“Seeking to be united with the Lord, the Light, so as to enjoy an uninterrupted and continual supply of the power of joy, peace and happiness in our lives!”
(Based on Acts 15:1-6 and Jn 15:1-8 – Wednesday of the 5th Week in Easter)
The Time Magazine in its issue dated 19th November, 1965, reported of a major electricity breakdown along the US-Canada border.
This was called as the Northeast Blackout of 1965.
The impact of the breakdown was so great that it affected people in nearly 80, 000 sq. miles along the border!
The whole area was submerged in deep darkness.
The cause of the failure was the tripping of a protective relay, or a fuse, which was just the size of a bread box!
The safety relay, which was to trip if the current exceeded the capacity of the transmission line, was set too low.
A failure in the single fuse, of such a tiny size was able to cause the breakdown of an entire power grid of such a huge magnitude!
A tiny failure in the connections caused a mighty collapse!
A minor malfunction in the grid caused a major disintegration!
It is therefore highly essential that the most basics aspects of life, however small or tiny they may appear, be given the proper and appropriate attention.
Such is the case too, in our spiritual lives…
If the connection with the Lord, the Fuse of our life trips, our whole life will be in darkness!
If the link with the Lord, the Safety Relay of our life overloads, our whole life will collapse into obscurity!
The Gospel of the Day invites us to continually nurture and nourish our relationship with the Lord and to reflect the fruits of this affiliation in our daily lives.
Jesus says that, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit, because without me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15: 5)
These are highly powerful words of the Divine Lord…”WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING!”
There are a few implications of these powerful words….
- Its a great message of hope
The statement of the Lord is a deep assurance that in every moment of our lives, we can bank on Him.
St Paul realized the deep understanding of this message of hope and could cry out, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13)
We can place our hope in the Lord…
… even when all seems lost and crashed in life
… even when things hit rock bottom in our life
- It’s a great message of warning
The statement of the Lord is also a grave warning that in every moment of our lie, we can crack without Him!
The Prodigal Son realized the depth of such a break of relationship, when he had gone away from his father, and found himself in dire needs.
He would therefore say, “I shall get up and go to my Father and I shall say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you…’ (Lk 15: 18)
We are warned by the Lord…
… in every moment, we need to be dependent on the Lord
… in every situation of life, we cannot achieve true success by our own merits and talents
Sometimes in life, when things go on well and when everything seems fine, we tend to forget that it is the Lord, who is ultimately leading and guiding us.
We get into a feeling that it is my achievements and hard work alone, that is the cause of every success and smile that I enjoy.
But once in a way, when darkness engulfs our lives, maybe by way of…
… a sickness or a death…
… a financial difficulty or uncertainty of the future…
… crisis in relationships or breakage of human bonding
… or any other problem or difficulty…
We realize that there is a tripping in our relationship with the Lord, the Fuse of our life!
Unless we stay connected to this Mighty Fuse, our lives will stay in gloom and shadow
When we are connected with the Lord, even in the midst of any crisis, the supply of inner joy and peace will always remain constant!
When we are in link with the Lord, even with problems encompassing us, the streaming of Divine calm and happiness, will always remain uninterrupted!
As St John of the Cross says, “Oh, how happy is this soul that is ever conscious of God resting and reposing within its breast!”
The early Christian community gives us a beautiful example of coming together in the name of the Lord in order to resolve a crisis (Acts 15:1ff)
They realised that every human problem has its solution and consolation in the Lord!
Let us always seek to be united with the Lord, the Light, so as to enjoy an uninterrupted and continual supply of the power of joy, peace and happiness in our lives!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CELEBRATING THE CHURCH’S LITURGY – Who celebrates?
Liturgy is an “action” of the whole Christ (Christus totus).
Those who even now celebrate it without signs are already in the heavenly liturgy, where celebration is wholly communion and feast.
The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the Church’s liturgy, first reveals to us, “A throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne”: “the Lord God.”
It then shows the Lamb, “standing, as though it had been slain”: Christ crucified and risen, the one high priest of the true sanctuary, the same one “who offers and is offered, who gives and is given.”
Finally it presents “the river of the water of life… flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb,” one of most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit.
“Recapitulated in Christ,” these are the ones who take part in the service of the praise of God and the fulfilment of his plan: the heavenly powers, all creation (the four living beings), the servants of the Old and New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People of God (the one hundred and forty-four thousand)…
… especially the martyrs “slain for the word of God”
… and the all-holy Mother of God (the Woman), the Bride of the Lamb
… and finally “a great multitude which no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and tongues. (CCC #1137-1138)
Reflection Capsules 