“Deepening our love and conviction in the Amazing Love of the Father Who sent His Only Son for us, and strengthens us, every moment, by His Holy Spirit!”

(Based on Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Pt 3:15-18 and Jn 14:15-21 – Sixth Sunday of Easter)

A young man was to be sentenced to the prison for a serious offence.

The judge had known him from childhood, for he was well acquainted with his late father.

His father was a famous legal scholar and the author of an exhaustive study entitled, “The Law of Trusts.”

“Do you remember your father?” asked the magistrate.

“I remember him well, your honour,” came the reply.

Seeking to probe further, the judge said, “As you are about to be sentenced and as you think of your wonderful dad, what do you remember most clearly about him?”

There was a groaning pause.

Then the judge received an answer he had not expected.

“I remember when I went to him for advice.
He looked up at me from the book he was writing and said, ‘Run along, boy; I’m busy!’

When I went to him for companionship, he turned me away, saying “Run along, son; the writing of this book must be finished!’

Your honour, you remember him as a great lawyer.

But I remember him, only as a lost friend!”

The magistrate muttered to himself, “Alas! He finished the book, but lost the boy!”

The busyness of the father resulted in the boy failing to receive love, and thus ended up into bad ways of living.

Every person longs for love…
Every person longs to be cared for…

The father in this story, achieved great success in his worldly life, but failed miserably to love and care for his son.

However, in absolute contrast, we have our Heavenly Father, who is deeply in love with us, His children, and who never ceases to express His caring affection to us, at every moment.

Our Heavenly Father is also busy…
… but busy in loving His children, and expressing His constant care.

The Gospel of the Day is a testimony of Jesus affirming the assuring and loving presence of God, our Heavenly Father…
… Who would send the Holy Spirit amidst us, in order to always keep alive the presence of Jesus in our hearts.

Jesus assures: “And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Counsellor, to be with you, forever…” (Jn 14:16)

The context of this Gospel Passage is the talk with the disciples at The Last Supper.

This is the last discourse that the Lord has with His disciples, before His agonizing moments of the Passion.

He does not leave His chosen ones in desperation or dejection

Instead, He assures them…
… of His continual Presence
… of the Abiding Love of the Father
… of the Guiding assistance of the Holy Spirit

The early Church continually experienced this bountiful presence of the Lord –as seen in Acts 8:14-17
“Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 8:17)

Later, in this discourse, the Lord will go on to declare: “… the Father Himself loves you…” (Jn 16: 27a)

These are beautiful words, which ought to be inscribed in golden shades, on the canvas of our hearts!

This is indeed one of the mightiest and loftiest truth that we all need to know, experience, be convinced of, and live constantly in its assurance…
… the truth that “The Father Himself loves us!”
… the truth that the “Triune God is always with us!”

Every person longs for love and longs to be cared for…

Human love, however, sometimes fails to answer to this basic and essential need.

Sometimes people around us get too busy, to even care for us…
Sometimes, people from whom we expect love, fail to understand our need…
Sometimes, people who ought to care for us, fall short of their responsibility….

All this…
… could leave a feeling a hurt within us.
… could imprint a wound of sadness inside of us.

But in such moments of feeling lonely and desperation, Jesus assures and promises us that we are not abandoned or left lonely…

Instead Jesus emphatically proclaims that just as He was loved by His Father, we too are loved by our Heavenly Father – “He who loves me, will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (Jn 14:21)

It is confidence in this tremendous love of the Father…
… that will make us to be strong in weak moments, knowing that the Lord is always with us – “I will not leave you desolate” (Jn 14: 18)

It is conviction in this unconditional love of the Father…
… that will make us to enjoy a deep sense of joy and bliss, knowing that in any situation of gloom or sadness or tension or worry, the Lord will take us through

Our Heavenly Father – our Abba – is in deep love with each one of us…

The Crucifix is the proof of this “mad love” of the Father.

Let us therefore orient ourselves to always seek and do the Will of the Father, as St Peter beautifully reminds us: “For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than for doing wrong!” (1 Pet 3:17)

May we, with His grace, deepen our love and conviction in the Amazing Love of the Father.

He is busy…
… but busy expressing His tender love to us.
He is busy writing…
… writing His letters of His precious love to us.

May we be privileged to hear:
“Wow!! He finished his/her life, and gained eternal life!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – THE CELEBRATION OF MARRIAGE

In the Latin Rite the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass, because of the connection of all the sacraments with the Paschal mystery of Christ.

In the Eucharist the memorial of the New Covenant is realized, the New Covenant in which Christ has united himself for ever to the Church, his beloved bride for whom he gave himself up. (CCC # 1621)

“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 the Fifth Week of Easter)

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 an student in the eighth class- 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?

Are we 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
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom

Whoever denigrates marriage also diminishes the glory of virginity.
Whoever praises it makes virginity more admirable and resplendent. What appears good only in comparison with evil would not be truly good.

The most excellent good is something even better than what is admitted to be good. (CCC # 1620)

“Growing 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 the Fifth Week of Easter)

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
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom

Both the sacrament of Matrimony and virginity for the Kingdom of God come from the Lord himself.
It is he who gives them meaning and grants them the grace which is indispensable for living them out in conformity with his will.

Esteem of virginity for the sake of the kingdom and the Christian understanding of marriage are inseparable, and they reinforce each other. (CCC # 1620)

“’Stirring up our lives’ to savour the sweetness of joy, peace and serenity of the Lord!”

(Based on Acts 15:7-21 and Jn 15:9-11 – Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter)

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 live in Communion with the Heavenly Father…
… in intense moments of prayer
… with a heart of thanksgiving
And we obey 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
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom

Virginity for the sake of the kingdom of heaven is an unfolding of baptismal grace, a powerful sign of the supremacy of the bond with Christ and of the ardent expectation of his return…

… a sign which also recalls that marriage is a reality of this present age which is passing away. (CCC # 1619)

“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 – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of 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….

1. 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

2. 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!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Virginity for the sake of the Kingdom

Christ is the center of all Christian life.
The bond with him takes precedence over all other bonds, familial or social.
From the very beginning of the Church, there have been men and women who have renounced the great good of marriage to follow the Lamb wherever he goes, to be intent on the things of the Lord, to seek to please him, and to go out to meet the Bridegroom who is coming.

Christ himself has invited certain persons to follow him in this way of life, of which he remains the model. (CCC # 1618)

“Resigning ourselves to the complete power and providence of the Lord!”

(Based on Acts 6:1-7, 1 Pt 2:4-9 and Jn 14:1-12 – 5th Sunday of Easter)

A visitor was once walking along a high part of the shore of the Dead Sea.

As he casually was strolling across and relaxingly enjoying, he lost his balance and fell into the water.

Swimming was an activity he had never learnt!
Desperation was a weakness that hastened to him quickly!

He could not swim and, in extreme anxiety, lest he should sink and be drowned, he began to fling his arms about frantically!

Was his life going to be terminated?
Was his enjoyable walk awaiting an anti-climax end?

At last, exhausted by wildly moving his arms for help, he felt he could do no more.

Then he found something strange happening…

The waters bore him up!

The water of the Dead Sea is so heavy with salt and other minerals that when he lay still in it he found he floated on the surface!

When he frantically moved his arms, in despair, there was immense fear of drowning..

But when he became still, he experienced the calm of support and strength!

Drowning was an impossibility, so long as he resigned himself to the power of the deep!

In our life of faith, are we ready to “resign ourselves to the power of the deep?”

The Gospel of the Day is an assuring lesson by the Lord – the Way, the Truth and the Life – to His disciples to trust deeper and place their hopes in Him.

The Gospel begins with the statement: “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (Jn 14: 1)

We need to highlight the context of this particular statement:
Jesus is having The Last Supper, with His chosen disciples…
… in a few hours from now, He will be undergoing an immense “agony” in the Garden of Gethsemane
… a little later, He would be undergoing excruciating humiliation and a painful death on the Cross.

Yet, with this impending dangers, the Lord is at peace within Himself

He not only nurtures a peace within; He even assures this peace to His followers exhorting them: “Do not be troubled!”

What gave Jesus this tremendous power to have inner serenity and peace, in the face of agonizing trouble?

It was His relationship with His Abba… His Heavenly Father!

He came to this world solely to do the Will of His Father…
… and it was the assurance of the Father, with Him, that would be the secret of His Success in Mission!

As Christians, don’t we also face immense pressures and difficulties in life?
… persecutions in witnessing our faith in the society
… challenges to live an authentic Christian life in a corrupt society
… struggles to live a holy life, in the midst of alluring sinful tendencies

What can give us power to have inner serenity and peace, in the face of such agonizing troubles?

It is only our relationship to the Father, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit!
It is PRAYER alone that can take us through the storms of life!

The Psalmist says, “I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Ps 4:8)

To be able to sleep in the midst of severe storms, is a sign of tremendous peace of mind!

Isaiah 43:2 promises:
“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown”

Yes, the one…
… who has immense faith and trust in God has absolutely nothing to worry, even in the midst of any storm or squall
… who has great confidence and belief in Divine Providence has just nothing to fear, even in the midst of any horror or terror.

Jesus was in communion with His Father.

This bonding made Him to be assured of every protection and care!
This union made Him to be rest assured of every safety and security!

And this important spiritual principle, Jesus teaches His disciples too:
The higher one is in union with God, the lesser will be the anxiety-factor in life.

Even when Jesus faced the greatest storm of His life – His passion and death – He was able to go through the crisis in peace and serenity.

Before being arrested and taken for being crucified, Jesus assures peace and joy for his disciples: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you” (Jn 14: 27)

The Lord today invites us to have this same kind of faith and trust in Him and His Divine Providence.

Let us realize that we are a chosen generation – God has called and chosen each one of us to live a life in Him by totally trusting in Him!
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light!” (1 Pet 2:9)

Faith and Trust in Him also demands that we set proper priorities and make choices for the Lord and His Kingdom.

The community of disciples, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, is a beautiful inspiration for all of us to set proper priorities for the Lord.

When they realized that there was a danger to side-line the ‘Word of the Lord’ to other ‘works of the Lord,’ they set apart a few people for the charitable service while they others devoted to prayer and ministry of the Word:

“It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word!” (Acts 6:2-4)

Life will, undoubtedly, bring with it many storms and tempests in life.
We may experience lots of fear…
We may feel the end is near…

But the one who trusts in Him – the Way, the Truth and the Life – is assured of safety and security!

The more we are close to the Lord, the deeper would be this faith and confidence!

Drowning in life is an impossibility, when we resign ourselves to the complete power and providence of the Lord.

The power of the Lord is with us and beneath us…
… waiting to bear us up!

Do we trust?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY – THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Marriage in the Lord

It is by following Christ, renouncing themselves, and taking up their crosses that spouses will be able to “receive” the original meaning of marriage and live it with the help of Christ.

This grace of Christian marriage is a fruit of Christ’s cross, the source of all Christian life. (CCC # 1615)

“’Learn Jesus’ more by faithfully attending His School of Love and doing away with ‘spiritual illiteracy’ in our lives!”

(Based on Acts 13:44-52 and Jn 14:7-14 – Saturday of the 4th Week in Easter)

Illiteracy is a deep crisis that is affecting our global society.

Illiteracy has many undesirable consequences and results.

While the call and efforts to eradicate illiteracy, has gained momentum over the past few years, from the spiritual realm, we are faced with a similar crisis: Spiritual Illiteracy

Spiritual Illiteracy could be described as…
… the inability to know or understand the promptings and inspirations of the Holy Spirit
… the lack of keenness to know about the Lord, His Teachings and His Mission
… the failure to have any interest to know God and His infinite love and mercy

This spiritual illiteracy is on the increase, and as Christians, we need to trigger a revolution to eradicate this hollowness in experience and knowledge of the Lord.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus revealing the spiritual illiteracy of His apostles, “Have I been with you so long and yet you do not know me…?” (Jn 14:9)

The context of this statement is the Last Supper Discourse that Jesus gives to His chosen disciples.

The disciples had been, probably with Jesus for nearly three years…

They had seen Him performing a number of miracles

They had heard Him speak of the glorious Kingdom of God.

They had experienced Him endowed with the special favour of God

They had touched Him and received powers and graces for the mission.

Yet, when Jesus speaks to them about the Father, the disciples express their ignorance.

Jesus, therefore, puts forward the question, “Have I been with you so long and yet you do not know me…?” (Jn 14:9)

Our lives can also resemble that of these disciples in being ignorant and unaware about the Lord.

We may remain “illiterate” spiritually, even though we have been admitted for a long time in the school of Jesus.

We may be “illiterate” in knowing…
… the vision of Jesus in building His Kingdom on the earth
… the feelings of the Lord in being passionately zealous to save all people
… the value of the sacrifice that Jesus has offered for us by His passion and death
… the depth of glory that is promised to us as a fruit of the Resurrection, if we follow Him

This spiritual “illiteracy” causes us…
… to remain unaware of the power and workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives
… to become lethargic and uninterested to know more about the Lord and His Word
… to be lukewarm and indifferent to explore the Lord deeper, especially in His Sacraments.

The call of the Gospel is to rekindle the fire to know the Lord more intimately and closely.

The book of Hosea (Hos 4:6) places a warning if we are to continue in this “illiteracy”:
“My people perish for want of knowledge!

Since you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from my priesthood!
Since you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your sons”

A revolution is to be triggered so that “spiritual illiteracy” can be wiped away!

This is also a wonderful opportunity for us to examine the possible means of “knowing” the Lord and the many opportunities that we squander away in “knowing” Him deeper…
… Do I set apart, sometime at least, daily, reading the Bible – His Holy Word?
… Do I spend time, without any fail, in quiet prayerful moments with the Lord?
… Do I maximize my possibilities of meeting the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament?
… Do I pick up opportunities to listen to His Spirit in the various situations of my life?
… Do I ignite the sparks of desire to participate in the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist and Confession?

St Paul points to this fact of how many Jews failed to recognize Jesus as the Messiah…
.. and thus missed out on “living a life in Him”
… and how the Gentiles would “learn the path to eternal life!”

“And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’” (Acts 13:46-47)

Jesus desires that we know Him more…
… not just ‘about’ Him
… not just intellectual knowledge
… not just His teachings or wisdom
… But Him!

He wants all to have an “experiential” and a “living” experience of Him!

Let us “learn Jesus” more and more, faithfully attending His School of Love and doing away with the “spiritual illiteracy” in our lives!

LEARN JESUS to LIVE JESUS to GIVE JESUS!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Marriage in the Lord

This unequivocal insistence on the indissolubility of the marriage bond may have left some perplexed and could seem to be a demand impossible to realize.
However, Jesus has not placed on spouses a burden impossible to bear, or too heavy – heavier than the Law of Moses.

By coming to restore the original order of creation disturbed by sin, he himself gives the strength and grace to live marriage in the new dimension of the Reign of God. (CCC #1615)

“Being willing to let go a life of sin, embrace the words of the Lord and live them joyfully and fervently in our life!”

(Based on Acts 13:26-33 and Jn 14:1-6 –
Thursday of the 4th Week in Easter)

Most of us would have experienced the “falling asleep” or “numbness” of arms, legs and feet, especially while sitting cross-legged (usually while sitting on the floor).

Right?

Technically known as “peripheral neuropathy” or “paraesthesia”, this syndrome is caused by the compression of specific nerves.

When one sits cross-legged, sleep with arm above the head, or position any limb in such a way to put excess pressure on a nerve, that nerve will stop sending impulses normally.

If the pressure is great, or the duration long, the nerve will eventually stop sending impulses altogether.

That particular area will essentially then “fall asleep” or feel “numb”.

Once the pressure is relieved, the nerve starts functioning normally again and one is able to move the limb.

It may, however, take some time to work properly and one may feel some tingling, “pins and needles,”during the process.

Spiritually speaking, it is very much possible that one experiences such “falling asleep” or a “numbness” in one’s conscience.

This is spiritual paraesthesia!

This “lack of sensation” can cause one to be “life-less” and “feeling-less” to…
… constant occurrences of sin and evil doings
… frequent aberrations in moral and ethical life
… even constant spiritual reminders that the Lord gives us

The Gospel of the Day presents a case of “spiritual paraesthesia,”which could perhaps, be a reality in our lives as well…

Jesus, in the Gospel of the day, declares Himself as “The Way, The Truth and The Life” (Jn 14:6)

This reply of the Lord came in response to the query of Thomas, the Apostle who asked Jesus, “Lord, we do not know, where you are going; how can we know the way?” (Jn 14:5)

Thomas, along with the other disciples, had by now, spent quite a lot of time with Jesus, their Master….

They had encountered Jesus as The Way….
… the Way Forward: when sicknesses and problems of life had crippled the lives of many

They had encountered Jesus as The Truth….
… the Truth Uncompromised: when lies and malicious forces sought to thwart the plans of the Kingdom of God

They had encountered Jesus as the Life….
… the Life in Abundance: when hopelessness and sin would cause people to give up any aspirations for life

Yet, the disciples failed to recognize these aspects in Jesus.

They were perhaps, in a state of “spiritual paraesthesia”…
… being numb to understanding Jesus
… unable to sense the words and depths of the Words of Jesus.

And so when Thomas put forward the doubt: “Lord, we do not know, where you are going; how can we know the way?” (Jn 14:5)…
… Jesus emphatically declared, “I am THE WAY, THE TRUTH and THE LIFE!” (Jn 14: 6)

The Lord wanted the disciples to overcome their “spiritual paraesthesia”…
…and come to be aware of the Reality and Greatness of His Presence in their life!

Perhaps, we too often find ourselves in a state of “spiritual paraesthesia” or “spiritual numbness!”

One of the main factors, which can cause this state of “spiritual numbness,” is the reality of sin in our lives…
… which many times, we either deny or fail to acknowledge.

In the teachings of Jesus, one of the stand-out factor was 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

We need to make an honest examination of our conscience…

Is our life suffering from a “spiritual paraesthesia” or “numbness to what is holy” or 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 in this spiritual “paraesthesia” or numbness can very dangerously sever our relation with the Lord.

The Lord proclaims that “In My Father’s house, there are many rooms…” (Jn 14: 2)

St Paul beautifully proclaims the wonders of the Resurrection of Jesus and the promise of blessing that is enshrined to everyone who follows Him:
“But God raised Him from the dead; and for many days, He appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people.

And we bring you the Good News that what God promised to the fathers; this He has fulfilled to us their children, by raising Jesus!” (Acts 13:30-33)

Yes, the Lord wishes and desires, that all of us….
… should dwell with Him!
… should enjoy eternal life in Him!
… should reach the heights of holiness!

But this also requires our genuine co-operation to the Grace of the Lord…
… by seeking to get over our spiritual paraesthesia or numbness…

This process of getting out of this spiritual “paraesthesia” will involve feeling some “tingling pins and needles” of reparation, penance and atonement.

Let us be willing to…
… let go a life of sin
… embrace the words of the Lord
… and live them joyfully and fervently in our life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Marriage in the Lord

In his preaching Jesus unequivocally taught the original meaning of the union of man and woman as the Creator willed it from the beginning: permission given by Moses to divorce one’s wife was a concession to the hardness of hearts.

The matrimonial union of man and woman is indissoluble: God himself has determined it “what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” (CCC #1614)

“Being firm and joyful in being an ‘ambassador for Christ and His Kingdom!'”

(Based on Acts 13:13-25 and Jn 13:16-20 – Thursday of the 4th Week in Easter)

An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high ranking diplomat who represents a state.

He/she is usually accredited to another sovereign state, or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sovereign.

The ambassadors have some general functions…

Diplomatic :
Conducting negotiations with the host government, representing their state in meetings and delivering messages on behalf of their own government, receiving messages the host government for relay back to their own; being the spokesperson for their government etc.

Ceremonial:
Representing their government at public events in that host country and being the most visible symbol of their own country

Administrative:
Overseeing the operations at the embassy and of other diplomats and staff.

This word “ambassador” is also often used more liberally for persons who are known, without national appointment, to represent certain professions, activities and fields of endeavour.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus, the “Ambassador” of His Heavenly Father, and who in turn, invites each of us to be His Ambassador and of His Kingdom in our world.

Jesus says: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send, receives Me, and whoever receives Me, receives the One who sent Me” (Jn 13:20)

Jesus came into this world to reveal the love and mercy of God.

He is the Love made flesh and the Mercy incarnate.

While on earth, Jesus sought to be the perfect Representative of God, His Almighty and Beloved Father.

Finding deep communion in long hours of prayer, Jesus would emphatically give witness to His Father…
… by His mighty deeds of power, spectacular wonders of healing and His heart-touching words of eternal life.

This mission of being the Ambassador of the Father, was however, not without its shares of pain for Jesus…
… He had the face the pain of being rejected by His own people
… He had to bear the agony of being betrayed by His own chosen one
… He had to face the humiliation of the worst form of execution known those days

Yet, none of this could deter the Lord from choosing to be the “Ambassador” for the Kingdom of Heaven.

He today invites each one of us to be an “Ambassador” for Him and His Kingdom.

Like an ambassador of the state or a country, perhaps we too have certain functions and roles as being the privileged “Ambassador for Christ”…

Diplomatic:
In the sense of not being compromising, but a function that makes us to be convinced and passionate in preaching the message of the Lord and His Kingdom to others.

Nothing should bring us low or falter us from standing firm in proclaiming His Word and standing for His Gospel virtues.

Ceremonial:
In the sense of not being show-off or parading mere externally, rather a duty that requires of us to make our very lives and every action a witness of the Love and Mercy of God.

Our very words should reflect the goodness of the Lord

Our very actions should radiate the gentleness and holiness of the Lord.
Our very life should mirror the self-sacrificing and altruistic nature of the Lord.

Administrative
In the sense of not being power-hungry or position-seekers, rather,with a servant-like attitude, seeking the good and upliftment of others.

As a representative of Christ, we must also feel the obligation within us to bring others to the faith in Jesus and make His message of love and holiness to spread to all.

The spiritual growth of the other ought to become a genuine concern for me!

St Paul in his Second Letter to the Corinthians echoes this call and invite of the Lord, to be His Ambassadors…
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us” (2 Cor 5:18-20).

Let us be firm and joyful in being an “ambassador for Christ and His Kingdom!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Marriage in the Lord

On the threshold of his public life Jesus performs his first sign – at his mother’s request – during a wedding feast.
The Church attaches great importance to Jesus’ presence at the wedding at Cana.

She sees in it the confirmation of the goodness of marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an efficacious sign of Christ’s presence. (CCC #1613)

“Seeking to be warm in the love of the Lord, enthusiastic to receive the touch of the Divine and to be ardent to hear and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd!”

(Based on Acts 11:19-26 and Jn 10:22-30 – Tuesday of the 4th Week in Easter)

In many parts of the world, it is now nearing summer!

The effects of global warming are being clearly experienced in many of the countries..
… with increased temperatures
… unusual climatic changes

But it’s pretty interesting to note, that even though externally, the climate is warm…
.. there could be many areas in our life… which remain cold!

Isn’t it?

Perhaps….
… we are experiencing a “coldness” in many of our relationships
… there is a sense of a “cold wave” in our work-places, studies or in our undertakings and activities

We need the “tender touch” of our Blessed Lord to “warm” our “cold hearts” …
… and in order to come to experience “abundance of life” in Him!

The Gospel of the Day presents the dimension of “coldness” that was experienced by the people, who encountered Jesus, in accepting Him as the Lord of Life.

The Gospel passage the Day begins with St John giving a dual-context in the encounter between Jesus and the people…

1. The religious atmosphere of the time: “The Feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem” (Jn 10: 22a)
2. The physical atmosphere of the time: “It was winter” (Jn 10:22b)

The Feast of Dedication was also called as Hanukkah.

This feast celebrated the liberation of the city of Jerusalem from Antiochus, the Syrian King.

This King had desecrated the Jerusalem Temple by building an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs on the Temple Altar.

The Feast of Dedication celebrates the day that Israel regained control of the temple and re-consecrated it to the one true God!

However, it is to be noted that though year after year, they gathered to celebrate the re-dedication of the Temple…
… their hearts were, perhaps, still far from God Yahweh!
… their lives were, perhaps, still, yet to be in accordance with the Will of God!

This is what St John, the Evangelist, points to, when he speaks of the physical atmosphere of the time: “It was winter” (Jn10:22b)

This statement was not just about the weather or the season of the year

He was describing “a season of life… a season of faith!”

It was his style of diagnosing the interior condition of the “Faith of the People” who had come for the Feast of the Dedication!

Many of the people of Israel, were in a season of “winter”…

…”cold” in their hearts: to accept the person of Jesus – the One Who had inaugurated the Kingdom of God, going about doing a lot of works of salvation and healing!

… “cold” in their minds: to accept the teachings of Jesus – the One Who was exhorting them to live God’s commandments not just externally, but with the sincerity of the heart!

… “cold” in their lives: to accept the challenge of Jesus – the One Who was convicting them of their sinfulness and inviting them to a life of repentance and holiness!

It was this being in a “season of winter” that prompted them to ask Jesus with a sense of apathy and irritation:
“How long are you going to keep us in suspense?

If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly” (Jn 10: 24)

“Tell us plainly” was the utterance of a frozen people…
…who had “winter” in their hearts and their minds
… who were “cold” and had begun to take their faith for granted
… who were “frozen” and were merely satisfied with external dedication of the Temple, without an inner renewal of the heart!

We need to examine our lives and check….
… Am I also a “frozen person?”

Am I also, in a “season of Winter?”
… Is my relationship with the Lord, a mere utterance of the lips and fails to affect my daily living?
… Is my practice of devotion and my participation in the liturgy and sacraments, a plain ritualistic and a routine custom, without making me to truly enter into intimacy with the Lord?
… Is my life of faith, just an ordinary and lethargic one, taking the grace and blessing of the Lord for granted, and not wanting to make efforts to grow in love of the Lord and neighbour?

The Lord gives us the one straight answer: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them and they follow Me” (Jn 10: 27)

Let us seek to dedicate not just our externalities to the Lord…
… but much more our internalities – our hearts, minds and lives to His Providence

Let us seek to come of the “Season of Winter”….
… be warm in the love of the Lord
… be enthusiastic, receiving the touch of the Divine
… be ardent, to seek, hear and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE SACRAMENT OF MATRIMONY – Marriage under the pedagogy of the Law

Seeing God’s covenant with Israel in the image of exclusive and faithful married love, the prophets prepared the Chosen People’s conscience for a deepened understanding of the unity and indissolubility of marriage.
The books of Ruth and Tobit bear moving witness to an elevated sense of marriage and to the fidelity and tenderness of spouses.

Tradition has always seen in the Song of Solomon a unique expression of human love, insofar as it is a reflection of God’s love – a love “strong as death” that “many waters cannot quench. (CCC #1611)