Being Sources of Encouragement

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

June 11, 2025: Celebrating St. Barnabas, the Apostle of Encouragement
Acts 11: 2b-126, 13: 1-3; Matthew 10: 7-13

The spirit of the Reign is a spirit of encouragement and empowerment, it cannot be merely cynicism and critique. Barnabas stood for this spirit of the Reign, and that was the reason the apostles named him so - the term meaning 'son of encouragement' (cf. Acts 4:36).

Some characteristics that stand out in Barnabas are his relentless passion for proclamation, his courage to brave all odds, his capacity for being sincere even to the extent of having confrontations with his close friend, Paul (Acts 15). What mattered to them, be it Paul or Barnabas, was the Message of God be announced and the Reign of God be made present; neither their personal likes or dislikes nor their ego demands affect their mission in anyway!

Reflecting on the great apostle we celebrate today, we have some lessons that he offers us:

1. Build up persons, that is the way to build up the Reign of God. Look at the way he brough Paul to the other apostles and stood by him and other messengers of the Lord.

2. Be faithful to the Lord, with a firm heart, that is the way to belong to the Reign. The life of Barnabas shows the way he renounced everything for the sake of the call that he had received - a firm heart that remained ever faithful to God.

3. Rejoice in the matters of the Lord, that is the way to invite people to the Reign. We can observe the amount of satifaction that Barnabas has when people converted themselves and were prepared to accept the salvific message of Christ.

Be encouraged, and be an encouragement to the others... that is the crux of the message today. May the apostle of encouragement we celebrate today, St. Barnabas intercede for us that we may be filled with the Spirit of encouragement and empowerment, thus being ourselves sources of encouragement wherever we are.

The Spirit and Truth - the task of the Reign

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 10th week in Ordinary time

June 10, 2025 - 2 Corinthians 1: 18-22; Matthew 5: 13-16

There is salt and there is the salt that has lost its taste - they look the same, but they are absolutely not the same. The difference is like the light and darkness, the difference is stark. That is how it is with an yes and anything other than that, says the Word today. 

We are living in a post-truth era, the social philosophers say. There is no more absolute truth in the eyes of the world - everything seems relative. There are only the logics and proofs to establish and truth is seconded to all these documented narratives. No one can be certain of which is the right narrative or the wrong one; in fact, there is only the loudest or the strongest narrative by now for the consumption. There are other narratives that are made voiceless and drowned in the lie. 

The danger is that this phenomenon gets replicated within each of us... that is, we allow the falsities within us take over our real selves so much that at a point of time, we ourselves do not know which is our real self and which is fake! That is the tasteless salt, at times poisonous salt - spreading not light but darkness! 

It is only the Spirit of the Lord who can keep us from this danger, protect us from this darkness, because the Spirit is Light, and those who are in the Spirit are in the light! We are called to be light and salt in this world, bearing witness to the truth - that is the task of the Reign. 

The Eve of Salvation

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

June 9, 2025 - Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church
Genesis 3: 9-15,20; John 19: 25-34

The Mother of the New born Church - that is whom we celebrate today. Mary was given as the Mother of, the Church to be born after the Son of God accomplished his earthly mission and the Spirit of the Lord came down to continue the mission in and through the Church. The two readings that we have today in the liturgy of the Word, explains to us how this mystery unfolds - we can reflect that with the following three instances.

1. The First Eve - the woman who was given

Eve was the mother of all those who lived... that is how Adam named her! She was given to him and that is why he says, 'the woman you gave me...' However, Eve was used by the evil one, she became an instruments at the hands of the tempter, bringing the opportunity of sin and perdition into the world, according to the Biblical account. She signalled the weakness that we possess as human persons in looking to do things on our own, despite the loving ways the Lord cares for us.

2. The Second Eve - the woman who gave herself

In contrast we are presented with another woman... one who gave herself to God - behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your will. The tendency to do things on our own, the tendency to have our will, is countered by the readiness with which she surrenders herself to God and God's salvific plan. Just as God gave Adam a woman, do does God give this woman to the humankind and for the salvation of the humankind, as God prepares to send the Saviour through her.

3. The Eve of Salvation - the mother who was given

Just as God gave Eve to Adam and Mary to humanity as the new Eve, Jesus the Lord gives his mother as the Mother of all who would believe in him: behold your mother! Mary is given as the mother of the Church, the redeemed people of God, the chosen disciples of Christ, the people constituted into a Church by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. And Mary was there - just as she was there when the Creator was born into a fragile little child, also when the fragile little flock was made into a mighty people of God by the coming of the Spirit.

We gratefully remember today, late Pope Francis who added this beautiful element to our Faith tradition... celebrating the Mother of us all, as celebrated always by the Church and in the Church - the Eve of Salvation, the hope of the people of God. May our Blesssed Mother continue to walk with the pilgrim Church, pray with the Church and protect the Church on this pilgrimage towards Reign of God.

BEING PEOPLE OF THE SPIRIT

Growing Up... to be courageous, compassionate and Christ-like

June 8, 2025: The Solemnity of the Pentecost

Acts 2: 1-11; Romans 8: 8-17; John 14: 15-16, 23-26

The event of the Pentecost was a definitve turning point... and that is why we call that experience the birth of the Church, the Community of people who receive a new identity, and above all, begin to realise that identity and grow up in that identity! 

Being people of the Spirit is growing up to be Courageous (Models: Apostles):

The apostles were gathered in the room in fright and frustration but they were made fearlessly courageous by the Spirit of the Lord. They faced crowds, authorities and the whole world with a heart that would not give way to any anxiety or doubt. Their fearlessness came from the fact that they had the assurance of the Spirit - they did not have a clarity of what they are going to do, they did not have an economic security of someone sponsoring them for rest of their life, they did not have any written accord that they will have a free passage wherever they went. Instead, on the contrary, they had all sorts of confusion, utmost opposition and limitless insecurities. All that they had was the assurance of the presence of the Spirit with them, and that was enough for them!

Dares are attractions for some and taking risk is considered an exhilarating life-renewer with the dose of adrenalin that it pumps into the system. But that is not the courage we speak of here. The courage here comes from God; from the One who has ordained a path, a mission, a task for us and the presence of the Spirit is an assurance that we would be led step by step into that journey. We do not know what awaits, we do not know who will be there with us or who will not be, we do not know whether we will reach the very end of the journey - but we dare to embark on that journey because the Spirit is with us, who assures us that wherever we are, we are with God; and God is with us!

Being people of the Spirit is growing up to be Compassionate (Models: Early Christians):

The Early Christians were one in mind and heart, they were sensitive to each other, they were filled with compassion, they were united in love! There were Jews of all "cadres", there were some samaritans too probably, there were Romans too as the centurion and the household who were converted, there were Greeks and the Egyptians (like the Court official who was converted), there were rich and there were the daily labourers, there were the learned and there were those who were simple peasants... but they were all one community - the community of those who believed in the Lord, their new found Saviour, Jesus the Christ. They were all made into One people of the Spirit.

They were people of the Spirit, united in the Lord into one body, one body in the Lord! Despite all their differences they were one because of the action of the Spirit - the Spirit who made them understand each other, who made them love each other and care for each other. The Oneness of the people of the Spirit, that they were one in heart and mind, was concretely expressed in the fact that they were one in feeling for each other too: they had no one among them who was in need. They felt for, they felt with and they felt one with each other - that was the action of the Spirit.

Being people of the Spirit is growing up to be Christ-like (Models: Disciples)

The disciples together were called to grow to be like Christ. To grow to be like Christ is to grow in the image of the Lord given by the Spirit. To be disciples of Christ is to grow in the likeness of Christ, to think like Christ, to speak like Christ, to act like Christ and to decide like Christ in every thing. We are not talking about the apostles who had a special and particular role to perform within the community, we are talking of everyone born in waters of the Risen Christ and in the fire of the Holy Spirit... the disciples, the people of God.

Those who are in the Christ are a new creation! Just as the Spirit was at the centre of the process when the Word took flesh and became one among us, the Spirit once again is at the centre filling us and making us one with the image of Christ... that we are recreated into 'alter christus'! We are created anew into children of the God, whom Jesus introduced to us as "my Father and your Father"! Those who are in the Spirit are true children of God, empowered to call God, Abba Father!

With courage, in communion with each other, we are empowered by the Spirit to grow into the People of God, children of God who are called to make God present in concrete, wherever we are

Peter and Paul... You and me!

WORD 2day: Saturday after the Ascension Sunday

June 7, 2025: Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31; John 21: 10-25

These days we continuously hear of Paul and Peter, the two great leaders who led the band of apostles in their proclamation of the Gospel and the initial formation of the Church. They announced the Gospel in season and out of season, in the prison or out of it, in political custody or in the public squares, in health and in sickness, among the faithful or among skeptics, among simple peasants or to learned philosophers. Nothing held them back from preaching the Word.

Looking for ideal situations to evangelise, bemoaning the political atmosphere or the social apprehensions, finding excuses for remaining unnoticed Christians and justifying our lack of initiatives towards evangelisation: these are very common these days. Tomorrow we will be celebrating the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit causing the birth of the Church.

Let us pray for the Spirit, the Spirit of power, love and self-discipline, the Spirit of courage and wisdom, the Spirit who strengthens apostles and empowers martyrs, that we may be persons filled with the Spirit and witnessing to the Gospel without ceasing. Peter and Paul are no more, if we do not become Peters, Pauls, Aquillas and Priscillas!

Following the Lord - No turning back!

WORD 2day: Friday after the Ascension Sunday

June 6, 2025: Acts 25: 13b-21; John 21: 15-19

The total import of following the Lord may not be known to us right at the beginning when we intend to. But the Lord does not spare the moment. He instructs right from the beginning what can, or what is sure to befall someone who intends to follow Him. Whoever is not ready to take up his daily cross and follow me, is not worthy of me, said Jesus categorically (cf. Mt 10:38).

St. Paul was more than certain of everything that awaited him, the sufferings and even death for the sake of the Lord. Jesus himself prepares Peter in his post-resurrection encounter with him. Invariably all Jesus's apostles, except James it is said, died the death of martyrs. They were prepared for it and they even considered it their privilege. It was in fact the finest way of expressing their love for their Master and Lord.

Today, with the increasing number of anti-Christian skeptics and anti-Reign elements, our challenge to be disciples becomes more and more demanding. However, it remains categorical as ever. There can be no other choice or any compromises. Following the Lord means following Him in everything, right till the end, even unto death! Let death not frighten us but beckon us to be faithful to the one whom we chose to follow.

I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back - let that be our perennial song!

The Mystical Union in God

WORD 2day: Thursday after Ascension Sunday

June 5, 2025: Acts 22:30, 23:6-11; John 17: 20-26

Just as the Father is in the Son and the Son in the Father, we are invited to be one in the Father and the Son, through the Holy Spirit. Jesus' prayer for his disciples, that is, for us to the Father has a beautiful challenge to pose to us. The challenge does not consist in doing anything or accomplishing anything great... but it consists of being, simply being, being with the Lord, just being one with the Lord!

However, it is not that simple! As both the readings point to, the world at large does not "know" the Lord, nor does it identify itself with the Lord; in a way it,  stands aloof from or sometimes even against the Lord. The culture of death that prevails, the insensitive economy that rules, the inhuman politics that dominates... these are signs of opposition to God and to the Gospel. It is in this context that the Lord invites us to bear witness, 'just as in Jerusalem, also in Rome'.

From the religious circles to the political arena, from the academic domain to grass root social praxis, we are called to bear witness to the Lord and to the Lord's good news of love - the love that the Father has for the Son, which is the same love that He has for us! We are called to be One in love, we are united in the love of God. We are in the Lord and the Lord is in us and We are made one in the Lord - let us celebrate this mystical union in God, that is the quintessence of Christian faith, the faith in the Risen Lord.

The Preoccupation for the Flock

WORD 2day: Wednesday after the Ascension Sunday

June 4, 2025: Acts 20: 28-38; John 17: 11b-19

The readings today present to us the preoccupation that Jesus and St.Paul have for the flock that they leave behind, as St. Paul sets off to Jerusalem and Jesus contemplates returning to his Father! The total dedication that both had towards those entrusted to them is known to us and it is best expressed in the phrase that St. Paul uses quoting his Master: it is more blessed to give than to receive.

Keeping the faith, being true to the message of the Lord, persevering in the tradition in which one is brought up, not letting oneself be swayed by newer teachings and fancier presentations...these are the preoccupations that are expressed here and proposed to us. These concerns prompt to us two important qualities that are necessary: Spiritual Sincerity and Constant Discernment.

The times today are marked by a certain fickle minded hopping from tradition to tradition in the name of "search" for the truth and reckless trial-and-error attempts of innumerable religions, sects and factions. If they are spiritually sincere and they discerned with rigour, well and good. But if these switches come from an unfounded mind and a lack of persevering dedication, they are the dangers that Paul and Jesus warn us against.

Spiritual sincerity is to be true the innermost promptings and Constant discernment is the way to reach that true core! The Spirit gives us that grace and we are in the novena towards the great feast of the Spirit... let us invoke the Spirit with love and courage!

The Real glory of a True disciple

WORD 2day: Tuesday after the Ascension Sunday

June 3, 2025: Acts 20: 17-27; John 17: 1-11a

Both Paul and Jesus are seen bidding farewell to their loved ones in the Word today. There is a sense of satisfaction and a feeling of having accomplished the task entrusted to them! To live my everyday life conscious of the fact that I am commissioned, that I dont have all the time that is available, and that I have to play my part right... that will give me a sense of vocation and a feeling of satisfaction.

"Father the hour has come, give glory to your Son, that your Son may glorify you!" prays Jesus. The glory that he talks of is the baptism of blood, the cup of suffering that Jesus was preparing to take up! Not just himself, but all those who believed him were destined to that cup and to that baptism says Jesus (Mk 10:39; Mt 20:23).

St. Paul understood this perfectly. Though he knew well, instructed by the Holy Spirit, that suffering and imprisonment awaited wherever he went, he does not hesitate. He was more than prepared for the cup of suffering, for the baptism of blood! Today we hear him say that in terms so clear: I consider life of no importance to me! For him all that mattered was to carry the Good news to the farthest that he could!

How many times I would have languished that I don't get any consolation from God for belonging to God, for being on God's side and for speaking on behalf of God! Do I really understand in Jesus' terms, the 'real' glory of a 'true' disciple?

Knowing the Spirit - the graduation time!

WORD 2day: Monday after Ascension Sunday

June 2, 2025 - Acts 19: 1-8; John 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.

I have conquered the world, says the Lord and why are we still going desperate about managing it? Because we are not yet convinced that the Lord has conquered the world. The Divine Counselor is right within us, and strangely we are we still looking all over for directions and suggestions! Because we do not have sufficient knowledge of the Spirit.

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, the call, as we said is, to graduate. To grow into people of the Spirit. The journey has begun... today is already the 3rd day of the Novena in preparation for the feast of the Pentecost. The invitation is that we become more aware of the indwelling presence of the Lord in our lives. The Lord rests with us and the Lord is acting on or behalf. Why not we make room to behold it in our day to day experience?

The Spirit of the Lord is all around us and once we behold the presence and be filled with that presence, we would be able to understand that our Lord and Saviour has conqured the world! Knowing the Spirit is the task given to us today, getting to know the Spirit that we may not react as the people did to Paul: we do not know that there is something called the Holy Spirit. At times our fears and thoughtlessness can exhibit such responses unconsciously.

The primary key to being people of the Spirit: Knowing the Spirit!