“Being steadfast and drawing closer to the Lord, despite our tears and pains and sadness…and experiencing the Caring and Intimate Love of the One Who is ‘always with us!’”
(Based on Acts 2:36-41 and Jn 20:11-18)
One of the very beautiful verses in the Bible – not too known though – is from the book of the Psalms.
Psalm 56: 8, “Thou hast kept count of my tossings; put thou my tears in thy bottle! Are they not in thy book?”
Another translation would read, “…. You have collected my tears in a wineskin.”
This verse speaks volumes of a God who is so intimately related to a person and expresses a very personal and close association.
God is a God Who… … is especially close to His people in their moments of pain and suffering … is particularly near to His people in their times of affliction and tribulations.
The Gospel of the Day is a beautiful witness to this loving concern and tender affection of God, expressed by Jesus to Mary Magdalene.
We are still near the tomb of the Lord. Mary Magdalene, the soul who loved the Lord so profoundly, is still lingering around the tomb of the Lord.
She had experienced Divine Love in a significant manner.
Her heart could not fully accept that the Lord who had transformed her life was no more Her mind could take in the fact that the One whom she loved so deeply had gone away.
And so she kept waiting.
True love always seeks…
True love always seeks to break boundaries, do away with hurdles and cast away any barriers
Finally, when she did encounter Him, her eyes were kept away from recognizing the Lord.
But the Lord did recognize her… … not just her physical pains, rather also her mental agony and her spiritual longing!
And so He asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” (Jn 20:13)
Mary had been incessantly weeping over the loss of her Beloved Mary had been continuously shedding tears for the Lover of her soul.
However, these tears were not in vain…. … these tears were not lost in futility.
Rather, the Lord was storing them up carefully in a vial… in a bottle… in a wineskin “[O, Lord… You have] put my tears in your bottle” (Ps 56:8)
And these tears of affection, love and fondness was rewarded by the Lord, by calling her by name, “Mary!” (Jn 20:16)
The sweetness of that voice, calling out her name, wiped away every tear!
Her tears were turned to smiles … her mourning to comfort … her brokenness to immense joy!
Today, we are reminded the same… We may be shedding many tears before the Lord
It could be due to many reasons… … maybe some personal crisis in life … maybe some brokenness in the family … maybe some tragedy or calamity to our closed ones
All these may cause us to have tears – either externally or within the depth of our hearts
Some tears may be seen by others – most will go unnoticed, invisible
Yet, the One who loves us the most – the Lord – is storing up all our tears in His presence
Each one of our tears is precious to the Lord.
Just like Mary Magdalene, who continued to be faithful and longing for the Lord, let us also be steadfast to our God… … despite our tears and pains and sadness.
This faithfulness to Him will surely win the reward for us … the reward of our names being called out by the Lord!
St Peter, while addressing the people on Pentecost Day, invited them to experience the healing and merciful love of the Lord… “Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Him.’” (Acts 2:38-39)
Let us draw closer to the Lord – in sincerity and repentance – and experience His Caring and Intimate Love of the Lord of Who is “always with us!”
Happy Easter to all of you!
God bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “He who can preserve gentleness amid pains, and peace amid worrying multitude of affairs…
“May the Risen Lord be the reason for us to rejoice, thanking Him for the greatest joke ever – the crushing of Satan by the power of the Holy Cross!”
(Based on Acts 2:14, 22-33 and Mt 28:8-15)
It seems that in the Greek Orthodox tradition, especially in the medieval ages, there was a very strange custom… … The day after Easter was devoted to telling jokes!
Yeah, you read it right… … There was a day set-apart especially, to revel in jokes!
What was the logic or purpose behind it?
It was felt that this custom was in imitation of the cosmic joke that God pulled on Satan in the Resurrection.
Satan considered that the death of Jesus signaled victory for him.
The Kingdom of darkness had conquered, so it was felt The world of misery had overcome all goodness, so it was felt
But it was God who had the last laugh!
God raised Jesus from the dead, and life and salvation became the last words.
The Resurrection – Jesus’ rising from the dead – was the most spectacular joke that God had pulled on Satan.
And this was celebrated, symbolically, with the custom of telling jokes.
Strange it might sound, but there is something worthwhile to reflect on the purpose of this custom
It is a call to celebrate and enjoy God’s magnificent victory over Satan and the powers of darkness.
The Gospel of the Day is the account of the encounter of Jesus with the women, who had come to the tomb.
At the desert, Satan had sought to make Jesus a fool, by tempting and luring Him through many temptations. (Mt 4: 1-10) During His life, the Lord encountered many occasions, when He was subject to being in humiliating, mocking and testing situations In the Garden of Gethsemane, the Lord once again faced a trying time in battling to embrace God’s Will totally and completely (Lk 22: 41-44) On the Cross, the soldiers and others who persecuted the Lord, mocked and challenged Him to come down from the Cross (Mk 15: 29-32)
At every stage of His Life, our Blessed Lord was put into situations of being the “butt of jokes” and the “laughingstock” and a target for many a trial, tribulations and mockeries.
The Crucifixion was meant to be the greatest of all such “agonizing” mockeries!
But… Divine Wisdom always finds a way out to triumph! … Divine Providence always regains the way to victory!
This is the message of the Resurrection.
The women who saw the empty tomb and encountered the Lord were filled with holy fear, tremendous joy and a deep devotion (Mt 28: 8-9)
Divine Wisdom always has the final laugh in every trial and tribulation!
Are we ready to share in the happiness of this “joyful” act of the Lord?
Life may bite us sharply with ensnaring temptations and evil tendencies
Life may make a fool of us with mounting tensions and troubles Life may put us down badly with uncertainties and doubts
We may often find ourselves mocked.
We may often, find ourselves ridiculed.
But in all such situations, let us dare to look to our Crucified Lord… … who Himself underwent painful mocking and unfair scorning … but had the final laugh, through the Resurrection from the dead!
St Peter expresses this joy and power that He received from the Risen Lord while addressing the people and speaking to them about Jesus, the Crucified Saviour: “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear!” (Acts 2:32-33)
Yes… The Resurrection gives us every reason to rejoice, even amid deadly trials
The Resurrection gives us every cause to be joyful, even in heavy tribulations
May the Risen Lord be the reason for us to rejoice and be joyous, thanking Him for the greatest joke ever – the crushing of Satan by the power of the Holy Cross!
Happy Easter to all of you !
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “The Cross has great power against the enemy for two reasons:
The one is that it represents the death of the Savior, who abased and subjugated him, which this proud being hates and fears in the extreme
The other is that the Cross is a brief and powerful invocation of the Redeemer that can be employed on every occasion suitable for prayer.”
“Offering our life to our Beloved Risen Lord and sharing in His Holiness – trusting with Faith – that beyond the tomb is life, beyond the cross is glory and beyond the suffering is redemption!”
(Based on Easter Sunday)
Resurrection of Christ, Paolo Veronese, 1570, Gemaldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
A young man – who was quite critical of the Christian faith – came up to his grandfather with a sense of smugness and told him: “You know Grandpa, I have a piece of shocking and disturbing news for you. Archaeologists have discovered the bones of Jesus.”
And with a sense of self-sufficiency, he continued: “So now, I suppose, you can abandon your Faith!”
The grandfather, who was busy reading something, didn’t seem much worried… … and with a serene countenance replied: “Well, I can only say this: God placed some bones in a tomb, to check whether we believe the Word of God or the word of humans!”
How deep is our faith in the Risen Lord?
This is a day when we celebrate the most central component of our Faith: The Resurrection of Christ!
St Paul, very appropriately declares: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all men most to be pitied!” (1 Cor 15:17-19)
Three days back, at the table of the Last Supper, Jesus had preached His final discourse to His Beloved Apostles – the Sermon of Humility.
Day before yesterday, on Good Friday, from the Pulpit of the Cross, Jesus had preached His final discourse to the whole world – the Sermon of Absolute Love
He had bowed His head and died.
It seemed to be the end of everything…
The Romans, i.e. Gentiles, thought they had perfectly executed Jesus, their criminal.
The Jews thought they had perfectly brought an end to Jesus, the blasphemer and the destroyer of their Law.
Jesus was laid in the tomb … a large stone was rolled at its entrance.
And there, the Bible will also tell one of the greatest jokes with respect to Management… “So they went and made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard!” (Mt 27:66)
Soldiers were placed at the tomb, to watch over a dead man!”
But Divinity went beyond all such human conspiracy.
Divine Wisdom overthrew all such human evil plans.
And the empty tomb stands as the spectacular witness to this fact – that Jesus rose from the Dead!
He was Life … and death had no power over Him!
He was Holiness … and sin could have no control over Him!
Our life is so often similar to the tragedy that the Lord had undergone – the tragedy of death
Students sometimes toil hard in life but fail to get the desired results.
Husband and wife bring upon some misunderstanding in their intimacy, and there is a dangerous crack in the relationship
Children fail to take responsibility in life and stray away from the paths of living a good life; and there is a hopeless situation created at home.
Religious communities have the members indulging in individualism; and the very basis of community life is endangered.
Even in the Church, we see many scandals and controversies emerging and widespread persecution and attacks happening on our faith; and it would seem, that the Church may collapse or disintegrate or be divided!
In all such situations, it seems that it is the end…
In all such moments, it seems that everything is going to be over
Like the big stone that was rolled across the tomb, where the body of Jesus was laid, a big stone is rolled over all our hopes and aspirations. Just as the women in the Gospel, we too ask: “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” (Mk 16:3)
Human beings, from far, see the end of the road…and think that it’s all over
But God, from above, says that it is not an end – it is only a bend to a new beginning!
Jesus was dead, but He rose. And He invites us to trust and believe that… … Unless there is a Good Friday, there cannot be an Easter Sunday … Unless there is a crown of thorns, there cannot be the halo of holiness … Unless there are wounds of nails, there cannot blessings with raised hands! … Unless there is a Cross, there cannot be an empty tomb
It’s interesting to also note the similarities at Jesus, in the Womb and Jesus, at the Tomb.
There was a Mary in both… There was a Joseph in both Virgin Woman at the Annunciation… A Fallen Woman at the Resurrection
This simply goes on to say that nothing in the life of our Blessed Lord was an accident.
Everything was planned and executed as per in the Divine Mind of God.
We are invited, today, to take to heart this tremendously powerful message for Easter: Everything in life, happens for good!
Rom 8:28, “… everything God works for good, with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose!”
And the reason is simple… the logic is clear: Everything in life, happens for good …because God is in perfect charge of the world.
The question is: Am I willing to let the Lord take complete charge of me?
In my pains, my misunderstandings, my failures, my uncertainties, my hatred, my sins,
Am I ready to let the Lord take complete charge of me?
The Resurrected Jesus today invites, with His glorious body, with wounds in His Hands, His Legs and His Heart… to share in His Life and in His Holiness!
Are we willing to give our lives to this Beloved Risen Lord?
God weeps with us, so that one day we may smile with Him
God suffers with us, so that one day we may be comforted in Him
Let us remember, in the words of Fulton Sheen… There can be only two philosophies to rule our lives:
That of the Cross, which starts with the fast and ends with the feast unto eternal life. The other of Satan, which apparently starts with a feast and ends with fast… a fast unto eternal death.”
What is our Choice?
The Cross with the Resurrection … or Satan with Death?
A Holy life with Eternal Salvation … or a sinful life with Everlasting Damnation?
The Lord is waiting for an answer…
Happy Easter to all of you!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Whatsoever happens, never let go; hold steadfastly to God, in peace, trusting His everlasting love for you!”
“Being ready to be Crucified with our Blessed Lord and planting the crosses of our difficulties on the inner hill of our hearts in order to find peace, consolation and strength!”
(Based on Good Friday)
In Lithuania, near the small industrial city called Siauliai (shoo-lay) with a fascinating hill.
This hill is known as the “Hill of Crosses”… … because it is adorned with literally hundreds of thousands of crosses.
(Estimates put around 100,000 crosses in 2006)
This city of Siauliai was founded in 1236
But soon after came under the captivity of a military order called the Teutonic Knights.
This was the time when the tradition of putting crosses on the hill began
Each cross was a prayer to God for freedom!
Over the next many centuries, the city was occupied by many other invading nations…
But, during all those difficult decades, a constant flow of pilgrims made their way to the “Hill of Crosses”… … to pray and to plant more crosses!
The “Hill of Cross” is the great symbol… … of the willingness to accept trials and trust in God! … of the hope and expectation that prayers are always answered! … of the readiness to face any adversity, knowing that the Lord cares!
Pope St John Paul II in his visit to the Hill of the Cross in 1992, remarked: “… the Hill of Crosses … testifies to the nations of Europe and the whole world the faith of the people of this land!”
Today, on Good Friday, our eyes are focused on Jesus on the Cross… … the symbol of our Faith.
Jesus, our Crucified Lord reminds the inevitability of the Cross in the life of a Christian… … and the need to be persons who are responsive to this “Crucifying Challenge of Christianity!”
The “Cross” as a symbol of Christianity emerged by the second century… … and by the time of Emperor Constantine, was firmly established as The Sign of Christian Faith!
Christianity sometimes is really strange, when compared to other ways of life…
While other ways of life propose actualizing oneself and finding salvation through one’s own abilities … Christianity suggests discovering the mystery of God with His Grace and gaining salvation through Him alone!
While other ways of life propose casting away all pains and difficulties and living a prosperous life … Christianity suggests accepting sufferings and trials and detaching oneself from vain riches!
While other ways of life propose liberality and openness in identifying with the moral trends of the modern world … Christianity suggests swimming against wrong trends and enjoying the true love of all children of God!
While other ways of life propose more comfortable and appealing techniques and signs which can attract masses of people; … Christianity suggests having the tough and the not-so-alluring Cross as a symbol which may even repel people!
Yeah, Christianity is strange… … simply because it’s Founder was strange!
Jesus never demanded popularity.
He never suggested easy paths or compromised His convictions!
And Jesus did die in a strange way…on a Cross!
The Cross was a hated symbol in the ancient world. Crucifixion must have been the most brutal means of execution ever devised.
Unlike modern methods of capital punishment that are designed to produce a quick death… … Crucifixion was meant to ensure that the person on the cross would die a slow, agonizing death!
The Cross was supposed to make a perfect mockery of Jesus!
But Jesus on the Cross shames this notion of the world!
The world feels greatly arrogant in being Proud!
The world loves to show off its ability and to say that it is capable of being totally independent!
But Jesus on the Cross proves that human beings can never redeem themselves… … they have to come to God!
Jesus on the Cross stands as a silent sentinel proclaiming that you have to come to God’s way… … or you won’t come at all.
The Cross stands in judgment over the sinful pride of the human race.
The Cross – which was symbolic of oppression and misery… … now with Jesus, symbolizes life and redemption to all!
Yes, the Cross is a symbol of shame to the world!
But for Christians, it is a symbol of salvation!
The Cross is a symbol of absolute stupidity and absurdness to the world!
But for Christians, it’s a symbol of the majestic wisdom of God!
St John of the Cross would say: “The road is narrow. He who wishes to travel it more easily must cast off all things and use the Cross as his cane.
In other words, he must be truly resolved to suffer willingly for the love of God in all things.”
Two thieves on either sides died with Christ on the Cross:
One mocked Jesus; the other sought Jesus One took pride in himself; the other humbled himself One lost a golden opportunity; the other won the Prized Paradise!
The Cross with Jesus hanging beckons to each one of us now
We have a choice – like both the thieves…
Are we going to lose a golden opportunity… … or are we going to seek the Prized Paradise?
The Choice is ours!
Escape from the Cross, or embrace the Cross! Exit the Cross, or exalt the Cross!
In many of our Chapels or our homes, we have the Crucifix, placed at a certain height.
We all love to come before this Crucifix and express our words of devotion and endearment.
But perhaps, the Crucified Saviour, is today calling us, from the Cross and telling us: “My Child, Do not be far from me. Come closer to me and learn to embrace me from close.”
And when we go closer to the Crucifix, we also realise that if we turn the Crucifix, behind, there is an empty place.
Yes, there is a vacancy, a place for us to be crucified with our Suffering Lord.
Are we ready for this?
Are we ready to REALLY love the Lord? Are we ready to embrace the Cross of Christ and be His genuine followers?
When we find ourselves struggling with the hardships and trials of life… When we feel the intense emptiness of God’s presence in our lives…
We need to be like the pilgrims of the “Hill of Crosses”… … planting the crosses of our difficulties on the inner hill of our hearts And thus finding peace, consolation and strength!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Mount Calvary is the Academy of Love!”
“Cultivating a Passionate Love for God and a Compassionate approach to His People; Adoring Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist and in turn, being a Eucharist, in loving service, to one another!”
(Based on Maundy Thursday)
The initial years of the 20th Century saw communists seizing a Catholic parish and imprisoning the priest in his own rectory near the church. After being locked up in his own house, the priest looked out the window and was horrified to see the anti-Catholic militants enter the church.
Once inside, they went into the sanctuary, broke open the tabernacle and in an act of desecration, threw down the ciborium – scattering the Sacred Hosts on the floor.
The priest knew exactly how many Hosts had been in the ciborium: Thirty-two.
However, the communists either failed to notice, or did not pay any attention to a small girl who had been praying at the back of the Church.
She saw everything.
That night the girl returned, and slipping past the guard at the rectory, entered the Church where she made a Holy Hour.
After her Holy Hour, she went into the sanctuary, and kneeling down, bent over and received Jesus in the Holy Communion with her tongue (Since at that time, it was not permissible lay-people to touch the Sacred Host with their hands)
Each night, the girl returned to the church to make her Holy Hour and received Jesus in Holy Communion on her tongue, just as she did the first night.
On the thirty- second night, after having consumed the last Host, she accidentally made a noise that awoke the guard who was asleep at his post by the priest’s residence.
From his bedroom window, the priest could only watch in horror as the heartrending scene unfolded before his eyes:
The girl tried to run away… …. But the guard chased her, grabbed her, and beat her to death with the butt of his rifle!
The little girl had a heroic martyrdom – all because of her tender and deep love for the Holy Eucharist!
It was this incident that would inspire Archbishop Fulton Sheen – one of the greatest 20th century proponents of the Catholic Church – to spend one hour each, daily, before the Holy Eucharist
The daring action of that little girl inspired the heart of another fervent soul, Fulton Sheen, who would go on to influence millions to love Jesus in the Holy Eucharist!
How is our love for the Holy Eucharist?
Twenty centuries ago, on this earth, Our Blessed Lord in the evening hours of the day, gathered around the table, with His disciples, His chosen ones.
Today, we too celebrate our God of Love.
This Year, we find ourselves in probably a “never before situation”
Unable to “physically attend” the Liturgical Services of the Holy Triduum.
Yet, we offer ourselves to the Providence of the Lord, and in union with the Church – the Communion of Saints – we reflect on certain important aspects of the Liturgy of this important day.
The Traditional Liturgy of the Day is divided into five parts – each of them highlighting a specific dimension of Love
Liturgy of the Word – Love speaks to us
Washing of the Feet – Love in action
Liturgy of the Eucharist – Love in total self-giving and communion
Procession to the Altar of Repose – Love accepting passion and suffering
Adoration of the Holy Eucharist – Love is adored, glorified and exalted!
This is a day of celebration – of the Lord’s immense love for us.
This is also a day of commemoration – of the Lord’s immense passion and agony.
On one side is the joy of He loving us so deeply… … on the other is the pain that we share in the Lord’s passion.
It would be nice to ask ourselves, looking deep into our innermost beings:
Am I a person of Love? Do I yearn and long for the God of Love, especially in the Most Holy Eucharist?
The Lord is Holy.
And He wants and demands a Holy heart from each of us.
For over 40 days of the Lent, we have been in this process.
Let us today, once again, remove any stain of sin from our hearts, and prepare ourselves to receive the God of Love into our hearts worthily.
The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “Maundatum” – which means ‘command.’
We recall three commands today:
The command of Love
The command of Commemorating the God of Love in the Holy Eucharist
The command of continuity of sharing of the Priesthood of Jesus, the Priest and Victim
Let this Day of the Celebration of Love help us to take a few practical, yet strong decisions
Washing the feet of the other
This points to the aspect of lowering oneself, humbling oneself … forgiving someone we hate or dislike … speaking good of someone whom we don’t like … visiting a needy person and doing the needful for them … listening to the pain and suffering of someone who is going through troubles in life.
Cultivating a deeper love for the Holy Eucharist
Spending every day before the Blessed Sacrament for at least 15-20 min. For those who cannot do so daily…. … trying as often as possible, to come before the Blessed Sacrament … Spending time in prayer with the Lord, daily, at home … Meaningfully and regularly praying the Act of Spiritual Communion
Praying for priests… … to be more holy and committed.
Praying for vocations from our own families.
Archbishop Fulton Sheen says: “The Greatest Love Story of all time, is contained in a Tiny White Host!”
Let us cultivate a passionate love for Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist… … and reach out His Love in compassionate service to one another!
Wish you a Very Happy Feast Day!
Hearty Congratulations and God’s Abundant Blessings of Faithfulness and Zeal to all the Priests!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “When you have received Him [in the Eucharist], 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.”
In these extraordinary times, when one cannot go to a Priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation, it is meaningful to have a Prayer Service at home (personally/together) to receive God’s forgiveness. (This is of course, with the condition, of going for the Sacrament of Reconciliation when the priest is available.)
The Catechism of the Catholic Church 1430-31 reminds of the need for “Interior Penance”
Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, “sackcloth and ashes,” fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance.
Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time, it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s Mercy and trust in the help of His Grace.
God gives us the strength to begin anew. It is in discovering the greatness of God’s love that our heart is shaken by the horror and weight of sin and begins to fear offending God by sin and being separated from Him. The human heart is converted by looking upon Him whom our sins have pierced!
Crucifixion, Titian, 1558, San Domenico, Ancona
INTRODUCTION
Kindly choose a prayerful atmosphere/location in the house and prepare an altar with the Bible, the Crucifix and lighted candles.
(A hymn to the Holy Spirit may be sung)
Sign of the CROSS
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT for deeper awareness of oneself and the Grace to trust in the Mercy of the Lord.
O Holy Spirit, Source of all Light, Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, and of knowledge, Come to my assistance and enable me to prepare for a good reconciliation. Enlighten me, and help me now, to know my sins. Bring to my mind the evil which I have done and the good which I have neglected. Grant me, moreover, heartfelt sorrow for my offenses, so that I may be forgiven, and receive the gift of firm dedication, that I may always love God above all.
READING OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURE
Through the Word of God, we receive the light to recognize our sins. We are called to conversion, and we become beneficiaries of God’s Mercy.
1st Reading (any one of the readings)
Isa 1:12-20 or Isa 43:1-3 or Ezek 18:21-23 or Joel 2:12-14
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
1. Happy the man whose offence is forgiven, whose sin is remitted. O happy the man to whom the Lord imputes no guilt, in whose spirit is no guile.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
2. I kept it secret and my frame was wasted. I groaned all the day long; for night and day your hand was heavy upon me. Indeed, my strength was dried up, as by the summer’s heat.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
3. But now I have acknowledged my sins; my guilt I did not hide. I said, “I will confess my offence to the Lord.” And you, Lord, have forgiven the guilt of my sin.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
4. So let every good man pray to you in the time of need. The floods of water may reach high, but him they shall not reach.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
5. You are my hiding place, O Lord; you save me from distress. You surround me with cries of deliverance.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
6. I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go. I will give you counsel with my eye upon you.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
7. Be not like horse and mule, unintelligent, needing bridle and bit, else they will not approach you. Many sorrows has the wicked, but he who trusts in the Lord, loving mercy surrounds him.
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
8. Rejoice, rejoice in the Lord, exult, you just! O come, ring out your joy!
Response: Lord, forgive the wrong, I have done
2nd READING (any one of the readings)
Rom 6:16-23 or Eph 2:1-10
GOSPEL READING (any one of the readings)
Mt 18:12-14 or Lk 15:11-32 or Lk 19:1-10 or Lk 23:39-43
After the readings, maintain a meaningful time of silence, reflecting on the Infinite Mercy of God
>> God, in His goodness, constantly draws us close to Him
>> Our sins have caused us to move away from His Love. It is His Love that should give us the confidence to run to Him and seek for His Mercy. Let us remember that “the ocean of God’s Mercy is greater than all our sins!”
>> We need to make a sincere repentance, have the firm resolve to sin no more and seek to grow in the virtues of the Kingdom.
>> We also need to do to works of penance by reaching out in service and love to one another, especially those with whom we have not cherished a good relationship
EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE
We recollect all the sins that we have committed from our last confession. We offer to the Lord our weaknesses, temptations, sinful tendencies and lay them before the Mercy of the Lord.
We call to mind the Commandments of the Lord given to us through the Church and the particular duties of our state of life. Look into those areas wherein we have moved away from doing what God wanted – in thought, in word, in deed – by way of committing sins or by way of omitting the good that we could have done.
(Kindly spend some time in silence)
SORROW FOR SINS AND FIRM PURPOSE OF AMENDMENT
With a deep sense of sorrow for having wounded the heart of the Lord and for going away from His Love, we offer ourselves to the Mercy of the Lord and with a firm will, trusting in the Grace of the Lord, we pray the Act of Contrition:
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all, because they offend You, my God, Who is all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Your Grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin, Amen!
ASK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS
With a spirit of detachment from sin and a firm resolve to Love God above all and to reach out His Love to all the people in our life, we seek for God’s Pardon and Forgiveness
I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do, through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault; therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God, Amen!
(A suitable hymn may be sung.
God of Mercy and Compassion OR I’ve wandered far away from God OR Change my heart, O God or Any other)
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Merciful Jesus, thank You for helping me to ask forgiveness for my sins, and thank you for taking away my sins. Help me, dear Jesus, never to offend you again. May I take refuge in Your Mercy and being close to Your Divine Heart, may I always learn from You to seek and do the Will of the Father, and to reach out Your Love to all people in my life.
Mary, my Blessed Mother, hold my hand and lead me closer to Your Son and my Saviour. Dear St Joseph, O My Guardian Angel and all the Saints and Angels, intercede and pray for me, Amen!
AN ACT OF SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
With a clean heart, let us spiritually receive Jesus into our hearts with this Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament! I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You, Amen!
(After a short time of silence, a suitable hymn of thanksgiving may be sung.
O give thanks to the Lord OR I have decided to follow Jesus OR All to Jesus, I surrender OR Any other)
CONCLUSION
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, Amen!
“Avoiding attachment to the ‘little silvers of our life’ that can cause a potential disciple to become a pitiful betrayer and realizing the need to depend on the Lord always!”
(Based on Isa 50:4-9 and Mt 26:14-25)
One day a certain old rich man, of miserly disposition, visited a rabbi.
The rabbi took the rich man by the hand and led him to a window.
“Look out there,” he said. And the rich man looked out into the street. “What do you see?” asked the rabbi. “I see men, and women, and little children,” answered the rich man.
Again the rabbi took him by the hand, but this time led him to a mirror in the room: “What do you see now?” “Now I see myself,” the rich man replied.
Then the rabbi said, “Behold—in the window there is glass, and in the mirror there is glass.
But the glass of the mirror is covered with a little silver And no sooner is the silver added that you cease to see others, but see only yourself!”
Attachment to riches can be a block to see the world, in the way God wants us to see!
Crave for money can prevent us from seeing God’s worldview and the needs of our brethren!
The Gospel of the Day is an account of the fall of a chosen disciple of Christ – Judas … a person who was called to be an Apostle, but fell away due to “the attachment to silver.”
Judas fell into the sin of avarice. One of the greatest dangers in life is that of misuse and attraction to money.
The Lord said, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Mt 6:21)
Like all other disciples, Judas was also called to be a chosen one of the Lord.
Like all the others, he too was appointed, “to be with him, and to be sent out to preach” (Mk 3:14)
But as time passed by, Judas consistently began to fall away from the Master
He began to lose his focus from Him.
The Master had warned: “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon!” (Mt 6:24)
Judas had a gradual but sure downfall… … as his faithfulness to the Lord decreased and his attachment to riches increase.
Here is an excellent lesson for all of us:
Our fall doesn’t happen in a single day … but is a sum total of a number of failures and moments of unfaithfulness
Our betrayal is not one solitary act … but is a result of a number of smaller occasions of denying the voice of the Lord
Is my life so much attached to worldly pleasures, riches, powers, my own talents and capabilities… … that I fail to depend on the Lord and make Him the only and ultimate treasure of my life?
Judas, “an insider” became the betrayer!
An insider is the one capable of being the greatest traitor and betrayer.
Among all the people who knew Jesus, The Twelve were chosen to be the closest. … they shared the inner-most life and secrets of the Lord.
And therefore, the greatest danger was from one among them; and Judas Iscariot proved this right, by agreeing to betray his Master.
The Church today faces a number of dangers and persecutions.
But the greatest comes from “the insiders.” … those who call themselves followers of Christ, but fail to live authentic Christian lives … those who profess their lives to the Lord, but neglect their fundamental … those who consecrate themselves to the Love of the Lord, but entertain sinful attachments
As an insider in the Church, am I betraying the Lord, by leading a lukewarm life, a scandalous life or a disinterested life?
These days, in particular, when we ‘miss our physical participation in the Sacramental Liturgy’ of the Church, we are called forth to display our Faith, by reviving and renewing our Prayer Life – personally and in the homes – and also through other acts and devotions of Faith.
The Passion of the Lord is near at hand.
Prophet Isaiah, through these days of readings on the ‘Suffering Servant’, reminds us of the tremendous agony and humiliation that Jesus had to undergo: “I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting!” (Isa 50:6)
At the same time, we are also reminded of the tremendous commitment of Jesus, Who put His total trust in His Father: “For the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame!” (Isa 50:7)
The absolute commitment and faithfulness of Jesus to obey His Father’s Will is a mighty inspiration and lesson for all of us.
We are encouraged to pledge our lives in complete commitment to the Lord and His Will
Let us become aware of the dangers and temptations that prevent us from this total surrender… … and let us have the courage, to remain firm in depending on the Lord for everything.
Attachment to riches can be a block to see the world, in the way God wants us to see!
Crave for money can prevent us from seeing God’s worldview and the needs of our brethren!
May the lesson, that “a little silver” led a potential disciple to be a pitiful betrayer… … open our eyes to see the danger of attachments to riches in our life … and the need to depend on the Lord always!
Today, on the eve of Maundy Thursday, let us make an honest Act of Reconciliation to the Lord… … asking His Pardon and Mercy for all our faults and failures … seeking to restore our broken relationships and reaching out in forgiveness and mercy to those whom we have hurt and those who have hurt us … and having the courage to overcome those ‘sinful areas’ of our life that causes us to betray the Love of the Lord!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “There is a wide difference between having poison and being poisoned. All apothecaries (chemist/pharmacist) have poisons ready for special uses, but they are not consequently poisoned, because the poison is only in their shop, not in themselves. And so you many possess riches without being poisoned by them, so long as they are in your house or purse only, and not in your heart. It is the Christian’s privilege to be rich in material things, and poor in attachment to them!”
“Resting on the Heart of Christ to avoid the temptation of being a ‘wavering or betraying disciple’ and instead always being His ‘Beloved Disciples!’”
(Based on Is 49:1-6 and Jn 13:21-33, 36-38)
A leader, campaigning for an election, was giving a speech… “Ladies and Gentlemen… give heed to what I say I am a Catholic
As far as possible, I go to Mass every day.
(Holding a rosary in the hand, he said…)
This is a rosary. As far as possible, I kneel down and tell these beads every day.
If you reject me on account of faith in Christ, I shall thank God that He has spared me the indignity of being your representative!”
The leader had grown in his conviction to live for the Lord… … and he publicly declared his faith.
Am I nurturing a deeper conviction in my life of faith? … or do I waver and vacillate in my faith, according to circumstances and situations of life?
The Gospel of the Day gives a closer insight into the attitudes and relationship of some of the disciples of Jesus… … with an invitation for each of us to grow in our commitment to the Lord.
On this Tuesday of the Holy Week, we witness the final discourse of Jesus to His disciples. The Gospel passage begins with the disturbing information by Jesus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me!” (Jn 13:21)
This statement came as a big shock for the disciples.
Yet, it is an insight into one of the deeper realities of our following of Christ: The temptation to betray the Lord always looms large for a Christian!
Let us realise that it is only a faithful and humble submission to the Power of Christ… … that will help us overcome this temptation.
The passage describes the attitude and disposition of three disciples:
John, the Beloved Disciple, who remains close to the Heart of the Lord
Simon Peter, the Wavering Disciple, who genuinely wishes to follow the Lord, but often fails due to human limitations
Judas, the Betraying Disciple, who is encompassed by the forces of darkness and allows himself to be overpowered by the night of sin.
Our Christian following could also pass through these phases:
The Beloved Disciple … when we understand the need to depend on the Lord totally and thus remain ever close to Him
The Wavering Disciple … when we sometimes trust our abilities and have a momentary loss of focus from Jesus onto ourselves
The Betraying Disciple … when we give up on the Love of the Lord and handover ourselves to evil ways and sinful deeds.
Am I… … growing in my love for the Lord and knowing the need to be close to Him, to be His Beloved Disciple? … or am I floating on the waters of uncertainty and self-capability, and being a Wavering Disciple? … or am I going downhill into spiritual darkness and becoming a Betraying Disciple?
The Gospel passage also teaches us the prime importance of preparing well our hearts for the reception of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist.
The Apostles had the privilege to participate in the First Holy Eucharist. … however, one of them – Judas – received the Lord with a deliberate and purposeful sin in the heart, which led to bringing death upon himself, at the reception of the Life-giving Bread.
Do I make the necessary preparations to receive the Lord worthily in the Holy Eucharist? Do I grow in the awareness of His presence in us, throughout the day, after receiving the Eucharist? Do I, in turn, become a Eucharist to the needy in the world and break myself in service to one another
We live in a world that constantly needs a public demonstration of our faith… … and a firm exhibition of our convictions amid diluted and corrupted mentalities.
Can we stand up for our faith and have the courage to live and display our faith in the Lord?
Am I a nurturing a deeper conviction in my life of faith? … or do I waver and vacillate in my faith, according to circumstances and situations of life?
Prophet Isaiah recounts the duty of Jesus, the Suffering Servant – the Beloved Son – and how He would remain true to the Mission entrusted to Him by His Heavenly Father: “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Is 49:6)
Yes, as followers of Christ, … the danger to be a Betraying Disciple looms large … the temptation to be a Wavering Disciple is in the air
But, with faith and hope, let us rest ourselves on the Heart of Christ and always be His Beloved Disciples!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Great occasions for serving God come seldom… but little ones surround us daily!”
“Falling in love with the Lord and exhibiting it to the world, with courage, even in the face of hopelessness and humiliation!”
(Based on Is 42:1-7 and Jn 12:1-11)
One night, a little girl knelt for her bed-time prayer.
She was a good girl, who did a lot of good deeds – helping her Mom in her works, keeping the newspapers tidy for her Dad, sharing her chocolates with her younger brother etc.
The mother went close to the child and suggested things to be thankful for.
The Mother also added, “Won’t you ask the Lord to help you love Him more?”
The child lifted her large button-shaped innocent eyes with a puzzled look.
“What is it, dear?” asked the mother.
“Did you tell me to ask Him to help me love Him more, Mamma?” said the little girl, innocently. “Yes, my little dear.”
“But how can I love Him more, Mamma?” replied the little child, “I am already just so crazy about Him!”
The little child had, very early on in life, grasped the meaning of “falling in love” with God!
Have I “fallen in love” with the Lord and remain faithful to the love-life in the Lord?
The Gospel presents a wonderful expression of love towards Jesus and the subsequent acknowledgement of this gesture of love, by the Lord of Love!
We have the Gospel wherein Mary anoints the feet of the Lord. “Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair, and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment.” (Jn 12:3)
The ointment represented her love for the Lord – and she gave Herself completely to the Lord!
The fragrance of the ointment filling the house was symbolic of the deep love that emanated from her heart for the Lord!
She is an example for all Christians to realise that “Loving Jesus” is not just an act of sentiment, but ought to be publicly displayed – even in the face of humiliation and criticism.
She exhibited to the world that no one can deter or discourage a person “who has fallen in love with the Lord!”
Judas Iscariot, however, tried to dissuade this gesture of love by presenting “an alternative act of piety” – serving the poor.
But St John, the Evangelist would uncover the real motive of this statement of Judas: “This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it.” (Jn 12:6)
Judas represents all people who demonstrate the danger of materialism and duplicity that has been neatly covered-up by the cloak of piety.
He characterizes all people whose focus have moved from “Following the Lord” to “Plotting against the Master.”
We need to check and examine:
Is my love for the Lord, losing its sheen and getting corrupted with worldliness?
Chiding Judas Iscariot, who exposed his avaricious motives, Jesus would sternly tell, “Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial.” (Jn 12:7)
The Lord acknowledged the tremendous and daring love of the woman for Him!
He accepted the loving actions of Mary and gave a big message to the people around: … He is the One worthy of receiving the highest and deepest love … He is the One deserving the sweetest and the most priceless affections of our hearts … He is the One meritorious of every expression of endearment and fondness.
What is my level of love for the Lord?
Am I courageous to express my love for Him in actions that trespass humiliations or shame or guilt? Am I bold to show that I truly love Him by living a life in accordance with the virtues of the Gospel? Am I credible enough to say that I really love Him by extending His care to all those who are in need?
This Holy Week is a special time when we dwell on the Passion, Death and Resurrection of the Lord… … the Lord Who is “deeply in love with us!”
Prophet Isaiah reminds us of Jesus, the Suffering Servant, who underwent many trials, for love of each one of us. He is the True Light of our lives, and it’s in Him, that we ought to place our complete trust – especially in this time of struggle and sickness:
“Thus says God, the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, Who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it: I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people… … a light to the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness!” (Is 42:5-7)
Let us take extra effort and time, this week specially, to grow in our “falling in love” with God!”
May we be inspired by the words of St Robert Bellarmine: “The school of Christ is the school of love.
On the last day, when the general examination takes place… … Love will be the whole syllabus.”
God Bless! Live Jesus!
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue!”
“Being intimate with the Passion of the Lord and experiencing His tremendous Love as we enter, with Faith and Hope, into the ‘Holy Week’”
“It is the first time this is happening in my entire life!”
“I could never ever imagine there would be a situation like this!”
“Oh, how much I miss!”
These are some of the very emotional expressions that are being articulated these days, as the world faces a lockdown… … and especially, in the context of the Holy Week, when practically, throughout the world, Christians are unable to participate in the Church services.
All of us, this year, in particular, are facing the tremendous “missing of the Holy Week Services” in the Church, as a result of the sickness around us.
This is probably an unimagined situation we are facing… … none of us in our lifetime would have faced this … none of us, would have ever thought we could have such a situation.
The cute story of little Johnny who was sick on one particular Palm Sunday is worth recounting.
His sickness had prevented him from going to Church that day and he had to stay home with his mother.
His father returned from church, that Sunday, holding a palm branch.
The little boy was curious and asked, “Why do you have that palm branch, dad?”
With joy, Daddy replied, “You see, Johny… When Jesus came into town, everyone waved palm branches to welcome and honour Him; so we got palm branches today”
“Aww, Good Lord!” grumbled little Johnny, “The one Sunday I can’t go to church, and Jesus shows up!”
The innocence of Li’l Johny made him to feel that He had missed the Lord when He came to town.
But when we think a little deeper, we also realise, that sometimes we are similar…
We fail to take notice of the Presence of the Lord very many times!
And it’s only when we “feel His absence” that we recognize the depth of “missing His Presence!”
Yes, “absence sometimes, can be a great reminder of the value of presence!”
(Just like its only when we miss something that we realise it’s worth and importance! It’s only when we lose something, that we understand it’s value and significance! )
In today’s context, this is especially true, as we tremendously “feel” the absence of Lord… … as the Lord invites to look deeper and experience His Presence with us, always!
These are days when we are invited and challenged to revive the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Love – which “give us a disposition to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church – CCC #1812)
We are invited to check how much we value “His Presence”…
Every Holy Mass, the Lord, really, substantially and truly comes to us in the Holy Eucharist.
Have we failed to see Him and thus to experience the true effects of His Nourishment?
Every moment, we have His Holy Word in the Bible, through which the Lord reveals and teaches more about Himself.
Do we miss the chance to read and experience Him?
Every now and then, we encounter the Lord through different situations and in many people in need who are in despair and in trouble.
Do we miss the opportunity to serve Him and to learn from Him?
Today we are entering into one of the Most important weeks of the Liturgical year… The Holy Week!
And we commemorate the start of this Holy Week, with the Passion Sunday, also known as the Palm Sunday.
On this Palm Sunday, we recollect the entry of the Lord into the town, riding on a donkey (Cf. Mk 11:7)
The donkey has a specific symbolism…
In the olden day, military officers engaged in war and battles would ride on the most efficient animals: the fast and furious warhorses.
But after the victory in the war, the victorious officers would parade into the city riding on… yes, a donkey.
That was the reason why the people shouted out when they saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.
In the First book of the Kings 1: 38-4, we read of how Prince Solomon used the royal donkey of his father David, for the ceremonial procession on the day of his coronation.
The new Solomon, Jesus, the True Prince of Peace and the King of Kings today enters His city, Jerusalem on a donkey as well!
A new reign of peace was being signaled. A new kingdom of love was being ushered.
Are we ready to welcome the King of Kings and the Prince of Peace into our lives?
He is not the glorious King of might and wealth…
But He is the Spectacular King who will reign on His throne of the Cross.
He is not the proud Emperor who parades much show and pomp…
But He is the Wonderful Lord who displays His compassion and love by His wounds!
Are we ready to welcome this King into… Our lives? Our homes? Our hearts?
The Passion of the Lord is about to begin… Are we going to be part of the people who crucify Him?
Or are we going to be people who repent of sins and seek to live a life worthy of the King?
Many of us would have read the following, with a picture of Jesus Christ crucified…
“I asked Jesus, how much do you love me?” And Jesus answered, “This much” And He extended His arms on the cross…
But there’s a sequel to this, which perhaps is not known much, but is worth reflecting.. Jesus then asked me, “How much do you love me” I picked up the hammer and the nails…. saying, “This is how much I love You!” … and began to crucify Him!
The Passion of the Lord is a result of our sins…
The Crucifixion of the Lord is a consequence of our disobedience…
As Isaiah would say, “It was our infirmities that He bore and it was our sufferings that He endured” (Is 53:4)
He Died for love of us.
He suffered to save each of us.
Are we going to remain stubborn and adamant and continue to be a people who shout, “Crucify Him”… … Or shall we repent, fall on our knees, seek a transformation, and, with palm branches in our hands, truly exclaim and acclaim Jesus as the Lord, shouting, “Hosanna to the King of Kings! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Wish you a Blessed Palm Sunday… … and a Glorious Holy Week!
Let us try to make this week, a “Holy Week” indeed… … repenting over our sins, asking pardon from the Lord and making suitable amendments … remembering all those people with whom we fail to be in good relation and asking the “gift of forgiveness” from the Lord and making efforts for a healing in these relationships. … reading the Bible every day, without fail and seeking to make this an everyday practise … reserving time for Jesus, in personal prayer, and ensuring that we do so, daily
Let us be intimate with the Passion of the Lord and experience His tremendous love… … so that we too may worthily and honestly shout, on Easter Sunday, “Alleluia! He is risen!”
God Bless! Live Jesus
Quotable-quote-a-day-with-St Francis de Sales (SFS) – “The thoughts of those moved by natural human love are almost completely fastened on the beloved… … their hearts are filled with passion for it … and their mouths full of its praises.By turning your eyes on God in meditation, your whole soul will be filled with God!”
Reflection Capsules 