BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST - SOLEMNITY

BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, 02 JUNE 2024 Thrust: Life, possible because united! Indicative: The FEAST of Corpus Christi that we celebrate today is truly a feast of life and oneness. It is a call to live in communion and commitment 1. This Sunday we celebrate the FESTIVITY of the Body and Blood of Christ. One may ask why to speak in this separatist language. Why can't we speak more holistically and personally as "the person" of Christ? 2. Here the point is not language or technicality. We are not speaking of two separate items, body and blood.  3. Rather, it is in specific reference to the sacramentality of the person of Christ. The reference is to the sacrament of the holy Eucharist. It is the Sacramental mode of the Eucharistic presence of the Lord. 4. It signifies the eternal nourishment by the Eucharistic Lord. It points to the marvellous transformation of bread as his own body and the wine as his own blood to feed us and nourish us. 5. Thus Body and blood of Christ are not merely physical or biological components. They are the essence of Christ and his sacramental presence and wholeness. 6. Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life; whoever eats of my flesh and drinks my blood, will not die, but will live forever” (Jn 6. 35-58). It will be simplistic and even foolish to mistake it literally and mock it as cannibalism, as some do. 7. Such a protest is not worth our reflection now. Here very clearly the whole concern of Jesus is “Life”, the kind of life that he offers to us, the quality of life that we must live. 8. Our God is God of life, a living and life-giving God. We are His children. We are destined for eternal life. We are meant to live our life fully (Jn 10. 10: “I came to give life and life in its full measures”) and joyfully (Jn 15. 11: “so that my joy be in you and that be complete”).  9. Therefore, we are people of a culture of life. We need to live this life of God, the divine and the spiritual life, and not merely the earthly, the material and the worldly life. We are called to live more than the "natural" existence. It is a call to live the "supernatural" life, the life of grace. 10. So, any attempts and actions against such a culture of life are counter- productive and counter- witnessing. Sadly, in our times a culture of death is virulent in its diabolic forms of aggression, violence, hatred, retaliation and destruction.  11. In our present times, a culture of death is viral. The beauty, value and the power of life are reduced and despised. Consequently many live without the inner vitality, without the dynamism and the direction of life. 12. Life in the case of a good number appears to be empty, weak and aimless. It is in such a context, the feast of the most holy body and blood of Christ, the feast of the Holy Eucharist, is a timely and perennial recall and recharge. 13. This devilish culture is a blatant contradiction to the very nature of life, our existence as human beings, our identity as God’s children and our destiny as heirs of eternal life. 14. Apart from these explicit forms of death, there are also other passive aggressive forms of death in the form of excessive fear and tension, depression and emptiness. These forms take away the beauty and charm, the worth and value of life. They make life a dry, barren, burdensome and joyless enterprise. 15. It is in this context, Jesus assures us of the abundance and beauty of life. He also shows us how to obtain it and live it so. “Live interiorly, with the inner power; Live vibrantly and rightly, by the guidance and strength of this inner power; Live high and above with a sense of orientation for the eternity”.  16. This is what Jesus means in Jn 6. 56-58, disclosing the three fundamental signs and effects of the Holy Eucharist: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.  Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever”.  17. Therefore, an intimate mutual interior dwelling, vigorous process of living and focused orientation to eternity – this is what the whole life is about. In other words, interiority (of divine presence), dynamism and vigor (of the way of life), and the focus and direction (towards eternity) are the hallmarks of a culture of life, the new life that Jesus offers us. 18. Seen in this wider perspective of life, we must constantly deepen and enhance our reverence and devotion to the holy Eucharist. We must desire to receive it regularly and frequently. We must avoid the  danger to reduce the Holy Eucharist only to a pious practice, a thing to be venerated and worshipped. 19. The holy Eucharist is much more than that. It is the person of Christ himself. It is the fount of life. It is the link of bonding. It is the source of communion. It is the interior power. It is the energy of living. It is the direction to an eternal destiny. 20. How sad it is that venerating and receiving the holy Eucharist, we do not experience the presence of Jesus, his abiding in us! Why do we not feel the bond of communion with him and with others in our believing community?  21. Why do we live so shallow lives, without depth and interiority? Why do we often feel weak and under-nourished, in spite of this greatest nourishment? Why do we often let ourselves misguided and controlled by other forces of evil and the world? Why are we often without any higher goals, without a sense of purpose and destiny? Imperative: The Body and Blood of Christ should remind us that we are all one Body of Christ and we all have the same blood of God's own Spirit flowing in each of us. Sharing the same body, we cannot rupture it. Sharing the same blood, we cannot shed blood of others.

HOLY TRINITY SUNDAY OF THE YEAR B 24

MOST HOLY TRINITY, 26 MAY 2024 1. One God and three persons, but not three Gods: the mystery of the most holy Trinity. The mystery of the Trinity is core to Christianity, and it forms the crux of Jesus' teaching and mission. Jesus reveals the Father and the Spirit. He reveals the face of the Father as he reflects his love to humanity. He is the perfect icon of the Father. He also reveals that the Spirit is the greatest testimony of his continued presence, guidance, and power. 2. And his mission of redemption is one that is derived from the Father, and continued and confirmed through the Spirit. The Father sends the Son in the incarnation, to liberate, reconcile and rejuvenate the sin-tainted humanity. The Son redeems them through his life, death and resurrection. The Spirit as Comforter, Helper, Advocate, and Guide continues and fortifies this mission of sanctification through the disciples in the Church. 3. The Trinity is not a matter to be solved or unraveled or reasoned out or proved. Rather it is a reality to be accepted and lived. Certainly, it is a mystery, in the sense of transcending human comprehension. But the fact that it is beyond sense and reason, does not make it senseless and unreasonable. It only indicates and affirms the infinity, profundity, and immensity of the Trinity on one hand, and the limit, limitation, and superfluity of the human reality on the other hand. 4. Without attempting to subject Trinity to the logic and reasoning of intellectual categories, we can humbly try to make some sense of it. Any explanation for Trinity is only analogous and not literal. In fact, there is no need at all to break one's head to make a perfect sense of Trinity. It is enough to know what the Trinity does for us, what Trinity implies for our life, and how we can live the life and mission of the Trinity in our own lives. 5. Perhaps analogously the Father is like the Spring, the Son is the well or the channel, and the Spirit is the water. The Father is like the Sun, the Son is the rays, and the Holy Spirit is the heat or radiance. 6. What is essential to Trinity is perfect unity. They are one God. They are one in identity, which is divinity: the Father is divine, the Son is divine and the Holy Spirit is divine. They are equally divine in nature, status, and power. However, equality does not mean full identity in their role and function. Trinity is one in fellowship and love. The one and same love resides in each of them, flows across, and binds them together in communion and concern. Trinity is one in mission. It is one mission of salvation or redemption or re-creation or re-integration of humanity, whatever be the terms used, the Trinity is engaged with, in solidarity and commitment. 7. Accordingly, there is distinction but not division, comprehension and not a contradiction, coordination and not subordination, collaboration and not a competition, self-donation and not domination, mutual respect and not contempt, self-emptying and not self-filling, generosity and not jealousy. There are no ego-clashes or seeking self- glory. 8. It is this Trinity that becomes our foundation, animation, and actualization. Trinity is not a mere concept to be understood. Not even a great example and model for inspiration and imitation. Trinity is a life-reality, a concern of experience, relation, living, and commitment. This is our one and unique identity: we are divine images. We belong to God. Trinity constantly invites us to be more and more focused on them, rooted in them, built on them, grow in deep personal communion with them, in love and surrender. Trinity calls us incessantly to live the same unity in fraternity, marked by respect and benevolence. Trinity also challenges us to be selflessly devoted to the one mission of God, in loyalty and commitment. 9. Alas! How far are we as persons, as families and as communities, from the life and mission of the Trinity?  The one identity of the divine likeness and belonging is often dominated and even substituted by secondary and deviated identities and affinities like caste, region, language, culture, power, position, etc. The one bond of love and fellowship is often suffocated and stifled by resentments, hatred, and arrogance. The one mission is often frustrated, ruptured and defeated by ego-projection, ego-promotion, and self-glory. It is high time that we "release" the power of the Trinity to "release" us from our mediocrity and duplicity!

PENTECOST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR 24

19 MAY 2024: THE PENTECOST SUNDAY + 20 – 25 MAY 2024   19 MAY 2024: THE PENTECOST SUNDAY 1.      We celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, the unique day when the Holy Spirit descends and fills the receivers with power. In fact, as Jesus was leaving the earth at the completion of his human mission, he repeatedly comforted his disciples that he would not leave them as orphans, promised them to send the Holy Spirit, and thus assured them his continued presence through the Spirit. 2.      Therefore, the descent of the Holy Spirit is the greatest assurance and sign of God’s own presence, guidance, and power. Pentecost is the initiation of this great outpouring of the Spirit. It is the beginning of a new era, a new time of the Spirit, a new mode of living, walking by the Spirit, living in the realm of the Spirit. 3.      In recent times, it is a very happy thing that the role of the Holy Spirit is more and more realized in our life as God’s faithful children. Consequently, we see so much invocation to the Spirit, so many charismatic prayer movements and sessions, so much emphasis on the Word of God as the communication of the Spirit, so much focus on the gifts of the Spirit such as miracles, tongues, prophecy, etc. There is certainly so much revival, vigor, and enthusiasm, which are all concrete signs of the power of the Spirit. 4.      But wait and beware! There is always the danger of limiting the Holy Spirit only to these external demonstrations and expressions. Holy Spirit is not only some eloquent preaching, some animated and moving prayers, some evocative intercessions, some touching devotion, some powerful healing, some impressing gift of tongue, some happening prophesying, a great mass appeal and gathering huge crowds. 5.      Certainly, as the Spirit is powerful and vivacious, it can have such great external impacts. But the sad thing is, the Spirit is so much confined only to these factors, so much domesticated only to these, so much so that only some groups are charismatic groups, filled by the Spirit, and the others are ordinary mortals, or only some prayer modes are Spirit-powered modes, and the other prayer ways are just the ordinary. 6.      We see in all this, two unhappy tendencies: reduction and arrogance. That is, reducing the Holy Spirit ultimately to powerful preaching and wonders, and also nurturing a disguised spiritual pride of possessing the Spirit to use it at one’s own liking. 7.      And the greatest sad effect and consequence of such tendencies is a failure to renew life. In other words, there is so much demonstration of the power of the Spirit in different spiritual activities, but hardly any real change in concrete life. The power of the Spirit is predominantly restricted to the spiritual zone, with no inflow into the daily life zone. 8.      This creates a wide gap and abyss between spiritual power and success but a practical weakness and value failure. The whole issue is that these spiritual activities and powers do not guarantee a good and holy life. Just listen to how clearly Jesus brings to attention this fact: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name? Then I will tell them openly: I have never known you; away from me, you evil people!” (Mt 7. 22-23). 9.      Therefore we must sincerely question and see: How much the power of the Spirit is challenging and changing my weaknesses? How much does the spiritual illumination of citing many quotations, enlighten and guide for the right thoughts, attitudes, decisions, and actions? How much does the expertise and eloquence of preaching the Word lead to practising the Word in real life? How much the Spirit makes one grow in honesty, in patience, in unity, in generosity, in purity, in holiness, in serenity, in self-control – this is the whole issue. 10.  Claiming to be filled and empowered by the Spirit, but living exactly contrary to the fruits of the Spirit, in grudges and resentments, in needless tensions and disturbances, in anger and impatience, in dishonesty and cheating, in impurity and malice, in criticism and slander, in indifference and selfishness, in greed and grabbing, in division and discrimination, in pride and false dignity, in self-glory and cheap popularity – is this the Holy Spirit? 11.  What kind of Spirit this is? Great display of the gifts of the Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 12. 4-11)! Good! But where is the witness to the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5. 22-23). Let us not limit the Holy Spirit. Let us not drain his power. Let us not dilute his role. Let us not tame him to suit our convenience and advantage. Let us not privatize him to project and promote self-glory.   20 MAY 2024: GENESIS 3. 9-15, 20; JOHN 19. 25b-34, MARY, THE MOTHER OF THE CHURCH Indicative: Today on the Monday following the Pentecost Sunday, Mary is honoured as the Mother of the Church, following the declaration of Pope Francis on 3 March 2018. Mary is truly the Mother of the Church 1.      How meaningful it is that we celebrate Mary as the Mother of the Church soon after the Pentecost! If a new church is born on the Pentecost, the day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, fittingly she needs a mother. Mary is that mother who feeds, nurtures, strengthens, guides and accompanies this newborn church. 2.      Both the readings point to this mothering and accompanying role of Mary. In the gospel, Mary stands at the foot of the cross. Jesus in his dying moments from the Cross, does the mutual entrustment: he entrusts the disciple to the care of Mary, saying, “Woman, behold your son!” and he entrusts Mary to the care of the disciple, saying, “Behold, your mother!” 3.      We know that the disciple represents all the disciples and thus all of us as well. Thereby, we are under the mothering of Mary. Like a Mother so tender, caring, and grooming, Mary continues to mother her children. The first reading from Genesis reports on this mothering of Mary, stating that Mary is the new Eve, the mother of all the living, the mother of the saviour whowould bruise the head of the evil one. 4.      We see that the present society languishes in an atmosphere of lack of love, tenderness, sensitivity, and guidance. In other words, this is all the lack of a mother’s heart, the lack of a mothering spirit. Evil breeds when mothering fails. The same thing happens in the church as well. 5.      When the so-called followers of Christ denounce and discard the very mother of Christ, they are throwing away deliberately the mothering by the mother. One who does not love the mother, cannot love others as well. This obligatory memorial of Mary as the Mother of the Church is a clear call for all of us to rediscover and recapture the lost love, devotion, and imitation concerning Mary. Imperative: Jesus knows that we all need a mother, the Mother. He gives his own mother to be our mother. Why do we want to be orphans, rejecting to love her and to be loved by her? (Reflection 2) Focus: Faith is not so much a matter of beliefs and doctrines but is a relationship, in belonging and adherence    Happy indeed it is to venerate the beautiful Mary as the Mother of the Church soon after the great Pentecost! Mother of the Church is not a mere title in the cap of the litany of the Mother in honour of her. It is not merely an expression of the tutelage of the Mother over the Church. It is also not in the sense of begetting the Church. Rather, being the Mother of the Church is in the sense of "mothering" the Church, protecting her, guiding her and taking care of her. Mary as the Mother of the Church is the head, the Mother of all the disciples. It is a matter of "Trust and entrustment". Jesus trusts his mother whom he loves so much and entrusts her with the care of his church that he loves as well. Similarly, he also trusts his disciples so much and entrusts them with the care of his mother. Mary fulfils her sacred duty through her maternal affection, guidance and strengthening. The disciples accomplish their duty of caring for the Mother through their filial devotion to her and imitation of her. This in fact is the continuation of the perennial "thirst" and the "finishing of the mission".   Direction: In Mary as the Mother of the Church, we have a lover, bearer, promoter, guide and formator of the Church, which is not a mere structure but a community of believers, a family of God's children   21 MAY 2024: JAMES 4.1-10; MARK 9. 30-37   Focus: Greatness is a natural desire and aspiration of everyone. There is nothing wrong in itself. But the problem is when it is wrongly understood and wrongly pursued and acquired through false ways and means   1. In the gospel, the disciples were engaged in a discussion about who was the greatest. Today we are invited to reflect once again a little deeply and sincerely about our own concept, pursuit, and means of gaining that greatness. Jesus dispels the wrong notions of greatness and clarifies what it means to be truly great and how to become rightly great. 2. In the first place, real greatness is not something material. It does not consist in money and material possessions. Real greatness is not something merely social. It does not consist in power and position, status and prestige. Further, real greatness is not merely intellectual. It does not consist in great intellectual calibre, academic excellence, achievement, bundles of knowledge or reckoning honours of educative contribution. 3. Then what is true greatness? How does one obtain it? The gospel and the other readings make it clear. True greatness consists in not desiring to be placed over others, dominating and bossing over them. It is not eager to be first in power and position but first in service. 4. True greatness is commitment to God's will and mission. Subsequently, it also implies the readiness and courage to face the consequences, to go through the ordeal of the way of the cross, even to the extent of death. This is what Jesus did. This is what we find in the lives of the prophets, the righteous exemplified by the suffering servant of Yahweh. 5. True greatness is receiving even children, that is the vulnerable, the uncountables and negligibles in the society. It accepts and respects them. This is contrary to the mindset that one becomes great by association with big people. This is why often we find that great people may have their own "social circles", or "privileged elite". They create an aura around them that there is an air of inaccessibility, unconcern and uninvolvement. 6. Further, true greatness consists in receiving the example of a child. Among numerous qualities of a child, are purity and guilelessness of heart, total trust and dependence on God, love for God and always seeking to please Him. 7. The second reading from the letter of James offers us some more pointers to true greatness. It is to be free from all greed, selfish ambition and arrogance. It is to be free from all disorder and every vile practice. True greatness essentially consists in “enmity with the world and friendship with God”. Direction: In the ultimate analysis, to be truly great is to consistently nurture spiritual tenacity and productivity and to lead a righteous and forbearing life    22 MAY 2024: JAMES 4. 13-17; MARK 9. 38-40 Focus: Life is not a story of unhealthy competition but healthy cooperation and collaboration. All the more the work for God and good is a matter of working together and supporting one another 1.      When John sees someone casting out demons, he objects to it before Jesus because he does not belong to their group. We need not blame him for jealousy. It can be a simple zeal for his master. But his reaction is quite indicative of our own attitudes of jealousy and ‘privatization’. Often in the life of many, jealousy plays havoc. They cannot tolerate any others doing good and great. 2.      This is because they monopolize and privatize everything. They think all the good belongs to them; only they have a right; only they must possess everything or at least the major portion. The same tendency affects the spiritual ambit as well. They feel that God’s grace must be only for them. 3.      This in turn springs from the attitude of self-centrism. ‘I’ becomes the norm and measure of everything. This is similar to what St James reproves as arrogance. It is arrogance that tries to program one’s life pushing God outside the territory of one’s life. 4. It is arrogance that depends too much on one’s own will and plans to ignore God’s will and plans. It is arrogance that forgets the transience and uncertainty of earthly life. It is arrogance that boasts of one’s greatness and success. 5.      Thus, this chain of egoism, monopoly, arrogance, and jealousy leads to a lot of resentment, resistance, slander, and explicit harm against others. Therefore, we should persistently guard and fight against these evil pressures. 6. We must bear in mind that grace and good works are no one’s privileges or prerogatives. We have no right to resist any good in the name of allegiance. Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, is sinning. Also whoever resists the right thing, is sinning Direction: All our competence, talents and abilities are God’s gifts. And all these are meant for God and good. God’s work is always a collaborative project that invites all to be involved and accomplish collectively. No one has a right to block anyone doing good! 23 MAY 2024: JAMES 5. 1-6; MARK 9. 41-50 Focus: Living a scandalous life and giving a bad example will certainly invite God’s wrath and judgment. For it is not only self-ruin but also ruining others through misguidance 1.      Jesus comes heavily on scandals and bad examples. Those who cause scandals and influence and lead others to sin deserve to be killed. He bluntly declares: Whoever causes others to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 2.      In this context, St James in the first reading gives us one dominant cause of scandal and that is lust for riches. Men in their riches become unwise and arrogant, indifferent to God, unconcerned and unjust toward others, and deceptive and corrupt. God will condemn them. 3.      Therefore, whoever gives scandals to others, whoever lives a deviated life, whoever misguides others to wrong ways, whoever deceives and manipulates others with cunningness and falsity, whoever creates, justifies, and promotes evil, instead of avoiding it, is liable to God’s displeasure and death 4.      But alas how many are least bothered about setting a bad example to others? How many politicians, famous and influential people, religious leaders, parents, and elders continue to give bad examples to others? 5. That indifference to God, that lack of prayer, those quarrels, that anger, that needless anxiety, that irresponsibility, that negligence in faith matters, that deception, that greed, that selfishness, that failure to guide, to counsel, to correct, to inspire, that lack of tenderness, understanding, and kindness, whether in the families or in the parish or in the neighbourhood or in the places of work – all these, are they not scandals which we give to our dear ones, to our neighbours or colleagues? 6.      One great antidote to this disease is awareness of the gravity of sin. Sin is not fun. It is something serious. Its consequences are grave. Losing our limbs is preferable to committing sin. It is better to go to heaven handicapped rather than go to hell with all the limbs. 7.      Another remedy is to help and support those who belong to and work for Christ. Jesus says, “Whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward”. 8.      Further, another way to counter the pull toward scandals is to be more responsible for our role of being salt. Just as salt preserves things from decay and deterioration and adds flavor, so also with our saltiness of a good example, we can salten life.   Direction: Time and again we are surrounded and shocked by scandals and bad examples. In such a context, on the one hand, we need to increase our immunity to resist their negative influence; on the other hand, we need to enhance our strength for positive influence and a good example   (Reflection 2)   Focus: A bad example is detestable in the sight of God and is liable to God’s judgment 1.      One major defect of today’s society is the increase of bad examples and scandals. More and more people get accustomed and tuned to wrong and evil. The pity all the more is, they are least bothered. Many give more importance to their self-gain and pleasure rather than setting a good example. Many do not feel any social and moral obligation to walk a good life and help others to walk the same. 2.       This bad example is mainly failing - to trust in the Lord, to seek Him with sincerity of heart, and to love and live uprightness. It is the perversity of thinking. It is cultivating a deceitful soul. It is a body enslaved to sin. 3.       The attitude of many who set a bad example is: ‘This is my life and I want it to be happy and undisturbed’. Why should I bother to give a good example to others? It is their freedom and choice. Let them not be easily influenced by bad examples.’ 4.       There is certainly some truth in their argument. But they cannot simply evade their culpability. In fact, the gravity of their wrong is so great that it invites severe punishment. The Lord pronounces ‘woe’ on them and attests: it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea.   24 MAY 2024: JAMES 5. 9-12; MARK 10. 1-12   Focus: In any relationship, selfishness is very damaging. It leads to closed-mindedness and stubbornness. These shut the doors to understanding and kindness   1.      Today, especially the walls of married and family life are shaking and crumbling. Excessive ego and cheating are two reasons for this. People are carried away by self-pride in the name of self-dignity. Self-interests are promoted in the name of self-making. Deceiving and manipulating are justified as tools for success and happiness. 2.      This is really the corrosion of the dignity and sanctity of married life. This is visibly reflected in the increasing number of divorces. It is sad that sometimes divorces are sought even for silly reasons. Jesus today addresses this issue. He makes it very clear that marriage union is divine and sacred and so indissoluble. Any breach of this bond is never His will. 3.      In this context, humility, and fidelity can be the two greatest pillars on which the edifice of married life can be rebuilt. The efforts of both partners should be to safeguard the bond rather than being hasty to break it at the slightest pretext. 4.      A healthy family life requires more humility to acknowledge and admit one’s own weaknesses and failures instead of defending and justifying them. It calls for reducing our sense of false ego, which is inflated and blown up. It also calls for making more space for the weaknesses of the other and accepting him or her. 5.      Further, it needs more fidelity. As long as there is no trust and trustworthiness in each other, as long as there is no openness and transparency to each other, as long as there is no honesty and truthfulness, but instead, there is hiding, lying, and cheating, then surely that family life will collapse. The counsel of St James in the first reading can be relevant here. He urges us to be steadfast with patience in suffering like Job.   Direction: There can be sometimes some valid reasons for divorce and separation. However, we cannot glorify it or legitimize it. The fact remains that family life today requires more steadfastness and fidelity   25 MAY 2024: JAMES 5. 13-20; MARK 10. 13-16   Focus: Openness to God’s grace is crucial for the working of it. God can work freely and abundantly when there is humble receptivity and cooperation   1.      In today’s gospel, the whole scene pivots around children. Jesus rebukes his disciples who hinder children from being brought to him to be touched and blessed. He wants children to come to him, be close to him, and be touched and blessed by him. He also makes it crystal clear that only to such belongs the kingdom of God. 2.      We can reflect now on what it means to be children and to be childlike. Before that, some simple questions can be asked. Today how many parents take their children closer to Jesus, to the church, to the sacraments, to the spiritual animation? How many parents initiate, motivate, guide, and foster their children in matters of faith and morals? How many of them instil and ignite in their children a love for God and enthusiasm for spirituality? 3.      In the name of giving the children freedom, and respecting their individual responsibility, are the elders not failing in their responsibility? Are we ourselves not hindering them from Jesus? What a loss it is that our children miss the nearness, the touch, and the blessing of Jesus! 4.      We may also reflect on the attitude of the children of today. How many children have this longing to go to Jesus, to receive his touch and blessing? How many prefer to spend long hours watching TV, playing video games, or with their friends? How many children become so irregular to the church, especially to the Holy Eucharist and the holy confession? 5.      We can further reflect on being childlike. Essentially it means a heart that bubbles with tender affection, a guileless heart that harbours nothing negative, with humility to realize their smallness, deep trust to depend totally on God, and wholehearted surrender to Him. 6.      In the light of the first reading from the letter of St James, all this means a “praying” heart that surrenders all to God, be it suffering, sickness, or weakness. Such a praying heart is also benevolent toward others, in praying for them, healing them, and bringing them back to God.   Direction: Care should be taken so that our prayers do not become self-oriented. We need to realize the efficacy of the prayer of intercession for others. Thus our prayers must become more altruistic and benevolent        

ASCENSION OF THE LORD 24

ASCENSION OF THE LORD 12 MAY  2024 Indicative: Ascension is the point of completion and fulfillment of Jesus’ mission on earth as a human person. 1. We celebrate today Jesus’ ascension to heaven.  Ascension is not just the end of Jesus’ earthly presence. It is not just getting back his glory in heaven. The purpose is not to demonstrate to the disciples about his greatness. It is also not to prove to all that he is glorious.   2. Ascension marks the end of the post- resurrection preparation of the disciples for their life and mission. It is a special time to prepare to live and do without Jesus' physical presence. Yes, the duration between his resurrection and ascension is not a period of suspension. Rather it is a time of intense preparation of the disciples.  3. The risen Lord appears to them, continues to teach them, illumine them, guide them, strengthen, and confirm them in their faith and mission. It was a preparation to meet the future in his physical absence. How the future will be without Jesus? How they have to live and do their mission? These are crucial and disturbing questions. 4. Here we highlight three essential aspects of ascension. They are namely, confirmation, assurance and assignment. Primarily ascension is a confirmation. Ascension confirms our faith that our Lord is Lord of heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father He is able to sympathize with us. He  intercedes for us, and sustains us from heaven. 5. It Confirms that heaven is the original abode of Jesus. It gives the Confirmation that Jesus is in eternal communion with the Father and the Spirit.  Confirmation that Jesus resumes his original abode, his original glory, his original identity, his original communion. He is not gaining anything new, anything that is not his. He is regaining what is his own. 6. In fact ascension is truly restoration. Jesus attests: “As I came from the Father and have come into the world, so I am leaving the world and going to the Father” (Jn 16. 28). God the Father restores to Jesus his original glory. Jesus accomplishes Father’s will and the mission entrusted to him. The Father is pleased with his fidelity, and so as sign of this holy pleasure and as an evidence of this victory over evil, God raises Jesus, and that is resurrection. 7. Thus resurrection is the authentic testimony that Jesus’ incarnation, life, passion and death are not futile, but are purposive and infinitely efficacious and meritorious. Thereafter ascension is a complete confirmation of this victory and glory. Jesus goes back to where he comes from. A vital chapter of his redemptive mission is over. 8. Then ascension is Assurance: assurance that we will not be left alone as he goes away from the earth. Assurance that he will never abandon us but will accompany us through the Holy Spirit. Assurance that our help will not be less with Jesus’ going away, but in fact will be much more. In heaven and from heaven, he is totally powerful, and he is not restricted and constrained by any human limitations and vicissitudes. 9. Therefore we should rejoice that Jesus ascended to heaven, rather than lament that he has left us, going away from earth. This is what Jesus makes clear to the disciples also: “it is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you” (Jn 16. 7).  So an assurance that Jesus’ presence, guidance and power will never cease. The Holy Spirit will continue the same presence, guidance and power of Jesus.  10. It is also an Assurance that our destiny and destination is also heaven, as Jesus assures the disciples in his farewell discourse, “you shall be with me where I am” (Jn 14. 3). Assurance that they and we will share the same glory, as Jesus prays in his farewell prayer: “Father, since you have given them to me, I want them to be with me where I am and see the Glory you gave me” (Jn 17. 24).  11. Further, there is also a summon, an assignment: It is a call to trust in a new kind of presence and power of God, and to live the spiritual presence and power, beyond the physical. We should go beyond our too much clinging to what is physical, direct, external and visible. We must learn to walk in a higher spiritual realm.  12. Thereby Ascension carries along an assignment to commit ourselves to attain the same destiny of ascension, i.e. residing in the same Glory. It is a commitment to a daily ascension. This consists in an incessant restoration, regaining our original identity and dignity. Obtaining the heavenly glory is not acquiring something new which is not there. It is not a novel creation or a grand invention or acquisition. Rather it is a discovery, a recapturing, a regain of what is already there.  Imperative: Ascension is a commitment to become what we already are: to daily “ascend” to our real higher self, our true identity of being God’s own images, the children of God, disciples and friends of Christ, abodes of the Holy Spirit and the heirs of heaven.

VI SUNDAY OF THE EASTER 24

6th EASTER SUNDAY, 05 MAY 2024, ACTS 10.25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 JOHN 4.7-10; JOHN 15. 9-17 Focus: If you want to see and know the true love, then look at God. You find there the beauty and perfection of love, which is the source and model of all love 1.       Once again, the focus of today’s Word of God is God’s love. We are reminded about the nature of God’s love, its longings, and ways, the effects, and fruits of it. We are also urged to follow the same route, experience and show the same love, and reap its fruits. 2. “Abide in love” is the clearest call of the Word of God and “abide in my love” is the clarion call of Jesus to all his followers. Only when we love God can we truly say that we are born of him and that we know him. God is love and therefore no one can love, without God and apart from Him. 3.  Therefore, in the very first place, it is very clear, why many are not able to love, neither experience it themselves nor give it to others. If God is Love itself, the fullness, the essence, and the perfection of it, then how can one love without God? It is only those who are generated by God and know God, only they can love. 4.       But, wait! We need to understand here the immense difference between God’s love and our love. God’s love is not self-centered or self-interested. It is always other-oriented. The Father loved us to such an extent as to offer His own Son as the expiation for our sins, to make us live again, all those dead by sin. The Son too loves his disciples just as the Father’s love. He loves us in such a way as to die for our sins. 5.       Thus, the love of the Father is shown in giving His own self through His Son. The love of the Son is seen in obeying the will of the Father, in his self-giving for our salvation. In other words, he proves his love for the Father by keeping the Father’s commandments, and that is self-sacrifice in love for sinful humanity. 6.       Therefore, if we are truly his disciples, then we must abide in his love. What kind of love is this? On one hand, it is self’-emptying and self-giving, and on the other hand, dignifying and filling us. That is why he no longer calls and treats us like servants but friends. He elevates our dignity and he dies for our sake. And now we can abide in this kind of his love, if only we keep his commandments. And the greatest commandment is to love one another, even to the extent of dying for the other. 7.       Now, what is the fruit and effect of such a sacrificial love? In some other simple words, what do we gain if we live such love? The result is the greatest. We will obtain the Lord’s own joy. It is totally in contrast to the joy that the world gives. The worldly joy is shallow, imperfect, and transient. Many times, it is self-seeking, a self-serving joy to the detriment of others, as well as self-ruin. Instead, the joy that the Lord gives is profound, perfect, complete, and lasting. It is a joy that bears abundant fruits of love in charity and benevolence. 8.       Thus, the picture is clear and complete: God is love. We belong to God and know Him if only we abide in love. This love is self-giving in total surrender to God. This love is the greatest commandment that shows itself in total sacrifice for the other. Only thus, we will obtain His perfect and true joy. This joyful love flows out in abundant fruits of holiness and goodness. 9.       What type of love is ours? How can I say that I love God and do not do what He says? I do not obey His will and still, I claim that I love Him! I do not keep His commandments and yet I speak of loving Him! I know that loving the other selflessly is the greatest commandment, but still, willingly go on failing in fraternity and charity. This is only a mockery of God and love themselves! Direction: Even if God is offering us never-drying streams of His love, then do we go away dried and drained? Even if God is offering us complete and abiding joy, why do we prefer to go after false and short-living pleasures and gratifications?