A compass is an instrument used for navigation and orientation that shows direction.

It is used to find the right direction to get one to where one wants to go.
>> A compass helps to guide through unknown terrains.
>> A compass helps to direct well, without being lost.
>> A compass helps to keep right the focus.

A compass in life is a requirement in order to be constantly having the right target and aim.

The Gospel of the Day presents Jesus, as a person, in perfect control of His life; as a result of being in union with His Father – the Compass of His life..
… and He, becomes the Compass in the life of His disciples – to guide and direct them to safety!

The Gospel is the incident of Jesus walking on the waters, as the disciples travel in the boat, caught up in the midst of a strong sea wind.

This incident follows the “miraculous” event of the multiplication of five loaves and two fish, to feed a “massive” number of people. ( Jn 6: 1-15)

The people were greatly amazed and excited about this “super-miracle”.
This is evident in their words, “This is truly the Prophet, the One Who is to come into the world” (Jn 6: 14)

>> The people had seen an astonishing miracle.
>> The people had witnessed Someone who was able to provide them food.
>> The people had experienced Someone who could provide them security and strength.

But Jesus realized that all such excitement and exhilaration, would lead the people to make Him a King…

He knew that they would….
… be stuck to only material satisfaction and physical contentment
… not understand the heavenly and transcendental meaning of the miracle

And so Jesus withdrew to the mountain (Jn 6:15) to be with His Heavenly Father, alone.

His Beloved Father was the “Compass” of His life – the One who led Him….
…. to guide through unknown terrains
… to direct well, without being lost
…. to keep right the focus.

United with His Father, Jesus reaches out as a “Compass” to His struggling disciples…
They were being tossed up by the mighty waves and their boats were lashed by the mighty winds. (Jn 6:18)

But Jesus enters this “chaotic” scene….and ensures His peace and calm.
> The disciples were lost…
>> They had missed sight of their direction…
>>> They were disoriented in their focus and sight…

>>> Fear had seized them
>> Anxiety was drowning them.

But the Lord, the “Compass” of Life restores back their calm and focus and direction.

>> Nothing is lost, when we have the Lord as the compass of our lives.
>>  will be drowned, if we hold on to Jesus, as the compass of our lives.
The disciples realised this… and they experienced the calming effect in their lives.

Are we also ready to have God as the “Compass” of our lives?

In prayer… In faithfulness.. In trust… let us be ready and open to be led by the True Guide of our lives!

God bless! Live Jesus!

Here’s a simple question… from the world of the Gospels…

Which is the only miracle, besides the Resurrection of our Blessed Lord, that is mentioned in all the four Gospel accounts?

Well, it should not be too difficult to answer this one…
…
Or, is it a tough one?
…

Well, the answer is…
…. Yes…. it IS the miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves.

The feeding of the people, by the mighty deed of multiplication of the loaves, in the only miracle, besides the miracle of the Resurrection of Jesus, that finds a mention in all the four Gospels.

And each of these Gospels also have something unique to speak of this incident:
>> Mt 14: 13-21: mentions about five thousand men being fed,”without counting women and children”
>> Mk 6: 31-4: mentions of making the people to be seated in”groups and clusters of hundreds and fifties”
>> Lk 9: 10-17: also mentions of five thousand men and being seated in clusters of fifty and also mentions Jesus, “looking up to the heavens”.
>> Jn 6: 5-15: mentions of a “little boy”, who is the provider of the five loaves and two fish and also that “the Lord gave thanks for it”,before distributing it to the people.

      
The Gospel of the Day presents this account of the multiplication from the eyes of St John, the Evangelist.

Since this miracle finds its parallel with the Resurrection, as the only one mentioned in all the four Gospels, we could highlight some of the outstanding features of this “massive” miracle

>> The multiplication of the loaves fed a massive crowd.
Five thousand men could mean, that including women and children, it would have easily exceeded over twenty thousand people!.

This easily was the miracle that Jesus performed with the greatest number of witnesses and participants.

>> The multiplication of the loaves was a miracle of “creation”.
There are other miracles of Jesus, mentioned in the Bible, which could fall in the following categories…
>> Miracles of healing: Curing of many sicknesses and diseases
>> Miracles over nature: Powerful control over the forces of nature
>> Miracles of exorcism: Casting out demons and liberating people from them
>> Miracles of transformation: Transforming an object to something else or even of people
>> Miracles of restoration: Restoring people to their original state of life and good condition

But the miracle of the “multiplication” is unique in the sense, that it resembled “creation”.
God created the world “ex-nihilo – out of nothing”; Jesus now creates the loaves from nothing, and feeds the people.

This miracle of the multiplication also reveals some of the finest qualities of Jesus, the Messiah…

>> His sensitivity to the needs of the people
While the disciples were just eager to send the crowd away, Jesus reaches out to them in compassion and love.

>> His ability to effect changes in the mindset and thinking-pattern
The disciples could see no way, in that desert to feed the gigantic crowd. They had only question marks before them.
But Jesus, sheds new light on their minds and helps them find a solution, even in the seemingly impossible situation

>> His perfect control in a situation of panic
Though there would have been panic in the minds of the disciples, Jesus impresses upon them the fact, that He is in total charge and in complete control.
As the Lord and Creator, He knows exactly what is to be done in the moment of crisis and calamity.

>> His attitude of raising His heart in thanksgiving at every situation
We read that before the actual multiplication happened, Jesus “took the loaves, and gave thanks…” (Jn 6: 11)

Its amazing to imagine that situation:
… Thousands and thousands of people, eagerly waiting, hungry and exhausted….
… Having just Five Loaves and the Two Fish – which was scarcely able to meet the hunger of a couple of people…
… Jesus still raises His Heart in thanksgiving and gratitude!

It is tremendous faith that allows a person to raise one’s mind in gratitude, even in the midst of utter poverty, deep need and barren nothingness!

>> His consciousness to gather the remaining pieces, after the miracle
The Lord, “Who came save and seek the lost” is also highly mindful of gathering up the remaining broken pieces of the loaves.
The disciples get trained to become aware of “what is often considered as wasteful” can also become resourceful!

The disciples are reminded that even things that are usually “discarded” and regarded as being “unwanted and useless”, can become sources of strength and nourishment!

This beautiful and unique miracle of the multiplication, is a reminder to each one of us also:

Am I able…
… to be sensitive and responsive to the needs and desires of those around me?
… to see the brighter side of life, with the Grace and strength from God, and rub the fragrance of this positivity onto others in my life?
… to rise above the situations of panic and disturbances, and be calm, knowing that I have a God, who is ultimately in total and perfect control of every situation of turmoil?
…  to lift up my heart to the Lord, in thanksgiving, at every moment and situation of life, even when the chips are down or when I pass through the dark tunnels and the deep, despairing valleys life?
… to be aware of the “unwanted” talents in me, the “excess” people of the society and the “discarded” peripherals of the world, and seek to make the best use of them and collect them to be part of the mainframe scene?

God Bless! Live Jesus!

A few days back we celebrated the Easter Vigil.

The Easter Vigil is called as the mother of all vigils.
In the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, a Paschal Candle is prepared.

The priest marks the candle, in the shape of the Cross, Alpha and Omega – the first and the last Greek letters and the present Year, 2015.

He uses the following words:
… Christ yesterday and today
(on the vertical arm of the cross)

… the Beginning and the End
(horizontal arm of the cross)

… the Alpha (alpha above the cross)

… and the Omega (omega below the cross)

… All time belongs to him (numeral 2 in upper left corner of cross)

… and all the ages (numeral 0 in upper right corner of cross)

… To him be glory and power (numeral 1 in lower left corner)

… through every age and for ever. Amen (numeral 5 in lower right corner)

These words declare the Supreme authority and Heavenly glory of Jesus, the Son of God.

However, it can happen so, that at times, in our life…
… such fundamental factors of faith are taken for granted…
… such basic truths of our spiritual life are presumed as known…

Therefore,  it is sometimes good take a pause in our spiritual life, and ask ourselves, this fundamental question,
•      ” Am I really trusting and believing in Jesus, as the True Son of God, the One who is all-powerful and Holy”?
•      “Is my faith and spirituality truly built on the great foundation, that the Lord is the ultimate beginning (Alpha) and the end (Omega) of everything?”

The Gospel of the day is an invitation to make this examination of the basics of our faith and spirituality and to renew our belief and trust in the Lord.

The Gospel passage begins with the verse, “The One who comes from heaven is above all” (Jn 3: 31)

This verse refers to the Divine origin of the Lord.

At the Annunciation, Angel Gabriel had announced to Mother Mary that Her child “will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High” (Lk 1: 32)

This Divinity of the Lord was affirmed by Him through the various works of wonders and great deeds…
… of healing many in afflictions and sicknesses
… of accepting many of the rejected and unwanted
… of strengthening many of the oppressed and the abused
… of preaching many on the need for repentance and striving to enter the Kingdom

•      His personality shone with Divinity….
•      His character radiated with Holiness…
He sought to become the Way-revealer, the Truth-instiller and the Life-giver.

He is the One “Whom the Father loves” and “to Whom the Father has given everything” (Jn 3:35)

•      Have we given our lives entirely to Him, who is above all things?
•      Have we entrusted ourselves entirely to Him, who has been entrusted everything by the Father?

At the Holy Mass, one of the most beautiful prayers is called as the “Doxology”.

In this, we render all the praise to the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Spirit.
“Through Him, With Him, In Him…. O God Almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour is Yours, forever and ever, Amen!”

It would be good, to make this prayer of the Doxology, our own, in our works and activities.

•      This could be a conscious way of acknowledging the Divinity of the Lord in all our activities.
•      This could be a meaningful way of saying that the Lord reigns in all our works and deeds.

Let us revive our hearts to firmly install the Lord as the True Alpha(the beginning) and the True Omega (the end) of all our activities… and our life itself!

God Bless! Live Jesus

In a particular place, in the medieval ages, there lived a certain monk.

This monk, once, announced that he would be preaching next Sunday evening on “The Love of God.”

It was Sunday evening…
>> The sun began to set…

As the shadows fell and the light slowly ceased to come in, through the glass-stained windows of that marvellous Church, the congregation gathered, were eagerly waiting…
>> Their eyes were fixed on the monk who was to preach to them….

In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix.

First of all, with the candle, he illumined the crown of thorns on the Crucifix..
>> Then, the two wounded hands…
>> Then the marks of the spear wound on His side…

Then, in the hush and silence that fell, the monk blew out the candle and left the Church.

There was nothing else to say!
A beautiful sermon on the “Love of God” had been preached!

>> The sacrifice of Jesus, on the Cross, reveals the depth of God’s Love.
>> The price that Jesus paid on the Cross, demonstrates the intensity of God’s Love.

It is this love of God that Jesus spells out, when He says to Nicodemus, in today’s Gospel, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but may have eternal life…” (Jn 3:16)

This verse, John 3:16 has some of the most unique credits….
… it is perhaps one of the most favourite verses of the entire Bible
… it is perhaps one of the most known verses of the entire Bible

In seven phrases, this verse, reveals the gist and the core of the entire Good News…
… For God: The Great Lord and the Creator of the entire universe
… so loved the world: The Great Purpose of God
… that He gave His only Son: The Great Sacrifice
… that whoever: The Great Open Invitation
… believes in Him: The Great Condition
… should not perish: The Great Desire
… but may have eternal life: The Great Promise

Jesus was teaching Nicodemus that the heart of God’s love would be revealed in the sacrifice and death of His Beloved Son, on the Cross.
>> The Cross is not for condemnation…
>> The Cross is not for judgement…
The Cross is for salvation… the Cross is for hope!

>> To the one who believes and trusts in this power of the Cross, there is hope and salvation.
>> To the one who rejects and refuses this power of the Cross, judgement and condemnation is self-inflicted  and self-imposed.

>> God doesn’t want to condemn…
…  He only wants to redeem

>> God doesn’t desire to judge…
… He only wants to save.

The Cross of the Lord invites us today…
… to be faithful to the salvation won by the Lord, always
… to seek the grace to live a life in the light, always
… to make efforts to walk the path of truth, always

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Compatibility” is a term that is increasingly becoming a common word in our everyday vocabulary, thanks to the widespread usage of computers and mobiles.

Compatibility refers to the a state in which two things are able to exist or occur together without problems or conflict.
>> It is the capacity for two systems to work together, without having to be altered to do so.

Eg. A computer which has a Windows 98 Operating System (the very old version) will not be able to support many of the latest programs and softwares…
>> It is because of a “compatibility” issue.

Eg. A mobile, like the old Nokia 1100, without an Android-base, will not be able to have many of the new applications like WhatsApp or Viber etc…
>>  It is because of a “compatibility” issue.

This compatibility issue can also appear in our spiritual life…
>> When we are not in proper terms with God, we fail to understand many of His plans for us.
>> When we are not in line with God’s Will, we lose out on grasping many of His  aspirations for us

And that is why the Lord will tell, in today’s Gospel, “If I tell you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?” (Jn 3: 12)

The conversation between Nicodemus, in the darkness of the night and Jesus, the Light of the world continues…

The Lord speaks of the need “to be born anew” and of how the movement of the Spirit cannot be judged, but its effects can be perceived and felt (Jn 3:7)

But Nicodemus fails to understand these words of the Lord…
In his ignorance and unawareness, he puts forward a genuine doubt, “How can this be?” ( Jn3:9)

Nicodemus was unable to grasp the meaning of the words of the Lord.
>> He looked lost.
>> He seemed confused.
>> He appeared bewildered.

>> His thoughts were not “compatible”  with the thoughts of the Lord.
>> His understanding was not “compatible” with the wisdom spoken by the Lord.

And so Jesus says that one would fail to understand heavenly things, if one fails to even understand the earthly things.

How often is our life also, not “compatible” with the requirements of Jesus, and His Gospel!

>> Our thought-pattern often fails to be “compatible” with the teachings of the Church….
>> Our relationship with others, often fails to be “compatible” with the command of love of all…
>> Our personal following of Jesus, often fails to be “compatible” with our dual mind of seeking also the pleasures of this world….

A great deal of “incompatibility” is often experienced by us, in the spiritual realm.

>> Let us seek to “update” our lives with the love and power of the Holy Spirit.
>> Let us pledge to “upgrade” our lifestyles with the convictions and truths of the Holy Gospel.

Let us move from a state of “How can this be?” to a state of “Indeed, it is so!” with the power of the Holy Spirit.
>> Let us thirst for Him.
>> Let us long for Him.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“Will she?”
“Won’t she?”
“Psst… Did God make a mistake by endowing human beings with so much freedom, that they can even reject the Word of God in their lives?”

These were probably some of the conversations that were on among the angels.

One among them.. an Archangel… had been sent by God to the earth, on a very crucial mission.

The name of the Archangel was Gabriel… whose name means God is my strength.
>> He was sent to a young girl named Mary.. whose name probably means cherished or beloved.

The heavens were waiting with eagerness as to what would be the outcome of that mission.
>> The Archangel, had approached the woman with much devotion and reverence

With deep piety, the Angel asked, “Would you be the Mother of the Child of God?”

Heaven had taken a massive decision…
>> A decision to seek the consent of a human person in the plan of salvation.
>> A decision to respect the gift of freedom and involve human beings in the design of redemption

The angels were waiting with eagerness what would be the answer…
>> Perhaps even nature was still for a moment as it awaited the reply…

With gentleness and serenity, the young girl replied, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to Your Will!”
And immediately, there were pleasant faces that lit up…
>> Nature also began to smile and brighten up further…

>> Mary had said Yes to do the Will of God.
>> Mary had consented to be the Mother of His Beloved Son.
>> Mary had made responsible use of her freedom and chosen for Love.

The script had begun… the journey had started…
>> The history of salvation had begun to take human shape!

This announcement of the Good News of the beginning of salvation history, with the encounter of Blessed Virgin Mary with Angel Gabriel, is the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord.

This Feast of the Annunciation is a reminder to us on various counts…

1. Human Beings are to make a responsible use of the freedom, that is bestowed by God Almighty.

The first parents sinned in the Garden of Eden as a result of misusing the liberty.

They had a choice:
… to enjoy the holy presence of the Lord by being faithful and obedient…
… or to forfeit this glory by being disobedient.

They chose the one which made them lose their honour and splendour.

But Blessed Mary sets right this fault, by making a deliberate choice…in true freedom, for love and to express humankind’s desire to gel along with God’s Will, once again!

2. The Choice for God’s Will is an act of tremendous faith and hope.
When Mary said yes to the Will of God… though She was aware of the greatness of this call and the duty she was to undertake, all the implications of the future life, were still not clear to her.

Many things would get clear only when she begins living the Will of the Lord in Her life.

Yet, she took the bold step…towards responsibility, towards pain and suffering, towards sacrificing her comforts and personal wishes…. for the sake of the Lord. .. in faith and trust!

The Feast of the Annunciation is an invitation for us…
>> To grow deeper into embracing the Will of God in our lives.
>> To give consent to the inspirations of the Lord that comes constantly to us.
>> To be open to march forward in faith and hope, in our life of faith in the Lord.

The Lord is wishing to find a place in a willing heart, even today…
>> Just as Mary, our Loving Mother, who said Yes to the Will of the Lord, let us also, say Yes to God’s Will.. and allow the Lord to find a place to be born, in our world today.

Happy Feast of the Annunciation.
>> Let us continue to hold on to our Blessed Mamma
>> Let us continue to seek to grow in the Love of Her Beloved Son.

God bless! Live Jesus!

It was the winter of 1931…in the land of Poland .
>> It was the Convent of the Sisters of our Lady of Mercy.

Sister Faustina was having another apparition of Jesus…
And this was to be a very special day…

She saw Jesus dressed in a white garment.

He held one hand raised in blessing and the other hand touched his garment at the heart-level.
>> From that point in his garment,  two bright rays of light emanated – one red and the other pale.

Jesus then spoke to her, “The two rays denote Blood and Water.
>> The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous.
>> The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls.
These two rays issued forth, from the very depths of My tender mercy, when My agonized Heart was opened by a lance on the Cross”

He then said to her, “Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: Jesus, I trust in You.
I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapter and then throughout the world.

I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.

I also promise victory over enemies already here on earth, especially at the hour of death. I Myself will defend it as My own glory”

These private revelations to Saint Faustina led to the spreading of the devotion of the Divine Mercy of Jesus.

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Divine Mercy of Jesus  – commemorating His deep love for us in His Passion, Death and Resurrection and celebrating His immense compassion and longing for each and every soul.

The Gospel of the Day is another Resurrection account of the Risen Lord to His Apostles..

Thomas was not with the group on the previous occasion that the Lord appeared to His chosen ones.
>> And so when the Lord makes His appearance, He specially calls out on Thomas, to experience and believe in His Risen Body:

” Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving but believe” (Jn 20:27)

Jesus came to the world to “save and seek the lost” (Lk 19:10)

Thomas, the Apostle was lost…
… was lost in doubts over the reports and talks about the Resurrection of the Lord
… was lost within himself on whether he could trust the words of his companions, who often had wavered, even in the past, over many matters
… was lost in missing out a chance to encounter His Master, since he had stayed away from the community.

But the Good Shepherd now comes in search of this “lost” sheep..
And this sheep, submits to the mercy and compassion of the Shepherd…
“My Lord and my God” (Jn 20:28) were the confessing words of Thomas to Jesus, His Master.

>> The Lord displays His wonderful mercy to Thomas, the “lost” sheep, who was willing to be found.
>> The Lord manifests His compassionate mercy, to Thomas, His “chosen” one, who was ready to humble himself before the Lord.

This then is the great lesson that we can learn ….
The Lord is willing to be found, by those who seek Him
>> The Lord is waiting to be experienced, by those who want Him
>> The Lord is wanting to be encountered, by those who long for Him

The Mercy Sunday is a wonderful invitation to plunge ourselves in the ocean of the Lord’s mercy and compassion.

Thomas sought to touch the Lord… but the Lord Himself touched his heart!

>> We seek the Lord…
… but the Lord seeks much more to come into our lives.

>> We long for the Lord…
… but the Lord longs much more strongly for our souls.   

>> We search for the Lord…
… but the Lord searches much more to embrace us in love.

This Feast of the Mercy Sunday also is a beautiful reminder and invitation to experience the love and mercy of the Lord, in the two treasures that Holy Mother the Church constantly offers – the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The Image of the Divine Mercy also points to these two Sacraments…
>> The pale ray stands for the Water which makes souls righteous – The Sacrament of Reconciliation
>> The red ray stands for the Blood which is the life of souls – The Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

In the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist… the mercy of Lord waits on us…
… to receive Him more frequently
… to live Him more in our lives
… to honour Him more often

In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the mercy of the Lord longs for us…
… to accept His offer of life and blessings
… to receive us back, with all our sins washed away
… to go back to His embrace of sanctity by living a holy life

The priests of the Lord are reminded, on this day, of this powerful duty and task that they need to faithfully ensure… towards the celebration of the Holy Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

These are the two powerful channels through which the mercy of the Lord flows and the priests alone are chosen and entrusted to handle these Sacraments of grace and mercy!

Its indeed the greatest privilege…and the same time, the most sacred duty and function for a Priest.

Therefore…
>> The priests have a bounden responsibility, to be always ready for these sacraments…
>> The priests have a bounden task,  to be always willing to administer these sacraments…
>> The priests have a bounden duty, to be always open to allow God’s mercy to flow through them

In this Great Jubilee Year of Mercy…
…. Let this Feast of the Mercy Sunday be a day to re-consecrate ourselves to the Mercy of the Lord.
… Let this Feast of the Mercy Sunday be a day to re-commit ourselves to showing mercy and compassion to all the people in our lives.

With love in our hearts, let us cry out, “My Lord and my God” and with hope in the mercies of God, let us sing, “Jesus, I trust in You!”
>> Let us seek to live as Missionaries of Mercy!

May our Blessed Mamma, the Compassionate Mother of Mercy, always intercede for us!

Happy Feast of the Mercy of God!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

One of the common kids’ stories that is known to many of us is that of Jesus, after His ascension, going back to the heavens.

There was a lot of excitement in heaven, in having Jesus back to the heavenly realms.
>> The many little angels gathered around the Lord and asked His experience of being on the earth.

Then one of the angel put forward this question to Jesus,
” Dear Lord, you have done such a lot of good on the earth. You have sown the seeds of the your Kingdom in the hearts of so many people.

But I have a genuine doubt…  To continue this your good work, you have appointed only 12 persons. And most of those 12 are not very skilled or very able-bodied.

>> How do you think, you mission will continue?
>> How do you think this miniscule number of personnel can continue to spread Your Word?”

The Lord looked at the angel, with a deep pensive look.. then with a gentle and hopeful smile, He said,
“Yes, I know that they are only a few.
I know that they are not very talented or highly capable.

Yet, I will be with them…
>> And above all, I trust them!”

These words echoed in the heavens… “I will be with them… and above all, I trust them”!

The Lord indeed trusts in His chosen ones to continue His mission on the earth.

The Gospel of the Day recounts the mandate given to the Apostles by Jesus, the Master, to spread His Gospel to the entire nations: ” Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation” ( Mk 16:15)

We are on the last day of the Easter Octave – the eighth day.

Over the last seven days, we have meditated on the various Resurrection accounts from the various Gospel narratives.

>> The encounter of the Empty Tomb by the women and Peter and John (Jn 20:1-9)
>> The encounter by the women, of the Risen Lord on their way back from the tomb (Mt 28: 8-15)
>> The encounter by Mary of Magdalene with the Risen Lord calling her by name (Jn 20: 11-18)
>> The encounter of the two disciples with the Risen Lord at the breaking of bread (Lk 24: 13-35)
>> The encounter of the Apostles with the Risen Lord appearing in the closed room (Lk 24: 35-48)
>> The encounter of the Apostles with the Risen Lord by the Sea of Tiberias (Jn 21: 1-14)

Today, in the Gospel of St Mark, we have a sort of summary of the many Resurrection narratives, closing with the mission mandate of the Lord, to “go into all the world” and reach out the saving Word of the Lord .

In all these various Resurrection narratives that are mentioned in today’s Gospel…
… one common element is noticed: There is a mention of an unbelief or uncertainty of the disciples.

>> When Mary Magdalene had the appearance of the Lord and reported this to the disciples…
… “but when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it” (Mk 16:11)

>> When the two disciples on the way to Emmaus spoke of the Risen Lord’s appearance to them, “they did not believe them either” (Mk 16: 13)

But later the Lord appeared to the disciples themselves and ” rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed…” (Mk 16: 14)

The disciples found it hard to accept and believe in the Resurrection of the Lord.
>> They had been rebuked often by the Lord, during His earthly ministry.
>> Now they are again chided for their lack of faith, even after His Resurrection.

Despite this less intensity in their belief, the Risen Lord entrusts them with His mission of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.
>> Despite this little passion in their faith,  the Risen Lord hands over to them His task of preaching the Word of God to all the nations.

> That’s the trust of the Lord in His disciples.
>> That’s the faith of the Lord in His chosen ones
It’s His conviction that “I will be with them… and above all, I trust them”!

Like the disciples, we too may and will have our moments of…
… variations in faith…
… slackening in trust…
… and slipping in hope!

In all this, let us be assured that the Lord who has entrusted His task to us, will continue to trust in us, and assures His presence with us.

We are weak… we are fragile…
>> The Lord knows these aspects in us, much better than we ourselves..

He knew all this, even of the Apostles.
>> Yet, He wholly trusted them.
And He wholly trusts us too….

Let us place our hands in the hands of the Lord… and take up His task of being the Proclaimers and Witnesses of His Resurrection to the world…
… always being assured that the Lord promises, “I will be with you… and above all, I trust You!”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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

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

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

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

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

We are on the last chapter of the Gospel of St John – Chapter Twenty One.
>> The chapter describes another post-resurrectional account of the appearance of Jesus.

The disciples, have been greatly disturbed and devastated by the death of their Master, Jesus. 
Perhaps, all their hopes were crashed…all their aspirations had sunk.

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

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

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

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

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

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

All through his life, Peter was probably living close to the sea.
>> He knew the depths and the breadth of the waters.

>> They gave him a great deal of energy.
>> They filled him with a fresh dose of enthusiasm.

Fishing was his great strength.
>> Fishing was his way of life.
>>> Fishing was his big asset.

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

The Lord had given him a “higher” vocation…to become fishers of people.
>> But now Peter, dejected and depressed, “leaves” this Divine vocation and goes back to his earthly strength and livelihood – fishing.

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

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

But once again, the Lord comes to the rescue…
He had called Peter, for the first time, by the Sea of Galilee… by a miraculous catch of fish (Lk 5: 1-11)

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

The danger that Peter faced in his life can be a danger for us too…
>> Our greatest strength can also be the reason for our greatest fall!

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

Sometimes we find, that the very talents and abilities…. by which we are able to do the works, of the Lord, may themselves, become great snares of temptations…
>> We, therefore, need to be on the watch always… be on the guard at all times!

Sure, that it is the Lord Himself who has blessed us with various talents.
>> But all our capabilities, needs to find its source, strength and continuity, in and by the Lord.

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

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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!