“Growing in faith and trust in the Lord, even when facing the ‘tough exams’ of life!”

(Based on Acts 17:15,22-18:1 and Jn 16:12-15 – Wednesday of the 6th Week in Eastertide)

A law-school professor was telling his class what to expect of the final examination.

“The question paper will be nearly 14 pages long” he explained, “and it will take at least four hours to answer all the questions!”

Hearing that, the entire class groaned with murmuring.

As the class grumbled, the Professor added, with a tone of consolation:
“Don’t be worried.

In this tough exercise of the examination, all of you will be in the same boat!”

At this, one student, with a naughty grin spoke up: “Yeah, Sir… We all will be in the same boat.

Just that, the name of the boat would be Titanic!!”

(Titanic was the name of the boat that had a tragic end – sinking into the ocean after a crash with an iceberg and leading to the death of nearly 1500 people in the year 1912)

This little humorous incident (without being too critical or analytical), when looked from a global spiritual perspective, points out a grand and complex reality:
There are many examinations in life, which tends to drown our life!

To some questions of life, answers will be found.

But to many, there will be a mysterious silence.

Humanity does not have an answer to all questions in life.
(Just as in this time of the pandemic, we face the very tough question of grappling with this sickness…)

Yet, life encourages us to walk ahead, with trust and hope.

As Christians, this trust and hope finds a greater meaning and strength, because we have the assurance and promise of the Lord that He is with us, and the Answers to the Examinations of Life will be revealed to us…
… in and through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Gospel of the Day is this assurance of Jesus that even though many things are not understood in life, the Holy Spirit will reveal to us, in time and as needed, the mysteries of life and of our faith.

The Lord had been with the disciples for quite some time and had instructed them on many teachings.

Even at the final discourse, in the context of the Last Supper, Jesus teaches His chosen ones many things.

Yet, He still has many more things to tell and teach.

But like a loving parent, who knows the grasping power of the child….

Like an understanding teacher, who realises the comprehending capability of the student…

Jesus knows, that the disciples would not be able to understand still further His teachings.

And so He says, “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (Jn 16:12)

But He does not leave the Disciples in this state of hanging in mid-air…

He assures them of the Might Power that will follow His going away from the disciples.
He promises them that the Holy Spirit will descend on them and they would realise, gradually, the power and depth of His teachings!

“But when He comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you to all truth” (Jn 16: 13)

Our lives too remain a blank question-paper, with questions hurled at us, and answers found wanting!

Situations and circumstances put forward many uneasy, awkward and even unanswerable questions to us.

We look for answers.
We seek for solutions.

Sometimes we get.

But many times, we fail to obtain.

It may lead us to desperation.
It may even lead us to anxiety.

But the Lord assures us…
… that He has the answer to every question in the world
… that He has the solution to every problem of our life.

Of course, not all will be told to us, or revealed to us, at once.

They will be conveyed to us, at the appropriate time, in the appropriate situation.

From our part, what is simply needed is…
… an openness to His Spirit
… a trust in His Divine Providence
… a constant seeking to know His Will

The underlying principle for this simple, yet, seemingly hard to practise philosophy of life, is the fact that “God Loves Us” immeasurably, and that every moment of our life, is taken care by Him.

His glory fills the heavens and the earth.
His knowledge permeates in every event of life.

St Paul invited the people of Athens… to leave behind unknown objects of worship…
… and instead, to trust and believe in the Living God, Who has risen from the dead, and lives and moves in each one of us:
“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man, nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.

And He made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for ‘In Him we live and move and have our being!’” (Acts 17:24-28)

The greater our trust in the Living God…
… the nearer will we be, to the answers of life!

Yes, Life will constantly place before us “tough exams”

We may sometimes complain and grumble

In frustration, we may sometimes even feel that “lives may turn out to be like the Titanic!”

But let’s not lose hope…

May we rather, seek to grow in faith and trust in the Lord.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:

God is infinitely good and all his works are good.
Yet no one can escape the experience of suffering or the evils in nature which seem to be linked to the limitations proper to creatures: and above all to the question of moral evil.
Where does evil come from? “I sought whence evil comes and there was no solution”, said St. Augustine…
… and his own painful quest would only be resolved by his conversion to the living God.
For “the mystery of lawlessness” is clarified only in the light of the “mystery of our religion”.
The revelation of divine love in Christ manifested at the same time the extent of evil and the superabundance of grace.

We must therefore approach the question of the origin of evil by fixing the eyes of our faith on him who alone is its conqueror (Cf. CCC # 385)

“Thanking the Lord for the gift of life and with humility, totally depending on Him!”

(Based on Acts 16:22-34 and Jn 16:5-11 – Tuesday of the 6th Week in Eastertide)

Here is an interesting prayer, that perhaps, many of us might have not actually made…
… but perhaps, is echoed, in the depths of one’s heart:

“Dear God,
So far today I’ve done all right.
I haven’t gossiped, I haven’t lost my temper.
I haven’t been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or over-indulgent.

I’m very thankful for that!

But in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed…
… and from then on, I’m probably going to need a lot of help, Amen!”

Do we realise that we are prone to sin?

Or have we become quite “lethargic and tepid” in matters concerning sin?

Becoming aware that we are weak and fragile, helps us to depend more on the Power and Grace of God…
… Failure to realise so, will make us to bank only on ourselves and thus will lead to great falls!

It is the Holy Spirit that gives us the Grace to be aware of the “sinful areas and tendencies” of our lives…
… And helps us to totally depend on Him, to live a holy and credible life.

Jesus, in the Gospel of the day, enlightening on the coming of the Holy Spirit, speaks of the role of the Holy Spirit in convicting the world regarding sin.

He says, “And when He (Holy Spirit, the Advocate) comes, He will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation” (Jn 16: 8)

One of the standout factors in the teachings of Jesus is His uncompromising attitude with respect to sin.

And perhaps, this is where Jesus as a Holy Person stands out incomparable with all other great spiritual or philosophical leaders of the world.
This is also where Christianity as a religion stands out unmatched with any other belief system or practice of spirituality.

For Jesus and in Christianity…
… there is an uncompromising teaching on the need to root out sin and evil offences
… there is an absolutely unparalleled insistence on removal of sin for spiritual progress
… there is an unsurpassed assertion on being holy and pure to be in communion with Him

The Lord points out to this prime role of the Holy Spirit: Convicting the world of sin.

St Peter, after His first proclamation on Pentecost Day, had the hearers’ conscience convicted of sin. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and they asked Peter and the other apostles, ‘What are we to do, my brothers?'” (Acts 2:37)

It is the Holy Spirit that causes a person to become aware of one’s state of sinfulness and living an evil life.

This also means, that when there is “a loss of the sense of sin”, the workings of the Holy Spirit is also highly dormant and latent.

A “loss of sense of sin” occurs, when the Holy Spirit fails to have an active role in one’s life!

We need to make an honest examination of our conscience…

Is our life suffering from a “lack of sensation to sin”…?

Do I continue to pursue, persevere or promote deeds of sin…
… even though I am aware of it, or has been brought to my notice?

Do I fail to be sensitive to issues of immense sin and evil happening in and around me, in people and situations…
… and instead become indifferent and uninterested?

A persistence with this tendency can very dangerously sever our relation with the Lord.

It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we become ‘convicted’ of this spiritual malady and make efforts to overcome them.

Let the reality of sin be recognized and acknowledged in our lives and in the world.

Paul and Silas, who were locked in the prison, experienced the miraculous Power of the Holy Spirit – as we read in Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16:25-34)

This incident evoked feelings of faith and repentance in jailor. His cry for the Mercy of the Lord would be answered by Paul and Silas in a majestic manner: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household!” (Acts 16:31)

May we also have an open heart to accept this “conviction of sin” by the Holy Spirit and to co-operate with Him to remedy this spiritual woe!

As we thank God, every morning, for the gift of life, let us also, with humility and total dependence on Him, pray:
“…in a few minutes, God, I’m going to get out of bed…
… and from then on, I’m probably going to need a lot of help, Amen!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
MAN IN PARADISE

The first man was not only created good, but was also established in friendship with his Creator and in harmony with himself and with the creation around him…
… in a state that would be surpassed only by the glory of the new creation in Christ.
The Church, interpreting the symbolism of biblical language in an authentic way, in the light of the New Testament and Tradition, teaches that our first parents, Adam and Eve, were constituted in an original “state of holiness and justice”. This grace of original holiness was “to share in… divine life”.
By the radiance of this grace, all dimensions of man’s life were confirmed. As long as he remained in the divine intimacy, man would not have to suffer or die. The inner harmony of the human person, the harmony between man and woman, and finally the harmony between the first couple and all creation, comprised the state called “original justice”.
The “mastery” over the world that God offered man from the beginning was realized above all within man himself: mastery of self. The first man was unimpaired and ordered in his whole being because he was free from the triple concupiscence that subjugates him to the pleasures of the senses, covetousness for earthly goods, and self-assertion, contrary to the dictates of reason.
The sign of man’s familiarity with God is that God places him in the garden. There he lives “to till it and keep it”. Work is not yet a burden, but rather the collaboration of man and woman with God in perfecting the visible creation.

This entire harmony of original justice, foreseen for man in God’s plan, will be lost by the sin of our first parents. (Cf. CCC # 371-373)

“’Witnessing Jesus Christ’ – by thought, by word, by deed!”

(Based on Acts 16:11-15 and Jn 15:26-16:4– Monday of the 6th Week in Eastertide)

Every Christian is expected to be a witness to Jesus Christ and His Kingdom, in one’s everyday life.

In a random survey conducted, as to why many Christians don’t speak about Christ to others, some of the common answers given by Christians were as follows:

“I am not sure what I have to say!”
“My lifestyle doesn’t match what Christ expects of me!”
“I may not be able to give convincing answers, when questions are asked!”
“I am not sure if I will be called as a hypocrite – or living by double standards!”
“I don’t really care about speaking about Christ etc…”
“I think it is not my duty. It is the duty of the leaders of the Church. First let them do…”

And prominently…

“I am afraid what others will feel…!”
“I feel anxious if I will be rejected and be side-lined by all!”

What about us?

Do we witness to Christ, daily?

Do we speak about and witness the Love of God to people?

What answer do we have?

The Gospel of the Day is an assurance and an invitation by Jesus to live by the Power of the Holy Spirit…
… and thus be a “Witness of Jesus and His Kingdom!”

One of the primary tasks of Jesus, as he left this world, was to “Strengthen His Disciples”

He knew very well, how each one of them would go through periods of crisis, after His Departure.

When things go on well, life seems to be easy…
… But when hardships and loneliness creeps in, life seems to be too difficult!

As long as Jesus was with them, the disciples would have an easy life…
… But with the departure of Jesus, they would have to face a difficult life!

And so Jesus prepares them by assuring them of how the Holy Spirit would strengthen them:
“When the Counsellor comes, Whom I shall send you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth… He will bear witness to Me, and you also are witnesses..

I have said all this to you, to keep you from falling away!” (Jn 15:26-27, 16:1)

Jesus knew that all his disciples had weaknesses …

Some would be unsure of what answer to be given when questions were asked
(Like Peter who would deny Jesus, when questions were asked – Lk 22: 54-61)

Some would only worry about their own positions and comforts
(Like the disciples at the Last Supper, who would discuss the one who is great among them – Lk 22: 24)

Some would be afraid of the people and the society around
(Like the disciples who would run away and abandon Jesus – Mk 14: 50)

Some would prefer to choose riches and money, than Jesus
(Like Judas who would betray the Lord for the sake of money – Mk 14: 10-11)

Despite these weakness and fragilities, the Lord did not give up on them

He invited them to “Be open to Receive the Holy Spirit and thus to Live a Powerful Life of Witnessing!”

By this Power of the Person of the Holy Spirit, the disciples became powerful witnesses to the world, bringing many people to experience the Love of the Lord …
… as we read in the Acts of the Apostles…
“One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyati′ra, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul.” (Acts 16:14)

We too have our own weaknesses in witnessing to the Lord, in this modern society…

Some of us…
… are not sure of what answers to be given to questions that are asked about faith

Some of us…
… like to remain in our own comfort zones

Some of us…
… are afraid of “what other people will think” and if I will “lose my name and esteem in the society”

Some of us…
… give more importance to the false promises of the world, and don’t make a clear-cut choice for God and His Kingdom (Mt 6:33)

To each of us too, the Lord invites to “Be open to receive the Holy Spirit and thus to Live a powerful Life of Witnessing!”

Yes, He doesn’t give up on us.

Let us renew our commitment to the Lord, everyday..
… and by His Spirit, with boldness and courage, “Stand Firm for the Gospel Values”

Let us “Witness Jesus Christ” – by thought, by word, by deed!

May the life and witness of St Damien – whose feast we celebrate today be an inspiration for us.

His dedicated life of serving lepers in the island of Molokai, and finally become a leper himself
… is a mighty challenge for all of us, to “Witness Jesus Christ” – by thought, by word, by deed, especially in this time of the pandemic!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
“EACH FOR THE OTHER” – “A UNITY IN TWO”

God created man and woman together and willed each for the other. The Word of God gives us to understand this through various features of the sacred text. “It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helper fit for him.” None of the animals can be man’s partner.
The woman God “fashions” from the man’s rib and brings to him elicits on the man’s part a cry of wonder, an exclamation of love and communion: “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.”
Man discovers woman as another “I”, sharing the same humanity.
Man and woman were made “for each other” – not that God left them half-made and incomplete: he created them to be a communion of persons…
… in which each can be “helpmate” to the other
… for they are equal as persons (“bone of my bones…”)
… and complementary as masculine and feminine.
In marriage God unites them in such a way that, by forming “one flesh”, they can transmit human life: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”
By transmitting human life to their descendants, man and woman as spouses and parents co-operate in a unique way in the Creator’s work.
In God’s plan man and woman have the vocation of “subduing” the earth as stewards of God.
This sovereignty is not to be an arbitrary and destructive domination. God calls man and woman, made in the image of the Creator “who loves everything that exists”…

… to share in his providence toward other creatures; hence their responsibility for the world God has entrusted to them. (Cf. CCC # 371-373)

“Being filled from the fountain of love, and sharing the joy and peace of the Lord, to a world that is broken and seeks for consolation, comfort and calm!”

(Based on Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48, 1 Jn 4:7-10 and Jn 15:9-17 – 6th Sunday of Easter, Year B)

Mr George Crane was a popular newspaper columnist, psychologist and physician in the United States.
>> He speaks of an experience of a wife who came into his office, full of hatred toward her husband.

Seeking a divorce, she blurted out, “I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has caused pain to me.”

Dr. Crane suggested a clever plan “Go home and do this…
>> Act as if you really love your husband.
>> Pretend and tell him how much he means to you.

Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible.
>> Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him!

And, after you’ve convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bombshell!
>> Tell him that you are getting a divorce.

That will really hurt him!
>> Hurt him to the core!”


With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, “Wonderful indeed! That is a superb way of settling scores with the one who hurt me the most!”

So off she went, doing what was told, with enthusiasm, acting “as if”
>> She showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing…


After two months, when she didn’t return, Dr Crane called. “So, are you ready now to go through with the divorce?”

“Divorce?” she exclaimed. “Never! I discovered I really do love him.”

Her actions had changed her feelings.
>> Her “affectionate” motions had resulted in “loving” emotions with sincerity!
>> Her “acting” in actuality helped her to rediscover her lost love.

That’s the power of love!
>> Love is, indeed, the best medicine for any sickness which cripples human life!


And the reason for this amazing power of love is simple:
>> True Love flows from the heart of the One who is Love… God!
>> Genuine Love gushes forth from the fount of the One who is Love Incarnate… Jesus!
… “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8)


The Gospel of the Day is a wonderful exposition of Jesus revealing His love for us. He says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love” (Jn 15:9)

Jesus speaks of three dimensions of love in this Gospel passage

1. A Love that is obedient

Jesus says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love” (Jn 15: 10)

Jesus remained in the love of the Father, by doing His commandments.
>> And he enjoins the same principle of ‘Obedient Love’ to His disciples too.

The one who loves, also obeys…
>> The one who loves, also follows the commands…

Do I have a love that is obedient…?
… happy to undertake the various duties and responsibilities entrusted to me and fulfilling them to the best of my capabilities.


2. A Love that is sacrificial

Jesus says, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15: 13)

Jesus showed the depth of His love by undertaking the highest sacrifice of His own life.
>> And he enjoins the same principle of Sacrificial Love to His disciples too.

The one who loves, also offers and foregoes some luxuries and securities…
>> The one who loves, also gives up many of the comforts and personal desires…

Do I have a love that is sacrificial?
… willing to lay down one’s bias and prejudices, dying to one’s evil inclinations, putting to sword one’s bad habits that takes away from God and making adjustments of one’s self-desires to make way for God’s plans in life.


3. A Love that is fruitful

Jesus says, “… I chose and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain… “(Jn 15: 16)


Jesus showed the quality of His love by displaying the fruits of compassion, tender mercy, an accommodating heart, gentleness and generosity.
>> And he enjoins the same principle of Fruitful Love to His disciples too.

The one who loves, also bears fruits of patience, kindness, self-control and faithfulness…
>> The one who loves, also lives a life that radiates the fruits of joy, generosity and peace…

Do I have a love that is fruitful?
… bearing fruits that witness God’s love by promoting unity and harmony and attracting many to the tender mercy of the Lord by a live of passion and zeal.


The Lord loves us tremendously…
… with a love that is obedient, sacrificial and fruitful.
>> The incident of Cornelius – a gentile – encountering Peter…
… and experiencing the Redeeming Love of the Lord, is a proof that God’s love does not exclude anyone! (Cf. Acts 10:44-48)
>> God’s Love encompasses us… always… every moment!


Each of us are to possess this same treasure of love.

Love binds every brokenness..
>> Love joins every divorced situation…
>> Love unites every ruptured circumstance…


May the Lord enable us to be filled from His fountain of love and share His joy and peace to a world that is broken and seeks for consolation, comfort and calm!


God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
MALE AND FEMALE HE CREATED THEM
>> Man and woman have been created, which is to say, willed by God…
… on the one hand, in perfect equality as human persons
… on the other, in their respective beings as man and woman.
>> “Being man” or “being woman” is a reality which is good and willed by God: man and woman possess an inalienable dignity which comes to them immediately from God their Creator.
>> Man and woman are both with one and the same dignity “in the image of God”. In their “being-man” and “being-woman”, they reflect the Creator’s wisdom and goodness.
>> In no way is God in man’s image. He is neither man nor woman.
>> God is pure spirit in which there is no place for the difference between the sexes. But the respective “perfections” of man and woman reflect something of the infinite perfection of God: those of a mother and those of a father and husband (Cf. CCC # 369-370)
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“Being prepared to face any amount of difficulty to uphold our Faith in the Lord!”

(Based on Acts 16:1-10 and Jn 15:18-21 – Saturday of 5th Week in Eastertide)

The Boxer Rebellion or the Boxer Uprising was an anti-imperialist uprising which took place in China towards the end of the 20th century.

It was initiated by the Militia United in Righteousness (Yihetuan), known in English as the “Boxers,” and was motivated by proto-nationalist sentiments and opposition to foreign imperialism and associated Christian missionary activity.

The well-trained, athletic young men were referred to as “Boxers,” because of the martial arts and physical exercises that they practiced.

On one such occasion, during this Boxer Rebellion, some insurgents captured a Christian mission school and blocked all the gates but one.

In front of that one gate, was placed a Cross – flat on the ground.

Then the word was passed to those inside that any who trampled the cross underfoot would be permitted their freedom and life, but that any refusing would be shot.

Terribly frightened, the first seven students trampled the cross under their feet and were allowed to go free.

But the eighth student – a young girl – refused to commit the sacrilegious act.

Kneeling beside the cross in prayer for strength, she arose and moved carefully around the cross, and went out to face the firing squad.

Strengthened by her example, every one of the remaining ninety-two students followed her to the firing squad!

The example of the one brave and faithful child inspired others to also be bold in their defence of faith.

These children, strong and courageous, laid down their lives, to be obedient to their faith.
Fear of death could not strangle their faith!
Fear of persecution could not suppress their conviction!

The Gospel of the Day is a mighty invitation by Jesus to remain steadfast and bold even in the face of persecutions in defence for our faith in Him.

And this steadfastness is in imitation of Jesus, our Master, who Himself underwent a miserable series of pain, persecution , suffering and humiliation, and yet remain totally faithful to His Mission.

Jesus says, “If the world hates you, realise that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you” (Jn 15: 18, 20b)

The Lord is very clear in His teaching and preaching:

Friendship with Jesus would mean hostility from the world.
Non-compromise with Jesus’ teaching would result in antagonism from the world.

Our Lord Himself had to undergo this pain of rejection, persecution and opposition throughout His life…

At His birth, King Herod sought to terminate His life
After Baptism, Satan sought to tempt Him out of His mission.
During His ministry, the Pharisees and Scribes would misunderstand and misjudge Him

The Lord alerts His disciples that the same will be true in their lives too, if they too chose to remain faithful to their vocation.

As a follower of the Lord, we too need to be aware that sufferings and hardships on being Christian is sure to come our way.

What is our attitude and disposition to these trials that we face because of our faith in Christ?

Do we be bold and courageous…
… even when we are to face isolation or seclusion due to standing firm in our values and principles in the Lord?

Do we live our life in joy and calmness…
… even when we have to face misunderstandings and become an object of laughter, or called as “old-traditionalist” as a result of being staunch in following the Gospel values?

The world constantly ensnares us with temptations to abandon the Cross…

The evil one very often traps us with hardships to dilute our faith in the Lord…

Are we going to yield in to such temptations and enticements…

Or are we prepared to face any amount of difficulty, to uphold our Faith in the Lord?

Are we going to stamp the Cross of Christ and Faith in Him…

Or we bold and courageous to sustain our witnessing to Jesus in the world?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
BODY AND SOUL BUT TRULY ONE

The human person, created in the image of God, is a being at once corporeal and spiritual. The biblical account expresses this reality in symbolic language. Man, whole and entire, is therefore willed by God.
In Sacred Scripture the term “soul” often refers to human life or the entire human person. But “soul” also refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value in him, that by which he is most especially in God’s image: “soul” signifies the spiritual principle in man.
The human body shares in the dignity of “the image of God”: it is a human body precisely because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and it is the whole human person that is intended to become, in the body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit.
Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity. Through his very bodily condition he sums up in himself the elements of the material world. Through him they are thus brought to their highest perfection and can raise their voice in praise freely given to the Creator. For this reason man may not despise his bodily life. Rather he is obliged to regard his body as good and to hold it in honour since God has created it and will raise it up on the last day
The unity of soul and body is so profound that one has to consider the soul to be the “form” of the body: i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body; spirit and matter, in man, are not two natures united, but rather their union forms a single nature.
The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God – it is not “produced” by the parents – and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death, and it will be reunited with the body at the final Resurrection.
Sometimes the soul is distinguished from the spirit: St. Paul for instance prays that God may sanctify his people “wholly”, with “spirit and soul and body” kept sound and blameless at the Lord’s coming.
The Church teaches that this distinction does not introduce a duality into the soul. “Spirit” signifies that from creation man is ordered to a supernatural end and that his soul can gratuitously be raised beyond all it deserves to communion with God.

The spiritual tradition of the Church also emphasizes the heart, in the biblical sense of the depths of one’s being, where the person decides for or against God (Cf. CCC # 362-368)

“Grow in the light of the Images of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit to deepen our conviction and commitment to the Kingdom!”

(Based on Acts 15:22-31 and Jn 15:12-17 – Friday of 5th Week in Eastertide)

The Gospels are a beautiful account of the many narratives, describing the works, teachings and life of Jesus.

We get a glimpse to various images and facets of the life of Jesus.

These various images of the Lord, help us to relate to Him in a much more intimate and closer manner.

These various images of the Lord, also help us, in turn, to imitate Him and to live more and more like Him, in this world.

The Gospel of the Day… just six verses… Jn 15: 12-17, on closer reading, presents a number of images of the Lord.

These images will help us to…
… form a closer bond with the Lord
… imitate the Lord better in our lives

IMAGE 1: Jesus, the Lover…. inviting us to be His lovers!

The Lord says, “… love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15: 12)

Jesus is our Lover!

He is the Love-incarnate, and He expresses His deep love to us at every moment of our life.

Do we experience the Lord as a Lover…?
… intimately and passionately loving us, even in the midst of problems of life
… assuring His faithful support to us at every situation, even if we have been unfaithful

IMAGE 2: Jesus, the friend… inviting us to have Him as our best friend!
The Lord says, “… I have called you friends… ” (Jn 15: 15b)

Jesus is our Friend!

He is the One who shares everything that He has with us and does not keep any secrets in this Divine friendship.

Do we experience the Lord as our Friend…?
… constantly walking beside us, sharing our every emotion – joy, sorrow, hateful feelings, frustration, silly thoughts, stupid doubts, unseen jealousies etc
… on whom we can rely on, in any situation of life – may not get an answer in every problem, but surely being strengthened in having a shoulder to lean on and hands to hold onto!

IMAGE 3: Jesus, the brother…inviting us to share in His Sonship!
The Lord says, “… I have told you everything I have heard from My Father” (Jn 15: 15)

Jesus, the Son of the Heavenly Father, is our Brother!

We are raised to a status of being “sons in the Son”!
We are given the privilege to address God – not as any impersonal being, or a distant reality.. but as our Father – a loving Daddy, a caring Parent!

Do we experience the Lord as our Brother…?
… the One who reveals the secrets of the Heavenly Family and bids us have a closer union with the Divine Family
… the One who asks us to cast off our fear of God as being some strict rule-keeper and instead to cherish His Fatherly affection and fondness

IMAGE 4: Jesus, the Master… inviting us to give heed to His commandments!
The Lord says, ” This I command: love one another” (Jn 15: 17)

Jesus is our Master!

We are obliged to obey the order of the Lord and carry out His plans and wishes faithfully.

Do we experience the Lord as our Master…?
… giving heed to His commandment of being an instrument of love and harmony in our life situations
… being faithful, in little or big things, to please the Master at all times

IMAGE 5: Jesus, the Intercessor… inviting us to cast our concerns to Him!
The Lord says, “… whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you” (Jn 15:16b)

Jesus is our Intercessor!

By His Holy Sacrifice, He has become the mediator and intercessor for the entire human race, before the Heavenly Father (1 Tim 2:5)

Do we experience the Lord as our Intercessor…?
… bringing before Him our concerns and the needs of the world, knowing that intercession is a very powerful means of alleviating the struggles and problems of the world
… becoming a prayer-warrior and helping the grace and intervention of God to be felt by people who are in distress and trouble

IMAGE 6: Jesus, the Missionary.. inviting us to be co-workers in His Project Kingdom!
The Lord says, “you did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” (Jn 15: 16a)

Jesus is our model Missionary

The mission that was entrusted by the Father is now shared by Jesus to all of us, and we become partners and collaborators with Him

Do we experience Jesus as our model Missionary…?
… knowing that He is the ideal and perfect missionary and that I must seek to imitate Him, in bringing God’s reign in the lives of people
… realising that it is a huge honour and a big responsibility that is placed on me, to be a co-worker and teammate of the Lord.

The Gospel presents these powerful images of the Lord to grow closer to Him and to reflect these images, in our contexts.

The early Church reflected on the various dimensions and guidance of the Lord, working in their lives and made decisions in the light of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:22-31)

We are also invited to grow in the light of the Images of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit to deepen our conviction and commitment to the Kingdom!

Let the words of St Clare inspire us:
“We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.

If we love things, we become a thing.
If we love nothing, we become nothing.

Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ, rather it means becoming the image of the beloved, an image disclosed through transformation.

This means we are to become vessels of God´s compassionate love for others.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
MAN

God created everything for man, but man in turn was created to serve and love God and to offer all creation back to him:
“In reality it is only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of man truly becomes clear.”
Because of its common origin the human race forms a unity, for “from one ancestor (God) made all nations to inhabit the whole earth”

“This law of human solidarity and charity,” without excluding the rich variety of persons, cultures and peoples, assures us that all men are truly brethren. (Cf. CCC # 358-361)

“’Stirring up our lives’ to savour the sweetness of joy, peace and serenity, by obeying God’s commandments”

(Based on Acts 15:7-21 and Jn 15:9-11 – Thursday of 5th Week in Eastertide)

One of the wonderful SMS’s that has been read and circulated by many of us, goes thus….

“Life is like having a cup of coffee…
You sit by the window, lift the cup, take a careless sip…
… and find no sugar.

Too lazy to go for the sugar, you somehow manage with that sugarless cup.

On finishing, you find undissolved sugar crystals, settled at the bottom!
That is life!
We don’t make any effort to value what is around or within us.

So look around… Maybe, the sweetness you are looking is much closer than you think!”

How often is our spiritual life also lived similarly…

We go through the rigours of spiritual practices…
… but they sometimes become mere routines

We perform many chores of religious exercises…
… but they sometimes turn out to be ritualistic.

Spiritual life becomes tasteless…

Spiritual life loses its fascination…

But Jesus, in the Gospel of the Day invites us to have a deeper excitement and happiness in life, by abiding in His love.

He tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy maybe in you, and that your joy may be full” (Jn 15: 11)

The Lord wishes each of His follower to live a life of immense joy and happiness.

Jesus, Himself lived a very joyful life.

What was the recipe of His happiness?

A life that was lived in perfect communion with His Heavenly Father…
… seeking union with the Father through moments of solitude in prayer
… raising His Heart to the Father in gratitude and thanksgiving at every situation of life.

A life that was lived in absolute obedience to the Will of His Father…
… willing to shed any personal comforts or desires to be faithful to the mission entrusted
… readiness to undergo any amount of pain and suffering, even death, to be totally committed

Jesus hands over this same recipe to us, to discover true joy and happiness in life.

When we seek to live in Communion with the Heavenly Father…
… in intense moments of prayer
… with a heart of thanksgiving

And we seek to being obedient to God’s Will…
… even at the cost of some personal comforts
… ready to bear sufferings to be faithful to Him
It is then…
… that we will experience real joy and happiness
… that we will treasure heavenly experiences in our hearts

Life grinds us through many tasteless moments and situations…

We get upset easily…

We tend to get defensive…
We get into a mode of being lethargic…

But the Lord says… “Stir up your lives!”

“Stir up your lives” to savour the sweetness of joy, peace and serenity…
… to taste the joy that is guaranteed by obeying God’s commandments
… to taste the peace that is assured by letting our lives be symphony of service to others
… to taste the serenity that is promised by always abiding in the loving presence of the Lord

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
MAN

“God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.”
Man occupies a unique place in creation:
… he is “in the image of God”
… in his own nature, he unites the spiritual and material worlds
… he is created “male and female”;
… God established him in his friendship.
Of all visible creatures only man is “able to know and love his creator”.
He is “the only creature on earth that God has willed for its own sake”…
… and he alone is called to share, by knowledge and love, in God’s own life.
It was for this end that he was created, and this is the fundamental reason for his dignity:
What made you establish man in so great a dignity? Certainly the incalculable love by which you have looked on your creature in yourself! You are taken with love for her; for by love indeed you created her, by love you have given her a being capable of tasting your eternal Good.
Being in the image of God the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone.
He is capable of self-knowledge, of self-possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons…

… and he is called by grace to a covenant with his Creator, to offer him a response of faith and love that no other creature can give in his stead. (Cf. CCC # 355-357)

“Being ready to be ‘compatible’ with the Ways and Commandments of God!”

(Based on Acts 15:1-6 and Jn 15:1-8 – Wednesday of 5th Week in Eastertide)

“Compatibility” is a term that is increasingly becoming a common word in our everyday vocabulary, thanks to the widespread usage of computers and mobiles.

Compatibility refers to a state in which two things are able to exist or occur together without problems or conflict.

It is the capacity for two systems to work together, without having to be altered to do so.

Eg. A computer which has a Windows 98 Operating System (the very old version) will not be able to support many of the latest programs and softwares…

It is because of a “compatibility” issue.

Eg. A mobile, like the old Nokia 1100, without an Android-base, will not be able to have many of the new applications like WhatsApp or Signal etc…

It is because of a “compatibility” issue.

This compatibility issue can also appear in our spiritual life…

When we are not in proper terms with God, we fail to understand many of His plans for us.
When we are not in line with God’s Will, we lose out on grasping many of His aspirations for us

And that is why the Lord will tell, in today’s Gospel, “Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own, unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in Me!” (Jn 15:4b)

The modern trend is often to “do things by one’s own capability!”

With the advancement in science, technology and communication…
… human beings seems to be becoming more and more independent and self-reliant.

This tendency, however, also hampers a Christian’s understanding of God and His “undeniable” Role in the affairs of the world.

God is often forgotten and side-lined…
… when there is economic prosperity!
… when there is abundance of luxury and comfort!
… when there is a “false sense” of surety that “all is well” in life!

But when such “materialistic comforts” are lost…
… people rush to God and “cry out for His Favour!”

The Lord, however, in today’s Gospel clearly points out…
… that “unless we remain in Him, we can never be truly successful!”

God is the only Foundation on which can be built the Towers of Success!

God is the only Compass that can lead to the proper destination of Joy in the journey of life!

This “remaining in Him” requires “Compatibility!”

Are we ready to be “compatible” with the Ways and Commandments of God?

Very often our life is not “compatible” with the requirements of Jesus, and His Gospel!

Our thought-pattern often fails to be “compatible” with the teachings of the Church….
Our relationship with others, often fails to be “compatible” with the command of love of all…
Our personal following of Jesus, often fails to be “compatible” with our dual mind of seeking also the pleasures of this world….

A great deal of “incompatibility” is often experienced by us, in the spiritual realm.

Let us seek to “update” our lives with the love and power of the Holy Spirit.
Let us pledge to “upgrade” our lifestyles with the convictions and truths of the Holy Gospel.

Let us thirst for Him.

Let us long for Him.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
THE VISIBLE WORLD

The hierarchy of creatures is expressed by the order of the “six days”, from the less perfect to the more perfect. God loves all his creatures and takes care of each one, even the sparrow. Nevertheless, Jesus said: “You are of more value than many sparrows”
Man is the summit of the Creator’s work, as the inspired account expresses by clearly distinguishing the creation of man from that of the other creatures.
There is a solidarity among all creatures arising from the fact that all have the same Creator and are all ordered to His glory.
The Sabbath – the end of the work of the six days. The sacred text says that “on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done”, that the “heavens and the earth were finished”, and that God “rested” on this day and sanctified and blessed it. These inspired words are rich in profitable instruction.
In creation God laid a foundation and established laws that remain firm, on which the believer can rely with confidence, for they are the sign and pledge of the unshakeable faithfulness of God’s covenant. For his part man must remain faithful to this foundation, and respect the laws which the Creator has written into it.
Creation was fashioned with a view to the Sabbath and therefore for the worship and adoration of God. Worship is inscribed in the order of creation.
As the rule of St. Benedict says, nothing should take precedence over “the work of God”, that is, solemn worship. This indicates the right order of human concerns.
The Sabbath is at the heart of Israel’s law. To keep the commandments is to correspond to the wisdom and the will of God as expressed in his work of creation.
The eighth day: But for us a new day has dawned: the day of Christ’s Resurrection…
… the seventh day completes the first creation.
… the eighth day begins the new creation.

Thus, the work of creation culminates in the greater work of redemption. The first creation finds its meaning and its summit in the new creation in Christ, the splendour of which surpasses that of the first creation (Cf. CCC # 342-349)

“Allowing Jesus, the Master of our hearts to take complete charge and thus not allowing the ‘burglar of anxiety and trouble’ to steal away our peace and joy in life!”

(Based on Acts 14:19-28 and Jn 14:27-31 – Tuesday of 5th Week in Eastertide)

For several years, a woman had been having trouble getting to sleep at night.

The reason was that she feared burglars (thieves).

One night her husband heard a noise in the house, so he went downstairs to investigate.

When he got there, he did find a burglar.
“Good evening,” said the man of the house. “I am pleased to see you.

Come upstairs and meet my wife. She has been waiting 10 years to meet you.”

“Anticipating troubles” is one of the greatest troubles that is faced by people!

It is said that “If pleasures are the greatest in anticipation, just remember that this is also true of trouble.”

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus warning us of this danger of increased anxiety levels and troubled moments and instead invites to lead a life of peace.

Jesus says in Jn 14: 27 “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”

The context of this statement of Jesus is the discourse at the Last Supper.

Jesus informs of his imminent going away from the disciples, which made them sad and anxious.

They had placed their hopes in Him.
They had offered their lives to Him.

But His announcement of departure caused worry and anxiety to the disciples.

Jesus, Who knows their hearts and gauges their emotions, however, assures them, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give it to you” (Jn 14:27)

The disciples entered into an anxiety-mode as their hearts got wearied with what was to come immediately.

But Jesus invites them to go beyond such peripheral worries, and be assured of a peace that comes as a result of trusting in Him, the Lord of all future!

When one is imprisoned in the immediate worries of life…
… one fails to enjoy the true freedom of peace and joy

When one is landlocked amidst the borders of impending fears and troubles of life…
… one is unable to move out to experience real inner tranquillity and serenity

Are we finding ourselves often in situations, when our “hearts are troubled” (Jn 14:27b) and as a result, “troubled to the point of losing sleep?”

Jesus, the Master Doctor of hearts, is ready with remedies…

He would give us the tablet of His peace which would subside our fears
He would give us the tonic of His soothing Word which would calm our troubles

Troubles will, without any doubt, always haunt us…
Problems will, for sure, often beset us…

But we need to grow in our understanding that in all this, Jesus, is in perfect control of our lives.

It was this deep faith that motivated the early Church to give powerful witness to the Resurrected Lord.

Despite their persecutions and hardships, they remained faithful to the Mission of the Kingdom and encouraged one another
“… When Paul and Barnabas had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
… And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed!” (Acts 14:21-23)

Let not the “burglar of anxiety and trouble” steal away all our peace and joy in life!

Instead, May Jesus, the Master of our hearts, take complete charge of our lives

In Him, we shall experience fervent joy.
In Him, we shall live with true peace.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
THE VISIBLE WORLD

God Himself created the visible world in all its richness, diversity and order. Scripture presents the work of the Creator symbolically as a succession of six days of divine “work”, concluded by the “rest” of the seventh day.
On the subject of creation, the sacred text teaches the truths revealed by God for our salvation…
… permitting us to “recognize the inner nature, the value and the ordering of the whole of creation to the praise of God.”
Nothing exists that does not owe its existence to God the Creator. The world began when God’s word drew it out of nothingness; all existent beings, all of nature, and all human history are rooted in this primordial event, the very genesis by which the world was constituted and time begun.
Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection. For each one of the works of the “six days” it is said: “and God saw that it was good.” “By the very nature of creation, material being is endowed with its own stability, truth and excellence, its own order and laws.”
Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things which would be in contempt of the Creator and would bring disastrous consequences for human beings and their environment.
God wills the interdependence of creatures. The spectacle of their countless diversities and inequalities tells us that no creature is self-sufficient. Creatures exist only in dependence on each other, to complete each other, in the service of each other.
The beauty of the universe: the order and harmony of the created world results from the diversity of beings and from the relationships which exist among them. Man discovers them progressively as the laws of nature. They call forth the admiration of scholars. The beauty of creation reflects the infinite beauty of the Creator and ought to inspire the respect and submission of man’s intellect and will.

The hierarchy of creatures is expressed by the order of the “six days”, from the less perfect to the more perfect. God loves all his creatures and takes care of each one, even the sparrow. (Cf. CCC # 337-342)

“Being inspired by St Philip and St James to be His True Apostles and thus live to a saintly life!”

(Based on the Feast of St Philip and St James)

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!

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?

Am I a Faithful Apostle?

Today Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of two Apostles St Philip and St James…

They lived a faithful and courageous life as followers of Jesus…
… and made Jesus more known to the world by their faithful life!

The Apostle St Philip was a native of Bethsaida, on Lake Gennesaret.

He was among the first disciples of Jesus (Jn 1:43)

(a) At the miraculous feeding of the multitude, it was to Philip that Jesus asked, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” to which Philip replied, “Two hundred denarii worth food will not be enough for them to have a little” (Jn 6:5)

(b) When through Greeks came to meet Jesus, it was Philip whom they met and it was he who reported to Andrew and they both went to Jesus (Jn 12: 21-22)

(c) It was Philip who told Jesus, in the Upper Room, “Lord, show us the Father and it is enough for us” (Jn 14: 8)

The Apostle St James is called as the Younger or the Less, because he was the second of that name who was an apostle of Jesus – distinguishing him from James the Greater, the son of Zebedee

St James the Less was also called as James the Just and is sometimes also called as the “Brother of the Lord”

(a) He is the author of one of the Epistles in the New Testament

(b) He was also ordained as the Bishop of Jerusalem.

The Gospel of the Day (Jn 14: 6-14) presents Jesus declaring Himself as “The Way, the Truth and The Life” (Jn 14: 6)

These two Apostles, St Philip and St James by their life, gave a faithful witness to Jesus – “The Way, The Truth and The Life!”

We are called and challenged, by these Apostles to do the same as well…
Being ready…

to embrace Jesus as The Way…
… seeking to follow only His paths and doing His Will
… being bold to stand firm in the face of hardships, while walking on the Way

Being ready…

to embrace Jesus as The Truth…
… wanting to let go a life of dishonesty and hypocrisy in our actions of life
… determined in the conviction to live for Christ and His virtues in day-to-day life

Being ready…

to embrace Jesus as The Life…
… willing to utilize all our talents, gifts, resources in life for the glory of God and His Kingdom
… being brave to let go off anything which prevents us from living a life for the Lord

The Apostles St Philip and St James…
… were greatly purified in their following of the Lord, through various persecutions and hardships

And finally, gave their life in martyrdom to the Lord and His Kingdom!

When there is determination and passion for God, we look for ways and means, to preach about God and His Love to the world!

No blindness can prevent us from showing people “the vision of Divine Life”
No illiteracy can stop us from declaring to people “the Word of Life!”

Let us wait at the “entrances of people’s life” and…
… point the “the red and passionate Love of the Lord” to the world!

Wish you a Happy Feast of the Apostles – St Philip and St James!

May we too, seek and work to be His True Apostles and thus live to be a Saint!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism:
THE ANGELS IN THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH

The whole life of the Church benefits from the mysterious and powerful help of angels.
In her liturgy, the Church joins with the angels to adore the thrice-holy God
From infancy to death human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession.
“Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.”

Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God. (Cf. CCC # 334-336)