A RETURN TO HOPE - TO THE ROOTS

Remembrance, Recognition & Resilience 

First Sunday in Lent - March 9, 2025

Deuteronomy 26: 4-10; Romans 10: 8-13; Luke 4: 1-13

The Lenten call is always to return and in this jubilee year of hope, it is a return to hope that we are called to. Yes, we have begun our jubilee lenten journey to Return to Hope and the Word on this first Sunday of the season, invites us to go to our roots! That is a radical return indeed, returning to the roots and finding our hope there! 

Returning to hope is returning to our roots because it is a matter of remembrance! Recalling and Reaffirming how good God has been to us, is the most fundamental way to return to our roots and that will certainly take us to a sense of hope. The Creed that we proclaim habitually, be it in the solemn eucharists or in our daily prayers, is a tool to this call, to remember, recall and reaffirm what God has been to us. Today in the first reading we have the creed of the people of God and in the second reading the creed of a Christian... if we carefully observe them, they are but a recalling of the goodness of the Lord. 

This is a challenge for most of us, because when we are through a crisis situation or in a dilemma of judgement, we tend to think of what has gone wrong, who is to be blamed or what justification I could find for something that did not go well or did not go as it should! The Word instructs us today - look back to the good things, magnificent things, unbelievable things that God has done - whether in person or as families or as communities. That is what the prophets did to the people whenever they had to get back to God - they reminded them of the glorious past. The Spiritual Masters too tell us that - go back to your beginnings, when you face the temptation of losing focus. The generations shall call be blessed, because the Lord has looked with favour on me!  

Returning to hope is sincere recognition of what we are, with all the graces we have received and all the shortcomings that we have fallen into. The recognition is of the goodness of the Lord, without doubt. But above all, it is the recognition that, that good God is with me all the time. It is the recognition of the presence of the Lord with me which is the highest of poles that can direct me to the sense of hope in life. We see Jesus today confronting the devil - what we see standing out in Jesus is certainly not a egotistic self-promotion nor an arrogance of an elitist mentality; it was a total recognition of who was with him, knowing well his own vulnerability but along with that the purposefullness of the One who had sent him. That was the root, which filled Jesus with resilience. 

Returning to hope is a manifesting the grace of resilience  in all its senses...those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, cites St. Paul. Asking the Lord today to be with us, in our distress (responsorial psalm today) is a subtle teaching that we do not desist or detest distress or hardships in life, they are bound to come. Resilience teaches us not to be caught up with the fears of failures or judgements of the rest of the people around me. It teaches us to place our trust in the right place - in the roots, that is, in the Lord who is just at a call's distance away. 

Rediscovering Hope in life, is physionomically a return, a return to the original glory and splendour; that indeed is essence of the lenten call. And this times, being the year of hope, we are called to remember the hope-giving moments that we have had with the Lord! We are called to recognise the continuing goodness of the Lord and grow in our resilience in our daily life.   

A Return to hope... following the Way

THE WORD IN LENT - Saturday after Ash Wednesday

March 08, 2025 - Isaiah 58: 9-14; Luke 5: 27-32

"Show me, Lord, your way," we pray in response to the Word today - because it is inevitable that we know the way in order that we could return to hope. Hence, the call today is to know the way, choose the way and walk the way. 

Knowing the way, is possible because the Lord reveals the way to us - and Jesus declared it in clear terms: I am the Way. The block that rests preventing us from knowing the way, or getting to know the way is, more than ignorance, arrogance  which makes me think that I have nothing more to know. The human tendency today is this, that with the little that we know, we think we know everything and we feel we are self-sufficient. We miss the truth in the bargain. 

Choosing the way, is the crucial transitionary phase - most of the times we know the way, and the way will certainly lead us to that experience of salvation and hope, provided I choose that way. Let us look at those phrases today in the first reading - "if you do away," "if you give your bread," "if you refrain," "if you consider Sabath delightful," "if you honour the priority of God"... these are direct indications of the importance of a choice, choice of the way we know very well. We know what is the way to peace, to serenity, to hope and to an experience of salvation - but what matters is that we choose it!

Walking the way, refers to the decision, the commitment we are ready for in response to the call that the Lord has for us. Two important things that we could pay attention to here are - one, daring to say the initial "yes" to the Lord which includes saying so many no's, just as it is explained be it in the first reading, be it in the Gospel; the second, the moments when we become aware of our shorcomings - when we falter, fall, tremble or doubt - to tell ourselves, that our Saviour knows it all! He came not to call the just and the righteous, but the sinners and those who are struggling. The call remains unchanged even in the midst of our failures, to regain our confidence, to recommit ourselves and keep following the Way.

A Return to hope... fasting unto holiness!

THE WORD IN LENT - Friday after Ash Wednesday

March 07, 2025 - Isaiah 58: 1-9; Matthew 9: 14-15

Fasting is an integral part of almost all religious traditions; even within our Christian tradition, it comes right from the ancient roots of the first testament... with people who fasted to show their allegiance to the Lord! While it is a renowned way of showing one's choice to stand for a cause in the socio-political sphere, as a spiritual practice it is an exercise of manifesting one's commitment to the Lord. It is here that the interpretations begin to differ - making the central question, "what does the Lord want of me?"

Jesus answers that question today, as John's disciples align themselves with the Pharisees and accuse Jesus' disciples of not fasting! Why should they fast, is the question that Jesus poses and that takes us to the question: why should we fast? We need to fast unto holiness; yes, if my fasting in someway does not lead me to holiness, that fast is meaningless, senseless and needless.

Fasting could be of varied types: 

- there could be an egoistic fast which helps me to show everyone and to myself that I am capable of extraordinary feats and take me to the arrogance of despising others who do not fast, become insensitive to others and consider myself more special than anyone else. This is an ungodly fast;

- there could be a legalistic fast which makes one a legalistically and ritually perform something out of fear of something untoward or out of pride of being a perfectionist. Everyone who does not practice it is judged drastically and the one who practices places himself above and over everyone else. This is an inhuman fast;

- there could be a symbolic fast which makes me feel vulnerable, weak and in want, but helps me participate in the suffering of the Lord, which I wish to remember. It is a way of realising my worldliness and from that thought trying to liberate myself from many a shackle that might bind me. It need not be too drastic in its measure, anything simple could make me feel this spiritual experience, if it is done with authenticity. This could be appreciable and helpful, but for Jesus it is not sufficient; this is a spiritual fast;

- there is what could be called a fast with integrity, which Jesus and Isaiah teach us today: the fast that place God at the centre and in God, the others who are suffering, who are in need, who look to me for some solace! Hence my fast has to be one with integrity, that looks to reach out to the other, promotes justice and compassion, stabilises relationships and enables me to journey towards holiness; that is the hope-bound fast! That is fasting unto holiness!

A Return to hope... is a deliberate Choice!

THE WORD IN LENT - Thursday after Ash Wednesday

March 06, 2025 - Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Luke 9: 22-25

We are on a journey, a pilgrimage, on a return to hope... but this return does not happen all on its own. It has to be a deliberate choice, or a set of deliberate choices! Hope is an assurance of the blessed and divine end that God has prepared for us, there is no doubt about it. Because the Lord has prepared the banquet of Salvation for each of us, but equally true it is that I have to make my choice for that! It is not automatic for certain. 

Choice, therefore is the fundamental expression of true faith. If I have an ongoing relationship with God, if I truly believe that I belong to God, if I think that I need to stand for what I believe in before the world today, I need to manifest that through my "choice", my "choices"! The first reading today presents us this experience of life - to choose between life and death, between blessing and curse, in summary, between good and evil. 

A further attention that is required of us is that we become conscious of our choices and the quality of those. Choosing good, especially today, could be tricky! The question raised immediateòy would be, "good, for whom?", "good in what sense?" There are numberous situations where persons claim that they are choosing what they think is good, but finally we are left at bay whether it is "truly" good!

Jesus has a clue, how we could ensure we are always choosing the really good, the right thing... the secret is to choose what is good in the eyes of the Lord, for me. That is why he says, choose your Cross! One who wishes to follow me, let the person pick up his or her daily cross and walk behind me. Our journey has to be a choice. Our pilgrimage, our return, has to be fundamentally a choice, a choice for good, a choice for life, a choice for God!

LENT 2025: A Return to Hope

THE WORD IN LENT

March 03, 2025 - Ash Wednesday

Joel 2: 12-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20 - 6:2; Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

We begin the most precious of the liturgical seasons today - the season of Lent. 

My way of interpreting LENT is - Living Enthusiastically the Need to Transformation. First and foremost this transformation is certainly not an one-time event, but a life long process. A season like that of Lent, is a loud reminder of the original journey and the need to get back to the right itinerary, cost what it may. Today, beginning this season for this year, we are left with three key words to dwell on: Return, Hope and Journey!

Return - that is the overwhelming call, not only of the Word today but of the entire season that we begin today. Return, is not just a new turn, but a re-turn... a coming back to the origins, a resuming of the original state. That is why, the return is actually a reinstatement - where we give God the rightful place, give the other the rightful place and give ourselves the rightful place, in our daily lives. 

Hope - that is the key for this year, the Jubilee of Hope. Hope is the crux of the experience of Resurrection. If that is what we are preparing ourselves towards, in and through all that we are involved in this season, then we need to dwell on it, everyday all through this season. We are called to find the source of this hope, for ourselves, for all those who are around and especially for those who have lost it or are on the verge of losing it. 

Journey - that is the leitmotif of the Jubilee... as pilgrims, we are all on a journey. Reflecting on the symbol of Hope, the anchor, comes to us as a powerful symbol. Thinking of it  we cannot but think of the vessel that it is meant to hold firm, nor can we miss thinking about a voyage, a journey and on this journey, we are not alone - there are so many "other"s and above all there is the One who calls us to this life! 

Let us begin this journey, a return to hope, a hope that the Risen Lord alone can give. Let us fix our gaze on him, as we embark upon a journey of return to the Lord, return to the core of our beings, return to the nature with which we were created, a return to Hope! .  

Rewards of the Just Judge

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 8th week in Ordinary time

March 04, 2025 - Sirach 35:2-15; Mark 10: 28-31

That the Lord is just, is not always a convenient fact for us. At times even the best of things that we do, may not really be deigned as good owing to the intention that is behind its doing. We may act kind to someone, expecting something in return. We may try to please someone because we wish to obtain a favour from the person. We may close an eye to a fault of someone merely because we like the person and make a mountain out of molehill just because we may not like the person. 

All these, are not factors that are known to an apparent eye; but the Lord knows them all. The Lord knows us through and through. Considering that the Lord is judge, the rewards may not be always what we like or enjoy, but the rewards will always be a means of enhancing the goodness in a child. 

In simple words, what we do is important; but why we do what we do and what we want to achieve through what we do... these matter a lot more. I am not what I do, but I am what I think, as and when I do whatever I do!

Come, Come back, Come home...

WORD 2day: Monday, 8th week in Ordinary time

March 3, 2025 - Sirach 17: 20-28; Mark 10:17-27

The messages have begun inviting us back home. Soon there will be lent and this message will be all the more stronger. In the first reading we see atleast thrice a term referring to return, repeating itself. And then there is the call the find ou way home to the Lord. 

Apart from the invitation to return from the first reading, we see the invitation to follow from the Gospel. In fact the invitation is the same... to get back home to the Father, Jesus is the way back. 

The invitation of the Word today, points to the fact that all of us need a home that is permanent; that we belong to a home that is permanent where we are ourselves and not waiting to be invited. Let's heed the invitation of the master and turn back home as early as possible. And the way is, to follow the Lord.

The Reign is our home and let us beware not to distance ourselves from it too long. The love for our home should pull us back from wherever we find ourselves. Come, Come back, Come home invites the Lord - with the right perspectives and right actions, let us get back home, following our loving Lord.

FRUITS

Fake, Faulty or Fullness...

8th Sunday in Ordinary time: February 2, 2025

Ecclesiasticus 27: 5-8; 1 Corinthians 15:54-58; Luke 6: 39-45

Fruits - it is by fruits that a tree is known! What we are, is judged by our fruits but beware what you put out as your fruits! 

Today when we look around people are looking for fruits, and persons look to prove themselves to others showing off their fruits. Not just the advertisements or the publicities that are made, which are almost totally fake, but there are other modes in which even individuals and groups wish to show themselves off to others, as something that they are not, to gain, or to be popular or to have their way! Facebook, Instagram and Twitter handles are filled with photoshopped facts and filtered snaps, all to impress others and make oneself desired at all costs. The same happens in life too: we show ourselves to others the way we wish to, we manifest our fruits; the question is, are these but true fruits?

Fake Fruits: the culture of death

Living our life merely as living up   to the expectations of the others, the demands of the society, the requirements of the trends and identifying oneself to this way of life is, putting out fake fruits: they can give meaning neither to me nor to anyone else! In our spiritual life too, we create appearances, we put up shows for the sake of those who are around and rejoice in being appreciated for what we are not, in being praised for what we do not deserve, in being identified as someone or something that we are not. This is a culture of death - where what is not is so much hyped and appreciated and what is true is made insignificant and uncared for. We are so caught up with the unreal that the real does not matter at all. We are happy with just appearances and fantasies. Our Christian life can never be this!

Faulty Fruits: the blind life

Living our life, all the time concerned about our external image and the opinion of others, we might forget to live it from the core of our beings. We may make so much effort merely to prove ourselves to others that we may lose sight of the real life that is being wasted in the meanwhile. We become so blind to truth! Being blind we can never be guides to others, but we keep shouting to the others to follow us, we keep drawing attention of the others as if we are the models to be proposed to the world, models of so-called 'success', 'achievement' and 'excellence'. We are so blind to the fact that we are not living our lives, we are so blind to the fact that even others see through and notice quite soon the emptiness that is there within us! By the time, we realise that emptiness ourselves, it seems too late and too far beyond redemption. We give up! Do not give in, or do not give up, instructs the Word today... live on, live deep and move to the next level.

Fullness: the fruit of life

Living our life to the full is the natural fruit we are called to bear: bearing fruit is never a goal, it is just an outcome. The goal is, living our life to the full. The fruit follows. The more we concentrate on the end of showing out fruits to the others, the more meaningless and hollow our life becomes. The focus has to be on living our life to the full, living it in our depth, living it at the core, living it with integrity - that every thing we think, everything that we say and everything that we do, has a congruence about it. It is in this fullness that we shall be able to notice the log that lies in our eyes and clear it so that we can help the other to remove he splinter in his or her's. Life has to be embraced in its ups and its downs, in success and in challenges, in its glory and its grief... with hope and that is the sign of being a people of resurrection! This is being people of victory, people of the Risen Lord, appreciating and celebrating life, life in all its abundance. 

Bearing Fruit is the sign of being united in the Lord, but the quality of the fruit matters the most - not fake fruits that are actually not there at all, not faulty fruits that last just a while leaving behind a unfathomable void, but fullness where fruits abound, inspiring many more to give thanks and glory to God! Yes, let us pray hard and live to the full that we may bear fruit - but nevertheless, let us beware of what kind of a fruit we put out.