It was the 14th century in Bologna, Italy

 

A little girl was deeply in love with Jesus!

Her parents were devout Catholics, known for their charity and generosity to the underprivileged of Bologna.

 

So intense was her love for the Lord, that at the age of 9 (which was extremely unusual), she entered the cloistered Dominican community.  

 

To receive Our Lord in Holy Communion became the burning desire of her heart.

 

But the custom of the place and time had fixed twelve as the earliest age for reception of first Holy Communion.

 

This pious girl kept begging for an exception to the rule, but the chaplain of the community refused.

 

Her prayers were miraculously answered on the Feast of the Ascension in 1333.

 

After Mass, she stayed in her place in the chapel, where one of the nuns was putting away the sacred vessels.

Suddenly, the nun heard a noise and turned towards Imelda.

 

Hovering in mid-air, as the little girl was knelt in prayer, was a Sacred Host, the Blessed Eucharist, shining with a bright and forceful light.

The frightened nun ran to find the chaplain.

 

By the time the chaplain arrived, the rest of the nuns and other onlookers had crowded, awe-struck, into the chapel.

 

When the priest saw the shining, hovering host, he put on his vestments, went over to the girl, took the miraculous host in his hands, and gave her Holy Communion.

 

Some minutes later, after the crowd had dispersed, the mother superior came over to call her for breakfast.

She found the girl still kneeling, with a smile on her face.

 

But the girl was dead!

>> She had died of love, in ecstasy and bliss, after receiving Christ in the Eucharist.

 

The name of the girl was Imelda Lambertini.

 

Today she is Blessed Imelda, the Patron of the First Holy Communicants. Her incorrupt body, interred in a Church in Bologna.

 

Imelda had discovered the greatest treasure on the earth – the Most Holy Eucharist.

>> Have we?

 
Today we solemnly celebrate the Great Feast of the Corpus Christi – the Body and Blood of Jesus.

 

The Catechism of the Church teaches, “In the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained” (#1374).

 

On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus with His chosen disciples, celebrated the Passover Meal, taking the bread and wine, solemnly declaring, “This is my Body” (Mk 14: 22) and “This is my Blood” (Mk 14: 24)

 

The following day, Jesus would carry out this sacrifice of offering Himself for the expiation of the sins of the world, on Mount Calvary.

 

The Holy Sacrifice of the Eucharist is the perpetual continuation and adoration of the sacrifice of Calvary.

• The Holy Mass is not another sacrifice.

• The Holy Mass is not a repetition of the sacrifice of Calvary.

• The Priest at the Holy Mass is not offering a different sacrifice.

 

Instead,

• The Holy Mass is the same sacrifice of Jesus.

• The Holy Mass is the perpetual continuation and adoration of the sacrifice of Calvary.

• The Priest at the Holy Mass is Jesus Himself, the High Priest and Victim of the Sacrifice.

 

What is our understanding, love and commitment to the Holy Mass?
 

In the Holy Eucharist, we have the promise of the Emmanuel God, “I am with you always, till the end of the age” (Mt 28: 20) being fulfilled.

Do we also cultivate the growth and longing to be with our Saviour Lord?

 

We live in times when…

… there is a lot of indifference growing

… there are several newer problems and crisis cropping up

 

We live in a situation of faith where…

… there is a tendency to dilute many of the spiritual values

… there is a strong opposition to living holy and sanctified lives

 

For all such struggling moments and trying situations, we have an answer and solution in the Holy Eucharist.

 

>> The Eucharist is the story of a God who longs to dwell with us and in us.

>> The Eucharist is the saga of a God who is madly and passionately in love with us.

 

He longs, craves and desires for us..
From the Cross, our Blessed Lord cried, “I thirst” (Jn 19: 28b)

>> Shall we not respond, with a positive affirmation, to this cry of the Lord?

The Feast that we celebrate today… is a Feast for All the Days of the year…. The Lord is present in the Blessed Sacraments in our Chapels and our Churches…all the days…!

>> It is our duty to be with the Lord, in the Blessed Sacrament, whenever possible.

 

Let this Feast help us to make some practical resolutions, so that we can love the Lord, more and more, in the Eucharist, and thus become a Eucharist in this our broken and fragmented world.

 
St. Francis de Sales says, “When you have received Him, stir up your heart to do Him homage; speak to Him about your spiritual life, gazing upon Him in your soul where He is present for your happiness; welcome Him as warmly as possible, and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all of His Presence.”
 

May this Feast day…

… be a reminder for us of the deep, unconditional and exciting love of the Lord

… be an occasion for us to revive our spiritual lives and to renew our commitments

… be a day to resolve to be more zealous and passionate with respect to the Holy Eucharist

… be an opportunity to renew our lives to be a “Eucharist”- broken & shared – to one another

 

Blessed Imelda would sometimes exclaim, “Tell me, can anyone receive Jesus into his heart and not die?”

This ought to be the ideal in our passion and love for Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.

 

• In the Holy Eucharist, we have a treasure that is unparalleled and unmatched

• In the Holy Eucharist, we have a promise to eternal and a joy that knows no bounds.

May we grow in the love of the Holy Eucharist, for, as Bishop Fulton Sheen says, “The greatest love story of all time is contained in a tiny white Host”!

 

Wish you a very Happy Feast of the Holy Eucharist!

>> May our Blessed Mamma of the Holy Eucharist, help & intercede for us, to love the Lord more!

 

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

 One of the exciting things in life, which many of us have gone through, is learning a bicycle.

 

These days, bicycles come with a special set of training wheels that are attached to the back wheels.

>> The two little wheels attached to the back wheel are there to help provide balance and confidence to the rider.

 
But many of us, would have also learnt the bicycle in the old-fashioned way…

… the parent or a friend who ran alongside the one learning, until the rider got under way.

 

This person, who would be accompanying, would most often say three things, while learning this art of cycling…

 

1. Always keep the eye on the road…

…to keep the focus

 

2. Don’t lean to the left or the right side…

… to have proper balance

 

3. Remember, I am always there with you…

… to feel the confidence and trust

 

These three principles would help the person to learn quick this art of cycling.

 

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus presenting an important tool of “cycling through” in our faith: The tool of Focus.

Jesus says: “Let what you say, simply be ‘Yes’ or “No’” (Mt 5:38)

Continuing the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives His instructions to His disciples, on how one should remain “focused in one’s faith”.

The Sermon on the Mount can be also termed as a “Teaching on Challenging Mediocre Lifestyles”.

Jesus, all through the Sermon on the Mount, picks up various topics…

… anger

… adultery

… divorce

… vows

… love for enemies

etc…

>> And raises the level of their understanding for a Christian. 

Today’s Gospel presents Jesus speaking on the topic of “vows and promises”…

… emphasizing on the aspect of remaining focused and clear, in one’s words and deeds.

“Standing on two boats” is a trend that we find in our modern world…

… people taking double standards in their life in the society outside and life at home inside

… friends changing their loyalties to one another depending on the circumstance and situation, for their own favour

… spouses cheating on one another, for their own selfish and sinful pleasures

Many such examples of people not being “true to their words” makes today’s Gospel extremely relevant in our context. 

Jesus categorically declares that for a Christian, there ought to be no “double standards”

… a Yes, ought to be a Sincere Yes

… a No, ought to be a Firm No

>> A Sincere Yes to God… a Firm No to Satan

>> A Sincere Yes to Holiness… a Firm No to Sin

>> A Sincere Yes to the Kingdom of God… a Firm No to the ways of the world

The reason to have this conviction is our Faith and Confidence in the Lord.

>> He is the Lord Who remains the same always: “Jesus Christ, yesterday, today and forever!” (Heb 13:8)

Like the art of cycling…we are given some basic principles…

…the principle to keep focus

… the principle to have a proper balance

… the principle of confidence and trust

 
 

We are to learn…

>> To keep focus… by always being sincere and honest in our words and deeds

>> To have a proper balance… by not getting discouraged in the face of any sort of rejection

>> To have confidence and trust in the Lord… Who is with us to lead us by His Providence at all times. 

 

We need to therefore ask ourselves:

 >> Am I focusing on sincerity and honesty, in my daily actions and words…

… or do I sometimes take “double-standards”?
 

>> Am I having the proper balance in living the Christian life even though I face many pressures…

… or do I lose the balance and fall into the pits of lethargy, disappointments and laxity?

 

>> Am I having the confidence and the trust in the Lord and bank on Him at every turn of life…

… or do I experience perplexities of anxiety, despair and despondency?

 

 
The art of “cycling through” in our Faith is exciting.

>> We may feel a little afraid at times…

>> We may sometimes even fall..
But we only need to follow some of the basic principles, coupled with His Grace…

… to be focussed on the Lord alone

… to be balanced in prayer and faithfulness

… to be trusting and being confident in His awesome power

 

And when we embark on this art…

… Just like a caring parent, who is happy to see one’s child cycling confidently…

… our Heavenly Father will also look at us with much happiness and joy and be proud of us!

 

Are we ready to “cycling through” in our faith, with our Heavenly Father?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

The Canadian author, Thomas Costain in his historical novel “The Three Edwards” speaks of the life of a 14th century Duke named Raynald Ill.

>> Raynald was extremely overweight and was commonly called by his Latin nickname “Crassus” which meant ‘fat’!

 

 

This Duke Raynald, after a violent quarrel, suffered defeat in a revolt by his younger brother Edward.

 

Edward captured Raynald, but did not kill him.

 

Instead he imprisoned Raynald in a room in the castle…

… and promised that he could regain his title and property, if he was able to escape from the room.

 

 

This task – to escape from the room – would have been pretty simple for most people, since the room had several windows and a door; none of which was locked!

 

But Raynald had a problem…. His size… His uncontrolled appetite!

 

Edward knew his elder brother…

… and He very well knew this weakness as well!

 

Each day, therefore, Edward send him a variety of delicious foods!

>> Instead of dieting his way out of the room, he began to relish on the grand food served to him…

… and Raynald grew fatter!!

 

When Edward was questioned by the people on his cruelty for having captured his elder brother, he would reply, without any qualms: 

“My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.”

 

 

The story goes on to say that Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. 

>> But by then his health was so ruined, that he died within a year!

 

Raynald died…

… as a prisoner of his own appetite!

 

 

How often is this a reality in our spiritual lives as well!

 

>> Sin sometimes captures our hearts so much…

.. that we are unwilling to let go, and thus wither in our sinful state

 

>> Immorality and transgressions take over our lives so much…

… that we become slaves, and remain much bound to them.

                                                                                                                           

 

The Gospel of the Day is a powerful call by Jesus to make an honest examination of our state of life, and check whether we are imprisoned by sin…

… especially from the perspective of immorality and decadence in our ethical system.

 

 

Our modern society is often a rude and mute witness to many inhuman atrocities and abuses, especially against women.

>> The world seems to be more and more losing, the sense of sin!

 

 

In this context, it’s shocking to read the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel reading:

“Anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has committed adultery in his heart”! (Mt 5:28)

 

 

Jesus’ words pierces through the heart!

>> He gives no space for lame excuses and silly explanations…

… he hits straight at the target!

 

SIN consists not in some external actions alone…

…..but SIN is conceived and given birth in one’s heart!

 

When we consider the society in which we live in, we find that…

Immorality is on the rise….

>> We pass through cities and towns..

>> We look through newspapers and magazines…

>> We scan across websites, swanky apps and fancy shops…

.. and we find that… Immorality is, indeed, on the rise!

 

Immoral pictures, sensual visuals, inhuman portrayal of persons, double-meaning talks have somehow become the order of the day!

>> We are very often surrounded by filth and lewdness in our society.

 

Satan, the father of deception scatters the seeds of immorality and lust everywhere!

 

It’s here, that a Christian needs to be on the watch.

>> It is our duty as Christians, to preserve our hearts from this dangerous contagion.

 

The beatitudes tell us, “Blessed are the pure in heart, they shall see God” (Mt 5: 8)

 

We have a duty…

… to preserve ourselves from Impurity!

… to protect others in their dignity and honour!

…to awaken the society which is often, deadened in immorality & perversion!

 

 

Let us examine our lives and check.. “Am I becoming a prisoner of my own appetite?”

… being a slave to lustful thoughts or immoral patterns of attitudes

… being indifferent to a society which strips itself of all dignity in the name of liberty and freedom

 

The Lord very powerfully challenges us to be totally intolerant to casting away sin and sinful tendencies from our life…

>> ” If your right eye causes you to sin… tear it out and throw it away” (Mt 5: 29)

>> ” If your hand causes you to sin… cut it off and throw it away” (Mt 5: 30)

 

Sin has no place in a world of mercy and love!

>> Mercy places an obligation that all sin be rid off!

>> Love demands that all wrongdoing be cast away!

 

Let the words of St Antony of Padua be given heed to:

“Anyone, then, who desires to live chastely in Christ Jesus, must flee not only the mouse of lust, but even from its very scent.”

 

Let’s awake, Dear Christians…

… Purify our World and live in Sanctity and Holiness…

 

 

Let us free ourselves from the “imprisonment of our appetites” and experience the “glorious liberty” of the Children of God!

 
God Bless! Live Jesus!

It is said that there are two extremely fatal phrases in the English language. 

>> They are

1. “What is the use?”

2. “Why should I?”

 

 

“What is the use?” is the fatal tendency…

… that causes people to look at the world from a purely pragmatic perspective

 

>> Such a tendency…

… causes people to lose interest in things and people, if they don’t seem useful and beneficial

 … causes people to manipulate people, things and situations in a way that suits their self-interests

 

 

“Why should I?” is the fatal tendency…

… that causes people to look at the world from a resigned and indifferent perspective

 

>> Such a tendency…

… causes people to rot in lethargy and tepidity and lose the spice of life

… causes people to push the responsibility to other, and themselves slacken in comfort and ease

 

 

These two phrases were very much reflected in the “Pharisaic and the Scribal lifestyle” which Jesus, in today’s Gospel invites each us to surpass and overcome.

 

>> The “What is the use” lifestyle…

… which made them to only flaunt their external piety and lose sight of the unglamorous aspect of devotion

 

>> The “Why should I” lifestyle…

… which made them to reject any offer calling them to repentance or amend their ways and instead made them to be stuck to their own prejudices and adamant patterns of thought.

 

 

Jesus always keeps challenging us!

The Lord loathes laziness and lukewarmness…

>> He loves to keep raising the standard of our holiness and faith!

 

This challenge is reflected in today’s Gospel Reading.

 

Jesus says, ” Unless your righteousness exceeds that of Scribes & Pharisees, you can’t enter the Kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5: 20)

 

 

The righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees would consist…

… in a lifestyle which insisted only on the exact following of the ‘letter’ of the Law neglecting its spirit

… in a tendency to neglect the fundamental aspects of the Law and focus only on the peripheries

 

 

What could be some of the negative aspects of the Righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees, which Jesus condemns…and which perhaps, we need to overcome?

 

 

1. They liked to preach…but not practise

 

We live in a world where there are many people who are good in preaching, writing reflections and advising on spiritual matters.

>> But very often, a massive chasm appears between their preaching and their way of life.

 

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

 

 

2. They liked to do things to “show-off”

 

A tragedy of religious practices can be, when things are done not to please God, but to win the approval and endorsement of people.

>> Religious piety and devotions very often become means to have self-gratification of one’s senses, and sadly, even platforms to boast and brag about one’s capacities and capabilities.

 

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

 

 

3. They liked to make the Word of God, user-friendly, at the cost of God’s Will:

 

One of the trends in the modern world, is to have all products and gadgets “user-friendly”.

 

Sadly, this trend is also often applied to the Word of God.

>> The Word of God, its commandments and laws are twisted and condensed and expanded and interpreted and quoted and explained and elucidated – all to suit one’s own comfortable and pleasurable way of life!

 

The Scribes and Pharisees seemed to be in this category of people.

 

 

Am I in any of these category of peoples??

 

The Lord challenges us today.. to exceed this sort of a righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.

 

We need to be people…

… “who walk the talk”!

… “who practice our Faith to Please God and Him alone

… “who live a Gospel-oriented life”

 

The Gospel ought to mould and shape us – and not we changing the Word of God to suit and justify our secured and comfortable lives!

>> Gal 1:10, says,” If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ.”

 

 

Our modern world strongly advocates the two fatal phrases of…

… “What is the use?” and “Why should I?”

 

 

As followers of Christ, it is our duty and task to go beyond such a “Pharisaic and Scribal Lifestyle”…

… and live as Jesus would want us to!

 

We need to counter these two fatal phrases, with inspirational mantras…

>> “What is the use?” is to be countered by “All to Thy Glory!”

>> “Why should I?” is to be countered by “To let Thy Will be done!”

 

 

Let all our actions and thoughts be directed only to God.

Let our Lives truly be a Good News!

>> As St Francis of Assisi says, “Preach the Gospel always…use words, if necessary!“

 

 

God Bless us! Live Jesus!

A university student was seen with a large “K” printed on his T- shirt.

 

When someone asked him what the “K” stood for, he said, “Confused.”

“But,” the questioner replied, “you don’t spell “confused” with a “K”!

 

The student answered, “Well, you don’t know how confused I am!”

 

The confused state of mind led to be boy to display a totally confused and puzzled look!

 

How often is this true in our own lives as a Christian…

• We fail to have certain convictions in our faith… and the resultant life that is displayed outside, is one of confusion or uncertainty.

• We fail to be sure of what our life of faith is…and as a result, we fail to bring people to experience God’s love and instead, sometimes even lead others astray.

 

The Gospel of the Day is a peek into the conviction that Jesus had in His life of preaching and mission and a challenge for us to become persons who become fervent and convinced in teaching the commandments of the Kingdom of God.

 

The Gospel is a continuation of the Sermon on the Mount.

 

Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfil” (Mt 5: 17)

 

One of the distinguishing features in the preaching and teaching ministry of Jesus was His deep conviction and certainty.

 

• Jesus did not speak as if He was blabbering on some unknown topic.

• Jesus did not mutter words as if He was whiling away time to talk on a strange issue.
Instead, Jesus was thoroughly convinced of what He spoke and taught.

 

It was this deep-seated conviction that made Him to say that He had “come not to abolish the law or the prophets”.

 

The message of Jesus contained newness and freshness.

• However, it was not a preaching that was entirely new
It was a teaching that was born in deep certainty and delivered with utmost conviction.

 

• He was the fullness of the teachings of all the Law.

• He was the fulfilment of the prophecies of all the Prophets.

 

This gave it a fresh crispiness.

>> This gave it a refreshing perspective.

 

Do we also possess a similar conviction and certainty in our Life of Faith, just as Jesus displayed?

 

The Lord demands such a requirement.

 

Hence, He would say, that “whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so, will be called least in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Mt 5: 19)

 

Our Christian lives are sometimes marked by an unwanted uncertainty and confusing convictions.

• We know a little bit about our faith…but not deep enough.

• We know a little bit concerning our teachings…but not in its depth.

• We know a little bit about the virtues we are to live…but not fully convinced of it.
 

As a result of this ‘unsure’ attitude and ‘confused’ mentality, we are unable to

… (1) live a true and honest Christian lives

… (2) witness and teach others our genuine faith

 
May we not remain confused Christians; rather experience the love and mercy of the Lord, and make efforts to grow into being Convinced and Certain and Confident Christians!

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A commonly known story (found in different versions) is told of a king who once asked his daughter how dear he was to her.
“As dear, as dear – as salt!” said the daughter, in all her innocence.

The king thought that this was very little and a “cheap” way of expressing her love to him.

>> And so, being unhappy, remained extremely disappointed with his daughter.

A few months, later, the King sponsored a great feast for the people of his land.
The daughter, made sure, that every dish that was brought to the King, remained unsalted

>> And thus nothing tasted good to the King.
It was then that the King realized his mistake!

The absence of the salt – which rendered the food tasteless – made him realize the value of salt…

… and the intelligence, in the answer of his daughter!

And thus, the King loved his daughter recognizing the importance of salt – and happy to being loved “As dear, as dear – as salt!”

The Gospel of the Day is the beautiful reminder by the Lord, to recognize the importance of “being the salt of the earth,” and to be on the guard, that our Christian lives don’t become tasteless or bland..

… by “not losing the saltiness!”

As Jesus proceeds with the Sermon on the Mount, He declares…

… “You are the salt of the earth” (Mt 5: 13)

It is fascinating to recognize the greatness of this statement of Jesus, in our present day context…

Imagine this…

>> There are over six billion people in the world…

… spread over seven continents and around 195 countries…
>> There are people belonging to thousands of tribes, ethnicity, languages etc…

… and again hundreds of temperaments, personalities, outlooks and characters.

 

Among all these various people, the Lord – the Creator of the whole universe – declares to each one of us…

… YOU…

… Yes, YOU, His beloved creation, and the one whom He loves deeply:

>> “You are the salt of the earth” 

Perhaps, this statement of the Lord may cause us surprise and trigger us to ask Him:

” You must be kidding, Lord!

>> I mean…. Look at the vast expanse of the world – millions of people in here, variety of languages, behaviors, temperaments, personalities…

… and amidst, all this, You expect, Me…

>> Me? To be the Salt of the Earth?!
We might even pose a question: 

“Do you expect Me, a puny little thing, to really be the Salt to the Earth?

>> I am just a Nobody!”

But the Lord – who knows us through and through – would thunder back and tell us:

 “Do not say, you are a nobody!

 

I am precise in calling You…!

>> You have been Baptized in Me, and you have My Spirit dwelling in You.

 

Long back, some of my servants also expressed their inability in a similar fashion…

… Abraham

… Jeremiah

… Peter

 

But they were raised… by My Grace and their co-operation.

 

 

You too, have a responsibility towards Me and My Kingdom…

… and You will do much in doing little, when and as I wish!”

 

 

Perhaps, these magnanimous words of the Lord would overwhelm us..

… but still, filled with unworthiness, we may cry out, expressing our helplessness: 

“But Lord, the challenge is just too great!

I do have some talents and capabilities, that You have bestowed on me.

>> But will those be enough?

 

I just feel that I am too small and insignificant, to be making a real difference in the world!”

 

This is where the Lord will remind us…

“Of course, I don’t deny that it is going to be easy for you to be the Salt of the Earth!

 

You will struggle…

… You will have to walk the hard path, as did even my Beloved Son on His Way of the Cross.”

The Lord will also remind us that “the salt that He spoke of”…

…was not the pure, refined type that is available today.

 

The salt of the olden days, when exposed to moisture, could easily become insipid.

>> It could become tasteless and useless… good only to be thrown and trampled down!

 

In the same way, we, as the ‘Salt of the Earth’, need to be highly careful.

 

>> If we expose ourselves, too much to the worldly and material affairs, we will lose your saltiness!

>> If we pollute ourselves by the many vain pleasures in the world, we will end up being ineffective!

And then we will be useless…only to be trampled upon! (Mt 5:13b)

 

Our life is like… as St Paul writes in the Second Letter to the Corinthians is a… ‘Treasure in Clay’! (2 Cor 4:7)

 

 When preserved and careful utilized, we will remain precious

>> If not handled carefully, we will end up spoiling a wonderful fortune!

 

We are to be the Salt of the Earth…

… in whichever state of life we are

… to whichever vocation we are called to

… in whichever works or activities we engage in

 

We are to be the salt…

… that gives taste, to those who have lost meaning and hope in life

… that preserves the virtues of the Gospel and teachings of the Church in a world of decay

… that symbolizes purity even though the world around you plunges into immorality and sin

… that makes you part of the Sacrifice that is offered to God as described in the Law (Lev 2:13)

 
Yes, we need to remember, that we have a great calling.. to be the Salt…

… to give taste to the world… to preserve the Gospel values..to be a symbol of purity…to offer your life as a sacrifice.

>> We are indeed Precious!

 

Let us never let ourselves be diluted with the waters of worldly pleasures and thus become insipid!

 

Perhaps, like the King in the story, we sometimes, don’t recognize the importance of salt…

… the importance and immense responsibility in being “the salt of the earth”!  
The Lord, today, reminds us:

“Your Christian vocation has to become dear to you….

… “As dear, as dear – as salt!”

Are we ready to be the ‘Salt of the Earth’…?”

 

 

 God Bless! Live Jesus!

There is an eating disorder named ‘Pica’.

 

Pica is the craving to eat what is not edible. 

It is characterized by an appetite for substances that are non-nutritive such as paper, clay, metal, chalk, soil, glass, sand etc.

 

There are different variations of pica, as it can be from a cultural tradition, acquired taste, or a neurological mechanism such as an iron deficiency or a chemical imbalance.

 

‘Pica’ can lead to intoxication in children, which can result in an impairment in both physical and mental development.

 

Now in the spiritual realm, many of us could be affected by a ‘Spiritual Pica’.

 

• A Spiritual Pica would refer to a craving to enjoy what is non-spiritual.

• A Spiritual Pica would mean a strong desire to enjoy what is unholy.

 

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus giving an antidote to this tendency by presenting the Beatitudes.

 

The Beatitudes are a beautiful proclamation and an exhortation…

… to set one’s hearts on the higher and nobler things of life

… to be delighting in the true and heavenly aspects in life.

 

Jesus, the Teacher went up the mountain, and after He had sat down, began to teach (Mt 5: 1-2)

 

When we go through the list of the Beatitudes, one of the standout aspects that we notice is the ‘tone’ and the ‘mood’ that is expressed by Jesus…

• There is a lot of joy that is expressed…
• There is a lot of peace that is radiated…
 

When seen from a worldly perspective, the Beatitudes present a grim and gloomy picture…

 

They speak of…

>> People who are poor… people who are mourning…

>> People who are too modest… people who are in want…

>> People who are merciful…people who are clean at heart…

>> People who are peacemakers…people who are persecuted…

 

From the worldly eyes, these are not people who are “great” or “happening” or “cool”

>> Instead, they are usually categories of people who are put down or who rarely come to the limelight or those who considered weak and fragile.

 

But, the Lord reverses this notion, and places these sections of persons in the category of being Blessed!

 

What is the reason?

 

• Blessedness for the Lord is an attribute that is solely associated with God and dependence on Him

• Blessedness for the Lord is a virtue that is directly a result of one’s faith in the Lord and reliance on His providence.

 

This is the greatness and paradox in Christian Life.

• One is invited to live a life of immense happiness and joy…

…but the result is not an achievement of one’s own merit, but is a fruit of one’s dependence and trust in the Lord.

 

• One is encouraged to enjoy a life of peace and delight…

… but the outcome is a not an accomplishment proceeding from sheer hard-work or personal efforts, but is a grace obtained because of one’s faith, love and commitment to the Lord.

 

However, many of us, fail to look upwards and gaze higher…

… instead our aims remain sometimes peripheral and stuck to being worldly.

 

We get afflicted by a ‘Spiritual Pica’….

… craving to enjoy what is non-spiritual.

… a strong desire to enjoy what is unholy.

 

The Lord today challenges and invites us to go beyond such materialistic tendencies and instead become a person of being truly Blessed.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A story is told of various fruits, coming together for a discussion.
The topic of discussion was to know the reason, why no other fruit, but the grape, contains juice, from which the best wines were ma de.
They also discussed from the Biblical perspective, as to how, the wine from the grape, is an important element in Sacred Scriptures.

“Her drink is famous throughout the world”, declared all the other fruits.

>> “Why is she more worthy, than we are, to be so blessed by God?”, they asked one another.

A cluster of grapes, which were hanging nearby in the garden, heard the complaint and told them: 

“All of you grow individually – each one to oneself and by oneself.

But we, grapes, always, grow in bunches.

>> We always hang on to each other.
That is our nature – that is the only way we can grow. 
And it is this mutual dependence on one another, that puts something special into the wines that come forth from us!”

Mutual dependence, selfless unity and constant integration with one another, was their nature – and this brought the best in them. 

These qualities, also ought to become the nature in our own families, communities and society – and that will bring out the best in us!

Our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the Blessed Trinity is the Perfection of this Mutual Dependence, Selfless Unity and Constant Integration with one another!

Today, as we celebrate the Great Solemnity of the Holy Trinity, we are invited to grow into this nature of our God.

 

The Dogma of the Blessed Trinity is indeed the most fundamental, yet the most baffling and confusing mystery of the Christian Faith.

 

However, we are encouraged by a great truth about this mystery…

> The mystery of the Trinity is more to be lived, than merely be understood

> The mystery of the Trinity is more to be encountered, than merely be grasped

> The mystery of the Trinity is more to be experienced, than merely be comprehended

 

 

This feast is celebrated on the Sunday, following the Feast of the Pentecost.

 

The encounter of the Holy Spirit, was a life-transforming experience for the Disciples.

> It brought about a huge upliftment in courage for their sagging and fearful spirits.

> It brought about a massive alteration of mind, to being bold and dynamic in their faith.

 
Along with this, it also brought in the tremendous experience of the Holy Spirit as a God!

>> This was something very new, strange and heart-experiential.

 
The disciples, as we know, were Jews.

 

Jews believed in strict monotheism – One God.

They professed this belief in One God, daily, by the ‘Shema Israel’: “Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is one God….” (Deut 6:4)

 

However, in Jesus, the disciples encountered a deep Divine experience.

>> On Pentecost Day, they also encountered a deep Divine experience in the Holy Spirit.

 

This tremendous experience, along with the grace of God, helped them to reflect on the many words and sayings of Jesus that pointed to the dimension of Three Persons in the One nature of God.

 
Thus, with gradual and deeper reflection on the words of the Lord, and the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples – strict monotheists – began to understand the mystery of God in a new light…

>> God is One

>> There are three Persons – the Father is God, the Son is God, the Spirit is God

>> The Father is not the Son and the Spirit; the Son is not the Father and the Spirit; the Spirit is not the Son and the Father.

 

This Triune invocation was the way the Lord exhorted to Baptize disciples in all the nations, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them, in the name of the FATHER and of the SON and of the HOLY SPIRIT” (Mt 28: 19).

The Dogma of the Blessed Trinity has explanations, rationalization and details in the Holy Scripture and the Teachings of the Church.

>> However, with all that, the Dogma continues to remain a mystery…

 

And this is the beauty of the Mystery of the Triune God…

… It is something to grow in, daily

… It is something to develop a deeper relationship, daily

… It something to be lived and experienced in practical life, daily

 
As Evagrius of Pontus, a Greek monk of the 4th century said: “God cannot be grasped by the mind. If God could be grasped, God would not be God!”

 

This is our Blessed Triune God…

… He escapes being subjugated to the prisons of the mind; instead, invites to forge a powerful bond with the heart!

… He gets away from being trapped in the intriguing theological explanations and philosophical reasoning; instead calls forth to form an everlasting covenant of love!

Our whole world reflects the Triune nature of the Blessed Trinity…

>> Water exists in three forms – solid as ice, liquid as water, gaseous as steam

(In physics, it is also proved that theoretically, water exists as solid, liquid and gas at the same time at something called the triple point – a temperature of 0oC or 273.16 K and at a pressure of 611.2 Pa)

 

>> Sunlight displays a triune dimension – the substance of the sun, the heat, the light

 

>> The universe consists of three things: matter, space, and time.

(Each one of those is itself a trinity.

Matter = mass + energy + motion.

Space = length + height + breadth.

Time = past + present + future)

 

>> Human beings have a triple dimension, consisting of the body, the mind and the soul

 
The Trinity is everywhere!

>> The most important factor that is needed is that we need to grow in this awareness and deeper our love for Him!

The Lord in today’s Gospel presents this deep love of the Blessed Trinity, in perhaps, the most popular verse of the Gospels: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Son, that whoever believes in Him, may not perish, but may have eternal life!” (Jn 3:16)

 

>> Are we willing to grow in cultivating an intimate and close bond with the Triune God – the God of Love and Holiness?

>> Are we willing to live the beautiful virtues of the Blessed Trinity – Mutual Dependence, Selfless Unity and Constant Integration – in our personal relationships with one another ?

 

Let us become greatly aware of the many invocations we make to the Blessed Trinity (Sign of the Cross, in our daily prayers etc…) and perform those actions with greater meaning and significance!

May the Blessed Trinity – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit- helps us to grow in our intimacy and union, and in turn, help to reflect His image to all people in our lives…

… and thus, bring the “best wine” in us all!

Happy Feast of the Blessed Trinity!

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A money-collection drive was being been conducted in a particular Church for a particular intention.

>> The people were free to put in as much contribution as they wanted for the noble cause.

 

One gentleman stood up and announced a rather large contribution, and the people applauded greatly.

 

A few moments later, an old lady stood up and announced her donation.

But it was greeted with silence.

 

The priest, however, in reply to the cold response of the people, stood up and said emphatically, “Ladies and gentleman, I believe I hear the applause of the nail-scarred Hands!”

 

The people understood what the priest meant, and slowly but surely applauded the old lady’s generosity.

 

The Gospel of the Day presents such a similar act of appreciation by Jesus over the apparently “tiny” yet really “great” contribution by a widow to the Temple Treasury.

 

The passage of the day is the culmination of the 12th Chapter of the Gospel of St Mark.

 

This has been a volatile passage…

                      

1. Jesus tells the parable of the Tenants (Mk 12: 1-12)

… thereby giving out a sharp message to the Jews to accept the Messiah and not forfeit the many graces and blessings that they had been blessed with.

 

2. Jesus gives a fitting response to the question of paying taxes (Mk 12: 13-17)

… thereby exhorting the concerned people to not get stuck to earthly obligations and instead gear one’s life in total allegiance to the Lord Creator

 

3. Jesus corrects the false notion regarding the teaching on Resurrection (Mk 12: 18-27)

… thereby challenging to live a life in worthiness of eternity and to have the correct and deeper faith in the Living God and His Teachings

 

4. Jesus makes clear the greatest commandments (Mk 12: 28-34)

… thereby inviting all to understand that there is only one true God and He deserves all the love and affection of our being and this love ought to be expressed in love of neighbour.

 

5. Jesus points out from Scripture that He is the Messiah, the Lord (Mk 12: 35-37)

… thereby opening the eyes of the people to read Scripture with greater openness to the Spirit and an invitation to accept Him as the Lord of their lives.

 

These five pronouncements finally concludes with Jesus denouncing the action of the scribes especially in devouring the lives of the poor widows.

 

Jesus says, “The scribes devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers” (Mk 12: 40)

 

• Widows were an easy trap to be cheated…

• Widows were easy pickings to be exploited…
 

However, the chapter ends with a beautiful counteract…

A widow – symbol of all the other widows, who have been cheated, or oppressed or facing humiliations – comes in to the Temple and drops in her ‘everything’ in the treasure!

 

This is indeed a powerful symbol of faithfulness and duty…

• She is a symbol of being oppressed – yet she is heartily generous

• She is an object of being condemned – yet she is mightily liberal
 

And she becomes a symbol of self-giving and total-emptiness.

 

This poor widow becomes a great challenge for us in our lives…

• Life may bite us hard with cruel luck and bad destiny… 

• Life may oppress us through various elements in the society…

• Life may cheat us in the form of many people or circumstances…

 

Yet, through all this…

Like this poor widow,

• Can I be firm to still give to God in gratitude?

• Can I be faithful to do my responsibilities even if unrewarded?

 
Let us draw inspiration from the Saint of the day, St Bogumilus in order to have deeper faith and fervour in our Christian Faith.

 

This holy person from Poland was consecrated Archbishop of the Polish See of Gniezno.

>> St Bogumilus recited the divine office with much care and devotion.

 

Each day before celebrating Mass, he would prepare by prostrating himself in prayer, extending his arms in the form of a cross.

>> It was thus that he asked the angels to present his prayers to God, and petitioned the Blessed Virgin Mary to obtain for him the purity of heart requisite to consecrate the Eucharist worthily.

 

He gave much of his time to mental prayer, which he punctuated with fervent aspirations: “May I love you, O Lord, my strength; O Lord, my pillar, and my refuge, and my deliverer.”

 

On his deathbed, Bl. Bogumilus experienced a vision of the Madonna and Child, surrounded by a throng of angels, inviting him to heaven.

May the Blessed Mother Mary, who Herself was a poor widow, and gave Herself entirely to the Lord…

>> And Jesus, who like the poor widow, gave Himself entirely to His people and in doing God’s Will…

… be our inspiration, our strength and our hope!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ” are the famous words of exhortation of St Jerome, the doctor of the Church.

 

St Jerome himself was well-versed in Scripture

He is best known for his translation of the Bible into Latin (the translation that became known as the Vulgate), and his commentaries on the Scriptures.

 

• The Scriptures talk to us of God and of His love and providence
• The Scriptures tell of us people who experienced God’s mercy and lived in His presence
• The Scriptures help us to experience His care… to grow in His love.
Are we genuinely making efforts to grow in knowing and understanding the Scriptures so that we can know and understand and love our God, more deeply?

 
The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus exhorting the people to have a closer look into the Scriptures and thereby, discovering Him in a deeper manner!

 

Over the last few days, we have seen Jesus facing various sorts of groups and quizzed over different aspects…

• The Chief priests, Scribes and elders questioned Jesus on His authority

• The Pharisees and Herodians interrogated Jesus on the subject of paying taxes to Caesar

• The Sadducees confronted Jesus on the topic of the Resurrection

• Another scribe enquired Jesus on the first of all the commandments     

 

After this long round of being questioned, Jesus now puts a question to His listeners, “How do the Scribes claim that the Messiah is the Son of David?…. David calls Him ‘Lord’; so how is He his Son?” (Mk 12: 35,37)    

The nation of Israel had King David as her greatest King.

And it was through the line of David, that the Jews knew the future Messiah would be coming.

 

They eagerly awaited this ‘Son of David’.

 

• Thus was written in the Scriptures.

• Thus was taught from the Scriptures.

And Jesus was aware of this aspect.

 

However, the Lord invites and challenges His listeners to look at Scripture in a deeper manner and to understand its greater implications.

 

Therefore, Jesus quotes King David from Psalm 102 which presents David calling the Messiah as the Lord.

 

And then He puts forward this very simple query… “How can the Son of David also be Lord of David”?

 

Implied in this question was the powerful claim by Jesus, that…

… He Himself was the Messiah – the Son of David and the Lord of David

 

Implied in this question was also the powerful answer to the previous questions that were put forward to Him by the various groups:

 

• To the query on the greatest commandment…

… Jesus declares that He is the Lord, who is to be loved with one’s whole heart, and one’s whole soul and with one’s whole mind and with one’s whole strength

 

• To the confrontation on the topic of Resurrection…

… Jesus declares that He is the Lord of the Resurrection and the One Who grants eternal life

 

• To the interrogation on the subject of paying taxes to Caesar

… Jesus declares that He is the Lord who is above all earthly kingdoms and to whom absolute allegiance is to be rendered

 

• To the questioning on His authority

… Jesus declares that He is the Lord who is the source of all authority and requires no one’s permission or authorization!

 

 

>> The Jews were familiar with the Scriptures…

>> They were familiar with the Psalms particularly…

>> They were familiar notable with the passages especially concerning David and the Messiah..
 

Yet, they had seldom considered Scriptures in the way that Jesus was presenting to them!

 

• Jesus had cast new light on the reading of the Scriptures!
• Jesus had opened a new way of looking at the Scriptures!
 

Our own lives can parallel the lives of these Jews, with respect to the Scriptures.

 

How eager and zealous are we regarding the Word of God?

 

How faithful and committed are we…

… to reading the Scriptures daily?

… to spend some time regularly in studying the Bible?

… to understand the person of Jesus and grow in Him through His Word?

… to inculcate the light of His Wisdom and to practice it in our daily activities and life?

 

 

We are to seek the grace of the Holy Spirit to grow in our understanding and love of the Lord and to live a life in Him!

 

Maybe we could take a simple resolution of spending at least a few minutes, daily, without fail, in reading the Holy Bible.

• We need to read His Word

• We need to learn His Word

• We need to practise His Word

 

Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ!

 

Let us grow in our passion for His Holy Word and be committed to His Kingdom, so that our lives may mightily proclaim, “Jesus is Lord!”

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!