“Putting to effect all our abilities, and being focussed on our Crucified Lord to be single-minded in our love for the Lord!”

(Based on Acts 4:1-12 and Jn 21:1-14 – Friday in the Octave of Easter)

Every person’s life consists of various strengths, talents, abilities and aptitudes.

These strengths and talents help a person to achieve triumphs in life.
These abilities and aptitudes push the person to climb up higher the ladder of success

However, it is said that “one’s greatest strength can also be the reason for one’s greatest fall!”

Sometimes strengths and abilities themselves can become….
… the reason for great depressions in life
… the gateway to a person to being tempted into false ways
… the entrance for a person to abandon one’s true calling and vocation of life

The Gospel of the Day is a strong picturisation of this aspect with the person of Peter, the prime Apostle of Jesus, in focus.

We are on the last chapter of the Gospel of St John – Chapter Twenty One.

The chapter describes another post-Resurrectional account of the appearance of Jesus.

The disciples, have been greatly disturbed and devastated by the death of their Master, Jesus.

Perhaps, all their hopes were crashed…all their aspirations had sunk.

Then, Peter, perhaps filled with greater sorrow than others, makes an important statement, “I am going fishing” (Jn 21:3)

He would have been more sorrowful because the Lord had always accorded a special attention to him…
… Yet, he was the one who had primarily and publicly denied his Master.

And so he takes another lead… this time however, away from the Lord… “to go fishing”

In Mt 4:19, we read that Peter had received the glorious vocation of following the Lord…
“Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men”

This was the vocation of Peter…
… to follow Jesus closely and personally and intimately
… to be a fisher of people, for the Kingdom of God.

But when faced with the greatest crisis of his life, he sought comfort and refuge, in what was probably, humanly speaking, his greatest strength – fishing!

All through his life, Peter was probably living close to the sea.

He knew the depths and the breadth of the waters.
Fishing was his great strength
Fishing was his big asset.

However, at the call of the Lord, Peter had given up this “earthly” asset and strength to embark through “newer” waters of life with the “Great Fisherman of Galilee”

The Lord had given him a “higher” vocation – to become fishers of people.

But now Peter, dejected and depressed, “leaves” this Divine vocation and goes back to his earthly strength and livelihood – fishing.

His strength and ability of fishing had become….
… the reason for great depressions in his spiritual life
… the gateway to being tempted into false ways, leaving the way of the Lord
… the entrance for him, to abandon his true calling and vocation of life of being fishers of people

“One’s greatest strength can also be the reason for one’s greatest fall!”

But once again, the Lord comes to the rescue…

He had called Peter, for the first time, by the Sea of Galilee… by a miraculous catch of fish (Lk 5: 1-11)

He now again calls Peter, by the Sea of Galilee – by a miraculous catch of fish
… calls him to renew his commitment and love for the Lord
… calls him to go back to his vocation and give up his life for him
… calls him to leave his “earthly strength” of fishing, and to depend totally on the Lord!

The danger that Peter faced in his life can be a danger for us too…

Our greatest strength can also be the reason for our greatest fall!

What is the greatest strength of our lives?
Money? Prestige? Talents? Abilities? Self-Confidence?
Or God?

Sometimes we find, that the very talents and abilities…
… by which we are able to do the works, of the Lord, may themselves, become great snares of temptations

We, therefore, need to be on the watch always – be on the guard at all times!

Sure, that it is the Lord Himself who has blessed us with various talents.

But all our capabilities, needs to find its source, strength and continuity, in and by the Lord.

Let us put to effect all the abilities that the good Lord has blessed us with, for His Kingdom…
… and may we always be focussed on our Crucified Lord to be single-minded in our love for the Lord.

Happy Easter to all of you!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“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 3:11-26 and Lk 24:35-48 – Thursday of the Easter Octave)

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

A fervent fear leading to veneration and devotion
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…

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?

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?

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!

“Realising that even in our ‘saddest walks of life,’ the Lord is with us – walking with us, and giving us many signs and symbols of Faith!”

(Based on Acts 3:1-10 and Lk 24:13-35 – Wednesday in the Octave of Easter)

A commonly known incident is told of a customs officer, who observed a truck coming up to the border.

The wary behaviour of the driver caused the customs officer to look at him with suspicion – of smuggling some goods – and he ordered a search of the vehicle.

The officer was pretty sure, that the driver was involved in smuggling something…

But even after a thorough search – of the panels, the bumpers, the wheel cases and other parts of the truck….
… he was unsuccessful!

Not convinced, but due to lack of proof, the customs officer had to wave the driver through.

This happened many times over the years – week after week….

The officer made the driver to go through rigorous searches: full body search, X Rays, Sonar…
… but nothing illicit was ever found!

Finally, the day arrived when the customs officer was to retire.

For one last time, the officer observed the same driver coming in…
… and he asked him: “I know you are a smuggler!

And I also know, very cleverly, you have been deceiving me all these years, and taking some goods beyond this check point.

Today is my last day at work.

So I pray you, to tell me what have you been smuggling all these years.
I promise that I will not tell anyone about it.”

Seeing the insistent pleading of the customs officer, the driver replied, coolly:
“Trucks!”

The customs officer had made a detailed check up of the driver, on several occasions.

But he missed the most obvious good that could have been smuggled: Trucks!

How often can this happen in our lives as well…
… We “miss the most obvious!”

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful incident to “open our eyes” to see the obvious – the obvious reality of our Faith…
… and thus, to be convinced witnesses of this Good News of the Reality!

The post-Resurrectional narratives today presents before us the incident of our Risen Lord appearing to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Lk 24: 13-35).

One of the striking features that this passage presents before us is the human tendency (weakness!) to “miss the obvious!”

The two disciples, who are on the way to Emmaus, had been greatly struck by the incidents that had happened over the last one week in Jerusalem.

This therefore, resulted in them failing to “read the signs of symbols”…

Their Master, Jesus, in Whom they had placed all their hopes, had undergone a cruel death on the Cross (Lk 24:21).
… The CROSS, however, seemed, to them, purely as a sign of humiliation and shame!

This was followed by the report of some women who had seen the empty Tomb of the Lord (Lk 24:22)
… The EMPTY TOMB, however, seemed, to them, purely as a sign of dashed hopes and broken dreams

This confusion was confirmed by some of the other members of the group, but Him they had not met (Lk 24: 24)
… This ABSENCE of JESUS, however, seemed, to them, purely as a sign of a lost prospect and an uncertain future.

As they walked on the way, Jesus explained the Scriptures to them, to open their hearts to what was written about Him (Lk 24: 27)
… The SCRIPTURES, however, seemed, to them, purely as a sign of falling on deaf ears and God’s words being found empty.

As they reached the village, Jesus made movements as if to go on ahead (Lk 24: 28)
… The MOVEMENTS of JESUS, however, seemed, to them, purely a sign of a traveller wanting to move on with His journey

A number of symbols were presented to these disciples…

Cross, Empty Tomb, Absence of Jesus, Scriptures, Movements of Jesus
… but all of them seemed irrelevant and immaterial.

They failed to make an impact!
They MISSED THE OBVIOUS!

That’s when, our Blessed Lord would “open their eyes” by partaking in one of the most important post-resurrectional ‘Expression of His Presence’: The Breaking of Bread!

“He sat down to eat with them, took the bread, and said the blessing; then He broke the bread and gave it to them…
… then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him!” (Lk 24: 30-31)

The ‘Breaking of the Bread’ opened their eyes… and they began to “See the Obvious”

The Cross began to be seen as the Symbol of Victory!
The Empty Tomb began to be seen as the Symbol of God’s Almighty Power!
The Absence of Jesus began to be seen as the Symbol of His Presence amidst the community!
The Scriptures began to be seen as the Symbol of God’s Promises being fulfilled!
The Movements of Jesus began to be seen as the Symbol of the Lord alluring them to invite Him into their hearts and homes!

This incident invites us to also have our “eyes opened” and “see the obvious” in our Faith.

And this experience is deepened by our participation in the “Breaking of the Bread”.

The “Breaking of Bread” is the Holy Eucharist.

This incident of the “Breaking of Bread” contains the elements (Scripture, Prayer, Blessing, Breaking of bread) of the Liturgy of the Eucharist, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church…
… “Eucharistic celebration always includes: the proclamation of the Word of God; thanksgiving to God the Father for all his benefits, above all the gift of his Son; the consecration of bread and wine; and participation in the liturgical banquet by receiving the Lord’s body and blood.”

There are moments in our life, when we like the Disciples on the way to Emmaus, walk dejected and disillusioned.
… things seem lost for us and the future holds no good for us
… darkness seem to pervade our every thought

Like those Disciples, we too are given a lot of symbols of God’s Presence…
… but we fail to find meaning in them!

It is therefore the Breaking of the Bread – the Holy Eucharist – that can strengthen our Christian Life and “open our eyes”…
… to “see the obvious!”

May this powerful incident of the Emmaus Experience, help us to resolve and renew a few commitments with respect to the Holy Eucharist…
… to be more eager to participate for the Holy Mass as often as possible
… to never be late for Mass; instead to prepare well, and participate with more enthusiasm
… to seek to spend more time with the Eucharistic Lord and encourage others to do so as well

It is the Eucharist that can help us to know and realize that even in our “saddest walks of life,” the Lord is with us – walking with us, and giving us many signs and symbols of Faith…

And thus, to have our “eyes opened”…
… and “see the obvious” in our Life of Faith!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being steadfast to the Lord, despite our tears and pains… and experiencing the caring and intimate Love of the One Who is ‘always with us!’”

(Based on Acts 2:36-41 and Jn 20:11-18 – Tuesday in the Octave of Easter)

One of the very beautiful verses in the Bible, not too known though… is from the book of the Psalms..

Psalm 56: 8, “O Lord.. You have stored my tears in a bottle”

Another translation would read, “… You have collected my tears in a wineskin”

This verse speaks volumes of a God who is so intimately related with a person and expresses a very personal and close association.

God is the God who…
… is specially close to His people in their moments of pain and suffering
… is particularly near to His people in their times of affliction and tribulations.

The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful witness to this loving concern and tender affection of God…
… expressed by Jesus to Mary Magdalene.

We are still near the tomb of the Lord.

Mary Magdalene, the soul who loved the Lord so deeply, is still lingering around the tomb of the Lord.

She had experienced Divine Love in a great manner.

Her heart could not fully accept that the Lord who had transformed her life was no more

Her mind could take in the fact that the One whom she loved so deeply had gone away.

And so she kept waiting.

True love always seeks…

True love always seeks to break boundaries, do away with hurdles and cast away any barriers

Finally, when she did encounter Him, her eyes were kept away from recognizing the Lord.

But the Lord did recognize her…
… not just her physical pains.. rather also her mental agony and her spiritual longing!

And so He asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (Jn 20:13)

Mary had been incessantly weeping over the loss of her Beloved

She had been continuously shedding tears for the Lover of her soul.

However… these tears were not in vain….
… these tears were not lost in futility..

Rather, the Lord was storing them up carefully in a vial… in a bottle… in a wineskin

“O Lord.. You have stored my tears in a bottle” (Ps 56:8)

And these tears of affection, love and fondness was rewarded by the Lord, by calling her by name, “Mary!” (Jn 20:16)

The sweetness of that voice, calling out her name, wiped away every tear!

Her tears were turned to smiles…
… her mourning to comfort
… her brokenness to immense joy!

Today, we are reminded the same…

We may be shedding many tears before the Lord…

It could be due to many reasons…
… maybe some personal crisis in life
… maybe some brokenness in the family
… maybe some tragedy or calamity to our closed ones

All these may cause us to have tears…
… either externally or within the depth of our hearts

Some tears may be seen by others…
… most others, will go unnoticed, invisible

Yet, the One who loves us the most – the Lord – is storing up all our tears in His presence

Each one of our tear is precious to the Lord…

Just like Mary Magdalene, who continued to be faithful and longing for the Lord…
… let us also be steadfast to our God, despite our tears and pains and sadness.

This faithfulness to Him will surely win the reward for us…
… the reward of our names being called out by the Lord!

Happy Easter to all of you!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Having the last laugh with Jesus, our Risen Saviour and Lord!”

(Based on Acts 2:14, 22-33 and Mt 28:8-15 – Monday in the Octave of Easter)

There’s a story of a little girl whose grandfather had passed away.

She stood beside his grave after the burial, quietly staring at the Cross.

The adults were weeping, but this child suddenly smiled and whispered to her mother, “Mamma.. Mamma… Grandpa is playing hide and seek with Jesus, right?”

And with a bigger grin, she said, “Wait and see… He’ll find him soon!”

The adults were stunned.

What seemed like a naïve comment carried a profound truth: Death is not the end.

For those who belong to Christ, it’s just a waiting game – until Resurrection comes calling.

The child in her innocence had captured the essence of Easter.

The world might see the tomb as the end…
… but we know, it’s where the Risen Lord begins His greatest surprise!

Well…
.. the three hours of the agonizing Death of Christ on the Cross, was seen as a sign of victory by Satan

The kingdom of darkness had conquered and the world of misery had overcome all goodness…
… so it was felt!

But it was God who had the last laugh!

Jesus rose from the dead…
… and Life and Salvation became the last words.

God indeed made a fool out of satan!

The Resurrection – Jesus’ rising from the dead – was the most spectacular joke that God had pulled on Satan.

It is a reminder that whatever happens in life…
… when one has entrusted everything to the Lord, then ultimately: God Saves!

During His life, the Lord encountered many occasions…
… when He was subject to being in humiliating, mocking and testing situations

At the desert, Satan had sought to make Jesus a fool, by tempting and luring Him through many temptations. (Mt 4: 1-10)
In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord once again faced a trying time in battling to embrace God’s Will totally and completely (Lk 22: 41-44)
On the Cross, the soldiers and others who persecuted the Lord, mocked and challenged Him to come down from the Cross (Mk 15: 29-32)

At every stage of His Life, our Blessed Lord was put into situations of being the “butt of jokes” and the “laughingstock”…
… and a target for many a trial, tribulations and mockeries.

The Crucifixion was meant to be the greatest of all such “agonizing” mockeries!

But…
… Divine Wisdom always finds a way out to triumph!
… Divine Providence always regains the way to victory!

This is the message of the Resurrection.

The Gospel of the Day is the account of the encounter of Jesus with the women, who had come to the tomb of the Lord.

The women who saw the empty tomb and encountered the Lord, were filled with a holy fear, a tremendous joy and a deep devotion. (Mt 28:8-9)

When one encounters Divine Wisdom…
… one is filled with true joy and peace.

Are we ready to share in the happiness of this “joyful” act of the Lord?

Life may bite us sharply with ensnaring temptations and evil tendencies…

Life may make a fool of us with mounting tensions and troubles…
Life may put us down badly with uncertainties and doubts…

We may often, find ourselves mocked.
We may often, find ourselves ridiculed.

But in all such situations, let us dare to look to our Crucified Lord…
… who Himself underwent painful mocking and unfair scorning…
Yet, had the final laugh, through the Resurrection from the dead!

The Resurrection gives us…
… every reason to rejoice, even in the midst of deadly trials…
… every cause to be joyful, even in the midst of heavy tribulations…

May the Risen Lord be the reason for us to rejoice and be joyful, thanking Him for the greatest joke ever – the crushing of Satan by the power of the Holy Cross!

Let us entrust all our works and deeds to the Safe Hands of Jesus…
… because “God always saves!”

As Christians, we can indeed rejoice and say, that “on Easter Day, Christ truly made a fool of sin and death!”

And we are reminded: “Life may often make you a fool!

But never be discouraged; with Jesus, we will always have the last laugh!”

Happy Easter to all of you!

“Let HALLELUJAH be the joyful song that we radiate in all our thoughts, words and deeds!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

The HOLY WEEK is the holiest week in the Liturgical Year!

And this HOLY WEEK can truly become a HOLY & HEALING WEEK…
… if we make efforts to TOTALLY LIVE FOR GOD!

The HOLY WEEK is a reminder to all of us…
… that God has given HIMSELF TOTALLY FOR US!

And we in turn, are to GIVE OURSELVES TOTALLY TO THE LORD!

Let this week, be a time…
… to grow in greater personal intimacy in His Word
… to ‘fall in love with Him’ in the Holy Eucharist
…. and to dwell with Him, near His Holy Cross.

Let us try to perform THREE TASKS, THIS WEEK
a. READ: Read the last 3 chapters of all the four Gospels – in order to meditate deeper on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ

b. REPAIR: Repair our relationships, especially by praying for those with whom we are not very okay, and extending the forgiveness and goodwill of the Lord to them

c. RESOLVE: Resolve to overcome a particular bad habit/sin that has been nagging us for sometime, and/or cultivating a virtue in order to grow in our Christian life

Let we hold the hands of our Blessed Mamma and St Joseph – and imitate them – in seeking the Will of the Lord, always!

Wish you a Blessed Holy Week!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

(Based on the Holy Week)

We have entered into the Most Blessed Week in the Liturgical Calendar

The Holy Week commemorates the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord.

The Lord came to this world to die.

The shadow of His cross was cast on every event of His life.

And now, we are ready to mingle ourselves with those Sacred Moments of commemorating His Cross.

March 30, 2026
On MONDAY, we have the Gospel wherein Mary anoints the feet of the Lord (Jn 12: 1-11)

We could ponder on some aspects…
a. The deep love of Mary
… Least bothered of what others felt.
… Least mindful of her own shame or dignity
All that mattered to her was Jesus and love for Him

Can I grow in my spiritual life, to possess such a unique and undivided love?

b. Danger of piety being covered up under the cloak of materialism, duplicity – Judas.
His focus was moved from “Following the Lord” to “Plotting against the Master”

Is my love for the Lord, losing its sheen and getting corrupted with worldliness?

March 31, 2026
On TUESDAY, we ponder with the Lord in His final discourse to His disciples (Jn 13: 21-33, 36-38)

We could dwell on some of the aspects…
a. The various attitudes towards the Lord, highlighted through the Disciples
… John, the beloved disciple, who could remain close to His heart.
… Simon Peter, the wavering disciple, genuinely wishing to follow the Lord, but failing often due to human limitations.
… Judas, the betraying disciple, in whom darkness had slowly encompassed and the night of sin was being encountered.

Am I growing in my love for the Lord, to be His beloved, or am I still floating on the waters of uncertainty or am I going downhill into spiritual darkness, failing to hold the hand of the Lord?

b. The prime importance needed in preparation to receive the Lord in the Holy Mass.
The Apostles had the privilege to participate in the First Holy Eucharist.
… however one of them, received the Lord with a deliberate and purposeful sin in the heart, which led to bringing death upon himself, at the reception of the Life-giving Bread.

Do I make the necessary preparations to receive the Lord worthily in the Holy Eucharist, growing in awareness of His presence in our hearts throughout the day…
… and in turn becoming a Eucharist to the needy in the world?

April 01, 2026
On WEDNESDAY, we reflect on the downfall of Judas (Mt 26: 14-25)

We could contemplate over some aspects…
a. Judas falls into the sin of avarice
One of the greatest dangers in life is that of misuse and attraction to money.
The Lord said, “Where thy treasure is, there thy heart too” (Mt 6:21)

Is my life too much attached to worldly pleasures, riches, powers, my own talents and capabilities that I fail to depend on the Lord and make Him the only and ultimate treasure of my life?

b. An insider is the one capable of being the greatest traitor and betrayer.
Among all the people who knew Jesus, The Twelve were chosen to be the closest.
… they shared the inner-most life and secrets of the Lord.

And therefore, the greatest danger was from one among them; and Judas Iscariot proved this right, by agreeing to betray his Master.

As an insider in the Church, am I betraying the Lord, by leading a lukewarm life, a scandalous life or a disinterested life?

April 02, 2026
On THURSDAY, we celebrate the intimate and passionate Love of Jesus!

The word ‘Maundy’ comes the Latin word “Maundatum” which means Command.

Three commands were expressed by the Lord…
a. The Command of Love
b. The Command of Commemorating the God of Love in the Holy Eucharist
c. The Command of continuity of sharing in the Priesthood of Jesus, the Priest and Victim

Can I grow in this consciousness and conviction to carry out the commands of the Lord?

April 03, 2026
On FRIDAY, we live through the Passion, Agony and Death of the Lord.

He who was sinless made Himself sin, for you and me!
… He who was blameless took upon the whole blame, for you and me!

Shall we make and mould our lives for holiness, abandoning our sinful ways…
… to be in greater communion with the One who died so that we may have life, and life in its abundance?

April 04, 2026
On SATURDAY, we pray at the tomb of the Lord, contemplating…
…. His deep, immense and unconditional for each of us, personally
… His Divine Wisdom to redeem the world back to Himself, scripting the greatest story ever

Yes the days are here…
… with another chance to review our lives, and renew our love-life with the Lord.

St Francis de Sales says, “Calvary is the Mount of lovers”
… and, “The love which is not the fruit of the Passion, is feeble”.

Our Greatest Lover is crucified there…
… as an expression of His love for us!

Come, let us also tread to path towards Him on Calvary, with our Blessed Mamma
… purging our sins, growing in His love
… and thus seek to rise with Him, and sing our eternal song – “Alleluia! He is Risen”

Wish you a Blessed Holy Week!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Being intimate with the Passion of the Lord and experiencing His tremendous Love as we enter, with Faith and Hope, into the ‘Holy Week’”

(Based on the Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord)

It was a cold morning on February 5, 1597.

On a windswept hill overlooking Nagasaki, 26 Christians – Franciscan missionaries, Japanese catechists, and even children – stood bound to wooden crosses.

They had marched through the streets in humiliation, mocked, beaten, and bleeding… while crowds watched.

Among them was Louis Ibaraki, just twelve years old.

When soldiers came to nail his hands to the crossbeam, he looked at them with peace and said:
“It is an honour to die for my Lord.”
The crowd grew silent.

As the final nails were driven and the crosses raised, the martyrs began to sing – hymns to Christ the King.

(And in that moment – as tradition tells us – a strange and still silence fell over Nagasaki.

Heaven responded to their offering…
… a cloud, shaped like a Cross, appeared in the sky)

[This event is historically documented and recorded in sources like ‘The Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan’ by Fr. Cieslik, S.J., and the Vatican archives following their canonization in 1862.”]

Today, we shout “Hosanna” to the King of kings…
… as we wave our palms.

But we also realise this has ‘the tone of a funeral procession in slow motion…
… leading to the blood-soaked wood of Calvary.

The martyrs gave their lives for the King of Kings…
… and today, the Lord asks: Are you ready to give Me your heart, and to trust me always?

Today we are entering into one of the most important weeks of the Liturgical year – The Holy Week!

And we commemorate the start of this Holy Week, with the Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

On this Sunday, we recollect the entry of the Lord into the town, riding on a donkey (Cf. Mk 11:7)

The donkey has a specific symbolism…

In the olden days, military officers engaged in war and battles would ride on the most efficient animals: the fast and furious warhorses.

But after the victory in the war, the victorious officers would parade into the city riding on… yes, a donkey.
That was the reason why the people shouted out when they saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.

In the First book of the Kings 1: 38-4, we read of how Prince Solomon used the royal donkey of his father David, for the ceremonial procession on the day of his coronation.

The new Solomon, Jesus, the True Prince of Peace and the King of Kings today enters His city, Jerusalem on a donkey as well!

A new reign of peace was being signalled.
A new kingdom of love was being ushered.

Are we ready to welcome the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace into our lives?

He is not the glorious King of might and wealth…

But He is the Spectacular King who will reign on His throne of the Cross.

He is not the proud Emperor who parades much show and pomp…

But He is the Wonderful Lord who displays His compassion and love by His wounds!

Are we ready to welcome this King into…
Our lives?
Our homes?
Our hearts?

The Passion of the Lord is about to begin…

Are we going to be part of the people who crucify Him?
… or are we going to be people who repent of sins and seek to live a life worthy of the King?

Many of us would have read the following, with a picture of Jesus Christ crucified…
“I asked Jesus, how much do you love me?”
And Jesus answered, “This much”
And He extended His arms on the cross…

But there’s probably a sequel to this, which perhaps is not known much, but is worth reflecting on…

Jesus then asked me, “How much do you love me”

I picked up the hammer and the nails….
saying, “This is how much I love You!”
… and began to crucify Him!

The Passion of the Lord is a result of our sins…

The Crucifixion of the Lord is a consequence of our disobedience…

Prophet Isaiah would say, “It was our infirmities that He bore and it was our sufferings that He endured” (Is 53:4)

He died for love of us.
He suffered to save each of us.

Are we going to remain stubborn and adamant and continue to be a people who shout, “Crucify Him”…
… Or shall we repent, fall on our knees, seek a transformation, and, with palm branches in our hands
… truly exclaim and acclaim Jesus as the Lord, shouting, “Hosanna to the King of Kings! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Many of us are often just happy to be part of the “city crowd”…
… remain there and once in a way, shout Hosanna, and be happy!

But the Lord says: Leave the city and climb Calvary
“He who wishes to follow me, must deny, take up the cross daily and follow!” (Mt 16:24)

We must realise that Christianity without the Cross is impossible…
No Cross, no crown!
No wounds, No blessings!
No offering, no happiness!

We have the palms with us now – they are fresh and green.

But in a few days, they will turn dry.

Singing and shouting Hosanna, when everything is fresh and green, is not too difficult.

But can we keep the same spirit, even when things dry up…
… or will we end up saying, “Crucify Him!”

Let us truly make this week, a “holy week”…
… by making a confession of our sins, and making suitable amendments
… be deciding to read the Bible every day, without fail
… by spending time with Jesus, in personal prayer, every day
… by repairing some ‘toxic’ relationships – asking the “gift of forgiveness and healing of these relationships” from the Lord

The Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord is not just about nostalgia.

It’s about ‘making a decision.’

Holy Week is not to be reduced to a theatre of memories…
… but it is an invitation to intimacy with the Passion.

Our Blessed asks: “Will you walk with Me… all the way to Golgotha?”

So this week…
Don’t just wave palms.

Pick up your cross.

Don’t just sing “Hosanna”.

Whisper “I’m Yours” in the silence of your lives.

Don’t just remember what Jesus did.

Allow Him do it in you.

Because Holy Week without surrender is just ‘history’

But when you allow the Crucified Lord to work in your life, it becomes ‘HIStory!’
And this will truly become “the Week that changed your world!”

Wish you a Blessed Palm Sunday…
… and a Glorious Holy Week!

Let us be intimate with the Passion of the Lord and experience His tremendous love…
… so that we too may worthily and honestly shout, on Easter Sunday, “He is risen!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Seeking the Lord wholeheartedly in all situations, knowing that everything in life happens for good, for those who love God!”

(Based on Ezek 37:21-28 and Jn 11:45-56 – Saturday of the 5th Week of Lent)

The 2004 movie “The Passion of the Christ” is remembered, not only because of its raw depiction of Christ’s suffering, but also because of what happened behind the scenes.

Jim Caviezel, the actor chosen to portray Jesus, endured much pain while filming the crucifixion.

During the production:

He was struck by lightning while hanging on the cross.
He dislocated his shoulder while carrying the 150-pound wooden cross.
He suffered hypothermia, pneumonia, and wounds from a real scourge that tore his flesh open.
For days, he struggled much because of the cold and pain.

His body was so battered by the end that he said: “I didn’t just play Christ…
… I felt crucified.”

People told him to stop filming.

Doctors warned him it was dangerous.
But he continued – offering his pain for a purpose.

Caviezel would later echo in various interviews, that..
.. we all want resurrection, but most of us don’t want the suffering that leads to it.

This wasn’t just a movie…
… this was a mission.”

And indeed, thousands have testified to finding faith, repentance, and healing through that film.

In this painful process, we are reminded of an important truth: God uses suffering to redeem the world.

And that’s the mystery we enter today, on the eve of Holy Week…

When life seems shattered, when evil appears to triumph, when good is met with hatred, we are to remember:
Everything… yes… everything in life, happens for good…
… for those who love God (Rom 8:28)

We are called to live a life of holiness and conviction…
… even in the midst of any pain or setback or failure!

The Gospel of the day, on this eve of the Holy Week, introduces us to culmination of the sharp antagonism and hatred that was building up against Jesus.

Jesus had raised up the dead Lazarus (Jn 11: 1-43)

This event garnered a lot of attention…

Many people began to believe in the person of Jesus, as the Messiah and Lord.
But many others, also began to have a greater bitterness towards this Man who was working wonders!

Many people grew in their following of Jesus and placed a greater trust and confidence in Him
But many others, had their flames of jealousy intensified and began to have greater plotting to finish off the “law-breaker” and “blasphemer”

The good that the Lord had done, was apparently turning out to be an evil for the Lord!

The “life-giving” action of the Lord would immediately result in a “life-taking” act on Him!

The event of blessing to Lazarus would apparently turned out to result in an occasion of curse on Him (since dying on the cross was considered to be a curse (Deut 21: 23)!

In the ensuing planning and plotting by the chief priests and the Pharisees, the High Priest said, “… it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish” (Jn 11: 50)

Jesus had grown to be a big threat for them
Jesus had gathered up much popularity and had become a menace for the leaders.

Therefore, the High Priest suggested a “quick-solution”… to kill Jesus!

But, everything in life has a purpose…
… Because God is the ultimate ruler, preserver and nurturer of this universe!

They plotted death but God planned life
They were selfish but God made Him the Saviour
They sought for political gain, but God ensured spiritual gain.
They hoped to spare one nation, but God saved the whole world.
They intended the worst evil for Jesus but God turned it into the greatest good.
They wished to scatter all His followers, but God brought them together as one holy nation.

Our life also follows this same pattern…

The events we think are bad, also have a purpose in God’s mind.
The moments that we consider as ‘unlucky,’ also can be turned to a blessing by God.

Sometimes, it’s just too hard to accept this teaching…
… too difficult to understand this concept..

But we have a beautiful answer in this our painful moments: the Cross.

Look to the Cross and find strength from Him…
… Who was abused though He was pure
… Who suffered immensely, though He was faultless.
… Who underwent tremendous agony, though He was sinless.

The Cross is the way of God…
… mysterious to us, but life saving for the world.
… baffling for us, but redemptive for the world.

What is most important is not to get discouraged or disheartened, rather…
… to seek the Lord wholeheartedly in all those situations
… to be faithful to the Lord in steadfastness and patience.
.. to be strong and joyful, finding strength in the love of the Lord.

Everything… yes… everything in life, happens for good!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Not being stone-hearted; rather having tender, loving, understanding and compassionate hearts!

(Based on Jer 20:10-13 and Jn 10:31-42 – Friday of the 5th Week of Lent)

“We are strewn all over the ground.

Some of us are considered useless….
Some of us are just stamped upon…
Some are made use in some hard labour…

Some of us…
… well, some of us, however, are made use for some inhuman practices.

This includes making use of some of us, to hurt others
… to cause pains and wounds to others
… and some even to cause fatal deaths!

Our life is often long…
… but sometimes, such kind of painful moments and incidents, ooze out any bit of feelings we may have (though we are considered not to be having any sentiments!)

Are you wondering who we are?

Well…
… we are the family of stones!

Yep… Stones!

Strewn all over…
Sometimes useless, right?
Sometimes just stamped upon, right?
Sometimes just made use for hard labour, right?

But sometimes, some of us, the stones
… also become objects of injuring and causing pain to others

One such occasion was when, as you read in the Gospel of St John 8
… some of us were picked up by a gang of highly malicious, judgmental and selfish people, to cause death to a woman who was caught in an act of immorality.

We were ready to thrown on that woman.
We were set to become objects of brutality and terror.

However, that day, we encountered the most amazing personality.
He had glorious eyes.
He had a breath-taking voice.
He had a tremendous authority.

His name was JESUS!

And His one sentence, ‘He who is without sin, let him be the first to stone’ dropped the jaws of all those blood-thirsty and cruel people.

We were all released from their hands.

We saw them all turning their backs and going home, in shame.
We also saw, the wonderful triumph of Mercy and Love and Compassion.

However, a few days later, some of us were soon back to find ourselves in the hands of those blood-thirsty men.

This time, the target was none other than that same charismatic person named Jesus.

You read about that in John 10:31, ‘The Jews took up stones again to stone Jesus.’

We were left wondering why this innocent man was being targeted so badly.

He was after all preaching the Kingdom of God.

He was bringing the message of God’s Love and salvation to the world.
By His works, He was also proving Himself to be the Son of God.

But none of these “clear-cut” evidences were able to convince those people.

They still believed that Jesus was a blasphemer.

And so they picked us up – yes, we the stones
… to indulge themselves in a blood-bath of the Blessed Man of claimed Himself to be the Lord and Saviour of the World!

Prophet Jeremiah also had a similar experience of being denounced by the people…
… and centuries ago, recounting his own struggle, had written these prophetic words about the Saviour: ‘For I hear many whispering. Terror is on every side!
‘Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’ say all my familiar friends, watching for my fall.
‘Perhaps he will be deceived, then we can overcome him, and take our revenge on him!’’ (Jer 20:10)

Our thoughts go out to those people who have such ruthless and stony intentions….

God had blessed them with such beautiful hearts.
God had showered them with so much of wisdom to discern and understand.

Yet, they failed to make use of these Divine gifts and instead, had hardened their hearts!

What a pity, that those human beings had become like us
… stones!

Yes, just how could they become stone-hearted?

Stone-hearted
… that they failed to be open to the possibility of God’s hand at work.

Stone hearted
… that they were adamant to be closed to any explanation of the Lord.

Stone-hearted
… that they were stubborn to listen to the voice of God’s Spirit in their lives.

We, the stones, now appeal to you, dear readers, to be wary and examine your lives:
Are you also sometimes acquiring a nature like us, the stones…
… hard to the feelings of other people and failing to understand them?
… rigid to the inspirations of the Spirit of God and not letting Him work in your lives?
… inflexible to have changes and transformations in life, to attune oneself to God’s Will?

There are already many of us in the world

In your streets, in your roads
… we are all, indeed strewn all over the place
… we, the stones.

But we sincerely beg you…
… not to let your hearts to become like us
… not to let your lives to be similar to our nature.

Let the world have more of, not stone-hearts…
… but tender, loving, understanding and compassionate hearts!

Let the world have more of, not hardened souls…
… but docile, open, submissive and humble lives!

God Bless! Live Jesus!