“Rising up to the challenge to remain loyal and faithful to the demands placed on us by Christ, our Powerful and Mighty King!”

(Based on Josh 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b,
Eph 5:21-32 and Jn 6:60-69 – 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B)

“Tom Brown’s School Days” is an 1857 novel by Thomas Hughes.

The story is set in the 1830s at Rugby School, a public school for boys.

Much of the novel is based on the author’s experiences in the school.

There is a fine passage in Tom Brown’s School Days which tells of a boy who had the courage to stand up against ridicule.

A new boy – a Christian – had come to the school.

On his first night, in a room where there were twelve beds and boys, he knelt down to say his prayers.

But the boy became the object of ridicule and fun…
… others began to make poking comments
… some others began to laugh and giggle, humiliating him and his faith.

Tom Brown had been observing all the while.

It was at that time, that Tom also saw a heavy slipper flying through the air toward the head of the kneeling boy.

But the boy remained unperturbed and finished his prayers.

When the lights went out a little later, Tom Brown thought of his own mother, and the prayers that she had taught him to say, but which he had never said since he came to Rugby.

Then and there he made a decision that the next time he went to bed, he, too, would say his prayers.

When that next night came, the other boys in the room, ready to laugh and scoff at this newcomer who said his prayers, were amazed to see…
…Tom Brown, whom they all respected and feared, kneel down at the side of his bed and pray.

The courageous prayer of the boy, in spite of the ridicule, won the respect of all his companions!

Yes, Christianity demands…

And only the ones who are willing to respond to these demands are worthy of being the Followers of the Lord.

It pays to be a Christian!
It costs much to be a Follower of Christ!

In the Gospel of the Day, the Lord is pretty straight-forward and candid in His challenging requirements and would even ask us, as He asks His disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” (Jn 6: 67)

We are at the concluding portion of the 6th Chapter of the Gospel of St John – known as the chapter on the Discourse of the Bread of Life.

The hearers of Jesus, from the beginning of this Chapter have been taken through a very intriguing path…

It began with the fragrance of compassion and mercy being radiated by the Lord in the multiplication of the loaves (Jn 6: 1-15)
This fragrance developed into an aura of authority and power that was displayed in the incident of the walking on the water (Jn 6: 16-21)

This aura began to radiate more gloriously through His teachings on He being the Bread of Life (Jn 6: 22-59)

This glorious splendour was further revealed and explained when He declared Himself as the Son of Man who would ascend to where He was (Jn 6: 61-62)

The Chapter, as it’s nears the conclusion, finds many of the hearers abandoning Christ.

Therefore we read, “As a result of this, many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him” (Jn 6:66)

It seemed nice and wonderful to be the followers of Christ, when He provided food to their satisfaction
… But when there was a demand made by Christ, the “goody-goody” feelings disappeared and they began to reject Him!

Is this not the attitude that is prevalent among many of the Christians…
… including us, perhaps?!

As long as the ground of our lives, receives the continual showers of favours being granted and prayers being instantly heard, we feel nice with the Lord.
… But in the times when the ground has to experience the drought of delays in prayers and absence of the rains of consolation, we feel to do away with the ways of the Lord!

As long as the garden of my life, is blessed with the flowers of prosperity, security and comforts, we remain happy to be with the Lord
… But in the circumstances when the garden goes dry and the weeds of misery begin to crop up, we feel to abandon the presence of the Lord and tread our own wills!

And therefore the Lord asks us, “Do you also wish to go away?” (Jn 6: 67)

Faith in the Lord is no cheap thing!

It indeed costs to be faithful!

The History of the Bible is replete with examples for this fact…

It cost Abraham in giving up Isaac, his beloved, in order to prove his faith in the Lord
It cost Moses to let go off his weaknesses and frailties, in order to become the leader of a vast multitude
It cost Daniel to be cast into the den of lions in being a faithful warrior of the Lord
It cost Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to pass through the ordeals of the fiery furnace in proving to be loyal to the Lord
It cost Stephen a painful death by being stoned in order to witness his daring courage in the Lord
It cost Peter to be nailed upside down to stand firm as the rock of faithfulness and commitment

Yes, Christianity demands…

And only the ones who are willing to respond to these demands are worthy of being the Followers of the Lord.

What is it costing us to be faithful to our Lord and King?

Often times, our practice of Christian faith enters, tiptoed and slyly, into the halls of comfort and cosiness…

Baptism received long ago…
Sacraments obtained now and then…
Few Church obligations completed once in a way…
Occasionally unavoidable practise of piety and devotion…

This is all that sometimes it “costs” us in being a Christian!

But the Lord today powerfully seeks to shake off the dusts of lethargy and casualness and confronts us, “Do you also wish to go away?”

Our remaining with the Lord, ought not to be in mere words, but also in deeds and actions

Being with the Lord demands…
… that we grow in our zeal and love for the Lord
… that we become an extension of Christ to the needy
… that we strive to be passionate proponents of His love and mercy

Yes, let us be fervent in the stipulations of being a Christian…
… and be willing to respond to those demands that make us worthy of being the Followers of the Lord.

May our Christian lives be encompassed by a deep love for the Lord…
… and may we rise up to the challenge to remain loyal and faithful to the demands placed on us by Christ, our Powerful and Mighty King!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – THE CHURCH, MOTHER AND TEACHER

From the Church, a Christian learns the example of holiness and recognizes its model and source in the all-holy Virgin Mary. (CCC # 2030)

“Letting go our life, like St Bartholomew (Nathanael), into the Hands of this Wise and Knowing God – the One who is aware of every moment of our life – our past, our present and our future!”

(Based on the Feast of St Bartholomew)

An elderly person sat under a mango tree in his garden in the noonday heat.
As he sat, he looked at the pumpkin vines that were growing nearby, and said to himself: “How foolish God is!

Here he puts a big heavy pumpkin on to a weak vine branch and so can’t do anything, but simply lie on the ground!

And then He hangs these small little mangoes on a huge tree which can actually hold very heavy objects!

If I were God, I think I could do better than that!”

Just then, a bit of breeze came up…
… and knocked a loose mango off the tree.

It fell right on the man’s head…
… causing a little bump on his head!

This made him sadder… but wiser, and he quipped:
“Oh! Suppose if that had been a pumpkin! Gosh!!”

And he went on to say:
“Never again will I try to plan the world for God.

Instead I shall be thankful to Him, for He has done so well…
… He knows what’s best for me, every time!”

The knowledge and wisdom of God is indeed incomprehensible…
… In His Wisdom, He has created all things good
… By His Knowledge, He has fashioned all things for the best use

Are we ready to let go our life into the Hands of this Wise and Knowing God…
… the One who is aware of every moment of our life – our past, our present and our future?

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Bartholomew…
… who experienced this great Knowledge and Wisdom of the Lord in his encounter with Jesus

And surrendered his life, to follow the Master, till the end – faithfully!

When we compare the Gospels, we notice something interesting…
Bartholomew is not mentioned in the Gospel of John – but Nathanael is!

Nathanael is not mentioned in the Synoptic Gospels (Mathew, Mark and Luke) – but Bartholomew is!

In the Gospel of John, Nathanael is mentioned in connection with Philip

In the Synoptic Gospels, Bartholomew is mentioned in connection with Philip

Thus, based on these aspects along with the ancient tradition of the Church, Bartholomew and Nathanael are identified as the same person.

The Gospel of the Day (Jn 1:45-51) on this Feast Day is the call of Nathanael from the Gospel of St John.

The Gospel says that when Jesus saw Nathanael coming, He said of him:
“Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him” (Jn 1: 47)

On hearing this, Nathanael said to Jesus: “How do You know me?” (Jn 1: 48a)

This question – How do You know me?” – is indeed worth reflecting on.

From a peripheral look, we observe…
… This was probably the first time Jesus was meeting him, so Nathanael naturally was wondering how he was known.
… Nathanael also did not have a very high opinion regarding Nazareth, the place where Jesus came from and so would have wondered how a Person from there, knew him.

On a deeper level, we also observe…
… Nathanael was probably feeling within himself, “Does He really know who I am and what are the thoughts and desires of my heart?”
… He perhaps, was also wondering, “Would He also be knowing my past and perhaps even have an idea about my future?”

“How do You know me?” – the question by Nathanael to Jesus is a query asked by us too…
… perhaps in various forms..

“How do you know my past?”
Do you really know, O Lord, my past…
… the struggling times that I have gone through?
… the bad childhood, perhaps, or the disturbing experiences as I grew up in life?
… the hurts and the wounds and the injuries that I still carry in my heart and causes me pain?

“How do you know my present?”
Do you really know, O Lord, my present…
… the manner in which I am not accepted by others?
… the ways in which success evades me, despite the hard efforts I put in?
… the daily grinds of life to which I often have no solution and thus totally discouraged?

“How do you know my future?”
Do you really know, O Lord, my future…
… the anxieties of my unclear future and the fear of which direction I need to go ahead?
… the feeling of “I am lost” while taking decisions and unsure if I am walking the right path?
… the tension I go through on what will happen to me and my loved ones in the days to come?

But the Lord, Who answered Nathanael…
… had the knowledge of his past
… his present
… and his future

The Present: “Here IS a true Israelite. There IS no duplicity in him” (Jn 1: 47)
The Past: “Before Philip called you, I SAW you under the fig tree” (Jn 1: 48b)
The Future: “Amen, Amen, I say to you, you WILL see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (Jn 1: 51)

Turning His gaze on each one of us…
… with tenderness and love, the Lord tells us:
“I know you, My Child!
I know your past…your present… and your future”

Psalm 139 very beautifully speaks of how…
… the Lord intimately knows us!
… the Lord is clearly aware of all our thoughts and movements!
… the Lord is very personally with us in every situation of our life!

The Lord, Who knows our everything – beyond the borders of time – invites us…
… to trust in Him more
… to be aware of His Providence guiding us always!
… to give ourselves entirely to Him in love and obedience!

Many times, we might feel things are not okay with us…
… we might even complain against God and have an attitude: “If I were God, I think I could do better than that!”

But those could be moments, when we are given a gentle reminder by the Lord…
… through perhaps, some difficulties or troubles in life…

Which ought to make us realize:
“Never again will I try to plan the world for God.
Instead I shall be thankful to Him, for He has done so well…
… He knows what’s best for me, every time!”

May St Bartholomew (Nathanael) intercede and inspire us:
To let go our life into the Hands of this Wise and Knowing God…
… the One who is aware of every moment of our life – our past, our present and our future!

Happy Feast Day to you!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – THE CHURCH, MOTHER AND TEACHER

From the Church he receives the grace of the sacraments…

… that sustains him on the “way.” (CCC # 2030)

“Becoming an Apostle and Agent of Love!

(Based on Ezek 37:1-14 and Mt 22:34-40 – Friday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

There once was a farmer who grew award-winning ‘corn’ (maize).

Each year he entered his corn in the fair-competition conducted at the state-level, where it won a prize.

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him.

Among the many great practices that this farmer had adopted, the reporter also learned something highly interesting about how this farmer grew corn…
… and which made him to win a prize every year.

The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn… his best variety seed…
… with his neighbouring farmers!

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours…
… when they are also entering into competition with you?” enquired the bewildered reporter.

“Why sir,” replied back the farmer, “didn’t you know one of the important realities of life?

The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field.

If my neighbours grow inferior variety of corn, the cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn as well.

If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.

This is the reality of life that I have realized: In order to get the best out of life, I need to give my best to the other!”

Yes, the farmer was very much aware of the relatedness of life.

His corn could not improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improved.

Have we realized this reality of our lives?

In order to get the best out of life, I need to give my best to the other!”

Those who choose to live well, must help others to live well too.

The value of a life is measured by the lives it touches.

And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness…
… for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all!

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbours grow good corn.

Let us all Love those that cross our paths.

Yes, Love is the starting point, the end and the essence of a Christian Life.

The Gospel of the Day emphasizes and affirms this aspect of Love: Love of God and Love of neighbour.

The Pharisees come together to trap Jesus with a question from the Law: “Teacher, which is the most important commandment of the Law?” (Mt 22: 36).

The Lord of Love is sought to be trapped in a web of malice!

This was a complicated question that was put forward to Jesus.

The Jewish Law of the Torah comprised 613 precepts.

It was certainly a challenge to condense these codes into a single commandment.

Probably Jesus would’ve looked into the eyes of the one who asked this question and thought, “Why do you seek to put me to the test?”

There was malice and a corrupt intention in the one who questioned.

But the greatness of the Lord overwhelms the evil designs of humans.

Jesus answers the question which had an evil bent, with an answer filled with goodness…
… “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind….

Love your neighbour as yourself”! (Mt 22: 37)

Bingo..!

Two birds with one shot!

He not just answered His interrogators but He also proclaimed the summary of the Gospel.

He not just silenced His critics but He also won many followers for the Good News.

The Pharisee came asking which is “the” greatest commandment (Mt 22: 36)

He expected just one commandment.

But Jesus answers with two…and showed that those two commandments are nothing but one!

The Love of God and the Love of neighbour…

They were two dimensions of the same Love.

And this One Love, with two facets, formed the basis of all the other commandments of the Law!

The tragedy of our world and our spirituality very often, is the separation of these two dimensions…

One loves God….but fails to love one’s neighbour!

Another loves the neighbour…but fails to love God!

One loves to read and hear and understand God’s Word…but fails to apply it in real life.

Another loves to have a lot of social relations…but fails to build a strong spiritual basis.

One loves to preach deeply over virtues of the Gospel…but fails to live them in actuality.

Another loves to be in friendship with all…but fails in closeness with God, the source of Love.

One loves the Church and her teachings…but falls short to serve the society and its peoples.

Another serves people…but vehemently hates the Church, the ark of the Sacraments of Love!

Christian love is not just about emotions.

Christian love is not just about feelings.

Christian love, is…
… making a decision to serve, even if one does not feel so.
… being faithful, even if one is rejected or even shown indifference.
… being committed, even if one feels an aversion towards the other.

Easier said, than done….right?

This is where, we need to…
… depend on God, the Source of Love itself!
… draw strength from the Sacraments that the Church offers!
… display a Passionate love of God in order to share it with others!

Unless we are in Communion with the Lord, all this reflection remains merely a theory.

Unless we are joined to God, the Source of Love, all our meditations remain superficial.

We need to pray as the Psalmist says: “I love you, Lord, my strength” (Ps 18: 2).

He is the strength for us to love our neighbour.

He is the source for us to share our lives with our neighbour.
He is the supplier of hope for us to sustain in our difficulties to love.

As the famous signboard reads…
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred….

LOVE THEM ANYWAY

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives…

DO GOOD ANYWAY

The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow…

DO HELP ANYWAY

What you spent years building, may be destroyed overnight…

BUILD ANYWAY

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth…

GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY

The world is thirsting for Love…

Each one of us is called to radiate this Love: Love of God and Love of Neighbour.

Yes, let us deepen our realization: In order to get the best out of life, I need to give my best to the other!”

Let us become an Apostle and Agent and Ambassador of Love!

Let us seek the intercession of St Rose of Lima, whose feast we celebrate today.

She is the patroness of gardeners, florists and all the people who are ridiculed/misunderstood for their piety!

May her words inspire us: “Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – THE CHURCH, MOTHER AND TEACHER

It is in the Church, in communion with all the baptized, that the Christian fulfills his vocation.

From the Church he receives the Word of God containing the teachings of “the law of Christ.” (CCC # 2030)

“Raising an Anthem of Thanksgiving, Love and Affection to our Beloved Mamma – the Queen of the Heavens and the Earth!”

(Based on the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Last week, we had sung a beautiful Anthem…
… praising God for His Wonderful Providence, as we thanked the Lord, for sharing “His Glory with Mother Mary”

It was the chorus we sang in unison and love – The Holy Trinity, the Holy Angels and all people of faith on the earth –
… Just seven days back.. on the Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary!

Today we are back to chanting the same chorus and the same refrain with a deeper enthusiasm and stronger gusto…
… as we celebrate with heaven, the Coronation of our Blessed Mamma as the Queen of Heaven and Earth!

This Feast of the Queenship of Mary was instituted by Pope Pius XII at the conclusion of the Marian Year in 1954.

It was not a new doctrine or a new teaching.
It was not a new policy or a new understanding!

The declaration was merely an affirmation of the age old faith that has been celebrated down through the ages!

St. Ephrem referred to Mother Mary as the “Majestic and Heavenly Maid, Lady, Queen.”
St. Gregory Nazianzen called her, “the Mother of the King of the Universe.”

On this Feast Day of the Queenship of Mary… we are presented with the Reading on the Annunciation.

Let us travel with Mary, our Mamma and Queen…
… through this Life Transforming Event of Her life.

This incident highlights the journey of Grace and Mercy that God worked, to raise Her to a Glorious State!

1. The Simple Mary
   She was the simple and unnoticed girl of the unpopular town of Nazareth. She was an ordinary person betrothed to a man named Joseph.

She had her dreams…
She had her wishes for a family life…
She had her desires for a peaceful life!

But…

God had bigger dreams for Her…
… a dream which would make Her the Blessed among all

God had higher wishes for Her…
… a wish which would make the Nazareth Family a model for all

God had bigger desires for Her…
… a desire which would fill her with Peace amidst every pain

2. The Troubled Mary

She was deeply troubled when she encountered Angel Gabriel.

The greeting of the Divine Being made Her simple heart to be filled with feelings of concern and disturbance.

She had her concerns…

She had her share of uneasy feelings…
She had her moments of worry!

But…

God had greater cares for Her…
… a care which would make her a Mother to all those who have concerns…

God had finer feelings for Her…
… a feeling which would help her to Feel for those who go through life’s pains…

God had greater comforts for Her…
… a comfort which will lead Her to be a Comforter to the Uncomforted…

3. The confused Mary

It was a moment of great confusion and perhaps even total puzzlement as to how could the words of Angel Gabriel be believed.

There was great uncertainty as to how could a conception of this sort take place and what made Heaven to grant Her this choice of being the Mother of the Son of God!

She had Her confusions.

She had Her perplexity.
She had Her moments of Inner Turmoil.

But…

God had a deeper solution to Her confusions…
… He assured Her of the Presence of His Mighty Spirit…

God had an enhanced way out of Her perplexity…
… He calmed Her by opening Her eyes to His great works…

God had a deeper answer to Her turmoil…
… He relieved Her by reminding Her that all things are possible for Him

4. The willing Mary

The Fiat Moment – the time when Mary said the Big Yes to God’s Plan of Salvation!

It was a sacred time when Mary consented and became willing to allow God’s Script to work in Her unadorned Life!

She had Her mysterious moment.

She had Her ‘what-next’ moment.
She had her moments of indefiniteness!

But…

God had His superior light beyond all mysteries…
… She was to be the Woman of the Mystery of God’s Salvation

God had His clear plan beyond all doubts…
… She was to be the Perfect Executor of Heaven’s Plans for humanity

God had his superior design across all indefiniteness…
… She was to be the Refuge of all in Uncertainty

Today, Is My Life…
… just too simple and ordinary?
… just too troubled?
… just too confused?
… just too complex to be Willing to God?

Then Mother Mary is a model to us… a perfect example… a shining witness…a great challenge to us!

In all our ordinariness, troubles, confusions and unwillingness to God’s Will…
… let us trust and have faith in God… just like Mother Mary

And seek to always say to God, ” Fiat – Yes, Be it done to me according to Your Will!”

Let us raise an Anthem of Thanksgiving, Love and Affection to our Beloved Mamma – the Queen of the Heavens and the Earth…
… and with deep joy and trust, pray that we too may always seek His Will, and one day, come to share in His Glory, like our Blessed Mother!

Happy Feast of the Beloved Queen Mamma united with Her son, King Jesus…
… to all Her little princes!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

Keeping the same rule of life, believers share the “blessed hope” of those whom the divine mercy gathers into the “holy city, the new Jerusalem…

… coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (CCC # 2016)

“Being ready to let go of ourselves and get transformed to be a Volcano of Generosity!”

(Based on Ezek 34:1-11 and Mt 20:1-16 – Wednesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

One of the most powerful, spectacular and amazing natural wonder of the world is a Volcano!

The image of a Volcano brings to our mind a massive mountain, erupting fumes of smoke and lava.

A volcano represents mighty force.
A volcano stands for…
… immense heat
… great strength

The Gospel of the Day lets out a life-challenging message, delivered with much power and force…
… like a volcano!

We have the familiar parable of the Landowner and the workers from Mt 20:1-16 for our Gospel Passage today.

This landowner is quite unique and amazing in his approach.

He hired labourers for his vineyard first in the early hours of the day…

Then periodically throughout the day…
Finally, he hired some at the fag end of the day – to work only one hour.

The labourers in those days, like often in our society too…
… had no secure work and no consistent income.

They were given hired on a day to day basis.

Those hired late, were not sure of what wages they would be paid…

They had to, therefore, solely depend on the kindness of the one who had hired them!

The landowner in the Gospel, pays the labourers, not as per their work…
… but as per his kindness!

He pays the labourers, not just based on their hard efforts…
… but based on His big-heartedness!

The Landowner is like a Volcano – mighty and immense and great…
… in his generosity!

He is a Volcano of Generosity!

Like a volcano, he is mighty…
… in standing up to his principles in being firm to render benevolence.

Like a volcano, he is immense…
… in lavishing unexpected favours and rendering surprising packages

Like a volcano, he is great…
… in being fair in his dealings and yet going beyond justice to the needy.

This landowner is Jesus!

He is the Volcano of generosity.

Jesus has given us life and many essentials and comforts of life…
… in His generosity.

Jesus has strengthened us with His transformative words in the Bible…
… in His generosity.

Jesus has provided us with grace and mercy when we have been lost in sin…
… in His generosity.

Jesus has blessed us with His Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist to nourish us…
… in His generosity.

Jesus has showered us with love and affection when we have been broken and shattered…
… in His generosity.

All this He has done when we least deserved it.

Like the late-employed workers we did not deserve this great bounty.

Perhaps, some of us might identify ourselves with the workers who were employed at the start of the day…
… and we feel ourselves been cheated and treated unfairly.

We feel that since we have been more faithful and committed, we ought to deserve more!

But the words of the Lord, need to sink deep into our hearts, “My friend, I am not cheating you…
… Am I not free to do as I wish, with my own money?” (Mt 20: 13, 15)

Let’s accept it:
We have been treated justly…
… we have been given our just wages
… we have been paid rightly.

But we lose our temper, because we compare ourselves with others and feel, “I deserved more!”

We cry foul, because we judge other people and their efforts and say, “That fellow was not so much worthy!”

We shout unfair, because we look over on the other side of the fence and exclaim, “I did better than that one!”

We go blind to the fact that we have been treated justly, and instead crib that others have been prized with greater generosity.

This is the Volcano of Generosity – Jesus.

His generosity goes beyond our wildest imaginations.
His generosity crosses all human boundaries of expectations.
His generosity traverses way ahead of what we can think or conceive!

And this Volcano of Generosity invites us to be similar in our attitude and life…

Be a volcano of generosity…
… with encouragement, for those who fail in life, despite trying hard!
… with love, for those who lose heart and struggle with problems of life!
… with patience, for those who get irritated and annoyed with situations!
… with kindness, for those who constantly find faults and are pessimistic!
… with hope, for those who find no meaning in life and remain depressed!

The Volcano is one of the most powerful, spectacular and amazing wonder in the world.

If we can shape our lives, into a Volcano of Generosity…
… we too can be a powerful, spectacular and amazing witness to the Lord in this world!

Are we ready to let go of ourselves…
… and get transformed to be a Volcano of Generosity?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

The children of our holy mother the Church rightly hope for the grace of final perseverance and the recompense of God their Father…

… for the good works accomplished with his grace in communion with Jesus. (CCC # 2016)

“Giving heed to the exhortation of the Lord to ‘give up’ things that do not count and instead to ‘take up’ the greater priorities of our Christian life!

(Based on Ezek 28:1-10 and Mt 19:23-30 – Tuesday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Pompeii was an ancient Roman town-city near the modern Naples, in the region of Campania in Italy.

This city was greatly devastated – destroyed and buried – by nearly 13- 20 feet of ash and pumice, in the volcanic eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79 AD.

The dreadful eruption killed the inhabitants of the city and buried it under tons of ash.

During the excavation, plaster was made use to fill in the voids in the ash layers that once held dead bodies.

This made way for one to see the exact position that the person was in, when he or she died.

Several years later, as the construction workers were laying a foundation for a building outside the city of Pompeii, they found something very strange…

They found a corpse of woman, who probably had been fleeing from the eruption, but had got caught in the shower of hot ashes!

The weird part was that the woman’s hands clutched jewels, which were preserved in a very good condition!

The jewels were all hers…
… but death had rendered them useless for her!

That perhaps, is the bottom-line of life, isn’t it?

Treasures of this world are just not a wise investment…
… they can neither be taken with us at the end of life
… neither can they be enjoyed for but a few years on the earth

These are the sentiments and the teachings that are transmitted by the Lord in today’s Gospel.

Jesus says, “Amen, I say to you, it will be hard for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19: 23)

The Gospel goes on to say that, “when the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished…” (Mt 19: 25)

It is fairly understandable, that just like the disciples, we too find ourselves in a state of amazement, wonder or even shock, at the words of the Lord concerning richness.

Could Jesus “really” mean that the rich won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

Was Jesus meaning that all wealth is categorically bad and therefore to be dumped off?

One of the prevailing dominant notions with respect to riches, in the Old Testament was that, they were considered to be a sign of God’ special favour.

There are several references for the same…

In Gen 24: 35: “Abraham’s servant tells Laban, ‘The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy.’

In Job 42:12: “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.”

In Prov 10: 22: ” It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.”

But the Old Testament also very clearly points out that these material blessings ought to be undoubtedly accompanied by a concern and care for the poor…

In Ps 132: 15: “God will bless Zion with abundant provisions and satisfy her poor with food”

In Ps 37: 11: “The meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace”

Thus the teachings of the Scriptures point to a greater responsibility that is placed on the rich.

This responsibility finds it onus on discovering God as the greatest treasure and richness of one’s life.

The Prophet Habakkuk gives beautiful expression to this clarion call:
“… Though the olive crop fails, and the fields produce no food…
… yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.” (Hab 3: 17-18a)

This then is the spirit of “richness” that Jesus, the culmination of the Laws and the Prophets calls forth for.

“Richness” that rests not on material wealth…
… but on God, the Source of all wealth and prosperity

“Wealth” that doesn’t pride on external glory…
… but on the Lord, the giver and provider of every richness and gift

Our lives sometimes gets so pre-occupied and anxious with….
… garnering of material wealth
… planning on amassing greater resources
… harvesting mighty fields of glory and richness
… that God gets pushed out of life and the Source and Sustainer of all goodness finds no place in our hearts and minds!

But Jesus makes us to realize the need to discover, maintain and hold on to the Lord as the Supreme Treasure of our life…
… and consider all other riches and wealth as flowing from His Mercy
… with a duty towards sharing it with the needy and the disadvantaged!

Prophet Ezekiel reminds us of the miserable end of the prince of Tyre who savagely took false pride in his riches and position, considering himself even “to be a god” (Cf. Ezek 28:2)

“… by your great wisdom in trade, you have increased your wealth, and your heart has become proud in your wealth; therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you consider yourself as wise as a god, therefore, behold, I will bring strangers upon you, the most terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and defile your splendor…” (Ezek 28:5-7)

Instead of clinging on to worldly wealth…
… let us cling on the Lord, who alone can help us to find the true meaning of our lives!

Instead of holding on to material glory…
… let us hold on to the Kingdom of Heaven, where alone can we find the perfect peace and happiness!

As goes a beautiful quote: “A person is no fool to give up what he cannot keep…
… in order to gain what he cannot lose.”

Let us realize: Treasures of this world are just not a wise investment…
… they can neither be taken with us at the end of life
… neither can they be enjoyed for but a few years on the earth!

Instead, may we give heed to the exhortation of the Lord to “give up” things that do not count and instead to “take up” the greater priorities of our Christian life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

He who climbs never stops going from beginning to beginning…
… through beginnings that have no end.

He never stops desiring what he already knows. (CCC # 2015)

“With confidence, giving heed to the words of the Lord assuring us: ‘Trust the desert!'”

(Based on Ezek 24:15-23 and Mt 19:16-22 – Monday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

A river wanted to flow to the sea, through a vast desert.

But seeing the vast dry sand, it got afraid.

Fearful thoughts crept into its mind:
“The desert may gulp up all my water…
… the hot breath of the sun will surely dry me up…
… and I will be reduced to a mere stinking swamp!”

Then it heard a mysterious voice, “Trust the Desert”

But the river retorted, “But then, will I ever be the same?

Will I not lose my identity?”

The voice once again thundered, “There is no way to remain the same!”

So the river, with trust in the desert, began to flow through it.

The simmering heat of the sun turned her into vapour.
The wind carried her over, as clouds, over the hot expanse of the desert.
She was formed into rain!

And out of the clouds, came down a newer, fresher and much more splendid river, on the other side of the desert.

The river was delighted and exclaimed, “Now, I am truly my Real Self!”

Immense trust and making the radical decision to pass through the desert, helped the river to experience newness in life…
… and to enjoy the delight of a transformed and renewed life!

Is life calling us to have a deeper trust and cross through deserts, in order to experience freshness in life?

Or are we afraid to take that risk of losing many of the ‘things’ we hold precious to ourselves?

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus exhorting us to trust in Him, and to cross the deserts of life, “letting go of riches, in order to experience true joy in Him and eternal life with Him!

The incident of the person asking Jesus, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Mt 19:16) finds resonance with many of our inner desires and longings.

We too have a lot of questions, like the man who asked, “What must I do to have eternal life…”

How can I really have peace of mind and happiness at home and in my life…?
How is it that I may be able to experience joy in life, despite the many poundings and grindings that life renders me…?
How is it that I can be assured of the treasures of heaven and the bliss of life eternity…?

The man who enquired Jesus presented Him with a list of many activities and deeds that he engaged himself, towards this purpose.

“All of these (following the commandments) I have observed,” (Mt 19: 20a) said the man to Jesus

We too have something similar to say…

I keep on working hard, putting in constant efforts in my daily duties and the various responsibilities entrusted to me…

I toil very much in meeting life’s ends and gathering together my resources in making sure that things go on well in life…

But like that man, we too get lost with this one basic question, “What do I still lack?” (Mt 19:20b)

What do I still lack…
… that my life fails to be soaked in happiness and my heart misses the train of joy and peace?
… that my relationships fail to have the required fervour of love and affection?
… that my spiritual life fails to have the flavour of passion, zeal and enthusiasm?

This is where the Lord will tell us, “to let go of things that keep us attached”

Jesus says, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell, what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven. Then follow Me” (Mt 19:21)

• The man was attached to his possessions, even though he performed many acts of God’s commandments.
• The man found it hard to leave his riches, and his following of the laws of God made little impact on him, to make renunciations.

Therefore, the Lord diagnosed his problem as his inability to “let go” of his attachments.

“Unnecessary accessories” of life can be a burden in our smooth travelling on the path of eternity!

Are we also faced with the same diagnosis?

Do I find it hard to “let go”…
… of my selfish lifestyle and my own personal comforts… even though I seek to render service or engage in different works?
… of my egoistic tendencies and self-centred inclinations… in my relationships and in interacting with the people in my life?
… of my individual agenda and self-interested plans… and fail to base my life as per the Plan of God and walk according to His Will in my life?

As Christians, we are called to perfection (Mt 5:48)

This ‘challenge to perfection’ demands that we have to pass through the “deserts”…
… deserts of renunciation
… deserts of seeking only God’s Will
… deserts of altering our personal choices and prioritizing the values of the Lord

This will help us to experience newness in life and to enjoy the delight of a transformed and renewed life!

Let us heed to the call of the Lord today…
… to make such radical choices and decisions in life…
… so that we can truly experience the joy of heaven in our day-to-day lives and one day, be blessed, with the fullness of life eternal!

When faced with the deserts of life…
… let us, with confidence, give heed to the words of the Lord assuring us: “Trust the desert”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

Spiritual progress entails the ascesis and mortification…

… that gradually lead to living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes. (CCC # 2015)

“Seeing the world through the eyes of a child – in openness, sincerity, wonder and innocence!”

(Based on Ezek 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32 and Mt 19:13-15 – Saturday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Charles Francis Adams was a 19th century American historical editor, politician and diplomat.

His son was Brooks Adams, who became a historian.

A researcher, while making a study on the life of the Adams Family came across their personal diaries.

Both, the father and son, had entered a description of a particular day…
… It was a day when they had gone fishing.

However, interestingly, their descriptions had a world of difference…

The father, wrote in his diary:
“Went fishing with son. Day wasted.”

The son, however wrote in his diary:
“Went fishing with my father. The most wonderful day of my life!”

Why such a huge contrast in the description of the same day?

The son Brooks, was only twelve years at that time.

It was a bad day at fishing as they didn’t catch any fish…
… but they spent a lot of time talking

The boy had asked a number of questions, and the father had creatively answered…
… in the process, explained many important aspects about life.

The father, on the other hand, felt it as a waste of time…
… without even any fish being caught!

Our attitude in life makes a world of difference!

Seeing the world through the eyes of a child – in openness, sincerity, wonder and innocence – can help us to have “a wonderful day,” every day of our life!

Hence, in the context of a family life, there is a popular quote which says:
“A house is built with bricks and beams…
… A home is built with love and dreams!”

The Gospel of the Day presents to us an occasion to dwell on a reflection on our families…
… and some of the basic essentials that needs to be part of every family (religious community included as well)

Family Life is an important component of every society.

The Gospel of St. Matthew, Chapter 19, has an interesting structure or a progression with respect to the topics discussed and the persons involved.

The chapter begins with a discussion on the institution of ‘Marriage’. (Mt 19: 2-10)

Jesus explains the importance of this sacred bond and a strong exhortation is given on the need to do away with divorce.

The chapter proceeds, as we see in today’s reading, with a discussion on ‘little children’. (Mt 19: 13-15)

This discussion is followed by an incident in which a ‘young man’ encounters Jesus (Mt 19: 16-22)

The Chapter finally ends with an exhortation by Jesus to have maturity as an ‘adult’ is making choices for the Kingdom of God! (Mt 19: 23-30)

Thus, the Chapter 19 of Matthew is a travel through a FAMILY context…
… starting from MARRIAGE…and the need to avoid DIVORCE…
… to little CHILDREN
… to the problems of a YOUTH
… and finally ending with the choices as an ADULT.

In today’s Gospel, we have the discussion on Little Children (Mt 19: 13-15)

Though it’s a short passage, the Gospel gives us enough food for thought…
… especially in the context of a family or a community life.

We see four different groups or sets of people in today’s Gospel Passage, and we can learn some aspects from each of those sets…

Three of them give us a positive quality which is to be inculcated

One gives a negative quality which is to be avoided in life.

1. Firstly, the Gospel begins with the statement, “Little children were brought to Jesus…” (Mt 19: 13a)

Probably the parents, the elder brothers/sisters or the guardians of the children would have brought them to Jesus.

We see here, the First set of people… Parents, Guardians, Elders etc…. and they teach us the First Positive Quality – the Spirit of Responsibility!

They were Responsible in caring for the good and future of the children.

It was an ancient practice that children would be brought to Rabbis to be blessed and prayed over.

This first set of people teach us to be responsible for the growth of others in our family and in our communities.

2. The Second set of people are obviously the Little Children.

These little ones teach us the Second Positive Quality, needed in a family or a community – the Spirit of Receptivity!

Children display a great sense of receptivity and openness.

They are able to accept the affection, the care, the love and the blessings that are given to them.
They do not close themselves to the good things in life.

We too need to cultivate this Spirit of Receptivity, to be open to the actions, thoughts, views and feelings of others in our family and our community.

3. The Third Set of people display a negative attitude which we need to avoid.

When the children were brought to Jesus, the Disciples refuse to accept them and want to keep them away (Mt 19: 13b)

They show a Spirit of Rejection!

They perhaps felt that these children would be a nuisance to Jesus and His ministry.
They felt it as a waste of time and energy to entertain the children.

Little things in life were considered to be a useless and futile activity.

We need to avoid this Spirit of Rejection…

In our families or communities, we can have this attitude towards those who don’t do any work or fail to contribute anything.

We often fail to understand the importance…
… of little tokens of love
… tiny expressions of care by our family and community members

And we, instead, tend to reject and avoid them.

4. The fourth Set is represented by Jesus Himself…
   … and he presents the Spirit of Restoration and Redemption.

He does not reject…
… rather, He accepts and seeks to redeem the little children.

He seeks to restore the little ones who are rejected…
… who are avoided and who are not given the due importance.

In our lives, we too need to be having a Spirit of Redemption and Restoration…

To redeem the ones who are at the periphery and who fail to get any attention
To restore the ones who are broken and abused and are shunned!

Thus, this powerful Gospel passage teaches us…

To avoid the Negative Quality of the Spirit of Rejection…

Rather…

To adopt the positive qualities of…
… The Spirit of Responsibility,
… The Spirit of Receptivity
… The Spirit of Redemption and Restoration!

Let us seek the Intercession of our Blessed Mother that we may avoid the tendency to Reject People…

And instead, we may be…
… Responsible towards others
… Receptive to others
… and Redeem and Restore the lives of others!
And thus build happy and loving homes!

Let us always understand that “our attitude in life makes a world of difference!”

Seeing the world through the eyes of a child – in openness, sincerity, wonder and innocence – can help us to have “a wonderful day,” every day of our life!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

Spiritual progress tends toward ever more intimate union with Christ.
This union is called “mystical” because it participates in the mystery of Christ through the sacraments – “the holy mysteries” – and, in Him, in the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
God calls us all to this intimate union with him, even if the special graces or extraordinary signs of this mystical life…

… are granted only to some for the sake of manifesting the gratuitous gift given to all. (CCC # 2014)

(Based on Ezek 16:1-15, 60, 63 and Mt 19:3-12 – Friday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2)

Henry Ford is the founder of the Ford Motor Company.

He manufactured the first automobile that was affordable even to the middle class – an object of expensive curiosity turned into a practical conveyance.

Ford had a happy married life with Clara Jane Bryant.

On their golden wedding anniversary, a reporter asked them:
“To what do you attribute your fifty years of successful married life?”

“The formula,” said Mr. Ford, “is the same formula I have always used in making cars – just stick to one model!”

Being faithful and loyal is undoubtedly the hallmarks of a successful relationship.

But we live in a world, where divorce is becoming an increasingly common term and phenomenon.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus engaged in a conversation with the Pharisees…
… and clarifying and shedding light on the concept of faithfulness and fidelity in relationships.

When we hear the word Divorce, we primarily associate it…
…. with a man and woman, in marriage, seeking divorce.

But Divorce is not merely limited to spousal relations.

In fact, divorce is on the increase everywhere….

There is divorce…
… between the parents and the children
… between siblings and family relations
… among the members of a religious community and congregation
… among the members of the Church
… within the society itself

There is also a great divorce within one’s spiritual life…
… One is separated and torn apart between serving God and serving the World!

In all these cases of Divorce…
… the one basic factor that is lacking is that of Commitment and Faithfulness.

When there is a decrease in commitment and faithfulness, the gravity of divorce and separation, increases!

It could be…
… in the spousal relation
… in the family relation
… in the community relations
… in the societal relations
… or even in our personal spiritual relationship with God!

When we fail in faithfulness, we succeed in separation…

When we are complacent in commitment, we are in danger of divorce…!

Today, let us look into our personal spiritual relationship with God…and examine…

Are we separating ourselves from God?
Are we being divorced from God?

Apparently, we may feel that these questions are not for us…

But let’s go a little deeper into ourselves…
… Are we really serving God as our master? … as the Only Master?
… Or are there times, when we fail in our faithfulness, and become complacent in our commitment…?

We need to give the first place to God…
… in our personal lives , our family lives/ our religious and priestly consecration.

But are there occasions, when for some time at least, we keep God away…
… to satisfy our sinful pleasures?
… to answer our egoistic tendencies?
… to fulfill our worldly sinful desires?
… to gratify our evil personal agenda?

If the answer is yes…
… then we are not on God’s side!

The Lord demands a total commitment and dedication to Him.

God hates divorce!

In Baptism, we have entered into a covenant with Him.

Am I in danger of being divorced or separated from our Beloved Covenant Partner?

Little acts of unfaithfulness & infidelity are the ones that slowly shreds a relationship into pieces.

Lets tighten up our spiritual lives, and re-dedicate our commitment and faithfulness and consecration to the Lord.

He is a God who cares deeply for us

He is Loving parent who sees to all our needs
He is a Lover who is intensely passionate about us

Shall we not remain in His loving affection by being more faithful and committed to Him and Him alone?!

Let faithfulness and loyalty be the hallmarks of our successful relationship with the Lord.

Let’s say…

Yeah to Jesus and His Kingdom…
… and Nay to Satan and the World!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

In order to reach this perfection the faithful should use the strength dealt out to them by Christ’s gift…
… so that doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbor.
Thus the holiness of the People of God will grow in fruitful abundance…

… as is clearly shown in the history of the Church through the lives of so many saints. (CCC # 2013)

“Like our Blessed Mother Mary, properly channelizing the God-given Freedom towards excellence of life, blossoming of virtues and the Glory of God!”

(Based on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Blessed Mother Mary & the Independence Day of India)

The Feast of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary is celebrated in variety of ways, all over the world.

In some of the small towns of Rome, there is a very symbolic custom.

It is called as L’Incinata – the Bowing Procession.

The people in the village carry a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary down the main street.

This is symbolic of Mother Mary on Her way to heaven

From the opposite direction comes another procession, carrying the statue of Jesus.

This is symbolic of Her Son Jesus coming to welcome Her

Under an arch that has been prepared with branches and thousands of flowers, the two processions meet.

The statues are then made to bow to each other, three times…
… It is symbolic of Jesus welcoming His Beloved Mother at the gates of heaven.

Then the combined procession continues, with the people carrying the statues side-by-side to the Church….
… Symbolically indicating, Jesus taking along His Mother to Her throne in heaven!

This ‘bowing procession’ so very beautifully and symbolically represents the wonderful event of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary.

It celebrates the Son-King sharing His Glory with His Mother.

Human kingdoms have followed the tradition of the son who is the King of the Land, crowning his mother, as the Queen of the Kingdom.

The Old Testament bears witness to this fact:

King Solomon on assuming charge of the throne, after King David, raised his mother Bathsheba to his side, to be the royal queen (1 Kings 2: 19)

This was also a foretaste of what was to follow…
… Jesus, the King of Kings awarding the throne of glory to His Mother, Mary and raising Her to be the Queen of Heaven and Earth!

The feast of the Day – the Assumption of Mother Mary – is one of the four Marian Dogmas that the Catholic Church pronounces.

A dogma is a doctrine that is solemnly proposed by the Church as formally revealed in Scripture or Tradition.

The four Marian Dogmas are:

1. Mary as the Mother of God
2. The Perpetual Virginity of Mary
3. The Immaculate Conception of Mary
4. The Assumption of Mary into heaven

The declaration of the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary is as follows:
“By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”

This Dogma of the Assumption was proclaimed on November 1, 1950, by Pope Pius XII in the Apostolic Constitution “Munificentissimus Deus”

The Dogmatic Proclamation of the Assumption was not defining something new in the Church…
… rather it was an official recognition of the centuries-old belief on Christians about the Assumption of their Heavenly Mother.

The celebration of the Feast of the Assumption teaches us one important aspect: The Assumption of Mother Mary is the sure hope for us, for a life of eternal glory!

Our Blessed Lord came to this world to “die” and “win” salvation for human beings.

This act of salvation had its total co-operation in the Person that God had chosen as His Own in the Divine Plan – Mother Mary.

From the moment, She said “yes” to the messenger of the Lord to become the Mother of God’s Child…
… She placed Herself in a position of “constantly being under the scanner to say a Yes” to God’s Will!

Her Yes to God, meant a “No” to many things in Her personal life…
… her own individual desires
… her own undisclosed dreams

She would become the epitome of the one who lived the teaching that Jesus would later expound during His ministry:
“No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the Kingdom of God” (Lk 9: 62)

Her echo of “Yes” reverberated and resonated all through Her life…
…. in times of loneliness
… in times of immense pain
… in times of utter hopelessness

It was this daring faithfulness that made God to bestow on Her the privilege to share in Her Son’s Glory!

This is wonderful story of the Assumption.

This then is one of the great promise and assurance that God gives to each one us through this Dogma of the Assumption of our Blessed Mother Mary.

Does life grind us, with its daily toils and do we undergo immense pain and suffering…
… sometimes even unbearable and agonizing?

Does life grill us, with many incidents of misunderstandings, exposition to calumnious talks…
… and total absence of positive encouragements and unconditional acceptance by people?

Does life gnash us, with constant tensions and difficulties that never seem to leave us alone…
… and paralyze us with innumerable jolts of depression and despair?

Then, the Assumption of our Blessed Mother comes to our rescue, with a hopeful answer to all such miserable questions!

We need to be reminded that Mary had exclaimed, “Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1:38)

Mary was an ordinary human being.

She had Her ordinary and humble beginnings.
She too went through common life’s struggles and strains.

But through these “ordinary” circumstances…

God “raised” Her to the Heights
God “assumed” Her into Glory
… simply because She “found favour with God” and lived a life worthy of that call
In total submission, humble obedience and loyal faithfulness!

This then is our call too…

As Baptized Christians, we too have “found favour” with God.
We dwell in “ordinary” circumstances of life – with hardships and pains.

But if we also…
… seek and live the Will of the Lord at all times
… constantly submit to what He wants
… and dutifully bow to His mercy and grace

Then the glory which Jesus has “won” for us at Resurrection, will be ours!

God’s plans are indeed wonderful…

In the “Story of the Fall,” a mother (Eve) had been involved intimately with a man (Adam) and humanity fell into the sea of sin!

In the “Story of the Rise,” a Mother (Mary) was involved intimately with a Man (Jesus) and humanity is promised to “assume” to the skies of glory!

Are we ready to co-operate with God’s plans in our lives, just as Mother Mary did…
… and thus receive the “Privilege of Assumption into Glory” just as Mother Mary received?

Let us grow in our Love for the Lord and for the Blessed Woman who bore God in Her womb…
… and was borne by God into heaven, and not left in the grave to turn back into dust!

Today, the Great Land of India celebrates her Independence Day.

May all Indians grow to understand the true meaning of freedom…
… and like Mother Mary, properly channelize the God-given Freedom towards excellence of life, blossoming of virtues and to the Glory of God!

Happy Feast to Jesus, Our Great King and to Mamma Mary, His Glorious Queen-Mother!

Happy Independence Day to all Indians, all over the world!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – CHRISTIAN HOLINESS

All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life…
… and to the perfection of charity.”
All are called to holiness:

“Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (CCC # 2013)