“Growing in our conviction of our ‘belongingness’ to the Lord and being fearless and courageous in giving ‘external expression to our Faith!’”

(Based on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord – Day of Consecrated Life)

In a session, for a gathering of priests and religious – as part of the Day of Consecrated Life – the speaker asked: “Can anyone please tell me in a word, what your idea of consecration is?”

An elderly sister, sitting right on the first row, stood up…

The speaker motioned to her… to answer

The sister – who had much experience in life working in mission areas- held out a blank sheet of paper…

And replied: “Consecration is nothing but to sign your name at the bottom of this blank sheet of paper…
… and let God fill it in, as He will
… and be joyful and at peace!”

That is indeed a beautiful way of understanding Consecration, isn’t it?

A total surrender to God’s Will and being joyful

A complete submission to God’s Ways and remaining at peace!

Today on this Feast of the Presentation of the Lord…
As Christians, we are reminded to grow in our “conviction of belonging to the Lord”…
… and to be fearless and courageous in allowing God to take complete control of our lives!

Today is also a day when we celebrate the ‘Consecrated Way of Life.’

Consecration is giving oneself to the Lord wholly.
Consecration is seeking to be pure – completely – in heart and mind.

The Gospel of the Day presents St Joseph and Mother Mary presenting Jesus in the Temple.

“When the days were completed for their purification, according to the Law of Moses, they took Him up to Jerusalem, to present Him to the Lord” (Lk 2:22)

We are on the 40th Day after Christmas, the Nativity of Jesus.

The Book of Exodus spoke of the need of this presentation and consecration of the first-born child…
“Consecrate to me every first-born that opens the womb…

If your son ask you later on, ‘What does this mean’, you shall tell him, ‘ With a strong hand, the Lord brought us out of Egypt, the land of slavery….'” (Ex 12: 2, 14)

The act of presentation in the Temple…
… represented fulfilling of God’s command
… recalled God’s deed of deliverance from slavery
… reminded the deep love of God for His people

The Presentation of the Lord in the Temple, is also another reminder of the “ordinariness” of the Lord, in His Incarnation…

Jesus was known as the child of “ordinary” human parents!

He took birth and grew up in “ordinary” conditions and circumstances!
He lived His life in an “ordinary” family situation!

By Baptism, all of us are also consecrated to the Lord…

Some of us, have also made a deeper consecration by the profession of vows…

The meaning of this consecration, also, derives from the Consecration of the Lord…

We are “ordinary” by our sinful nature…
… yet the Lord exalts us to live a pure and holy life.
We are “ordinary” by our human nature…
… yet the Lord wishes to join with His Divine nature
We are “ordinary” in our deeds and works…
… yet the Lord wants to be His Kingdom partners

Our consecration…
… is a deep call and invitation to live a Holy Life
… is a loving obligation and sacred duty to be fully committed to Him

Each of us – whether single or in family life, whether a priest or a religious –
… ought to BELONG TO THE LORD AND TO HIM ALONE!

We are all consecrated and offered to the Lord.

Let us hold the hands of St Joseph and Mamma Mary, and renew our consecration to the Lord.

This is a day…
… to renew our commitment and zeal for the Lord
… to rekindle the fire of our love and faith in the Lord
… to restore our initial enthusiasm and interest for the Lord
… to revitalize our knowledge and comprehension of the Lord

Life will constantly take us to situations where we will face tough and hard moments.

Can we allow the Lord to fill the “papers of our life” – the canvas of our life – the way He wishes…
… and bowing before His Holy Will – say Yes to Him – and live in joy and peace?

May we grow in our conviction of our “belongingness” to the Lord…
… and be fearless and courageous in giving “external expression to our Faith!”

Yes, let us pray: “Lord, I belong to You and to You alone, Amen!”

Happy Feast to all of us, who are consecrated to the Lord, by our Baptism…
… specially to the Consecrated, by virtue of the evangelical vows!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Adopting Divine Attitudes in life and mapping our lives in accordance with the Beatitudes!”

(Based on Zeph 2:3; 3:12-13, 1 Cor 1:26-31 and Mt 5:1-12a- 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

This popular story is told of a trucker who went into a drive-in restaurant along the highway.

He had ordered a large meal and was beginning to enjoy it…
… when four guys on motorcycles – looking rough and toughs – came in.

These people – local ruffians – roughed up the trucker…
… devoured on the meal that he had ordered and finished it.

The trucker did not talk back to them.
He simply paid his bill and left.

The tough guys were revelling and gloating.

Proudly they began to say, “He didn’t have the guts to say a single word or to lift a hand.
So much of a weakling he was, isn’t it!
He didn’t know to even raise a voice or to retaliate!”

The waiter who seeing all that was happening, came along, chuckled, and added: “He didn’t probably know much of driving either probably!

He just backed his truck over four bikes in the parking lot!”

That’s often how human tendencies are, isn’t it?

The tendency to laud over others and to display one’s power and arrogance…

The tendency to give back in revenge and to seek for opportunities to avenge…

These are tendencies that as human beings we all have – in one form or the other – in one measure or the other

But as a Christian – a follower of Christ – we are challenged to move beyond such “human” (or rather, inhuman!) tendencies, and adopt Divine Attitudes in life.

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful charter of Divine Attributes – BE ATTITUDES – that are to be lived and practised in our day to day being and living!

The Eight Beatitudes – one of the most beautiful passage of the B.I.B.L.E. (sometimes expanded as being “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth”!) – presents to us a ready reference on how to live as a True Follower of Christ.

The passage begins with the sentence, “Jesus went up to the mountain and SAT DOWN…and HE BEGAN TO TEACH them” (Mt 5:1)

In the Jewish Tradition, the Rabbi (teacher) would sit and teach.

The Hebrew word ‘Rabbi’ is derived from “rav,” which means ‘Great One’.

When St Matthew specifically mentions that “Jesus sat down and taught”, Jesus is presented as the Rabbi: The Great One – The Teacher – who speaks with great authority.

Jesus is the New Moses, who presents the “New Law- the law of Absolute Love!”

What is this teaching of such great authority?

It’s a teaching which calls for a reversal of the worldly values!

It’s a teaching that turns the worldly standards of greatness upside down!

The world holds in high esteem the aspects of power, prestige, richness and prosperity.

The yardstick of greatness of people is very often measured in terms of these external achievements.

But Jesus, the teacher-par-excellence, reverses this false notion of the world…
… And pronounces BLESSEDNESS to the poor, the mourning, the meek, the hungry and thirsty, the merciful, the clean of heart, the peacemakers and the persecuted ones!

High jumpers while competing with each other, keep raising the bar higher and higher, to achieve victory.

Similarly, the Beatitudes that are pronounced by Jesus raises the bar – the standards of Christian life are raised to a great proportion.

All the beatitudes, focus on one aspect: The need to lower oneself and instead to understand that “God alone suffices!”

Very often many questions pop up in our minds…
…. “Why is my life full of suffering, though I seek to live a genuine life?”
… “Why do the unjust prosper, and the people who pursue for justice fail to receive rewards?”
… “Why does success elude me whereas those who adopt wrong means bask in achievements?”

It’s hard to give a downright answer to such questions…
… but the Beatitudes gives us a glimpse into the mind of Jesus: That in all such occasions, our attitude ought to be, “God alone suffices!”.

“GOD ALONE SUFFICES” ought to be our motto…
… when we find ourselves at the receiving end, even though after having worked hard, we don’t find the expected success
… when we are still subject to persecutions and hardships even though we live in honesty and truthfulness

Of course, this teaching is hard to follow… may even seem impractical…!

Yet, we are not alone…
… Jesus the teacher, Himself is our Model and Example
… He walked the talk!

Hanging on the Cross, Jesus became the epitome of the Beatitudes that He Proclaimed

He is the One…
… Who was and is, the Poor, Mourning, Meek, Hungry and Thirsty,
… Who was and is, the Merciful, Clean of Heart, Peacemaker and the Persecuted One!

Prophet Zephaniah (Cf. Zeph 3:12-14) tells that the remnant that God preserves, will be people…
… humble and lowly.
… seeking refuge in the Name of the Lord
… doing no wrong
… uttering no lies,

An anticipation of the Beatitudes!

St Paul reminds that God chose the foolish, the weak, the low and the despised…
… so that they might boast in the Lord
… having Christ as the Source of life
… and the Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption.

As we enter into the new month, let us look to Jesus, the Teacher and the One who lived out the Beatitudes, and make our Christian life more meaningful!

As human beings we do have tendencies to laud over others
… or display power and arrogance
… or to give back in revenge or to seek for opportunities to avenge etc

But let this Teaching on the Beatitudes help us as a True Follower of Christ to move beyond such “inhuman” tendencies…
… and adopt Divine Attitudes in life.

In the words of Archbishop Fulton Sheen, “It’s hard to be a Christian…
… but it’s harder not to be one!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Journeying with the Lord, with a readiness and humility to learn, even through the storms and hardships of life!”

(Based on 2 Sam 12:1-7a, 10-17 and Mk 4:35-41 – Saturday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

The journey with the Lord is always an interesting one…

There are moments of tremendous joys and happiness…
There are times of fascinating delights and elations…

There are also however, moments of dryness and silence.

The Gospel of the Day is an account of the Disciples experiencing this dryness and silence, in their journey with the Lord.

It’s a very late evening, nearing midnight…

The disciples along with Jesus, who have embarked on a boat, are caught in the midst of a heavy storm.
“A violent squall came up and the waves were breaking over the boat…” (Mk 4:36)

Some of the disciples were fishermen.

They had been many many years at the sea.

They had often suffered the fury and vehemence of nature
They had been greatly used to many storms and tempests at sea.

But this storm seemed to be too fierce and too ferocious.

The disciples feared greatly!

With death bells ringing in their ears, and a dreadful end before their eyes…
… the disciples were shocked to see Jesus, unmoved and unperturbed.
“Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion” (Mk 4:38)

In the moment of their deep anguish and helpless, the disciples cry out:
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mk 4:38)

The boat could capsize anytime and all of them could be drowned soon…
The storms could lash brutally and the waves could overturn them any moment…

Time was fast running…

But Jesus seemed totally unfazed!

Jesus seemed totally disinterested!
And they cry out to Jesus… Lord, do you not care?

How many times have we screamed similar words to God:
“Lord, do you not care?!”

Lord, do you not care…
… that my family member is so sick?
… that I feel totally alone and miserable in my life?
… that my marriage is failing and my family is breaking up?
… that am without a job now and the future ahead is so bleak?
… that my life seems so meaningless and without any purpose?
… that I am plunged to loneliness and abandoned by all my friends?
… that I encounter only failures, dejection and rejection in my endevours?

When we look into the Gospel, it is amazing to know whose plan it was, in the first place to make this boat journey…

When we re-read the Gospel passage, we find the answer…
Mk 4:35 says, “On that day, as evening drew near, Jesus said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side'”!

Ah…..

Shall we read that again?

… JESUS said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side”!

The idea to go in the boat was not that of the disciples…

The idea to go in the boat was that of JESUS!

The encounter with the storms was not some accident!

The stumbling into the violent waves was not some unlucky thing!
It had a purpose!
It had a meaning!

For the disciples, it was a moment of terror…
… But the Lord used this terrorizing time to teach them to have faith in Him!

For the disciples, it was a time of immense crisis…
… But the Lord used this critical moment, to teach them to trust in Him!

King David would be convicted of his serious crime…
… when Prophet Nathan would acquit him of the sin of adultery against the wife of Uriah

This dreadful of sin and guilt would become a moment for King David to be lowered in humility, in abject dependence on the Lord and he would confess and repent: “I have sinned against the Lord.” (2 Sam 12:13)

David would realize his vulnerability and understand the need to always “pray for a pure heart!” (Cf Ps 51:10)

Our moments of struggle a time of testing…

Our moments of struggle can become a time of learning…

Testing of our genuine faith, learning of deeper trusting!

Testing of our real convictions…learning of profound dependence!

Let us, have the willingness to grow deeper by trusting the Lord in crisis moments.

Then we too will be blessed to hear the Lord commanding the waves and storms of hardships of our lives: “Quiet! Be Still!” (Mk 4: 39)

Let us seek the intercession of St John Bosco, on this Feast Day and give heed to his words:

“Be brave and try to detach your heart from worldly things
Do your utmost to banish darkness from your mind and come to understand what true, selfless piety is.
Enliven your faith, which is essential to understand and achieve piety.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Joyfully exclaiming the Awesomeness of God and His Splendour!”

(Based on 2 Sam 11:1-4a, 5-10a, 13-17 and Mk 4:26-34 – Friday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A family was visiting an art museum.

As they went around with much amazement, excitement and wonder, they came to a famous painting titled “Wheatfield under clouded sky”

This painting was by Vincent Willem van Gogh – a Dutch painter – who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
He had created about 2,100 artworks, including around 860 oil paintings, include those of landscapes, still lives, portraits and self-portraits

As the children gazed in admiration at this classical painting, the mother of the family, exclaimed:
“If this work of art, that portrays the beauty of nature, makes us acclaim so much…
… how much more is the Beauty, Power and Goodness of the God Who has created all of this nature!”

And with a great sense of gratitude and appreciation to the Awesomeness of God, she went on to say:
“God writes with a pen that never blots…
… speaks with a tongue that never slips
… and acts with a hand that never fails!”

Yes, our God is an awesome God!

And the entire world – all of nature – beautifully sings forth the glory and splendour of God, Who is in total charge!

The Gospel of Day is a beautiful narration of Jesus, using an example from nature, to teach about the Glory and Splendour of God.

In His teaching ministry, Jesus used different examples, metaphors and symbols to explain about the Kingdom of God.

Today, Jesus speaks about a man who scatters seeds on the land.

Without his awareness there is a growth.
“…and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how” (Mk 4:27)

One of the most tender ideas that this parable presents is that there are many things in life that are not understood and yet, it turns out to be beautiful!

The seed that grows, unnoticed and unseen, is a sign of the Kingdom of God.
The seed takes root.
The seed sprouts.
The seed grows.

But HOW this takes place, is unknown and unseen…

The effect of the growth is seen, but the process of the growth is unknown!
The result of the progress is observed, but the manner of the progress is hidden!

In John 3:8, we read, “The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes… so it is with everyone born of the Spirit”

The movement of the Spirit of God is gentle and mild!
The growth of God’s Kingdom is hidden and concealed!

This points to the tremendous fact that God is in total charge and control!
…that God is in perfect sovereignty and power!
…that God is in total dominion and management!

We are sometimes people prone to a lot of strategies and planning.

When situations don’t fall in line with what we envisaged, we get anxious and upset!

But, today God tells… I am in total control!

When my life seems to be in a complete mess and nothing is understood by us…

God says, “I am in total control”

When circumstances around me go haywire and I lose control of things…

God says, “I am in total control”

When conditions are highly worse and it seems to be the end of the world for me…

God says, “I am in total control”

This is not to say that we need to have a passive and lethargic attitude to life.
… or we need to have a casual and a lazy mentality in life.
This is not even to say that we should not have plans and strategies in our life

But this is a great reminder to know and realise that God is the Ultimate Master!

There are no accidents… no “by chance” happenings…
… for a Christian.

Everything finds its place, in the Permissive Will of the Lord!

Let us enjoy the silent working of the Spirit within us, and be part of the
… unseen, yet dynamic..
… silent, yet spectacular…
growth of the Kingdom of God!

As we gaze at the “large canvas of miracles” that we experience every day, every moment of our life…
… let us joyfully exclaim the Awesomeness of God and His Splendour, by confessing:
“God writes with a pen that never blots…
… speaks with a tongue that never slips
… and acts with a hand that never fails!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Letting the ‘light of God’s Love’ shine through our life of simplicity and passionate tenderness!”

(Based on 2 Sam 7:18-19, 24-29 and Mk 4:21-25 – Thursday of the 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

An incident is narrated in the life of St Thomas Aquinas, whose feast we celebrated on Jan 28.

One day as St Thomas Aquinas was preaching to the local people on the love of God, he observed an old woman listening attentively to his every word.

The old woman impressed the great saint by her simplicity, attentiveness and keenness.

Inspired by her eagerness to learn more about God whom she loved so dearly, he said to the people:

“It is better to be this unlearned woman, loving God with all her heart…
… than the most learned theologian lacking love!”

The lady was able to let the “light of God’s Love” shine through her life of simplicity and passionate tenderness.

We are all invited to lead a saintly life – filled with love – and allow others to experience the Light of God’s love!

Our Christian life exhorts us to be glowing with a holy life, to let others to see the Radiance of God’s Peace!

The Gospel of the Day is an exhortation and a reminder by Jesus to become a “light to the other”

Jesus presents a simple parable, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel or under a bed and not on a stand?” (Mk 4: 21)

In Jesus’ time, homes were illuminated by small oil lamps, usually made of clay.

Archaeology from first-century Galilee shows lamps…
… with a rounded body, a central opening for olive oil
… and a narrow nozzle where a wick burned. >> Olive oil was widely produced in the region, which made these lamps common in ordinary households…
… though the oil itself was still valuable and used carefully.

Since these lamps produced a limited but steady light, their placement was essential. >> They were normally set on a lampstand, on a raised shelf, or in a niche in the wall…
… so that the light could spread across the room.

A lamp placed too low would fail to illuminate anything beyond a small area.

Covering a lit lamp with a grain basket or placing it under a bed would have been both impractical and dangerous!

Such actions would quickly smother the flame or cause damage…
…. defeating the very purpose for which the lamp was lit.

These lamps also required attention…
… the oil needed refilling
… the wick needed trimming to keep the flame steady.

Light in these ancient homes, therefore, did not work automatically!

They had to be intentionally maintained and intentionally displayed!

The Lord presents this familiar image of the lamp to remind us
… that Christian life is meant to be visible, not hidden!
… that Gospel values must be intentionally placed where they can give light!
… that even a small and fragile light, when properly set, can push back great darkness!

The world we live in is often marked by darkness and confusion.

As followers of Christ, we have the responsibility not only to possess the light…
… but to hold it high
… and not place it where it cannot be seen.

The world often stumbles into the darkness of sin and destructive choices…
… Am I willing to be a lamp, placed where it matters, drawing others toward Christ’s light by a life that is faithful, disciplined, and shaped by the Gospel?

Many people are forced to live in the shadows of guilt, shame, and suffering…
… Am I willing to be a lamp, kept burning through prayer, sacrifice and concrete acts of love, so that Christ’s light may reach those who feel forgotten or unseen?

In the Old Testament, King David humbled himself before the awesome majesty and power of God….
… recognising that his life needed the “light of God’s guidance!”

He acknowledges the Merciful Providence of God and with sincerity, sought to be led by the Lord:

“Now therefore may it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue forever before Thee; for Thou, O Lord God, hast spoken, and with Thy blessing shall the house of Thy servant be blessed for ever!” (2 Sam 7:29)

When we humble ourselves before the mighty power of God, we allow “His Light” to shine through us.

Our lives become “a glowing lamp of God’s Light”…
… when we acknowledge His Great Presence in our lives and allow ourselves to be totally dependent on Him!

The Lord invites us
… not merely to possess His light, but to let it be seen through our actions and choices.
… not to conceal it within ourselves, but to allow His light to shape and illuminate our thoughts, our vision, and our way of seeing the world.

Let us understand that, “it is better to be an unlearned person, loving God with all her heart…
… than to be the most learned theologian lacking love!

And thus, may we let the “light of God’s Love” shine through our life of simplicity and passionate tenderness!

God Bless! Live Jesus!