“Orienting our lives more and more to the Lord, and seeking to live more intimately connected to Him!

(Based on Acts 12:24—13:5a and Jn 12:44-50 – Wednesday of the 4th Week in Easter)

“I keep six honest serving-men…

They taught me all I knew;

Their names are ‘What and Why and When, and How and Where and Who’”

— Words of the author, Rudyard Kipling who is famous for his book, “The Jungle Book”

This concept of 5W’s and 1H – What, Why, When, Where, Who and How – is extensively used in journalism, especially while writing a factual news story.

It is said that one of the classical methods in writing the opening paragraph of a news story should contain answers to…
… as far as possible, all these 5W’s and 1H.

The Gospel of the Day describes St John presenting a ‘Recapitulation Passage’ on Jesus.

This passage gives a neat answer in tune with the concept of 5W’s and 1H…

• WHO is Jesus?
• WHAT did Jesus do?
• WHY did Jesus come?
• WHERE did Jesus come?
• WHEN did Jesus come to be?
• HOW did Jesus come?

1. Who is Jesus?
   St John presents Jesus as ‘the Saviour of the World’: “… for I do not come to condemn the world, but to save the world” (Jn 12: 47b)
   Jesus is not the one who condemns or denounces or reviles a person…

Instead He is the One who saves, the One who redeems and the One who atones.

Have I accepted Jesus as the Saviour of my life…
… or is He just some great teacher or just a wonderful philosopher or even just a great Man?

Do I grow in my conviction that the “WHO” of Jesus primarily consists in Him wanting to save me from my sin, and wanting me to lead a holy and sanctified life, so that I can belong to Him completely?

2. What did Jesus do?
   St John presents Jesus as ‘speaking the Word of Life’: “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge Him; the word that I spoke, will condemn him…” (Jn 12: 48)

Jesus, the Eternal Word, spoke His words, which guarantees life, and life in abundance (Jn 10:10b)

That is why St Peter confessed to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6: 68)

Am I keen in listening to the words of Jesus, that He speaks to me, especially through His Holy Word in the Bible?

Do I seek to live and base my life on these Words and teachings that the Lord speaks to me?

3. Why did Jesus come?
   St John presents Jesus coming ‘to lead from the darkness of death to the light of eternal life’: “I came… so that everyone who believes in me, might not remain in darkness; … His commandment is eternal life” (Jn12: 46, 50)

The Lord, who is the light of the World, came to the world so that all may share in His Life, His Eternal Life.

Am I fixated in the mundane pleasures and transitory luxuries of the world, and giving no heed to the spiritual side of my life?

Do I orient my life towards to the higher aspects of life, gazing heavenward, and preparing my spiritual life to be worthy of eternal life?

4. Where did Jesus come?
   St John presents Jesus as ‘coming to this world’: “… I come into the world…” (Jn 12: 46)
   This is a significant lesson that we are taught: that Jesus came into this world.

He came to sanctify and redeem our world.

At Incarnation, Jesus descends to our world… sinful, corrupt and prone to evil tendencies.

He does not abandon this world…
He does not give up on any of us…
He does not forsake us in our misery…

Do I make space for Jesus to enter into my world, even if I am aware that I am sinful or prone to bad habits or constantly falling into failures?

Am I willing to accept the transformations that will be demanded of me, when Jesus descends into the realms of my life, and exhorts me to be walking with Him on His way of the Cross?

5. When did Jesus come to be?
   St John presents Jesus as ‘existing with the Father, from eternity’: “… and whoever sees Me, sees the One who sent ME; … I say as the Father told Me” (Jn 12: 45, 50b)

Jesus, the Son, is the visible image of God, the Father.

With the Father, He has existed from all ages, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.

He is the Lord who is unchanging.
He is the Lord who is all-knowing and all-loving.
He is the Lord who has the complete control over my life.

Do I possess the faith to be firm in my trust in the Holy Providence, knowing the Jesus knows everything, especially in my moments of hardships and trials?

Am I reflecting the image of God in my life, just as Jesus reflected the image of His Heavenly Father, knowing that this is possibly only by being in close union with the Lord, in devotion and discipleship?

6. How did Jesus come?
   St John presents Jesus as ‘coming as the light to the world’: “I come into the world as light… ” (Jn 12: 46)

Jesus came to the darkness of our world, by being the Light.

All His teachings radiate with truth
All His deeds shine with holiness

Am I firm in my principles and values to hold on to the teachings and commandments that the Lord, lovingly invites me to live?

Am I courageous to be the shining light even when many forces of darkness around me, try to put off this holy radiance of the Lord?

When we offer ourselves wholly to the Lord, His Spirit will lead us and guide us…
… just as we see in the Acts of the Apostles

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said:
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” (Acts 13:2-3)

Let us orient our lives more and more to the Lord…
… and seek to live a life that is intimately more connected to Him!

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 MORAL LAW

The moral law is the work of divine Wisdom.

Its Biblical meaning can be defined as fatherly instruction, God’s pedagogy. (CCC # 1950)

“Allowing the ‘tender touch’ of our Blessed Lord to ‘warm” our cold hearts!'”

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

Two explorers who were at extreme parts of the Arctic (= area surrounding the North Pole)…
…. were describing (or rather, boasting!) about the extent of cold in their places.

“It was so cold where I was,” said the first explorer, “that the candle froze and we couldn’t blow it out.”

“That’s nothing,” said his rival.

“Where I was, the words came out of our mouths, in pieces of ice…
… and we had to fry them to hear what we were talking about.”

Well… that’s quite a bit of exaggeration!

But its also a ‘freezy’ reminder to us to check how are our words, our hearts and our lives!

Do we spew out “cold words” of hostility and animosity?
Are our hearts and lives “cold” with indifference and lethargy?

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)

We are called 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 out of the “Season of Winter!”

Let us….
… 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
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE

Called to beatitude but wounded by sin, man stands in need of salvation from God.

Divine help comes to him in Christ through the law that guides him and the grace that sustains him. (CCC # 1949)

“Let us do away with any ‘noise’ that prevents us from hearing our Good Shepherd, Who assures us, His constant accompaniment with us!”

(Based on Acts 11:1-18 and Jn 10:1-10 and Jn 10:1-10 Monday of the 4th Week in Easter)

‘Speech recognition technology’ is a technology that has been on for a few years and has been gaining immense use in recent times.

This technology recognizes spoken words and converts them to digitally identifiable signals or waves.

Such a technique is in wide use in various gadgets and instruments…

To initiate phone calls, select radio stations or play music from compatible smartphones, MP3 players or music-loaded flash drives.
In fighter aircraft, in setting radio frequencies, commanding an autopilot system, setting steer-point coordinates and controlling flight display.
Students who are visually-challenged or have very low vision can benefit by using it to convey words and then hear the computer recite them, as well as use a computer by commanding with their voice.
Speech recognizers are also used in video games to input various commands and control access

This technique taps on the logic of recognizing the “sound” or the “speech”

Spiritually considering, such a “speech recognizing technique” is vital in forging a close and intimate relationship with the Lord.

The better our “technique” in recognizing the voice of the Lord, the closer will be our relationship…

The Gospel of the Day presents this aspect of “listening” to the voice of the Lord: “The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out!” (Jn 10:3b)

Jesus presents Himself as the Good Shepherd.

One amazing quality of sheep is that they can internalize the voice of their shepherd, their master.

The sheep in the Middle East were generally reared for their wool, rather than the meat.

This meant that the sheep would be with the Shepherd for quite some time.

A bond of relationship would develop between them.

The shepherd would seek to care affectionately…
… the sheep, in turn, would seek to obey its master

The shepherd would lay down his comforts to safeguard…
… the sheep, in turn, would look to follow its guide

The shepherd would have a particular speech or voice, that will help to call out a particular sheep…

This sheep would, gradually, ‘internalize’ this sound or name and will respond to this call of its loving shepherd!

This is the illustration that Jesus uses to point out that His “sheep will follow Him, because they will recognize His voice” (Jn 10:4)

But we live in a world, where there are often many other “noises” which prevent us from hearing the Voice of the Good Shepherd.

Are we aware of these “noises?”

1. The “noise” of sin which prevents us from hearing the sweet, gentle voice of the Spirit within us…
2. The “noise” of worldliness that causes us to be attracted to the pleasures of comforts and avoid the whispers of holiness and sanctity…
3. The “noise” of discouragements and lukewarmness that makes us be apathetic and indifferent to the needs and service of others and of God…
4. The “noise” of obstinacy and hard-heartedness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit which are transmitted through the Scriptures, the Church Teachings and the inspirations of people and situations of life.

All such noises affect the “speech-recognizing” ability in us, to hear clearly and distinctly the Voice of the Lord.

We need an upgrading of our “speech-recognizing” system…

We need a servicing of our “speech-recognizing” mechanism…

When we are willing to open ourselves to the Voice of the Word, we are made aware of the state of life that we are in

Let us do away with any “noises” that affect the “speech-recognizing technology” of our spiritual lives…
… and faithfully follow our Great Shepherd!

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 – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE

For two thousand years this sentiment has lived and endured in the soul of the Church…
… impelling souls then and now to the heroic charity of monastic farmers, liberators of slaves, healers of the sick
… and messengers of faith, civilization, and science to all generations and all peoples

… for the sake of creating the social conditions capable of offering to everyone possible a life worthy of man and of a Christian. (CCC # 1942)

“Experiencing God’s Intimate Love and sharing His Love to all!”

(Based on Acts 4:8-12, 1 Jn 3:1-2 and Jn 10:11-18 – 4th Sunday of Easter)

An ingenious teenager, tired of reading bedtime stories to his little sister…
… decided to record several of her favourite stories on tape.

He told her: “Now you can hear your stories anytime you want.

Isn’t that great?”

She looked at the machine for a moment…
… and then replied, “No. It hasn’t got a lap!”

The little girl loved the stories that her elder sister recited to her…
… but what she loved most was her lap – the warmth of her love and affection!

No gadgets can ever replace love!

No modern technology can substitute personal affection!

We are called to be people who “experience God’s Intimate Love and share His Love to all!”

Yes, we are “valuable and precious”
… and called to become a good shepherd to one another!

The Gospel of the Day echoes the amazing melody of each one of us being “valuable and precious”, to Jesus, the Great Good Shepherd!

“I am the Good Shepherd,” says the Lord, “I know mine and mine know Me” (Jn 10:14)

The illustration of Jesus as the Shepherd is certainly one of the most endearing, popular and loved images in the whole of the Bible.

Undoubtedly, one of the most popular and loved Psalms is Psalm 23 – the Psalm of the Good Shepherd.

The picture of Jesus, the Good Shepherd that immediately comes to our mind, is usually that of Jesus, holding a little lamb in His sturdy hands…
… or of Jesus, the Shepherd trudging through the grasslands with many sheep, following and walking with Him, happily bouncing and frolicking.

As we enjoy and bask in the joy of this image of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, it is apt that we also meditate and reflect on some dimensions of the Heart of this Divine Shepherd…

1. Each sheep is extremely personal, unique and precious to the Divine Shepherd’s Heart

The Good Shepherd has a very large number of sheep in His flock.
Yet each one is uniquely important to Him

He loves each one!
He treasures each one!

We must know that shepherds, back then, in the society, reared sheep, mainly not for meat…
… but more for its wool!

This would mean that the sheep would spend much time with the Shepherd
This would create a great bond and affection between the sheep and the Shepherd!

2. The Divine Shepherd’s Heart is willing to make any sacrifice, even His life

Unlike a hired hand, the Divine Shepherd has a tremendous sense of responsibility and is attached to His sheep.

This makes Him undergo any pain, any suffering, any sacrifice for the sake of His beloved sheep…
… even to the point of laying down His life.

3. The Divine Shepherd’s Heart longs to bring back the ones which have strayed

The Divine Shepherd is aware of many sheep that are not yet part of His fold.

He longs for them…
He seeks to bring them to Him…
He yearns to make them part of His fold…

Luke Chapter 15 – the great Chapter of God’s Amazing Mercy – tells us of how the Good Shepherd goes out in search of the one lost sheep…
… reminding us that “each one of us is precious to the Lord” and He wants us back to Him! (Lk 15:3-7)

We are invited to deepen our understanding of the Heart of the Divine Shepherd.

At the same time, we are also challenged to possess a heart, resembling that of the Divine Shepherd…

a. Do I have a heart that treasures and values each person who have been entrusted to my care…

Nurturing them, being responsible for them, appreciating and encouraging them…
Leading them to the pastures of holiness and the flowing waters of grace and mercy…

b. Do I have a heart willing to offer sacrifices for the ones entrusted to my care…

Getting out of our comfort zones to help others…
Giving up certain comforts to reach out to the needy…
Foregoing personal luxuries to become a light to a person in darkness…

c. Do I have a heart that yearns to bring back the ones who have strayed away from the right path…

Those who have lost the focus in life
Those who are staying away from the Church and Her Precious Sacraments
Those who have addicted themselves to many vices and bad pleasures of life

The Church needs shepherds, after the Heart of the Great Shepherd.

St Peter, in the Acts of the Apostles, was made to understand the need to reach out the Good News of the Lord, even to the Gentiles…
… and make no distinction, in disseminating God’s Free Gift of Salvation to all!

The Great Shepherd constantly invites us all to give heed to His voice…
… and if necessary, to even correct ourselves so that we can be on the right path.

Often, many of us, as shepherds go astray….
… failing to cater to the needs of the sheep
… failing to be faithful and honest to their vocation
… failing to be available and willing to forego personal comforts.

May each of us, lean closer to the Heart of our Divine Lord, knowing that each one of us is precious and special to Him…
… resting in the bosom of His Presence
… feeding from the Food He offers in the Holy Eucharist
… attuning ourselves more to Him by listening to His Holy Word

And thus, becoming a good shepherd, according to the Heart of the Great Good Shepherd!

In this tech-savvy world, let us remember…
… no gadgets can ever replace love!
… no modern technology can substitute personal affection!

We are called to be people who “experience God’s Intimate Love and share His Love to all!”

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 – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE

The virtue of solidarity goes beyond material goods.
In spreading the spiritual goods of the faith, the Church has promoted and often opened new paths for, the development of temporal goods as well.

And so throughout the centuries has the Lord’s saying been verified: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” (CCC # 1942)

“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 Acts 9:31-42 and Jn 6:60-69 – Saturday of the 3rd Week of Easter)

There is a challenging incident that goes thus…

A Parish Priest, after the Holy Mass on a Sunday, was standing outside the Church, when he came across a young girl.

This girl had been in the hotel plaza and had missed the Sunday service.

“Good Morning!” greeted the Priest.

“Good Morning too, Father”, came the reply from the girl.

“Are you well this morning?”

“Oh, I am so tired!” she explained, “I blistered my feet dancing, the whole night!”

And then she had a query, “By the way, Father, what do you think about dancing?”

With a grave seriousness, the Priest replied, “You call yourself to be a Christian, isn’t it?

Have you ever blistered your feet for God?”

That question hit her like a lightening!

She turned away, with guilt and shame displayed on her face.

A few days later, she spoke to the Priest again, saying, “I have hardly slept since you asked me that question.

I want to tell you honestly… I have never blistered my feet for the Lord.
But to the best of my abilities, I will seek to work for Him, hereafter!”

Has our Christian Life ever caused us…
… blisters on our feet?
… aches in our hands?
… tensions in our minds?
… anxiety in our hearts?

It pays to be a Christian!

It costs much to be a Follower of Christ!

Yes, Christianity demands…

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

The Lord is pretty straight-forward and candid in His challenging requirements and would even ask us, as He asks His disciples in the Gospel of the Day, “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 its 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 we, 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.

The book of the Acts of the Apostles beautifully recounts many incidents of people following the Lord – willing to give up their past life, and live a new life in Christ…

The healing of the paralyzed Aeneas through the instrumentality of Peter, made “all the residents of Lydda and Sharon… to turn to the Lord.” (Cf. Acts 9:35)
The healing of Tabitha, in Joppa, also caused many people to “believe in the Lord!” (Acts 9:36-42)

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 coziness…

A Baptism received long ago…
Some Sacraments obtained now and then…
A few Church obligations completed once in a way…
Some 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

We have to be ready and willing, to let our “feet be blistered”, bear “aches in our hands”, go through “tensions in our minds” and battle “anxiety in our hearts” for the sake of the Lord and His Kingdom!

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 – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE

International solidarity is a requirement of the moral order; world peace depends in part upon this. (CCC # 1941)

“Growing in our love for Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist – the Bread of Life!”

(Based on Acts 8:26-40 and Jn 6:44-51 – Thursday of the 3rd Week of Easter)

Saint Mother Teresa was known for her immense devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist.

She found her strength for her services of mercy, by being united and spending time with the Eucharistic Lord…
… everyday!


She has spoken very beautifully about the Holy Eucharist.

She says: “When Jesus came into the world, he loved it so much that he gave His Life for it.

He wanted to satisfy our hunger for God.

And what did He do?
He made himself the ‘Bread of Life.’
>> He became small, fragile and defenseless for us.

Bits of bread can be so small that…
… even a small child can chew it!
… even a dying person can eat it!”

Have we discovered our Love for this “Precious Bread of Life?”


The Sixth Chapter of the Gospel of St John can be called as “the great discourse on the Bread of Life”

Jesus declares Himself as the “Bread of Life” (Jn 6:35), Who came down from heaven.
On hearing this statement of the Lord, the Jews “murmured” about Him (Jn 6:41)

They knew that Jesus was only the son of Joseph.
>> They knew the father and mother of Jesus.
>> They were very familiar with His human origins

Therefore, the statement of Jesus that “He was the bread, Who came down from heaven” caused a great deal of “murmur”.


The Greek word that is used here for murmur is a word, “gogguzo”…

This “gogguzo” means…
… any low, continuous sound as of a brook, the wind, trees etc or low indistinct voices
… a mumbled or private expression of discontent
… to show “smouldering discontent”, droning on in a low, constant murmur


A similar “gogguzo” was also expressed by the Israelites, in their long journey in the desert.

When Moses led the large multitude of the Israelites through the desert, the impatient crowd, raised their voices in complaint against Moses and Aaron:
“Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread” (Ex 16:3)

The Israelites also “murmured!”


In response to this “murmuring” of the people, God Yahweh provided them with the “flesh of the quail” and the “bread of the Manna” (Ex 16: 4-15)

In the Gospel, when the Jews “murmured”, Jesus provides them with a reply of the “flesh of His body” and the “bread of His Life”


Jesus tells – as we see in today’s Gospel also – “Stop murmuring among yourselves… I am the Bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.
>> This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that a man may eat of it and not die.” (Jn 6: 43, 48-50)


The Israelites were given perishable flesh of the quails and they who ate the Manna, died.

But Jesus, now gives His imperishable flesh of His Own Body and offers the Eternal Manna as the Bread of our life!


It is in the Holy Eucharist, that the Lord offers this imperishable food and salvation to each of us.


What is our perception and passion towards this True Life that Jesus offers in the Holy Eucharist?


The Israelites in the Old Testament as well as the Jews in Jesus’ time, “murmured”…

>> Do I also “murmur” and remain indifferent to believing in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist?

>> Do I also “murmur” and fail to prepare myself well to receive Jesus, in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass?

>> Do I also “murmur” and become unmindful or even disrespectful to the Presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, in the Chapels and in the Churches?


May this lengthened meditation on John 6 – the “the great discourse on the Bread of Life” – help us to deepen our faith and zeal for Jesus, in the Most Holy Eucharist.

It is this devotion and union with the Lord, alone, that can make us also, in turn, a Eucharistic people – breaking and giving ourselves – for the welfare and salvation of the world!


In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, Philip…
… inspired by an Angel of the Lord reaches out to a royal official – an Ethiopian eunach – and delivers the Word of God and the Salvific Message of the Risen Lord.

When we have a deep passion for the Lord in our hearts, we too will reach out the Message of God’s Love and Mercy to the world around us.


Let the words of St Francis de Sales inspire us:
“When the bee has gathered the dew of heaven and the earth’s sweetest nectar from the flowers, it turns it into honey, then hastens to its hive.

In the same way, the priest, having taken from the Altar, the Son of God (who is as the dew from heaven, and true son of Mary, flower of our humanity)…
… gives Him to you as Delicious Food!”


Let us seek to satisfy our hunger for God…
… by growing in our love for Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist – the Bread of Life!”


God Bless! Live Jesus!

—————————–
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE
>> Solidarity is manifested in the first place by the distribution of goods and remuneration for work.
>> It also presupposes the effort for a more just social order…
… where tensions are better able to be reduced and conflicts more readily settled by negotiation. (CCC # 1940)
————

“May Jesus, the Bread of Life, always be the source, strength and summit of our Christian living!”

(Based on Acts 8:1b-8 and Jn 6:35-40 –
Wednesday of the 3rd Week of Easter)

A story is told about a pilot who always looked down intently on a certain valley…
… when the plane passed overhead.

One day his co-pilot asked, “What’s so interesting about that spot?”

The pilot replied: “See that stream?
Well, when I was a kid I used to sit down there on a log and fish.

Every time an airplane flew over, I would look up and wish I were flying…
… now I look down and wish I were fishing.”

There is a deep craving for satisfaction and fulfilment, inside every creature,

One is restless till this thirst is fulfilled…
One is impatient till this craving is satisfied…

This ‘longing’ is innate in every human being…
… a thirst for the Divine, for the Transcendental.

This ‘longing’ compels humans…
… to search… to seek…
… for the source of satisfaction
… for the fountain of fulfilment

But how wonderful it would be to be knowing and to be convinced that this “thirst” can find its fulfilment only in God.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus promising this fulfilment and contentment to all those who come to Him and believe in Him – the Bread of Life.

Jesus declares, “I am the Bread of Life; He who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn 6: 35)

The crowds who had been fed by Jesus, by the miracle of the multiplication of loaves, came in search of Jesus… probably expecting more…

They wanted still more…and they express this to Jesus, “Sir, give us this bread always” (Jn 6:34)

In John Chapter 4, we read the story of the Samaritan woman, by the well of Jacob, who had also expressed a similar desire.

She said to Jesus “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water” (Jn 4: 15)

Each of us, deep within, are ‘longing’…
… to drink water and eat food that will quench the longing, forever.

It is this search that makes people to go out and seek the various sources of satisfaction.

Some feel to have found this fulfilment…
… through worldly pleasures and bad habits like smoking, drinking, obsession with sex, drugs etc, which only lead to momentary external satisfaction and short-lived bursts of thrill.

Some feel to have found this fulfilment…
… in the various philosophies, new-age patterns of life and naturalistic means of spirituality etc, which may have traces of truth, but fail to provide authentic and fullness of life.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles records one such notable example of Saul.

Saul (who is also called Paul) failed to understand and grasp “The Truth” and persecuted all those who followed “The Way!”
“But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:3)

But Jesus, today, boldly and unambiguously declares that it’s only in HIM that true and complete fulfilment of life can be found:
“He who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn 6: 35)

Are we convinced of this fact, that it’s only in Jesus, that I can achieve true and complete happiness…?

The Lord, today, calls us back to Him…
… to His Heart
… to His Church
… to His Eucharist
… to experience Him fully.

To those who have strayed…
… the call of the Gospel, is to come back to the paths of truth

To those who are holding on to Him…
… the call of the Gospel, is to deepen the conviction, that in Him alone, can the hunger of my soul and the thirst of my heart be fulfilled.

To those who have strayed…
… the Lord invites to build the virtues of humility, docility and openness to the Spirit.

To those who are holding on to Him…
… the Lord invites to build the virtues of patience, firm trust and a passionate longing.

May Jesus, the Bread of Life, always be the source, strength and summit of our Christian living!

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 – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE

The law is sealed by the sacrifice of redemption offered by Jesus Christ on the altar of the Cross to his heavenly Father…

… on behalf of sinful humanity. (CCC # 1939)

“Allowing the Holy Eucharist – the Bread of life – to become the essential, the integral and the most fundamental constituent of our ‘Spiritual Diet'”

(Based on Acts 7:51-8:1a and Jn 6:30-35 – Tuesday of the 3rd Week of Easter)

Our generation is a much trendier and health-conscious one….

Right?

People, especially, in the urban areas, do spend a great deal of time and energy in seeking to be more fashionable, better-looking and being healthier.

As part of this inclination, the modern trend is being highly conscious of the “diet” that one takes…
>> One is keen to know which food will help one’s body to remain fit and healthy


But it would be nice and good to also check what is the condition and state of our “spiritual diet”.

We do tend to give a lot of importance to our “physical diet” in terms of the food to be eaten and that which are to be avoided.
>> But what is the importance that we accord to our “spiritual diet?”

Is my “spiritual diet” nourishing – my soul, my spiritual wellbeing?
>> Is my “spiritual diet” leading me to good health – of holy thoughts and purity of heart?


The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus, the Spiritual Dietician…
… exhorting the most important element that is to be part of the “spiritual diet” of everyone who follows Him – the Holy Eucharist – through the “Bread of Life” discourses.


After the feeding of the large multitude of people by the multiplication of the loaves, the people sought Jesus.
>> Jesus, knew their hearts longed not for Him, but for the bread-giver!
>> Jesus knew they were following not Him, but the food-provider!

So Jesus sought to put the matters in the right perspective and teaches them about the real food that they should be longing.


It is in this context that Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life; He who comes to me shall not hunger and He who believes in me, shall never thirst” (Jn 6: 35)


Jesus declares Himself as the Bread of Life.
>> The Greek word that is used here for “bread” is “artos”.


This “artos”….
… refers to food composed of flour mixed with water, and baked.
… also refers to food of any kind or food in general.

As “bread” or “food” is essential for the physical life
… Jesus as “the bread of life” is required for the spiritual life!

Without bread, physical life would perish….
… Without Jesus, the bread, spiritual life would perish!


In the Holy Eucharist, Jesus offers this “Bread of Life” for us…
… to be our nourishment and strength
… to be our sustenance and energy
… to be our life and forte

What is our disposition and attitude towards Jesus, the “Bread of Life” in the Holy Eucharist?


History is a witness, that through centuries, there have been many saints, both men and women, who have lived for major chunks of their lives, just on the Holy Eucharist.
>> They would take no food or drink, but ONLY received the Holy Communion, everyday.


A few notable among these saints are…

…. St Catherine of Siena (in the 1350’s….. prior to her death, for seven years, she took no food into her body, except the Holy Eucharist)

… St Nicholas of Flue (lived in Switzerland as a hermit, in the 1400’s… for nearly 19 years, lived without any food, except the Holy Eucharist)

… Blessed Alexandrina da Costa of Portugal (of the 20th century… for the last thirteen years of her life, lived on the Holy Eucharist alone)


Our Lord himself explained to Blessed Alexandrina why He gives this grace to his some of His saints:
“You are to live by the Eucharist alone,” Jesus told her, “because I want to prove to the world the power of the Eucharist and the power of my life in souls.”


This greatest Treasure of Lives – the Holy Eucharist – the Bread of Life…
… eagerly longs for our reception
… keenly awaits for our adoration


As Pope Benedict XVI says,
“In the Sacrament of the Altar, the Lord meets us, men and women created in God’s image and likeness, and becomes our companion along the way.
>> In this Sacrament, the Lord truly becomes food for us, to satisfy our hunger for truth and freedom.
Since only the truth can make us free, Christ becomes for us the food of truth.”


Shall we not renew our love and commitment to receiving the “Bread of Life” more frequently, more devoutly, more passionately and with greater preparedness?
>> Shall we not revive our affection and dedication to spend more time with the “Bread of Life” in the Blessed Sacrament…
… to gain strength, to atone for sins and to offer the world for its sanctification and healing?


St Francis de Sales (SFS) beautifully tells us:
“I often speak with my Teacher – Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament – because I can learn from Him.
>> Jesus is the Teacher of the Science of Holiness.
I go to Him because I would like to learn from Him, how to become a saint!”


Let the Holy Eucharist – the Bread of life – become…
… the essential, the integral and the most fundamental constituent of our “Spiritual Diet”


God Bless! Live Jesus!

—————————–
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE
>> An error, “today abundantly widespread, is disregard for the law of human solidarity and charity…
… dictated and imposed both by our common origin and by the equality in rational nature of all men, whatever nation they belong to.” (CCC # 1939)
————

“Living our lives in the grandeur of Jesus and His Everlasting Kingdom!”

(Based on Acts 6:8-15 and Jn 6:22-29 – Monday of the 3rd Week of Easter)

In a quiet village nestled amidst rolling hills, there was talk of a mysterious garden hidden deep in the forest.

Legends whispered that this garden held a secret so profound that it could grant anyone who found it boundless joy and fulfillment.

One brave soul, a young shepherd named Luca, decided to embark on a quest to find this elusive garden.

Armed with determination and a map passed down through generations…
… Luca set off into the unknown.

Days turned into weeks as Luca journeyed through dense forests, crossed roaring rivers, and climbed towering mountains.

Doubts crept into his mind, wondering if the garden was just a myth.

Just when he was about to give up…
… he stumbled upon a clearing bathed in golden sunlight.

In the center stood a magnificent tree with leaves that shimmered like emeralds.

Approaching the tree, Luca discovered a small wooden chest nestled among its roots. >> With trembling hands, he opened it and found a simple note inside.

“True happiness,” the note read, “is not a destination but a journey.

It is found in moments of kindness, love, and gratitude shared along the way.”

With newfound clarity, Luca realized that the real treasure was not the garden itself…
… but the lessons he learned and the experiences he gained during his quest.

How often we also lose our focus
… interested only in worldly pleasures…
… and rejecting offers for eternal treasures and heavenly happiness

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus inviting and exhorting them to seek for higher and heavenly longings in life…
“Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn 6: 27)

The people had witnessed Jesus’ great miracle of the multiplication of loaves.

Their hunger had been satisfied.
Their appetites had been gratified.
In Jesus, they found a person who was able to answer the bodily needs.

The people desired to crown Him as their King!

Is this not a trend in our society as well?

How often are the bread-givers and money-makers held in high esteem, even in our days…
… at the expense of people who are unable contribute much or do much work.

Think of the aged, the sick, the invalids in our own houses, communities and societies, who are unable to work or contribute anything materially…

How often do we neglect them!
How often do we put them down!
How often do we call them as useless!

We sometimes glorify people based only their work, their position and their activities…

The “being” of a person is often neglected
… only the “doing” of a person is exalted!

The “essence” of a person is often not given value
… only the “work” of a person is given credit!

But Jesus refrains from being a victim to this mentality of the society.

He refuses to be their “Bread-Boss!”
He rejects to being their “Materialistic-Messiah!”

And so when people, come to Him, Jesus recognizes their motive in seeking Him…
… and He chides them saying: “Amen, Amen, I say to you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs but you ate the loaves and were filled.

Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you” (Jn 6: 26-27)

The Lord seeks to lead the people to desire and long for the higher realities of life.

And this is the wish of the Lord for each one of us too, that we…
… be interested not only in worldly affairs; rather, we be more attracted to the heavenly realms
… be busy not only with gathering earthly satisfactions; but, we accept and embrace more of heavenly happiness

It is true that “to the hungry one, food and other material wants demand higher urgency”

But having said this…
… one must also be willing to accept, that beyond these material aspects, the human person has greater needs – on a spiritual sense – towards the transcendental realities!

What is needed therefore, is a proper prioritizing…

Does God and the Heavenly realities mean more to me, than earthly desires?
Does Jesus and His Virtues occupy primal position in my life, than the worldly values?

A true prioritizing and firm conviction alone can help us to be the true witnesses of Jesus, the Messiah.

Jesus is our model and example, Who, in His life, accorded the first and primal place to God and His Will.

The lives of the saints and the martyrs are also proof for this fact.

In the Acts of the Apostles, 6:8-15, we read of how St Stephen, the first Martyr of the Church, “was filled with grace and power, and could withstand any persecution”…
… because he had a made a choice for Jesus and His Kingdom, above all!

He rejected all worldly promises and desires that blocked his view of the Kingdom!

Let’s realise that “true happiness is not a destination but a journey.

It is found in moments of kindness, love, and gratitude shared along the way!”

Let us become people, who transcend and rise up higher…
… to live our lives in the grandeur of Jesus and His Everlasting Kingdom!

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 – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE

An error, “today abundantly widespread, is disregard for the law of human solidarity and charity…

… dictated and imposed both by our common origin and by the equality in rational nature of all men, whatever nation they belong to. (CCC # 1939)

*Growing in love of the Mystery of the Risen Lord, and seeking to live it, more fully and more meaningfully in our lives!”

(Based on Acts 3:13-15, 17-19, 1 Jn 2:1-5a and Lk 24:35-48 – 3rd Sunday of Easter)

It is said that an encounter with a mystery can cause one of the two reactions …

1. A fervent fear leading to veneration and devotion
2. A nauseating aversion leading to hatred and abhorrence.

The encounter with a mystery is always something overwhelming:

It causes either a transformation for the good or a change to run away from the truth and reality.

Mysteries are indeed powerful and can be life-transforming!

The Gospel of the Day presents this powerful dimension of the Apostles encountering the Mystery of the Resurrection, in the person of Jesus Christ, the Lord, risen from the dead!

The Resurrection Day of the Lord was perhaps the most baffling, confusing and puzzling day in the lives of the Apostles…

Just a few days back, they had witnessed the horrifying and painful death of their Beloved Master.

In their weakness, and fearing for their life, they had abandoned their Master.

Yet, heart of heart, these disciples would have been tremendously affected, at the loss of the One who had brought new hopes and expectations to their lives.

But now, the strange and surprising reports of the tomb being empty and the Lord appearing to two on the way to Emmaus have confused the poor disciples.

It’s in this state of fear, confusion that Jesus comes in their midst and appears to them.

“But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost” ( Lk 24: 37)

The disciples were face to face with a Mystery – the mystery of Jesus Christ, Resurrected.

And every mystery can cause two reactions…
… a fervent fear leading to veneration and devotion
… or a nauseating aversion leading to hatred and abhorrence.

The disciples were initially filled with a lot of fear and were startled deeply.

But as they slowly were in the presence of the Great Mystery, their hearts began to be filled with joy and holiness…

We are also witnesses to the Great Mystery of the Resurrection

What is our reaction?

Are we filled with fear and fail to live a life of true witnessing?
… Or are we filled with the calm and serenity that the Risen Lord promises?

There is a need to make an honest examination of our lives…

A. The Mystery of the Risen Lord is about joy and happiness

Do I radiate this joy to others…
… or do others only come across angry faces, irritated behaviour and unpleasant conduct in me?

B. The Mystery of the Risen Lord is about trust and confidence

Do I display this faith and belief…
… especially when we face many problems and crisis in life, to stand firm in hope?

C. The Mystery of the Risen Lord is about call to a new way of life…

Am I courageous to embrace this new way of life in the Risen Lord…
… and be willing to do away with my sinful habits and tendencies to fall away from God’s presence?

The Risen Lord is in our midst, as He was with the Apostles…
… Especially in His Most Holy Eucharist
… Especially in His Holy Word of God.

Let us not be afraid of this Mystery…

Let us not have an aversion towards it…
… rather, let us grow in love of the Mystery of the Risen Lord…
… and seek to live it, more fully and more meaningfully in our lives.

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 – THE HUMAN COMMUNITY – SOCIAL JUSTICE

There exist also sinful inequalities that affect millions of men and women.

These are in open contradiction of the Gospel. (CCC # 1938)