There is a story told about St. Patrick, a 5th-century Bishop, known as the “Apostle of Ireland”

 

Once he passed through a kingdom named Munster when the Prince King Aengus, came forth to meet him. 
This prince had already obtained some knowledge of Christianity, and asked the grace of holy baptism from the saint. 

 

Now a bishop always carries a crozier ( a stylish staff, symbol of the governing office of a Bishop) with him.  
St. Patrick’s crozier had a metal spike, so that he could stick it into the ground. 

 
When he began to baptize Aengus, he stuck his crozier into the ground beside him. 

But the crozier did not go into the ground, it went instead right through Aengus’s foot!!

 

The prince did not even moan, but just went a bit pale…

… St. Patrick, however, went on with the ceremony, not knowing what he had done.  

 
After the ceremony, St Patrick turned to take his crozier from the ground. He saw the ground splattered with blood! 

>> He was horrified when he realised what he had done…. 

 

“Why didn’t you say something?” Patrick asked.  
Aengus answered, “Well! I thought it was part of the baptism ceremony!”

 
The new convert didn’t complain of the deep pain & even the loss of blood, thinking it was part of the ceremony. 
Well!! We could perhaps laugh over it! 

>> We could perhaps think that he was too naive in his understanding of Baptism!
 

But then, think of it, from another perspective….

>> Is not pain an intrinsic element of Baptism?

>> Is not shedding blood a real part of Baptism? 

 
Has Baptism, today, become a mere ritual with celebrations and get-togethers?

>> Or has Baptism become a life-transforming process, with its intrinsic elements of pain and sacrifices? 

 
Today, Holy Mother the Church celebrates the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. 

The liturgical season of Christmas, celebrating the self-revelation of God through Jesus, comes to an end with the feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. 

  
This incident of the Baptism of Jesus is greatly significant and important…. 

>> It is one of the few passages that appears in all the four Gospels. 

>> It was the first public revelation of the Three Persons of the Trinity

>> It was the first official declaration of Jesus as the Son of God to the world

   
For Jesus…

… it was a moment of identification with us sinners. 

… it was a moment of decision to begin His public ministry. 

… it was a moment of approval when His Father called Him as His “beloved Son”. 

 
Each one us, as Christians have been baptized in the Lord!

What does Baptism mean to us? What has Baptism meant to us?

 

Baptism is a time when we call ourselves to have ” put on” Christ…

… a time of conversion…from the old to the new!

 
For a moment, lets borrow the idea of how the Jewish conversion would be effected…

… so that we could have a better and a deeper understanding of our Christian Baptism.

For a Gentile to become a full fledged Jew there was a basic three-step process…

 

 

1. To offer a sacrifice 
A heifer or a pair of turtledoves was brought to the priest and given as a burnt offering to God. This meant some expense involved.

 

>> It required hardship, forfeiting and sacrifice oneself to become a new person!

2. Circumcision – the cutting away of a piece of flesh from a man’s body. 
For a Jewish boy, this was done when he was 8 days old, thus the pain wasn’t remembered. 
But an adult male, who wanted to become a Jewish proselyte, had to undergo this procedure, regardless of his age. 

 

>> It required deep pain, immense agony and even shedding of blood to become a new person!

 
3. Baptism
The person stripped off all of his clothes. He then went into the water naked before the Rabbis…

…. dipped himself under water making sure to fully immerse his entire body!
>> It required a lot of humility and self-sacrifice to become a new person! 

 
Christian Baptism doesn’t have these external signs and actions as that of the Jews.

>> But the internal aspects are much more strongly present…and even more valid! 
 

To be a Baptised Person in Jesus – a passage from the Old to the New, requires: 
1. Sacrifice of oneself
Willingness to sacrifice one’s life for the Lord, in the form of money, talents, time, energy etc…
>> He who wishes to follow me, must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me (Mt 16:24)

 

2. Undergoing pain and suffering 
… Openness to share the agony and grief of life through various life situations and being patient and faithful in all trials …
>> “The Lord your God will circumcise your heart… to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul…” (Dt 30: 6)

  

3. Embracing a life of humility and dependence on God

… Readiness to overcome our pride, our selfish desires and interests and allow God’s grace and mercy to flow through us…
>> “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1Pet 5:6) 
 

Most of us have been Baptized when we were too little…

>> We were not aware…. But those who loved us and cared for us, were aware.
 

Baptism was a beginning… an initiation…into a life of grace…a journey with the Lord!

  
The Spirit of the Lord is within us…

>> And the call from deep within us is strong:

“Rise up from slumber, if you are sleeping… 
As a Baptised Christian, you have a very noble vocation and an immense responsibility…
Christian Life is no joke.. 

.. it does not tolerate passivity

… it does not allow lethargy!
Look up..  

… Mother Church is waiting to embrace you in deep love with Her Sacraments…
Mother Mary and all the Saints and Angels are encouraging you to become a Saint…
Yes, You are a Baptised Child of God…Consecrated to the Lord… Holy to Him!

Be true… Be Faithful.. Be Enthusiastic…Be Proud.. to be a Christian”

 
Yes, let us re-kindle the fire and love of being a Christian…. 
Lets renew our Baptism! Lets live our Baptism!

 
Happy Feast to all of us baptized with our Dearest Lord! 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Reflections will not be sent from 27th Dec 2016 to 8th Jan 2017, as I will be away to preach a retreat. 

>> Kindly do pray for me. I too pray for you specially.

We thank the Lord for the gift of this Year 2016. 
Many are the times, the Lord has spoken to us very personally through the Reflection on His Word.

>> We pray that the Lord may continue to comfort, inspire and enthuse us, through His Word.
May we love Him and His Word, more and more!

I pray for His Blessings on You, for the New Year 2017. 
God Bless! Live Jesus!

 

>> Stones were flying from different directions…

>> The atmosphere was very tense and highly apprehensive…

>> The people had become enraged and were very badly instigated…

 

 

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

 

 

And then a surprising thing happened….

>> He saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God!

 

 

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

>> But here, Jesus is seen standing!

 

 

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

>> The mighty display of faith by St Stephen was worthy of a standing ovation by the Son of God!

>> The Majestic King was tremendously proud of His Faithful and Committed Soldier!

 

 

We are on the first day after Christmas…

 

Yesterday, we celebrated child Jesus in the crib…we sung the “silent night” and “joy to the world”… we remembered the angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest and Peace to people of good will”….we exchanged a lot of smiles and shared much fun…

 

 

But suddenly today, there is a shift…

 

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

>> The carols of mirth and joy are substituted by cries for death and vengeance…

>> The shining gold vestments at Holy Mass are replaced with blood-red vestments…

 

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

 

Yesterday we celebrated the birth of our eternal King.

>> Today we commemorate the triumphant suffering of His faithful soldier.

 

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

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

 

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

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

Christmas essentially means becoming a true disciple of Christ…

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

>> The manger where the babe was laid, foreshadowed the Cross on which He was to be laid.

>> The swaddling clothes of the babe, foreshadowed the shroud which will cover Him in His tomb.

>> The lack of room in the inn, foreshadowed the lack of room for Him to be buried after His death.

  

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

 

 

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

 

When Jesus comes to dwell in our hearts, that heart cannot remain without effect.

 

>> There is a contagious enthusiasm.

>> There is a great transformation.

>> There is a tremendous zeal.

 

 

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

 

>> He underwent a Real Christmas.

 

He experienced the joy of having Christ born in His life.

 

 

And this fact that Christ was born within, led Him to be a dynamic and bold soldier of His King!

>> Nothing could stop Him from being a witness…

 

>> The experience of Christmas in His life had made St Stephen to be a bold soldier.

>> The experience of Christmas in His life had made St Stephen to stand firm for the truth.

>> The experience of Christmas in His life had made St Stephen to bear the pain of stoning

>> The experience of Christmas in His life had made St Stephen to shed His blood for His Lord

 

 

>> Have we also experienced Christmas in a way that transforms and makes us authentic disciples?

>> Have we also celebrated Christmas which makes us to pledge every breath and cell of our life to the Lord?

>> Have we also enjoyed Christmas in order to find immense power and strength in being a true and authentic Christian?

 

 

 

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

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

 

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

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

6 year old Johny and James were good friends. 
James had joined Johny’s school just this year and so they were pretty new friends. 

>> Yet, they had forged a good relationship with each other.

Johny was to celebrate his birthday the following weekend, and so he told James:

“Hey James, I hope you remember… It’s my birthday the next Sunday.

I want you to come home for my birthday party.”
James was obviously delighted and he said: “Oh sure, I would love to come. But I do not know the way to your house.”
“Oh, not to worry!” replied Johny, ” I will guide you exactly…”
And so saying, Johny continued:

“Right opposite the ice-parlour to which we often go, is a huge building. 

Enter that building and you will see the lift right on the adjacent wall.
Use your elbow to press the lift switch.
When the lift comes down, use your feet to open and close the lift. 

Then, use your elbow to press Number 5 on the lift buttons. 
When the lift reaches floor 5, once again, use your feet to open and close the lift doors.
Finally, you will see House Number 501 with the bell switch on the side.

Use your elbow once again, to press that key… 

…. And lo, I will be there to welcome you for my birthday party!”
James was pretty happy saying, “That’s pretty easy to find your house”

>> But at the same time, he was confused and asked: “But why at all should I use my elbow and my feet? Why can’t I use my hands itself to switch the buttons and open the lift doors?”
To that Johny replied: “Hey come on! Don’t forget James!

You are coming for my Birthday Party, and naturally you will have a big gift in your hand.

So your hands will not be free to do any of those works!!”

Well… Jesus is celebrating His birthday…

… Do we have our hands filled with gifts for the Lord?

>> Or are we empty handed and found gifts for everybody (including ourselves) but forgotten Jesus Himself!

Is Jesus the centre of our Christmas Celebration?
On this Christmas Day, let us have our attention on the Star of the Day: Jesus Christ!

1. Jesus, the Divine Babe is the primary reason for the celebration of this Festival

Many of us have been preparing for the wonderful day of Christmas, for the last few days, particularly.

>> But sometimes, like runners in a race, there can be a possibility to feel tired, or given in to feel exhausted; sometimes even to give up.
Christmas is to become a new beginning in our life; the days of preparation ought to become the launching pad to lead a more holy and zealous life in the Spirit.
Its very much possible, that Jesus – the reason for this season, may get lost in the thickets of celebrations, good food, excited shoppings etc.

>> But the Babe in the Manger, will keep waiting, to be taken home – to one’s heart, to one’s life, to one’s family

2. Jesus, the Divine Babe came primarily as the Saviour of the world

“For today in the city of David, a Saviour has been born for you..” (Lk 2:11) 

>> Jesus came to the world with a very specific mission: to save people from sin and grant eternal life to those who believe in Him (Jn 10:10)
He is the only person Who took birth to die!

>> It was by His death, that He was to achieve the mission of granting life to all.
Therefore, the celebration of Christmas has to be primarily a celebration made in “repentance and renewal”

>> If the heart doesn’t repent, then Christmas can never be celebrated truly

>> If the life is not renewed, then Christmas can never become meaningful
Christmas is the story of a God passionately in love with us, and deeply desiring that we belong to Him, and Him alone! 
3. Jesus, the Divine Babe desires a place in our hearts

Rev 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock”

>> Mother Mary and St Joseph had to lay the newborn Babe in the manger, “because there was no room for them in the inn” (Lk 2: 7b)
Christmas is the story of a God Who comes searching for His beloved creation, and knocking at the door of each heart, for a place to be born.

 
4. Jesus, the Divine Babe, in the manger, is One who identifies with us, in our weakness

God chose (in human terms) probably, one of the “most ridiculous” way of coming into the world – as a tiny infant
He is the Creator of the World; the One Who has all powers subject to Him . Yet, He chose to be totally detached (Phil 2: 6-8) and take the form of a little baby – weak, helpless and vulnerable
Christmas is the story of a God Who became weak like us, so that we can be strong like Him!
5. Jesus, the Divine Babe deserves a wonderful gift on His Birthday

Birthdays become occasions to gift the one who is celebrating.

>> Jesus, the Birthday Baby surely deserves the best gift.
But what can we give Him? 

All what we have and all what we are, comes from God anyways! 
So is there anything, that I can call of my own? 
Yes! Probably the only thing which belongs to me, is my sin! 
This Christmas, beyond all other gifts and preparations, we could gift our “sinful life” to Him.

>> It might feel bad for us to give all that ugly part of our life. But our Blessed Lord invites us to give of our self to Him entirely – broken, weak, dirty, impure, lost- as we are, to Him, so that He can renew us and make us a new person (Rev 21:5 – “Behold, I make all things new”)
As Bishop Fulton J Sheen says:

” You give me your humanity, I will give you my divinity.

You give me your time, I will give you my eternity. 

You give me your slavery, I will give you my freedom. 

You give me your death, I will give you my life.

You give me your nothingness, I will give you my all.”
Let us take some firm and practical resolutions…

>> Today I will seek to have Jesus as the centre of all that I am to celebrate in this Festive Season and give Him the rightful place in my heart

>> Today I will deepen my awareness of Jesus as the Saviour of my life, and make practical decisions to let go sinful ways, and offer my heart as a Gift to Baby Jesus on His Birthday!

Yes, this Christmas, let Christ be the Centre and Meaning of all our celebrations…

… and thus, let us have our hands filled with gifts for the Baby Jesus!
Happy Birthday to Jesus, our Beloved King!

>> Hearty Congratulations to His Wonderful Parents – Mother Mary and St Joseph. 
Wish you all, a Very Merry Christmas!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

   Music has been a popular part of the celebration of our Lord?s birth for a long time!

 

The Bible records that many characters in the Christmas story almost instantly responded to the events surrounding the birth of our Saviour with songs.

 

In our own days, we take immense delight to sing Christmas carols.

 

We also get a special feeling in lifting our voices in joy and thrill…

 

 

Today we have on the stage of the Gospel a beautiful Hymn being sung.

 

The title of the hymn is “Benedictus” and it is sung by Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist!

 

 

The setting of this song is during a very gloomy period in the life of the nation of Israel.

 

Israel had been chosen by God from among all nations to be a priestly nation to the rest of the world.

 

>> But this nation that was to lead all other nations to God, was being led by a pagan empire.

 

>> The leader was under subjugation!

>> The guide had been suppressed!

 

Israel was under the domination of the Roman Empire.

>> The Roman Kingdom was the last in a long line of pagan nations that had ruled Israel.

 

 

The ruler in Zechariah’s day was King Herod.

 

Herod was not a man of God. In fact he was just the opposite?a very degenerate man.

>> He had introduced Roman temples into the land and had built idols to the Roman gods.

 

Under his leadership Israel became a land filled with immorality.

>> The spiritual life of the Jews lost its vitality.

 

 

In the midst of these dark and cloudy times, Zechariah sings the “Benedictus” – a Song of Blessing!

 

A child had been born….signaling the Coming of the Messiah.

>> John the Baptist ushered in a period of singing praises and glory to the Lord.

 

 

> Like a drop of fresh water in the deserted land…

> Like a gleam of light in the midst of thick darkness…

> Like a faint melodious tune in the thick of deep silence…

 

 

 

The life of Zechariah and Elizabeth was favoured with reasons to sing blessings to God!

 

 

It’s interesting to analyse the names of this simple yet wonderful family – Zechariah, Elizabeth and John.

 

>> Zechariah means ” God (Yahweh) remembers”

>> Elizabeth means “the promise of God”

>>>> John means ” God (Yahweh) is gracious”

 

The union of Zechariah (“God remembers”) and Elizabeth (“the promise of God”) gave birth to John (“God is gracious”)

 

Zechariah + Elizabeth = John

 

God remembers + the promise = God is gracious!

 

Yes, God remembers His promise, and thus shows that He is gracious!

 

 

> Our lives may often be in darkness or undergoing a night of dryness…

 

> Our lives may seem to be devoid of true peace and happiness…

 

> Our lives may be rendered meaningless or hopeless…

 

Yet, Zechariah, Elizabeth and John invite us today, to sing a song of Blessing to God!

 

 

>> When we live in God’s love, we can sing the chorus of service!

 

>> When we trust in God’s providence, we can sing the chorus of joy!

 

>> When we hope in God’s mercies, we can sing the chorus of faithfulness!

 

 

 

With the armour of faith, the shield of hope and the sword of love, let us join Zechariah and Family to sing our Hymn of Blessing to God Yahweh!

 

 

>> Blessed be the Lord, for He is challenging in His gentle inspirations!

 

>> Blessed be the Lord, for He is merciful in His Divine Compassion!

 

>> Blessed be the Lord, for He is generous in the Blessed Eucharist!

 

>> Blessed be the Lord, for He is majestic in His Holy Sacraments!

 

>> Blessed be the Lord, for He is faithful in His gracious promises!

 

>> Blessed be the Lord, for He is vibrant in His Holy Church!

 

On this eve of Christmas, let us fervently prepare our hearts – in holiness and sanctity – to prepare a beautiful crib for our Blessed Lord, who comes as a Babe, in our hearts, in our lives and in our homes!

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Ssshhhhhhh…………………..Silence!!

 

>> For some people, Silence causes an awkward feeling in this our noisy world.

 

>> For some people, Silence creates an uncomfortable feeling.

 

 

For some, not so much.

> For others, definitely yes.

>> For many of us, silence is rare.  

 

And when silence is rare, silence can be uncomfortable.

 

 

>> A moment of silence when we listen to our favourite song causes a little irritation.

 

>> A pause of silence by an eloquent preacher causes people to focus back the attention.

 

 

Silence sometimes is much more louder than any noise or sound…Right?

 

 
The Gospel of the day takes us through a fascinating journey of Silence.

 

>> A God who breaks His silence by blessing His People with a Prophet.

 

>> A father whose silence is broken by his faithful response to an amazing Divine intervention.

 

>> A Child who sets free the silence of a Mother who had been shamed in society.

 

 
The Birth of John the Baptist is a beautiful drama through the medium of Silence.

 

 

A God who breaks His silence…

 

The Bible is a witness to many people feeling God taking a vow of silence.

 

>> In 1 Sam 3.1: “Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” 

 

  

>> In 1 Sam 28: “And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or Urim, or by prophets.” 

 

>> In Amos 8.11: “‘Behold, the days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, ‘when I will send a famine on the land – not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.'”

 
The silence of the Lord was very much profound…

 
And then after Prophet Malachi, there was again a great silence…

>> For nearly 400 hundred years, there was no prophetic writing.

These are called “The Silent Years”…

 

But with John the Baptist, the silence of the Lord was broken…

 

 

This speaking of the Lord could be compared to a lover eagerly waiting for her partner to talk to her after a long time…

 

The silence was very long… the silence was a bit painful too..

>> But once the silence is broken, there is great thrill and happiness…

 

God, the Lover, renews His soothing & comforting talks with His People & ushers in the time to invite them to His love & affection

 

 

A father whose silence is broken

 

The birth of John the Baptist also lead to the breaking of the silence of his father, Zechariah.

 

When the angel Gabriel had appeared to Zechariah, he did not believe the message of the Angel of God and as a result, was rendered speechless (Lk 1: 20)

 

 

The silence of Zechariah could also be symbolic of the silence of God….

 

Just as John the Baptist signalled the breaking of God’s silence, Zechariah, his father too had “his tongue loosened and spoke, blessing God” (Lk 1: 64)

 

 

>> The silence was broken with a shower of praises and glorification of God.

 

>> The silence was banished with a shout of genuine worship and honour of God

 

 

A Child who sets free the silence of a Mother

 

The Birth of John the Baptist also led to people praising his mother, Elizabeth, who for long had been barren and had been in disgrace. (Lk 1: 25, 58)

 

 

>> She had suffered much disgrace in silence.

>> She had underwent much agony in silence.

>> She had gone through much humiliation in silence.

 

 

But now there was every reason to break the silence and rejoice with gladness!

 

 

>> Is my life going through a period of Silence with God?

 

>> Is my life in a silent mode because of many disturbing factors and

crippling issues?

 

>> Is my life passing through a desert of silence as a result of storms of troubles and nights of calamities?

 

 

> We are invited to look into the incident of the Birth of John the Baptist and find hope!

 

> We are invited to meditate on the Birth of John the Baptist and discover optimism!

 

 

The Lord speaks to us in the Silence of our Life.

>> There is much treasure hidden in the silent moments of our living.

 

 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (Jn 1:1)

 

Through the breaking of His silence through John the Baptist, God is preparing us to receive His personal Word, His Son.  

 

At times God is silent… 

>> At times God withholds His Word.  

 

But He is never distant. 

 

He is never stagnant?

> He is near.

>> He is close.

>>> He is personal.  

 

 

And He speaks through His Word made flesh – “Jesus”!

 

 

Ssshhhhhhh…………………..Silence!! Listen to Him!

 
God Bless! Live Jesus!

 

 One of the things that, some of us did as children, as we grew up, was to measure our height against a wall.

 

We know how this method works…

> We stand next to a wall and make a pencil mark of our height.

>> A few weeks or months later, we come back to this place and measure how much we have grown.

 

 

Why did we do this?

> In order to see how much we have grown…

>> In order to check how much more we would wish to grow…

>>> In order to know, “How big have we become!”

 

 

Today, we need to make a similar “height check” with respect to our God.

 

“How big is God in my life?”

 

The way we answer this question will determine how we live as a Christian.

 

 

The Gospel of the Day is a great expression of how Mother Mary considered the “height” of God in Her life.

 

> She realized the mighty presence of the Lord in Her lowly life.

 

> She understood the huge favour of the Lord bestowed in Her humble nature.

 

>> And so, with much acclaim and exclamation, Mary cries out, “My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour” (Lk 1: 46-47)

 

 

 

The Angel Gabriel had announced to Mary that she been chosen to be the Mother of the Son of God.

>> The angel also declared that her cousin, Elizabeth had conceived in her old age.

 

In Her deep concern, humility and spirit of service, Mary makes a visit to Elizabeth.

 

Elizabeth called Mary as Blessed ‘for believing what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled’ (Lk 1: 45)

 

It’s in this context, that Mary exclaims the Magnificat.

 

 

The image of Mother Mary in this hymn of the Magnificat is that of a powerful and courageous lady.

 

 

And these are evident in Her words of the Magnificat…

 

>> He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit.

 

>> He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.

 

>> He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

 

>> He has come to the help of his servant Israel, for He has remembered His promise of mercy (Lk 1: 48-54)

 

 

These are not words of mere pious sentimentality or tender words of affection…

 

>> These are words which express immense bravery and courage!

 

 

The mighty works and wonders of the Lord had made Mother Mary to declare…

 

… Courage in a God who overpowers the proud and the haughty

 

… Faith in a God who takes decisive action on behalf of God’s people.

 

… Hope in a God who vindicates the righteous and condemns the wicked.

 

… Love in a God who liberates the oppressed, the powerless, the poor and hungry.

 

… Trust in a God who casts away the self-asserting rich and accept the dependable poor.

 

 

Mother Mary declared Her strong assertion and powerful claim in a MIGHTY God!

 

 

How Big and Mighty and Strong is God in our life?

 

>> Do we believe in the mighty strength of God even in seemingly impossible situations of life?

 

>> Do we trust in the awesome majesty of God even when the boat of our lives hits rock bottom?

 

>> Do we rely in the colossal power of God even when earthquakes of life wreck havoc in life?

 

 

The way we live is a direct consequence of the size of God in our lives!

 

>>> If we have a view of a Shrunken God, then we will live in constant anxiety of the world.

 

>>> If we have a view of an Insignificant God, then we will live in immorality and casualness

 

>>> If we have a view of a Tiny God, then we will live in lethargy, disinterest and indifference.

 

 

> When we make God small in our lives…

… we offer prayers without faith, worship without awe, service without joy and undergo suffering without hope.

 

> When we make God big in our lives…

… we live a life of daring faith, fearless obedience, zealous worship and passionate evangelization.

 

 

Let us measure the height and check the mark… “How Big is our God?”

 

 

With Mother Mary, let us also seek to joyfully proclaim the BIG GOD through the Magnificat – “My soul proclaims the glory of the Lord. My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A story is said of a man in a mission land, who was extremely critical of religion and religious practices.
Once, this man went to a missionary who had been in the place for some years.
He told the missionary, “I want to hear about your religion”
The missionary was pleasantly surprised, and asked him: 

“Oh that’s great! 

But how is it that you would like to hear of my religion. I have heard of your dislike and aversion to religious practices”
To that, the man answered:

“Well, its very true, that I don’t cherish religion.

But ever since the day you came to our place, I have been observing you. 

You are always cheerful and happy.
I have also heard a lot of laughter in your house and in the houses of my village people, who have embraced your faith”
The man continued, “And if you have anything that makes people so joyous, I too want it!”

Joy was the nectar that attracted the man to experience the sweetness of Christ and Christianity.

>> Am I a person who radiates happiness?

>> Am I a Christian whose life exudes with joy?
The Gospel of the Day is the delightful description of the joyful encounter between Elizabeth and Mother Mary and the “joyful leap” of John the Baptist, in his first meet with Jesus, the God of Joy!
The Gospel is the beautiful meeting of Two to-be-Mothers, with Two Special Children in their wombs…

… Elizabeth, with John who would be called as the Baptist

… Mary, with Jesus, who would be called as the Messiah
This wonderful encounter begins on a Divinely joyful note:

“when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb” (Lk 1: 41)
This is an interesting word – “leaped”

The Greek word for “leaped” is “skirtao”

We find the usage of this word “skirtao” in different places in the Bible…

>> In Gen 25:22: Rebeccah’s twin children – Jacob and Esau – “struggled (skirtao)” within the her

>> In Ps 114: 4, 6: The mountains “skipped (skirtao)” like rams in the presence of the Lord

>> In Mal 3:20: Those who fear the Lord’s name will “skip (skirtao)” like calves. 

>> In Lk 6:23: The chosen ones should rejoice and “leap (skirtao)” for joy
When the mother, Elizabeth, heard the greeting of the Messiah’s Mother, the babe John, “leaped for joy”
Later in his ministry, John would testify to this fact, when he would say: “… the best man, who stands and listens for Him, rejoices greatly at the Bridegroom’s Voice” (Jn 3:29b)
There is great rejoicing, in Divine Presence is a powerful message that we receive.
>> The presence of the Mother of Jesus, delighted Her cousin, Elizabeth

>> The presence of Jesus, delighted His cousin, John.
As we gear up ourselves for the Season of Christmas, this ought to be a reflective question that we need to ponder and make amends, if lacking…

… Is our Christian life, one that “leaps for joy”?

Things around us may seem confusing and uncertain…

… just as it was for Mary who conceived of the Holy Spirit and Elizabeth in her old age

>> Yet, they were able to rejoice..

… because, their trust was in the Power of the Lord Who had blessed them

People may sometimes reject us, misunderstand us or even humiliate or be indifferent to us…

… just as it was for Mary who would face misunderstandings and Elizabeth who had undergone a lot of shame.

>> Yet, they were able to rejoice…

… because, their strength was in the favourable Love of the Lord, Who, they knew, had accepted and chosen them, for His cause
Life may sometimes make a fool of us by taking us through roads which are illogical, unreasonable and irrational…

… just as it was for Mary who had to tread unknown paths and Elizabeth who had to take on new responsibilities as a mother at an odd age

Yet, they were able to rejoice…

… because, their hope was in the faithful grace of God, in which they trusted and to Whom they had pledged their life in fidelity and loyalty.
Joy is to be the hallmark of every Christian.

As St Francis de Sales says, “A sad saint is a sorry saint!”

>> Our lives ought to be a “Gospel of Joy”!
As we get closer to the celebration of the Birth of the “Cause of our Joy”, we need to look into this dimension of Christian holiness: the aspect of Joy.

It is not simply a joy that is manifested..

… by some “plastic smile”

… or with some artificial activism

… or with any created humorous traits

Christian Joy is…

… a result of trusting deeply in the Providence of God

… a felt experience that manifests, effortlessly, in every aspect of life

… an honest expression of the inner peace and serenity – a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Yes, Joy is to be the nectar that attracts others to experience the sweetness of Christ and Christianity.

May we always “leap for joy” with the Power of the Holy Spirit…

… and may our joyful and happy lives, attract and enthuse many people to embrace Jesus, the Lord of all Joy!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A little six-year-old boy had often heard his Catholic companions reciting the prayer “Hail Mary.” >> He liked it so much that he copied it, memorized it and would recite it every day. 
“Look, Mommy, what a beautiful prayer,” he said to his mother one day.
“Never again say it,” answered the mother who was against Catholic practices. “It is a superstitious prayer of Catholics who think Mary as a goddess. After all, she is a woman like any other. ” 
From that day on the little boy discontinued his daily “Hail Mary” and gave himself more time to reading the Bible instead.
One day, while reading the Gospel, he came across the passage about the Annunciation of the Angel to Our Lady.
Full of joy, the little boy ran to his mother and said: “Mommy, I have found the ‘Hail Mary’ in the Bible which says: ‘Hail full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou amongst women.

‘ Why do you call it a superstitious prayer?”
On another occasion he found that beautiful Salutation of St. Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary which said, “Blessed are You among women and blessed is the Fruit of Your Womb”
This little boy, as he grew up…

…. made a serious study of both Protestantism and Catholicism.

>> He found the latter to be the only true religion and embraced it and became one of its most ardent apostles… going on to become a Priest!

Mother Mary is indeed the beautiful instrument chosen by God, to lead many more to His Love.
The Gospel of the Day presents the miraculous incident of the Annunciation of the Good News to Mother Mary. 

Mother Mary, at the Annunciation teaches us many things…
1. Mother Mary teaches the supreme goodness of obedience

>> Heaven had chosen a simple girl, Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, the Saviour. 

>> When Angel Gabriel was sent to seek Her consent, Mary, after the initial moments of fear, bowed Herself in obedience: “Behold, I am the Handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to Me, according to Your Word” (Lk 1: 38)

>> This obedience to God’s Will would turn out to be Her fortress and strength – in moments of uncertainty, loneliness, dread and agony. 
2. “Faithfulness, thy true Daughter is Mary!”

>> One of the most outstanding qualities to be admired and imitated from our Blessed Mother is “to be faithful”

>> In Mother Mary, we have a person, who remained faithful at all times…

… even when there were dark clouds of unwarranted humiliation looming over her

… even when unforeseen difficulties encountered Her during the birth of Jesus

… even when she encountered many situations which were not understood by Her

… even when life surrounded her with agonising moments and heartbreaking instances

 
The “Fiat” at the Annunciation would be lived all through Her life

>> This act of being “faithful forever” was a result of the constant choices that She made to listen and obey to God’s Will always.
3. Mary was ready to be moulded and shaped by God

When Mary was entrusted with the greatness of the task, She gave Herself readily to the power of God

>> She didn’t hold back anything; She was complete in Her surrender
It is when we offer ourselves wholly and be ready to be moulded and shaped by the Lord, that He can perform wonders through us. 
4. Mary held on to Jesus as the Greatest Treasure of Her life

The greatness and the eminence of Mother Mary came as result of Her single-minded focus and love: Everything for Jesus and in Jesus.
>> When in womb…

… Her sole attention was on Jesus
>> While in the manger…

… Her whole care was for Jesus
>> While in His ministry…

… Her thoughts were centred on Him
>> While on the Cross…

… Her entire self rested on Him  
It is when Jesus becomes the Treasure of our life, that our lives gets enshrined in Grace and Holiness

5. Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant, bearing Jesus.

The Scriptures easily point to the fact that Mother Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant
The ark in the OT travelled to the land of Judah and remained for 3 months (2 Sam: 6:1-11)

>> The Ark in the NT, Mary travels to Judah, to meet Her cousin Elizabeth and remained for 3 months (Lk 1:39, 56)
David danced and leaped, and shouted before the ark in the OT (2 Sam 6:14)

>> In the NT, John, the babe, leaped and Elizabeth exclaimed with a loud cry before Mary (Lk 1: 41, 43)

Inside the ark of the Old Covenant was the manna – the miraculous bread from heaven, the staff of Aaron, the Priest and the tablets of the covenant (Heb 9:4)

>> The NT Ark, Mother Mary had within Her Jesus, the Bread of Life, Jesus, the Eternal Priest and Jesus, the Law-giving Word!
As the New Ark of the Covenant, Mother Mary deserves our highest veneration and honour, which will lead us to a greater closeness and intimacy with the One, She derives all Her praise – Jesus, Her Son and our Brother!

May we embrace Mary, the beautiful instrument chosen by God…

… and be led to love the Lord more! 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Corporal Jeffrey Lee Nashton is a former Marine Corps sergeant in the US.
On Oct. 23, 1983, a suicide bomber drove a truck load of explosives into the Marine Camp at Beirut International Airport, Lebanon, killing 241 soldiers. 

>> Nashton, a lance corporal, just 23 at that time, was among those severely injured in the attack.

Nashton had many tubes, running in and out of his body, with grave injuries all over.

>> A witness would say, that ‘he looked more like a machine than a man’.

Yet, he survived!

It is said, that two days after the bombing, while lying on the hospital bed in Weisbaden, Germany…

… in deep pain and agony, Nashton scribbled two words on a note and gave to his commander, Marine Commandant Paul X. Kelley.
The two words on the note read: “Semper Fi”

“Semper Fi” is the Latin motto of the Marines.

It means: “Forever Faithful”!

The pledge of “Semper Fi”…

… strengthened the injured man, in his moments of agony and struggle!

… became the reason for the wounded person, to remain steadfast in the face of anguish!

Every Christian ought to have this pledge to the Lord – “Semper Fi : Forever Faithful” – firmly adhered to Christ and faithfully lived in love.

 

The Gospel of the Day is the inspiring story of two exemplary persons- Elizabeth and Zechariah – who displayed the courage “to remain faithful” even while staring at hopelessness and despair.

St Luke begins his Gospel, after a brief introduction, with the amazing story of Elizabeth and Zechariah.

It’s interesting to note the meanings of their names…

>> “Zechariah” meant “The Lord remembers”

>> “Elizabeth” meant “the oath of God”
Combined, their names would mean, “The Lord remembers His Oath!”

However, life seemingly handed them something quite opposite…

>> Their childlessness caused to seem that the Lord had totally forgotten!

>> The barrenness of Elizabeth caused to seem that the Lord had His memories lost!

How true is this situation in our own lives too?
>> We bank on God’s promises that “He would provide” everything…

… but when some of our expectations fall short, we feel God is just not with us!
>> We feel joyful to know that God’s Providence will guide us through…

… yet, when some unforeseen and sudden mishaps happen, we feel God has forgotten us!
>> We feel assured to realise that God will always shelter us…

… however, when we find ourselves in the thickets of problems and crises, we feel God has left us!

This is where we need to look to Zechariah and Elizabeth and be inspired by their amazing faith.

>> Though life did not move the way they wished…

>> Though many of their honest longings were not fulfilled…

>> Though they had to go through occasions of shame and dishonour…

>> Though all possibilities of hope and expectation was “lost”, humanly speaking…

… they still kept the faith!

… they still remained true to the Lord!

… they still continued to be devout to God!

The Gospel says, “they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless” (Lk 1: 6)

Yes, Zechariah and Elizabeth firmly held up the placard of “Semper Fi” – Forever Faithful – to God!

And this is what we too are called to do, in our Christian life of faith – to hold up the banner of “Semper Fi”…
Being “Forever Faithful”…

… even when our life ahead seems uncertain and the road ahead looks too dark

>> By firmly trusting Divine Providence and obeying His Will in our lives

  
Being “Forever Faithful”…

… even when undeserved sufferings crush our life and unfair behaviour is meted out to us  

>> By strongly pursuing the paths of justice and holding firm to the values of the Gospel
Being “Forever Faithful”…

… even when sin traps us and we find it miserable to let go off our evil ways 

>> By resolutely making efforts to do away with sinful tendencies and seeking to be holy

The “Forever Faithful” principle of Zechariah and Elizabeth was mercifully looked with favour by God…

… and thus the joyful words were addressed: “…your prayer has been heard! Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son” (Lk 1: 13)
Yes, “the Lord remembered His oath” and announced that He is indeed “The God Who is Gracious” by blessing them with John ( = God is Gracious)

>> Our God is a God Who cares much for His people…

>> Our God is a God Who deeply loves His Own…
This deep care and love, however, deserves our steadfast faithfulness and uncompromising fidelity.

Yes, let our Christian Lives be a life of loyalty and allegiance to Christ, our Great Commander…

… and may we, firmly hold high the banner – “Semper Fi – Forever Faithful!”
God Bless! Live Jesus!