Carrying out orders

WORD 2day: Wednesday, 4th week in Easter time

May 11, 2022: Acts 12:24- 13:5a; John 12: 44-50

These days we are given with certain signs to identify the flock of the One, Divine Shepherd and today we have an instruction very clear:  to Receive and Carry out Orders. 

A life of faith is all about getting orders and carrying them out. We find in the first reading of the day that the Apostles got orders directly from the Holy Spirit, to set apart Barnabas and Paul for a particular task. Elsewhere too in the Acts we see similar accounts of getting orders for the regular running of the Church. In the Gospel, Jesus clarifies that he got his orders from his father and instructs us that we too need to follow suit. Receive orders and carry them out... that is the way you can belong to the fold of the One Pastor!

Two things can hinder us from Receiving Orders: One, not hearing: because we do not listen sufficiently. We are so busy with running our own show that we are thoughtless about the orders that direct us constantly! Even if they arrive, we are are so occupied with so many other things, that we are not in a position to pay attention.

The second reason is a more serious: pretending not to hear! This is a conscious despise of the orders  that are given us. The Lord, the Spirit of the Lord keeps inspiring within us or keeps supplying us with clear cut directions and orders to be on the right path. At times owing to the inconvenience it can cause, or the difficulty it will put us through, we pretend not to hear those orders and proceed with what we think best. And when things turn out for the worst, we begin to panic and blame everyone else, including God.

Can we train ourselves to receive orders and carry them out in our daily life?

To be called Christians...

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 4th week in Easter time

May 10, 2022: Acts 11:19-26; Jn 10:22-30

It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians, evidences the first reading today. They needed a name, a different name to refer to the people of the new way of life! And looking for one, they narrowed down on something with a reference to the One who inspired this way of life: Christ himself.

It takes time to be called a Christian, to be identified with the name of the Nazarene who made a crucial difference in and through his life. Even today, it is the same. It takes time to be identified a Christian: our lifestyle, our attitudes, our priorities, our relationships and our loving ways should merit the name.

Just as Jesus says in the Gospel today, 'the Father and I are one', so should we be able to say: Christ and I are one. What a model we have in St.Paul who declared, "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me!" (Gal 2:20) And the other apostles, like Peter, John, James, Philip and all others who were doing marvellous deeds like Jesus and in the name of Jesus. 

We have a name; our life has a mission... the name is Christ, and our mission is love! When we love, we shall be with Christ; when we grow to be love, we shall be Christs, alter christus! We will be called Christians, when we grow to be so; when we grow to be love. Until then, our title 'Christians' will remain just a title and not our name!   

One Shepherd, one people!

WORD 2day: Monday, 4th week in Easter time

May 9, 2022: Acts 11: 1-18; John 10: 1-10

We have been reflecting throughout last week, that people listened to the Word, they were touched by it and they joined the disciples and they became a church. A very important point that we need to note in the history of the Church, the people of God is, that the real birth of the Church was only when the Gentiles listened and accepted the Word.

St. Paul declares in his letter to the Galatians, "there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male or female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28). It is when the whole people are made heirs to the promise made to Abraham, it is only when every one was made into one fold, under one Shepherd, Christ Jesus - the real Church was born.

The challenge is alive until today, to remain one flock, one fold, one people. To stay clear of all discrimination within the Church, to choose not to conform to the standards of the world but to be renewed in the Spirit of the Lord and to put on the mind of Christ - constantly, on a daily basis we are invited to renew our faithfulness to the One shepherd and be transformed more and more into worthy members of His flock. 

This would mean that we grow up from our tendency to discriminate, from our prejudices, from our insensitivity to the other and from our mindset of looking at diversity as a difficulty. Positively, it would mean that we grow in love, not as an act or attitude of condescension, but as a genuine sense of solidarity and fraternity in the One Lord, One Shepherd, One Christ our Saviour. 

THE LORD'S FLOCK

Called, Challenged and Cherished

May 8, 2022: The Good Shepherd Sunday / IV Sunday of Easter
Acts 13: 14,43-52; Revelations 7: 9, 14-17; John 10: 27-30

The Good Shepherd Sunday, as this fourth Sunday of Easter is popularly called, presents to us our identity as the flock of God, and also the way the Lord wishes to relate to us: as the Good Shepherd who calls us, who challenges us and who cherishes us, every bit.

Speaking of the shepherd we are immediately inspired to think of our leaders and pastors - the ecclesiastical leaders and the responsible authorities in the civil society. Yes, they have an obligation on their part to be instruments in the hands of God, in taking care of the people, for God has willed into existence every human person on earth. Wherever a person or persons suffer due to injustice and iniquity of the other, the leaders and authorities are responsible for it and they owe an explanation to the Lord. Added to it, the people or the human persons, are called to understand their relatedness to each other, arising from the common origin that all have - the Divine. Anywhere a person or a section of humanity suffers, every human person in one way or the others, is answerable for it. This being the universal picture that is projected by the Shepherd Sunday, there is a particular message for the so-called people of God, those who have responded to that special call to belong to the community that is identified as the Lord's Flock.

Firstly, the flock is CALLED - called, picked, chosen, offered an opportunity, called by name, chosen from the rest, privileged with an invitation, given a vocation... that is what we are! This can be realised more and more today, with all the pluralism that exists, pluralism of all kinds in the very choice to believe in a God or now, the choice of the creed of experience, the choice to make it a life choice or not, the choice of expression in its degree, kind and level - in all these we need to realise that we are called. The first reading presents that reality in concrete - there were those who considered themselves traditionally 'chosen'...but there were others who were predilectively 'chosen'. It may be true that we have chosen or we have made the choice to believe or to respond to the call of faith, but going into the depth and analysing, we see we could not have done it if we were not chosen, in the first place. Is this not what the Lord says: "You did not choose me; I chose you!"

Exactly because of this, the flock is constantly CHALLENGED - you cannot take for granted that you belong to the flock once and for all, automatically once you have entered into it in a formal sense. No. One needs to keep confirming it consciously in three ways - listening, following and belonging. Listening to the voice of the Shepherd, the voice that is heard in a myriad of ways - through the Word daily, through the tradition and the authoritative teaching, through the word from the neighbour or brother or sister, through the events of the day, through the sufferings of people, through the cry of the poor, through the unrest of the soul, and so on. Listening to the voice is an essential need of a flock of God. While listening is the first step, following the Lord, or doing what the Lord would do in those circumstances is another duty. Hence, to stand of the truth, to voice the cries of the voiceless, to decry the unjust order in the world, to point out the road to perdition often chosen by the masses, to live and die for the Reign, are marks that can set us apart as Lord's flock. Belonging to the Lord, never to stray away from the Lord, never to let ourselves be stolen by the evil one or the enticing forces of the world, is another fundamental requirement to be the Lord's flock!

Thus attached and united to the Lord, the flock is CHERISHED by the Shepherd, and the Shepherd holds back nothing from this flock. The second reading reveals to us the heart of the Shepherd who wishes to make of the flock, a marvellous and splendid people, who have no hunger or thirst, who have no tears to shed, who are nourished by the springs of living water and who will never fear anything, not even persecution or death. That is the strength that the Lord wishes to give, if only we are ready to receive it, and live in the presence of the Lord, in th tents of the living God, day and night, for all eternity. We are loved, we are affirmed, we are strengthened, we are empowered, we are cherished by the Shepherd who dares to give everything for us and for our eternal happiness. 

We are the Lord's flock as long as we understand this call we have received to be the flock, to be the flock that listens, follows and belongs to the Lord. Once we make that choice, however weak and failing we could be, the Lord cherishes us and continually cleanses us and rejuvenates us in his blood and in his Spirit! May we grow in our commitment to the Lord in order that we may dare to say: we are God's people, the sheep of the Lord's flock!

To Remain in the Lord

WORD 2day: Saturday, 3rd week in Easter time

May 7, 2022: Acts 9: 31-42; John 6: 60-69

Two contrasting scenes are presented in the readings today - one, that of the numbers increasing; the other, that of followers leaving Jesus! To heed to pleasant teachings and detest challenging calls, is a normal human tendency. But Jesus does not compromise. It is a fact that we need to understand: that the Lord who loves us, is absolutely loving and at the very same time, absolutely demanding!

The people called it, 'intolerable language', when Jesus spoke the bare truth to them. Today, we see the same and hear the same, when somethings have to be pointed out and when persons do it, there is an attempt to silence the truth and move away from it. It is easy to be selective about judgements, fending for one's own comfort and convenience. Testifying to the truth would require, accepting hard changes and difficult challenges. 

It can be very exciting to run after miracles and live by wonders. Persons doing wonders, places with miraculous reports, and claims of strange signs and messages - these should not take us away from the real faith. The real challenge is to be touched internally by the Lord, be transformed, accepting the hard teachings from the Lord. To eat of Him, to become part of Him, as we reflected yesterday and to Remain in Him!

The words of Jesus, "Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these..." (Jn 14:12), comes alive as Peter and other disciples do wonders in the name of Jesus! We know how simple ordinary this apostles were in reality, but they turned so marvellous and powerful. What mattered was, that they remained in the Lord; and that continues to be the challenge for us too: to remain in the Lord!

To become part of Him...

THE WORD AND THE SAINT

May 6, 2022: Celebrating St. Dominic Savio

Acts 9: 1-20; John 6: 52-59

'The one who eats me will have life because of me', declares the Lord today. As I draw life from the Father, so shall that person who eats my body and drinks my blood, draw life from me, the Lord explains. It is simply, like a stem that draws life from the root and the branches and leaves which draw life from the stem in turn - a call to be connected, a call to be united, a call to feel one with! 

Saul turns Paul, the persecutor turns proclaimer... an absolute transformation that changed history for ever - simply because he experienced Christ personally! The experience gripped him, grafted him on to Christ and thus united him to a root that changed the entire sense of his life. There was a radical transformation, because Saul found his real root, from where his life came!

The Lord invites us to a personal experience of himself... eat my flesh, drink my blood, become part of me; remain in me and I shall remain in you - and we shall be one! As the Father and the Son are one, the Son invites us to be one with him; thus we can tell the world - I and the Lord are one. Paul dared say that: be imitators of me as I am of Christ (1 Cor 11:1). Can we? I can say that only if I really strive on a daily basis to unite myself with the Lord, to become one with the Lord, to become part of the Lord. 

Everyday is an opportunity to grow closer, and more and more connected personally with Christ! Every Eucharist we celebrate is a moment to become increasingly part of him, to remain rooted in him and to allow the Lord to remain in us. Being imitators of Christ is not merely a matter of doing things, rather an essential change, a radical transformation of our very selves - it is to become more and more, a part of Him!

Dominic Savio, the teenage saint whom we celebrate today, was intent on this - to become part of Him, to remain totally united in Him. There were instances when the little Dominic was lost in ecstasy with the Eucharistic Lord for a whole day! What a lovely reminder this little giant of sanctity is, to the call that all of us have: to grow to become part of Him!

Drawn by our Daddy!

WORD 2day: Thursday, 3rd week in Easter time

May 5, 2022: Acts 8: 26-40; John 6: 44-51

The readings taken together have a wonderful message for us: if we have the christian faith, it is not by chance; it is by choice... not ours, but the Lord's! You did not choose me, I chose you, declares the Lord. No one can come to me, unless drawn by the Father who sent me.

We have come to know the Lord, drawn by our Father and Mother in heaven! It is the Lord who has willed to draw us to Godself. Our 'yes' at Baptism and a reassertion of it at Confirmation has been our response to this initiative of God. The point of discussion is, whether we are faithful to this yes, all our life and at every moment of our daily life.

Let us look at the way Philip was transported from one place to the other, in order that he could bring people to know the Word, to know the Lord and to get into a relationship with the Lord for life! People were being drawn to the Lord and the apostles were instruments in the process! It is with the same love that God continues to draw us to our Lord and Saviour, so that we may experience what that love of God forever and in its fullness. 

The Bread of life and the Blood of the new and everlasting covenant, are the nourishment in this journey, towards the Lord and towards the experience of that inexhaustible love. All through the journey the Lord accompanies us and instructs us... if we really listen, we will soon realise how special we are; and how we are drawn by our Father, our loving Daddy!

Joy as Testimony!

WORD 2day: Wednesday. 3rd week in Easter time

May 4, 2022: Acts 8:1b-8; John 6: 35-40

There was great joy in the city. Inspite of having to desert their hometowns and go into diaspora, the community of believers bring joy wherever they go. It was because, they carried the Risen Lord in their hearts. No wonder, the evil spirits came out shrieking! 

The resurrection experience filled them with a joy that could not be replaced by anything else under the sun. The words "Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ" (Rom 8:35) was a concrete life experience of the early Christians. The source of this experience is the total and loving self giving of the Lord. 

Those who escaped persecution, went from place to place preaching the Good News, says the reading today - they escaped only to endanger themselves again with their resolve to preach the Good News. Apart from the resurrection experience that gripped them, the after effects were taking them to newer heights of commitment and dedication. Their joy was breaking bounds, as they discovered their new lives with their Lord.  

Imitating their Lord and Saviour, they were filled with hope and were emanating a divine joy. They were testifying because they had boundless joy and their joy was their greatest testimony! How joyful is our testimony as Christians?

In the footprints of the Master

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 3rd week in Easter time 

May 3, 2022: Acts 7:51-8:1a; John 6:30-35

We are given the picture of the martyrdom of Stephen... the height of discipleship, giving one's life up for the sake of truth. The real courage that is exhibited today by Stephen consists in daring to say what he saw and heard, or what he was given to see and hear. The Gospel presents the same courage that was manifested by Jesus, challenging the Scribes and the Pharisees and offering himself as the bread of life; infact, Stephen is presented to us as an ideal disciple who did what Jesus did, who lived the way Jesus lived and who died in the manner his master Jesus died.

The cue is the prayer: "Into your hands I commend my spirit". While Jesus makes that prayer to the Father, Stephen makes it to Jesus: "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit". This is the first prayer we see, that was addressed to Jesus. The height of discipleship consists in the courage to imitate the master in every little detail...in our life, our prayer, our convictions and our priorities. 

It was totally natural for the first community to imitate their master and saviour - they lived as a community, as he did with his disciples and friends; he owned nothing for himself and so did they decide to own nothing; he taught them to reach out to the hungry, to the naked, to the sick and to the captives, so did they live as people with one heart and mind, reaching out specially to those who were less fortunate and as a result, as the Acts of the Apostles tells us, there was no one in need among them; and the ultimate was they dared to give their life for the sake of their relationship with Christ, as Christ was ready to do for the sake of his relatioship with his father. 

Question that stands out: how close are we in our lifestyle to Jesus, our Lord and Master?

Child of God and the face of an Angel

WORD 2day: Monday, 3rd week in Easter time

May 2, 2022: Acts 6:8-15; John 6:22-29

The readings today remind us of our vocation and gift. 'What are we called to?', that was the question that the people meant when they ask Jesus in the Gospel today, "what can we do to accomplish God's works?" "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one God sent": that is our vocation, and that is our gift!

Vocation because it is our life task, to know the Lord, love and accept Him as our personal saviour and testify to him unto death. It is a also a gift, because in doing it, we become children of God (cf.Jn 1:12), we are given the power to become the children of God; we are graced with the privillege to be considered children of God; we turn into co-heirs to the Reign (cf Rom 8:17), and by that, we acquire the face of the angels - as it is said of St.Stephen in the first reading today. For God made us little less than a god, in God's own image, to be angels, to be presences of God wherever we are.

Our faith and our commitment to faith adorn our face with a light and beauty that makes it look 'angelic'...  that is, it brings out the original image, original likeness, the original nature, with which we were willed into existence. The call and the gift, beckons us to realise our hidden face of an angel, to preserve and persevere in our efforts to grow in the full stature of the angels - close to God and ever at God's service!