In their name!

The Solemnity of the Holy Trinity

31st May, 2015

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...This is the most famous phrase we have grown with. The making of the Cross with the names of the persons of the Trinity has a number of significance: accepting the rule of the Cross over us,  invoking the continuous presence of the Lord in our lives and above all the blessings of the Trinitarian God on ourselves. The solemnity we celebrate today is one of the defining truths of a Christian.

It is very clear to understand that our faith in the Holy  Trinity, has its origins from the earliest of the historical times. The Scriptures already possess this clarity which signify that this way of understanding and believing has been there from the Early Christian times.

Apart from this historical roots,  we see in the concept and belief of the Holy Trinity,  an important foundation for Christian life. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Spirit. .. 

In their name. ..

...We have our being: Right at the creation we find God the Creator at work through God's Word, while the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.  God made the humans in God's image and blew God's spirit to give life and the Word took that same image to save that humanity at a later stage. Our very being is in the Trinity. 

..We have our identity: Believing in the Trinity affects our identity as human persons and as Christians. As human beings we are challenged by the image we possess and as Christians we are challenged by the nature of that image. The nature of God is a community. Our very identity is communitarian,  and our journey has to be constantly towards this perfection. 

...We have our mission: The mission that is entrusted to us is not something that is done by us as individual persons but it is a mission to establish the Reign of God,  that is the Reign of Communion,  the Reign of Love,  the Reign of Equality,  the Reign of Order, the Reign of Justice. This Reign exists and is exemplified in the Trinity. 

Today let us grow in our consciousness about the intimate sense of connectedness we have with the Trinitarian God. May that consciousness make us immensely grateful,  truly loving and passionately communitarian.

WORD 2day: 30th May, 2015

Jesus: The Word and Wisdom!

Saturday, 8th week in Ordinary Time

Sir 51:12-20; Mk 11: 27-33

The Second person of the Trinity is the Word; it is the Wisdom which personified God's guiding presence for the people of the Old Testament. The readings taken together give us a twin perspective of Jesus and Jesus' relation to the figure of Wisdom! 

1. Jesus has Wisdom: the Gospel presents to us the way Jesus tackled the trap that was laid for him by the shrewd pharisees and scribes. Jesus proves that he had the Wisdom, a great gift from the Lord. It is fundamentally knowing what to say and what not to say at a particular point of time and saying what is to be said in the best way possible with the choice of the right verbal or non verbal language! Now that was Jesus' forte. Be it in the event we read in the Gospel today,or the incident of the woman caught in adultery, or the case of the samaritan woman, or the discussion with the disciples asking for power and position... everywhere Jesus knew the right thing to be said and he chose the right sense of doing it.

2. Jesus as Wisdom: the way the first reading presents Wisdom, we come to clearly understand what the Old Testament speaks of as Wisdom is not merely a quality or a faculty, but a person, a personal presence of the Almighty! When Jesus lived and moved around, people readily and without much difficulty saw the Wisdom that he was. Jesus was, and is, the Wisdom that fills us with light and shows us the way. If only we accept the Wisdom of Christ in contrast to rest of the truth claims of the world, we would find that joy that is complete, that Christ alone can give. 

WORD 2day: 29th May, 2015

Being Godly...

Friday,  8th week in Ordinary Time
Sir 44: 1, 9-13; Mk 11: 11-26

The readings today speak to us of an essential dimension of human life: being Godly. If we can showcase some difference for being human beings vis-a-vis the 'lower' beings, it has to be by being Godly. However these days the social network seems to present us with cases of many of these animals,  the so called 'lower' beings,  with qualities and actions much more edifying than those of the humans.

Today the Word outlines 2 signs of being Godly...

Being rooted in God - finding one's solace and fulfillment in nothing less than God,  finding the hand of God in every bit of one's well being, being grateful for and conscious of the good that God continues to do, standing by to find out God's will and accompaniment in daily journeys of life. ..these are signs of being rooted in God.

Bearing forth God's fruits - one who bears forth God's fruits will bear it forth for others and not make a living out of it as it was happening in the Temple;  he or she will bear it forth in season and out of season, in abundance and always mindful that the fruits belong to God.

WORD 2day: 28th May, 2015

The splendid gift of truly seeing!

Thursday, 8th week in Ordinary Time

Sir 42: 15-25; Mk 10: 46-52

To truly see the nature and observe all that it points to, to truly see the creation and the creatures and all the marvels they possess, to truly see the process of change and rejuvenation inbuilt in the nature and drink in their splendour, to truly see all that happens around one and sense the lessons that they offer... it is a splendid gift! Not all do possess it.

Today, we can without exaggeration join Bartimaeus and ask the Lord that we may see, see truly, observe clearly, listen intently, understand deeply and find the splendour of God's presence with us and within us. Without God's grace we cannot see God's presence and receive God's directions for our daily life. To see a teary eye and read the helplessness in it; to see the troubled spirit and hear the cry for understanding; to see the disturbed minds and understand the yearning for true love, it is an essential and lovely gift that we can ask God for: the splendid gift of truly seeing!

WORD 2day: 27th May, 2015

A Lord with a difference

Wednesday, 8th week in Ordinary Time
Sir 38: 1, 4-5, 10-17; Mk 10:32-45

The Lord: that is how the disciples and the community began to interpret their Christ-experience. But for generations this Lordship was an experience of those people. They knew their Lords who were ruling them. ..they knew the Lord God who demanded their awe and respect. ..the first reading pictures that experience quite vividly.

There was something different about Jesus being their Lord. He served,  he loved,  he self-emptied,  and the height of all, demanded that all be so. Loving each other, serving each other and not 'lording over others'. Giving joy that is complete,  peace that the world cannot give, and love that is life giving,  Jesus proves a Lord with a difference.

WORD 2day: 26th May, 2015

Honest and Unattractive Marketing

Tuesday,  8th week in OrdinaryTime
Sir 35: 1-12; Mk 10: 28-31

Buy one get two; pay less get more;  paisa vasool... these are well known marketing techniques followed by the business brands, big or small. At the most the attempt to be sincere would be marked with an asterisk in smallest font size possible and stated "conditions apply" - all an attempt to hide what it really costs.

But today Jesus seems to be inviting people promising them 100 fold of what they give up and adds 'persecutions and death' too as inevitable part of the package - plain and clear! The First reading too promises sevenfold of what we offer to the Lord, but insists: 'offer no bribes, these God does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.'

It's all an unattractive type of marketing but honest. The fruits of discipleship is all made known to us. ..and along with it, what it truly costs. Will that kind of a propaganda attract many;  yes, many among those who honour honesty and dare to pick up the cross.

WORD 2day: 25th May, 2015

BE ALL FOR GOD

Monday,  8th week in Ordinary Time

Sir 17: 20-24; Mk 10: 17-27

We resume our normal journey after a long, eventful and significant detour into joys and sorrows,  passions and glories, pains and victories of Christ. The readings today present Jesus too about to set on a journey and Jesus gives us a clear and splendid orientation for our journey.

Live your life, all for God! While you still have the time come back to God from your strange ways. There may be great intense moments when you feel connected with God. Those are gifts,  do cherish them. But your faithfulness to God has to be seen in the normal long run, in the daily choices and determining priorities you possess. Seek perfection and there is no end to that journey; it goes on and on until you be all for God!

The Spirit and the Spirit's handmaiden!

24.05.2015

A HAPPY FEAST OF PENTECOST...

HAPPY FEAST OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS...

WORD 2day: Winding up to begin anew

Saturday, VII week of Easter: 23rd May,  2015

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31; Jn 21: 20-25

Don't you find a sense of winding up in the readings today? A type of 'and-they-lived-happily-thereafter' narration! Paul seems to settle down for good in Rome as an honoured guest in house arrest,  while Jesus seems to be bidding his final bye as the book of John comes to an end. The end is for a new beginning. ..the Church awaits the all important feast of the Pentecost tomorrow,  an outpouring of the Spirit that led to a renewed life and radical witness.

The message today is our call to'follow Christ' in season and out of season,  whether we are free or captive,  whether we live or die, whether we eat or drink! Good news has to be announced by all means and the responsibility is ours,  irrespective of our state of life or situation at present. How prepared and willing am I?

WORD 2day : Towards a true sense of Christian Leadership

Friday,  VII week of Easter: 22nd May,  2015
Acts 25: 13b-21; Jn 21: 15-19

Jesus seems to be preparing the second level of leadership. Peter he appoints already before he goes and Paul he seems to be taking to the all the ends of the earth that he may bear witness, true to his promises. In this Jesus offers us an insight into Christian leadership;  it does not consist in power and position but in bearing witness and serving the community of faith. Infact in such a perspective every baptised person is called to play a role as a leader: in witnessing and serving!

Today looking at our communities, be it parish communities where the laity scheme their way to positions of honour and fame,  or the members of the religious congregations or the clergy playing dirty politics and divisive games... true understanding of Christian leadership seems to have taken a back seat. The Gospel Acclamation reminds us today that the Spirit will teach us the truth and all the truth. May the Spirit of the Lord rekindle our faith and lead us towards true sense of Christian leadership.