Saturday, April 7, 2018

இரக்கம் - இறைமையின் அடையாளம்

இரக்கமே நமது அடைக்கலம், இரக்கமே நமது அடையாளம்!

இறையிரக்கத்தின் ஞாயிறு - ஏப்ரல் 8, 2018

வாருங்கள் என் காயங்களை பாருங்கள் என்று அழைக்கும் உயிர்த்த கிறிஸ்துவை இன்று நாம் சந்திக்கின்றோம்.

இரையிறக்கத்தின் ஞாயிறாம் இன்று...

கிறிஸ்தவ குழுமமாய் அவரது காயங்களை கண்டு இறைவன் நம்மீது வைத்துள்ள இரக்கத்தை உணர்வோம்...

கடவுளின் சாயலாய் அதே இரக்கத்தை நம்மோடு உள்ளவர் அனைவர்க்கும் பகிர்வோம்...

கிறிஸ்துவின் சீடராய், நம்மை துன்புறுத்த நினைக்கும் உலகை நோக்கி, வாருங்கள், உயிர்த்த எங்கள் மீட்பர் எங்களில் விட்டுச்சென்றுள்ள அடையாளத்தை காணுங்கள் என்று அழைத்து, நம் இரக்கத்தை முழுமையாய் வெளிப்படுத்துவோம்!

இரக்கமே நமது அடைக்கலம், இரக்கமே நமது அடையாளம்!


MERCY: the Mark of a Christian

Divine Mercy Sunday: 8th April, 2018

Come See the Mark that Christ Crucified has left on us!
Second Sunday of Easter: Acts 4:32-35; 1Jn 5:1-6; Jn 20:19-31


This Sunday is liturgically called the Low Sunday which marks the end of the Easter Octave. "A week later", indicates the Gospel today; it was a week later that Jesus appears to all the eleven, including Thomas and patiently, mercifully and lovingly leads them to true faith. The feast of Divine Mercy was instituted and fixed for this day by Pope Saint John Paul II, who was canonised on this ocassion three years ago! 

The first reading speaks of how the early community of Christians becomes a mighty witness to the Lord. They were the epitome of the command that Jesus gave, 'be merciful as your heavenly father is merciful'. Mercy becomes their way of life, or rather their renewed way of life. As a mark of being a Christian, mercifulness to each other specially to those in need, becomes the point of attraction for many...and as the reading goes - the Lord added to their number everyday! Mercy, we know, is the high point of Christian identity. But what matters most is how it is lived on a daily basis. It begins with our life at home: with our dear ones, elderly parents, sickly loved ones, troublesome children, rebellious youngsters... how is our relationship? What level of patience and acceptance do we manifest? Mercy is not weakness, it is meekness!

The Second reading speaks to us of the Source of mercy, God the father of Jesus Christ who in mercy sent the only Son for our salvation! The Mercy of God is given to us as the example and the measure of our "genuineness of faith"! Preaching and believing in high ideals of love and compassion, if we but hate people and divide families, envy others and detest their well being... we are far, far away from God, the God of Mercy and compassion. Mercy is not an ideal, it is a life style; it is not a set of actions, but an attitude to life.

Jesus' encounter with the disciples after his resurrection manifests a special quality of mercy... it is an encounter that is full of unlimited forgiveness and unconditional love! There is no demand that the disciples have to render an account for having abandoned Jesus at the crucial moment of suffering, for having betrayed him or having denied him! All that Jesus does is, tell them he is with them and invite them to be his witnesses throughout the world. That is the mercy of God embodied, incarnate, which dwelt among us in flesh and blood and dwells among us today in the Spirit. Mercy, hence, has to be lived today in forgiveness and love; there can be no place for grudge and grievance, envy and slander, cheating and stealing, killing and enmity. 

An enlightening proposal that Jesus has for his apostles - how to ensure that it was Jesus? Jesus showed them the wounds, the mark that the Crucifiction left on him... the MARKS..come see the the wounds, feel the marks! We need to tell the world, as a proof of our identity as Christian - Come see the Marks that Christ Crucified has left on us!

As we celebrate the Divine Mercy of Jesus...let us understand and accept Mercy as our mark of identity as God's own children, the distinctive character of persons who call themselves Christians! Let us be merciful as our heavenly father is merciful.