The Reign Call

WORD 2day: Monday, 1st week in Ordinary time

January 11, 2021: Hebrew 1:1-6; Mark 1: 14-20

We have come to the end of the Christmas season and Ordinary Time begins; we have finished celebrating the events around Jesus' birth and we begin to remember the life and ministry of the Lord. Rightly the readings today highlight the revelation made in and through Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, as the Word made flesh, and as the climax of all precendent prophecies and preparations! 

And Jesus begins, by proclaiming the Reign for which he stood all his life, even unto death! His message, his life and his mision was all summarised in that one reality: the Reign of God. The Reign of God is the single term explanation of all that Jesus taught, in words and actions. It is not only about Jesus, but even all that the prophets and the law spoke of till Jesus... ushering in that moment when Jesus would inaugurate the definitive phase of the beginning of the Reign. Yes, the Reign has begun...but ofcourse, not yet completely established.

The Reign will never be completely established until the last person on earth who rebels against truth, justice, love and peace converts himself or herself to the love and mercy of God. It begins with each of us, just leaving our nets, our boats and our attachments, to follow Jesus - follow the values of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus and the very life style of  Jesus. This is the Reign Call that is given to each of the Christians of all times.

The Lord calls us today, to make our own, the dream and the vision of the Reign of God; to be in our own way messengers of the Reign. Are we prepared to leave the nets and boats, and follow the Reign Call?

UNWRAPPING JESUS

The Love, the Covenant and the Beloved

January 10, 2021: Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord

Isaiah 55: 1-11; 1 John 5: 1-9; Mark 1: 7-11

Christmas season draws to its close with the Baptism of the Lord, because the manifestation is made as clear as possible at this point when the voice from heaven thunders, "this is my beloved Son!" The moment definitively seals the greatest of the gifts that God has ever given humanity: God's only Son...Jesus the Christ, the Word made flesh! The gift that came down to us on that Christmas night, in the lowliness of the manger, has been gradually unwrapped these days, with manifestations - first to the shepherds, then to the wise men and slowly but strongly to Mary and Joseph, as they beheld that Son of God, in their humble hands.

Today is the culmination of the unwrapping...Jesus the gift of God is unwrapped so magnificently in the Liturgy today. We are called to behold that gift, so that the warning that John gives in his Gospel: he came unto his own and his own did not recognise him, may not happen in our case.

We are called to behold Jesus, the LOVE OF GOD. Jesus is the love of God personified. God's love takes flesh and pitches the tent amidst us... in the person of Jesus! Wherever Jesus went there was healing, life, happiness, forgiveness, in short he was the presence of God, the presence of love, love which lived among people. That is what we are called to perceive, as perceived John in the second reading today! To perceive Love living amidst us, manifest today by the very voice of God. Perceiving the presence we are called to transform ourselves into presences of love...for the same voice cries out to us today, in the suffering world, in the marginalised persons and in the exploited brothers and sisters!

We are called to behold Jesus, the COVENANT OF GOD. Isaiah proclaims those beautiful words, : I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations. A covenant is more than a contract; a covenant is more than an agreement. It is something that is etched into the lives of those who are involved. It is taking responsibility for each other, that is why the Church defines marriage as a covenant! Jesus is the sign of the responsibility God took for his children; God did not spare even God's only Son, writes the Apostle. Perceiving Jesus as the covenant of God, we are called to take responsibility for our brothers and sisters, we are called to concern ourselves with the blind and the deaf of our society, the poor and the needy of our locality, the marginalised and the oppressed in our contexts.

We are called to behold Jesus, the BELOVED OF GOD. The voice declares it in all clarity, as wrote Isaiah of old. "This is my beloved, in whom i am well pleased!" In declaring God's love for Jesus, the voice today declares to each of us: you and I... we are the beloved of God...in whom God takes delight! In our Baptism, God made us God's own, and we belong to God and our God takes delight in us (Ps 149:4). 

In baptism we are made sons and daughters of God...that is brothers and sisters of Jesus, the greatest gift of God, Jesus the Love of God, the covenant of God and the beloved of God...and in Jesus our brother, we are called to be in our contexts, the presence of the love of God; in Jesus our covenant, we are called to be the signs of the covenant of God with the suffering humanity today; in Jesus the beloved of God, we are called to live our lives, every day and every moment pleasing to the Lord, who longs to declare, regarding each of us, "This is my beloved son, my beloved daughter, in whom I am well pleased!"

The Best Man's Call

WORD 2day: Saturday before the Lord's Baptism

January 9, 2021: 1 John 5: 14-23; John 3: 22-30.

The stage is all set for the Baptism of the Lord. We have, in these days, reflected on all the passages around the event of baptism of Jesus! Only thing left is, to celebrate the great event of Baptism itself, which we will be doing tomorrow. 

Today we have the identity and role of John clarified: John calls himself the best man! What a beautiful imagery of a prophet and a minister... one who rejoices for his master! But not anyone would be chosen the best man for a bridegroom! It will be the best friend of the bridegroom who will have that privilege. And he will have the honour of staying the closest to the bridegroom all through the ceremonies of wedding! 

The call is to grow in our relationship with Christ, to an extent that we would be considered close to Christ. Everyday is an opportunity to grow in this relationship. It is a life journey, a journey we make accompanied by the Lord, a journey that is shared with the Lord who walks beside us. 

By this evening we would begin the celebrations of the Baptism of the Lord. This day, let us dwell on our baptism, and thank God for the grace given to us in our baptism. Our baptism was the beginning of our journey with the Lord. Have we been conscious of the presence of the Lord with us, on the way? What place, in our daily life, have we given the Lord who is constantly with us? And what about the promises we gave to the Lord, at our baptism, at the beginning of this journey together? 

Let us make amends in our breach of promises and lack of commitment to the Lord and renew our resolve to grow ever closer to Christ our Lord!

Heirs of eternal life

WORD 2day: Friday after the Epiphany Sunday

January 8, 2021: 1 John 5: 5-13; Luke 5: 12-16 

As sons and daughters of God, we are made heirs of eternal life, in the Son of God. It is a guarantee that is given to us by God the father and mother, that anyone who accepts the Son and believes in him, shall have eternal life, as a sign of being in the Son. Being in the Son, or being united to God in the Son, happens through the Spirit, through the blood and through water. 

The Word today prepares us towards the great feast we are about to celebrate in a couple of days: the Baptism of the Lord - where the Spirit of the Lord, the blood of the Lamb and the Waters of presence of God, unites us to God, the very source of our being. Being united with God means, sharing integrally in the nature of God... in God's eternity.

One who beleives in the Son, shall have eternal life, declares the Word today. Growing in union with Christ means, sharing in the nature of Christ, the Son of God. The Son of God, rose from the dead revealing to us, the real image that we are made in... the image of God, our true nature of being eternal. But naturally, when we are not united in Christ, we would not share that nature of being eternal. If we do not remain in God, we shall not share in the image and likeness that God grants us. 

Being in God, being in Christ, being in the Spirit, takes for granted that we be in love, because God is love! God is love and therefore one who is in God, is in love; one who is in God, is eternal; therefore, one who loves, grows to be eternal. Yes, the message today is clear: there is only one way of becoming heirs of eternal life - to love one another as God loves us! 

We love, because we are loved!

WORD 2day: Thursday after  Epiphany Sunday

January 7, 2021: 1 John 4: 19- 5:4; Luke 4: 14-22

To love, is not an extraordinary quality. For us sons and daughters of a God who is love, love has to be our essential nature! The fundamental question is not whether I am ready to love or not; it is whether I am a Christian or not! If I am a 'Christ'ian, then love has to be my very nature. Where there is no love, there is no God...where there is no God, there is no Spiritual life! True spirituality is true love. 

The correlation of two readings brings out an all important point: to love is a charism given by the Spirit to each of us; to love is a commitment on behalf of my neighbour. That difficulties and sacrifices are involved, is a matter of fact. But that in no way can take away the call that I have, to love. 

We love because we have to! That is what shall define our identity as children of God, as disciples of Christ and as apostles of the Spirit. We are given a commandment to love, a commandment that determines whether we belong to Christ or not - if you keep my commandments, you shall be my friends and the Father and I shall come to you and dwell with you!

We love because God loved us first, God loves us still and God will always love us! When we don't love the other, we not only hate them, but we conceal ourselves from the love of God, which flows freely towards you and me! When we are not loving from within, we will not be in a position to experience the love that comes from God. 

We love, because we are loved! We love, because that is our identity! We love because without that we shall be what we are called to be. 

God's love surrounds us!

WORD 2day: Wednesday after the Epiphany Sunday

January 6, 2021: 1 John 4: 11-18; Mark 6: 45-52

It was a long time ago, but the experience has not left my mind. A child, hardly 2 years, had a tumour on her face,which had grown so big that it had covered the eyes and the child could not open her eyes. Admitted in the hospital, the child was crying incessantly, firstly due to pain and then due to fear, remember she was not even able to see whether there was someone standing around her. Everytime the mother put her hand into the hands of the child or on the tiny body of the child, the child would calm down and sleep; but the moment the mother took the hands off or left the side, the child never ceased crying! 

The Word today reminds us of that scene: with the Lord around, it does not matter what kind of a situation, we can go through it with calm and quietitude. In the absence of the Lord, even a mole hill would appear to be a mountain and a gentle breeze a storm! Let nothing perturb you, the Word and the saints continually remind us.  

The love of the Lord surrounds us! Let us live our daily moments, caressed in the love of God and become signs and bearers of that love, to those around us. Even those who are in the thick of darkness, unable to see anything around, would feel calm and strong, if we bring alive to them the presence of God's love in those moments of their lives. 

And if and when we love one another, God remains in us!

God is Love; Who are we?

WORD 2day: Tuesday after the Epiphany Sunday

January 5, 2021: 1 John 4: 7-10; Mark 6: 34-44

God's image among God's people was continuously evolving...first they thought God was a demanding task master, but later they understood God was loving too; first they thought God was an angry God but later they found God slow to anger, abounding in love; first they thought God was an uncompromising God but later they understood he was merciful too! They gradually came to understand the goodness and sweetness of God, but in no way losing sight of the uncompromising righteousness that was characteristic of God. 

The evolution found its climax in Christ, who reveals God as absolutely compassionate, profusely loving, immensely forgiving and unconditionally accepting...but always uncompromisingly righteous and pure! Jesus manifested this combination in its pristine form. In his firmness with the self-appointed leaders and  hypocritical religious heads and in his compassion with the sinners, the outcasts, the ill and the poor, Jesus was reflecting the image of the invisible God.

Knowing God to be such a person, is in a way a great news for us; but at the same time a big challenge. A great news because we are cared for and protected in that unbelievable love. A challenge because, if we are children of God, we need to be defined by who God is. 

Our God is love; hence we are called to be children of love! From the way we live our life, the world should be able to understand the kind of God we believe in. This is what is called the integrity of faith: the correlation between our faith and our living!

Now that Jesus in his compassion and in his mercy, has revealed God as love, let us ask ourselves, who are we?

To belong and to proclaim

WORD 2day: Monday after the Epiphany Sunday

January 4, 2021 - 1 John 3:22 - 4:6; Mat 4: 12-17, 23-25

The texts begin to orient us towards the Baptism of Jesus, which is the next major event we would be soon commemorating. Today the Word speaks to us of two key elements: Belonging to God and Proclaiming God! These are the two fundamental marks of identity that we should have as Christians: to belong to God and be God's children and to proclaim God and invite everyone to a life worthy of God who has gifted that life to each of us. 

Belonging without proclaiming would make us dead weights burdening the faith community; proclaiming without belonging would make us false prophets and hypocrites. The order is important too: that we first belong and then we speak up. That is why we see Jesus himself first withdraw into loneliness and ascertain his belonging to the One who had sent him before he began to go around proclaiming the Good News!

Needless to say, the resonance between the personal life of belonging to the Lord and the life of  ommitment to ministry (ministry at various levels: family, parish, congregation, community of faith etc...)is the fundamental quality of integrity that Jesus demands of us, his disciples.

TO BE PEOPLE OF LIGHT

January 3, 2021: Solemnity of Epiphany

Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 2: 2-7 a, 5-6; Matthew 2: 1-12

The Light came to the earth; the Lord came unto His own but His own received him not! We are people of the Light and that is the feast we celebrate today! The feast which reminds us that we are the people of the Revelation. God has revealed Godself to us and awaits our response.

I remember an experience that I had a few years back. Two of us were sent to pick up a priest from the railway station. This is no strange experience! How many times we would have received people in the airports and railway stations! But the twitch here was. ..we did not know the person we are going to pick up. All that we know was that we are going to pick up a middle aged priest from another State, who was coming to Chennai. We positioned ourselves in a prominent spot and awaited the guest as the crowd started spilling into the platform from the train. Crowds and crowds of people were passing by but we did not spot our guest. Many who were standing alongside with us waiting for their guests were gone. There was one standing beside me for quite sometime. A man with a dhoti and a white shirt with a long grey beard! He didn't even seem to be looking out for someone. The best surprise was when he asked us. ..'so are you waiting for a priest from this particular State? , 'yes'! And when he said. .."I am the one", we didn't know really how to react!

At times, the Lord reveals Godself but we have certain preconceived ideas that don't allow us to see the Lord. Today we are invited to be people of the light., that is people who live in light always, people who are ready and prepared to receive the revelations that God wishes to give us.

The Lord reveals himself to us constantly. ..first of all through extraordinary means: let's pray that God gives that gift to many of us! But there is another way God reveals, the ordinary means: through prayer experiences, spiritual direction, liturgical celebrations, etc. Let's take care when we celebrate these moments in life so that we don't miss the revelations involved.

There is the third way which is more subtle and more challenging: the Daily means. The fact is that the Lord constantly reveals himself through every day experiences...through people we encounter, through challenging situations we face, through successful experiments we have, through people who come to us in need, through persons who demand our responsibility and so on. Let's open our eyes, our ears, our hearts. ..that we may receive the Light that encounters us daily in our life.

Encountering Christ

WORD 2day: January 2, 2021

1 John 2:22-28; John 1: 19-28

The identity of Jesus as both God and Human was a major issue of controversies in the early Church. The first reading we have today is an indication to such feuds that existed. What matters, as John so rightly points out there, is not the philosophical and theological justification of who Jesus is; but the personal experience of the person of Christ, an encounter with Christ.

John the Baptist foretold the coming of Christ and pointed out when Christ really came. His prophetic gift gave him the privilege of understanding Jesus and identifying Jesus when he came. There were many who saw what John saw, heard what John heard...but they did not identify Christ. Even John, at a certain point, sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he were the Christ. And Jesus sighed, 'happy is the one who never doubted the Son of Man.'

Today we would do well to pray for this grace... To identify Jesus when he comes so that the encounter may enrich our life and bring meaning to it. In varied ways, in our neighbours, in our brothers and sisters, specially in those who are in dire need and helplessness, we are challenged to encounter Christ who is God but who had deigned to assume our nature and live in the poor and the oppressed! The New year that has just begun offers a great scope for the encounter - provided we remain open inspite of the tough times we have had and trying times that may come our way. These situations notwithstanding, we are called to meet Jesus, encounter Christ, in our daily lives.