Kindly Note that Reflection Capsules will not be published from April 6, 2018 for a period of Two Weeks.

They will be resumed from April 19, 2018.

I am going to the Vatican as a “Missionary of Mercy” – with the special privilege, to forgive Reserved Sins.

We have a meeting with the Holy Father for 5 days, including concelebrating the Divine Mercy Feast Mass at St Peter’s Basilica this Sunday.

I pray for you specially. Take care

Thank you, I pray for you.

Do pray for me too.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

– Fr Jijo Manjackal MSFS

Bengaluru, India

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

1. A fervent fear leading to veneration and devotion

2. A nauseating aversion leading to hatred and abhorrence.

The encounter with a mystery is always something overwhelming:

>>Iit causes either a transformation for the good or a change to run away from the truth and reality.

Mysteries are indeed powerful and can be life-transforming!

The Gospel of the Day presents this powerful dimension of the Apostles encountering the Mystery of the Resurrection, in the person of Jesus Christ, the Lord, risen from the dead!

The Resurrection Day of the Lord was perhaps the most baffling, confusing and puzzling day in the lives of the Apostles…

Just a few days back, they had witnessed the horrifying and painful death of their Beloved Master.

In their weakness, and fearing for their life, they had abandoned their Master.

>> Yet, heart of heart, these disciples would have been tremendously affected, at the loss of the One who had brought new hopes and expectations to their lives.

But now, the strange and surprising reports of the tomb being empty and the Lord appearing to two on the way to Emmaus have confused the poor disciples.

It’s in this state of fear, confusion that Jesus comes in their midst and appears to them.

“But they were startled and terrified and thought they were seeing a ghost” ( Lk 24: 37)

The disciples were face to face with a Mystery – the mystery of Jesus Christ, Resurrected.

And every mystery can cause two reactions…

… a fervent fear leading to veneration and devotion

… or a nauseating aversion leading to hatred and abhorrence.

The disciples were initially filled with a lot of fear and were startled deeply.

>> But as they slowly were in the presence of the Great Mystery, their hearts began to be filled with joy and holiness…

We are also witnesses to the Great Mystery of the Resurrection

What is our reaction?

>> Are we filled with fear and fail to live a life of true witnessing?

… Or are we filled with the calm and serenity that the Risen Lord promises?

There is a need to make an honest examination of our lives…

>> The Mystery of the Risen Lord is about joy and happiness

Do I radiate this joy to others…

… or do others only come across angry faces, irritated behaviour and unpleasant conduct in me?

>> The Mystery of the Risen Lord is about trust and confidence

Do I display this faith and belief…

… especially when we face many problems and crisis in life, to stand firm in hope?

>> The Mystery of the Risen Lord is about call to a new way of life…

Do I be courageous to embrace this new way of life in the Risen Lord…

… and be willing to do away with my sinful habits and tendencies to fall away from God’s presence?

The Risen Lord is in our midst, as He was with the Apostles…

… Especially in His Most Holy Eucharist

… Especially in His Holy Word of God.

Let us not be afraid of this Mystery…

>> Let us not have an aversion towards it…

… rather, let us grow in love of the Mystery of the Risen Lord… and seek to live it, more fully and more meaningfully in our lives.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A common phrase that is often heard or read is…

“Most children walk to school…. but come back home running!”

Fairly true, in many cases, right?

It takes a long walk to reach school… as its often considered as “the not so interesting” part for a child – to study, to be under various rules, to be restricted to a classroom etc

>> But it takes a very short run to reach back home… as it is often considered as “the thrilling” part for a child – to play, to enjoy, to have fun etc…

Our attitudes to activities in life is influenced by our interest for it:

>> The greater the interest…

… the higher is the enthusiasm in an activity;

>> The lower the interest…

… the lower will be the keenness for a particular work.

The Gospel of the Day presents two disciples who “walk away from home” in disinterest and dejection…. but later “who run towards home” with enthusiasm and passion!

>> The walk away…

… was a dull tale of being filled with disappointment and confusion…

>> The walk towards…

… is an exciting story of being filled with immense joy and happiness…

The encounter of Jesus to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus is one of the classic Resurrection encounters.

>> This incident appears only in the Gospel of St Luke.

The disciples, who are unnamed, have obviously been shaken up very badly over the incidents over the last one week in Jerusalem.

Like the Apostles, these disciples also would have been badly affected…

>> Their Master, Jesus, in whom they had trusted and they had followed, had to undergo a shameful death – as that of a criminal.

>> It was humiliating…

… to be called as followers of a Criminal…

>> It was abasing…

… to be called to as followers of a Blasphemer…

Added to that, the accounts of some women who had seen the Empty Tomb of the Lord, added to greater shame and confusion.

Life was dealing harshly with them….

>> Gloom had descended into their hearts;

>> Grim had taken over their lives.

And so they “walked” .. disappointed and dejected… away from “home” – Jerusalem – to a village named Emmaus.

But this “walk” in sadness and gloom, was soon to be become a life-transforming event!

>> Moments of hardships often become moments to encounter the deep love of the Lord!

>> Situations of dejections often become situations to experience the immense mercy of God!

Jesus met them, explained the Scriptures to them.. and finally in the house, broke the bread… “and their eyes were opened!” (Lk 24: 30-31)

Their gloom was taken away….

>> Their mourning was converted…

>>> Their sadness was chased away

This experience “had to be shared”… This experience “had to be recounted”…

>> And so these disciples, who had “encountered” the Lord… now “ran”!

The walk away… was a dull tale of being filled with disappointment and confusion…

>> The walk towards… is an exciting story of being filled with immense joy and happiness…

How is our life?

>> Are we merely “walking” through activities and works in life, in dissipation….

Or are we “running” through our duties and responsibilities filled with joy and hope?

>> Are we merely “walking” passively in our spiritual life and our Christian witnessing…

Or are we “running” boldly and enthusiastically, overflowing with happiness and love?

The Lord walks with us… on our every journey, in our every activity…

>> But seldom do we see Him… seldom do we “feel” His presence!

Those disciples realised this “feeling” of the Lord being with them at the Breaking of the Bread…

>> There lies the key…there lies the open secret…

Realisation of the Presence of the Lord in our lives, is guaranteed and facilitated by a meaningful and honest participation in the Lord’s Body and Blood – at the Holy Eucharist!

The Lord in the Holy Eucharist, calls and invites us…

… to experience Him, to encounter Him… to be transformed by Him!

Let the power of the Lord help us to overcoming our “lethargic and uninterested” walking in spiritual life…

… and instead help us to be filled with a powerful enthusiasm to “run” in His presence and announcing the Good News of His Saving Love to the world!

Happy Easter to You!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

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

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

God is a God who…

… is specially close to His people in their moments of pain and suffering

… is particularly near to His people in their times of affliction and tribulations.

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

We are still near the tomb of the Lord.

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

She had experienced Divine Love in a great manner.

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

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

And so she kept waiting.

True love always seeks…

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

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

But the Lord did recognize her…

… not just her physical pains.. rather also her mental agony and her spiritual longing!

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

• Mary had been incessantly weeping over the loss of her Beloved

• 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 stored my tears in a bottle” (Ps 56:8)

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

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

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

Today, we are reminded the same…

We may be shedding many tears before the Lord…

It could be due to many reasons…

… maybe some personal crisis in life…

… maybe some brokenness in the family…

… maybe some tragedy or calamity to our closed ones…

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

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

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

Each one of our 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!

God bless! Live Jesus!

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 specially, 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 in 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 of the Lord.

 

• 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 a holy fear, a 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…

>> Yet, had the final laugh, through the Resurrection from the dead!

 

 

The Resurrection gives us…

… every reason to rejoice, even in the midst of deadly trials…

… every cause to be joyful, even in the midst of heavy tribulations…

 

 

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

 

 

 

Happy Easter to all of you!

 

God Bless! Live Jesus!

1. Holy Thursday

“A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who piously recite the verses of the Tantum ergo (Let us bow in Adoration) after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday during the solemn reposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament.”

2. Good Friday

“A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who

1. Devoutly assist at the adoration of the Cross in the solemn liturgical action of Good Friday; or

2. Personally make the pious Way of the Cross, or devoutly unite themselves to the Way of the Cross while it is being led by the Supreme Pontiff and broadcast live on television or radio.”

3. Easter Vigil

“A plenary indulgence is granted to the faithful who, at the celebration of the Easter Vigil (or on the anniversary of their own Baptism), renew their baptismal vows in any legitimately approved formula.”

What is Plenary Indulgence?

The COMPLETE remission before God, of the temporal punishment due for sins already forgiven.

>> It can be either for one’s own self, or to a Faithful Departed.

Basic Requirements for Plenary Indulgence

 Be in a state of grace (Make a confession)

 Receive Holy Communion

 Have an intention to receive the Indulgence

 Pray for the intentions of the Holy Father

 Resolve to never sin again (including venial sins)

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Let this week, be a time…

… to grow in greater personal intimacy in His Word

… with Him in the Holy Eucharist

…. and dwelling with Him near His Holy Cross.

May we hold the hands of our Blessed Mamma and imitate Her, in seeking the Will of the Lord, always!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

• The Lord came to this world to die.

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

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

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

We could ponder on some of the aspects…

a. The deep love of Mary

… Least bothered of what others felt.

… Least mindful of her own shame or dignity

All that mattered to her was Jesus and love for Him

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

b. Danger of piety being covered up under the cloak of materialism, duplicity – Judas.

His focus was moved from “Following the Lord” to “Plotting against the Master”

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

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

We could dwell on some of the aspects…

a. The various attitudes towards the Lord, highlighted through the Disciples

… John, the beloved disciple, who could remain close to His heart.

… Simon Peter, the wavering disciple, genuinely wishing to follow the Lord, but failing often due to human limitations.

… Judas, the betraying disciple, in whom darkness had slowly encompassed and the night of sin was being encountered.

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

b. The prime importance needed in preparation to receive the Lord in the Holy Mass.

The Apostles had the privilege to participate in the First Holy Eucharist.

… however one of them, received the Lord with a deliberate and purposeful sin in the heart, which led to bringing death upon himself, at the reception of the Life-giving Bread.

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

3. On WEDNESDAY, we reflect on the downfall of Judas (Mt 26: 14-25)

We could contemplate over some aspects…

a. Judas falls into the sin of avarice

One of the greatest dangers in life is that of misuse and attraction to money.

The Lord said, “Where thy treasure is, there thy heart too” (Mt 6:21)

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

b. An insider is the one capable of being the greatest traitor and betrayer.

Among all the people who knew Jesus, The Twelve were chosen to be the closest.

… they shared the inner-most life and secrets of the Lord.

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

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

4. On THURSDAY, we celebrate the Maundy Thursday.

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

Three commands were expressed by the Lord …

1. The Command of Love

2. The Command of Commemorating the God of Love in the Holy Eucharist

3. The Command of continuity of sharing in the Priesthood of Jesus, the Priest and Victim

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

5. On FRIDAY, we live through the Passion, Agony and Death of the Lord.

He who was sinless made Himself sin, for you and me!

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

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

6. On SATURDAY, we pray at the tomb of the Lord, contemplating…

…. His deep, immense and unconditional for each of us, personally

… His Divine Wisdom to redeem the world back to Himself, scripting the greatest story ever

Yes the days are here…

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

St Francis de Sales says, “Calvary is the Mount of lovers”

… and… “The love which is not the fruit of the Passion, is feeble”.

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

Come, let us also tread to path towards Him on Calvary, with our Blessed Mamma

… purging our sins, growing in His love

… and thus seek to rise with Him, and sing our eternal song – “Alleluia! He is Risen”

Wish you a Blessed Holy Week!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Many of us would have read the following, with a picture of Jesus Christ crucified…

It goes like this…

” 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)

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.

There is a cute story of Little Johnny who was sick on a Palm Sunday.

>> This prevented him from going to Church that day and stayed home with his mother.

His father returned from church 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”

“Aw, 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 come to town.

But when we think a little deeper, we also realise, that sometimes we are similar…

>> We miss the Lord so often!

>> We fail to take notice of the Lord very many times!

• Every day at Holy Mass, the Lord, really, substantially and truly comes to us in the Holy Eucharist.

>> Do I miss to see and be nourished by Him?

• Every moment, we have His Holy Word in the Bible, through which the Lord reveals and teaches more about Himself.

>> Do I 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, in despair, in absolute trouble.

>> Do I miss the opportunity to serve Him and to learn from Him?

The Lord today enters the town, riding on a donkey. (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?

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…

… maybe by making our Confession

… maybe be taking a decision to read the Bible every day, without fil

… maybe by spending time with Jesus, in personal prayer, every day

… maybe by repairing some relationships from which we keep away

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

A person who had his house near the forest, found a large number of rats, that had infested his house.

Not finding an easy way to get rid of this menace…

… he went to the city to find a solution.

A flavoured poison for rats, attracted his attention and he bought a few to his house.

He kept a few of these boxes of flavoured poison around his house, including one under his bed.

That night he could not believe his eyes!

>> Below his bed, was a feeding frenzy…

… a number of rats were relishing the flavoured poison!

The following morning, he checked the boxed and found them all clean – perfectly licked!

In order to make sure that his plan would work, he tried the same method the following day as well..

… placing the boxes of flavoured poison everywhere.

The rats once again, savoured the “poisonous food” again!

But in the few days that followed…

… everything was quiet!

The tasty and popular “food” did its trick!

All what is “popular” need not, always be good!

Some “popular” things can lead to “death and destruction!”

The one who chooses “goodness over popularity”…

… are the ones who will prevail and persevere!

The Gospel of the Day is the presentation of how Jesus remains as a Symbol of “Goodness being chosen over popularity”…

… in the face of extreme hatred and pitiless feelings.

Life often crushes us and cause immense disappointments.

• When things don’t shape up as we plan, we get greatly frustrated.

• When people don’t behave in the way we expect, we get totally devastated.

But through today’s Gospel reading, the Lord invites us…

… to not get shattered or disappointed with life’s bad-turns or evil-leanings…

…Rather, to gather strength and courage to fight the evil, arm oneself in faith and hope and seek to live a life of holiness and conviction…

>> “Seek Goodness over popularity!”

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

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

This event garnered a lot of attention…

… many people began to believe in the person of Jesus, as the Messiah and Lord.

>> But many others, also began to have a greater bitterness towards this Man who was working wonders!

Many people grew in their following of Jesus and placed a greater trust and confidence in Him

>> But many others, had their flames of jealousy intensified and began to have greater plotting to finish off the “law-breaker” and “blasphemer”

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

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

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

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

• Jesus had grown to be a big threat for them

• Jesus had gathered up much popularity and had become a menace for the leaders.

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

But, everything in life has a purpose…

… Because God is the ultimate ruler, preserver and nurturer of this universe!

• They plotted death but God planned life

• They were selfish but God made Him the Saviour

• They sought for political gain, but God ensured spiritual gain.

• They hoped to spare one nation, but God saved the whole world.

• They intended the worst evil for Jesus but God turned it into the greatest good.

• They wished to scatter all His followers, but God brought them together as one holy nation.

Our life also follows this same pattern…

• The events we think are bad, also have a purpose in God’s mind.

• The moments that we consider as cursed, also can be turned to a blessing by God.

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

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

Look to the Cross and find strength from Him…

… who was abused though He was pure

… who suffered immensely, thought He was faultless.

… who underwent tremendous agony, thought He was sinless.

This was the way of God…

…mysterious to us, but life saving for the world.

… baffling for us, but redemptive for the world.

What is most important is not to get discouraged or disheartened…rather…

… to seek the Lord wholeheartedly in all those situations

… to be faithful to the Lord in steadfastness and patience.

.. to be strong and joyful, finding strength in the love of the Lord.

Everything…

…YES… everything in life, happens for good!

All what is “popular” need not, always be good!

… b’cos some “popular” things can lead to “death and destruction!”

The one who chooses “goodness over popularity”…

… are the ones who will prevail and persevere!

God Bless! Live Jesus!