JOHN 15.18-21   Indicative: The greatness of faith and the quality of life do not always depend on the success of the mission or the number of positive responses. At times, failures, opposition, and persecution may mark our journey of discipleship   1.      One thing that is constantly notable in the life of Jesus and also his apostles is the series of failures along with the successes. Crowds sought and thronged Jesus. The number of faithful increased rapidly during the apostles’ mission. However, they were always opposed, obstructed, and persecuted. But they were undeterred in their mission. 2.      Jesus was divinely wise but he always gave priority to the Father’s will. The apostles too were familiar with the situations and were popular. But they always set aside their personal plans. Instead, they allowed themselves to be blocked or guided by the Holy Spirit in their missionary journeys. We see such instances of specific directions by the Holy Spirit in today’s first reading from the Acts. 3.      They were not disturbed or upset when they met with hatred. It was because their master already warned them, saying, “The world will hate you and it has hated already hated me before you”. Jesus also clarifies the reason why the world will hate them. It is because they are chosen out of the world and they are not of the world. 4.      Therefore, we should be mentally prepared to be persecuted. We must remember that it is the sign and test that we do not belong to the world and that we do not form part of the false ways of the world. We must feel great and happy that we share the same path as our master and continue his noble legacy.   Imperative: We should be cautious about our being on good terms with the world or our successes and popularity. We should check and see whether they are the disguises of being of the world and compromising with the values of the world. Success need not be always bearing fruit. It can also be a fruit of compromise   (Reflection 2)   Focus: Zeal does not always mean that we have the courage and competence to do the best and the best of things; rather it means to surrender ourselves to God's direction to do what and how He wants us to do   It can happen no seldom that some become overenthusiastic and stubborn to follow their plans and enterprises, all in the name of passion and dedication. A true passion never puts one's intelligence, capacity or plans across and against God's wisdom, power, and will. This was the greatness of the apostles that their zeal was never overboard. They always remained docile to the guidance and leading by the Holy Spirit, leaving aside at times their own missionary plans, prevented by the Holy Spirit. It is because they always strove to belong to and imitate their Master and not the world. That is why, they felt happy to be persecuted because they looked at it, not as a negative fate but as a meritorious testimony of their sharing in their Master's lot.   Direction: Hostility and affliction are not always a sign of a bad fate or ill luck, but are the authentic signs of conviction and commitment on behalf of a good cause and a good God