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

(Based on Acts 8:5-8, 14-17, 1 Pet 3:15-18 and Jn 14:15-21)

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

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

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

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

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

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

There was a groaning pause.
Then the judge received an answer he had not expected.

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

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

Your honour, you remember him as a great lawyer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He does not leave His chosen ones in desperation or dejection

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

The early Church continually experienced this bountiful presence of the Lord –as seen in Acts 8:14-17

“Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit!” (Acts 8:17)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Having faith that is not just worn on the neck, but that’s clutched in the heart!”

(Based on Acts 16:1-10 and Jn 15:18-21 – Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter)

In a country where religious freedom was restricted, there lived a young teacher named Ivan.

Under his shirt, tied with an old string, he wore a small wooden cross – rough, worn, carved by his grandfather.

Every day, when the classroom emptied for lunch, Ivan would bow his head silently…
… And spend few minutes in silence, clinging to the Cross
… and praying to be faithful.

Ivan would often be called to meetings and gatherings, where he would be ridiculed, mocked and asked to give up his faith.

But in all those moments, quietly, he would reach to his Cross…
… and find strength and courage.

Years later, one of his former students – now grown up – stood near the baptismal font

When asked what brought him to Christ, he said: “I was taught by a teacher, who did not publicly speak about God…
… but couldn’t stop hiding God from us, by His life and actions!”

Indeed, ‘some of the loudest sermons are whispered by the lives of the quietly courageous.’

That’s the kind of faith we are called to have:

Not a faith that looks fashionable…
… but that’s faithful.
Not a faith that always roars…
… but that refuses to retreat.
Not a faith that is just worn on the neck…
… but that’s clutched in the heart.

The Gospel of the Day is a mighty invitation by Jesus to remain steadfast and bold even in the face of persecution in defence for our faith in Him.

And this steadfastness is in imitation of Jesus, our Master, who Himself underwent a miserable series of pain, persecution, suffering and humiliation…
… and yet remained totally faithful to His Mission.

Jesus says, “If the world hates you, realise that it hated me first… If they persecuted me, they will persecute you” (Jn 15:18, 20b)

The Lord is very clear in His teaching and preaching: Friendship with Jesus would mean hostility from the world.

Our Lord Himself had to undergo this pain of rejection, persecution and opposition throughout His life…

At His birth, King Herod sought to terminate His life
After Baptism, Satan sought to tempt Him out of His mission.
During His ministry, the Pharisees and Scribes would misunderstand and misjudge Him

The Lord alerts His disciples that the same will be true in their lives too, if they choose to remain faithful to their vocation.

As a follower of the Lord, we too need to be aware that sufferings and hardships in being Christian are sure to come our way.

What is our attitude and disposition to these trials that we face because of our faith in Christ?

Are we bold and courageous…
… even when we are to face isolation or seclusion due to standing firm in our values and principles in the Lord?

Do we live our life in joy and calmness…
… even when we have to face misunderstandings and become an object of laughter, or called “old-traditionalists” due to being staunch in following the Gospel values?

The world constantly ensnares us with temptations to abandon the Cross…

Are we going to yield to such temptations and enticements…
… or are we prepared to face any amount of difficulty, to uphold our Faith in the Lord?

Let’s realise: A faith untested is just a theory…
… but a faith, tested and trusted, becomes a testimony!

Let us be faithful, fearless and fruitful!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Growing in the light of the Images of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit to deepen our conviction and commitment to the Kingdom!”

(Based on Acts 15:22-31 and Jn 15:12-17 – Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter)

The Gospels are a beautiful account of the many narratives, describing the works, teachings and life of Jesus.

We get a glimpse to various images and facets of the life of Jesus.

These various images of the Lord, help us to relate to Him in a much more intimate and closer manner.
These various images of the Lord, also help us, in turn, to imitate Him and to live more and more like Him, in this world.

The Gospel of the Day… just six verses… Jn 15: 12-17, on closer reading, presents a number of images of the Lord.

These images will help us to…
… form a closer bond with the Lord
… imitate the Lord better in our lives

IMAGE 1: Jesus, the Lover…. inviting us to be His lovers!

The Lord says, “… love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn 15: 12)

Jesus is our Lover!

He is the Love-incarnate, and He expresses His deep love to us at every moment of our life.

Do we experience the Lord as our Lover…?
… intimately and passionately loving us, even in the midst of problems of life
… assuring His faithful support to us at every situation, even if we have been unfaithful

IMAGE 2: Jesus, the friend… inviting us to have Him as our best friend!
The Lord says, “… I have called you friends… ” (Jn 15: 15b)

Jesus is our Friend!

He is the One who shares everything that He has with us and does not keep any secrets in this Divine friendship.

Do we experience the Lord as our Friend…?
… constantly walking beside us, sharing our every emotion – joy, sorrow, hateful feelings, frustration, silly thoughts, stupid doubts, unseen jealousies etc
… on whom we can rely on, in any situation of life – may not get an answer in every problem, but surely being strengthened in having a shoulder to lean on and hands to hold onto!

IMAGE 3: Jesus, the brother… inviting us to share in His Sonship!
The Lord says, “… I have told you everything I have heard from My Father” (Jn 15: 15)

Jesus, the Son of the Heavenly Father, is our Brother!

We are raised to a status of being “sons in the Son!”
We are given the privilege to address God – not as any impersonal being, or a distant reality.. but as our Father – a loving Daddy, a caring Parent!

Do we experience the Lord as our Brother…?
… the One who reveals the secrets of the Heavenly Family and bids us have a closer union with the Divine Family
… the One who asks us to cast off our fear of God as being some strict rule-keeper and instead to cherish His Fatherly affection and fondness

IMAGE 4: Jesus, the Master… inviting us to give heed to His commandments!
The Lord says, ” This I command: love one another” (Jn 15: 17)

Jesus is our Master!

We are obliged to obey the order of the Lord and carry out His plans and wishes faithfully.

Do we experience the Lord as our Master…?
… giving heed to His commandment of being an instrument of love and harmony in our life situations
… being faithful, in little or big things, to please the Master at all times

IMAGE 5: Jesus, the Intercessor… inviting us to cast our concerns to Him!
The Lord says, “… whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give you” (Jn 15:16b)

Jesus is our Intercessor!

By His Holy Sacrifice, He has become the mediator and intercessor for the entire human race, before the Heavenly Father (1 Tim 2:5)

Do we experience the Lord as our Intercessor…?
… bringing before Him our concerns and the needs of the world, knowing that intercession is a very powerful means of alleviating the struggles and problems of the world
… becoming a prayer-warrior and helping the grace and intervention of God to be felt by people who are in distress and trouble

IMAGE 6: Jesus, the Missionary.. inviting us to be co-workers in His Project Kingdom!
The Lord says, “you did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain…” (Jn 15: 16a)

Jesus is our model Missionary

The mission that was entrusted by the Father is now shared by Jesus to all of us, and we become partners and collaborators with Him

Do we experience Jesus as our model Missionary…?
… knowing that He is the ideal and perfect missionary and that I must seek to imitate Him, in bringing God’s reign in the lives of people
… realising that it is a huge honour and a big responsibility that is placed on me, to be a co-worker and teammate of the Lord.

The Gospel presents these powerful images of the Lord to grow closer to Him and to reflect these images, in our contexts.

The early Church reflected on the various dimensions and guidance of the Lord, working in their lives and made decisions in the light of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:22-31)

We are also invited to grow in the light of the Images of Christ and the Power of the Holy Spirit to deepen our conviction and commitment to the Kingdom!

Let the words of St Clare inspire us:
“We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become.
If we love things, we become a thing.
If we love nothing, we become nothing.

Imitation is not a literal mimicking of Christ, rather it means becoming the image of the beloved, an image disclosed through transformation.
This means we are to become vessels of God’s compassionate love for others.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

(Based on Acts 15:7-21 and Jn 15:9-11 – Thursday of the 5th Week of Easter)

One of the wonderful SMSs that has been read and circulated by many of us, goes thus….

“Life is like having a cup of coffee…
You sit by the window, lift the cup, take a careless sip…
… and find no sugar.

Too lazy to go for the sugar, you somehow manage with that sugarless cup.

On finishing, you find undissolved sugar crystals, settled at the bottom!

That is life!

We don’t make any effort to value what is around or within us.

So look around…
… Maybe, the sweetness you are looking is much closer than you think!”

How often is our spiritual life also lived similarly…

We go through the rigours of spiritual practices…
… but they sometimes become mere routines

We perform many chores of religious exercises…
… but they sometimes turn out to be ritualistic.

Spiritual life becomes tasteless…
Spiritual life loses its fascination…

But Jesus, in the Gospel of the Day invites us to have a deeper excitement and happiness in life, by abiding in His love.

He tells us, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy maybe in you, and that your joy may be full” (Jn 15: 11)

The Lord wishes each of His followers to live a life of immense joy and happiness.

Jesus, Himself lived a very joyful life.

What was the recipe for His happiness?

A life that was lived in perfect communion with His Heavenly Father…
… seeking union with the Father through moments of solitude in prayer
… raising His Heart to the Father in gratitude and thanksgiving at every situation of life.

A life that was lived in absolute obedience to the Will of His Father…
… willing to shed any personal comforts or desires to be faithful to the mission entrusted
… readiness to undergo any amount of pain and suffering, even death, to be totally committed

Jesus hands over this same recipe to us, to discover true joy and happiness in life.

When we live in Communion with the Heavenly Father…
… in intense moments of prayer
… with a heart of thanksgiving

And we obey God’s Will…
… even at the cost of some personal comforts
… ready to bear sufferings to be faithful to Him

It is then…
… that we will experience real joy and happiness
… that we will treasure heavenly experiences in our hearts

Life grinds us through many tasteless moments and situations…
We get upset easily…
We tend to get defensive…
We get into a mode of being lethargic…

But the Lord says… “Stir up your lives!”

“Stir up your lives” to savour the sweetness of joy, peace and serenity…
… to taste the joy that is guaranteed by obeying God’s commandments
… to taste the peace that is assured by letting our lives be a symphony of service to others
… to taste the serenity that is promised by always abiding in the loving presence of the Lord.

The early Church reminds us (cf. Acts 15:7-21) that God does not complicate the path to Him…
….He looks at the sincerity of the heart
… not the weight of external burdens.

Let us seek to “stir up our lives” because true faith is not about piling obligations…
… but about trusting in His grace joyfully
… and sharing His Joy to all!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Nourishing our relationship with the Lord and reflecting the fruits of this affiliation in our daily lives!”

(Based on Acts 15:1-6 and Jn 15:1-8 – Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter)

A young man once checked into a serene hilltop retreat center…
… lush trees, birdsong in the morning

He was told it was a place to reconnect… spiritually.

But just a few hours in, he grew restless.
His phone showed zero network range.
No signal. No data.
No Wi-Fi. No messages.

And then came the meltdown.

In frustration, he muttered, “Ugh! I feel totally disconnected from the world!”

An elderly priest nearby, seated quietly with his Rosary, gently smiled and said:

“Son, if only we felt this disturbed when we’re disconnected from God.”

The young man was stunned.

He had been more distressed by the lack of Wi-Fi than the lack of prayer in his life.

So often true in our lives too, isn’t it?

We refresh apps..
… but do we refresh our hearts?
We seek network towers…
… but do we seek the True Tower of Strength?

The Gospel of the Day invites us to continually nurture and nourish our relationship with the Lord…
… and to reflect the fruits of this affiliation in our daily lives.

Jesus says that, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Whoever remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit, because without me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15: 5)

These are highly powerful words of the Divine Lord…”WITHOUT ME, YOU CAN DO NOTHING!”

There are a few implications of these powerful words….

1) Its a great message of hope
The statement of the Lord is a deep assurance that in every moment of our lives, we can bank on Him.

St Paul realized the deep understanding of this message of hope and could cry out, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13)

We can place our hope in the Lord…
… even when all seems lost and crashed in life
… even when things hit rock bottom in our life

2) It’s a great message of warning
The statement of the Lord is also a grave warning that in every moment of our lie, we can crack without Him!

The Prodigal Son realized the depth of such a break of relationship, when he had gone away from his father, and found himself in dire needs.

He would therefore say, “I shall get up and go to my Father and I shall say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you…’ (Lk 15: 18)

We are warned by the Lord…
… in every moment, we need to be dependent on the Lord
… in every situation of life, we cannot achieve true success by our own merits and talents

Sometimes in life, when things go on well and when everything seems fine, we tend to forget that it is the Lord, Who is ultimately leading and guiding us.

We get into a feeling that it is my achievements and hard work alone, that is the cause of every success and smile that I enjoy.

But once in a way, when emptiness engulfs our lives, maybe by way of…
… a sickness or a death…
… a financial difficulty or uncertainty of the future…
… crisis in relationships or breakage of human bonding
… or any other problem or difficulty…

We realize that there is a loss in our relationship with the Lord, the Strength of our life!

Unless we stay connected to this Mighty Network, our lives will stay in gloom and shadow!

When we are connected with the Lord, even in the midst of any crisis, the supply of inner joy and peace will always remain constant!

St John of the Cross says, “Oh, how happy is this soul that is ever conscious of God resting and reposing within its breast!”

The early Christian community gives us a beautiful example of coming together in the name of the Lord in order to resolve a crisis (Acts 15:1ff)

They realised that every human problem has its solution and consolation in the Lord!

Let us always seek to be united with the Lord…
… realising that ‘the fruits of our life don’t come from our talents – they come from our being tethered with the Vine!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Inviting Christ to calm the storm within and to experience His Divine Peace!”

(Based on Acts 14:19-28 and Jn 14:27-31a – Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter)

It was a cloudy afternoon, and the flight had just begun to descend.

But suddenly there were a few bumps and a strong turbulence.

People started glancing nervously out the windows. The usual cabin chatter faded, replaced by disturbed tension.

One lady clutched her hand purse.
Another gripped the armrest.
A man muttered, “I don’t like this.”

But in the middle of it all, a little girl sat peacefully in her seat, colouring her book.

She was calm. Focused.
Not the slightest trace of worry on her face.

A woman sitting beside her leaned over and said gently, “Sweetheart, are you okay? Aren’t you scared?”

The child looked up, smiled, and said simply:
“No. My daddy’s the pilot…
… and he told me before we took off that he’d get me home safely.”

Boom!

That’s trust.
That’s peace.
Not because the skies were smooth…
… but because the heart knew Who’s in control.

That’s the peace the Lord – the Pilot of our life – offers!

Not necessarily a change in the weather, but a change in the heart.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus warning us of the dangers of increased anxiety levels and troubled moments…
… and instead invites to lead a life of peace.

Jesus says in Jn 14: 27, “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”

The context of this statement of Jesus is the discourse at the Last Supper.

Jesus informs of his imminent going away from the disciples, which made them sad and anxious.
They had placed their hopes in Him.
They had offered their lives to Him.

But His announcement of departure caused worry and anxiety to the disciples.

But Jesus, who knows their hearts and gauges their emotions assures them, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give it to you” (Jn 14:27)

The disciples entered into an anxiety-mode as their hearts got wearied with what was to come immediately.

But Jesus invites them to go beyond such peripheral worries, and be assured of a peace that comes as a result of trusting in Him, the Lord of all future!

When one is imprisoned in the immediate worries of life, one fails to enjoy the true freedom of peace and joy

When one is landlocked amidst the borders of impending fears and troubles of life, one is unable to move out to experience real inner tranquillity and serenity

Are we finding ourselves often in situations, when our “hearts are troubled?”

Then Jesus, the Master Doctor of hearts, needs to be immediately consulted…

He gives us the tablet of His peace which would subside our fears
He gives us the tonic of His soothing Word which would calm our troubles

Troubles will, without any doubt, always haunt us…
… but we need to grow in our understanding that in all this, Jesus, is in perfect control of our lives.

Indeed, we can’t stop the storm from raging around us…
… but we can invite Christ to calm the storm within!

Let Jesus, the Doctor of hearts and the Pilot of our lives, take complete charge of our lives

In Him, we shall experience fervent joy.
In Him, we shall live with true peace.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Living in a way that will make the Lord ‘feel at home!'”

(Based on Acts 14:5-18 and Jn 14:21-26 – Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter)

One evening, a little boy was helping his mother prepare the guest room.

They were expecting a relative to visit, and the boy was full of excitement.

As they fluffed the pillows and folded the blankets, he paused, then looked up and asked innocently:
“Mamma… if Jesus came to our house, where would He sleep?”

The mother smiled warmly and said, “Well, my dear boy, we’d give Him the best room, of course!”

But the boy wasn’t done. With eyes wide and voice soft, he asked: “But what if He didn’t want to leave?”

The mother was surprised at the question.

His doubt echoed in the stillness.

She sat beside him, pulled him close, and whispered: “Then, my child…

We’d change everything.
We will keep the room always ready…
We will clean the house every day…
And most of all, we’d live in a way that will make Him feel at home!”

And she added, “Because if Jesus wants to stay, then this house must become a home for God.”

The little boy smiled.

And that night, they left the guest room light on…
… just in case He came.

That child asked the question that every soul must ask: “If Jesus came, would He find a home – or just a room?”

Too often we welcome Him as a guest for Sunday…
… but forget Him by Monday.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus throwing light on this beautiful theme of God wishing to make a home in our hearts:
“Those who love me, will keep my word, and My Father will love them and we will come and make our home with them” (Jn 14:23)

The story of the Bible is of God Who longs to dwell with His people.

In the Old Testament, we see the Garden of Eden was a beautiful communion of the first parents with God.

The atmosphere was so much homely…
… so much loving.

Sin caused a rupture in this homely bonding between God and human beings.

But the Lord, still longed to dwell with His people…

He accompanied the Israelites in their journey through the desert…
… being with them as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.
He also established His glory among the people of Israel by dwelling in the ark of the covenant.

Every now and then, the people sinned and lost this presence of the Lord

Through the prophets, the Lord would invite the people to come back to His homely presence.

Finally, in the fullness of time, God decided to dwell with humans, when the Eternal Word became flesh…

Jn 1: 14, “And the word became flesh and dwelt among us”

To perpetuate His continual presence, Jesus also gave us His Body and Blood, in Real Presence…
… when He instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper with the culmination of His Sacrifice on the Cross, and His rising from the dead.

This then, is the story of the longing of a God who yearns to dwell with His people.

Jesus re-iterates this constant longing of the Lord, by promising:
“Those who love me, will keep my word, and My Father will love them and we will come and make our home with them” (Jn 14: 23)

The Lord wishes to dwell more close to us..
He longs to have a home in our hearts…

Do we make the space for Him?

The Lord promises to come and make His home in our hearts, if we love Him and keep His Word.

Loving Him requires giving Him the highest priority and precedence in our lives

Keeping His Word requires following His teachings and commandments at all times.

Loving Him means to constantly long for Him and to have our thoughts centered on Him

Keeping His Word means to make decisions and choices based on His Gospel virtues

Loving Him means to free our hearts from undue and inordinate attachments

Keeping His Word means to go against our personal choices to preserve His Will and plans

The Acts of the Apostles gives us the account of Paul and Barnabas giving a powerful witness in Lystra…
… and demonstrating the Power of the Lord, Who was given the highest priority in their life! (Acts 14:5-18)

The Lord wants a space in our hearts, to dwell in us…

Maybe, some rooms of our heart has been rented to many unwanted habits…
Maybe, some areas of our lives are occupied by unfit tenants of sin and evil…
Maybe, some quarters of our mind are accommodated with unholy and bad thoughts…

God is knocking at our doors, seeking a home for His Son…

Let’s realise: “Holiness begins when hospitality is extended to the Holy One.”

Let us live in a way that will make the Lord ‘feel at home!’

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Then he found something strange happening…

The waters bore him up!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It is only our relationship to the Father, through Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit!

It is PRAYER alone that can take us through the storms of life!

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

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

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

The one, who has faith and trust in God…
… has absolutely nothing to be anxious about, even amid any storm or squall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do we trust?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

A priest – very devout to the Word of God and a good preacher – was asked, “Father, can you tell us, what makes you to be so passionate about the Word of God?”

The priest thought for a couple of seconds and replied:
“As I began my studies of the Bible, I began to realise…
… that I used to treasure the encouraging letters that were written by my parents when I was in the seminary!
… that I would time and again take these letters – though I knew the content of it by heart – and would get a special feeling, every time I went through them!”

And he added, “I realised this great truth: When you fall in love with the sender, you fall in love also with the letter of the sender!

The same is true of God
When we fall in love with God – the sender of the Word of God – we fall in love with the Bible!”

Have we fallen in love with the Word of God?
… or are we living in “spiritual illiteracy?”

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

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

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

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

They had seen Him performing many miracles
They had heard Him speak of the glorious Kingdom of God.
They had experienced Him endowed with the special favour of God
They had touched Him and received powers and graces for the mission.

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

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

Our lives can also resemble these disciples – in ignorance of the Lord.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’” (Acts 13:46-47)

Jesus desires that we know Him more…
… not just ‘about’ Him
… not just intellectual knowledge
… not just His teachings or wisdom
… But Him!
He wants all to have an “experiential” and a “living” experience of Him!

Let us realise that, “when you fall in love with the sender, you fall in love also with the letter of the sender!”

“When we fall in love with God – the sender of all the Word of God – we fall in love with the Bible!”

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

LEARN JESUS to LIVE JESUS to GIVE JESUS!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Overcoming our ‘spiritual paresthesia’ and fully cooperating with the Grace of the Lord!”

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

In the late 1970s, a young man named Ian Waterman, just 19 years old and full of life…
… was suddenly struck by a rare neurological condition.

Overnight, he lost his entire sense of touch, balance, and bodily awareness…
… though not a single muscle was paralyzed.

He could move, technically…
… but he no longer knew how.

Without his sense of body position, he was trapped inside himself.
Doctors told him he would likely never walk again.

But Ian was determined.

Through slow, painstaking effort and immense mental focus, he retrained his brain to walk again…
… by watching every movement visually.
He had to constantly think about every step, every motion…
… because the natural, effortless connection with his body was gone.
(Later he would be referred to as the “man who lost the body!”)

Ian’s story is striking…
… not just medically, but spiritually.

Because what he experienced physically, is what many of us go through spiritually.

We often lose our awareness of God!

We go through the motions – Mass, prayer, acts of charity…
… but the connection with the Lord feels dry, distant, numb.

We become spiritually numb.
Detached. Disconnected. Distant.

We are walking.

But not with Him.

We are alive.

But not aware.

We are moving.

But without meaning.

This is what we could call “spiritual paresthesia” – a loss of sensation to grace, to the presence of the Lord, and even to sin.

But we are not doomed to stay there.

We are called to have intentional cooperation, spiritual discipline, and the Grace of God…
… as the Lord cries out to every soul numbed by routine, by sin, by indifference, with the proclamation:
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” (John 14:6)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In the teachings of Jesus, one of the stand-out factor was His uncompromising attitude with respect to sin.

And perhaps, this is where Jesus as a Holy Person stands out incomparable with all other great spiritual or philosophical leaders of the world.

This is also where Christianity as a religion stands out unmatched with any other belief system or practice of spirituality.

For Jesus and in Christianity…
… there is an uncompromising teaching on the need to root out sin and evil offences
… there is an absolutely unparalleled insistence on removal of sin for spiritual progress
… there is an unsurpassed assertion on being holy and pure to be in communion with Him

Let’s realise: “The devil doesn’t always roar—sometimes, he just numbs.

Quietly. Slowly. Deadly!”

We need to make an honest examination of our conscience…

Is our life suffering from a “spiritual Paresthesia” or “numbness to what is holy” or a “lack of sensation to sin”…
… Do I continue to pursue, persevere or promote deeds of sin, even though I am aware of it, or has been brought to my notice?
… Do I fail to be sensitive to issues of immense sin and evil happening in and around me, in people and situations, and instead become indifferent and uninterested?

A persistence in this spiritual “Paresthesia” or numbness can very dangerously sever our relation with the Lord.

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

St Paul reminds us of the wonders of the Resurrection of Jesus and the promise of blessing that is enshrined to everyone who follows Him:
“… we bring you the Good News that what God promised to the fathers; this He has fulfilled to us their children, by raising Jesus!” (Acts 13:30-33)

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

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

This process of getting out of this spiritual “Paresthesia” will involve “disciplining” in the form of reparation, penance and atonement.

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!