The Silence of the Tomb and the most powerful Word!

THE WORD IN THE HOLY WEEK

Another Passion Week amidst the Pandemic - the Silent Saturday

April 3, 2021: There is no Holy Mass on this day!

The Silent Saturday - the Church is silent, no public worship; the day is silent, nothing happens and everything seems to be in suspension; the Word is silent, there is no Mass celebrated this day; because Jesus, our Lord is silent, he is laid in the tomb; and God is silent, preparing something totally new for us! We are called to be in silence, waiting in hope! Though everything is silent, there is something that is powerful happening... in the silence of the tomb, this day, we hear the most powerful of all words: Hope! 

That is the word that the Lord wishes to tell us...even these days as we get through this pandemic...hope! Hope in the Lord and praise his still, my Saviour and my God is there for me, whatever happens. There may be a thousand arrows aimed against me or there may be a whole battalion that comes against me, but nothing can assail me, for I hope in the Lord, my God. That is the kind of hope we are challenged to possess and grow in...not just in moments when we feel so close to God and specially blessed by God. But more importantly in moments of darkness and drear, in the moments of struggle and confusion, in moments of pain and burden... in moments of grief and sadness...through the experience of the tomb!

This day teaches us and invites us to understand the language of silence... not anyone's silence, but the silence of God. The Silence of God is filled with messages, provided we are ready to pay heed and attend to what it communicates to us. These moments continuously speak to us and offer us the opportunity to look at the rest of our life's moments with focus and within a framework. If only we are able to sit in that silence...without filling it with our words, cries, laments and proposals to God! 

Jesus is in the tomb...the silence of the tomb is so piercing, so heavy and so laden. The women were worried about what was kept inside that tomb, the body of Christ; the apostles were worried about what would happen to them next; all those who followed Jesus were dumbstruck still trying to make sense of what has happened in a question of three days...after all the fanfare with which they received Jesus into the city... looked like everything came to a standstill... yes, it was still, it was silent, but not empty or hopeless... but there was a burdensome task of waiting. They had to wait on the Lord. 

We need to wait too, on the Lord, for very many answers to our questions. The Lord has every bit of answer to give us and this silence can provide an opportunity to arrive at those answers. But we need; to allow the silence to speak... speak those powerful word, the word that the Lord is getting ready for us: Hope! 

Cross: Salvific Suffering for the sake of the Other

THE WORD IN THE HOLY WEEK

Another Passion Week amidst the Pandemic - the Good Friday

April 2, 2021: Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12; Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:7-9; John 18:1-19:42

Thinking of the Cross in relation to the pandemic is no difficult thing, it syncs naturally. So many different crosses, directly due to the disease and the indirectly due to its related effects.  The disease itself, the strange symptoms and the stranger lines of action like quarantine and isolation, the loss of dear ones, the still unclear state of the virus and its nature, the power and control that the moneyed have over the rest of the world, the ironic fact of how both the rich and the poor are affected by it, the silent cries of the millions and economic crises of families as well as societies... all these are crosses that we have faced during the time of pandemic which is still going on and threatens to prolong itself much more!

Amidst such experiences, how do we make sense of the Cross? "...ours were the sufferings he bore, ours the sorrows he carried' - the words of Isaiah that prefigured the passion of Christ, give us a clue to understand what a true Cross is. Cross is not any suffering. Cross is not merely any inconvenience experienced in any mode. Cross is salvific, a suffering or an inconvenience, that brings a salvific grace to you and to others, is what can be called a Cross: this is the lesson that Jesus on the Cross offers us today. 

Cross is Salvific. Not any suffering is a cross...what if I chose to do all the wrong things and as a conequence, I face the suffering - is that a cross, merely because it is a suffering? What if I knew well where it was taking me, still I either actively or passively submitted myself to things that were very clearly enslaving and entrapping - could the resultant sufferings be called a cross just because it tears my life asunder? What if I deliberately chose to be arrogant and self-centred and as a result I feel abandoned and alone, languishing in loneliness and pain - could it be called a cross just because it gives me pain and burden? No... these are not salvific, these are choices that I make and the consequences that I have incurred. Cross, though heavy and burdensome, elevates me, raises me up to experience the mighty presence of God. If it has to be so, then, Cross is submission to God's will and Cross is taken up for the sake of others!

Cross is submission to God's will: "Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering" says the letter to the Hebrews. "Not mine, but your will be done," prayed Jesus as he took up the will of God. Cross is suffering in submission to the will of God. It is transcending rebellion and complaint; it is growing up to see the salvific nature of a suffering because it is accepted in submission to God's will. During these days of suffering due to the pandemic and its aftermath, how prepared are we to submit ourselves to God and God's will? How prepared are we to see the presence of God, even through the dark valley of insecurity, incertitude and inadvertent sufferings?

Cross is taken up for the sake of others: The pandemic has taught us this - wearing the masks, is not for myself but for others; staying in quarantine is not primarily for myself, but for others; giving up the normal pleasures of life, like going for entertainment and recreation, is not for myself, but for others! Without looking at the practicality and rightness of these directives, when I am able to take it upon myself for the sake of the others, those inconveniences becomes salvific - that is truly a Cross, from Christ-ian point of view! When I am ready to bear the burden, go the extra mile, do an extra sacrifice, exert a little more my energy and suffer an unnecessary trouble for the sake of others, not for my own benefit, that is a Cross and it is salvific: it serves others and saves me! 

Today from the Cross the Lord speaks to us - for you I have taken up all these suffering! How much suffering are you prepared for, for the sake of the other? Cross, is the Salvific Suffering for the sake of the other... are you prepared?

The Meal, the Memorial and the Mandate

THE WORD IN THE HOLY WEEK

Another Passion Week amidst the Pandemic - the Maundy Thursday

April 1, 2021: Exodus 12:1-8,11-14; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26; John 13: 1-15

This Thursday is central to the Paschal Mystery, for varied reasons: firstly, because today we see happening things that are a foreshadow or a foretaste of what is to come - the body and blood to be given on the Cross is already pre-announced, the passage from death to eternal life that is to be accomplished on the resurrection of Christ is already explained in the passover meal, the very essence of Christ's life, death and resurrection is summarised in the call to serve each other; secondly, because it is the beginning of the climax of God's salvation plan, the climax which began in the incarnational event and reaches its peak in the resurrection event. The Thursday gives us three important messages to ruminate on - 

The Meal and the Eucharistic Community. The Lord renders us the Eucharistic Community by giving us a meal to nourish us individually and as a community. The meal, as explained in the book of Exodus, already contains so many Eucharistic elements - the community factor, the salvific factor, the festive factor, and so on! This day makes us Eucharistic Community and that is why so much importance to the Eucharistic Lord - with the meal and the adoration and the vigil.

The Memorial and the Ministers of the Lord. The Lord sets up this gathering of the people of God as a memorial of the covenant, specially the everlasting covenant made in the blood of Christ. And to facilitate memory, he creates his own ministers, so close to his heart and leaves them as living memories of his covenant. This is the challenging call that the Lord has given to every person called to ministerial priesthood...that they remain the living memorials of the presence of the Lord amidst God's people. 

The Mandate and the People of God. The people of God are created in the name of God and the defining identity that is given, is the command of love! Love - it was that made us and it was love that saved us and love is the call that makes us trully people of God. "By this they will know that you are my disciples, by the love that you have for each other." The mandate, from where derives the word Maundy Thursday, is not merely a command to do, but a task that defines our very existence as people of God. 

May this day remind us, that we are everyday called to be people of the mandate, the mandate of love!

Commitment and Priority-Choice for God

THE WORD IN THE HOLY WEEK

Another Passion Week amidst the Pandemic - the Spy Wednesday

March 31, 2021: Isaiah 50: 4-9; Matthew 26:14-25

The disciple's tongue to speak and the disciple's ear to listen - that is what the Lord has given us; but whether we use the faculty or not, depends so much on our choice! What a sad illustration of this we have in the Gospel today. This Wednesday is called the Spy Wednesday, as Judas is seen to agree to betray Jesus to the authorities, for thirty silver pieces, and from that moment began looking for the opportunity to hand him over to Jews!

Did Judas make a mistake? Yes, most probably! But did he have a chance, not to make it? Yes, ofcourse he did! Be it Judas who betrayed Jesus, or Peter who denied him, or the rest of the apostles who abandoned Jesus and ran for their lives, they were all warned, forewarned and prepared for such a treacherous moment... but they chose not to act on what they knew!

That is why we need to know, that knowing alone is not enough. To know what is right and wrong, to know what is sin and what is righteousness, to know what is the apt choice to be made at a given time - these are all faculties that are good, but not enough. Our relationship with God, our commitment in faith, goes beyond merely knowing and understanding, it depends on the choices we make with the convictions we form. 

In fact, the three levels of growth from an ignorant way of life are -the level of knowing and understanding, where there is knowledge and intellectual prowess at play; the level of conviction and principles, where a person appears disciplined and guided by principles but there is still the dichotomy of the theory and practice, the beliefs and life; and thirdly comes the level of commitment and priority-choice, where there is nothing that can make one falter from the way of life that one is called to. 

While Judas was still in the first level, Peter and other apostles had gone to the second level, which depending on the grace and mercy of God could save them. But the call is always to the third level - to be persons committed to God and God's way of life, to be totally formed in the image of God and communicating the same to the world around. Jesus was that and he had to pay the price for it. That is what we are celebrating these days - his knowledge and understanding of his Father, his conviction and principles guided by his Father's will and his commitment and priority-choice for God and God's plan. 

Today, setting aside our judgemental looks at Judas, can we ask ourselves: am I growing in my commitment and priority-choice for God, that nothing else can distract me, tempt me or draw me away from God's plan for me?

The task of an Apostle - day in and day out!

THE WORD IN THE HOLY WEEK

Another Passion Week amidst the Pandemic - the Preaching Tuesday

March 30, 2021: Isaiah 49:1-6; John 13:21-33,36-38

'Listen' is the call of the first reading! And reflecting on the life of Christ the exegetes say, today - this tuesday, might have been the last day that Jesus was upto his usual task with his disciples and followers. He knew the Jews were looking for him, waiting to trap him and do something about him! Yesterday we heard them so desperate about the crowd that was going behind this man, from Galilee! But what did Jesus do: he went on with his task as an apostle, day in and day out.

Jesus was the apostle of God, the apostle of the Goodnews that God wanted to share with whole humanity, the apostle of God's mercy, the apostle of love...nothing could stop him from being that! He was there with the crowds speaking to them, still explaining thing about the Reign of God and about how they could all together become the living temple of God! 

The Pandemic experience has thrown a similar challenge to us: last year things were worse! We were stuck in our houses and could not even go out. And we know how the social media and the television ministry came to our aid... helping us unite ourselves in the paschal mysteries of Christ from home! We thank God for these means.

The problem is not there...because what followed has become more problematic. This year things are not still totally alright, but much better than last year, as there is a possibility of moving out, even though with restrictions. But is there a kind of mindset, a spiritual lethargy that is set in: people preferring TV Masses to the Church services, persons looking for better alternatives and interesting choices instead of commitment to the Lord and the faith community they are called to be part of? 

‘I make you light of the nations,’ promised the Lord to his Servant. Jesus became the Light and said, ‘you shall be light of the world,’ making us just like him, apostles of the Father. Are we committed to our relationship with God our Father and Mother, just as Jesus was, come what may! Or are we giving the easiest reasons and simplest excuses to have our easy way out?

Jesus warned Judas; he warned his apostles; but they were all too naive to take it seriously. Jesus was troubled in spirit, says the Gospel today. Let him not be troubled by our spiritual lethargy and tendency of not prioritising what pertains to God.

Let us strive to be at the task of the apostles, day in and day out!

Whipping out not slipping out!

THE WORD IN THE HOLY WEEK

Another Passion Week amidst the Pandemic - the Cleansing Monday

March 29, 2021: Isaiah 42: 1-7; John 12: 1-11

We have entered the second Holy Week, the situation of pandemic that tormented us last year, still lingering around with its taunting tentacles! And in this one year we have lived through moments of varied nature and unprecedented outcomes. We are still languishing under the pain and pressure of the pandemic and this Holy Week...let us take a walk with our Saviour and reflect on what he would have done, if he lived this around us. 

The Monday of the Holy Week, is called the Cleansing Monday - refering to that incident when Jesus entered Jerusalem and visited the temple... he was so annoyed with what was happening that he whipped it out against the situation and its perpetrators! 

Beginning with the Gospel, 'six days before the passover' he is found in Bethany, just outside Jerusalem... in the house of Lazarus and his sisters. From here he would enter Jerusalem, as we celebrated yesterday...gloriously wlcomed by the masses. It points to the beginning of a definitive clash between Jesus and the authorities, leading to the tragic crucifixion that we would soon reflect on. One of the point of contention between Jesus and the Authorities was the temple!

When Jesus entered the temple and whipped out the evils from there, it was at the same time a symbolic action and spiritual statement - symbolic action because he wanted the true temple - the people of God - to be cleansed of its iniquities. It was a spiritual statement because his zeal for his Father's house was burning bright within! When he saw the ungodliness of the people of God, the inhumanities of the so-called religious systems and the injustices of the inhuman society at large, he whipped out, and never slipped out quietly. 

As people of God, the Church today, we are called to whip out against all injustices and inhumanities which amount really to ungodliness in the world; we cannot choose to slip out quietly as if we saw nothing, as if it means nothing to us or as if it does not concern us in anyway - much worse, if we ourselves mete out such an injustice or inhumanity on others, in whichever situation we find ourselves in. May the fiery and prophectic Jesus be in our hearts and minds whenever we fail to stand up against evil and lies. 

In the pandemic situation today, there are varied ways of coping: Be a negationist and reject everything that being said about - how blind it could be, after seeing all the real and concrete sufferings of many. Another approach could be, to be a negativist or pessimist finding fault in everything and reading a conspiracy version into everything that is happening aroung - how sad it could be! Another way is to be a careless freak - to go about as if there is nothing abnormal happening. A final, Christ-worthy, approach would be to adapt a prophetic stance - critiquing anything that is against plain logic and integral goodness. There are so many decisions and policies made, with underground dealings and suspicious agenda. What happens when we know them - are we able to stand up and speak up? What about the poor and the marginalises who are pushed to the anonimity in the process of handling and countering this pandemic? It is not oly the pandemic in itself that troubles us, but the politics that surround it, the exploitation that is involved and the inhumanities that prevail. 

Would Jesus, at these moments, have slipped quietly into his silence and security or would he have whipped out against the anomalies? 

BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES

Palms, Psalms and the Passion

March 27, 2021: The Palm Sunday

Mark 11: 1-10; Isaiah 50: 4-7; Philippians 2: 6-11; Mark 14:1 - 15:47

The first phase of Lent this year is over, and we enter into the Holy Week, the concluding week that reminds us of so many intense happenings within the Christ-event that have defined our faith, our experience with God and our very identity as disciples of the Crucified and Risen Lord. The entry point is the Palm Sunday - literally the entry point, as we commemorate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. There are three things that mark this day and that would mark the developments during the week too: the palms, the psalms and the passion!

The Palms:

The celebration mode! That is what it was when Jesus entered Jerusalem. They celebrated, they sang and danced around him, they raised slogans and cheered for him! They were so enthusiastic about his coming. Blessed is he who comes they shouted! They saw in Jesus, a messiah, a liberator, a leader, a king, someone who is going to change their lives! 

Yes Jesus was all that! He was the messiah promised; he was the liberator, the redeemer; he was the leader, the shepherd come to gather the flock together; he was the king, the king of all kings, come to set up the Reign of God; some one was destined to change their lives, not just their's, but the whole humanity's. Their enthusiasm was real, it was true but was it the right type of enthusiasm needed. The litmus test of an enthusiasm is, how long it endures! 

They would soon scatter and go their way; they would soon get tired of Jesus because he was not living up to their expectations...he was not the messiah of the type that they expected; he was not the liberator of the warring type that they wanted; he was not the king that they wanted to take on the Romans; yes, he was challenging to change their lives, but they were not ready for the type of changes that he was proposing! They wanted it all their way! 

In our lives too..when Jesus enters, we are all enthusiastic. The question is, how long? Soon we lose the initial enthusiasm, the fervour of the new found experience dies within a while to give rise to boredom and seeking of other experiences. The palms that we hold today tell us: I will dry very soon...will your enthusiasm too wither so fast?

The Psalms:

Blessed is the one who comes, they shouted - that was not any slogan; that was scripture! They were singing psalms. This will repeat itself this week very many times - in the pasch festival that they were gathered for they would be singing and reciting psalms; the disciples and Jesus would sings psalms; Jesus would repeat verses and the high priests will quote phrases...this week there will be so much of the psalms and the sacred scriptures quoted and cited. 

They sang songs, they chanted the psalms and recited the prayers... so regularly and so diligently. But was it making any change in their lives? Were they attentive to the Word who was so alive amidst them and calling them to change and new life? Were they really mindful of what God was working out right in front of their eyes: their own salvation, in the blood of the Lamb! They were too busy with their fixed ideas and ritual performances. They cared nothing for what Jesus was calling attention to. 

It is an attitude that we are called to - not merely parading our knowledge or memory skills or the capacity to make a show of our piety. We are called to an attitude of prayer, an attitude of living our daily lives attentive to the voice of the Lord, the Word of the Lord. It sets the tone for the whole holy week - telling us, this week remain with the Word, meditate on the Word, ruminate on all that the Word made flesh went through for your sake. 

It is an attitude that is asked of us, to spend more time with the Word this week - reading, reflecting, listening, encountering, dialoguing, sharing and opening our hearts to the Word and allowing the Word to touch our very beings. All that we did, or atleast tried to do during the Lent, they can be brought into the presence of the Word and made sense of, asking the Word of God to throw light on the meaning and call that we have for our lives.

The Passion:

This Sunday is also called, the Passion Sunday! Not only because the Passion narrative of the Lord is ready during the Mass, but because the passion, death and resurrection as the culminating episode of the Christ-event was beginning this day. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, there was a new episode beginning...it looked all celebration and fun, but it was ultimately going to be a sacrifice, a covenantal sacrifice, that would change everything that ever was and everything that would ever be! 

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the crowd said. Hosanna, they acclaimed. But would soon denounce him and crucify him. Jesus knew it... he knew what is there in store! It was not difficult for him to know it... for all the convictions that he had, for all the teaching about the Reign that he imparted, for all the values that he lived for, for all the critique of the self righteousness and senseless pride that he made... he knew what would be the result! But he did not hesitate.

When he realised that his death was near, he said to those who were around him - I know the hour has come, so what do I do? Should I ask the Father to remove this cup from me? No it is for this I came. Look at that clarity! That was the commitment and dedication that Jesus had for the will of God, towards making present the Reign of God here and now. He was ready for anything. He was prepared for the passion. He was looking square at the face of suffering and death! 

The call is clear, and it is going to repeat itself althrough this week. Are you ready to suffer? How much suffering are you ready to take up? How prepared are you for sacrifices for the sake of the will of God and the Reign of God? We have this whole week to answer that question.

Blessed is he who comes... yes! But are we ready to accept the call that he brings? 

Growing in Christian Faith: An Unfailing commitment to Unity

THE WORD IN LENT - Saturday, 5th week in Lent

March 27, 2021: Ezekiel 37: 21-28; John 11: 45-56

 

The readings today seem to give us a clue to understand the mission of the Son of God. As he himself announces, it is to gather into one all the dispersed children of God, dispersed geographically, spiritually, economically, politically and in every other way. Jesus is identified to be the son of David, promised in all eternity to gather not merely the two nations (Judah and Israel), but all dispersed children of God into one. 

That is the call that Jesus our Master has passed on to every disciple of his. We are called to be agents of unity and harmony, uniting people in love and building a humanity that is joyful. If we are against such unity, even though merely in thought or merely in a few single instances, we can be certain that we are not in line with the mission of the Saviour. He would say, 'if you don't gather with me, you scatter!' (cf. Lk 11:23; Mt 12:30). 

 

It is saddening to see some, even within the Church and within the category of being the shepherds of the flock, spreading division and hatred, sometimes. How hypocritical of those persons to call themselves people of God, much worse, shepherds of the people of God! The Spirit of Christ unites and if I have the Spirit within me, I have to unite! 

 

The only division that can be is the division between the good and the evil…nothing else is a division that comes from the Spirit of the Lord. And if I think of justifying, that is why I wish to divide from those people who are evil, who gave me the right to ‘judge’ a person as evil. Sin is to be shunned, not sinner. Division cannot be justified in the sight of the Lord.

The real question is, how committed am I to true peace, harmony, love, and thus to unity?

Growing in Christian Faith: To be in distress for the Lord

THE WORD IN LENT - Friday, 5th week in Lent

March 26, 2021: Jeremiah 20: 10-13; John 10: 31-42

 

Jeremiah seems a perfect foreshadow of Jesus, but in one case! He was in distress too for the sake of the will of the One who called him; he was cornered for nothing and taken to task for his dedication to the Lord and the task handed to him by the Lord. It is just like today, how those who do good to the society in the name of Jesus are taken to task because they are doing it in that Name! And when such acts of atrocity happen, many of us Christians express sentiments of anger and call on the Lord to teach a lesson to the perpetrators of evil!

 

But differing from Jeremiah, and from us all, Jesus does not wish vengeance, or to see that the Lord would take on those who did not heed the call, those who were persecuting him for wrong reasons, those who refused to see such an obvious point made by Jesus' words and deeds. Jesus wishes that they turn to him, believe in him, in his words and in his works and realise that he is in the Father and the Father is in him.

 

To be in distress for the Lord, is a call in itself. Both Jeremiah and Jesus, give us an example of persons in distress for the Lord: Blessed are those who hunger for justice and peace, for they shall be filled; Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Be happy when they persecute you, revile you, call you by names and denounce you unjustly, because they did the same to your Master – isn’t that the powerful message we get in the Word today? How prepared and ready are we to be in distress for the Lord! 

Let us learn what it means in our day-to-day life, to be in distress for the Lord!

GOD BEGINS...

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

March 25, 2021: The Solemnity of Annunciation of the Lord

Isaiah 7: 10-14, 8:10; Hebrews 10: 4-10; Luke 1: 26-36

 

Some prayer books still carry those subtitles in the prayer of the Angelus: God Begins; Human Cooperation; and Incarnation! That is exactly what we celebrate today – the way God began the climax of our salvation history, the plan that God has had in eternity for the salvation of all God’s children.

 

Our God is not merely a God who responds...Our God begins, God initiates, intervenes at the right time even without an asking. That is why St. John proclaimed, we love God because God first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). The feast of Annunciation is a splendid manifestation of this nature of God, the nature of intervening at the appointed time.

 

We see three people involved in the event that is recalled today, who in unison give humanity a holistic and life-giving message. 

 

The Angel, who stands for Faith - a concrete sign of God's relationship with us. Angels are God's spokespersons, God's messengers and God's extensions which make present God to us. Our Faith is that God continues to live with us, even amidst all the worldliness that we are surrounded by. Angel Gabriel announcing the message to our Blessed Mother was a sign of God’s continual participation in our life and existence, our sufferings and concerns. The call us simple: that we become extensions of God’s presence, announcers of God’s good news to those who suffer.

 

Mary, who stands for Hope - a concrete sign of our relationship with God. Mary shines as a counter witness to the hopeless humanity today. Indifference and Individualism marks the humanity of today. The other matters nothing to me, I either use the other for my benefit or just ignore the other because he or she matters nothing to me! It is against this background that Mary's 'yes' resounds as a revolution that spells hope to the world and to the entire humanity. That there can be commitments taken for the sake of the other, not always for me, mine and my own good.

 

The Child, who stands for Love - a concrete sign that God still loves the World. God has not given up on us and God will never do! A love that is ready to give totally of Itself (Rom 8:32). The Child that is promised is a sign of God's everlasting and unconditional love that gives life and light to the otherwise darkness filled world today.

 

Annunciation invites us to first of all recognise what God is doing for us in history. The further call is to say our ‘yes’ to God’s will that we may become God’s messengers to the world. And the most important of all, that we may become signs and bearers, manifestations and expressions of ’od's concrete love for each other, especially those who are in special and urgent need.

 

May our faith, hope and above all, love make us announcers of good news to the whole world.