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!

Jesus' School of Servant Leadership

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

July 25, 2020: Remembering St. James, the Major
2 Corinthians 4: 7-15; Matthew 20: 20-28

Feast of any Apostle reminds us of the wonderful words that St. Paul utters today: "we hold this treasure in earthen vessels". Every apostle has his own weakness, nevertheless the gift that they are and that they possess, surpasses everything as God's power and might is revealed in it.

Feast of St. James (with the Gospel that we are given to reflect today) reminds us of this more strongly and adds another specific teaching, a teaching from Jesus' School of Servant Leadership. In Matthew's and Mark's versions of the Gospel, we find every time that Jesus foretells about his passion, he follows it up with the discourse on servant leadership (as we see in Mt 16:24ff; 18:1ff; 20:20ff). 

The world today asks without fail, in doing anything, "what is there FOR ME in it?" The tendency to look for a gain in everything, doing only those that will bring something in return for me, doing everything in a manner that things will turn in my favour, or doing things with a mind to manipulate them in order that I gain the most given any situation - these are some competences that are advocated by the society today and everyone is expected to grow in this expertise. Jesus' school of leadership, has a totally different mindset to offer. 

James and John took some time to realise that the only thing they could inherit from Jesus was his identity as Suffering Servant! That is what Jesus repeatedly taught them - you serve and in serving you become a person of God! Once James and John understood it, they understood what it meant to be a true apostle of Christ.

Eventually they wanted to drink the cup that Jesus mentioned and that is what they did. James led the community of Jerusalem... humble and service minded as the Master himself; and his blood shed like the Master's (Acts 12:2). Let us praise the Lord for the apostle St. James and be prepared to witness to the Lord till our last breath, in our humble service!

WORD 2day: 17th May, 2016

The Battle Within

Tuesday, 7th week in Ordinary Time

Jam 4: 1-10; Mk 9: 30-37

The discussion continues on yesterday's theme: the battle within. Both James and Jesus through the Word today, speak to us of the important battle that is waging within us, which determines much of the battles around us. The self seeking, self centered and self focused egoism, twists and twirls all our priorities and thus wrongly motivates our choices. 

The worst of the conditions that we find today is the way the society prioritises. What is wrong if one thinks of one's own self fulfillment? The justification in terms of god-given capabilities and bringing them to their perfection is another rationalisation of this ego feeding. The Self or the Ego is being enshrined at the centre of human life as the most sacred thing that has to be preserved, promoted and pleased! Is this not idolatry? Some are so worried about use of images and icons as being idolatrous, while they make of themselves saviours, mouth pieces of God, indispensable dispensers of the god-element, the doorways to god and so on...

The question is clear today: have you compromised on the place given to God in your life? Is God the first priority in your life? Is God, God's plan and God's will the most important criterion in all the choices you make? If it is so, then you are on a winning streak in the battle within... Kudos! March on! 

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

25th July, 2015: Remembering St.  James the Apostle

2 Cor 4: 7-15; Mt 20: 20-28

Today in talking about vocations to priesthood and their formation,  they categorise the vocation into normal vocation,   late vocation and so on!  A normal vocation would mean a young boy having the aspirations of becoming a priest joins the Apostolic School and gets gradually initiated into the process and grows to be a candidate for this way of life. A late vocation would mean a youngster who has already strong convictions towards becoming a priest,  after much thought and experience decides to join the process of preparation.

Looking at James and his brother John in the Gospel today,  even we tend to be embarrassed at their ambitious spirit,  just as the other 10 were upset! But Jesus is not upset. There is no sign of it though he should be the first to be upset about it. Looks like Jesus is considering them as normal vocations that have to gradually grow into perfection as opposed to a strong and convinced vocation like St. Paul who would discard everything else as rubbish when it comes to gaining Christ (cf. Phil 3:8).

But the beauty of St. James is in the fact that he grew,  he grew in his understanding and came to the level of giving up his life for Christ: drinking the cup that He drank! The Lord does not expect us to be perfect but to be sincere,  sincere in our efforts towards perfection!

WORD 2day: 30th September, 2014

A God who suffers

Job 3: 1-3, 11-17, 20-23; Lk 9: 51-56

The readings today have a very different kind of a message to give us! James and John wish to bring fire down from heaven to punish the people who did not accept Christ. Job's friends pressurise Job to curse God and get done with God, for all the suffering that God has caused him! Jesus rebukes James and John and Job refuses to give into the counsel of his friends. Job is presented as the prefigurement of the suffering servant that Jesus was to be!

It is not just a suffering servant's figure that we see here, but the image of a compassionate God who suffers on our behalf. It is not true that it has happened just once in history...it had always happened, and it keeps happening that the Lord feels so much when we are adamant, arrogant and whimsical: a compassionate God who is so madly in love with us!

It is 'Christ'ian maturity and 'Christ'ian mindset, to endure our suffering not blaming God or complaining to God, but seeking to find God during those moments of suffering. When we seek God, we will find God so close to us that we would understand that even God suffers along with us! "When you search for me you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart I will let you find me, says the Lord" (Jer 29:13). Our God is not a God who makes us suffer, but a God who suffers, when we suffer! Let us learn to feel the Lord's presence and draw strength from it, during our moments of struggle!

WORD 2day: 23rd September, 2014

The Right thing to do...

Pro 21: 1-6, 10-13; Lk 8: 19-21

Doing the right thing is better than sacrifice says the first reading today. And the right thing is imprinted in our hearts. The Word of God, comes to us through various ways: direct proclamation is just one among them. There are situations and persons whom we come across who bring us a challenge to face and respond to. The Word of God comes along, instructing us what is right and what is to be avoided. There is the inner voice within us, that "sound of sheer silence" (1 Kgs 19:12), which tells us at the right moment the right thing to do. 

All that we need to do is first of all, be attentive: attentive to the Word that comes across to us. Secondly, be sincere: sincere to admit that we have received the word and to recognise the demands that it places. At times because of the demands that the Word places on us, we pretend not to have heard, or not to have understood the real meaning of the Word. It would serve no purpose and we in fact deceive ourselves by doing it. Thirdly, our task is to be diligent, in carrying out amidst all struggles, what the Word tells us. 

The Gospel today assures us that when we do all the three we would be considered not merely disciples, but mother, brother, sister, in short, coheirs with Christ to the Reign of God. But when we stop short of them, we would be deceiving ourselves warns the letter of James (1:22).  

WORD 2day: 25th July, 2014

Jesus' School of Servant Leadership

Remembering St. James: 2 Cor 4: 7-15; Mt 20: 20-28

Feast of any Apostle reminds us of the wonderful words that St. Paul utters today: "we hold this treasure in earthen vessels". Every apostle has his own weakness, nevertheless the gift that they are and that they possess, surpasses everything as God's power and might is revealed in it.

Feast of St. James (with the Gospel that we are given to reflect today) reminds us of this more strongly and adds another specific teaching, a teaching from Jesus' School of Servant Leadership. In Matthew's and Mark's versions of the Gospel, we find every time that Jesus foretells about his passion, he follows it up with the discourse on servant leadership (as we see in Mt 16:24ff; 18:1ff; 20:20ff). James and John took time to realise that the only thing we can inherit from Jesus is his identity as Suffering Servant!

Eventually they wanted to bear the crown that Jesus mentioned and that is what they did. James led the community of Jerusalem... humble and service minded as the Master himself; and his blood shed like the Master's (Acts 12:2). Let us praise the Lord for the apostle St. James and be prepared to witness to the Lord till our last breath!

WORD 2day: 21st February, 2014

Live what you believe!

"There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Reign of God come in power!" The Reign of God coming in power...when does this happen? It happens when faith and works unite in one single act of living. As long as that "faith-works" divide, translated as 'religiosity-social concern' conflict or 'contemplation-action' controversy or 'personal salvation-social commitment' confusion, still exists the Reign of God will be a mere talk. When Pope Francis appealed to the world on the 47th World Peace Day this year, not to be satisfied with policies and principles but to get down to daily living and build a world of fraternity, it was the same claim as James: faith without works is dead! What we believe has to be lived. To take up the Cross and follow in Christ's steps, is not an easy decision. But there is nothing less than that expected of us. Jesus is categorical - If anyone wants to follow me, let him or her do this. When the gap between what we believe and live, the distance between what I preach and practice, the space between the private life and the public manifestation, become lesser and lesser, the Reign of God grows stronger and stronger. There can be no threat more powerful than this to the corrupt world order!

WORD 2day

17th October, 2013: Remembering St. Ignatius of Antioch

One is justified by faith apart from the works of law - this was, is and will ever be a point of contention. In the Old Testament times it was a contention between the 'conservative' and the 'progressive' rabbinic schools; in Jesus' times between him and the Jewish religious heads; in the times of the early Christians it was a contention between those who followed the Pauline theology and those who believed the theology of James; today it continues between the Catholics and the non Catholics! Needless to say our point of reference is Jesus: 'Don't put your trust in your capacity to achieve things and to gain control or dominance', warns Jesus, 'become like children!' That is primacy of faith! He also declared, 'when you did this to one of these little ones, you did it to me!' That is the necessity of works! What Jesus taught against was, empty ritualism, legalistic spirituality and hypocritical religiosity! St. Ignatius of Antioch, whom we celebrate today says that in very simple words, "it is not that I want merely to be called a Christian, but to actually be one. Yes, if I prove to be one, then I can have the name."

WORD 2day

25th July, 2013 - Feast of St. James, the Apostle

We believe; so we speak!  That was the watchword of the band of apostles, as St. Paul notes in the first reading today(2Cor 4:13).Though there was a time when even the apostles did not understand what Jesus was upto... they looked at Jesus like any other leader, carrying forward his career! But in time, Jesus made them understand that they are called to follow, a leader who is 'crazy' in the terms of the world, a man who was full of contradictions. Whoever among you would be the great must be a servant, and who would be the first must be a slave. James and John today become the occasion for Jesus to reinstate his philosophy of life, indeed a tough one. St. Paul understood that philosophy perfectly and he expressed it lucidly when he said, we carry within our bodies the death of Jesus, that the life of Jesus might be manifested in us. He says, death was at work in the lives of Apostles, so that life can be experienced by those to whom they carried the message. When we would think it is important to abandon death and seek life, the apostles seemingly seek death, to give life! And they invite the others to believe and once they believe, the believers too seek to carry within themselves the death of Jesus, so that the world may receive life in Christ. That is the chain of apostleship that is passed on to us... to be apostles is to carry the death of Jesus within us, that we may ultimately manifest the eternal life in Jesus to the world. James, the first of the apostles to be put to death (Acts 12:2) bears a resounding witness to this way of life; a life of contradiction; the life of apostleship.