BORN AGAIN

In Water, in Spirit and in the Word

The Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord: January 13, 2019

Isaiah 40: 1-5,9-11; Titus 2: 11-14, 3:4-7; Luke 3: 15-16,21-22

Baptism - a moment when one is reborn, reborn through the waters, in the Spirit and by the Word - a moment when one is BORN AGAIN.

The Water: Hailing from Chennai, India, water has a special meaning for me! There have been moments that I have stood still in front of that immensity of water, on the Marina beach looking at the coast of the Bay of Bengal, wondering what a power that lies there. And it did show up once with all its true power - the Tsunami that hit in 2004... and the devastating floods that have come and gone! 

Water is not merely refreshing and renewing, but it is resetting. If that vocabulary from the e-world can be used, it would mean starting from the beginning once again. The waters of baptism claims exactly that effect on us. Being born again is not merely to undergo a ceremony and start judging the rest as damned; go around asking each other, 'are you saved?' and 'are you born again?' or 'are you twice born' and all those ungodly questions! Baptism is to reset my life, restart it with virtues and convictions that give me a new existence altogether, an openness beyond measure, a love beyond compare, because I am born again as a child of God.

The Spirit: The Mark of Ownership, the seal of the covenant between the Father and me, the One who makes me the dwelling place of God and the One who makes me call God, Abba Father! If at all we can use that term figuratively, born again, would mean be born after I am born; yes, after I am born as a human being, I am born again in the spirit as human person! 

Being born again as a human person in the Spirit, is to receive within me that all transforming presence of the Holy Spirit, which does not allow me to be any being, but makes me become a human 'person', a person after the image of God! Being born again is to possess this personal sanctity and interpersonal sensitivity: personal sanctity of purity and detachment from the tendency to sin; the interpersonal sensitivity of accepting each other as brothers and sisters, born of that One Father! These, personal sanctity and interpersonal sensitivity are the marks of the indwelling Spirit - a total absence of unholy arrogance and inhuman pride. 

The Word: The Word, made flesh, who speaks to us and invites us to a life that is modelled after him. To be born again is to be transformed into the image of Christ, to put on the mind of Christ and to bear his likeness. 

I was once amused by the sharing of my elder sister who teaches in a Government School in a village on the outskirts of Chennai. She shared about her children in class, who do not know terms like Christian or Catholic, telling her, "teacher neenga Yesu thaane, appadina leavu mudinji varum pothu sweet eduthuttu vaanga!" (Teacher you are Jesus isn't it? then bring sweets when you come after Christmas holidays - instead of saying, 'you are a christian', they say, 'you are Jesus, isnt it?'). That set me thinking- Aren't you Jesus? Am I not Christ? Have I become another Christ - alter christus? The Word challenges us towards that... to be born again, is to be reborn in the image of Christ: it is not just an event, but an experience; not just a happening, but a process for life,which is begun at the moment of our baptism!

Let us remember today the great gift we have been given in our Baptism and resolve to live that call to be Born Again - in water, in Spirit and in the Word.

The Best man's call

January 12, 2019

Saturday after Epiphany

1 Jn 5: 14-23; Jn  3: 22-30.

The stage is all set for the Baptism of the Lord. All through this week, we have 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 are presented with the person of the baptiser!

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 very clear: to grow in our relationship with the person of Christ, to an extent that we would be considered persons close to Christ, the begotten children of God. Everyday is an opportunity to grow in this relationship. 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 baptism. 

We have said yes to our call, at our baptism. Have we been entirely true to that yes? 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! Let us renew our baptismal commitment, grow in our love for Christ and become worthy to be called persons close to Christ, the true begotten ones of God!

The Spirit, the water and the Blood

January 11, 2019

Friday after the Epiphany
1 John 5: 5- 13; Luke 5: 12-16

'I have nothing to prove' - that would be an integral way of living! But, the culture today seems to be full of demands for proofs and credentials and a craze to get oneself noticed. We live in a culture of ads and publicity. We are fond of proving to the world, our superiority and our credibility. 

It takes extreme forms like people going to any extent to attain success and parade it to the world or at times even silly forms like craving for 'likes' on a facebook post! There are times today, when we feel we are worth, only when the world around thinks of us so, or only when the society certifies us so. There is a dearth of space for personal integrity and moral authority - everything is ruled by opinions!

The first reading outlines three testimonies for Son, or three testimonies  for the definitive intervention of God in history. The same three testimonies: the Spirit, the water and the blood, are given to us... at our baptism, to testify to our relationship with God: as God's children! The Spirit which is the mark of being God's children(Rom 8:16); the Waters of baptism, the waters of eternal life that spring within us to cleanse us and make us belong to God (Jn 7:38); and the Blood that washes us clean (1 Jn 1:7). It is our life in the Spirit, our waters of belonging to God and the blood in which we are saved, which are the marks of our Christian identity!

We have nothing to prove, we belong to the Lord. Our life, our witness, our love shall be integral proofs of our life in the Lord!

We love, because God loves us!

January 10, 2019

Thursday after Epiphany

1 John 4: 19- 5:4; Luke 4: 14-22

Can we notice that we began this week as a preparation towards the Lord's baptism, but day after day the Word is speaking to us of love? Is it surprising? No, it is in order! Yes, baptism is all about our identity and the crux of the identity that we receive as baptised, as children of God is LOVE.

To love, is not an extraordinary quality for us sons and daughters of 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 second 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 bring out to us 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. 

And why should we love? Not because it is easy to do. Not because it gives us pleasure, as the world miscalculates today. Not because it creates a situation of peace and tranquility, then we are using love as a means. We love because God loved us, God loves us and God always loves 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! Yes... it has to be our nature to love. We love because God loves us!

God's love surrounds us!

January 9, 2019

Wednesday after Epiphany
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. Every time 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 her hands off or left the side, the child never ceased crying! 

The Word today reminded me of that scene: with the Lord around, it does not matter what kind of a situation, we can go through it with calm and quietude. 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, saints repeatedly say. 

The love of the Lord surrounds us! Let us live our 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. God's love surrounds us, in fact in it we live, move and have our being. If we are mindful of the love that surrounds us, we shall be invariably led to love each other. If we love one another, God remains in us!

God is love; who are We?

January 8, 2019

Tuesday after Epiphany
1 John 4: 7-10; Mark 6: 34-44

The image of God image among the people of God people was continuously evolving... first they thought God was a demanding task master, but later 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! The progressive revelation finds its climax in Christ, who reveals God as absolutely compassionate, profusely loving, immensely forgiving and unconditionally accepting! 

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. There is nothing we need to worry or fret about. Our needs, our concerns, our desires and our hopes are all lovingly taken care of. 

It is a challenge too 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

January 7, 2019

Monday after Epiphany
1 John 3:22 - 4:6; Matthew 4: 12-17, 23-25

We have just celebrated the Epiphany of the Lord and this week the Word begins to orient us towards the Baptism of Jesus, which is the next major event we would be soon commemorating. Preparing to celebrate the Baptism of Jesus and thinking of our own baptism we have two key elements to reflect on. Those are the very elements that the Word today speaks to us: Belonging to God and  Proclaiming God! 


Belonging to the Lord and Proclaiming God are the two fundamental marks of identity that we possess as baptised, 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.

The order is important too: that we first belong and then we speak up. That is why we see Jesus 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! When John the Baptist was killed, Jesus knew the time for his mission had arrived and he begins his proclamation, but before that makes a choice to remain in solitude with the Lord and become conscious of his belonging to the Father.

Belonging without proclaiming would make us dead weights burdening the faith community; we would be contributing nothing to further the very cause of the faith that we have received and that we share. Whereas Proclaiming without belonging would make us false prophets and hypocrites, those that John refers to in the first reading. 

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

GOD MADE KNOWN

The Star, the House and the Detour

January 6, 2019: Solemnity of Epiphany

Isaiah 60: 1-6;  Ephesians 3 : 2-3, 5-6; Matthew 2 : 1-12 

The Word became flesh and came to dwell among us; today the world gets to see its Messiah. The Son who was promised to the Hebrews through the prophets through the ages, then revealed to Mary and Joseph in their private life and dreams, is now revealed to the world - that is why the Magi from the East and East was then considered the end of the world. 

The feast of Epiphany has three important symbols carrying three crucial messages for us disciples of Christ. 

The first symbol is the Star: the guiding star which led the magi to the Lord. Stars shine, position themselves to be seen by all and remain above every thing unaffected! We all wish to be stars too...shining and glittering in the world of fame. The star of Christ or a star for Christ is called to shine too, not for personal glory but for people to be attracted. The star of Christ is called to be seen by all, not for adulation but for example! The star of Christ has to be above everything, not to insist on a superiority that is anti-Christian but to give hope to people at all moments including difficult ones. Everyone who claims to be a follower of Christ has to be a star that guides people to Christ. Are your thoughts, words and decisions shining enough to lead people to Christ?

The second symbol is the House: the star  might have been magnificent but it rested on a simple manger. The signs and events might have been grand but the Messiah was found in a stable. What we are and what we have does not matter as much as who we are! Whether simple or sophisticated, whether learned or ordinary, whether rich or poor... we are called to possess the Lord,  we are called to be one home that houses the Lord. People who come to us should be able to see, feel and experience the Lord and praise the Lord through us and for us. That is true Epiphany.

The third symbolic event is the Detour: the magi who came were asked to leave on a different way back. They had to make a detour... because they had truly seen the Messiah. Even we,  if we truly see the Messiah,  we would not be able to go back the same way that we came. We would have to make a detour for sure. That detour could be our sign of repentance,  our change of ways, our going out of our way for the sake of someone else... in short, it is our New life, because we have come to know the Lord. How many we have heard, who speak of their moment when they met the Lord! It does not matter how many years or generations you are a 'Christian', but what matters is that you encounter the person of Christ - the moment of truth when you realise the meaning and call of your life! Once you do that, you cannot but take a detour!

God is made known... it is upto us to become God's guiding stars, true dwelling places of God and people who are ready to arise and shine!

Love and See great things

January 5, 2019 

Saturday after the Christmas Octave

1 John 3:11-21; John 1:43-51

Belonging to love and belonging to evil... that is the contrast brought out in the Word today. And the world becomes place more and more for this polarisation - note it, it is not love versus hate, but love versus evil! It is as if to say, anything contrary to love is evil! That is the mind of Christ, and John captures it well. 

There are any number of opportunities and circumstances that will beckon us to belong to evil - with jealousy, treachery, obsession with wealth, craving for power, limitless greed and so on. All these are evil, leading us to hatred and destruction. 

If we wish to choose to belong to love, we have to wrestle with an entire system, the social bias, the culture of death, the urge to dominate and so on. We shall be taken for granted, we shall be thoroughly cheated; we would be drawn to courts and at times treated with scorn; we shall be called names upon and deprived of our basic human respect! When we make the choice, we have to make up our minds too... to be firm and not to give in to the evil!

The Lord says today - when you make such a choice, you shall see great things happen! You will witness extraordinary things if only you belong to the Lord, if only you belong to love! What a lovely preparation for tomorrow's feast: the Lord wishes to manifest himself to us, but we shall see the Lord only if we belong to the Lord, only if we choose love! Love and you shall see great things!

Seeing and Staying

January 4, 2019

Friday, Week after Christmas Octave

1 John 3: 7-10; John 1: 35-42

Seeing and Staying are two progressive phases after getting in touch with the Lord. The Lord invites each of us for an encounter everyday. To accept the invitation and get in touch with the Lord is already an act of faith - for that the Lord will bless you for sure!  But the invitation does not end there, it  extends much further - to see and to stay! 

First of all, to see what a life with the Lord means, to know and understand it, is the next phase. Let us put it this way: the initial step is to get interested in the Lord, as we are with regard to various things in life. It is like looking at a trailer, a teaser, a single of an album released. Can you stop with that, if your are truly an enthusiast. Will you not try to get to know it more, enjoy it more and experience it fully. Stopping with liturgical functions and pious practices would be stopping with the trailer or the teaser! You need to go deeper, get to know the Lord fuller, see what it means to experience the Lord in the depth.

While some of us do that willingly, going deeper into the Lord's invitation and finding its meaning in daily life, the invitation does not stop there. It goes further - to stay! This is where, the experience turns into life! It becomes part of you, it becomes you! To stay with the Lord is to be transformed in the Lord. As Paul would put it: to put on the mind of Christ (Phil 2:5); to become imitators of the Lord (1 Cor 11:1). We are called to walk in the Light (1 Jn 1:6)... we are called to Stay with the Lord! 

Our life with God is not just a race, where we touch and flee; but it is a journey, where what matters is, Seeing and Staying!