The Passion of Christ is one of the most influential movies based on the life of Jesus.

>> The movie had a strong impact on many of its watchers.

The movie also had a major impact on many of the people who were involved in its making…

One such person was the powerful experience of the actress who played the role of Veronica in the movie.

She was an Italian actress in her early thirties.

>> Although brought up as a Catholic, she had long ago stopped practicing her faith.

The time of the filming was also a time of a spiritual low point in her life.

Her scene in the movie:

… as Jesus carries His cross, He falls to the ground.

… The crowds surge around him, abusing him as he lies on the ground.

… Moving through the middle of this confusion is Veronica….

… she looks at Him with immense love and devotion.

… kneeling before Him, saying, “Lord, permit me”, she takes a white cloth and wipes his badly bruised face.

This scene however, had to be shot many times, since the noisy crowd kept bumping into Veronica and disrupting this moment of affection and intimacy.

It seems that after many such shots of kneeling before the suffering Christ, looking into his eyes, and calling him Lord, the actress felt something had started to melt inside her.

It was her moment of “believing” once again in her Lord!

• This experience was lighting up the flame of faith in her darkened heart.

• This experience was blossoming the bud of hope in her dry and barren life.

This is what the Crucified Saviour can do in our lives…

>> This is what the Bleeding Messiah on the Cross can effect in our hearts..

… a conversion.

… a transformation.

… a change of heart.

… a trading of temperaments.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus, slowly approaching “His Hour” – the moments of the world’s redemption – and declaring emphatically about the death that He is to embrace on the Cross…

… which would crush the evil powers and be a sign of salvation and hope for the world.

We are on the last Sunday before the Holy Week.

>> The days of the Lord’s Passion, Death and Resurrection are slowly approaching.

Some Greeks come to Jesus with a desire to meet the Lord and they express this longing to Philip.

>> Philip takes this appeal along to Andrew, who together approach Jesus with this request.

It’s interesting that both Philip and Andrew are Greek names…

The Greeks must have felt more inclined and at home to talk to them.

When Jesus hears this desire of the Greeks, He declares that “His Hour” has come…

He came to the world to draw all people to Himself

In Jn 12:19, the Pharisees had complained that “the whole world was running after Him”.

>> And here indeed, this fact was being exhibited, with the Greeks, who represented the Gentile world, seeking the Lord.

But the Lord, as always, with His Divine and Amazing Wisdom, confounded the earthly request with a higher purpose.

The Greeks had certainly expressed their desire to see the Lord.

But what was the motive?

It is not known clearly….

… maybe because they were amazed at Jesus’ teaching and sought Him as one of their own great Greek philosophers like Plato, Socrates, Aristotle etc

… maybe because they were fascinated at Jesus’ wonders and desired to meet Him expecting some miracles and healings.

But the Lord, always loves to bring attention to the real and needed aspects of life.

He tells them, “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain. But if it dies, it produces much fruit” (Jn 12: 24)

With this example from nature, the Lord points out that Sacrifice is the true way to salvation and redemption.

• There is no blessing, without making a sacrifice.

• There is no salvation, without shedding of blood.

• There is no redemption, without undergoing pain.

This group of Greeks, the Gentiles also reminds us of three men from the East, the Magi, who were also Gentiles and had come to meet the Lord.

And there are striking similarities between them:

The Magi came, just a few days after the Saviour of the world was born…

>> The Greeks came, just a few days before the Saviour of the world was to die.

The Magi sought the Lord with these words, “Where is the newborn King of the Jews?” (Mt 2:2)…

>> The Greeks, sought the Lord with a similar desire, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus” (Jn 12:21)

The Magi’s desire was answered with a shocking humiliation: seeing the Son of God, stripped of all His glory and laid on the wood of an ordinary manger as a tiny babe.

>> The Greek’s desire would be also answered with a shocking humiliation: seeing the Saviour of the world, stripped of even His earthly protection, and laid on the wood of an ordinary cross as a miserable criminal!

Yes, suffering and pain was the way that the Lord had chosen to redeem and save the world!

The Cross was to be the ultimate symbol that was to draw all people to Himself. (Jn 12:32)

The Cross hangs as a symbol in many of the places that we go: in the Church… homes… many books and pictures.. some wear it around the neck…

>> Does the Cross move us to seek the Lord in a more intimate and close manner?

>> Does the Cross inspire us to walk our own ways to Calvary, with greater purpose and meaning?

As we slowly approach the Holy Week, let us take time…

… to meditate deeper on the Holy Cross and the sufferings that He underwent for us.

… to look at His Holy Cross, for sometime, everyday, in order to become more like Him.

… to hold His Holy Cross close to our hearts, that we may experience true transformation.

… to live His Holy Cross in our own life situations and bring healing and peace to our world.

The Crucified Lord…

… can effect a conversion in us to turn away from our sinful lives.

… can bring a change in us to become more holy and seek Him alone.

The Lord draws us to Him… to His Cross…

>> Come…

… let us look at Him

… meditate on Him

… love Him deeper!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

It’s pretty strange that sometimes contradictions that can actually help to recognise the truth!

For example:

If there is a similar looking pair of twins… how does one distinguish one from the other?

Obviously… we look into certain contradictions in the two – in appearance, in voice, in behaviour etc – to spot rightly, who is who.

If there are two similar appearing chains of gold… how does one distinguish the true one from the fake?

Obviously… we look into certain contradictions in the two, – the lustre, the hardness – to spot rightly, which is true and which is false.

Georges Bataille, a French intellectual and literary figure writes, “I believe that truth has only one face: that of a violent contradiction”

This fact is clearly demonstrated in the life of Jesus – the Truth Incarnate.

>> He lived a life of contradictions.

>> He lived a life of paradox.

And therefore Christ had to undergo varied responses from those who encountered Him…

… very few understood Him, a little

… many of them failed to understand Him

… many of them even badly misunderstood Him

He remained The Truth – yet, the sign of contradiction.

The Gospel of the Day presents this deep contradiction that was experienced by the people of His time – including the religious leaders.

The passage records two conversations:

• The first one among the crowd

• The second one among the chief priests and the Pharisees

Both have a similar subject: Jesus.

Both have a similar dilemma: Confusion about Jesus.

The people in the crowd were confused in recognizing who really Jesus was.

>> The words of the Lord were so authoritative and astonishing that some considered Him as a prophet revisited and some even seeing Him as the Messiah. (Jn 7:41)

However, others were not convinced and they began to debate on the origin of the Messiah.

The second conversation, between the chief priests and Pharisees, was not just about some personal opinions, but involved the proper following of the Law as well.

Nicodemus, the one who had met Jesus, one night, however , began to defend Jesus.

>> It was to him, that Jesus, on that night, had told, one of the most loved verses, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son; that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (Jn 3:16)

After his encounter with the Truth-Incarnate, Nicodemus….

… the genuine seeker of truth, had the spark in his heart, kindled by the Lord of Love.

… the honest searcher of reality, had the longing within, nourished by the Lord of Holiness.

And so he stood firm and bold, to defend the One whom he perceived as the Truth!

But here, one also gets to see the deep hatred that was grooming in the minds of the leaders…

Nicodemus told that, in judging Jesus, it was necessary to follow the Law properly: “Does our law condemn a person, before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” (Jn 7:51)

He did not say that he agreed with Jesus…

He did not say that he denied Jesus could be a criminal…

>> All he said was to follow the law – to be just and fair!

But that statement provoked the anger of the other blinded-and-obstinate religious leaders!

The forces of confusion and dilemma watered him down, and contradictions reigned galore!

>> Where there is the proclamation of truth, there is the presence of many false screams, seeking to drown it hard!

>> Where there is the defence of truth, there is the defiance of many evil forces, wanting to do away with it!

Jesus is a sign of contractions.

He is The Truth.

• In His presence, no lie can stand.

• In His presence, no evil can withstand.

But it is this confusion, that can lead a person to understand the reality, if one is open and honest!

Yes, it’s pretty strange that sometimes contradictions that can actually help us to recognize The Truth!

G.K. Chesterton has said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”

The Lord – the Truth Incarnate is ready to reveal Himself to those open at heart and honest in seeking Him.

• Are we ready to learn more from Him and to know Him more?

• Are we ready to draw the waters of Holiness from the Fountain of Truth?

• Are we ready to blaze our lives with the fire of passionate love from the Furnace of Truth?

Let us not be…

… confused by the Lord who was the sign of contradiction.

… puzzled by the Lord who was the sign of paradoxes.

Instead, let us be…

… convinced in the Lord of Truth!

… passionate for the Lord of Truth!

God bless! Live Jesus!

An incident is told about a great Christian missionary who had pioneered the Christian work in a far-off island.

A group of well-wishers – some of them who wished to join this Missionary in his work – wrote a letter to him, asking:

“Have you found a good road to where you are?

>> If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.”

The Christian Missionary however replied back:

“If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don’t want them.

>> I want men who will come if there is no road at all!”

The beauty of life is enhanced, when people are willing to take the “road less travelled!”

>> And this can happen, only “when one’s life is guided by convictions!”

It is convictions in life…

… that will help to experience true serenity and happiness.

… that will help to tide across the various storms encountered.

• Am I living a life of deep convictions in faith, which makes people to take notice of the Lord and help them come closer to Him?

• Am I filled with a deep passion for the Lord, which makes others to be attracted and fascinated to the Kingdom of the Lord?

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus, boldly facing and withstanding the various storms of difficulties, and thus emerging as an Epitome of passion and conviction.

Jesus is progressing in His ministry.

• On one side, there has been a increase in His popularity ratings…

… many sick being healed, many oppressed finding solace, many rejected finding consolation.

• On the other side, however, there has also been an augmentation in opposition to Him…

… many being offended by His radical call of transformation, many finding Him blaspheming, many snubbed at His uncompromising authority.

But Jesus remains unperturbed!

• He continues to preach the Word of God…

• He continues to openly declare His relation with the Father…

• He continues to publicly affirm His mission and purpose on the earth…

Jesus is the Epitome of convictions and passion!

>> Nothing could make Him to compromise His convictions…

>> Nothing could make Him to lay down His principles of life…

Neither threats, nor adulations… neither opposition, nor exaltation!

• Can I also seek to grow in my life of conviction in my faith?

• Can I also try to deepen my passion for the Lord and His Kingdom?

One of the very popular and yet, good-to-remind quote is:

“My life may be the only Gospel…

… that people may encounter

…that people may read

…that people may experience”

Let our live radiate powerfully and convincingly the message of the Gospel!

The beauty of Christian life is enhanced, only when we are willing to take the “road less travelled!”

>> And this can happen, only “when one’s life is guided by convictions!”

May our Blessed Lord grant us the Grace to always live and stand firmly for “Christian Convictions!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Written on the stone pavements of a street in a remote village are the following words:

“One of the evils of this modern day, is the scarcity of men and women in places of leadership who are willing to speak their convictions…

… at the risk of popularity!”

Christian life is a constant challenge between two aspects: Being Popular or being Right!

There is a constant challenge to stand against prospects of gaining false fame and phony popularity, by compromising on one’s Christian ideologies and values.

Can we be Christians…

… who value one’s integrity for Christ’s sake…

>> than to compromise one’s principles and turn popular?

… who give priority to being honest for the Lord’s honour…

>> than to dilute one’s ethics and gain cheap fame?

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus who stood firm and rock-solid, in his mission commitment, even in the face of opposition, indifference and apathy from the Jews.

The context of today’s Gospel Passage – Jn 5:31-47 – is the aftermath of the Healing of the Crippled Man by the pool of Bethesda, on the Sabbath Day (Jn 5:1-18)

This incident had sparked a rage of opposition against Jesus…

>> He was persecuted because the act of healing was done on the Sabbath (Jn 5: 16)

>> His defense caused the Jews to kill Him, because Jesus equated Himself with God (Jn 5:18)

There was a strong wave of antagonism and hostility, against Jesus…

… that was pressurizing Him to compromise His teachings

….that was coercing Him to dilute His principles

But Jesus stood firm and rock-solid, in his mission commitment, even in the face of opposition, indifference and apathy from the Jews.

He therefore presents before the Jews, witnesses which would testify to Him, to His Divinity.

He uses the language of a courtroom – “witnesses” – to prove His credibility as the Divine Person

The Jews considered that two witnesses were needed for the veracity of a testimony or person.

>> The Torah says, “One witness shall not arise against a man for any sin or guilt that he may commit; according to two witnesses or according to three witnesses a matter shall stand.” (Dt 19:15)

Jesus, however brings in 4 witnesses…

1. The Witness of John the Baptist (Jn 5: 33-34)

2. The Witness of His Works (Jn 5: 36)

3. The Witness of God the Father (Jn 5: 37-38)

4. The Witness of God’s Word – the Scriptures (Jn 5: 39-40)

Our Christian Life is a constant challenge..

… to let go of our values and principles

… to compromise on our efforts and mission works

But we need to be inspired and imitate our Blessed Lord…

… Who was unwilling to let go of His Commitment and Dedication to the Mission

And like Jesus, we too have the help of “Divine Witnesses” to accord veracity to our testimony.

There will be moments when…

… we get into situations of being asked to be dishonest, lethargic and be untruthful

>> We need to seek the Witness of John the Baptist…

… who remained uncompromising in living a life of truth, dare and boldness!

There will be moments when…

… life surrounds us doubts in the form of sicknesses and tragedies

>> We need to seek the Witness of the Works of Jesus…

… which brought new life and healing to the hopeless, the lost and the dying!

There will be moments when…

…our life will be caught in a turmoil of confusions and uncertainties

>> We need to seek the Witness of God the Father…

… Whose unconditional love and compassion, strengthens us and lifts us without fail!

There will be moments when…

… our convictions get challenged by the straying and deceitful philosophies of the world

>> We need to seek the Witness of God’s Word – the Scriptures …

… Which can bring clarity and passion in our Christian life.

Let this Gospel Passage challenge and inspire us…

.. to remain ever uncompromising in our Christian Life.

>> To stand for God and His Kingdom

>> To live to share His Love and Mercy

Yes…

…. “one of the evils of this modern day, is the scarcity of men and women in places of leadership who are willing to speak their convictions…

… at the risk of popularity!”

Let us dare to show this “spirit of leadership” like Jesus our Master…

… by seeking to be true and faithful, rather than just be popular!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

After the death of a great painter a young Italian boy went to the painting studio and asked for the great artist’s brush.

The boy tried the brush…

… but found he could not paint any better with it than with his own.

It was then he realized…

… the power of painting, was not in the brush

>> It was in the Master!

The boy lacked the master’s power.

It was the Power of the Master that created the beautiful paintings.

Jesus, displayed immense strength and courage…

… as a result of His Powerful Union with His Father!

>> This Power led Him to create “beautiful paintings” of Mercy and Love in the world.

The Gospel of the Day is an amazing revelation by Jesus on His relationship with the Father.

This passage has its background in the healing that Jesus performed on a Sabbath day, of a man who had been ill for a very long time – thirty-eight years (Jn 5: 1-16).

When the Jews found out from the healed person, that it was Jesus who had done this work, they were extremely furious.

Their objection was that…

… Jesus had done this miracle on a Sabbath

… Jesus had made the person to perform a work – of carrying the mat – on the Sabbath day.

They, therefore, began to persecute Jesus (Jn 5: 16).

But Jesus brought out a fair logic in defending Himself, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work” (Jn 5:17)

Here is an interesting statement… “My Father is at work until now”

This could brings us to an interesting doubt:

• Did God, keep the Sabbath Law, that He had given to the people of Israel?

The Law required the people to refrain from work on the Sabbath Day.

>> Did God do so?

>> Did God refrain from work on the Sabbath?

>> Did the Law-giver follow the Law that was given?

Well.. Gen 2:2 says that “God rested on the seventh day”….

But the Jews soon found out, that if God continued to do so… i.e. resting on the Sabbath day… then by Friday evening, at the start of the Sabbath…

…. the world would soon start collapsing!

… the universe would come to a standstill!

Therefore, when the commandment of Sabbath was expanded and expounded to specific do’s and don’ts, in order to sort of accommodate God, it was exhorted that…

…one could move something from one place to another in the house but not from one house to another.

For eg: a basket of fruits could be taken from one room to another, but not from one house to another…

And since, for God, the whole universe is His House, it is justified, that He can work inside His house!

Thus it was lawful for God to do the maintenance and sustenance of the world, even on the Sabbath day!

Drawing from this logic (or illogic!), Jesus now puts forward the truth and justification for His act of healing on the Sabbath, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work!” (Jn 5: 17)

• Jesus equates Himself to the Father….

• Jesus establishes Himself as the Son of God…

And He draws the point, that just as, on the Sabbath Day, His Father….

… creates and sustains, so is He renewing and bringing life to the world!

… supplies life and maintains, so is He nourishing and refreshing the world!

• Jesus, as the Son has every right and privilege to engage in life-saving works, just as His Father

• Jesus, as the Son has every justification and claim to do life-redeeming works, just as His Father

As followers of Jesus, we are to be the extension of His life-saving and redeeming works in the world…

… Am I willing to become a person, filled the power of the Lord, in order to bring healing to the world, by my deeds of kindness and goodness?

… Am I willing to become an extension of the Lord, imbued with His spirit, in order to spread His love and mercy to our broken and struggling world?

As followers of Jesus, we need to have the proper and true understanding of the Sabbath…

• The Sabbath is a day of solemn rest, holy to the Lord…

… Do I give it to the Lord, entirely, engaging only in deeds that help me come closer to Him?

• The Sabbath is a memorial of Israel’s liberation from bondage in Egypt

… Do I remind myself of being a person to be liberated from the bondage of sin, and seeking to grow in holiness?

• The Sabbath is sign of the irrevocable covenant between God and human beings…

… Do I renew the spirit of this pledge and promise to the Lord with salvific deeds of love?

Let us deepen our relationship and grow in our efforts to be more in union with the Lord…

… the One who guides the world, the One who sustains each of us and the One who fills life in all!

Jesus, displayed immense strength and courage…

… as a result of His Powerful Union with His Father!

>> This Power led Him to create “beautiful paintings” of Mercy and Love in the world.

Let us also realize that it is only by “the Power of the Master that we can create the ‘beautiful paintings’ of God’s Love and Mercy in this world”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

The entrance of a particular church once had a large banner that had large, bold letters printed on it.

The words in this banner, read thus: Those people who expect salvation at the eleventh hour…

… often die at 10:30!

Postponement in spiritual matters, is indeed a perilous matter!

Procrastination – the tendency to postpone/delay – is an inclination that is to be greatly avoided in our spiritual journey.

Life often takes us through paralyzing and crippling situations

>> And this may cause us to often “delay or postpone”

But the Gospel of the Day is a mighty reminder on how we ought to not postpone…

… rather be “proactive” in our spiritual life.

The Gospel passage is a beautiful presentation of this aspect:  On how to have our heads raised up, in hope and trust, despite many crushing and crippling causes in life.

Jesus is in Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover.

>> As he passed through the town, he came near a pool, named Bethzatha.

Jesus encounters a person there, who has been ill for a very long period… thirty eight years! (Jn 5:5)

We are not exactly told what illness was it…

Probably a paralyzing illness… a cripple of the legs… or even a combination of many other sicknesses.

>> But one thing is known: this sickness made the person to not walk!

The sickness had immobilized him.

But more than his physical body, it seems, that the sickness had crippled also his mind:

·      His way of thinking seemed jammed in having hope in life…

·      His outlook to life seemed blurred to see optimism and hope…

·      His perspective of people seemed to distort his confidence and trust…

When Jesus questions the man, “Do you want to be well?”, the man answers not with a positive affirmation or an optimistic assertion.

Instead he begins to get into a complaining and a pitiable mode, ” Sir, I have no one…” (Jn 5: 7)

>> A ray of hope was offered to him…

… but instead the man continued to see only the dark clouds.

>> A glimpse of joy was revealed to him…

… but instead the man persisted on the sad aspects alone.

The long period of sickness had blotted his vision and faded his hopes.

But the Lord.. the ever-challenging God, does not allow the man to remain in this unfortunate and “look-on-me-with-sympathy-please” mode…

>> Instead, Jesus charges him, “Rise, take up your mat and walk” (Jn 5:8)

And immediately the man became well, took up his mat and walked!

>> The presence of the Lord vanished away the man’s doubts and lame excuses…

>> The mighty word of the Lord purged away the man’s feelings of looking at life negatively…

The man who had the tendency to probably “procrastinate – delay and postone”…

… now becomes “proactive!”

The man became proactive…

… casting away his attitude of complaining to become a person of courage

… dropping off his crippling attitude of “none-to-help” and picking up the mat of power and grace

Problems beset each of us in this world.

>>  Difficulties surround all of us, at various times and situations

But, the one who is “proactive” in life, is able to get over these “paralyzing” factors of life!

Jesus gives us this courage and the hope to “not postpone or delay” matters connected to our spiritual life

>> Such a pro-active action is spurred by the mighty love and mercy of the Lord.

>> Such a pro-active move is an approach, impelled by a tremendous faith and hope in the Lord.

You and I, very often may find ourselves in crippling situations of life.

·      We may keep on lying down…

·      We may keep on being a “complaint-box”

·      We may keep on postponing our good and only blame people and situations…

Or…

·      We may raise up our heads to see the Lord challenging us to walk…

·      We may garner strength and courage and be bold to pick up our mats of suffering…

·      We may imbue ourselves with the Lord’s power to never let anything cripple our minds..

Yes, Postponement in spiritual matters, is indeed a perilous matter!

>> Let’s remember: Those people who expect salvation at the eleventh hour…

… often die at 10:30!

Shall we be ready, “to rise, take up our mats, and walk?”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

There was once a good woman who was well-known among her circle for her simple faith and her great calmness in the midst of many trials.

Another woman, living across the street, hearing of her, said, “I must go and see that woman, and learn the secret of her calm, happy life.”

She went, and, enquired the woman: “Are you the woman with the great faith?”

“No,” was the answer!

“I am not the woman with the great faith, but I am the woman with the little faith in the great God,” came the rest of the answer!

Yes, the secret of “staying calm and happy” is about having “a simple and a little faith, in the Great and Big God!”

The Gospel of the Day presents an incident of a “person who stayed calm and happy” by having “a simple and a little faith, in the Great and Big God!”

Jesus is in the land of Galilee…away from his hometown. (Jn 4:43)

>> His own people in the hometown had rejected Him.

>> The known persons of His native place had failed to give heed to His mighty deeds.

And so He arrives, yet again, at a Gentile place… where they welcome Him wholeheartedly!

How true is this of many a human situation…

>> Those familiar to oneself, often fail to understand…

… but those outside, are able to give better respect!

>> Those known to a person, often, fail to see the value of the person…

… but those who are unknown, recognize the specialty of the person!

Familiarity, very often, breeds contempt!

In this Gentile land, a royal official whose son was ill – nearing death – approached Jesus, seeking for a healing.

He travelled a far distance – nearly 25 miles, from Capernaum to Galilee – and coming to Jesus, he asked, “Sir, come down, before my child dies” (Jn 4: 49)

The request of this official would perhaps, remind some of us of another person, who came with a similar problem….

.. The centurion, in Mt 8: 5-13…whose servant was at home, paralyzed.

This centurion had showed tremendous faith and was even greatly praised by Jesus.

But the royal official, in today’s Gospel, had a mixed bag of faith…

>> He had faith in Jesus, which made him to come a long distance to meet Jesus.

… his faith was however, prompted mainly only because of a need for a healing.

>> He had faith in Jesus, which made him to request the Lord for a healing.

… his faith, was however, limited by physical distance (since he asked the Lord to come to his house, unlike the Centurion (Mt 8:8)

Often our faith resembles this royal official…

… turning to the Lord only in times of afflictions and troubles

… having our own doubts on whether the Lord can really work miracle in the way I want

But we must also remember…

… hard and difficult situations, are willed by God, to allow for miracles and healings, which ought to become the springboard for a deeper and committed life of faith!

… the Lord has His own ways and means of working powerfully in our lives, and we need to have the openness and humility to receive them in His way and in His time!

When the Lord gave His word, ” You may go; your son will live” (Jn 4:50), this royal official, with a mixed bag of faith…

… began to understand the secret of “staying calm and happy” by having “a simple and a little faith, in the Great and Big God!”

The Gospel says, “… the man believed what Jesus said to him and left” (Jn 4: 50b)

>> Moments of immense difficulties and crisis often cripple us.

>> Times of tremendous hardships and pains often cause worries to us.

But, the Lord constantly invites us “to stay calm and happy” by having “a simple and a little faith, in the Great and Big God!”

>> It’s His grace that strengthens us.

>> It’s His mercy that empowers us.

Shall we also adopt and personalize this great secret?

… of “staying calm and happy” by having “a simple and a little faith, in the Great and Big God!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Here is probably, a well-known incident…

A motivational session was on…

The speaker began the seminar by holding up a 2000 rupee note.

With the audience curiously looking at the crisp-note, the speaker asked, “Who among you would like to have this 2000 Rupee note?”

>> Needless to say, all the hands in that seminar-hall went up.

The speaker was not surprised.

He then said, ” I will surely give this note to a lucky one among you.. but first, let me do this….”

>> He then proceeded, to crumble up the note.

Oh… there it was.. the note – now badly crumbled and no longer appearing crisp or appealing…

He then asked, “How many still want this note?”

>> No reduction in the number of hands that went up!

The speaker proceeded, to further disfigure the note… and asked, “How many still want it?”

The number of hands that went up, still remained the same…

… and in fact, there was a greater excitement among the audience, to get the note!

The note was badly crumbled and out of shape…yet all wanted that valuable note!

Does it sound strange?

>> Or was that just normal?

The note was badly crushed, but all still wanted it…

>> The note was greatly disfigured, yet all sought for it…

For a moment, lets replace that ‘note’ with a human person, who is much more priceless.

>> Do we have the same acceptance for a person who has been disfigured or is in a bad shape?

>> Do we have the same longing for a person who has been badly battered or hurt in life?

We already seem to be having some second thoughts, unlike in the case of the multi-rupee note!

It’s here the Gospel of the day brings home the message, that whatever happens in our life, there will be One Person who will always accept us, long for us and love us: God!

>> Life may many times crumble us and ground us, to alter us…

>> Sin may many times cause us to be disfigured and stained and blemished…

But in all this… we have a great assurance: God accepts and loves us!

The proof: The Crucified Lord, who stripped Himself of all glory and honour, took upon our sins on Himself, and died a shameless death – punished, agonized and abandoned!

It is His painful death on the Cross that has won eternal life for us: “as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life” ( Jn 3:14-15)

One of the inherent tendencies, perhaps, in humanity is to “forget good deeds”.

This is so true when one considers the relation between the people of Israel and God Yahweh.

Israelites found themselves very often in trouble, under persecution and being oppressed.

Every time, however, God would deliver them from danger.

This would be followed by a brief period of faithfulness and commitment by the Israelites, before lapsing again…

>> Again the Lord would rescue…

But the people would again “forget the good deeds” of the Lord.

>> They would forsake His commandments

>> They would forego His instructions

>> They would lose sight of His laws.

Yet, God never abandoned His people.

>> They continued to be precious to Him…always!

Our lives are so often patterned as that of the people of Israel.

>> Many times we fall into sin and get grounded by our many evil tendencies….

>> Many times we forsake God’s ways to follow our own interests and selfishness…

>> Many times we dirty ourselves with impure thoughts, uncharitable deeds and indifferences…

Yet, we remain priceless and precious to the Lord, always

>> We remain valuable and worthwhile to the Lord, always

God offers His beautiful gift of salvation and redemption through means of the Holy Cross.

In the Cross, we have the powerful proof and demonstration…

… that in all our sufferings, we have a God who shares in our pain and misery

… that in all our sinful tendencies, we have a God who has borne the pain of abandonment

… that in all our hopeless situations, we have a God who Himself suffered discouragement

The Cross proves that we are always precious to the Lord and that He deeply desires and longs for us, just as we are!

Let us hold our heads higher in firm faith and trust, knowing that we have a God who is deeply in love with us.

>> May we be impelled by His love to let go of our sinful inclination.

>> May we be motivated by His bountiful mercy to cast away our erring tendencies.

Yes, God so loved each of us – You and Me – that He sent His only Son…

…. so that each of us – You and Me – may not perish,

… but may have eternal life!

God bless! Live Jesus!

Let’s begin with a simple question today….

Which is the only disease in the world, which can affect everyone else, except the person himself/herself?

Is the answer too hard to guess?

…

…

Hmm..

Well.. the answer is pretty simple…

It is…

Pride!

>> Pride is the disease that can affect everyone else, except the person himself/herself!

>> Pride is the sickness that can cause harm to all others, except the one who possess it!

>> Pride can be a snare to the other, while one enjoys oneself in the false pleasure it gives!

>> Pride can be a spirit-dampener for the other, while it is an ego-inflator for oneself!

The Gospel of the Day exhorts a strong message on this deadly vice of Pride.

Chapter 18 of the Gospel of St Luke begins with two parables, that teach on the aspect of Prayer.

• The parable of the Widow who was persistent (Lk 18: 1-8)

• The parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Lk 18: 9-14)

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector have interesting comparisons with respect to the various gestures and actions that they take:

Both go up to the Temple area to pray…

>> The Pharisee took up his position… the tax collector stood off at a distance

The Pharisee spoke the prayer to himself… the tax collector would not even raise his eyes to heaven

>> The Pharisee spoke of his personal glories…the tax collector acknowledged being a sinner, in need of mercy.

Though the Gospel doesn’t speak of it, it seems that both, the Pharisee and the tax collector had taken a mirror with themselves, when they went to pray….

>> A mirror.. yeah!

But, the strange fact is that, both of them used the mirror in contrasting manners!

The Pharisee used the mirror and saw his many achievements and accomplishments…

… being unlike the rest of the sinful humanity like the greedy, dishonest or adulterous

… fasting twice a week

… pay tithes on his whole income

The tax collector, also used a mirror… but saw in it, his many failures and shortcomings…

… the moments when he had cheated others to have greater financial gains

… the times he had subjected himself to be a traitor by working against his own people

… the need to seek for God’s mercy acknowledging his sinfulness

Prayer is like a mirror…but it depends on one’s attitude and disposition what one sees…

>> If one is filled with pride and self-conceit, one sees only one’s accomplishments…

… and thus pushes out God and replaces oneself as the source of all good works!

>> If one is truly humble and modest, one sees one’s weaknesses and limitations…

… and thus acknowledge the dependence on God and on His grace in life!

Prayer could be made into a time of reciting the litany of one’s great achievements…

…or prayer could be made into a moment of seeking God’s mercy and compassion.

Prayer could be made into an occasion to boast of oneself and put down others…

… or prayer could be made into a moment to see the glittering light of God guiding us.

What is our attitude and disposition?

>> Am I afflicted with the sickness of pride which makes me to flaunt only myself at the expense of the other?

>> Am I distressed with the disease of arrogance which makes me to see myself as the greatest person in the world, casting aside all people and even God?

There is something of “this” Pharisee, perhaps, in all of us which needs to be shun…

There is something of “this” tax collector, which needs to be cultivated…

>> The need to cast away pride and the need to embrace humility and dependence on God!

God Bless! Live Jesus!