The Eve of Salvation

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

June 6, 2022: 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 perditiion 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 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. 

It is just 4 years since we havce begun to celebrate this feast, but what a deep significance it has! It points to a fact that has always been celebrated by the Church and in the Church - the Eve of Salvation, the hope of the people of God. May our Blesssed Mother continue to stay with the Church, pray with the Church and protect the Church on the pilgrimage towards Reign of God. 

BEING PEOPLE OF THE SPIRIT

Growing to be courageous, compassionate and Christ-like

June 5, 2022: The Solemnity of the Pentecost 
Acts 2: 1-11; Romans 8: 8-17; John 14: 15-16, 23-26

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 before Pentecost

June 4, 2022: Acts 28: 16-20, 30-31; John 21: 10-25

These days we have been continuously hearing 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 giving birth to the new form of the People of God - the Church.

Imagine if the Church would have really been born, if the Christians of those times were as calculative as some of us are these days. An experience that I had just yesterday, provoked me a bit. A person from South America was enquiring me, how many percentage of Indians are Christians. I said, official statistics says, we are 2.7 percent. And immediately he remarked, ofcourse with a smile and for a joke, (but it provoked me to think): "you guys have to work more"! Apart from the fact of needing to work on the front of proclamation, it reflects the state also of our witnessing life, the daily testimony that is the first proclamation that we have to make to our context!

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 become powerful witnesses of the Gospel, in our daily life, wherever we are! 

Following the Lord

WORD 2day: Friday after Ascension 

June 3, 2022: 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 or decide to. But the Lord does not spare the moment. He instructs right from the beginning what can, or what is certain 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). The Lord does not look for disciples through deception or coersion. 

St. Paul was more than certain of everything that awaited him, the sufferings, the persecution 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 infact 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. We could either choose to remain faithful disciples and face the brunt of it all, or choose to go with the flow of the rest of the society and spare ourselves of all these inconveniences. We know the call that we have received and that would determine what our choice should be. There can be no compromises. 

Following the Lord means following Him in everything, right till the end, right till the cross! It is not a negative choice, to choose to suffer. It is an absolutely positive choice, to live a life that is integral, committed and following the Lord!

One in the Spirit, One with the Lord

WORD 2day: Thursday after Ascension 

June 2, 2022: Acts 22:30, 23:6-11; Jn 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 primarily consist in doing anything or accomplishing anything great... but it consists in being,  just being one with the Lord!

However, it is not that simple. As both the readings explain world at large does not "know" the Lord, or does not identify with the Lord; in a way it stands aloof from, or at times even react against the Lord. The culture of death that prevails, the insensitive economy that rules, the inhuman politics that dominates... are signs of opposition to God and 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! There could be two major problems in carrying out this task given to us: firstly, whether we are clear about what we wish to communitcate; and seconly, as soon as I begin to speak, I am judged by the relationship that exists between my words and my life. No one else needs to judge me; I need not please anyone or present a good figure of myself to the world - but I need to live my life integral: that is my testimony, my first proclamation.

This integrity alone can ensure that we are one with the Lord. Made one through our love for each other, and made one in the Lord because of the immesaurable love that God has manifested to us, we are in the Lord and the Lord is in us!  We are made one in the Lord - let us celebrate this mystical union in God, that is the quintessence of Christian faith.

Preoccupation for the Flock

WORD 2day: Wednesday after Ascension 

June 1, 2022: 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 of them 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! Here it is not only about giving or getting, it is about being preoccupied with the good of each other, in the flock. Who cares about whom!

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.

Spiritual Sincerity refers to the openness we have towards the constant messages and challenges from the Lord, which might sometimes and in fact, many times call for a change, a renewal a critical upgrade. Constant Discernment refers to the diligence with which one holds on to the traditional faith and way of life, handed down in time, in the face of so-called modernisation and advancements.    

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 sects and factions. If they are spiritually sincere and discerned with rigour, well and good. But if they come from an unfounded mind and a lack of persevering dedication, they are the dangers that Paul and Jesus warn us against.  Each of us is called to exercise care, over ourselves to begins with and over the community, the flock to which we belong!

Redefining Chosenness!

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

May 31, 2022: The Feast of Visitation 
Zephaniah 3: 14-18 (or) Romans 12: 9-16; Luke 1: 39-56

Mary visits Elizabeth... a Biblical event that may apparently look simple, but remains a redefining moment in the history of Christian faith. We say history of Christian faith, because it redefines it from the roots - that is from the hebrew faith conviction of being the chosen people of God. The fact that they were the 'chosen people' was very dear to the Jews, and it continues to be, they will never give up on that identity of theirs! 

The Old Testament bears examples to this, as could be cited in one of today's alternative first readings, the one from Zepahniah. They were filled with a blessed joy, a holy pride and a splendid self-image, because of their chosen-ness. But their idea of chosenness was constantly challenge from the time, the Christ-event began within that faith tradition, for the sake of the whole humanity. 

In the feast that we celebrate today, we see that Mary, the chosen Mother of God, topples this order and redefines 'chosen-ness'; she rushes to be of service to Elizabeth and sings of the Glory of God, underlining her unworthiness, inspite of which God had chosen her! To be chosen is to be of service; to be of service to others is a sign of being chosen! 

Truly blessed joy is necessarily complemented with a compassionate sensitivity to the other; the holy pride is replaced with a humble gratitude to God; and the resplendent self-image is challenged by a realisation of the great things that the Lord has done, making oneself a sign, a bearer, an instrument of God's glory! 

We can foresee, in the act of Mary going out to serve Elizabeth, the mind of Christ - a mind of servant leadership, sensitive companionship and selfless stewardship.The attitude of Mary manifested here and other places such as the Cana where she reached out, and after resurrection when she stayed with the apostles to strengthen them... was reflected in her son's life - he too reached out to the sick, to the so-called sinners, to the suffering, to the berieved, to the downtrodden, to the marginalised... probably, or may be even certainly, he was schooled at the hands of his mother. And that is how he learnt to redefine, his own chosenness! 

Our blessed mother challenges us today, to redefine our chosenness: first of all, we should feel convinced of our chosenness; secondly, we need to learn that our chosenness is not for ourselves but for others; and thirdly, to be chosen is to be of service and to be of service is the sign of being chosen! 

Disciples of the Lord who has conquered the world

WORD 2day: Monday after Ascension 

May 30, 2022: Acts 19:1-8; John 16: 29-33

Take courage, I have conquered  the world, declares Jesus! With Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father (cf Eph 1:20), the apostles and the early Church, found a great power in their witness and in their proclamation. The gift of the Holy Spirit was an absolute boost to the faith community, and their faith and its expressions reach a totally different level with the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (cf. 2 Tim 1:7) and that is what the Lord fills us with. We are the temple of this Spirit and the Spirit dwells in us. At times we live like sleeping giants, with the Spirit stifled to be dormant within us. The days that follow are days in preparation towards the feast of Pentecost: a reminder of the Spirit that we are all gifted with; a challenge to surrender to the Spirit and become active agents of the Spirit.

Let us thank God that we are not in a position to say, "we have never even heard that there is a holy spirit" ( Acts 19:2). However, let us become aware of the power that the Spirit brings to our life and our faith. With the Spirit, and only with the Spirit, can we be true disciples of the Lord who has conquered the world!

Jesus the Christ - the name above all names

WORD 2day: Saturday before the Ascension Sunday

May 28, 2022: Acts 18: 23-28; John 16:23-28

Jesus was the name and Christ was a faith experience! Jesus, the Christ is no syntax error! Today we encounter Apollos, another contemporary preacher with Paul. It looks like there were some little misgivings in the Acts of the Apostles between the followers of Paul and followers of Apollos. But Paul makes no notice of such bickerings. Another great lesson we have is Priscilla and Aquilla instructing Apollos in the right doctrines! The role of the laity in the formation of the apostolic ministers comes out strongly...all of this to make people understand, Jesus was the Christ!

Jesus in the Gospel seems to harp on the same point too: anything you ask the Father in my NAME, my Father shall give you. He seems to say, you have a direct hotline with the Father through me, because I am the Christ. As Acts so clearly says in another place (4:12) that there is no other name given in all the earth by which one could be saved! It is Jesus, because Jesus is the Christ, Jesus is the one anointed and set apart for our salvation! 

Having that singular name of salvation, should not make us haughty as if we have the monopoly over that name, but it should make us humble in questioning our daily lives and priorities. Are we living worthy of that name? It is certainly not an opportunity to judge the "other" but a reminder of the gratitude that should fill our hearts for the privilege given us.

Let us ask a question to ourselves, Is Jesus my Christ?

If you instantly and very easily said 'yes', repeat that question to yourself looking closely at your values and attitudes, priorities and choices of daily life: Is Jesus really my Christ?

The Assurances of the Lord

WORD 2day: Friday, 6th week in Easter time

May 27, 2022: Acts 18: 9-18; John 16: 20-23

Today's readings have two of the most repeated and most affirmed promises of the Lord: Do not be afraid, for I am with you (Acts 18:9,10) and Your sorrow will turn into joy (Jn 16:20). For both these, the provision given is: go on speaking and endure the griefs. Though what is expected of us: that is to go on speaking and to endure suffering, might seem a bit too demanding, the consequence of it justifies everything! The promised presence of the Lord and the promised joy in the Lord are incomparably filled with assurances that can brighten up our todays and our tomorrows.

We are called to claim these promises in our daily life and more importantly, we are called to be the fulfilment of these promises for those around us who are needy, those who are suffering, those who are broken hearted, those who are troubled in spirit. The assurances of the Lord, are certainly for us, but for the sake of taking it forward to the others. That is how we become people of God, apostles of Christ, people sent by the Lord.

The ascension of the Lord which we intend to celebrate this weekend carries precisely this message for us: the continued and unceasing presence of the Risen Lord, more often than not, in the form of our presence with the others.

Let the Spirit help us today to feel the presence of the Lord with each of us and lead us to be the presence of the Lord for everyone we encounter today.