HOLY THURSDAY

 LOVE LIVES ON IN HUMILITY, SANCTITY AND FIDELITY

(REFLECTION ON HOLY THURSDAY AS A CELEBRATION OF LOVE, IN WASHING OF THE FEET AND LAST SUPPER, IN INSTITUTION OF EUCHARIST AND PRIESTHOOD)

HOLY THURSDAY, 01 April 2021

1. Today's specialty is the famous Last Supper. In that dinner scene, there are two central events: One is, Washing the feet of the disciples, and the other is, the Last dinner with his disciples. And in these two action episodes, there are two essential aspects: Witness and Institution – Witness to love, humility and service; Institution of holy Eucharist and holy Priesthood.

2. Taken as such, these two actions may not be so unique and extraordinary, because there are certainly some goodhearted people who serve others, who wash them and take care of them. And also to share a meal with friends or followers, is nothing out of the way. BUT it is the identity of Jesus, the purpose and the effect of these two events that make these historical and singular.

3. It is the IDENTITY OF JESUS that makes the washing of his disciples’ feet, a unique event. Jesus is their Master and Lord. He is the Son of God and Savior. He is the King and the Ruler. But here the Master washes his disciples’ feet. The Lord kneels before the servants. The Son of God bends before sons of men. The Saviour touches and kisses the feet of the sinners to be saved. The king attends in service of his subjects. As a climax and peak of this, he shares a meal with them. His guests are not any dignitaries but simple people. And this is the farewell meal. What a contrast experience!

4. This is clearly a supreme act of WITNESS, a teaching in practice, an example in concrete. He has always been teaching and exhorting to be loving, to be humble and to serve. But now he shows them in action. This is a tangible and powerful example of love, humility and service. These two actions also become the occasions to emphasize the indispensable duty to love, to be humble and to serve, binding on every follower of Christ. These alone are the identity marks of a true disciple.

5. A true disciple cannot be otherwise: he or she cannot be hateful and unloving, living in indifference, violence or selfishness; cannot be arrogant, living in false dignity and self-glory; cannot domineer and subjugate others, depriving others their due dignity and rights. These are only counter-signs! One who lives resentfully, aggressively and selfishly, one who is puffed up and puts on airs, and who manipulates and lords over others, on the basis of affinities like caste, colour, creed, region, language, culture, rite, or money or power or position or intelligence or competence, are a disgrace to discipleship.

6. But these lessons and experience of love, humility and service, cannot be just limited only to those few moments, as it happens many times in our case: that a good number of our beautiful and inspiring experiences are so sadly limited only to some special occasions. Many unfortunately suffer from “short time memory”, “convenient forgetfulness”, and “selective practice”, especially with regard to God –and-good matters. 

7. But Jesus wants these triple principles to continue forever, even after his physical separation. They will enliven and transmit his presence and action, for all times. In other words, Experience, Continuation and perpetuation of love, humility and service – this in simple is the prime purpose of the last supper. The result of this purpose is effected in the institution of the holy Eucharist and the holy Priesthood.

8. Both the Eucharist and the Priesthood are nothing but the sacred sacraments which contain this experience, and continue and foster that presence and action of the Lord in love, humility and service. Every time Eucharist and priesthood are celebrated, the Lord is present and active and we are drawn to him in love, humility and service. Thus on one hand, we are drawn to the Lord and bound with him, and also draw grace in light and strength from him. On the other hand, we are also drawn to one another and bound with each other, in one community and humanity, and are also charged to live and witness love, humility and service. Eucharist and priesthood are thus so sacred and noble, because they are the containers and transmitters of the “personal” presence of the Lord in the sacramental celebration, and the “testified /concretized” presence of the Lord in witnessing a life of love, humility and service.

9. In this context, a series of self-checking questions should be posed to us quite sincerely: How is our attitude and devotion toward the holy Eucharist? Why we see often so much indifference, tepidity, callousness and lack of reverence toward the holy Eucharist? How often we are unaware that the Lord himself enters into us, abides in us, nourishes us, heals and strengthens us? How little we feel his effect? How often we go away from the Eucharist, even without the least change and betterment, and continue to live worse? How can we continue so weak, so unclean, so deviated, so disunited, so hateful, so proud, so despising others, even celebrating and receiving the Eucharistic Lord?

10. What is our attitude and approach towards the holy Priesthood and the effect of it in our lives, both concerning those who have this vocation and those who receive the fruits of their ministry? How painful it is that at times the sanctity and the dignity of this holy priesthood is so degraded! At times what a disrespect, criticism and harmful behavior toward priests? How easily we forget the holiness of their vocation, the immense sacrifices of them, and selfless services from them? How uncharitably and ungratefully we become one-sided and prejudiced and ignore their goodness? How often we fail to encourage, support our priests, while we demand so much from them? How often we put too high demands on them, while we don’t bother even a little about our own quality of life? How often we exaggerate their small defects, instead of being empathetic toward them?

11. A balanced and healthy perspective towards priesthood is very much needed: it is holy, noble and dignified, even though there can be imperfections. Personal defects should not reduce the sanctity of it, should not lower its dignity to something cheap, should not discourage and diminish the faith of the people. Experience of the Lord’s presence and his action in concrete lives blooming in love, humility and service – these should be the distinguishing marks of holy Eucharist and priesthood.

 

PALM SUNDAY

 ENTRY INTO THE HOLY WEEK, 28 MARCH 2021

1. We are set to enter the Holy Week. All the days in the Lenten season till now are one count, and the days in this holy week are another count. Not that we take away the importance of all these days. Certainly they have been moments and experiences of God’s closeness in increased prayer, penance and kindness. But these few days are the last phase, and they should be more intense and deeper. They should intensify our Lenten spirit, and also help us to recuperate and compensate for what has been lacking. We have three important days in this holy week, namely, the Palm Sunday, Holy or Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, before we enter upon the Easter Vigil and the Easter Sunday.

2. We can begin with an honest observation: Often in the conducting of the ceremonies and preaching during the holy week, there is a dominant tendency to dramatize or fantasize or to traumatize. That is, too much aura of a drama is created, a fertile imagination is cultivated and a deep feeling of sorrow and remorse is aroused. A certain extent of these may be okay and needed, in the sense that they may help to evoke deep sentiment, to touch the heart, and to involve the persons more personally. But if they are limited only to that level, the effect may be shallow and short-lived. That is why we see very often that all the changes and the spirit of sacrifice and kindness remain no longer than the Good Friday, not even lasting till the Easter night!

3. What is needed is not merely to dramatize or traumatize but to empathize and energize life thereafter. On one hand, our holy celebrations are intended to re-deepen within us a renewed empathy for the Lord, feeling one with him in authentic sensitivity and repentant solidarity, and an intimate communion with him. On the other hand, they should re-enthuse and re-energize our spirits for a changed and recharged living. We need then a real shift of emphasis, a shift of paradigm and priorities.

 

PASSION (LOVE) LEADS TO PASSION

(SUFFERING): JESUS LOVES US AND IS ORIENTED TO SUFFER FOR US

  

PALM SUNDAY, 28 MARCH 2021

1. Often I am fascinated by the whole scene of the Palm Sunday, called also Passion Sunday. Why? I see a vivid connection and parallel between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. In both the scenes, there is procession; there is excitement; there is enthusiasm; there is crowd; there is noise and commotion; there is Jesus the central figure; there is a big following and accompaniment. But there is also a vital difference: the mood is different; the ambience is different; the intentions are different; the presentation and the figure of Jesus is different; the type of slogans is different; the destination and the end of the procession is different.

2. On the Palm Sunday, it is a royal procession; it is a rather favorable crowd, with positive slogans; Jesus is honored as a king, seated on a donkey; the way is streets of Jerusalem, with clothes spread along; the purpose is to install Jesus as king; and the destination is the temple of Jerusalem, the center of the city. But on the Good Friday, it is a “criminal” procession; it is a hostile crowd; with hateful slogans; Jesus is disgraced as a criminal, loaded with cross; the way is the road to mount Calvary, marked with dust, stones and his blood; the purpose is to crucify Jesus as a blasphemer, as a rebel, as a heretic; the destination is Calvary, on the periphery of the city.

3. What is very interesting and strange is, it is the same crowd, and that too within a span of just four days. The whole scene changes. The whole “passion for” Jesus on Palm Sunday, ends up in the “passion of” Jesus on the Good Friday. Just to pick up some sudden contrast of details of scenes: palms in arms turn into arms to harm, into scourges; joyful cries of hosanna, hosanna turn into resentful shouts of ‘crucify him, crucify him’; donkey turns into cross; king into criminal; sentiment into resentment; felicitation into persecution; kingly crown into thorny crown; clothes of welcome and honor into stones and thistles of rejection; applause into abuse; smooth ride into bloody stumbling; coronation into crucifixion; glory into misery.

4. It is here we need to focus, not so much on the exact and crude details of Jesus’ trial, cross and suffering. Rather what are the leading factors, and why and how he accepts and bears all of that. It is the sharp contrast between the single and undivided nature, perspective, motive and goal of Jesus, and the divided nature, divided and deviated perspectives, motives and goals of the people. Jesus’ nature is divine and noble. His perspective is spiritual and noble. His motive is inner renewal and transformation. And his goal is heaven and kingdom. But the nature of the people is human and fragile. Their perspective is totally material and unworthy. Their motive is worldly gains and self-interests. Their goal is an earthly king and earthly kingdom against the Roman empire. Thus there is a wide chasm between Jesus and the people. This leads them to such a shocking compromise, instability, infidelity and defection, in contrast to Jesus’ conviction, stability, fidelity and dedication, which really confront, challenge and frustrate them.

5. This is the right and apt time to do a little self-checkup concerning our own nature, perspectives, motives and goals. How often we fall to compromise, instability, infidelity and defection, failing in conviction and commitment to the Lord? Are we not among and like those people, whenever we are easily carried away by our own weaknesses, material and unspiritual perspectives, self-centered interests and gains and cheap and low goals?

Let us surely feel for the Lord who suffers so much by such disloyalty and betrayal. But let us also as much feel pain and repentance concerning our own selves, who hurt and torment him daily by our compromising attitudes, false values, ill-character and wrong-footed behavior and actions.

 

5th week of Lent

 

22 – 27 MARCH 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTIONS

 

22 MARCH 2021, DANIEL 13. 41-62; JOHN 8. 1-11

 

Focus: The innocent may go through testing and troubled times for a while, but God never forsakes them. Those who trust in God will not fail

 

Today’s Word of God invites our attention on God’s merciful intervention in human life. Especially in situations of accusation, judgement and condemnation, in situations of ‘no other way’, in situations when we feel that we are lost and no one can save me, in such situations, God enters and reverses the whole course of things.

This is what happens in both the readings. In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, an innocent Susanna is accused, judged and condemned, and in the gospel, an adulterous woman too is accused, judged and condemned. The case of both is adultery, and both are condemned to death. But, the difference is: Susanna was innocent and the adulterous woman was culpable.

However, the main issue is not so much innocence or wrong. The whole focus is on God intervening in our difficult and desperate times. He never allows an innocent to perish in disgrace. That is why, through Daniel, God rescues Susanna from the false accusation and condemnation. And he is always merciful and never condemns anyone however sinful one is. That is why, in the gospel Jesus rescues the adulterous woman from stoning by the crowd. He forgives her and changes her life.

The question is not the sin of the woman to be punished, but each one's sin to be realised and judged. The end is not condemnation but transformation. The purpose is not termination of the sinner, but the elimination of sin.

Jesus says, "Let one without sin, cast the first stone on the woman". This is a clear call for this self-focus and self-discovery. This will lead to a genuine repentance and conversion, and this leads also to an empathetic forgiveness and charity. It is not a leniency or compromise concerning sin and wrong, it is not minimising it or justifying or defending it. He does not tell them, not to stone her; and this implies that sin is certainly culpable and punishable. He sends her away, commanding her not to sin anymore. This indicates clearly that sin is certainly grave and detestable, and therefore must be avoided and overcome.

 

Direction: Let us keep aside our hypocrisy to project ourselves as just and to blame others as sinful. We must remember that righteousness is different from self-righteousness. Ultimately it is God who judges us

 

23 MARCH 2021, NUM 21. 4-9; JN 8. 21-30

 

Focus: To sin may be part of human frailty. But repentance and focus on God will certainly win God's forgiveness and healing

 

Jesus is United with the Father. He is sent from the Father, he listens to Him and does what pleases Him. But the people do not believe in him and they reject him. The reason is a total contrast between him and the people: he is from above but they are from below; he belongs to God but they belong to the world.

This is the same case with regard to the Israelites. They are so earth-bound. Their main botheration in the desert was food and drink, and that too rich and variety. They forget all their misery of slavery in Egypt. They forget the mighty works of God. They even lose sight of the greatest act of liberation, the Exodus. They don’t realize how benevolently God provides them food from heaven even in the desert. They don’t value and appreciate God’s manifold blessings. They turn ungrateful, grumbling and blaming. They blame Moses and God as if they liberated the people from Egypt for dying in the wilderness. They call manna as a loathsome worthless food.

This is all because their perspective, their concerns were in contrast to God’s. Thus, those who are caught up with the world and remain immersed into it, will fail in their faith and goodness. They become blind to God and to others. Further, they will die in their own sin. However, if they repent and seek God’s mercy, they would be forgiven and saved, like the Israelites. Yes, those who raise themselves out of the grip of the world, and remain focused on the Lord, will gain eternal life.

 

Direction: As long as one does not realize one's sinfulness and refuses to accept it and repent for it, will not receive God's forgiveness and will not change their lives

 

24 MARCH 2021: DANIEL 3. 14-20,24-25, 28; JOHN 8. 31-42

 

Focus: Good will always be assaulted by evil and will be forced to default and defect. But faith, perseverance and fidelity will sustain the good.

 

In the first reading from Daniel, the three youngsters Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego defy the order of the king to worship the false god. They remain faithful to the true God. They know the truth and they continue free to serve the true God. They prefer to obey God rather than to please the king. They prefer temporary persecution to eternal damnation. They remain as obedient but free children of God rather than as the enslaved children of sin. They prefer to die so that they can gain eternal life. No threat, no fear, no force, no pressure can shake their faith.

On the contrary, in the gospel, the Jews fail to know the Truth, Jesus himself. They become blind to recognize his identity, by their shallow following of the laws and traditions. They become slaves of sin They reject Jesus, the supreme giver and perfecter of all law. They lose the precious gift of freedom, offered by him.

This is what happens in the case of anyone who is blind to truth and led by false ways of the world and shallow practices. Any rejection of truth is falsity. Any falsity is sin and every sin is an enslavement. And every enslavement takes away the real freedom. But we know freedom is the deepest craving and priced treasure of every human, and every one seeks it. Nothing of the world can substitute true freedom. When there is no true freedom, there will be no meaning, no value, no dignity and no deep joy of life.

Faith alone gives that inner sight to see and follow truth. What the three young men had was this faith, and what the Jews lacked was this same faith. Consequently, the three young men were rescued and freed. They become worthy of eternal life. But the unbelieving Jews continue enslaved. They stand condemned and lose eternal life.

 

Direction: Many are externally free, in the sense that they are free to do anything of their choice and preference. But little they realize that any slavery to sin is only false freedom

 

25 MARCH 2021: ISAIAH 7. 10-14; HEB 10. 04-10; LUKE 1. 26-38 SOLEMNITY OF ANNUNCIATION

 

Focus: Miracles happen when there is a combination of God’s action and human reception and cooperation

 

1.       God sends His angel to Mary with His plan of incarnation for salvation. He seeks and awaits her approval. This is precisely the nobility and magnanimity of God: Even though He can do very well without us, yet He wants to involve us, wants us to be His collaborators and sharers. It is only because He loves us. True love values others, respects each person’s dignity and honour.

2.       How much noble and magnanimous we are, being His children? How much do we see all others as persons of dignity and respectability? How much do we treat others with respect? How often and how easily we despise others, showing a false greatness and sticking to our own ideas, opinions and prejudices?

3.       Then from the part of Mary, what a humility, docility and surrender to God’s grace and plan! What humility! She does not get puffed up that God Himself is standing at His door for her approval. She does not forget her finitude as a creature before God’s infinity. In all humility, she is aware that the offer of her divine maternity is not her merit or greatness but God’s love and care.

4.       What a docility! She does not contest or argue or reject or doubt God’s plan. Even her question, “how it is possible to bear a son without rapport with her spouse” is a quite normal and legitimate question expected from a simple teenage girl, brought up in faith and morals. Perhaps bearing children outside the marital bond may not be a big issue for many in our modern society. But for her society and tradition, certainly it was a matter of immorality and infidelity. But in her docility, she risked being labelled immoral and unfaithful. For her, what mattered the most was God’s plan and salvation of all, and not her human thinking and reputation.

 

5.       Then what a surrender: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord! Be it done unto me according to your word!” Often we are so accustomed to these words of Mary that we take for granted and take light the immensity of Mary’s act of acceptance. It needed the guts of the spirit to utter such words of total surrender. What a surrender! She has no discussion, no conditions, no suggestions. She does not clarify how God would safeguard her reputation, or how God would let others know about her virginity and innocence in spite of conception, or how God would her family and Joseph take it. She does not request God at least to convince her spouse. She is not much worried about the myriads of uncertainties and risks that await her. Her only concern was to do God’s will and an unconditional ‘Yes’ to God’s will.

 

6.       Now it is not enough to admire Mary for her humility, docility and surrender. What about our humility, docility and surrender? A little talent, a little capacity, a little money, a little position, how much we become arrogant? Even with regard to spiritual gifts, how easily we succumb to feeling that I am better than others, I am greater than others?

 

7.       How docile we are? Even though many times God proposes, inspires, advises, admonishes many things, how much we can be obstinate and fixated, clinging to our own ideas and calculations? We give more importance to our human intelligence, reasoning and decisions, rather than God’s wisdom and promptings? Do we know better than God? Can we do better than God?

 

8.       How often we lack the spirit of surrender? We try to convince God that it is not right and possible to do His will. We have hundred and one reasons to explain and justify why we cannot surrender to God’s ways. We fail to surrender only because I and self-interests become the centre of my whole thinking and not God’s will and the good of others. We may allow ourselves to be carried away by what is false, what is ignominious, what is unjust, what is impure, what is ineffable, what is dishonourable, what is vice and harmful. Instead, as St Paul to Philippians (4.8) exhorts us, our focus and striving must be on what is true, noble, just, pure, affable, honourable, virtuous and beneficial. We must put into practice what we have learned, received, heard and seen.

 

Direction: We shall desire and pray that we may become more and more humble, docile and surrendered like Mary, because only thus, we can receive the Saviour and experience his saving touch.

 

26 MARCH 2021: JER 20. 10-13; JOHN 10. 31-42

 

Focus: Good and good people will always face adversities and will suffer a lot at the hands of evil. But those who confide in God and are convinced of good, will stand firm like rock

 

Today’s Word of God in both the readings lays accent on the rock-like conviction and courage of prophet Jeremiah and Jesus. Jeremiah is haunted and persecuted by his own people. But he does not give up. He does not lose heart or courage. He does not also give in to negative and angry feelings of revenge and retaliation. Whether it is reward for him for his perseverance or judgement on his enemies for their wickedness, everything he leaves into the hands of God. He surrenders everything into God’s mighty hands and just dealing, by professing “to you. O God, I have committed my cause”.

Jesus too suffers at the hands of his own people. Often they enter into argument and dispute with him. They contest and challenge him, they accuse and criticize him, they counter and defy him. They are totally closed and do not see his divine identity and do not accept him. They try to trap him and trouble him. They refuse to listen to him and reject him. In a spirit of an earnest search, they could analyse and discover the truth in Jesus’ claims about his oneness with the Father. But instead, they take offence at his words, labelling them as blasphemy.

Jesus challenges their lack of discernment and grounds for finding fault with him. On what grounds, they blame him? On what grounds they disbelieve Jesus’ intimacy and unique relationship with the Father? How can they close their eyes not to see the mighty works of God through Jesus? How can they refuse to accept the testimony of his own works, done under the purview of God’s light and power? His own works bear testimony to his communion with the Father, and to his mission of salvation. But nothing of these – opposition, falsification, persecution could deter his spirit. He continues his mission undaunted.

 

Direction: Jesus said, if you do not believe me, it is okay. But at least believe the works I do, because they themselves become the testimonies for Jesus’ unity with the Father, and his total loyalty to do what the Father tells him and to please him doing His will.

 

 

27 MARCH 2021, EZK 37. 21-28; JN 11. 45-57

 

Focus: Life becomes a blessing when there is a profound belonging to God, when God becomes our own God and we become God's own people

 

Holiness and mission are the hallmarks of a man of God, and all the more, of Jesus. Such a life is vividly described in the first reading from Ezekiel. It is a life totally related to God - rooted in God, flourishing on God and bearing fruits by God. It is a life that is cleansed from all defilement of false idols, a life that lives by a faithful observance of God's statutes, a life of abundance in the promised and blessed land of God.

Jesus lives such a life and offers such a godly and abundant life to those who turn to God. He donated such new life to Lazarus in the passage that precedes today's passage. In giving life to Lazarus, Jesus runs the risk of death. What a paradox of our faith: he gives life to Lazarus, but as a result he embraces death. But it is not a helpless twist of fate. It is a willing fulfilment of God's plan of salvation.

Trust deeply trust in God’s love, mercy and power. Purify ourselves and preserve ourselves pure. Understand and value God owning us up, who says, I am your God and you are my own people. Never forget our inseparable bonding, both spiritual and fraternal.

– life will not be the same. It will change. Let us also believe in the promises and assurances of God. God assures that he will make a covenant of peace and everlasting. He will bless and multiply them.

 

Direction: Those who are faithful to God, live a life in conformity with His holy will. They will persevere to the end and accomplish the mission, come what may

 

 

 

 

5th Sunday of Lent

 

5^th LENT SUNDAY, 21 MARCH 2021: JER 31. 31-34; HEB 5. 7-9; JOHN 12. 20-33

Focus: True life of following Christ is not a matter of the convenient, but is a commitment. This means to enter into a new covenant with Him and serving Him in fidelity

1.      The whole story of humanity is an unceasing saga of God’s love. It is a love that is marked by intimacy, mercy and fidelity. It is a love that sustains an inseparable bonding, like that between husband and spouse. It is a love that nurtures the deepest belonging which assures untiringly: I am Your God and You are My people. It is a love that enters into a new covenant that puts His law within them, writes it upon their hearts and deepens their knowledge and experience of it.

2.      It is a love that mercifully forgives and forgets all their iniquities. It is a love that is ever faithful in spite of all our infidelities. It is in this same intimate, merciful and faithful love that God sends His only Son to be the incarnate Saviour.

3.      This love shows itself in solidarity with humanity stung by sin and misery. It suffers for our sake. And finally, it climaxes in obedience to God’s will and salvific plan, even by dying on the cross.

4.      In response to such a love of God, what is our duty? We are called to serve Him and follow Him. In the light of the gospel imagery, it is to be like a grain of wheat. A grain falls into the ground, undergoes a dying process of struggle of change, sprouts up and grows and finally bears abundant fruit.

5.      This implies a whole life of sacrifice and service, a death to self and life and fruit for others. It is a covenantal and committed life of self-emptying and self-giving. In a world where the spirit of sacrifice and service is rapidly diminishing, and a culture of greed and grabbing, domination and subjugation is flourishing, the only remedy is a love that empties itself and gives itself generously and selflessly to others.

6.      True it is, such a sacrificing and serving love is very challenging and testing. But, it is not a vain battle. The Lord clearly assures us that God will honour and glorify us. We will share the same heavenly glory and eternal communion with God. However, it is not a diplomatic baiting or wooing the followers. Rather, it is instilling a new confidence, infusing a new courage, inducing a new hope and impelling a new energy.

Direction: Our life is worth living, when it is lived out with more humility, nobility and fidelity. All these become possible when they are soaked into the single spring, and that is a humble and loyal love.

 

4th week of Lent

 

15 - 20 MARCH 2021, HOLY MASS REFLECTION

15 MARCH 2021, ISAIAH 65. 17-21; JOHN 4. 43-54

 

Focus: Things may go wrong so hopelessly at times. But do not lose heart. Because, as long as God is with us, life can never be hopeless. So, let us firmly confide in Him.

 

What an assurance! What a consolation! What an encouragement! What a rejuvenation of the drooping spirits! The words of God through the prophet Isaiah in the first reading are indeed springs of hope and courage. God promises: "I shall create new heavens and new earth; no more cries will be heard; there will be all rejoicing and happiness; the old things will not be remembered". These words are intensely timely and comforting, especially in our own present times. We are still in the fearful grip of the Coronavirus. It has thrown the whole world into chaos, dread and death! It has subdued every power before it! It has upset the whole rhythm and order of life, has taken away the beauty and worth of life! Yes, evil can be powerful and frightening, but God is more powerful and assuring. He is a God who can work miracles, just with the power of word even at distance.

This is what is testified in the gospel episode. Jesus heals and revives a royal official's son at death's bed. All that is needed is a deep faith like the faith of that official. He requests Jesus to come personally to his house and heal his dying son. He urges Jesus to come soon and urgently before he dies. But Jesus just says, “Go, your son will live”. Here is seen the utter faith of the official. He does not ask Jesus how. He does not argue with Jesus that his faith is sincere and he is not just looking for signs and wonders. He does not go on explaining to Jesus about how deep his faith is. He does not even insist that Jesus should go personally with him. The master says ‘go’. The healer assures that his son would live. That was enough for him. No more questions or doubts. Enough that we have faith like that official, and surely God is ever ready to remedy and heal even the worst situation.

 

Direction: As long as we still hope against hope, we will surely experience the power and intervention of God. What is needed is a faith that totally surrenders its misery to God

 

16 MARCH 2021, EZ 47. 1-9, 12; JOHN 5. 1-19

 

Focus: When the streams of God's grace flow over us, life will be enlivened, refreshed and renewed

 

In the first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, there is a vivid and beautiful description of the river that flows from the temple. This symbolizes the streams of God's grace and the gracious effects of it. Wherever the river flows, there is life, freshness, growth, healing, nourishment, fruitfulness and abundance. Thus, when God's grace flows upon a person, life becomes revived, refreshed, strengthened and abundantly fruitful.

This is what happens in the gospel in the case of the person immobilized for 38 long years. On one hand, the length of his illness shows the height of human indifference. What a sad story of insensitivity and selfish competition: Within 38 years, nobody gave any priority to get him healed. None helped him to get into the healing pool. Everyone was bothered about his own health and wellbeing. On the other hand, we also see the steadfastness and perseverance of the sick man. He never gives up his desire or hope. He never stops trying to get into the pool to get healed. He does not get despaired or dissipated. In such a context, Jesus enters into his life. He understands his situation. Even without being asked for his intervention, Jesus takes initiative and heals him. The same will happen in our lives as well. Jesus is ever waiting to heal us. He knows that we need healing. But he wants us to know that we need healing. He wants us to desire it and seek it. It is very interesting that after healing the invalid, Jesus orders him not to sin any more. Does Jesus imply that his invalidity is because of his sin? The point here is not that all those who are sick must have committed some sin. Rather, all those who sin will certainly be sick in some or other way. In fact, sin itself is sickness. It will immobilize us and make us invalid. Sin takes away our movement, our activeness, our enthusiasm for God and good. It will make us “lie down on bed” for years and years. We need to “get up from our bed and walk ahead”. This is the real healing.

 

Direction: All others may disappoint us and fail us, but God never fails us and it is enough that we trust him

 

17 MARCH 2021, ISAIAH 49. 8-15; JOHN 5. 17-30

 

Focus: Who can measure the love of God! What can one compare it with! He never forsakes us. He never ceases working for our good, growth and happiness. Blessed are those who realize and experience this!

 

The greatest beauty and the most beautiful greatness of our God is He is ceaselessly at work. It is the work of loving. It is a relentless mission and project of transforming our lives into something beautiful and great. What does this imply? It means, God will nourish us, and we shall not hunger or thirst. He will lead us and we shall not be harmed or misguided. He will comfort us and we shall not remain afflicted. He will lift up our spirits and we shall not lie desolate. It is a love that is incomparable and immeasurable. It is like a mother’s love for her nursing child. A mother never forgets her nursing child. But even if such a thing happens, even if a mother forgets her nursing child, even if her love fails, yet God’s love for us never fails. He never forgets us or abandons us.

Jesus’ coming to us and living with us is the greatest sign of this love and work of God for us. Jesus tries hard to make the people understand this. He wants to draw their attention on to God who loves them and works for them ceaselessly. He never rests, because His love never rests or halts. Throughout his whole life and mission, and through his preaching and healing, what Jesus wants to reveal and show to the people is just this: God loves us and works for us. It is beyond times and seasons, beyond any conditions or restrictions.

It is in this spirit and with this mind, Jesus speaks of his communion and oneness with God, his likeness to Him, and his power and judgment. But instead, people understand the wrong side. They misunderstand as competition with God all of Jesus’ doing God’s will. They misunderstand as claiming equality with God all the closeness, likeness and oneness of Jesus with God. They misunderstand as blasphemy all his deepest God-consciousness of seeing everything in reference to God as blasphemy. They misunderstand as disrespecting and violating Sabbath his timeless love-work like God’s. Hence blaming and persecuting Jesus.

 

Direction: If only one lifts up his eyes and realizes the unstoppable and untiring love of God and His working for us, we will be eternally grateful and passionately committed to do God’s work!

 

18 MARCH 2021, EX 32. 7-14;  JOHN 5. 31-47

 

Focus: How true it is that we vex God often with our stiff-neckedness! But thanks to the same God who is so flexible to relent and be benevolent yet again!

 

Really it is a sad thing that no seldom many people test God's patience and benevolence with a spirit of obstinacy and closedness toward God. How painfully God laments over the people of Israel. For, so easily they forget the marvels that God has worked in their lives. They forget the mighty liberation. They become ungrateful and attribute all the credit to mere idols. They turned aside from the way of the true God. They corrupt themselves. They are truly stiff-necked. But, Moses is deeply concerned for them. He makes enormous effort to tone down God's wrath. He tries to evoke sympathy in their favour. It is not playing down their wrongdoings and infidelity, but elevating God's fidelity. In simple, he clearly attests that God's fidelity is not conditioned or reversed by the people's infidelity. He is stable and steadfast. What a nobility and power of intercession!

The same stubbornness of the Jews confronts and torments Jesus. He takes the role of Moses: on one hand, he constantly speaks the truth; he urges the people to accept and follow it. He challenges their lack of transparency. On the other hand, he bears testimony to God's love and fidelity. He calls them earnestly to believe him by calling different sources as his testimonies. These are Moses and his teachings, the sacred Scripture, John the Baptist, the Father Himself and Jesus' own works. These are authentic witnesses to his divine identity and divine mission. But, sadly no witness can convince them. Because they are so closed and blind and hard.

We are invited and summoned to believe and change.

 

Direction: God goes on speaking to us, enlightening and calling us to know God and to get closer to Him. Let us believe Him and live with and for Him

 

19  MARCH 2021, SOLEMNITY OF ST JOSEPH

 

Focus: A true believer sees with his optic of faith that in his life, things do not happen by chance but by choice of God in accord with His eternal plans

 

1. St Joseph! What a great, simple, humble, noble and faithful saint he is! Spouse of Blessed Virgin Mary, Foster father of the Saviour, Head of the Holy Family, patron of the universal church.

2. Some main features of st Joseph:

1) Purity of heart (lily)

2) Intimacy with Jesus (child Jesus on the bosom)

3) Longing and searching for the Lord (Jesus, lost and found in the Jerusalem temple)

4) Protecting and guarding Jesus (flee to Egypt to escape from Herod's cruelty)

5) Responsible, diligent and dedicated toward his work and care for the family (carpenter)

6) Docile and recollective (silent worker; no single word spoken by him; doing everything silently without any show or seeking recognition)

3. In the light of the OT: Joseph is a just man. Who is a just man? One who fears God, one who turns away from evil, one who is blameless, and one who is upright

4. In the light of the gospel, and in contrast to the world's mentality:

Joseph is characterised by a single quality as "just" man. In a world where being just and standing for justice are very often understood and presented in a very shallow way, Joseph stands as a model, example, inspiration and challenge for true and perfect justice. 5. Justice is not a mere concern and fight for rights, of one's own or of an interested group. It is not crushing or suppressing others' rights. To be really just also means to be conscious of duties as well, to be conscious of the rights of others.

6. Joseph was just, because he did not think of his rights as a husband (to denounce Mary publicly for her divine conception) but thought of Mary's right (as a woman of dignity and honour not to be subject to public shame)

6. Joseph was just, because he did not think of what is right for him but for Mary. He did not stick to his own opinion, idea, reason and judgment. Rather he gives room for what can be the thinking and situation of Mary.

7. He was just because he did not cling on to his win plan and decision to denounce Mary but surrendered to God's will and accepted Mary back as his spouse.

 

Blessed are we to venerate him with devotion! But still blessed shall we be if we imitate him as well with dedication!

 

Direction: True justice is not a mere clamour for individual rights or a group's, leading to conflict and suppression of some others. Justice is dry when is devoid of charity

 

20 MARCH 2021, JER 11. 18-20;  JOHN 7. 40-53

 

Focus: Good persons suffer on behalf of God and good, but they never give up and abandon the right path

 

The prophet suffers. This is so much and humanly unbearable. He suffers ingratitude, deception and betrayal at the hands of his own people. He faces persecution and even to the point of death. This is all the more excruciatingly painful because it is his own people for whom he did so much, for whom he pleaded so fervently to God not to punish or destroy them for their iniquities but to be merciful. And so, humanly speaking, he should seek revenge. But he is really a God-fearing and God-trusting man. So he entrusts his case and cause to God.

This is the same spirit that Jesus manifests in the face of undeserving and unjust suffering. His own people refuse to believe in him. No amount of miracles, no amount of powerful and godly teachings, no amount of witness from the sincere messengers, and no amount of wise advice from leaders like Nicodemus, would melt their stubbornness. Their jealousy makes them prejudiced. Their prejudice leads to hatred. Hatred blinds them to truth. Their blindness leads them to unbelief. Unbelief leads to rejection, and rejection to evil plotting, and conspiracy finally ends in murder.

But, just see Jesus. No amount of affliction and problem makes him be shaken in his loyalty to God's will, in his compassion towards his people. At no point, Jesus backtracks from God's will or doubts the rightness of God's ways. And at no point, Jesus feels retaliation towards those hostile to him and never he wishes bad for them. So instead of feeling furious toward those who did wrong to Jesus, it is better that we get more convinced by looking at the prophet and Jesus. 

 

Direction: Often it is a wonder for me, why and how the leaders and the people as well could not get more correct details about Jesus' birth and lineage. That only shows that when faith is shallow, knowledge too becomes shallow and deviated.

 

 

 

 

 

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IN WHOSE HANDS...

 *In Whose Hands…* 

It all depends in whose hand it is. Let it do good in your hands too:

A tennis racket is useless in my hands but a tennis racket in Serena Williams hands is a Championship Winner and it is worth Millions.

A rod in my hand will almost scare and keep an angry dog away but a rod in Moses hands parted the mighty Red Sea and allowed his people to go to a land chosen by God.

Songs sung by ordinary people have no rhythm but songs sung by Michael Jackson from the heart, gives an internal pleasure and only song lovers can understand its beauty.

A sling shot in my hand is simply an unwanted toy and not of much use but a sling shot in David’s hand was a mighty weapon.

Two fish and five loaves of bread in my hand is just enough for breakfast in my house where I can feed only my family but in Jesus hands he fed thousands and made each and everyone happy.

Knowledge is like a new born baby and practice is the Key in my hand but in the hands of Saints and Sages it is a Treasure full of Wisdom.

Nails in my hands by mistake might just cause me a temporary injury but in Jesus' hands they produced salvation for the entire world.

As you can see now, it all depends on whose hand it is, so put your concerns, worries, fears, hopes, dreams, families and your relationships in God’s hands because it all depends in whose hands they are.

Put all your Trust, Faith and Responsibilities in His hands and watch the amazing transformation that will take place in your life and how great you will become.