Uniting in the Lord

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 5th week in Easter time

May 5, 2021: Acts 15: 1-6; John 15: 1-8

The responsorial psalm invites one to go to Jerusalem with rejoicing! And we see two people going there in today's first reading: Paul and Barnabas, however, not with rejoicing but they go with a crisis. A noble fact is that they are insistent that they wouldn't burden the people unnecessarily. The forward thinking, right priorities and empathy for the believers are a few of the salient qualities that stand out in this passage. Apart from the crisis and the solution that they sought, the clear cut lesson is to understand the method of facing and resolving a crisis in 'Christ'ian terms. 

Banners and posters, anonymous letters and abusive posts, indecent demonstrations and political insinuations... none of these were used when the crisis arose; much less, stopping masses half way through, walking out of liturgical assemblies and other un-Christ-ian ways of showing protest. It is not to point a finger at someone and accuse them of impropriety. It is simply to draw attention to how the first Christian community handled crisis!

They simply got together. They united in the Lord, to find out what the Lord willed for them as one family of God. We cannot bear fruit apart from the Lord; we cannot bear much of them without uniting as one heart and one mind in the Lord! That readiness to unite gave a moral authority to the Early Christian Community and made them true and attractive witnesses (cf. Acts 2:47). They believed in what they heard from Jesus: away from me, you cannot bear fruit. But today...some have ideologies and personalities, which and who seem greater than Christ; much more truthful than the Truth himself; much more light giving than the Light himself; much more life-giving that the Life himself....what a sad situation! It explains why the Church is no more as attractive as it was in the initial days of the First  Christians!

Come a crisis or a situation of doubt, what do we tend to do? Spread opinions, malign the other and gather a support team for ourselves? Or, get together as persons of God, unite in the Lord and find out what the Lord wants from us, as ONE people of God? 

What importance do I attach to uniting in the Lord?

Peace - a blessing or a dare!?

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 5th week in Easter time

May 4, 2021: Acts 14: 19-28; Jn 14: 27-31a

Peace... the gift of the Risen Lord. Peace would mean lack of conflicts and an absence of turbulence, in ordinary terms. But for Jesus it is different. That is why he seems very particular in explaining to the apostles that the peace that he gives us, is not the same as the peace that the world thinks. In simple terms, Christ-ian peace, is quite different from the peace that the world powers and organisations speak of, though they do nothing even about ìt. Anyway, we are not to sit on judgement on others! 

Peace, according to the mind of Christ, is not lack of conflicts but it is a victory over all conflicts, it is overcoming all the inner, interpersonal,  societal and universal conflicts! It is not merely an absence of turbulence but a transcending of all turbulence, a rising above all disturbance and a resolution of all crisis not an absence of them. We see this clearly in the lives of Paul, Barnabas and other apostles who seem to perfectly understand the peace of the Lord. One trouble over, they were up for the next. 

In these times of pandemic and the related crises that surrounds us, we are called to rethink our concept of peace! It is in no way staying clear of crises, but it is staying calm in the midst of a crisis. At times we take the easiest way out of things... find alternative meanings and convenient descriptions to justify our comfort zones and complacent lives. In the context where I live, during the Eucharistic celebration the peace is shared by shake of hands...fearing the pandemic issues, shake of hands was discouraged. But conveniently, people skip the part of sharing of peace and go ahead with the next part of the rite, while celebrating Mass. It is not that sharing of peace is obligatory...but look at the comfort and convenience is skipping that part - to avoid the so-called gestures like looking at the other in eye and sharing the peace of Christ: is that too demanding for us?

Some times in families and among friends, we stay conveniently out of the lives of people and define our own boundaries, without really getting into true and difficult relationships. Peace is not staying away from misunderstandings or mishaps, but living through them with the daring Spirit of Christ, to encounter persons, to live our lives to the full, in spite of the troubles that are foreseen! Can we?

For the apostles and the first Christians, peace was in the Lord and nothing could stop them from making it their own. Amidst all the turbulence, disturbance and crises they enjoyed a peace and serenity that no one even comprehended. That is why today, more than being a blessing, the peace of Christ is a dare! Do you dare to share that peace, the peace of the Lord?

Called to be Apostles

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

May 3, 2021: Celebrating Apostles Philip and James
1 Corinthians 15:1-8; John 14:6-14

The Feast today, nominating the names of the Apostles we celebrate in the Gospel, calls our attention to their personalities and the way they were transformed by their attachment to Christ: James and Philip. 

The James we speak of here is not James the son of Zebedee, the one who was among the closest three namely, Peter, James and John! This James we celebrate today is the son of Alphaeus, who is referred to for the sake of differentiating, as James the lesser or James the minor! Though that term is odd, it brings out the fact that he was among the less prominent bunch of the Apostles but however he was one of the 12 pillars and Jesus appeared to him! 

Philip is seen in the Gospel today inducing Jesus to make some intense pronouncements about himself and the Father! Philip is also seen in two other places - at the scene of multiplication of the bread and the later when some Greeks wish to see Jesus. He seems to have been a very effective PRO to Jesus, in modern terms. 

The Feast can communicate three realities that can help our faith communities today.

1: That differences are natural when a group of persons are involved. The differences are not only inevitable but they are beautiful to paint a holistic picture. The more we begin to appreciate the differences and marvel at them, the more mature we grow! Differences enrich the mature, while they threaten the small-minded.

2: That differences do not mean division, or comparison or envy. That Philip and James and some others were not so prominent, never caused a rift among the apostles. They were able to live united in the Lord. Though at times we find the human tendency among the apostles to secure prominence for themselves, the Jesus-factor among them, that is, the presence of Jesus every time checked their tendency and brought them to right perspective. When Jesus has a strong place beside us, these human tendencies cannot destabilise us.

3. Each one has a specific call within the entire design of God and when one fails to play his role, however little and insignificant it could be, there is a lack in the whole! What each of us is called to, is understand the fundamental identity we have in Christ, accept the challenges in our mission and grow to be truly apostles of Christ - taking Christ to a world that is so hurt and tired, so stricken and sad!

The message is clear: avoid comparisons; avoid envy; realise the one call and remain united in the Lord! That is the only way you can remain in God and remind the world of God!

Remaining in God and Reminding the world about God!

Being People of God today

May 2, 2021: Fifth Sunday in Easter time

Acts 9: 26-31; 1 John 3: 18-24; John 15: 1-8

We are the Church of the Risen Lord, the People of God in the Risen Christ...it means we have an identity, a mission and a characteristic lifestyle, that should define us! This is what the Word comes to tell us this Sunday! It would be a challenging message, taken in the context of what we are going through as a worldwide experience these days! 

One statement that connects the second reading and the Gospel could provide us with a starting point for our reflection: "whatever we ask him, we shall receive" says the second reading (1 Jn 3:22) and "you ask what you will and you shall get it," says Jesus in the Gospel (Jn 15:7). Whatever we ask, we shall get! Whatever we pray for we shall receive! Are these not too tall as claims, looking at the travail that we are through during these days of pandemic...the effects lingering on in some parts of the world, and a fresher and more vigourous wave in other parts! Where have all these promises gone - one may feel like screaming! 

Whatever you shall ask, you shall receive, says the Word...be it first reading or the Gospel today. There are those who take this to be a magic spell, and expect that to happen as soon as they decide to arrange for a few hours of prayer and performance of some rites! It is a simplistic understanding of our relationship with God, with world and with each other, too simplistic. Prayer today has to be more an examination of conscience, a renewal of our confidence in God and a personal and communal decision to conversion! That is what is required of us - that again is the message of the Word today! Let us not be taken up and lost with just one part of the message: Ask whatever and you shall receive it; pray for whatever and you shall have it... there is another part, more crucial and more challenging... when is it that I shall have whatever I ask? when is it that I shall receive whatever I pray for?... the conditions matter much and in those conditions there is also a clue to another question - why is it that these untoward things happen in our life and leave us so helpless!

The condition is very clearly stated: when you remain in me, and I in you, the Lord says, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you! We receive from him anything we ask, the Apostle explains, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him! That is where lies the clue. From here we need to understand three (atleast) hard facts of life:

1. Things go wrong when we do not do what is in accordance with the Divine Law: The phrase, 'because we keep his commands and do what pleases him, we receive what we ask for', as a corollary instructs us that when we do things that do not go with the life that we are called to live, we face consequences that can turn our lives topsy turvy! How true! And at the same time, how hard! We refuse to face the fact that every time we make small choices against God's will, we are paving way for a disaster somewhere, sometime! All the experiments that go to any extent, be it in our personal lives or in the common life of humanity, when they are purportedly against what is true and what is right, we are slowly and gradually setting up our own ruin. Has the humanity any time in history really accepted this fact, though knowing it is true in every sense?

2. What I choose does not affect merely me, whether I acknowledge it or not: That is not the only fact; the other way is true too - that I am affected not only by what I choose, but what others choose, what collectively we choose! So there are so many who are affected, innocent of the choices made, but vulnerable to the effects of the wrong choices. The small and tiny choices come together, make up a whole culture and there is a culture of exploitation, use-and-throw, consumerism, greed, insensitive hoarding, inhuman priorities that is created today - the effects of which the whole world has been facing for the past two years. Who shall we blame for it - a country somewhere in the corner of the globe, a continent that bears a big percentage of the population, an alleged conspiratory group that contriving against the entire humanity...the blame game can go one endlessly. What I need to do is, become aware of my choices and become critical of the choices at large. Acknowledge my mistaken choices and speak up against the ungodly choices! That is where a disciple is identified, that is where an apostle is seen, that is where a Christian is born... in reminding the world of the right choices? Am I capable of doing it. Paul did it...he was about to be killed...he had to move out so that the Churches would be left in peace!

3. The Christian faith does not end in an answered prayer: I ask and Lord gives, and does everything end there? I want something and that comes to be, or comes not to be...does it end there? It cannot. We read in the first reading the Churches in Judea, Galilea and Samaria were left in peace...and they built themselves up, in the fear of the Lord and in the consolation of the Spirit. That is what is to be done in our lives too: this pandemic will end, soon; yes it will; we hope in the Lord, it will. And after that what is going to be our response? The reflection has to lead us to a further choice, a choice to hold on to the Lord, to remain with the Lord, to make an absolute choice for the Lord! Once that sort of an absolute choice is made for God, we do not ask anything from God, we do not wish anything different from what God wishes...that is the state of life we are called to grow towards!

To remain in the Lord is being connected to the Lord, thinking with the mind of God, knowing exactly what pleases God, living in accordance to the will of God and building up ourselves as People of God, growing up into the image of God and bearing fruit in abudance, reminding the world of God, in everyway! 

Work - participation of self in the Divine nature for the other!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

May 1, 2021: The Feast of St. Joseph, the Worker

Genesis 1:26 - 2:3; Matthew 13: 54-58

Work is an essential self-expression of human persons. It is a way I see myself extended to things,  persons and reality around. That is why, every work that we do should have three dimensions to it, making it truly holistic! On a day such as today, it is right that we dwell on this aspect of work and in a time when situation around is so abnormal and crisis stricken, the reflection has its real value. Let us reflect on those dimensions and then a specific signficance during these days.

The First dimension is, the Self: Work is a self expression of the one who is involved. Everything that I do, should become part of what I am. I should be able to see at the end of the work, in the outcome, a bit of me. The beautiful example is given in the first reading today, where we see God at work and at the end of it all, God found that it was good; God found that God was present in the works that God had created. Hence the question is, in every work that I do, do I do it only for a remuneration or do I find a self-fulfilment in it?

The Second dimension is, the Other: Work should add to the common good. Every work of mine should add to the common good in some way or the other, directly or indirectly. A carpenter for example is someone who expresses his or her self in a product that would serve the common good; or a sculptor or an engineer or a teacher. Looking at work only in terms of gain and profit, or looking at other's work as merely something that can be bought and paid for, is opposed to the ontological significance of work itself. 

The Third dimension is, God, the author of all work: Work should be a participation in the divine design, the eternal plan, the creative mission of God. The psalm brings out the crux of it, invoking the Lord to give success to the work of our hands. It is in the eternal plan that our work draws its meaning and success. At work, we partake in our role as co-creators with God the Creator! Work therefore is something divine that we have within us to express - how different it is in today's economised world!

Having said all this: let us ask a question. How many of us are involved in a work, an occupation, a livelihood that reflects all these 3 dimensions? Where is the place of "money" within this grand picture of 3 dimensions? Are our thoughts about our work and our calculations about out career, fitting into this framework? Or have we moved far far away from any such holistic thought pattern?

Finally, reflecting in the time of pandemic... work is one of the crucial elements of the crisis. People are looking at the economic fallouts of this pandemic and becoming ready to sacrifice even the life of human persons in order to safeguard a so-called ecnomic stability! The most fundamental philosophical question is: is work for persons or persons for work; is economy for humanity or humanity for economy? Somewhere we have lost our clarity on priorities and we are today ready to sacrifice humanity for economy - how devilish this sounds! 

May St. Joseph inspire us to have the right understanding of work and help us to look at work as a loving participation in the nature of God, for the sake of the other, in and through the expression oneself towards fullness of life. 

The Word, the Spirit and Life

WORD 2day: Saturday, 3rd week in Easter time

April 24, 2021: Acts 9: 31-42; John 6: 60-69

The words that I have spoken to you are Spirit and they are life, says the Lord to the people gathered! The Apostles understood it only when Jesus had risen from the dead and was present amidst them in the Spirit... The Word which was with them, was the Spirit and was the Life. That is why, Peter raising the dead Tabitha, is no wonder for them. It was a matter of fact - the Word, the Spirit and life, all are at play here.

The true testimony that a disciple of Christ is called to give to the world rests in these three: the Word, the Spirit and life!

We are called to be the presence of the Word amidst people who are in need of light, in need of direction and in need of consolation. Especially today amidst the experience of the pandemic...are we truly persons who can offer the Word...the living Word, through our words of hope and consolation? Or are we spreading fear and apathy?

We are called to be the manifestations of the Spirit in a world that is so much running after things that are material - with the whole curse of consumerism and the use-and-throw culture that we have. Persons are made use of and things are loved and treasured...what an irony! Are we truly persons of the Spirit who can manifest God's goodness to people: how can I repay God's goodness to me, says the psalmist...it is only in reflecting the goodness to others in the Spirit.

We are called to be life givers...every word we speak, every action we take, every attitude we sport has to give life to others, pull them out from the possible depression they find themselves it, give them hope to live their life with a new vision, fill them with energy and effort to find the ways of the Lord in every little thing that happens in their life! Are we truly life-giving or are we spreading a culture of death by pessimism and negativity?

The Word, the Spirit and life are the touchstones to true Christian living today...we will do well to reflect on them today!

The Voice, the Bread and the Messenger!

WORD 2day: Friday, 3rd week in Easter time

April 23, 2021: Acts 9: 1-20; John 6: 52-59

The Word today presents to us the three fundamental ways in which the Lord continues to reveal Godself to us! We encounter a hard headed crowd that opposes Jesus and a stone hearted man being melted by the grace of God... the stubborness of humanity and the power of Divine Grace - what a lovely play of life and meaning in these! Let us unravel the three splendid elements of God's self manifestation amidst this play that continues even today!

In the first reading we see, that the Voice from heaven touched him; the man sent by heaven healed him; the Bread from heaven strengthened him. What an example of the Word, the Sacraments and the Community of faith working together for God's Reign! Yes, these are the three elements we are presented with.

The Word...the daily and unceasing revelation of God! It is never dead or outdated, but alive, cutting into the finest of existent realities and making it glow with meaning. When we miss it, we miss the lamp for our feet, the way for our life, and the very ground for our being.

The Sacraments...specially that of Eucharist, an undeserved gift offered to us, to be strengthened from whatever weariness or worries we find ourselves in. Today specially when we are so stricken by infirmities and fear, how blessed we would be to find our strength and solace in the Sacrament, God's living presence amidst us.

The Community...our own brothers and sisters, who are given to us to be loved. It is not that we expect someone to be sent to us, as Ananias was sent to Saul, but we need to become the Ananias to those in need, those blinded in their hearts and spirits, those unable to see the light of joy and serenity! Let us be the persons of God, the people of God to take hope and peace, joy and serenity to them!

Can we today behold the goodness of the Voice and the Bread, that we shall become Messengers of God's love to all, especially those who are burdened and weak!

God draws those who are drawn!

WORD 2day: Thursday, 3rd week in Easter time 

April 22, 2021: Acts 8: 26-40; John 6: 44-51

Phillip is mightily used by God, taken from place to place by the Spirit. It was because he allowed himself to be used; he submitted to the plans of God. The Court Official is chosen to belong to the Lord because he had a fundamental thirst for the knowledge of the matters of God. Why should he after all struggle with understanding the scroll of Isaiah on his journey...he was drawn to God from within himself.

Jesus declares that it is the Lord who draws a person to Godself. And we can easily understand, combining that teaching with the event in the first reading, that the Lord draws those who are drawn to the Lord in their choices, in their priorities, in their daily decisions. Yes, the Lord does not draw you without your consent...that would be against the freedom that the Lord has given us! 

Yes, it is ofcourse the Lord who initiates but it is upto us to readily and promptly acknowledge these initiatives and respond to them from the depths of our beings. The responses are the use of the freedom that the Lord has given us! The choices we make are ours and therefore, many a time things that happen to our lives, depend on some choice somewhere that we have made...hard to understand, but if only we go to the depths we would get that connection clear. 

However, God does not cease to invite us. However far we may go from the Lord, however deviated our choices get, however warped out priorities become, the Lord does not quit soliciting our loving choice for God and for what pertains to God. If only we are drawn to God, if only we choose to draw ourselves near to God, we would see, that the Lord has already drawn us so close to Godself, and it is in fact, God who drew us. 

How simply James put it: draw near to God and God will draw near to you! (James 4:8). 

An experience that grips - Resurrected Beings!

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 3rd week in Easter time 

April 21, 2021: Acts 8: 1b-8; John 6: 35-40

When things were getting worse the believers were getting stronger. They were scattered, but once in diaspora they continued their witnessing. There was something in them that made them just reckless, going about excited with their new experience. That experience was so gripping that it made them forget all the pain they had to go through. 

Amidst difficulties and sacrifices, who do you think, are those who would go on with enthusiasm and fire within them? Only those who are gripped by an experience! Be it the persons in love who challenge all odds to be with each other; or parents looking for their children or children looking for their parents who wish to find each other come what may; or a situation of someone who loves life and freedom and is kept in captivation but get a slight clue that there is a possibility of an escape...these are situations you can picture in your minds. Imagine the fire that would burn within the person making all the efforts...it is because the person has experienced something - may be love, may be freedom, may be care...that experience which grips them and goads them on!

We keep receiving news about people who are ready to give up their life at the hands of some heartless fanatics. Just two days ago (18th April) there was a news about Nabil Habashy Salama, a 62 year old man who was killed by the IS militants as a warning to the other Christians who are fighting against Islamic militancy in various parts. This elderly man killed had established a coptic church in Beir el-Abdtown in Sinai. This is but one case, among many such that continue to happen. These persons are capable of it because they are gripped by the experience they have had...which is primarily the experience of the Risen One. 

Leaving alone these extreme sacrificing experiences, look at the ordinary daily experiences such as forgiving the other, bearing with the faults of the other, accepting burdens for the sake of the other... are these even possible without being gripped by a life changing experience? 

For me today Jesus has to become that experience, that experience which grips me to a total transformation that I will fear nothing, for I know my Lord will raise me up on the last day, come what may! Once I am gripped by that experience, nothing, absolutely nothing can threaten me. I will be a Resurrected Being!

A chip from the same block - the Image of Christ

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 3rd week in Easter time 

April 20, 2021: Acts 7:51 -8:1a; John 6: 30-35.

Sometimes when we speak to the youngsters (even to others for that matter), about the suffering that Jesus underwent, about his endurance of passion, his capacity to surrender into the hands of God, his capacity to forgive etc., they tend to retort saying: 'but after all, he was son of God! he could bear that!" That is a heretic way of thinking, we need to be very careful about it!

Yes, Jesus was the Son of God but he was a human person and fully so. He was not appearing to be a human being, he WAS a human being. As the letter to the Hebrews says, he was like us, a human being in everything! That is infact the most challenging part of our faith. That Jesus lived our life, he went through all that we experience ourselves: feelings and temptations, sufferings and anxieties, irritations and all of human realities. The challenge is that we live in his footsteps. The early Church was highly conscious of this call and we have today in the first reading the fruit of this.

The first reading today presents to us, the first martyr Stephen  - he was a chip from the same block as Christ. The apostles performed miracles and healings, just as Jesus did and of course the Word records them all. But as death, it records only that of Stephen, because he died like Christ! Just like the apostles lived like Christ, Stephen died like Christ! There is a special call in this - to imitate the life of Christ, life-project of Christ and the life style of Christ, right upto death. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ, said St. Paul...who was standing there as young Saul and watching Stephen die! Oh what beginnings the Church had!

Do we carry the same spirit within us today, as people of God - the spirit of Christ? When we do, we shall not only imitate Christ, we shall become alter christus, another Christ... that is what we are called to be: to be a chip from that same block.