WORD 2day: 29th May, 2017

The Graduation time

Monday after Ascension Sunday

Acts 19:1-8; Jn 16: 29-33

It is graduation time now...you ask a child this season - which class are you studying? You would get a typical reply, something like: fourth to fifth. smiling? Yes...it is graduation time.

In the Word today we see people graduating to the next levels...Paul introduces Apollos and others to the Holy Spirit; Jesus finds his disciples finally beginning to believe him. The call is the same to us today: as we have celebrated the feast of Ascension just yesterday, to graduate. To grow into people of the Spirit. The journey is begun, we would travel till coming sunday, reflecting towards being people of the Spirit. It is graduation time, we have to grow to the next level. We cannot just remain moderate and nominal Christians, we need to be Spirit filled Christians. Are we ready. Let us begin that week long journey today...towards being Spirit filled Christians!

Gone... to be with us!

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Acts 1: 1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mt 28: 16-20

Just after the vigil mass of Ascension, a youngster came over to me with a question. She said, 'Father, why did the disciples just let Jesus go? They should have created a ruckus and made sure Jesus couldn't go. I would have done it, if it were me!' I thought it was a good point for me to start explaining what Ascension of Christ truly means. Jesus has not abandoned us, as he himself had promised. Jesus' ascension does not mean Jesus has gone away but Jesus has gone up to be with us more than before. If Jesus had continued to stay on in that incarnate form forever (just an hypothesis), he would have remained in Jerusalem, Judea and the surroundings. But Jesus went up to the Father and thus he has begun to stay with every one worldwide. As Jesus promises in the gospel today: I shall be with you till the end of times. To be with us, Jesus had to go; he went, that is what we celebrate today: the Ascension.

Going to the Father did not mean for Jesus, distancing himself from us! It was a way of involving himself more into our lives. To be close to all, and not just to a few! Jesus goes, so that he can be everywhere and with everyone and always! 

Going to the Father did not mean for Jesus, forgetting his self emptying! Jesus gave up the status of being God and emptied himself. Going back to the father is not taking up once again the Godhood but becoming the mediator. We have a mediator par excellence!

Going to the Father did not mean for Jesus, that he is done with the humanity! Jesus continues to challenge humanity to grow up, and follow him to the Father's house. Jesus gives us a roadmap, a precedence, a clear plan of life. Keep growing until you ascend to the Father.

WORD 2day: 27th May, 2017

Coming and Going - should it affect?

Saturday before Ascension

Acts 18: 23-28; Jn 16:23-38

Past two days have been totally different days in the past three years, for me personally. I had handed over a ministry that was entrusted to me three years ago, to another confrere of mine. I remember, when it was handed over to me - my predecessor was going; I was coming in. Now it is my turn to go, and there is someone else who has come in. Paul went and Apollos came. Aquila and Priscilla were there to accompany both of them. Coming and going are natural truths of life, and should they affect. In some places it does and that is a sad part of affairs.

When will it affect anyone's coming or going? When it is Doer-centered, anything that is done will be affected by the coming or going of the one who does. One may be a better doer and the other a different kind of a doer - it will surely affect if this is the center of the considerations. How talented or not a person is, how capable or not a person is...these are the considerations that will affect. 

It will affect also when it is Action-centered. Being action centered is the priority or prime importance given to what is done. Though we do not give the centrality to who is doing, but to what is being done, still what is being done depends much on how is it being done. The results matter and the dividends matter. Should these matter or affect when it comes to what the Lord wants us to do, when we have been called by the Lord.

When the Lord calls, it is for Ministry. What is central here is not the you or me who is called; nor is it what I do or how I do. The central consideration is what does God want here and now. This is God-centered: there is no place for the ego of the doer or the success of the action. It is not a project to be done and reported, it is a Ministry to be lived and here it does not matter who comes and who goes...what matters is what God wants. Let us do all the good that we can!

WORD 2day: 26th May, 2017

The path of perfect perseverance

Friday before the Ascension Sunday

Acts 18:9-18; Jn 16:20-23

Today's Word led me to think of two phrases quite familiar in everyday parlance. The first one is 'the path of least resistance' - In the name of being natural and spontaneous, going with the trends, keeping with the times, the numerous compromises that are made and values that are lost belong to this thinking.

The second phrase quite equally popular is 'the path of least persistence' - advocating the theory that there is no virtue in insisting on making something work, while in practicality it does not. It is the famous mindset of trying out. Just give it a try, and that is all about life. The first failure, people quit.

The path of least resistance or the path of least persistence seem to be the trends of the world today. But the Word today, insists on the path of perfect perseverance. It is the path of least resistance to the Will of God and the path of least persistence to one's own whims and fancies. 

We see the Apostles and the their disciples do that...when the Lord instructs them to do something they offer no resistance at all. With all the sufferings that come their way, they keep persevering, though they certainly had moments dark and dangerous. Nothing stopped them because they were on the path of perfect perseverance.

WORD 2day: 25th May, 2017

Sorrow or Joy - what is your choice?

Thursday before Ascension Sunday

Acts 18: 1-8; Jn 16: 16-20

What would be your choice, your natural spontaneous choice: sorrow or joy? Of course, we would choose joy or that is what we think. Today, there is so much sorrow in the world because we think we choose joy, while in fact we are constantly adding to our sorrows. Is that confusing? Not really. It is an easy perspective that the Word offers today to understand our situation today. Let us contrast these as the perspective of the world and the perspective of the Word.

The perspective of the world says, with a faulty understanding of the phrase 'here and now', choose what gives you utmost happiness at any given moment and that will add to your joy. This is why people end up frustrated, ruined and wrecked in their life, making all the wrong choices possible, adding to their own woes and to the others'. The disciples could not understand what Jesus was telling them, because they only had a limited perspective of the here and now, until the Spirit arrived to open the eyes and their hearts.

The perspective of the Word says, have the ultimate Joy, the Joy that the Lord alone can give, in your mind. You would then be ready to choose at a given moment even a bit of pain and struggle, because you know you have a joy, a glory, an eternal happiness that awaits you! Look at Paul, Aquila, Priscilla, Titus Justus... they were wantonly choosing trouble and opposition, because they had their ultimate joy in perspective. Paul said that emphatically: I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us (Rom 8:18).

Now let us consider that question again- what is our choice: sorrow or joy?

CELEBRATING MARY, THE HELP OF CHRISTIANS

Being Christians Today - A Feast day Assurance 

Feast of Mary Help of Christians: 24th May, 2017

Mary Help of Christians, is a title that has been attributed our Blessed Mother right from the second century, but got its prominence in the 16th century and made popular in the 19th century! Looking at the historical significance of the title directly connected to the 16th century battle of Lepanto and the exile of the Pope in the 19th century, we tend to think today, that this title comes alive as the battle against the Christians is thickening all over the globe. The vandalism reported in one of the Indian Churches two days back, is just one of the many that are continuously going on in India. The Manchester blast that happened two days ago is nothing but a sign of growing apathy against this faith! In India we are marching towards a future that holds for us more and more troubles and testing, hypothesizing with the present run of the course. Mary Help of Christians, is a title that is apt today and it calls for three immediate actions on our part as Christians:

UNITE as Christians under One Lord who has called you! 

UNTIE the knots that keep you locked from each other and establish seamless relations!

UNDERSTAND the true faith and its holistic meaning, beginning to live your faith everyday!

May Mary Help of Christians, help us Christians today, to live true to our faith!

SPIRITUALITY OF BEARING FRUIT - #7

You did not choose me but I chose you. 

And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (Jn 15:16).

SEVEN LESSONS FROM A FRUIT TREE

Lesson #7: FRUITS ARE TO NOURISH OTHERS!

Fruits gain nothing for themselves.  

Having borne the fruit, what is there for the tree to gain, much worse what does the fruit have to gain? Nothing, absolutely nothing - but that is the most beautiful meaning in the entire phenomenon of bearing fruit. After all that effort and self conditioning and maturation, the fruit is the manifestation of the fullness achieved. But at that moment if we raise a question, what after all is the gain for the tree or a doubt what really has the fruit to achieve further - we are at a loss. It is all about self-giving, total self-giving. Jesus emptied himself, became like us, accepted death, death on a cross, was crucified... after all the centuries of preparation, is this the best that the Lord can do? Yes, of course, this is the best that the Lord could do... give of Himself, give Himself, give Himself totally!

When we bear fruit, that is, when we have reached a certain capability of contributing to the others and to the common, we die to be noticed, we yearn to be appreciated, we look for what we can gain or establish by whatever we can contribute. Within the Spirituality of bearing fruit, this part of looking for dividends is totally out of question. What remains for you to gather after you have borne the fruit that you ought to: - nothing. But that nothing is everything. 

Bearing fruit, is not for my sake. It is for others, whether they deserve it or not, whether they recognise it or not, whether they value it or not. Giving of my self,my being, my entire life, is the maturity the Lord wishes to see in us. To bear fruit and not look for recognition, to give and never to expect anything in return, to love and never long to be loved... that is the climax of the entire process of bearing fruit. The Lord awaits our growing up!                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

                          

SPIRITUALITY OF BEARING FRUIT - #6

You did not choose me but I chose you. 

And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (Jn 15:16).

SEVEN LESSONS FROM A FRUIT TREE

Lesson #6: FRUITS ARE TO BE PLUCKED!

Don't think they will be there forever.  

To bear fruit, fruit that will last - that is our call. Fruit that will last does not mean, fruits that will remain in the tree forever, unplucked or unpicked. If they remain so, what is the use of those fruits. Fruits are to be plucked, to be gathered and to be consumed! Can the tree claim the fruit to be all its own, merely because of the time taken and the effort put in? Can the tree have a say on who should pluck and who deserves not? After the tree has produced the fruit, it has no control over it. It is for public consumption and there are so many others who would be determining the rest of the issues. Is this not what Jesus meant when he instructed us with such clarity: when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, 'we are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done' (Lk 17:10).

There are two things here that I need to accept and understand. The first fact is that I cannot decide who should pluck the fruit that I have borne or how it should be used. The tree, like it is said of the rain, does not check whether the recipient deserves it or not. With the fact that I have borne the fruit, my task is almost done, the only thing remaining being the fact that I need to give that fruit away for consumption. 

The second fact that needs my attention is, that my task is not over with bearing one fruit. It is here I begin to understand the true meaning of 'the fruit that lasts'. Bearing fruit does not become an isolated action performed or a particular activity carried out but it has to become by attitude, my life style, my programme of life. I cannot stop with producing one or a few fruits - I need to bear endless number of fruits and all these fruits are to be plucked.   

Let us make that prayer of Christ sound deep in our hearts 'Here I am Lord, behold I come to do your will'...Let me bear fruit in abundance and readily allow it to be  plucked! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

SPIRITUALITY OF BEARING FRUIT - #5

You did not choose me but I chose you. 

And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (Jn 15:16).

SEVEN LESSONS FROM A FRUIT TREE

Lesson #5: FRUITS ATTRACT STONES!

People care little about the tree. 

Good fruits invite not only worms, but also stones. If worms are signs of dangers from within, stones are attacks from outside. When the tree bears fruit as a sign of its maturity, the tree will attract attention from passers by, from people who are looking for some benefits, from people who wish to make use of the resources wherever they are. 

Can the tree complain about people who are throwing stones at it? Goodness is prone to attack. Goodness disturbs people, specially the so-called "normal" people. When the entire society looks at convenience and comfort, the fruit bearing people look for convictions and character. No one looks at the breaking branches or the tearing leaves. No one cares about the amount of time taken to produce a fruit, the stages that it has passed through and all the effort that had gone in to bring that fruit to that fullness. 

However the fruit has to remember that if it were still an unripened raw matter, no one would even care a bit for it. The stones received, though it may cause some pain, they were truly marks of recognition of the fruit as to what it is.

Stones of jealousy, stones of criticism, stones of persecution, stones of hurdles - stones abound in types and number. Remember, if there are no  stones coming your way, it is an alarm that you are too far from all that you are called to be. If there are no stones thrown at you, you might be so scarcely inspiring to people around you. If there are no stones hurled at you, sadly you might be in such weak position to make any difference. 

Grow to the full. Be all that you can be. Make a difference and expect stones anytime. 

Someone throws a stone at you, what do you do? Give them fruits! Yes, the trees give fruits to those who throw stones. They don't throw stones back. Be filled with such goodness that you give out goodness, whatever the other throws at you. 

Consider Paul, the Apostle par excellence. Even after he found the Lord and encountered him, he had the choice of remaining safe and secure going around only where he is accepted. He knew people were throwing stones at him and the stones were increasing by the day. But nothing stopped him. Woe to me, he thought, if I do not preach the good news. Inspite of all the stones that are thrown at you, be good. Do good. Grow good. 

SPIRITUALITY OF BEARING FRUIT - #4

You did not choose me but I chose you. 

And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last (Jn 15:16).

SEVEN LESSONS FROM A FRUIT TREE

Lesson #4: FRUITS ATTRACT WORMS!

The worms know which ones to attack. 

Good fruits invite worms, for the worms know which is the best and they attack that first. How many times have you been surprised by a worm when you reached right through the fruit with your knife. The worms can eat the fruit from within. It is not a sign that the fruit is bad, but that the good fruit has been invaded. 

After all the long and tiring process of bearing fruit, finally when the fruits begin to appear, there can be these worms that attack from within - the worms of misconceptions, the worms of decadence of values, the worms of discouragements, the worms of temptation, the worms of negativity and the worms of compromise.

Now the question is, what would you do when you see the worm? If you value the fruit really and you are well informed, you would try to work that worm out of the fruit and make the most of it. That is exactly what you need to do when you find these worms within you. Don't be harsh on yourself. It is unfortunate that you let these worms grow within you; sad they invaded you! But remember they are from within you and therefore you and you alone have the power to work them out of your lives. 

Work them out of your life with determination. Stop judging yourself and calling names. That is of no use. Look at the way to eliminate them from your life, letting your sweetness remain. You are basically a fruit; you are basically good! You are not the worm. The worm needs to go, not you! So rout them out of your life, now!

Consider Judas and Peter - they were good fruits! When they found the worm within them, they reacted in two different ways. One judged himself, condemned himself and lost his total self. The other noticed the worm, understood its nature, worked it out of his life and became a better fruit - so nourishing and so healthy. 

Though you spot a few worms at times within you, you are a good fruit. Believe in yourself and get rid of the worms!