Lk.24:46- 53 Solemnity of Ascension.-10
Little Bobby was spending the weekend with his grandmother after a particularly trying week in kindergarten. His grandmother decided to take him to the park on Saturday morning. It had been snowing all night and everything was beautiful. His grandmother said, "Doesn't it look like an artist painted this scenery? Did you know God painted this just for you?"
Bobby said, "Yes, God did it and he did it left handed."
This confused his grandmother a bit. "What makes you say God did this with his left hand?"
"Well," said Bobby, "We learned at Sunday School last week that Jesus sits on God's right hand!"
Today we celebrate the Ascension of the Lord, Jesus ascending to the right hand of the Father. Our first reading gives a clue to the meaning of this mystery. You will notice that St. Luke does not speak about Jesus "going away," but that "a cloud took him from their sight." There is a difference between "leaving" and "disappearing." When someone leaves, it suggests separation, even finality. When a person disappears from sight, he might still be very close - in another room, or even closer. The fact that the disciples no longer see Jesus does not mean that he has gone from them. He is more present, not less, in being ascended to the Father. He is fully present, participating in every moment of our lives.
Having done all that he came to do he now ascends to the Father. His great work is now handed on to his disciples to bring to completion. But this is no task that can be worked out in a few years. No, it is an undertaking that will take his followers till the very end of time to bring to its glorious conclusion.
A high point in a relay race is the moment when one runner passes the baton to another runner. More races are won or lost at that moment than at any other moment in the race. The passing of the baton in a relay race is a good image of the ascension. Jesus passes the baton to his disciples. He passes on to us the responsibility to make God's Kingdom a living reality in our home, our schools, and our world. To make sure that we don’t drop the baton Jesus assures the Holy Spirit, the Divine power to be with us.
The role we undertake as members of the Church is to spread the Good News throughout the earth and to live our lives in such a way that they give glory to God. Our ultimate goal is that all nations and people will come to worship the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
You might be wondering why God has chosen to entrust this great work to a group of weak and fallible human beings. Surely God could utter the command and all people would bow down and worship him, if that’s what he really wants. The only problem is that by issuing such a command people everywhere would be under the obligation to worship God. It wouldn’t be their spontaneous free choice; it would be done out of compulsion and not out of love. So God chooses us, inadequate and feeble creatures, to convey his message, his Good News, to the people of the world, so that they may love him and worship him.
It is important to understand that God does not want us to worship him because he needs it or because he would gain any advantage from it. It would not add one jot to his greatness nor would it inflate his ego in some strange way. God does not desire our worship and devotion because it will do him any good, but because it will do us good.
In our text Luke tells us that they worshipped him and went back to Jerusalem full of joy. That’s exactly how it ought to be for us each Sunday as we return home from the Eucharist, going back to our ordinary lives full of joy and trust in the Lord. Though the priest says: the mass is ended go in peace- the mass really does not end here. It only begins here. And we continue the celebration outside the Church. We give witness outside the church what we experienced inside the church. Our neighbours see us go to mass every Sunday morning. But its how they see us coming back that is our real witness to them.
What are the experiences Jesus wants us to share - to witness to others? It could be a lot of things, but today's Gospel gives us the starting point: "Repentance, for the forgiveness of sins." St.Francis said preach the gospel, use words if necessary. We need to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in our homes and neighborhood by our actions.
Pope Paul VI said, "The world needs witnesses more than it needs teachers." You know, it is relatively easy to be a teacher. Most people are eager to share their knowledge - and especially their opinions. It is much harder to be a witness: To tell others what one has experienced. That can be risky and demanding. Two people can live under the same roof and never share their deepest experiences.*
Let me tell you about a man who gave a powerful witness to repentance and forgiveness. He was a slave trader, with little religious feeling. Or to be more accurate, whatever religious sentiment he had, he numbed with alcohol. Once when he piloted a slave ship across the Atlantic, a violent storm broke out. Something caused him to cry, "Jesus, have mercy on us." When the storm subsided, he reflected on what happened - and he gave up the slave trade. The captain was John Newton. He wrote a song amazing grace.
We may not have had such a dramatic experience as John Newton. We haven't enslaved others for personal gain. We have not bought and sold other human beings, but at times we have not treated someone as a person, but as an object, an instrument of selfish desires. We have sinned, but - like John Newton - we can repent and beg forgiveness. We can open ourselves to the "amazing grace" that lets us make a fresh start. And like Newton, we can witness to what Jesus has done for us.
We need to be proclaimers and evangelizers: To be a Christian is to be a proclaimer and an evangelizer. There is a difference between preaching and proclaiming. We preach with words but we proclaim with our lives. Let us ask the Spirit of God to bear witness to Jesus by our transparent Christian lives.
Cardinal Newman one of the greatest intellectuals in Church history, recognized that souls are ultimately not won by arguments and programs, but by credible witnesses. The truth of the Gospel, he said, "has been upheld in the world not as a system, not by books, not by argument, nor by temporal power, but by the personal influence of such men…, who are at once the teachers and the patterns of it."
Jesus has ascended into heaven and he wants us to be his witnesses. Like the apostles, we start in Jerusalem, that is, right where we find ourselves. Although Jesus has disappeared from our sight, he did not leave us. And he tells us, "You will be my witnesses."
The ascended Jesus is still with us because of his promise, "I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” He is with us at all times and in all places, releasing a new energy upon the earth, the energy of the Holy Spirit to preach his Good News of salvation by bearing witness to him. We need the help of Jesus’ abiding presence in us through his Holy Spirit to accomplish our mission. Next Sunday is the feast of Pentecost. Hence let us learn to be humble and let the Holy Spirit lead the way in our witness to the world.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
VIth Sunday of Easter. ( MOther's day)
VI Easter Sunday Homily
Acts 15:1-2, 22-23,: Rev. 21: 10-14, 22-23,Gosple: John 14: 23-29
St. Francis of Assisi was an ardent advocate of the doctrine of the indwelling of God in man. It enabled him to love every one equally irrespective of his status in life. One day he met a fellow who had no love for God. As they walked along they met a man who was blind and paralyzed. St. Francis asked the sightless cripple: “Tell me if I were to restore your eyesight and the use of your limbs, would you love me?” “Ah,” replied the beggar, “I would not only love you but I would be your slave for the rest of my life.” “See,” said Francis to the man who maintained that he could not love God, “this man would love me if I gave him his sight and his health. Why don’t you love God who created you with eyesight and strong limbs?”
When Jesus speaks in today’s gospel of “those who love me” he is referring to his followers. For Jesus “those who love me” is another way of saying “my disciples” . The relationship between the Christian and Christ is essentially a love relationship. That is why Jesus said in John 15:15 “I do not call you servants any longer ... I call you friends.” Yet many of us feel more comfortable serving Jesus as boss rather than relating to him as a friend. There is a limit to what a boss can demand from you. There is no such limit when it comes to friendship and intimacy.
God abides in us .’ “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him”. The word ‘abide’ is used repeatedly in the part of John's gospel several times. It is variously translated as ‘live’ and ‘remain’ and 'make your home'. It was a word much beloved of Meister Eckhart, the 14th-century German mystic. He wrote, “It is not right to love God for His heaven's sake nor for the sake of anything at all, but we should love Him for the goodness that He is in Himself. For whoever loves him for anything else does not abide in Him, but abides in the thing he is loving Him for. If, therefore, you want to abide in Him, you must love Him for nothing but Himself.”
Some saint said she would like to close down both heaven and hell, so that people would do good for its own sake, not because of greed or fear, and love God for God's own sake. That would be ‘abiding in God.’ Love brings near; fear separates, it makes you want to run away.
Meister Eckhart wrote, “You need not seek Him here or there, He is no further than the door of your heart; there He stands patiently awaiting whoever is ready to open up and let Him in. No need to call to Him from afar: He can hardly wait for you to open up. He longs for you a thousand times more than you long for Him.”
‘Abide’. It is a word you might use to describe what you are doing in contemplation: you are abiding, you are making your home in Christ, you are within his mind. You are in God and God is in you. You are in your true home.
Jesus puts a condition for this indwelling of the Holy Trinity, namely, that we have to show our love of God by keeping his word. And this keeping of his word will be facilitated by the Holy Spirit, God's Holy Breath. With the gift of the Holy Spirit, something brand new has happened in the history of humanity. No longer is God merely present in all things as Creator and Sustainer, in a generic way. Now, in every soul that is united to Christ by faith and grace, God is present as friend, guide, and personal companion. Every Christian soul is a Temple where God truly dwells .
This is the gift Christ has given us, the prize he won for us on Calvary: the transforming, renewing, life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit within us. Unfortunately, we often forget about this. We often live as if our Christianity were something outside of us, like a membership in a club. That forgetfulness handcuffs God's power in our lives. The Holy Spirit is polite. He respects our freedom. He chooses to be a guest, not a dictator. He sits in the living room of our souls, loving us, eagerly waiting for us to put away our cell phone, shut down our computer, and pay attention to him for few minutes, to listen to him, to ask him for guidance and strength. And whenever we do, he is able to increase what is good in us, and cleanse what is bad.
Jesus affirmed that even though he would no longer be with them physically, he would continue to be present among them through His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth would continue teaching them and helping them to understand and to build on what Jesus had already taught them. The Advocate would bring no new revelation because God had already revealed Himself in Jesus. But the Advocate would deepen their understanding of the revelation given by Jesus.
If that is so, what do we make of the situation in the world today where a thousand Christians all “filled with the Holy Spirit” come up with a thousand different answers to the same question? Does the Holy Spirit contradict Himself? Of course the Holy Spirit is with us individually, but the Holy Spirit is given primarily to the church and, through the church, to us as individuals when we become members of the church.
This is what we see in the 1st reading where disagreements among Christians are resolved through dialogue and community discernment and not through each one consulting the Holy Spirit privately. In the end they come out with a resolution which begins “it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” (Acts 15:28). The word of Christ continues to live and resound in the word of the Holy Spirit speaking through the church. The days between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost are special days of prayer for all Christians as they were for the first disciples of Jesus.
This year let us pray especially for the gift of church unity, so that together we all can discern what the Spirit is saying to the church in the modern world and so bear united witness to the life-giving word of Christ.
In the United States, the second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day. President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national Holiday in 1914 for public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of America. Mother’s Day honors the greatest Mother of all, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all mothers should look to her for guidance and strength.”
It is a beautiful Catholic custom to venerate the Blessed Virgin during the month of May, especially with such time-honored devotions as May crowning, Mary altars, and the praying of the Rosary.
In a special way, we consider Mother’s Day, while secular in nature and having no liturgical significance for our Church calendar is a day not only to honor all mothers, both living and deceased, but a day to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, Queen and Teacher in the Spiritual Life. We ask her to watch over all of our wonderful mothers who have given us life and love!
Mary teaches all mothers the dignity and the value of all human life. She teaches mothers to be generous, loving and compassionate to their children and to all they meet. Mary teaches mothers how to be models of deep faith and great courage as they face the joys and challenges of family life today. On this Mother’s Day we pray that the Blessed Virgin Mary will wrap her mantle around all mothers, and through her powerful intercession, strengthen them in their maternal role!
Acts 15:1-2, 22-23,: Rev. 21: 10-14, 22-23,Gosple: John 14: 23-29
St. Francis of Assisi was an ardent advocate of the doctrine of the indwelling of God in man. It enabled him to love every one equally irrespective of his status in life. One day he met a fellow who had no love for God. As they walked along they met a man who was blind and paralyzed. St. Francis asked the sightless cripple: “Tell me if I were to restore your eyesight and the use of your limbs, would you love me?” “Ah,” replied the beggar, “I would not only love you but I would be your slave for the rest of my life.” “See,” said Francis to the man who maintained that he could not love God, “this man would love me if I gave him his sight and his health. Why don’t you love God who created you with eyesight and strong limbs?”
When Jesus speaks in today’s gospel of “those who love me” he is referring to his followers. For Jesus “those who love me” is another way of saying “my disciples” . The relationship between the Christian and Christ is essentially a love relationship. That is why Jesus said in John 15:15 “I do not call you servants any longer ... I call you friends.” Yet many of us feel more comfortable serving Jesus as boss rather than relating to him as a friend. There is a limit to what a boss can demand from you. There is no such limit when it comes to friendship and intimacy.
God abides in us .’ “If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him”. The word ‘abide’ is used repeatedly in the part of John's gospel several times. It is variously translated as ‘live’ and ‘remain’ and 'make your home'. It was a word much beloved of Meister Eckhart, the 14th-century German mystic. He wrote, “It is not right to love God for His heaven's sake nor for the sake of anything at all, but we should love Him for the goodness that He is in Himself. For whoever loves him for anything else does not abide in Him, but abides in the thing he is loving Him for. If, therefore, you want to abide in Him, you must love Him for nothing but Himself.”
Some saint said she would like to close down both heaven and hell, so that people would do good for its own sake, not because of greed or fear, and love God for God's own sake. That would be ‘abiding in God.’ Love brings near; fear separates, it makes you want to run away.
Meister Eckhart wrote, “You need not seek Him here or there, He is no further than the door of your heart; there He stands patiently awaiting whoever is ready to open up and let Him in. No need to call to Him from afar: He can hardly wait for you to open up. He longs for you a thousand times more than you long for Him.”
‘Abide’. It is a word you might use to describe what you are doing in contemplation: you are abiding, you are making your home in Christ, you are within his mind. You are in God and God is in you. You are in your true home.
Jesus puts a condition for this indwelling of the Holy Trinity, namely, that we have to show our love of God by keeping his word. And this keeping of his word will be facilitated by the Holy Spirit, God's Holy Breath. With the gift of the Holy Spirit, something brand new has happened in the history of humanity. No longer is God merely present in all things as Creator and Sustainer, in a generic way. Now, in every soul that is united to Christ by faith and grace, God is present as friend, guide, and personal companion. Every Christian soul is a Temple where God truly dwells .
This is the gift Christ has given us, the prize he won for us on Calvary: the transforming, renewing, life-giving presence of the Holy Spirit within us. Unfortunately, we often forget about this. We often live as if our Christianity were something outside of us, like a membership in a club. That forgetfulness handcuffs God's power in our lives. The Holy Spirit is polite. He respects our freedom. He chooses to be a guest, not a dictator. He sits in the living room of our souls, loving us, eagerly waiting for us to put away our cell phone, shut down our computer, and pay attention to him for few minutes, to listen to him, to ask him for guidance and strength. And whenever we do, he is able to increase what is good in us, and cleanse what is bad.
Jesus affirmed that even though he would no longer be with them physically, he would continue to be present among them through His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of truth would continue teaching them and helping them to understand and to build on what Jesus had already taught them. The Advocate would bring no new revelation because God had already revealed Himself in Jesus. But the Advocate would deepen their understanding of the revelation given by Jesus.
If that is so, what do we make of the situation in the world today where a thousand Christians all “filled with the Holy Spirit” come up with a thousand different answers to the same question? Does the Holy Spirit contradict Himself? Of course the Holy Spirit is with us individually, but the Holy Spirit is given primarily to the church and, through the church, to us as individuals when we become members of the church.
This is what we see in the 1st reading where disagreements among Christians are resolved through dialogue and community discernment and not through each one consulting the Holy Spirit privately. In the end they come out with a resolution which begins “it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us.” (Acts 15:28). The word of Christ continues to live and resound in the word of the Holy Spirit speaking through the church. The days between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost are special days of prayer for all Christians as they were for the first disciples of Jesus.
This year let us pray especially for the gift of church unity, so that together we all can discern what the Spirit is saying to the church in the modern world and so bear united witness to the life-giving word of Christ.
In the United States, the second Sunday of May is Mother’s Day. President Woodrow Wilson declared it a national Holiday in 1914 for public expression of love and reverence for the mothers of America. Mother’s Day honors the greatest Mother of all, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all mothers should look to her for guidance and strength.”
It is a beautiful Catholic custom to venerate the Blessed Virgin during the month of May, especially with such time-honored devotions as May crowning, Mary altars, and the praying of the Rosary.
In a special way, we consider Mother’s Day, while secular in nature and having no liturgical significance for our Church calendar is a day not only to honor all mothers, both living and deceased, but a day to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, Queen and Teacher in the Spiritual Life. We ask her to watch over all of our wonderful mothers who have given us life and love!
Mary teaches all mothers the dignity and the value of all human life. She teaches mothers to be generous, loving and compassionate to their children and to all they meet. Mary teaches mothers how to be models of deep faith and great courage as they face the joys and challenges of family life today. On this Mother’s Day we pray that the Blessed Virgin Mary will wrap her mantle around all mothers, and through her powerful intercession, strengthen them in their maternal role!
Friday, April 9, 2010
IInd Sunday of Easter-Divine Mercy
IInd Sunday of Easter- Divine Mercy Sunday
Perhaps you've heard the story of the Yugoslavian judge who was electrocuted when he reached up to turn on the light while standing in the bathtub. This guy’s poor wife found his body sprawled on the bathroom floor. He was pronounced dead and was placed in a preparation room under a crypt in the town cemetery for twenty-four hours before burial.
Well, in the middle of the night, the judge came to life. The judge looked around at his surroundings and suddenly realized where he was. He got pretty excited and rushed over to alert the guard. But instead of being any help, the guard was terrified and promptly ran off.
Fortunately, though, the guard returned with a friend, and they released the newly-revived judge. The judge's first thought was to phone his wife and reassure her that he really wasn't dead. Unfortunately, he got no farther than, "Honey... it's me," when his wife screamed and fainted.
So, he decided that the best course of action was to enlist some friends. He went to the houses of several friends; but because they all had heard the news from his distraught wife, they all doubted that he was really alive. They were all convinced he was a ghost.
Finally, in a last desperate effort, he contacted a friend in another city who hadn't heard about his death. And that person was able to convince his family and friends that the judge really was alive. This story almost sounds like one of the Gospel writers could have written it.
Thomas thought seeing is believing, but Jesus told him, believing is seeing. On this Second Sunday of Easter, we always hear the Gospel of Doubting Thomas proclaimed. This Gospel always leaves us pondering two main questions: “Why do we have doubts?” and, “Why do we have faith?”
The story of "doubting Thomas" is presented as a warning to those of us who have trouble trusting the spiritual side of life. We often assume that those who knew Jesus in the flesh had a great advantage over the rest of us and we may even envy them. In fact, however, the risen Lord is far more present to us now in the Spirit than he ever was in the flesh.
It is interesting that the story that gives Thomas his infamous nickname, doubting Thomas, is the same story that has Thomas making an earth shattering confession of faith. Look at his confession, "My Lord, and my God." Not teacher. Not Lord. Not Messiah. But God! It is the only place where Jesus is called God without qualification of any kind. It is uttered with conviction as if Thomas was simply recognizing a fact, just as 2 + 2 = 4, and the sun is in the sky. You are my Lord and my God! These are certainly not the words of a doubter. Finally Thomas came to believe that Without faith, no evidence is sufficient; with faith, no evidence is necessary.
Faith is not just an idea. It is more than that. It is believing in the power of God to transform us. Thomas believed that Jesus had the supreme power to change the lives of all beings. That is why he acclaimed him Lord and God.
Theologian Karl Barth once remarked that to say the old line from the creed, "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church" does not mean that we believe in the church. It means rather to believe that God is present and at work in the church, that "in this assembly, the work of the Holy Spirit takes place. ... We do not believe in the Church: but we do believe that in this congregation the work of the Holy Spirit becomes an event."
The tragedy that happened with Thomas was that he had separated himself from the disciples and therefore, in his solitude, missed the resurrection appearance. I think that john is suggesting to us that Christ appears most often within the community of believers that we call the church, and when we separate ourselves from the church we take a chance on missing his unique presence.
The moment we keep ourselves away from the believing community we run the risk of losing the redeeming presence of the Lord. The Lord promised his abiding presence with his believing community. When two or three are gathered together in your name, I will be in your midst. I will be with you till the end of the world..
We have faith because Jesus has given us life. The tomb is empty, but our lives are full. Jesus Christ is our deepest love. His presence makes all life worthwhile. His presence is a guarantee of eternal life. His presence is a guarantee of eternal love.
Thomas said: "I will not believe unless I see." This "seeing" is what others demand of us. They ask that we reflect Jesus, the Risen Lord, in our lives, by selfless love, unconditional forgiveness and humble service.
Let us have the courage of our convictions to share our faith as St. Thomas did, going all the way to India to spread his personal experience of His Lord and God. We are not to keep the gift of faith locked in our hearts, but to share it with our children, our families and our neighbors.
This Sunday is also called Divine Mercy Sunday. When we consider our human condition with all our doubts and with our need for faith, we have a deeper understanding that we live under the mercy of God. Of all the Apostles, perhaps Doubting Thomas experienced this mercy most dramatically. Jesus wasn’t offended by Thomas’ hesitation and resistance, he was just eager to get his faith back.
We are all Doubting Thomases. We all resist God's action in our lives in one way or another, get mad at him, don't trust him, and rebel against him. In his conversations with St Faustina, Jesus promised to unleash on the world a flood of mercy. The flood hasn't yet reached every heart. All we need to do is keep ever on our lips that prayer that he himself taught to St Faustina: Jesus, I trust in you.
Perhaps you've heard the story of the Yugoslavian judge who was electrocuted when he reached up to turn on the light while standing in the bathtub. This guy’s poor wife found his body sprawled on the bathroom floor. He was pronounced dead and was placed in a preparation room under a crypt in the town cemetery for twenty-four hours before burial.
Well, in the middle of the night, the judge came to life. The judge looked around at his surroundings and suddenly realized where he was. He got pretty excited and rushed over to alert the guard. But instead of being any help, the guard was terrified and promptly ran off.
Fortunately, though, the guard returned with a friend, and they released the newly-revived judge. The judge's first thought was to phone his wife and reassure her that he really wasn't dead. Unfortunately, he got no farther than, "Honey... it's me," when his wife screamed and fainted.
So, he decided that the best course of action was to enlist some friends. He went to the houses of several friends; but because they all had heard the news from his distraught wife, they all doubted that he was really alive. They were all convinced he was a ghost.
Finally, in a last desperate effort, he contacted a friend in another city who hadn't heard about his death. And that person was able to convince his family and friends that the judge really was alive. This story almost sounds like one of the Gospel writers could have written it.
Thomas thought seeing is believing, but Jesus told him, believing is seeing. On this Second Sunday of Easter, we always hear the Gospel of Doubting Thomas proclaimed. This Gospel always leaves us pondering two main questions: “Why do we have doubts?” and, “Why do we have faith?”
The story of "doubting Thomas" is presented as a warning to those of us who have trouble trusting the spiritual side of life. We often assume that those who knew Jesus in the flesh had a great advantage over the rest of us and we may even envy them. In fact, however, the risen Lord is far more present to us now in the Spirit than he ever was in the flesh.
It is interesting that the story that gives Thomas his infamous nickname, doubting Thomas, is the same story that has Thomas making an earth shattering confession of faith. Look at his confession, "My Lord, and my God." Not teacher. Not Lord. Not Messiah. But God! It is the only place where Jesus is called God without qualification of any kind. It is uttered with conviction as if Thomas was simply recognizing a fact, just as 2 + 2 = 4, and the sun is in the sky. You are my Lord and my God! These are certainly not the words of a doubter. Finally Thomas came to believe that Without faith, no evidence is sufficient; with faith, no evidence is necessary.
Faith is not just an idea. It is more than that. It is believing in the power of God to transform us. Thomas believed that Jesus had the supreme power to change the lives of all beings. That is why he acclaimed him Lord and God.
Theologian Karl Barth once remarked that to say the old line from the creed, "I believe in the Holy Catholic Church" does not mean that we believe in the church. It means rather to believe that God is present and at work in the church, that "in this assembly, the work of the Holy Spirit takes place. ... We do not believe in the Church: but we do believe that in this congregation the work of the Holy Spirit becomes an event."
The tragedy that happened with Thomas was that he had separated himself from the disciples and therefore, in his solitude, missed the resurrection appearance. I think that john is suggesting to us that Christ appears most often within the community of believers that we call the church, and when we separate ourselves from the church we take a chance on missing his unique presence.
The moment we keep ourselves away from the believing community we run the risk of losing the redeeming presence of the Lord. The Lord promised his abiding presence with his believing community. When two or three are gathered together in your name, I will be in your midst. I will be with you till the end of the world..
We have faith because Jesus has given us life. The tomb is empty, but our lives are full. Jesus Christ is our deepest love. His presence makes all life worthwhile. His presence is a guarantee of eternal life. His presence is a guarantee of eternal love.
Thomas said: "I will not believe unless I see." This "seeing" is what others demand of us. They ask that we reflect Jesus, the Risen Lord, in our lives, by selfless love, unconditional forgiveness and humble service.
Let us have the courage of our convictions to share our faith as St. Thomas did, going all the way to India to spread his personal experience of His Lord and God. We are not to keep the gift of faith locked in our hearts, but to share it with our children, our families and our neighbors.
This Sunday is also called Divine Mercy Sunday. When we consider our human condition with all our doubts and with our need for faith, we have a deeper understanding that we live under the mercy of God. Of all the Apostles, perhaps Doubting Thomas experienced this mercy most dramatically. Jesus wasn’t offended by Thomas’ hesitation and resistance, he was just eager to get his faith back.
We are all Doubting Thomases. We all resist God's action in our lives in one way or another, get mad at him, don't trust him, and rebel against him. In his conversations with St Faustina, Jesus promised to unleash on the world a flood of mercy. The flood hasn't yet reached every heart. All we need to do is keep ever on our lips that prayer that he himself taught to St Faustina: Jesus, I trust in you.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Easter Homily
EASTER -2010;: ACTS 10:34, 37-43;: COL 3:1-4;: JOHN 20: 1-9
The late Catholic Archbishop of Hartford, John Whealon, who had undergone cancer surgery resulting in a permanent colostomy, wrote these very personal words in one of his last Easter messages: "I am now a member of an association of people who have been wounded by cancer. That association has as its symbol the phoenix bird of Egyptian mythology. When the bird felt its death was near, every 500 to 1,461 years, it would fly off to Phoenicia, build a nest of aromatic wood and set itself on fire. When the bird was consumed by the flames, a new phoenix sprang forth from the ashes. Thus the phoenix bird symbolizes immortality, resurrection, and life after death. It was one of the earliest symbols of the risen Christ. In the same way, any person who has survived a struggle with cancer is considered phoenix-like, having risen from the ashes of disease and been given a new lease on life. Suddenly life becomes more precious to that person. Each hour is lived more fully. Each friend seems much more real. The sky seems more blue, the sunshine more beautiful, and the colors more vivid. Even dull and ordinary things are causes for gratitude to God.” Archbishop John Whealon could have lived in a gloomy tomb of self-pity, hopeless defeat, and chronic sadness, but his faith in the resurrected Lord opened his eyes to new visions of life.
Today, “death is dead.! Fear is no more! Death is dead!” Whatever is killing us right now, whatever grave clothes have trapped and wrapped themselves around us like a python, whatever straightjackets we find ourselves in, we can escape. We can walk into the light and experience the miracle of life. “Death is dead.” And because “death is dead,” there is a new world of new possibilities for all of humanity.
Easter declares that the tomb is not a blind alley; it is a thoroughfare. It closes on the twilight; it opens on the dawn." Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark "but the darkness did not remain. The dawn broke. God's Son had risen.
The resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian faith. The Resurrection is the greatest of the miracles--it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes:” If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor 15: 14, 17, 20). Without the Resurrection, Jesus would have remained forever a good person who met a tragic end. People would remember some of his teachings and a handful of people might try to live according to them. All the basic doctrines of Christianity are founded on the truth of the Resurrection. It is our belief in the real presence of the risen Jesus that gives meaning to our personal, as well as to our common, prayers. Our trust in the all-pervading presence of the risen Lord gives us strength to fight against temptations, and freedom from unnecessary worries and fears.
Easter reminds us that every Good Friday in our lives will have an Easter Sunday, and that Jesus will let us share the power of his resurrection. Each time we display our love of others, we share in the resurrection. Each time we face a betrayal of trust, we share in the resurrection of Jesus. Each time we fail in our attempts to ward off temptations – but keep on trying to overcome them – we share in the resurrection. Each time we continue to hope – even when our hope seems unanswered – we share in the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In short, the message of Easter is that nothing can destroy us – not pain, sin, rejection or death – because Christ has conquered all these, and we too can conquer them if we put our faith in Him.
The Easter story is not only an event, it is a way of life. The resurrection of Jesus gives Christians the hope that death is never the end, and invites us to be mindful of Easter moments in the midst of our everyday lives. Making Easter a way of life means that we turn our eyes toward resurrection each and every day, searching for its signs, believing in its truth, living into its glory.
Resurrection is good news, but at the same time, it’s sometimes painful because it involves death. Before the power of the resurrection can take hold in our own lives, we’re called to die to sin, to die to self. We may even have to die to our own dreams, so that God can do what He wants to do with our lives. Resurrection is about seeing our world in a new way. Early that Easter morning, Mary did not find what she was looking for, the dead body of Jesus. But she found something better than she could have imagined: the risen Jesus. Sometimes, the things we think we want most are not granted to us. What we get instead is an experience of God’s new ways of working in the world. That’s the power of the resurrection. When those moments come, we must spread the news--just as Mary did: We have seen the Lord!
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark. But the darkness was soon overcome with light. Maybe that's the message you need to hear this day. Perhaps for whatever reason you are in darkness right now. Family concerns. Problems at work. Anxiety about your health and your future. The loss of someone you love. Easter promises us more than the stars in our darkness. Easter promises us that in the midst of our deepest darkness the Son rises to overwhelm the darkness forever.
As we celebrate this Easter Sunday, the greatest Sunday of the year, let us resolve to make our Sundays different, different than the way a non-catholic lives his Sunday. Let’s resolve to honor the Lord not only with our voices, but also with our hearts. Let’s promise him that between now and the Pentecost we will use our creativity to make our Sundays different. Let’s not just enjoy Easter, let’s let it change our lives. Christ’s resurrection is not just a nice idea; it is the power of eternal life at work in us. Let’s open our hearts for the power of Christ’s resurrection seep into the depths of our minds and hearts.
The late Catholic Archbishop of Hartford, John Whealon, who had undergone cancer surgery resulting in a permanent colostomy, wrote these very personal words in one of his last Easter messages: "I am now a member of an association of people who have been wounded by cancer. That association has as its symbol the phoenix bird of Egyptian mythology. When the bird felt its death was near, every 500 to 1,461 years, it would fly off to Phoenicia, build a nest of aromatic wood and set itself on fire. When the bird was consumed by the flames, a new phoenix sprang forth from the ashes. Thus the phoenix bird symbolizes immortality, resurrection, and life after death. It was one of the earliest symbols of the risen Christ. In the same way, any person who has survived a struggle with cancer is considered phoenix-like, having risen from the ashes of disease and been given a new lease on life. Suddenly life becomes more precious to that person. Each hour is lived more fully. Each friend seems much more real. The sky seems more blue, the sunshine more beautiful, and the colors more vivid. Even dull and ordinary things are causes for gratitude to God.” Archbishop John Whealon could have lived in a gloomy tomb of self-pity, hopeless defeat, and chronic sadness, but his faith in the resurrected Lord opened his eyes to new visions of life.
Today, “death is dead.! Fear is no more! Death is dead!” Whatever is killing us right now, whatever grave clothes have trapped and wrapped themselves around us like a python, whatever straightjackets we find ourselves in, we can escape. We can walk into the light and experience the miracle of life. “Death is dead.” And because “death is dead,” there is a new world of new possibilities for all of humanity.
Easter declares that the tomb is not a blind alley; it is a thoroughfare. It closes on the twilight; it opens on the dawn." Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark "but the darkness did not remain. The dawn broke. God's Son had risen.
The resurrection of Christ is the basis of our Christian faith. The Resurrection is the greatest of the miracles--it proves that Jesus is God. That is why St. Paul writes:” If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain; and your faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins… But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep” (I Cor 15: 14, 17, 20). Without the Resurrection, Jesus would have remained forever a good person who met a tragic end. People would remember some of his teachings and a handful of people might try to live according to them. All the basic doctrines of Christianity are founded on the truth of the Resurrection. It is our belief in the real presence of the risen Jesus that gives meaning to our personal, as well as to our common, prayers. Our trust in the all-pervading presence of the risen Lord gives us strength to fight against temptations, and freedom from unnecessary worries and fears.
Easter reminds us that every Good Friday in our lives will have an Easter Sunday, and that Jesus will let us share the power of his resurrection. Each time we display our love of others, we share in the resurrection. Each time we face a betrayal of trust, we share in the resurrection of Jesus. Each time we fail in our attempts to ward off temptations – but keep on trying to overcome them – we share in the resurrection. Each time we continue to hope – even when our hope seems unanswered – we share in the power of Jesus’ resurrection. In short, the message of Easter is that nothing can destroy us – not pain, sin, rejection or death – because Christ has conquered all these, and we too can conquer them if we put our faith in Him.
The Easter story is not only an event, it is a way of life. The resurrection of Jesus gives Christians the hope that death is never the end, and invites us to be mindful of Easter moments in the midst of our everyday lives. Making Easter a way of life means that we turn our eyes toward resurrection each and every day, searching for its signs, believing in its truth, living into its glory.
Resurrection is good news, but at the same time, it’s sometimes painful because it involves death. Before the power of the resurrection can take hold in our own lives, we’re called to die to sin, to die to self. We may even have to die to our own dreams, so that God can do what He wants to do with our lives. Resurrection is about seeing our world in a new way. Early that Easter morning, Mary did not find what she was looking for, the dead body of Jesus. But she found something better than she could have imagined: the risen Jesus. Sometimes, the things we think we want most are not granted to us. What we get instead is an experience of God’s new ways of working in the world. That’s the power of the resurrection. When those moments come, we must spread the news--just as Mary did: We have seen the Lord!
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb while it was still dark. But the darkness was soon overcome with light. Maybe that's the message you need to hear this day. Perhaps for whatever reason you are in darkness right now. Family concerns. Problems at work. Anxiety about your health and your future. The loss of someone you love. Easter promises us more than the stars in our darkness. Easter promises us that in the midst of our deepest darkness the Son rises to overwhelm the darkness forever.
As we celebrate this Easter Sunday, the greatest Sunday of the year, let us resolve to make our Sundays different, different than the way a non-catholic lives his Sunday. Let’s resolve to honor the Lord not only with our voices, but also with our hearts. Let’s promise him that between now and the Pentecost we will use our creativity to make our Sundays different. Let’s not just enjoy Easter, let’s let it change our lives. Christ’s resurrection is not just a nice idea; it is the power of eternal life at work in us. Let’s open our hearts for the power of Christ’s resurrection seep into the depths of our minds and hearts.
Friday, March 12, 2010
IVth Sunday of Lent
IVth Sunday of Lent.JOSHUA 5:9, 10-12;: II COR. 5: 17-21;Gosple: LK 15:1-3, 11-32
Charles Dickens the greatest story writer in English said” The parable of the prodigal son is called "the greatest short story in the world". We have heard the story so many times so much so we believe that we have squeezed it dry of meaning. The younger son, who had gone off and squandered his inheritance and almost lost his life, finally comes to his senses, remembers his father's goodness and wisdom and decides to come home. Then St Luke tells us: "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him... He ran to his son..." It's as if the Father was standing every day on the roof, looking off into the distance, hoping that his lost son would return. As soon as he sees him he rushes towards him.
God never stops hoping that we will come to him. He has his eyes on us all the time, not to pounce on us when we mess up, but to run to us, embrace us, kiss us, and clothe us with the robe of his grace and the sandals of divine sonship (servants went barefoot in ancient households, but family members wore sandals). This active, unconditional love of God is the source of Christian joy. The devil likes to make us forget about it - especially when we most need to remember it.
Although the story of the prodigal son is often given as an example of repentance, it is actually the story of how God forgives and heals the repentant sinner. Like God, the father in the parable was ready to forgive both of his "sinful" sons even before they repented. St. Thomas Aquinas explains that God already forgives us as soon as we repent, even before we go to confession or perform any penance. The forgiveness the father offers in the parable parallels the forgiveness God offers in real life. That is why Jesus in the Gospels frequently describes God more like a defense attorney than a prosecuting attorney.
There is no better picture of forgiveness of God in the whole Bible than this parable. It reminds of a story about a woman who had upset her pastor because she claimed that she had conversations with God. She had attracted quite a following in the church and every day people gathered at her house, got on their knees, prayed, sang hymns and listened to her describe what God was saying to her. The pastor thought all this was getting out of hand, so he went to visit her. "I know you say you are talking with God," he said, "but what you hear talking back at you is just your imagination. Just to prove it, I want you to ask God to name three of the sins that I confessed this morning. Then tell me what God said. If you can name those sins, I'll believe that you really are talking with God." The woman sat there for a long while, praying. Then she looked up and said, "I asked God to name your three sins, but God said, 'I forgot.'" All our repented sins God forgets, but our unrepented sins remain as barriers between us and God for God’s grace to come to us.
The self-justifying elder son represents the self-righteous Pharisees. The elder son had no feelings of sympathy for his brother. He was resentful, bitter and angry. He was so jealous of his younger brother that he never wanted to see him again. He hears the sounds of celebration, finds out what happens, and boycotts the party. So what does the father do? St Luke tells us: "His father came out and pleaded with him..."God takes the initiative in our lives. He steps towards us first; he comes out to meet us. God is always knowing us, loving us, and paying attention to us.
The elder son would have joined the celebration if he had some particular advantage for himself. He could not see any good coming to him by joining the party. So he refuse to go in. An elderly man on the beach found a magic lamp. As he picked it up and started cleaning it, a genie appeared and said: “Because you have freed me I will grant you a wish.” The man responded. “I had a fight with my only and older brother thirty years ago. I want to be reconciled with him so that he may forgive me and start loving me.” The genie said, “I am glad that you did not ask for money or riches. Your wish is granted. Are you sick and about to die?” the genie enquired. “No way!” the man shouted. “But my unmarried, older brother is about to die and he’s worth about $60 million!!”
Lent is a time to "pass over," from a world of sin to a world of reconciliation. The story of the prodigal son asks each of us an important question: Will you accept the Father's forgiveness and partake of the banquet, or will you remain outside? Lent is a time to transform hatred into love, conflict into peace, death into eternal life. Some times we are much like the elder brother who preferred justice to mercy. We have earned God's favor (or so we think) by "staying at home." We have merited his acceptance by the good life that we live.
Jesus will not tell us how this story will end. The father passionately invites the older son inside, "pleads with him" to join in the welcome. Curiously, however, we are never told what the older brother decides to do. The story ends but it doesn't end. We are left there." Will we RSVP to a party thrown by an unfair God? Or will we stubbornly remain outside? In a world where God does not play fair, this parable forces us to make a choice. Who is the real "prodigal" here? Who is the real "waster"? From the beginning Jesus says that this is a story about two brothers. Which one is the authentic prodigal? Which one has yet to come home to the Father's extravagant love?
We need to accept the fact that we are all prodigal children who have squandered our Father’s inheritance. Because of spiritual famine, we resemble the younger son who lived with pigs. Let us accept the fact that we have been squandering God’s abundant blessings not only in our country and in our families, but also in our personal lives.
But the best and the only real offer of lasting happiness is from God our Father, “All I have is yours”. God our heavenly Father is outside the door waiting for us to come to him. For the remainder of Lent let us try to make every effort to answer that invitation from our heavenly Father. Each Lent offers the sinner a chance to return home with a confession of sins, where he will find welcome and open-armed love. "There is more joy in heaven over the one sinner who does penance than over the ninety-nine just who do not need penance."
Charles Dickens the greatest story writer in English said” The parable of the prodigal son is called "the greatest short story in the world". We have heard the story so many times so much so we believe that we have squeezed it dry of meaning. The younger son, who had gone off and squandered his inheritance and almost lost his life, finally comes to his senses, remembers his father's goodness and wisdom and decides to come home. Then St Luke tells us: "While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him... He ran to his son..." It's as if the Father was standing every day on the roof, looking off into the distance, hoping that his lost son would return. As soon as he sees him he rushes towards him.
God never stops hoping that we will come to him. He has his eyes on us all the time, not to pounce on us when we mess up, but to run to us, embrace us, kiss us, and clothe us with the robe of his grace and the sandals of divine sonship (servants went barefoot in ancient households, but family members wore sandals). This active, unconditional love of God is the source of Christian joy. The devil likes to make us forget about it - especially when we most need to remember it.
Although the story of the prodigal son is often given as an example of repentance, it is actually the story of how God forgives and heals the repentant sinner. Like God, the father in the parable was ready to forgive both of his "sinful" sons even before they repented. St. Thomas Aquinas explains that God already forgives us as soon as we repent, even before we go to confession or perform any penance. The forgiveness the father offers in the parable parallels the forgiveness God offers in real life. That is why Jesus in the Gospels frequently describes God more like a defense attorney than a prosecuting attorney.
There is no better picture of forgiveness of God in the whole Bible than this parable. It reminds of a story about a woman who had upset her pastor because she claimed that she had conversations with God. She had attracted quite a following in the church and every day people gathered at her house, got on their knees, prayed, sang hymns and listened to her describe what God was saying to her. The pastor thought all this was getting out of hand, so he went to visit her. "I know you say you are talking with God," he said, "but what you hear talking back at you is just your imagination. Just to prove it, I want you to ask God to name three of the sins that I confessed this morning. Then tell me what God said. If you can name those sins, I'll believe that you really are talking with God." The woman sat there for a long while, praying. Then she looked up and said, "I asked God to name your three sins, but God said, 'I forgot.'" All our repented sins God forgets, but our unrepented sins remain as barriers between us and God for God’s grace to come to us.
The self-justifying elder son represents the self-righteous Pharisees. The elder son had no feelings of sympathy for his brother. He was resentful, bitter and angry. He was so jealous of his younger brother that he never wanted to see him again. He hears the sounds of celebration, finds out what happens, and boycotts the party. So what does the father do? St Luke tells us: "His father came out and pleaded with him..."God takes the initiative in our lives. He steps towards us first; he comes out to meet us. God is always knowing us, loving us, and paying attention to us.
The elder son would have joined the celebration if he had some particular advantage for himself. He could not see any good coming to him by joining the party. So he refuse to go in. An elderly man on the beach found a magic lamp. As he picked it up and started cleaning it, a genie appeared and said: “Because you have freed me I will grant you a wish.” The man responded. “I had a fight with my only and older brother thirty years ago. I want to be reconciled with him so that he may forgive me and start loving me.” The genie said, “I am glad that you did not ask for money or riches. Your wish is granted. Are you sick and about to die?” the genie enquired. “No way!” the man shouted. “But my unmarried, older brother is about to die and he’s worth about $60 million!!”
Lent is a time to "pass over," from a world of sin to a world of reconciliation. The story of the prodigal son asks each of us an important question: Will you accept the Father's forgiveness and partake of the banquet, or will you remain outside? Lent is a time to transform hatred into love, conflict into peace, death into eternal life. Some times we are much like the elder brother who preferred justice to mercy. We have earned God's favor (or so we think) by "staying at home." We have merited his acceptance by the good life that we live.
Jesus will not tell us how this story will end. The father passionately invites the older son inside, "pleads with him" to join in the welcome. Curiously, however, we are never told what the older brother decides to do. The story ends but it doesn't end. We are left there." Will we RSVP to a party thrown by an unfair God? Or will we stubbornly remain outside? In a world where God does not play fair, this parable forces us to make a choice. Who is the real "prodigal" here? Who is the real "waster"? From the beginning Jesus says that this is a story about two brothers. Which one is the authentic prodigal? Which one has yet to come home to the Father's extravagant love?
We need to accept the fact that we are all prodigal children who have squandered our Father’s inheritance. Because of spiritual famine, we resemble the younger son who lived with pigs. Let us accept the fact that we have been squandering God’s abundant blessings not only in our country and in our families, but also in our personal lives.
But the best and the only real offer of lasting happiness is from God our Father, “All I have is yours”. God our heavenly Father is outside the door waiting for us to come to him. For the remainder of Lent let us try to make every effort to answer that invitation from our heavenly Father. Each Lent offers the sinner a chance to return home with a confession of sins, where he will find welcome and open-armed love. "There is more joy in heaven over the one sinner who does penance than over the ninety-nine just who do not need penance."
Saturday, February 20, 2010
FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
First Sunday in Lent. DEUT: 26: 4-10;: ROMANS 10:8-13; LUKE 4: 1-13
The Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Lent is always the story of the Temptation of Jesus. This story is included in the gospel not to show the human side of Jesus, rather to teach us how to handle temptations in our life. When the devil asked Jesus to turn a stone into bread he was not asking Jesus to perform some cheap circus trick. He was tempting Jesus to break his fast, to suggest that he could only be sustained by human food. That is why, quoting Deuteronomy, Jesus told the devil that man does not live by bread alone.
In each of these three temptations what the devil is saying to Jesus is, "Come on, use what you have, to get what you want." And in each case Jesus overcomes the temptation by replying, "No, we can only use godly means to satisfy our God-given needs or to pursue our goals in life."
Note that people are tempted only with what they need or want. After his fasting Jesus needed to eat. So the devil tempted him with food. It is not a sin for Jesus to eat after fasting. The sin may lie in how the food is obtained. Should he follow the normal way of obtaining bread or should he take the shortcut suggested by the devil to obtain instant bread? Jesus refuses to take the devil's shortcut. The means we employ to satisfy our needs must be in accordance with the word of God. Feeding on God's word is ultimately more important than feeding on bread.
The Holy Spirit, Who brought Jesus safely through the temptation and empowered him for his ministry, would later fill the disciples and empower the church (Acts 2:4). However, the temptation story ends with the ominous statement that the devil departed from him until a more opportune time. That “time” came at the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. It came again whenever people demanded signs from him to prove who he was (Luke: 11:16, 29-32; 22:3, 54-62; 23:35-39). The same temptation challenging “if you are the Son of God” came on the cross again when he was weak , this time not directly by the Satan but through the chief priests “ If you are the son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe”. Here again Jesus kicked the Satan in the butt, he refused to come down to prove his divinity.
Temptation is real. It is all over. Every day we are bombarded with temptations. However, very seldom we are aware of them. Jesus discovered it when he was in the Desert. The Desert is a place of silence and solitude. When Jesus stood before God in silence, he discovered the different pushes and pulls that had the potentials to distract him from his mission.
First of all, to discover and deal with our temptations, we need a desert; a place of silence and time for silence. Since we are distracted with too many things, very often, we become aware of our temptations only when we become a victim of it. Try to find time and place for prayer and personal reflections during this lent. In His light we see our true self. In the prayer our Father, Jesus taught us to pray to lead us out of temptation. But sometimes the flesh over takes the spirit because our prayer is not sincere and not from the heart.
A little boy named Bobby desperately wanted a new bicycle. His plan was to save his nickels, dimes and quarters until he finally had enough to buy a new 10-speed. Each night he asked God to help him save his money. Kneeling beside his bed, he prayed, "Dear Lord, please help me save my money for a new bike, and please, don't let the ice cream man come down the street again tomorrow."
Some times even though we know we are in real temptation we try to circumvent even the clear indications that we need to pass this by.
Jim Grant in Reader's Digest told about someone who faced temptation. An overweight businessman decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously, even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning, however, he showed up at work with a gigantic coffee cake. Everyone in the office scolded him, but his smile remained nonetheless. "This is a special coffee cake," he explained. "I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window was a host of goodies. I felt it was no accident, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffee cakes, let there be a parking spot open right in front.' And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!"
An ancient rabbi said, “Sin begins as a spider’s web and becomes a ship’s rope.” You and I add those strands that change the spider’s web into a rope; but because we add just one strand at a time, and because each one is usually so small, we don’t realize what we’re constructing. Sometimes, on the other hand, the growth seems to happen almost of its own accord. It is as if we planted a seed in the soil of the soul by some small act of sin and, without our seeming to attend it or care for it, it develops into a full-grown tree. Sometimes, verily a forest! Jesus survived the temptations by using the Scripture. Each time he was tempted with other priorities, the Word of God reminded him of God’s plan for him. The best way to recognize, resist and overcome temptation is to turn to the Scripture, Teachings of the Church and its Sacred Traditions.
Temptations make us true warriors of God by strengthening our minds and hearts. We are never tempted beyond our power. In his first letter, St. John assures us: "Greater is He who is in us, than the power of the world". Hence during Lent, let us confront our evil tendencies by prayer, by penance and by meditative reading of the Bible.
Sometimes we become angry with God when He fails to respond to tests we set up for Him. The test may be something like this: "If my husband is healed of cancer, then I'll know God loves me." "If my boy comes back safely from Iraq, I’ll know God is on my side." "If I get the job that I’ve been praying for, I’ll know that God cares about me." Jesus teaches us that the Spirit-filled life requires unconditional surrender to God's will. Until the end of our lives, we shall be tempted to act in a way that is contrary to God's will. What is consoling is that we have Jesus as our strength to somehow overcome such temptations. With practice and total trust in the Lord, we hope that we will eventually resist such temptations in life. Let’s try to examine and see Am I trying to live by "bread alone?"
The Gospel reading for the first Sunday of Lent is always the story of the Temptation of Jesus. This story is included in the gospel not to show the human side of Jesus, rather to teach us how to handle temptations in our life. When the devil asked Jesus to turn a stone into bread he was not asking Jesus to perform some cheap circus trick. He was tempting Jesus to break his fast, to suggest that he could only be sustained by human food. That is why, quoting Deuteronomy, Jesus told the devil that man does not live by bread alone.
In each of these three temptations what the devil is saying to Jesus is, "Come on, use what you have, to get what you want." And in each case Jesus overcomes the temptation by replying, "No, we can only use godly means to satisfy our God-given needs or to pursue our goals in life."
Note that people are tempted only with what they need or want. After his fasting Jesus needed to eat. So the devil tempted him with food. It is not a sin for Jesus to eat after fasting. The sin may lie in how the food is obtained. Should he follow the normal way of obtaining bread or should he take the shortcut suggested by the devil to obtain instant bread? Jesus refuses to take the devil's shortcut. The means we employ to satisfy our needs must be in accordance with the word of God. Feeding on God's word is ultimately more important than feeding on bread.
The Holy Spirit, Who brought Jesus safely through the temptation and empowered him for his ministry, would later fill the disciples and empower the church (Acts 2:4). However, the temptation story ends with the ominous statement that the devil departed from him until a more opportune time. That “time” came at the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. It came again whenever people demanded signs from him to prove who he was (Luke: 11:16, 29-32; 22:3, 54-62; 23:35-39). The same temptation challenging “if you are the Son of God” came on the cross again when he was weak , this time not directly by the Satan but through the chief priests “ If you are the son of God, come down from the cross and we will believe”. Here again Jesus kicked the Satan in the butt, he refused to come down to prove his divinity.
Temptation is real. It is all over. Every day we are bombarded with temptations. However, very seldom we are aware of them. Jesus discovered it when he was in the Desert. The Desert is a place of silence and solitude. When Jesus stood before God in silence, he discovered the different pushes and pulls that had the potentials to distract him from his mission.
First of all, to discover and deal with our temptations, we need a desert; a place of silence and time for silence. Since we are distracted with too many things, very often, we become aware of our temptations only when we become a victim of it. Try to find time and place for prayer and personal reflections during this lent. In His light we see our true self. In the prayer our Father, Jesus taught us to pray to lead us out of temptation. But sometimes the flesh over takes the spirit because our prayer is not sincere and not from the heart.
A little boy named Bobby desperately wanted a new bicycle. His plan was to save his nickels, dimes and quarters until he finally had enough to buy a new 10-speed. Each night he asked God to help him save his money. Kneeling beside his bed, he prayed, "Dear Lord, please help me save my money for a new bike, and please, don't let the ice cream man come down the street again tomorrow."
Some times even though we know we are in real temptation we try to circumvent even the clear indications that we need to pass this by.
Jim Grant in Reader's Digest told about someone who faced temptation. An overweight businessman decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously, even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery. One morning, however, he showed up at work with a gigantic coffee cake. Everyone in the office scolded him, but his smile remained nonetheless. "This is a special coffee cake," he explained. "I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window was a host of goodies. I felt it was no accident, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffee cakes, let there be a parking spot open right in front.' And sure enough, the eighth time around the block, there it was!"
An ancient rabbi said, “Sin begins as a spider’s web and becomes a ship’s rope.” You and I add those strands that change the spider’s web into a rope; but because we add just one strand at a time, and because each one is usually so small, we don’t realize what we’re constructing. Sometimes, on the other hand, the growth seems to happen almost of its own accord. It is as if we planted a seed in the soil of the soul by some small act of sin and, without our seeming to attend it or care for it, it develops into a full-grown tree. Sometimes, verily a forest! Jesus survived the temptations by using the Scripture. Each time he was tempted with other priorities, the Word of God reminded him of God’s plan for him. The best way to recognize, resist and overcome temptation is to turn to the Scripture, Teachings of the Church and its Sacred Traditions.
Temptations make us true warriors of God by strengthening our minds and hearts. We are never tempted beyond our power. In his first letter, St. John assures us: "Greater is He who is in us, than the power of the world". Hence during Lent, let us confront our evil tendencies by prayer, by penance and by meditative reading of the Bible.
Sometimes we become angry with God when He fails to respond to tests we set up for Him. The test may be something like this: "If my husband is healed of cancer, then I'll know God loves me." "If my boy comes back safely from Iraq, I’ll know God is on my side." "If I get the job that I’ve been praying for, I’ll know that God cares about me." Jesus teaches us that the Spirit-filled life requires unconditional surrender to God's will. Until the end of our lives, we shall be tempted to act in a way that is contrary to God's will. What is consoling is that we have Jesus as our strength to somehow overcome such temptations. With practice and total trust in the Lord, we hope that we will eventually resist such temptations in life. Let’s try to examine and see Am I trying to live by "bread alone?"
Saturday, February 13, 2010
VIth Sunday- Beatitudes.
VIth Sunday : JER. 17: 5-8; ICOR. 15: 12, 16-20;: LK 6: 17, 20-26
A preacher began his preaching on today’s gospel by asking for a show of hands from all in the congregation who would love to be poor, starving, weeping and hated by everybody. No hands went up. Then he asked of those who, on the contrary, would love to be rich, well fed, laughing and well spoken of in the community. All hands went up. A similar survey in any church would probably yield similar results. Yet Jesus in Luke declares a blessing on those who are poor, hungry, weeping and hated. To make sure we get the point, he goes on and explicitly pronounces a woe on those who are rich, well fed, laughing and well spoken of. What is going on here? Does Luke want us to understand that material poverty in itself is a sign of divine approval and material prosperity a sign of divine disapproval? Certainly not!
Poverty in itself is not a blessing but a misfortune, a lack. In fact, all the qualifying factors mentioned in Luke's Beatitudes -- poverty, hunger, weeping, hatred, exclusion, reviling, defamation -- are all misfortunes. These are things no good parents would want for their children. Neither would God want these things for us, His children. How are we then to understand Luke’s Beatitudes? The key to Luke's Beatitudes is to be found in an important clause which he adds at the end of the last beatitude, and the clause is “on account of the Son of Man.” What Luke is saying is this, those who accept these evil conditions as the price that they have to pay for following Christ, they are the blessed ones.
Jesus’ audience were people with broken hearts and broken hope. They were poor, victims of prejudice and victims of religious and political oppression. They were people with heavy burdens. The interesting thing about Jesus was that he found blessings in their seemingly desperate situation. Jesus did not condemn their situations. Instead, he showed them the possibility of using their situations as a means of blessings. He did so by helping them to relate their present day struggle with the cross that bridges to heaven. Jesus showed them how they could transform their poverty and other struggles as a means for achieving eternal happiness. No situation is hopeless for a person who places his trust in God. Such people may not always view riches as a blessing.
There was a farmer who lived a happy life spending most of the time taking care of his farm with the aid of his horse. One day his horse ran away. Neighbors came to sympathize with him. “What a shame”, they said. But he replied “Who knows? God Knows”. A week later this horse returned with another wild horse. The neighbors came to share his joy. “What a blessing”, they said. Again he replied “Who knows? God knows”. One day while taming the wild horse his son fell down from the horse and broke his leg. Again neighbors came to offer their sympathy. “What a shame”, they said. “Who knows? God knows!” he replied. A week late a war broke out in their country. The king ordered all men over 18 years of age to join the military. They spared his son because of his broken leg. Once again neighbors rushed to his house. “What a blessing?” they said. “Who knows? God Knows!” the farmer replied.
God-bound people have the right attitude to life and the earth- bound people have the wrong and limited vision of life.Without seeing the deceptive nature of material offerings earth bound people make the worldly riches their final goal.
Jesus had no problem with the Rich. In fact he blessed the rich. So, he appreciated the gesture of the one who multiplied his talents and disapproved the behavior of the lazy man. He went to the extent of saying, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich. But from the one who has not, even what has will be taken away.” Jesus criticized only three categories of people: Those who put wealth in place of God; those who were unwilling to share; and those who amassed wealth through illegal means. If I do not fall in any of these categories, there is justification for my wealth. In the parable of the rich and Lazarus, he criticized the rich man because of his insensitivity to the needs of his neighbor and his unwillingness to share. The first reading praises those who place their trust in God and compares them to a tree planted near a stream and those who place their trust in anything less than God as cursed. If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of heaven, then we must empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts. Poverty of spirit finds ample room for joy in possessing God alone as the greatest treasure possible.
The needy and the poor are the Sacraments for the rich. When they approach the poor with their sharing hands they are administering the sacrament of their own salvation. Jesus said to the people who were sensitive to the needs of others “Enter the Kingdom of God, for you gave me food when I was hungry; You welcomed me when I was a stranger; you cared for me when I was sick…..” The rich have a better chance to please God as they have enough resources to serve the poor.
What makes one blessed is not simply poverty or hunger or sadness or suffering , but living these in the context of our commitment to Jesus and His spirit of sharing. If the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful and the hated are all blessed, then why should anyone attempt to help them improve their lot? The answer is that there is a difference between choosing poverty and being plunged into it without one’s choice, due to an unjust socio-political situation. There are a few saints, like Francis of Assisi, who freely chose the sufferings and hardships that poverty brings. That is not what the Beatitudes suggest, nor what Jesus asks of most of us. It is true that we are unable to eradicate poverty from the face of the earth. But we can help, either directly or by working with others, our poor brothers and sisters to improve their living conditions so that they may choose to free themselves from the poverty thrust upon them by greedy exploiters. Luke’s account offers the rich the good news that their salvation lies in their concern for the poor and in the good stewardship of sharing their goods with others in need. But the rich among us remain cursed as long as they remain unwilling to share their surplus with the needy. In short, in the beatitudes, Jesus envisions a society where the resources which belong to all are divided among all according to need, making every one blessed and happy.
A preacher began his preaching on today’s gospel by asking for a show of hands from all in the congregation who would love to be poor, starving, weeping and hated by everybody. No hands went up. Then he asked of those who, on the contrary, would love to be rich, well fed, laughing and well spoken of in the community. All hands went up. A similar survey in any church would probably yield similar results. Yet Jesus in Luke declares a blessing on those who are poor, hungry, weeping and hated. To make sure we get the point, he goes on and explicitly pronounces a woe on those who are rich, well fed, laughing and well spoken of. What is going on here? Does Luke want us to understand that material poverty in itself is a sign of divine approval and material prosperity a sign of divine disapproval? Certainly not!
Poverty in itself is not a blessing but a misfortune, a lack. In fact, all the qualifying factors mentioned in Luke's Beatitudes -- poverty, hunger, weeping, hatred, exclusion, reviling, defamation -- are all misfortunes. These are things no good parents would want for their children. Neither would God want these things for us, His children. How are we then to understand Luke’s Beatitudes? The key to Luke's Beatitudes is to be found in an important clause which he adds at the end of the last beatitude, and the clause is “on account of the Son of Man.” What Luke is saying is this, those who accept these evil conditions as the price that they have to pay for following Christ, they are the blessed ones.
Jesus’ audience were people with broken hearts and broken hope. They were poor, victims of prejudice and victims of religious and political oppression. They were people with heavy burdens. The interesting thing about Jesus was that he found blessings in their seemingly desperate situation. Jesus did not condemn their situations. Instead, he showed them the possibility of using their situations as a means of blessings. He did so by helping them to relate their present day struggle with the cross that bridges to heaven. Jesus showed them how they could transform their poverty and other struggles as a means for achieving eternal happiness. No situation is hopeless for a person who places his trust in God. Such people may not always view riches as a blessing.
There was a farmer who lived a happy life spending most of the time taking care of his farm with the aid of his horse. One day his horse ran away. Neighbors came to sympathize with him. “What a shame”, they said. But he replied “Who knows? God Knows”. A week later this horse returned with another wild horse. The neighbors came to share his joy. “What a blessing”, they said. Again he replied “Who knows? God knows”. One day while taming the wild horse his son fell down from the horse and broke his leg. Again neighbors came to offer their sympathy. “What a shame”, they said. “Who knows? God knows!” he replied. A week late a war broke out in their country. The king ordered all men over 18 years of age to join the military. They spared his son because of his broken leg. Once again neighbors rushed to his house. “What a blessing?” they said. “Who knows? God Knows!” the farmer replied.
God-bound people have the right attitude to life and the earth- bound people have the wrong and limited vision of life.Without seeing the deceptive nature of material offerings earth bound people make the worldly riches their final goal.
Jesus had no problem with the Rich. In fact he blessed the rich. So, he appreciated the gesture of the one who multiplied his talents and disapproved the behavior of the lazy man. He went to the extent of saying, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich. But from the one who has not, even what has will be taken away.” Jesus criticized only three categories of people: Those who put wealth in place of God; those who were unwilling to share; and those who amassed wealth through illegal means. If I do not fall in any of these categories, there is justification for my wealth. In the parable of the rich and Lazarus, he criticized the rich man because of his insensitivity to the needs of his neighbor and his unwillingness to share. The first reading praises those who place their trust in God and compares them to a tree planted near a stream and those who place their trust in anything less than God as cursed. If we want to be filled with the joy and happiness of heaven, then we must empty ourselves of all that would shut God out of our hearts. Poverty of spirit finds ample room for joy in possessing God alone as the greatest treasure possible.
The needy and the poor are the Sacraments for the rich. When they approach the poor with their sharing hands they are administering the sacrament of their own salvation. Jesus said to the people who were sensitive to the needs of others “Enter the Kingdom of God, for you gave me food when I was hungry; You welcomed me when I was a stranger; you cared for me when I was sick…..” The rich have a better chance to please God as they have enough resources to serve the poor.
What makes one blessed is not simply poverty or hunger or sadness or suffering , but living these in the context of our commitment to Jesus and His spirit of sharing. If the poor, the hungry, the sorrowful and the hated are all blessed, then why should anyone attempt to help them improve their lot? The answer is that there is a difference between choosing poverty and being plunged into it without one’s choice, due to an unjust socio-political situation. There are a few saints, like Francis of Assisi, who freely chose the sufferings and hardships that poverty brings. That is not what the Beatitudes suggest, nor what Jesus asks of most of us. It is true that we are unable to eradicate poverty from the face of the earth. But we can help, either directly or by working with others, our poor brothers and sisters to improve their living conditions so that they may choose to free themselves from the poverty thrust upon them by greedy exploiters. Luke’s account offers the rich the good news that their salvation lies in their concern for the poor and in the good stewardship of sharing their goods with others in need. But the rich among us remain cursed as long as they remain unwilling to share their surplus with the needy. In short, in the beatitudes, Jesus envisions a society where the resources which belong to all are divided among all according to need, making every one blessed and happy.
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