Trusting in their Heavenly protection and intercession of St Joseph, and in turn, being a protector and defender to one other!”

(Based on the Solemnity of St Joseph)

The early American Indians had a unique ritual in their training of young boys to be brave and strong in their lives.

The evening of the boy’s thirteenth birthday, would consist of the final test, after having learnt hunting, exploration, fishing and other skills.

The boy was placed in a dense forest to spend the entire night all alone.

Until then, he had never been away from the security of the family and the tribe.

But on this night, he was blindfolded and taken several miles away.

When the blindfold was taken off, he would find himself in the midst of the thick woods…
… and he would be terrified!

Every time a branch snapped or something fell, he visualized a wild animal ready to pounce.

His heart would pound with fear…

He would seek for some consolation, but would find none…
He would long to feel safe again, but the wait seemed to be an unending one…

After what seemed like an eternity, dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight entered the interior of the forest…

Looking around, the boy saw the wild flowers, lush trees, and the outline of the path.

Then, to his utter astonishment, he beheld the figure of a man standing just a few feet away, armed with a bow and arrow.

Guess who it was?

It was his father!

He had been there all night long.

The boy had been unaware, but the father was always there, to make an intervention, in case of any eventuality of danger.

The protection of the father encircled the child, irrespective of whether the boy was aware or not.

Such is the tremendous protection and security of God, our Loving Father.

In the fullness of time, when God, the Father decided to send His Beloved Son to the earth, for the redemption of humankind, He had to entrust the care of His Precious Child to the protection and care of a human father…

And it was St Joseph who was chosen to be assigned this task and responsibility of being the caretaker and protector of Jesus, the Son of God!

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Faithful and Just Protector of Jesus – St Joseph.

Just as God had entrusted Him to be the protector of the body of Jesus while on earth, St Joseph is also the protector and patron of His Body on the earth today, the Holy Church.

St Joseph in fulfilling his task of being the protector of Jesus, teaches us a few lessons…

1. He was ever prompt to the voice of the Lord
   In his moments of confusion, he was still open to the promptings of the Spirit.
   “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him…” (Mt 1:24)

Am I docile to the inspirations of the Lord, so as to be in greater tune with the Will of God?

2. His love was attentive to the needs of the Divine Child and the Mother
   St Joseph was ready to make any sacrifice for the sake of protecting Jesus and Mary.

He was willing…
… to undergo societal humiliations
… to bear physical hardships of travelling, migration, lack of comforts etc
… to be prudent to the socio-political situations and make decisions in favour of the family

Does love prompt me to be attentive and sensitive to the needs of others, and cause me to make sacrifices towards the good of the other?

3. A willingness to be playing the “backdrop role” in the great drama of salvation
   St Joseph, was privileged to be sharing the most intimate presence with the two holiest persons of this world – Jesus, the Son of God and Mary, the Immaculate Mother.

Yet, it also meant that Joseph had to stay away from the limelight of glory and be the “silent yet impactful” figure of the salvation history.

Do I have the courageous humility to take up any role that the Lord entrusts me, in His plan of salvation – be it shorn of fame, littleness in glamour or even subject to awkwardness, uncertainty or dislikeness?

4. He was ready to give up his personal decisions and doubts in obedience to the voice of God
   St Joseph was not afraid to shed his own personal concerns, anxieties and even doubts, when asked to be part of the mysterious redemptive plan of God.

There were many things that were not understood by him…

There were a lot of factors that prompted him to question and confront..

Yet, He had the deep daring to keep them all aside – because he was convinced that God’s mighty hand was at work, in them all.

Am I willing to place my faith in God and follow my vocation faithfully…
… even though circumstances around me maybe uncertain, the future looks bleak
… and my own reasonable thinking may see situations and people as being illogical, unscientific and irrational?

As St. Alphonsus Liguori says, “We should, indeed, honour St. Joseph, since the Son of God Himself was graciously pleased to honour him by calling him father.

If the King of kings was pleased to raise Joseph to so high a dignity, it is right and obligatory on our part to endeavour to honour him as much as we can!”

St Francis de Sales, the Gentleman Saint teaches us: “What more remains for us to say now, except that we cannot doubt at all that this glorious saint (St Joseph) has great influence in heaven…
… Oh how happy shall we be, if we can merit a share in his holy intercession!

He will obtain for us, if we have confidence in him, a holy growth in all kinds of virtues, but especially in those that we have found that he possessed in a higher degree than any others…
… which are most holy purity of body and mind, the most lovable virtue of humility, constancy, courage and perseverance!”

The Lord protects us, no matter how fearful the external situations are…

St Joseph protected the Little Divine Babe and His Mother, despite hardships and trials…

Shall we also not trust in their Heavenly protection, and in turn, be a protector and defender to each other?

Happy Feast of St Joseph, the Just Worker in God’s Plan of Redemption.

Glorious Blessings of Jesus, his Precious Child – the Way, the Truth and the Life
Heavenly Intercessions of Mary – his loving Spouse and our affectionately protecting Mother

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD

“I believe in One God” – These are the words with which the Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed begins.
The confession of God’s oneness, which has its roots in the divine revelation of the Old Covenant, is inseparable from the profession of God’s existence and is equally fundamental.
God is unique; there is only one God: “The Christian faith confesses that God is one in nature, substance and essence.”
To Israel, his chosen, God revealed himself as the only One: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD; and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
Through the prophets, God calls Israel and all nations to turn to him, the one and only God: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. ‘Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength.’”
Jesus himself affirms that God is “the one Lord” whom you must love “with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength”.
At the same time Jesus gives us to understand that he himself is “the Lord”. To confess that Jesus is Lord is distinctive of Christian faith. This is not contrary to belief in the One God. Nor does believing in the Holy Spirit as “Lord and giver of life” introduce any division into the One God. (CCC # 200-202)

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“Daring to display the ‘spirit of leadership’ like Jesus our Master, by seeking to be true and faithful, rather than just be popular!”

(Based on Exod 32:7-14 and Jn 5:31-47 – Thursday of the 4th Week in Lent)

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

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

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!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
I BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER

Our profession of faith begins with God, for God is the First and the Last, the beginning and the end of everything.
The Credo begins with God the Father…
… for the Father is the First Divine Person of the Most Holy Trinity
Our Creed begins with the creation of heaven and earth…
… for creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works.
“I believe in God”: this first affirmation of the Apostles’ Creed is also the most fundamental.
The whole Creed speaks of God, and when it also speaks of man and of the world it does so in relation to God.
The other articles of the Creed all depend on the first…
… just as the remaining Commandments make the first explicit.
The other articles help us to know God better as he revealed himself progressively to men. (CCC # 198-199)

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“Creating ‘beautiful paintings’ of God’s Love and Mercy in this world by the Power of the Master”

(Based on Isa 49:8-15 and Jn 5:17-30 – Wednesday of the 4th Week in Lent)

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)

• 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!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
THE CREED

Through the centuries many professions or symbols of faith have been articulated in response to the needs of the different eras.
None of the creeds from the different stages in the Church’s life can be considered superseded or irrelevant.
They help us today to attain and deepen the faith of all times.
Among all the creeds, two occupy a special place in the Church’s life:
… The Apostles’ Creed is so called because it is rightly considered to be a faithful summary of the apostles’ faith. It is the ancient baptismal symbol of the Church of Rome. Its great authority arises from this fact: it is “the Creed of the Roman Church, the See of Peter the first of the apostles, to which he brought the common faith”.
… The Niceno-Constantinopolitan or Nicene Creed draws its great authority from the fact that it stems from the first two ecumenical Councils (in 325 and 381). It remains common to all the great Churches of both East and West to this day.
Our presentation of the faith will follow the Apostles’ Creed, which constitutes, as it were, “the oldest Roman catechism”.
As on the day of our Baptism, when our whole life was entrusted to the “standard of teaching”, let us embrace the Creed of our life-giving faith. To say the Credo with faith is to enter into communion with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and also with the whole Church which transmits the faith to us and in whose midst we believe.
This Creed is the spiritual seal, our heart’s meditation and an ever-present guardian; it is, unquestionably, the treasure of our soul. (CCC # 192-197)

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“Being proactive, and ready ‘to rise, take up our mats, and walk!’”

(Based on Ezek 47:1-9, 12 and Jn 5:1-3, 5-16 – Tuesday of the 4th Week in Lent)

“The seven habits of highly effective people” by Stephen Covey is one of the most popular best-selling book in the world.

The book speaks of seven prime qualities to tap success in life and to achieve one’s objectives and aims.

The first among these seven habits of highly effective people is “to be proactive” in life.

Problems beset every person in this world.
Difficulties surround all of us, in every society.
But, the one who is “proactive” in life, is able to get over these “paralyzing” factors of life.

The Gospel of the Day 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 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 be “proactive” in life, with His grace and mercy.

Pro-activity is not a mere human attitude of determination…
… it is an action spurred by the mighty love and mercy of the Lord.

Pro-activity is not a mere individual display of willpower and resolve…
… it 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 blaming 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..

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

The choice is ours…

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
PROFESSION OF FAITH
The first “profession of faith” is made during Baptism.

The symbol of faith is first and foremost the baptismal creed…
… since Baptism is given “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
The truths of faith professed during Baptism are articulated in terms of their reference to the three persons of the Holy Trinity.
The Creed is divided into three parts…
… the first part speaks of the first divine Person and the wonderful work of creation
… the next speaks of the second divine Person and the mystery of his redemption of men
… the final part speaks of the third divine Person, the origin and source of our sanctification.
These are the three chapters of our [baptismal] seal.
These three parts are distinct although connected with one another. According to a comparison often used by the Fathers, we call them articles.
Indeed, just as in our bodily members there are certain articulations which distinguish and separate them, so too in this profession of faith, the name “articles” has justly and rightly been given to the truths we must believe particularly and distinctly.
In accordance with an ancient tradition, already attested to by St. Ambrose, it is also customary to reckon the articles of the Creed as twelve, thus symbolizing the fullness of the apostolic faith by the number of the apostles. (CCC # 189-191)

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“Staying calm and happy by having a simple and a little faith, in the Great and Big God!

(Based on Is 65:17-21 and Jn 4:43-54 – Monday of the 4th Week in Lent)

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 a 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)

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)

This royal official 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, mostly prompted only because of a need for a healing.

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!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
Whoever says “I believe” says “I pledge myself to what we believe.”

Communion in faith needs a common language of faith, normative for all and uniting all in the same confession of faith.
From the beginning, the apostolic Church expressed and handed on her faith in brief formulae normative for all.
But already very early on, the Church also wanted to gather the essential elements of her faith into organic and articulated summaries, intended especially for candidates for Baptism:
This synthesis of faith was not made to accord with human opinions, but rather what was of the greatest importance was gathered from all the Scriptures, to present the one teaching of the faith in its entirety…
… and just as the mustard seed contains a great number of branches in a tiny grain
… so too this summary of faith encompassed in a few words the whole knowledge of the true religion contained in the Old and the New Testaments.
Such syntheses are called “professions of faith” since they summarize the faith that Christians profess.
They are called “creeds” on account of what is usually their first word in Latin: credo (“I believe”). They are also called “symbols of faith”.
The Greek word symbolon meant half of a broken object – the broken parts were placed together to verify the bearer’s identity.
The symbol of faith, is a sign of recognition and communion between believers.
Symbolon also means a gathering, collection or summary. A symbol of faith is a summary of the principal truths of the faith and therefore serves as the first and fundamental point of reference for catechesis. (CCC # 185-188)

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“Embracing the Cross and being enamoured by the Love of our Crucified Lover!”

(Based on 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23, Eph 2:4-10 and Jn 3:14-21 – 4th Sunday of Lent, Year B)

A story is told of a lady who was very much zealous in telling about Jesus Christ to the world.

This lady was blind and illiterate…
… and yet found different ways to spread the Gospel.

One day, she went to a missionary priest and asked for a copy of the Bible in French.

When she got it, she asked the missionary to underline John 3:16, in red, and mark the page, so that she could find it.
(Jn 3:16 = “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son…that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have Eternal Life!”)

The missionary wanted to see what she would do with this Bible that was marked with red…
… and so he followed her.

The lady went in the late afternoon to a school…
… and made her way to the entrance.

As the school children came out, she would stop one of them and ask if he knew how to read French.

If the boy would say “Yes” she would ask him to read the verse that was marked in red.

Then she would ask, “Do you know what this means?”…
… and then go on to tell him more about Jesus Christ and living a Life in the Lord!

The missionary priest would later testify that this lady led nearly a couple of dozen boys to become missionaries of the Lord!

The tremendous love, in the heart of woman, for Christ, triggered in her a deep desire to reach out God’s Love to many many more people in her life.

As followers of Christ, each of us are bound to tell the world about the Precious Life of “Living in God!”

How well are we doing our Duty of Proclaiming God to the world?

This proclamation of the Lord comes when one has a passionate love for Christ.

The Gospel of the Day presents this love of God that has been gifted to all of us, by the death of Christ on the Cross.

The Cross is indeed, the great, big and beautiful symbol of God’s Love for all of us!

Every religion and every ideology has its own symbol.

But what makes the symbol of Christianity – the Cross – so unique is that…
… Its founder transformed this instrument of shame into the sign of salvation!
… Its founder not just preached about the symbol, but even embraced it, in obedience and love!

The Cross had cast its shadow on the life of Christ all through…

Wood (symbolic of the ‘Wood of the Cross’) was part of the life of Christ all through…
… the Babe Jesus was laid on the ‘wood of the manger’ by his beloved Parents
… the Boy Jesus worked with ‘wood in the workshop’ of His carpenter father, Joseph
… the Brave Jesus would use the ‘wood of the boat’, as His Pulpit to preach the Word of God
The Beloved Jesus would finally be laid on the “wood of the Cross” in total obedience to His Father!

This is what the Lord foretold Nicodemus…
… as we see in today’s Gospel Passage: ” And just 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)

Jesus makes a reference to the Old Testament incident as found in the Book of Numbers (Num 21: 4b-9)…

The people grew disinterested and dissipated by their journey and began to grumble
However, God in His mercy, offered a bronze serpent, mounted on a pole…
… for deliverance from the punishments of their sin

This bronze serpent would be a typography of the Cross of Christ!

Just as the bronze serpent came to the rescue of the people of Israel, the Cross of Christ comes to our rescue…
… but with a much greater reward – of salvation!
… with a much greater consolation – of the peace of Christ!

We too, often grow disinterested and dissipated in our journey of life and begin to grumble

Our sin of disobedience and lack of trust in God’s Will, brings us punishments of various kinds.

However, God in His mercy, offers us Christ Crucified, mounted on the Cross…
… for deliverance from the punishments of our sin!

All those who looked at the bronze serpent had lived…

All of us, who will look at Christ Crucified on the Cross, will live forever!

Our modernistic world has notoriously and pragmatically misuses the Cross:

Fashionists have the symbol of Christianity stylishly displayed all over themselves..
… as jewellery hanging round their necks, ears, wrists etc
… as tattoos imprinted on the various body parts
… as drawings on various objects of worldly use

The Cross is often found to be degraded and despised as merely…
… an ornament of show
… a pattern of beautification
… a statement of raging and crazy style

But the Cross of Christ transcends all these…

And, we Christians, today, need to be zealous, to restore the Cross, the Symbol of Christianity to its original sense…
… The Symbol of Hope and Salvation
… The Symbol of Unconditional Love
… The Symbol of Unfathomable Mercy

St Francis de Sales beautifully reminds us:
“If you wish to learn how to love God, come to Calvary.

Jesus Christ on His Cross will teach you!
Mount Calvary is the Mount of lovers!
All love which does not take its origin from the Passion of the Saviour, is foolish and dangerous!
Love and death are eternally blended together in the Passion of the Saviour!”

The Cross is indeed the great reminder of the tremendous and faithful Love of the Lord for all of us: “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)

It is this tremendous love, in our hearts, that can trigger a deep desire to reach out God’s Love to many many more people in our lives.

As followers of Christ, each of us are bound to tell the world about the Precious Life of “Living in God!”

Are we ready to Proclaim God’s Word to the world?

Come, let us embrace the Cross and be enamoured by the Love of our Crucified Lover!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
ONE CATHOLIC FAITH

Through the centuries, in so many languages, cultures, peoples and nations, the Church has constantly confessed this one faith, received from the one Lord, transmitted by one Baptism, and grounded in the conviction that all people have only one God and Father.
For though languages differ throughout the world, the content of the Tradition is one and the same. The Church’s message “is true and solid…
… in which one and the same way of salvation appears throughout the whole world.”
We guard with care the faith that we have received from the Church, for without ceasing, under the action of God’s Spirit, this deposit of great price, as if in an excellent vessel, is constantly being renewed…
… and causes the very vessel that contains it to be renewed. (CCC # 172-175)

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“Casting away pride and embracing humility and dependence on God!”

(Based on Hos 5:15-6:6 and Lk 18:9-14 – Saturday of the 3rd Week in Lent)

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!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
THE LANGUAGE OF FAITH

We do not believe in formulae, but in those realities they express, which faith allows us to touch.
The believer’s act [of faith] does not terminate in the propositions, but in the realities [which they express].
All the same, we do approach these realities with the help of formulations of the faith which permit us to express the faith and to hand it on…
… to celebrate it in community
… to assimilate and live on it more and more.
The Church, “the pillar and bulwark of the truth”, faithfully guards “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”.
She guards the memory of Christ’s words; it is she who from generation to generation hands on the apostles’ confession of faith.
As a mother who teaches her children to speak and so to understand and communicate, the Church our Mother teaches us the language of faith…
… in order to introduce us to the understanding and the life of faith. (CCC # 170-171)

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“As we make our journey, in the ‘train of life’, giving an optimistic answer to the fundamental question of our faith: ‘Do YOU love JESUS?’”

(Based on Hos 14:1-9 and Mk 12:28-34 – Friday of the 3rd Week in Lent)

A heart-touching incident is told of a man who was travelling in a train.

Sitting opposite him was a mother and a little girl.

He talked to the little girl and told her stories and showed her his penknife – how it opened and closed.
He even sang to her, and she loved her new companion.

As the train reached the destination, the little girl looked up to the man and asked: “Do you love Jesus?”

He didn’t understand her at first…
… but she repeated the question.

The man stammered and blushed as he said good-bye to her and her mother…

But he couldn’t forget the question; “Do you love Jesus?”

He went to bed that night and that question didn’t go away, “Do you love Jesus?”

When he woke up the next morning, it was still there.

The question was planted by the Spirit in his heart and it put down its roots.

It demanded an answer.

Five years later he was walking through the city, when he bumped into a lady coming out of her house.

He recognized her as the mother of the little girl.

“Hello!” he said to her warmly, “I don’t suppose you remember me. About five years ago I travelled in the same train coach as you and your daughter.”

“I remember it well,” she said, “come in.”
So he went into her house.

“Do you remember that your daughter asked me a question as we were getting out of the train?” >> “How is she? Can I see her?” he asked.

The woman looked away.

Tears were in her eyes.

“I’m sorry” she said…
… “She is in heaven!”

She took him to her room and there were her Bible, and her dolls, and prize books, and some toys. “That’s all that’s left of my sweet Lettie,” her mother said.

“No,” said the man – who was shocked and dazed – quite vehemently. “That is not all that is left of her.

I am left. I am left. I owe her my faith in God!

I was an unbeliever when she asked me that question.

I loved the world and I lived badly, but she asked me that question and I never could forget it, and since that time I have changed.

I am not the man I was. I am now God’s.

I can answer the question now!”

What about us?

Can we answer that question: “Do YOU love Jesus?”

The Gospel of the Day is an exhortation by the Lord, to Love God with our “ALL”…
… All our heart
… All our soul
… All our mind
… All our strength

The Gospel begins with a member of the scribe, approaching Jesus with a question:
“Which is the greatest of all commandments?”(Mk 12: 28)

This man, who questioned Jesus was a scribe

Some translations would put it as “a Lawyer”
The Gospel of St Matthew describes him as a “Scholar of the Law” (Mt 22: 35)

He was an expert in the Mosaic Law.
… someone who studied the law, interpreted the law and taught the law!

Jesus responded him, with something immensely special:
“The Lord our God, is Lord alone. Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength”(Mk 12:29- 30)…

“Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mk 12: 31)

Note the insistence on the word “all”….
… “all” your heart… feelings, emotions, desires
… “all” your soul… will, choices, decisions
… “all” your mind… reason, knowledge, memory
… “all” your strength… talents, abilities, capacities

The Lord commands and demands a “total” and “complete” loving!

He demands an “absolute” and “unadulterated” love!

Love, as Jesus defines, is not simply about feelings and emotions, as is the popular and the ‘commercial’ understanding.

Undoubtedly, Love has the dimensions of being a tender feeling and an expressive emotion.

But beyond that, Love is…
… a commitment
… a dedication
… a decision
…. that one makes to be faithful – to a person or a duty or a situation!

Life sometimes can be quite harsh to us – making us feel totally lost out, abandoned even by God and even causing us to question the presence and existence of a Just and Loving God…
… But, can we still dare to “love God”?

Life sometimes hits very hard at us – in the form of others not accepting us, others ridiculing, criticizing us and we finding ourselves as the subject of hatred and injustice.
… But, can we still dare to “love our neighbours”?

Life sometimes is very unfair to us, we feel – by not rewarding us with rewards, that we consider, we deserve, in answer to the hard-work we put in.. or by not allowing us to enjoy the joys of life and instead bombards us with tensions and worries
… Can we still go out of the way and live a life “In Love and For Love”?

When one’s life is truly centered on love for God, one also begins to express this love to one’s neighbours , in concrete and certain acts of love.

As Christians, we often…
… seek to find “loopholes” in laws of loving the Lord and our neighbour…
… try to spot “gaps” in commandments which ask to love the Lord and our neighbour…

But the insistence of the Lord is clear:
“Love Fully”
“Love Totally”
“Love Completely”

This is the ideal to which we, as Christians are called!

If not for this highest ideal, our life as a Christian would cease to have a uniqueness!

As we make our journey, in the “train of life”, we are constantly faced with this fundamental question of our faith: “Do YOU love JESUS?”

This question is planted by the Spirit in our hearts and it put down its roots.

It demands an answer.

What is our answer?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
THE FAITH OF THE CHURCH

It is the Church that believes first, and so bears, nourishes and sustains my faith.
Everywhere, it is the Church that first confesses the Lord: “Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you”, as we sing in the hymn ‘Te Deum’…
… with her and in her, we are won over and brought to confess: “I believe”, “We believe”.
It is through the Church that we receive faith and new life in Christ by Baptism.
Salvation comes from God alone; but because we receive the life of faith through the Church, she is our mother: “We believe the Church as the mother of our new birth…
… and not in the Church as if she were the author of our salvation.”
Because she is our mother, she is also our teacher in the faith. (CCC # 168-169)

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“Being careful not to allow ourselves to be ‘influenced and altered’ by the ways of the world, so that we may not end up losing the ‘song of our Faith!’”

(Based on Jer 7:23-28 and Lk 11:14-23 – Thursday of the 3rd Week in Lent)

A group of two brothers were roaming in the forest, when they found a couple of tiny birds of the family of linnets.


When the boys got the birds home, they put the linnets in a cage, opposite the canary bird, which was tied in another cage.
(Canary birds are known to be “Singing Birds”)

They explained to their mother that they hoped the linnets – being so young – would learn to imitate the singing canary…
… Instead of cheeping as normally birds do, they expected them to sing (like the canary)


The next day the boys entered the room, and exclaimed:
“Mother, come here, look what has happened!
>> Our canary is cheeping like a linnet!”


The mother came in… and found it so!
>> Instead of the linnets learning to sing, the Canary bird forgot its ability to sing!


Thus, the canary had to be separated from the wild birds of the wood and kept under cover for a time before regaining the singing ability.

Such is the case with Christians who allow themselves to “influenced and altered” by the ways of the world!
>> We may end up losing the “Song of our Faith!”


Yes, Christian life requires that we be constantly “on the watch and guard”, because it is…
… a constant struggle between the forces of evil and the power of goodness…
… a relentless warfare between the coercion of sin and the strength of holiness…


The Gospel of the Day presents this struggle between…
… Jesus and the Pharisees
… the Holy One and the evil forces
… the Kingdom of Heaven and the kingdom of Satan


The Lord came to the world to usher in the Kingdom of God.
>> Bringing to forefront the Kingdom of Power and Holiness, the Lord casts out a demon from a person who is dumb. (Lk 11:14)

This mighty action of healing and deliverance had a tremendous effect…
… the dumb man spoke
… and the people marvelled.


But, this wondrous act of power and authority also triggered a volley of struggles…
… a struggle of words between the Pharisees and Jesus
… a teaching on the struggle between the Kingdom of God and the forces of evil


The Lord lashes out in authority and conviction, on being accused of siding with evil powers to cast out demons: “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste and a divided household falls” ( Lk 11: 17)
>> Jesus makes it clear that one cannot be siding with negative forces in order to perform deeds of goodness and salvation!
>> Jesus makes it clear that one cannot be on the side of evil and sin and yet be authentic and genuine in doing works of true deliverance and righteousness!


This brings us to an important dimension that needs our honest and critical consideration:
Am I a person truly on the side of God when I engage in works and ministries of the Lord…
… but still continuing to be on the side of the Evil One by living a life of sin?

Am I a person imbued with the Spirit of the Holy Lord in professing to be a Christian…
… or am I living a dual-life by failing to give up immoral tendencies and obliging the evil spirit?

Am I a person who may be performing a lot of good works in the name of God…
… but failing to have an intimate relationship and union with the God of all power and glory?


Venerable Fr Peter Marie Mermier, the founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales puts it beautifully:
“The ministry of a priest without prayer, is a barren ministry, without any effect, even harmful; it is a ministry of death!
>> Instead of enlightening, it blinds; instead of healing, it kills!

But the ministry of the one who prays, is a ministry of life!”


Christian life is not to be just defined by external works of piety and works…
…but is to be a reflection of the inner intimacy and relation with the Lord.

Christian Life is not to be merely characterized by many deeds of charity and devotion…
… but is to be a manifestation of one’s true faith and closeness to the Divine Master.

• A true inner disposition and authority is a must to be effective and credible in our life.
• A proper grounding is an absolute requirement to be engaged in the works of the Lord.


I may find myself often in the “cage” of faith and unbelief…
>> But am I clear in taking the side of the Lord and Him alone?

I may find myself often in the “cage” of actions of goodness and temptations of the evil…
>> But am I convinced of taking the side of the Kingdom of God alone?


Christian Life is a constant struggle
… between the evil and good
… between the Devil and Jesus
… between the Kingdom of God and the powers of wickedness

Which side are we on?


Let us be careful not to allow ourselves to be “influenced and altered” by the ways of the world…
… so that we may not end up losing the “Song of our Faith!”


God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
BELIEVING IN GOD
Faith is a personal act – the free response of the human person to the initiative of God who reveals himself.
>> But faith is not an isolated act.
>> No one can believe alone, just as no one can live alone. You have not given yourself faith as you have not given yourself life.
>> The believer has received faith from others and should hand it on to others. Our love for Jesus and for our neighbour impels us to speak to others about our faith.
>> Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith.
>> “I believe” (Apostles’ Creed) is the faith of the Church professed personally by each believer, principally during Baptism.
>> “We believe” (Niceno-Constantinopolitan Creed) is the faith of the Church confessed by the bishops assembled in council or more generally by the liturgical assembly of believers.
>> “I believe” is also the Church, our mother, responding to God by faith as she teaches us to say both “I believe” and “We believe” (CCC # 166-167)
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“Seeking to live a life that is sinless, with a faith that is fearless, for a hope that is endless!”

(Based on Deut 4:1-9 and Mt 5:17-19 – Wednesday of the 3rd Week in Lent)

Here is an interesting read….

First dentistry became painless;
Then bicycles chainless
The latest steel rustless,
And probably laws, enforceless.

Next, cookery became fireless,
Telegraphy wireless,
Cigars nicotineless
And tennis courts, grassless

Soon oranges were seedless,
The proper diet, fatless,
The motor roads dustless,
And coffee, caffeineless.
Our times are such that there are many advancements made as a result of great technology.

However a danger has also appeared in rendering things to be made “¬¬¬____less”

Our prayers seem to be devotionless
Charity heartless
Preaching depthless
And religiosity, faithless!

While it’s wonderful to allow technology and modern techniques to make our life ‘easier and relaxing’, it’s a grave danger to allow the same “relaxing and easing” tendency to overpower our spiritual endeavours!

The Gospel of the day is a warning by the Lord to be wary of this inclination to “relax” and “loosen” things which are pertaining to God and thus be exposed to the risk of being “lowered” in the eyes of God.
“Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven… “(Mt 5: 19)

The Lord addresses Himself as the fulfilment of the Law and the Prophets (Mt 5:18)

God, in the Old Testament, while delivering the commandments to the people of Israel, had strictly enjoined on them to keep His decrees and laws close to their hearts and to follow them carefully:

“But take care, as you value your lives! Do not forget the things which you yourselves have seen, or let them slip from your heart as long as you live; teach them, rather, to your children and to your children’s children.” (Dt 4:9)

But as time passed on and generations went by, the intensity in the following of these commandments drastically reduced.

The laws began to lose their original spirit and motive.

The instructions of the Lord were abandoned for their spiritual value
The commandments began to be followed more from a social perspective
There began a “loosing” and “relaxing” of the commandments and the laws of the Lord!

The Greek word for “relaxing”, that Jesus speaks of in referring to the commandments of God is a word – “luo”.

This word “luo” can imply different meanings:

It could be to break up or to demolish or to destroy that which is bound up firmly.
It could be the loosening of the bond of matrimony between a husband and wife
It could be to loosen any person or thing, that is tied or fastened to something
It could be the undoing or dissolving of anything or any thought or idea.
It could be to annul or subvert something especially laws or authority.

This “luo” is a grave danger to which all of us are also exposed to…

The danger to allow lethargy to troop in, in the name of “easiness”
The danger to allow lukewarmness to creep in, in the name of “convenience”
The danger to allow sluggishness to dominate, in the name of “broadmindedness”

The Lord today invites us to examine and probe into areas of our life that needs a real “tightening” and “intensification”

Has my prayer life become relaxed and casual…

Can I “tighten” it up, to grow in deeper communion with the Lord?

Has my participation in the Holy Eucharist become too monotonous and more “ritualistic”…

Can I “intensify” my preparation and participation in this most sacred act of the world?

Has my reading of the Word of God taken a backseat or lost its significance in my daily life…

Can I “tighten” it up, in order to draw strength from the mighty sword of God’s Word?

Has my relationship with my fellow people and the needy ones, devoid charity and kindness…

Can I “intensify” with a truer interest in their concerns and making a difference in their lives?

Let us seek to have and live…
A life that is sinless…
A faith that is fearless…
An enthusiasm that is limitless…
A joy that is deceitless
And a hope that is endless!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
WALKING BY FAITH

We walk by faith, not by sight! We perceive God as “in a mirror, dimly” and only “in part”.
Even though enlightened by him in whom it believes, faith is often lived in darkness and can be put to the test…
… the world we live in often seems very far from the one promised us by faith.
Our experiences of evil and suffering, injustice and death, seem to contradict the Good News…
… they can shake our faith and become a temptation against it.
It is then we must turn to the witnesses of faith…
… to Abraham, who “in hope… believed against hope”
… to the Virgin Mary, who, in “her pilgrimage of faith”, walked into the “night of faith” in sharing the darkness of her son’s suffering and death
… and to so many others
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely…
… and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” (CCC # 164-165)

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