“Reflecting deeper on the Cross of our Blessed Lord, and beautifying our lives – which is truly a ‘treasure in clay’ – in holiness and love!”

(Based on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross)

Venerable Fulton J Sheen [soon to be Beatified on Sep 24] is undoubtedly one of the greatest proponents of Catholicism of the 20th century.

In his autobiography titled, “Treasure in Clay,” Bishop Sheen gives a beautiful and heart-rending illustration of the Cross – the Crucifix:
“In the Crown of Thorns, I see my pride…
… my grasping for earthly toys, in the Pierced Hands,
… my flight from shepherding care, in the Pierced Feet
… my wasted love, in the Wounded Heart
… and my prurient desires, in the Flesh hanging from Him like Purple Rags!”

Yes…
… on the Most Holy Cross, we have the autobiography of all our lives!

On this Great and Blessed Feast of the Exaltation of the Most Holy Cross, we turn our gaze towards the Cross on which our Blessed Lord redeemed us…
… as we gratefully thank Him for His Awesome Sacrificial Love
… and pledge to live a life in expectation of this Great Sacrifice of our Crucified Lord!

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross originated in Jerusalem in the 4th century…
… following the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in 335 AD.

It commemorates the traditional discovery of the Cross by St. Helena around 326 AD
… and, centuries later, its recovery by Emperor Heraclius after the Persians had taken it from Jerusalem in 614 AD.

Thus, the feast celebrates both the discovery and restoration of the Cross of Christ.

In the Gospel (Jn 3:13-17), Jesus tells to Nicodemus, “… as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14)

Centuries before Jesus was crucified, Divinity in its Immense Wisdom was already preparing for the plan of salvation!

Having been powerfully freed from the slavery in Egypt, the people of Israel were travelling to the Promised Land through the wilderness.

This difficult journey caused the people to lose their patience…
… and they murmured against God and His servant, Moses on the lack of comforts!

The result of this sin was the plague of poisonous serpents that caused suffering and death to them. (Num 21: 4-9)

However at the intercession of Moses, God had him lift up a bronze serpent on a pole, so that all who looked it would be healed!

This was the foreshadowing of the Cross of Christ!

(This method of Interpreting the Bible is also called “Biblical Typology”

“Biblical Typology” refers to a person, place or event in the Old Testament that has its own proper significance…
… but also prefigures a person, place or event, later in the New Testament

In the words of St Augustine: “The New Testament is hidden in the Old, and the Old Testament is made manifest in the New!”)

Like the people of Israel, our life is a journey through the wilderness.

Sometimes there is lack of comfort.
Sometimes there is an inflation of hardships
Sometimes there is an increase in uncertainty.
… And we begin to complain, grumble… falling into many sinful ways and habits!

But Divine Love, wanting to have us back to Him, provides us the means to be rescued from the deadly effects of such sins…
… The Holy Cross is the Symbol of this redemption and salvation that is won for us, by Christ!

Are we ready to take refuge in the shadows of this Holy Cross…
… and affirming our sincere acceptance of Christ in our lives, do we live a holy life, worthy of our salvation?

St John of the Cross would say, “The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily, must cast off all things…
… and use the Cross as his cane.

In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things.”

Usually the heart is considered to be the great symbol of Love…

But, from a Christian perspective, probably, the Holy Cross…
… is a greater and a more meaningful symbol of the Immense Love of God for each one of us.

The Cross demands sacrifice…
The Cross demands a self-emptying nature…

The Cross demands a complete commitment…
… And this is indeed the true nature of Love – sacrificial, self-emptying and committed! (Phil 2: 6-11)

As we honour and venerate the Holy Cross, may we hear the words of our Crucified Lord, tenderly whispering to us, with deep love and affection:
“You are mine, forever…
… and you belong to Me and to Me alone!
Hold on to My Cross, always!”

Two thieves on either sides, died with Christ on the Cross

One mocked Jesus…
… the other sought Jesus
One took pride in himself…
… the other humbled himself
One lost a golden opportunity…
… the other, won the Prized Paradise!

The Cross – with Jesus hanging – beckons to each one of one of us today

We have a choice…
… like both the thieves

What choice are we going to make?

Let us reflect deeper on the autobiography of our lives, written on the Cross of our Blessed Lord…
… and thus preserve, nurture and beautify our lives – which is truly a “treasure in clay” – in holiness and love!

In the words of Ven. Fulton Sheen:
“The ideal is to reach a point in practice, where, like Our Lord on the Cross…
… we witness to God even amidst abandonment and the agony of a crucifixion!”

Wish you a very Happy Feast of the Holy Cross!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Casting away mathematical limitations in forgiving, and extending the limitless mercy of the Lord to others!”

(Based on Sir 27:30-28:7, Rom 14:7-9 and Mt 18:21-35 – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A)

An incident is said of a worker named Richard Weaver (He would later on become a popular preacher of the Word) who was working in a mine.

During the course of the work, unintentionally, he hit a fellow-miner.
The fellow-miner, however lost his cool and retorted: “I feel like giving you a hard smack on your face!”

“Very well”, said Weaver, “If that will do any good, you may do it.”

The man struck him.

Weaver turned to him the other cheek.

The man struck again.

This was repeated five times; and when Weaver presented his cheek for the sixth time, the man turned away, cursing.

Weaver cried after him: “The Lord forgive you, for I do; and the Lord save you!”

The following morning, as work started, this man was the first person that Richard Weaver met.

As Weaver approached him, he burst into tears.

“Oh Richard” he cried as he knelt before him, “do you really forgive me?”

Richard Weaver helped him get up…

As he rose… a changed and transformed man!

That’s the Power of Forgiveness!

The Gospel of the Day presents this Mighty and Power Message of Forgiveness…
… forgiveness that goes beyond the rules of mathematics!

The Gospel is an exhibition of the Lord going beyond mathematical boundaries in dealing with the beautiful virtue of forgiveness.

The passage begins with the Lord’s chief and one-of-the-first apostles Peter, raising a query to his Master, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (Mt 18: 21)

It was probably a genuine doubt of Peter, which arose from his own personal experiences.

He must have had some difficulties in forgiving, out of his wavering temperament, perhaps!

As the Book of Sirach reminds us, of this human tendency: “Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, yet a sinner holds on to them.” (Sir 27:30)

But Peter now puts forward to Jesus a doubt as to what should be the limit of one’s forgiveness.

He sought to know the exact boundaries that one must limit oneself, while forgiving.
He wanted clear-cut rules to define the maximum threshold and frontiers of generosity in pardoning.

But the Lord replies firmly, “I say to you, not seven times, but seventy seven times” (Mt 18:22)

He away with the mathematical rules in forgiveness!

“Seventy seven times” would refer a number, unlimited and uncountable!

The frontiers for how many times to forgive are done away with…!

As the Lord spoke these words to Peter, the apostle would himself have recalled…
“Once beside the sea of Galilee, when I encountered the Holy Master, I realized that I was drowning in the waters of sin… and I had asked pardon from the Lord.

Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man (Lk 5:8)”

These words of the Lord would have again echoed in the ears of Peter, later on, after the resurrection of Jesus….

Once again, beside a Sea… this time, the Sea of Tiberius, Peter experienced the forgiving power of the Lord in accepting back, though he had betrayed Him three times (Jn 21: 15-18)

Many times he had sinned against the Lord…

Many times he had caused pain and ache to the Lord, including denying Him!
But every time, the Lord forgave, wholeheartedly!

The Lord was truly the Master, “Who practised what He preached”

The Lord was truly the Master, “who forgave unconditionally and without any limits”

This Lord, today seeks to impress on us too, this same attitude of forgiveness.

The teaching on forgiveness, is most certainly easy said than done!

To forgive, especially to forgive repeatedly, is certainly no easy task…
But it would require a deeper experience of the Unconditional Love of the Lord and our own determination, along with His grace…
… to reach out in forgiveness and pardon to our constantly erring brothers and sisters!

Let the words of Scripture remind us of this truth to live in amity and to live for the Lord.

Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside; remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments. (Sir 28:6)
“If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” (Rom 14:8)

Are we ready to cast away mathematical limitations in forgiving, and extend the mercy of the Lord to others?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Giving heed to the ‘disciplining call’ of the Lord, and reforming our lives so that our love for the Lord may show forth in true obedience and sincere submission!”

(Based on 1 Cor 10:14-22 and Lk 6:43-49 – Saturday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

It is said that “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment”.

Discipline, in general, is based on four F’s:

Firmness
Fondness
Frankness
Fairness

The Book of Proverbs 13: 24 says, “Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them”.

Disciplining a person, with the principles of firmness, fondness, frankness and fairness, is an act of charity and an expression of genuine love.

The Gospel of the Day presents a verse of disciplining by the Lord – the One Who deeply yearns that we always walk in the right path and in the ways of perfection.

Jesus says, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do what I tell you?” (Lk 6: 46)

The test of true love consists in faithful obedience to the one who is loved.

The spouses may exchange gestures of love and affection…
… but do they also exhibit true love by caring for each other, respecting each other’s opinion and accepting one another as they are?

Children may say that they truly love and care for their parents…
… but do they also exhibit it in action, by being obedient to them and taking practical heed of their advices?

Students may express their concern and acknowledgement for their teachers…
… but do they also display it in their life, by faithful abiding to what is expected of them as students?

To say “I love you,” but failing to show it forth in actions of obedience, is mere farcical!

There is therefore, a great need to examine – in honesty and sincerity – when we say “I love you” to the Lord.

Our Blessed Lord raises a tone of pleading when He asks, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do what I tell you?”

It has tones similar to…
… a parent who tells the child, “Why do you say, you like me, when you constantly disobey me and fail to give heed to my words?”
… a teacher who tells the student, “Why do you say, I want to be a good student, when you fail to make efforts to learn and do your
works, in the proper time and in the right manner?”
… an elderly person who advises a young person, “Why do you say, I wish to lead a happy life, but still continue to walk in the paths of immorality, dishonesty and lethargy?”

The Lord is deeply interested in the well-being of our lives…
.. but somehow, we fail to understand this aspect, and continue to live a life, as per our own wishes and fancies!

And therefore, the Lord raises the rod of discipline, and makes it very clear – a stern warning – with the parable of the Two Foundations.

Unless you live a life, founded on the rock of obedience, the “house” of your life will not stand!
If you seek to base your life on the “sands” of disobedience, be assured, that soon it will have a tragic collapse!

The Lord is FIRM, FOND, FRANK and FAIR with us, in His Love for us!

Let us respond to this Love with greater discipline and faithfulness

Let us give heed to the “disciplining call” of the Lord, and reform our lives…
… so that our love for the Lord may show forth in true obedience and sincere submission!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Reviewing our lives and being willing to ring in positive transformations!”

(Based on 1 Cor 9:16-19, 22b-27 and Lk 6:39-42 – Friday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

In a particular town, there lived a cobbler, who was unable to make a living by his trade.

Driven to despair by his poverty, he accommodated himself in another far-away town, and began to practise medicine.

He sold a drug which he claimed to be an antidote for all sorts of poisons.

Towards this end, he also created a great popularity campaign through advertisements and boastful proclamations.
Unfortunately, in a short period of time, the cobbler himself happened to fall sick to a serious illness.

The ruler of the town sought this as a nice chance to test his medicine’s capability and the man’s genuineness.

For this, the ruler called for a cup, and filling it with water, pretended to mix poison with the cobbler’s antidote…
… commanding him to drink, with a promise of a handsome reward.

The sick cobbler, overcome with much fear and trembling, confessed that he had no knowledge of medicine!

The ruler then called the people of the town and addressed them:
“Oh how foolish are you!

You have not hesitated to entrust your heads to a man, whom no one could employ to even make shoes for their feet!”

Often times, perhaps, it so happens that we too…
… get fooled in life
… get led by people who are incapable
… get ourselves to be a slave to things which are unbecoming

We become blind…
… and perhaps, we also lead others to stumble!

Our Blessed Lord in today’s Gospel invites us to deep examination of the quality of our lives and our credibility in being a leader.

Jesus says, “Can a blind person guide a blind person? Will not both fall into a pit?” (Lk 6:39)

This verse is a reference to two sets of people: one, the guide.. second, the one who is led.

We could find ourselves in either of these categories or sometimes even both.
We could be a guide or one who is guided or both – a guide as well as one who is guided.

In any of the cases, one needs to examine one’s quality of life.

Am I shrouded in the darkness of being in ignorance and apathy…
… disinterested to learn and be willing to know more…?
… causing others to be misled and creating confusions and misunderstandings…?

Am I a person who is sunk into the dark abyss of being prejudiced and unforgiving….
… unwilling to be open to the truth and adamant in considering to even review or re-examine my own viewpoints…?
… blinded to accept differences and failing to cherish diversity and thus constantly being at loggerheads with others…?

Am I constantly veiled under the dark shades of being unjustly critical and judgemental…
… full of pride and being unable to let go of my own selfish interests and self-centred wants…?
… enamoured by a pleasure in looking for opportunities and means to put down others or find faults with others…?

Our Blessed Lord invites us to make an honest review of our lives…
… and to be constantly willing to ring in positive transformations.

Let us seek to put into the practise the beautiful saying: “If you use the head with which you reprove others to reprove yourself, there will be fewer faults;

If you use the heart with which you forgive yourself to forgive others, there will be perfect friendship”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Freeing ourselves from the ‘imprisonment of the past’ and, with God’s Grace, living in love and holiness!”

(Based on 1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13 and Lk 6:27-38 – Thursday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A nine year old girl was walking through the fields, a little away from her home, when two persons, appearing to befriend her, asked her to help collect fruits from the forest.

Brought up with the good habit of showing courtesy to elders, the girl hurried to obey.

But soon she realised that it was a trick to kidnap her!

“I saw two persons behind me,” she would recall later…
… “One of them briskly grabbed me with one hand, while the other one pulled out a knife and held it to my side.
He told me, ‘If you cry, you’ll die! Follow us!’”

After a forced march, the girl was sold as a slave.

The captors gave her a name, in Arabic, which meant (ironically) “The Lucky One!”

Though this title was intended to be a sarcastic one, it came about to express the girl’s approach towards life.

In the coming years, she gladly accepted the name.

After her release, she amazingly, even thanked God for the good that had come, from her suffering.

“If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, and even those who tortured me,” she wrote, “I would kneel and kiss their hands.
For if these things had not happened, I would not have been a Christian and a religious today!”

The name of the girl is St Bakhita – a Saint for those who are “prisoners of the past!”

She was able to heroically display the Christian virtue of forgiveness…
… especially to enemies – those who had persecuted her and had cause irreparable damages to her life!

In life, so often we get “imprisoned by our past!”

This is true especially from the perspective of relationships…

There are many who cause hurts and pains to us
There are many with whom we find it difficult to relate and extremely hard to forgive

The past, clings to us, in a mighty way…

“Enemies” are, undoubtedly, a reality in most of our lives!

What is our attitude and approach to these “enemies” in our life?

The Gospel of the Day is a bold challenge by Jesus to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you!” (Lk 6:27)

One of the sayings goes thus, “Divinity cannot be confined to one’s pockets or be contained in one’s purse!”

So vivid is this saying in the life of Jesus, the Fullness of Divinity.

Jesus does not allow to be confined to the tiny pockets of our mind-sets…
… or to be limited to the finite purses of our expectations

His teachings reach a new level…

This is what we come across when we challenge ourselves with the words of the Lord: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you!” (Lk 6: 27)

There are four explicit commands that are given:
Love
Do Good
Bless
Pray

All these four exhortations are very often in direct contrast to what we expect or what we wish

1) Love your enemies
Our natural tendency towards our “enemies” is that of animosity or grudge or at the best, indifference

But Jesus says to go beyond… Love them!

Love them… in a way, that they are able to experience the Mighty Love that God has for each one of us!
Love them… in a way, that no hateful feelings get sown or nurtured in our hearts and we be free in our minds!

2) Do good to those who hate
Our common inclination to those who hate is to say, “Why should I have anything to do with someone who is least interested in me and only keeps hurting me?”

But Jesus says to go beyond – Do good to them!

Do good to them… in a way, that our good actions – little or big, seen or unseen – become actions that evoke repentance and contrition!
Do good to them… in a way, that gestures of charity is a way to crush our own ego and pride feelings and makes us to be humbler, in imitation of Christ who totally humbled Himself!

3) Bless those who curse you
Our first instinct to those who curse us to “give back still strongly” in return and wish the worst for the concerned person.

But Jesus says to go beyond – Bless them!

Bless them… in a way, that our holy wishes may move the heart of the one who offends us and we become a channel and active instrument to allow God’s forgiveness to flow
Bless them… in a way, that our words of grace may heal the vibrations of negativity and hatred and evokes the mighty power of God against the dark forces of Satan

4) Pray for those who abuse you
Our immediate reaction to those who abuse is to abuse in return or to let out a volley of unfit phrases or violent actions and gestures

But Jesus says to go beyond – Pray for them!

Pray for them… in a way, that the grace of God’s mercy and compassion may descend into the relationship
Pray for them… in a way, that the words of abuse may fizzle out in the blazing power of prayer and holiness

Life constantly seeks to “imprison us in our past”

But God’s Grace coupled with our willingness to co-operate with His grace…
… will allow us to “live in love and holiness”

God Bless! Live Jesus!