“Pursuing the task, and prevailing in our aim to discover ‘why we are born’”

(Based on 1 Jn 2:12-17 and Lk 2:36-40 – The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas)

There is a famous quotation which goes thus:
“There are two great days in a person’s life – the day we are born…
… and the day we discover why!”

One of them is easier and simpler than the other.

Its just a date and a moment in history.

It could be something like the 19th of January or the 2nd of November or the 29th of December or the 17th of June or the 28th of November or the 16th of January or the 9th of May or the 5th of August etc…

This was the day, we first made our appearance on this earth.

This day is special.

The other day is also special…
… but it’s not easy to discover it!

In fact, it is an arduous task and a patient undertaking.

That is day we figure out why we are on this Planet Earth.

That is the day we come to a greater realization of our Life.

The first day tells that I am here in this earth!

The second day would tell us “why” I am here on this earth!

To discover the meaning and purpose of life and seek to live it fully well, will make our lives satisfying and truly happy.

It could happen…
… in one day!
… over a period of some years!
… over one’s whole lifetime!

Yet, the most important thing is to “keep seeking for it and be alert for its discovery”

Am I in this all-important process of discovering “Why I am born in this world?”

The Gospel of the Day points to a person who discovered greatly this aspect of the purpose in life, and dedicated her whole life for it – Anna, the Prophetess.

We are still in the festive passages of Christmas – the Nativity of our Saviour.

Joseph and Mary have brought their Beloved Child, Jesus, to the temple to be presented to the Lord.

After the ritual purification rites and customs, the Holy Family of Nazareth is encountered by Simeon.

He who was docile and open to the promptings of the Spirit discovered the Glory of God.

At the same time, another woman was also eagerly waiting for the Messiah…
… in constant eagerness and longing – Anna!

‘Anna’ is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Hannah, which means, ‘Grace’

Like the Old Testament Hannah, this Anna is also characterized by prayer and fasting

She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

Asher was one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Asher is considered to be one among ten of these tribes, which had strayed away from the path of the Lord…
… that were taken captive by the Assyrians in 722 BC, before the northern Kingdom fell.

However, “some men of Asher, of Manasseh, and of Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem” (2 Chr 30:11).

So, Anna belonged to that small remnant of the tribe of Asher that had humbled itself to seek protection and providence in the Lord.

Anna was, however, a widow

She was a widow for a very very long time…
… for over seven decades, she had been a widow.
It was a tremendous grief to live so long without the love of a husband.

Sorrow can cause two consequences to a believer….

It can make one hard, bitter, resentful and rebellious against God
or…
It can make one kinder and dependable on God!

Sorrow can cause our faith to be spoilt
or…
Sorrow can cause our faith to take deeper roots!

Anna, the widow, chose the better part!

She chose to reveal and revel in the Grace of God and live a Gracious Life!

And this process of discovering “why she was born in the world” made her to…

1. Practice a life of purity: She lived in holiness and integrity.
2. Pray constantly: She lived in the temple continually and was incessantly fasting and praying
3. Persevere Patiently: She battled loneliness and depression and persevered successfully to meet the Lord.
4. Proclaim Boldly: She challenged others in their cozy life by proclaiming the Messiah and His promises!

Life is constantly calling and challenging us to discover “the day why I am born”

It’s easy to while away our time in comforts and pleasures of this world.

But that will certainly not serve the goal of our existence here on this earth.

Each of us have a specific task and responsibility entrusted by the Lord.

This role is proper to our own vocation as in family life or in a consecrated life.

In God’s precious eyes, there are no small or great responsibilities.

He values and treasures each and every duty – small or big- with equal measure.
Every task, when performed with immense love and dedication has its greatness.

Anna, the old lady, “Young and Vibrant at Heart” teaches us today…

To pursue who we are to be – to discover “why I am born!”
… by Practicing a Life of Purity
… by Praying Constantly
… by Persevering Patiently
… by Proclaiming Boldly!

Merry Christmas🎄
May the Lord Jesus, Who is born for us, be our Light 🕯️and Love ❤️

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being inspired by the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, to make our families ‘havens of love and care!'”

(Based on the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph)

A classic and popular story – source unidentified – is told about a kid narrating a story of how his mother, once, after a long, hard day at work…
… had placed a plate of bread, sausages and burned omelette, in front of dad.

Yet all that the dad did was reach for his omelette, smile at the mom and ask how the child’s day was at school!

He even went on to add some pepper on that omelette, and eat every bite!

Later, the child heard mom apologizing for burning the omelette.

But Dad, without any fuss – in fact, with a great sense of calmness – replied: “Honey, don’t worry, I love burnt omelettes!”

Later that night, when the child went to kiss Daddy good night, he asked, if he really liked omelette burned.

Daddy wrapped the child in his arms and said: “Your Mamma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired.

And besides – a little burnt omelette never hurt anyone!”

Family life presents so many opportunities for doing good…
… reaching out in love with generous positive works
… protecting one another by avoiding unnecessary negativities

Do we make efforts to make our families “havens of love and care?”

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Family of Nazareth – Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Family Life is indeed, very dear to God’s Heart

The Old Testament and the New Testament provide several instances of salvation occurring in the context of a family.

When Jesus, the Eternal Word became flesh (Cf. Jn 1:14), He was born in a Family.

The Holy Family of Nazareth, as the beautiful model and example to every family to nurture care, teach us important lessons:

1. Discern and do God’s Will – this is the vital rule

At every stage of life, Mary and Joseph sought to do the Will of God and fulfilled it with utmost sincerity

2. Take the lead and strengthen each other, especially in a crisis

In their tough situations, Mary and Joseph proactively listened to God and took the initiative to steer the family out of danger

3. Avoid judging each other; support with mutual understanding

Tense situations became moments of prayer instead of blame
Troubled circumstances gave an opportunity to stay with each other!

4..Joyfully fulfil one’s responsibilities, without complaint or blame

Each member of the Holy Family assumed total responsibility and undertook every duty that had been entrusted to them

5. Find strength in prayer and in God’s Word

In every crunch situation, they turned to God and made the Word of the Lord their guiding principle of life!

It is said that “where God guides, God provides.”

The life of the Holy Family is a beautiful testimony of the protective and providential care of the Lord.

Our families are also called to become gardens that are nurtured and nourished by the protective showers of God’s Love!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in its extensive exhortation on families, teaches us: “The Christian family constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion, and for this reason, it can and should be called a domestic church.

It is a community of faith, hope, and charity.
It is a communion of persons, a sign and image of the communion of the Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit…
… in the procreation and education of children, it reflects the Father’s work of creation.
… it partakes of the prayer and sacrifice of Christ.

Daily prayer and the reading of the Word of God strengthen it in charity.

The Christian family has an evangelizing and missionary task.” (Cf. CCC, #2204-2205)

All of us, in families, are called to holiness – this is God’s Will!

Holiness is not easy, but it is made possible with God’s Grace!

Holiness in a family is deepened and enhanced through…
… faithful sacramental life with constant reconciliation
… sharing of meals and exchange of thoughts and feelings
… willingness to forego hurt feelings and celebrate differences
… regular prayer life along with reading the Bible and devotions
… openness to listen to one another and support in tough times

Family life presents so many opportunities for doing good…
… reaching out in love with generous positive works
… protecting one another by avoiding unnecessary negativities

Let us joyfully accept the “burnt omelettes of each other’s weaknesses, failures, angry moments and hurtful feelings”

Let the beautiful example of the Holy Family of Nazareth inspire all of us…
… to make our families “havens of love and care!”

Happy Feast of the Holy Family!

Jesus, Mary, Joseph, we love You!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Like St John, the evangelist – being near the Cross of Christ and the Heart of Christ!”

(Based on Feast of Saint John, Apostle and evangelist)

Christmas is a time of great celebration and festivities.

The time after Christmas is often a phase of getting through with many cakes, sweets, food…
The foodstuff prepared for the occasion often exceeds the required amount and thus, it needs a few more days to consume it fully….

Something similar also happens in the spiritual realm…

For many people, the spiritual significance of an event like Christmas cannot be absorbed and completed in a day.

It’s like trying to comprehend the grandeur of some magnificent places like…
… the St. Peter’s Basilica at Vatican or the Taj Mahal in Agra or the Niagara Falls
… or other greater and dazzling sites, in one walk-through.

It’s not too easy.

We have to return back to grasp greater the beauty and the splendour.

So it is with the spectacular event of the Nativity..

We need more time to comprehend about the Christmas Night…
… more time to understand the virgin birth
… more time to realise that God came down to earth as a tender Babe for our salvation etc

As a result, the Church gives us seven additional days to contemplate these divine mysteries.

These extra days on the liturgical calendar, along with the feast day – eight in total – is called as The Christmas Octave.

Every day of the Christmas octave is filled with meaning that reflects back on the Nativity – not just the birth of Christ, but the impact, the reality and the consequence of that birth in the lives of different people.

It’s interesting to note that each of the three days following the Feast of Christmas, commemorates a different type of martyrdom…

Dec 26th – the Feast of St Stephen – the Martyrdom of the Will, Love and Blood:

By His powerful witness, St Stephen was stoned to death in act that was completely willed by him, totally offering his Love for Jesus & shedding his blood.

Dec 27th – the Feast of St John – the Martyrdom of the Will and Love:

By a life of immense faithfulness & total dedication, lived with a tremendous passion and fervour, St John suffered the martyrdom of the Will and of Love.

Dec 28th – the Feast of the Holy Innocents – the Martyrdom of Blood:

The little babies, too little and young to form a will and a desire to love, became martyrs of Blood. (Mt 2:16)
Their innocent blood came in defence of the blood of their Divine Contemporary – Baby Jesus, who would grant salvation to them by His Precious Blood!

On this third Day of the Christmas Octave, Dec 27th, Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of St John, the Evangelist – the Martyr of Will and Love!

St John, the Apostle and Evangelist is known as the Apostle of Love.
His Life defined Love.
His writings expressed Love.
His thoughts instilled Love.

The Gospel of St John is a witness that “this disciple who was loved by Jesus” received two unique places alongside Jesus, that none of the other apostles received.

1. Near the heart of Jesus – in the bosom of His Divine Lord! (Jn 12: 23)

Jesus bestowed this unique place, close to His heart, to John, His Beloved Disciple, at the Last Supper.

At the last supper, while Jesus announced that one of His disciples would be betray Him, John, leaning on Jesus’ bosom, asked Him, “Lord, who is it?”

The innocent heart of John did not bear any guilt or doubt.
The love in John’s veins prompted him to not have any fear or panic.

The child-like trust in John prompted him to ask Jesus bluntly, “Who is it..?”

Love seeks to be close to the One who is loved.

Love wants to have the nearest place to access the One who is loved.
Love longs to be intimate to the heart of the One that is deeply loved.

St John, the Apostle of Love, was given this place to be closest to the Heart of Jesus!

2. Near the Cross – in the crucible of suffering of His Divine Lord (Jn 19:26)

Jesus bestowed this unique place, close to His Cross, to John, His Beloved Disciple.

While all other disciples had forsaken the Lord, John remained close to the Cross of Jesus.

The Apostle of Love remained faithful and committed to His Master.
The Apostle of Love was staunchly courageous in the face of extreme fear and danger.

Love desires to be with the pain of the One who is loved.

St John, the Apostle of Love, was given this place to be closest to the Cross of Jesus!

Its a point to be noted, that the only other person who was given this unique privilege of being closest…
… both, to the Heart and Cross of Jesus was our Blessed Mamma Mary – the Supreme Apostle of Love!
… She was closest to the heart of Jesus, nurturing and nourishing Her tender Babe
… She was closest to the Cross of Jesus, sharing and suffering the pain of Her beloved Child.

YES… An Apostle of Love is made and moulded in these two special places:

Near the Heart of Jesus
Near the Cross of Jesus.

Love longs to be close to the Heart…

Love drives every fear of the Cross.
Love seeks to kiss the Heart…
Love impels to embrace the Cross!

Blessed Mamma Mary and St John invite us, with much tenderness and affection…
“Come my Child.. Come my brother and sister… Be an Apostle of Love – close to the Heart and Cross of Jesus”

Merry Christmas!
Happy Feast of the Apostle of Love!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Like St Stephen, let us also be filled a deep passion that comes from the New Born King, and be His dynamic soldier!”

(Based on Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr)

Stones were flying from different directions…

The atmosphere was very tense and highly apprehensive…
The people had become enraged and were very badly instigated…

St Stephen…. the man filled with the power and spirit of God, however, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God. (Acts 7: 54-56)

And then a surprising thing happened….

He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God!

Usually, we always read or say in our prayers that Jesus is sitting at God’s right hand…

But here, Jesus is seen standing!

Jesus is probably giving a standing ovation…. to St. Stephen, the one who became his brave witness.

The mighty display of faith by St Stephen was worthy of a standing ovation by the Son of God!
The Majestic King was tremendously proud of >> His Faithful and Committed Soldier!

We are on the first day after Christmas…

Yesterday, we celebrated child Jesus in the crib…

We sang the “silent night” and “joy to the world”…
We remembered the angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest and Peace to people of good will”…
We exchanged a lot of smiles and shared much fun…

But suddenly today, there is a shift…

The atmosphere of fun and frolic has turned sombre and serious…

The carols of mirth and joy are substituted by cries for death and vengeance…
The shining gold vestments at Holy Mass are replaced with blood-red vestments…

The peace and joy of Bethlehem is contrasted by the tragedy and heartbreak at Jerusalem…

Yesterday we celebrated the birth of our eternal King.

Today we commemorate the triumphant suffering of His faithful soldier.

Yesterday our King left His place in the Virgin’s womb and was born in the world.

Today His soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.

Yesterday a group of enthused and excited people visited and paid homage to our King.

Today, a group of proud and ferociously evil mob execute His soldier!

Why does the Church celebrate this tradition of commemorating the gruesome stoning to death of St Stephen, soon after the celebration of the tender Babe?

The Church’s long tradition of celebrating the memorial of St. Stephen soon after the celebration of the Nativity of Christ, does not serve to demote Christmas…
… but to continue & manifest more clearly an important meaning of the Christmas celebration.

Christmas essentially means becoming a true disciple of Christ…

And a true disciple ought to tread the way of the cross – “If any want to be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me” (Lk 9: 23)

Christ the Master, Himself walked this path of trials and difficulties.

The signs of suffering and pain were foreshadowed very much already in the Crib of Christ…

The manger where the babe was laid, foreshadowed the Cross on which He was to be laid.
The swaddling clothes of the babe, foreshadowed the shroud which will cover Him in His tomb.
The lack of room in the inn, foreshadowed the lack of room for Him to be buried after His death.

Christmas is the celebration of Life that was pledged to be given up in death, in order to win back life – life in its fullness!

Christmas becomes a true reality when Jesus is born in our hearts…

When Jesus comes to dwell in our hearts, that heart cannot remain without effect.
There is a contagious enthusiasm.
There is a great transformation.
There is a tremendous zeal.

And this birth of Jesus took place in the heart of St Stephen.

He underwent a real Christmas.

He experienced the joy of having Christ born in His life.
And this fact that Christ was born within, led Him to be a dynamic and bold soldier of His King!

Nothing could stop Him from being a witness…
The experience of Christmas in His life…
… made St Stephen to be a bold soldier.
… made St Stephen to stand firm for the truth
… made St Stephen to shed His blood for His Lord

Have we also experienced Christmas…
… in a way that transforms and makes us authentic disciples?
… which makes us to pledge every breath and cell of our life to the Lord?
… to find immense power and strength in being a true and authentic Christian?

The blood of St Stephen sings the beautiful carols of Jesus who was born in his life!

Are we ready to discover still further, the true and genuine meaning of Christmas in our life?

Jesus, the King of kings and the Lord of lords gave a wonderful standing ovation…
… seeing the spectacular display of faith and courage of His Beloved soldier, St Stephen.

Let us also be filled a deep passion and courage that comes from the New Born King…
… and be His Dynamic and Enthusiastic Soldier for His Kingdom!

Happy Feast of St Stephen, the First Martyr of the New Born King of kings!

God Bless! Live Jesus!