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 signalled 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…
>> The Resurrection gives us 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!

Reflection Capsules won’t be sent this Holy Week.

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!

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 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

Brenda was a young yet fearful woman who, once, joined her friends in rock climbing.

Although scared, she put on the gear, took a hold on the rope and started up the face of that steep rock cliff.

As she climbed higher, the safety rope snapped against Brenda’s eye and knocked out her contact lens!

Down went the contact lens
… and down went also her clarity in vision
… and her hopes!!

Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed somewhere close… but it just wasn’t there.
>> She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

When she managed get to the top, she sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff.

She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that Bible verse that says, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth.”

She thought, “Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me.”
>> Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom.

At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff.
One of them shouted out, “Hey, you guys! Anybody lost a contact lens?”

Well, that was startling enough, but how was it that the climber saw it?
An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it!

A miracle?
>> An unbelievable story?

Well.. anyway, later, when  Brenda told her father, who was a cartoonist, this incredible story, he drew a picture of an ant lugging and carrying that contact lens with the words:
“Lord, I don’t know why You want me to carry this thing!
I can’t eat it, and it’s awfully heavy…
But if this is what You want me to do, I’ll carry it for You.”

Wow! Those are amazing words isn’t it?

One may not always realise the reason for many things in life…
… may not see any good in it
… may even feel it too heavy
But, if one trusts in the mighty and loving Providence of the Lord, the same burden or load will be a reason for a miracle!

Are you and I, carrying a heavy burden today?
Feeling the worthlessness of it?
Trust in God… He has a beautiful plan and purpose!

Hard to trust that?

Then look closer into the life of the wonderful Saint of the Day – St Joseph!
>> A person who was called for the most strangest and unique assignments in the world…
>> A person who would have often wondered what really is going on in his life…
And yet, a person, who firmly clung on to what was given to him…embracing the Will of God!

St Joseph is certainly, one of the most remarkable personalities in the entire Bible.
>> A person who never spoke in the Bible… but one who spoke volumes of deep trust, confidence and obedience through his life.
>> A person who is not noted for any flashy or spectacular incidents…but one whose personality shines bright for the promptness and immediacy in carrying out what God wanted of him.

St Joseph was tremendously blessed!
>> The one who had the absolute privilege of being closest to two of the Most Holiest Persons in this world – Jesus and Mother Mary!
>> The one who had the pristine honour of rendering the first adoration and worship of Baby Jesus at His birth in this world!

But with blessing also comes duty and responsibility!

And St Joseph is a brilliant example and model to doing one’s duties and responsibilities…
>> He sacrificed a possible life of worldly glory… in accepting to be the caretaking father of Jesus.
>> He cast away his doubts and possibilities of shame… in accepting Mary as his wife, despite the tremendous societal and religious pressure on him.
>> He bore every difficulty and endured many miseries… in helping Jesus, the Son of God to be born and to ensure safety for the Divine Child and Mother.
>> He went beyond all shades of comfort and walked the path of thorny hardships… in ensuring the Holy Family was protected from harmful powers.

>> Here is a Saint…

…  who challenges us to be totally and firmly faithful in carrying out the mission of God – be it small, unnoticed, unglamorous or insignificant.
…  who shatters our mind in wanting to have pleasures and comforts, by letting go of one’s personal gains and even logical reasoning, in order to preserve and promote the Plans of God.

Life tosses us, time and again…
… with hardships, doubts, misunderstandings, uncertainty, fear… and even remain unrecognised!
>> But through all these experiences, St Joseph invites us… to trust in the Lord, with a deep sense of serenity and confidence!

Yes, we may not always understand why things are thrust on us…
But let us be inspired by St Joseph, to unmistakably hold on, in doing God’s Will in our lives!

>> God’s Will may not be comprehended…but it certainly will hold us close to the Heart of the Lord!
>> God’s Will may not always appear to be clear… but it certainly will be a major factor in carrying out the plan of God for us, in our lives!

Yes, let this be our encouraging prayer…
“Lord, I don’t know why You want me to carry this thing!
I can’t eat it, and it’s awfully heavy…
But if this is what You want me to do, I’ll carry it for You.”

Happy Feast of the Just Saint, St Joseph!
>> Let us rejoice with his Beloved Son Jesus and his Beautiful wife and our Mother, Mary!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

“We are strewn all over the ground.

Some of us are considered useless….
>> Some of us are just stamped upon…
>> Some are made use in some hard labour…

Some of us… well..some of us, however, are made use for some inhuman practices.

This includes making use of some of us…
… to hurt others
… to cause pains and wounds to others
…and some even to cause fatal deaths!

Our life is often long… but sometimes, such kind of painful moments and incidents, ooze out any bit of feelings we may have (though we are considered not to be having any sentiments!)

Are you wondering who we are?

Well.. we are the family of stones!

Yep.. Stones!
Strewn all over…
Sometimes useless, right?
Sometimes just stamped upon, right?
Sometimes just made use for hard labour, right?

But sometimes, some of us, the stones … also become objects of injuring and causing pain to others…

One such occasion was when, as you read in the Gospel of St John 8..some of us were picked up by a gang of highly malicious, judgemental and selfish people, to cause death to a woman who was caught in an act of immorality.

>> We were ready to be thrown on that woman.
>> We were set to become objects of brutality and terror.

However, that day, we encountered the most amazing personality.

He had glorious eyes.
>> He had a breathtaking voice.
>>> He had a tremendous authority.

His name was Jesus!
>> And His one sentence, “He who is without sin, let him be the first to stone” dropped the jaws of all those blood-thirsty and cruel people.

We were all released from their hands.
>> We saw them all turning their backs and going home, in shame.
>>> We also saw, the wonderful triumph of mercy and love and compassion.

However, a few days later, some of us were soon back to find ourselves in the hands of those blood-thirsty men.
>> This time, the target was none other than that same charismatic person named Jesus.

You read about that in John 10:31, “The Jews took up stones again to stone Jesus”

We were left wondering why was this innocent man being targeted so badly.

>> He was after all preaching the Kingdom of God.
>> He was bringing the message of God’s Love and salvation to the world .

By His Life, He was declaring Himself to be the Messiah from God.
>> By His works, He was also proving Himself to be the Son of God.

But none of these “clear-cut” evidences were able to convince those people.
>> They still believed that Jesus was a blasphemer.
>> They still were determined to think that Jesus was a heretic.

And so they picked us up.. yes, we the stones… to indulge themselves in a blood-bath of the Blessed Man of claimed Himself to be the Lord and Saviour of the World!

Our thoughts go out to those people who wanted to stone….

>> God had blessed them with such beautiful hearts.
>> God had showered them with so much of wisdom to discern and understand.
Yet, they failed to make use of these divine gifts and instead, had hardened their hearts!

What a pity, that those human beings had become like us… stones!

Yes, just how could they become stone-hearted??
>> Stone-hearted…
… that they failed to be open to the possibility of God’s hand at work.

>> Stone hearted…
… that they were adamant to be closed to any explanation of the Lord.

>> Stone-hearted…
…  that they were stubborn to listen to the voice of God’s Spirit in their lives.

We, the stones, now appeal to you, dear readers….To be wary and examine your lives:

Are you also acquiring a nature like us, the stones…
…. hard to the feelings of other people and failing to understand them?
… rigid to the inspirations of the Spirit of God and not letting Him work in your lives?
… inflexible to have changes and transformations in life, to attune oneself to God’s Will?

There are many of us in the world…
Your streets, your roads… are all, indeed strewn with all of us, the stones.

But we sincerely beg you…
… not to let your hearts to become like us
… not to let your lives to be similar to our nature.

>> Let the world have more of, not stony-hearts, but tender, loving, understanding and compassionate hearts…

>> Let the world have more of, not hardened souls, but docile, open, submissive and humble lives…

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Christus Heri Hodie Semper – Christ, Yesterday Today Forever!
>> This was the theme of the Great Jubilee year 2000.

The theme highlighted the great aspect of the perpetual divinity of the Lord.

He is the same.. yesterday, today and forever! (Heb 13:8)

However, not all are able to digest this fact, that Jesus, could be fully divine.
>> Not all are able to grasp this aspect that Jesus, could be the Son of God.

It is such a debating discussion over the Divinity of the Lord that forms the chunk of the Gospel of the Day.

One of the constant companions of the Lord, all through His life was..being hated!

It was especially His declaration on having a Divine origin that generated greater sparks of hatred.

The debate continues between Jesus and the Jews.
>>The Jews had immense pride in calling themselves as the children of their Father, Abraham.

As the debate continues, the Lord puts forward the gem of His defence…the core of His revelation: ” Truly truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn 8:58)

Those words hit the critics of the Lord, direct on the face…
“Before Abraham was, I AM!”

>> “I AM” was the title of God Yawheh!
>> “I AM” was the sole privilege of the Lord Almighty!

This was the name that was given by God to Moses: “I AM who am. This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you” (Ex 3:14)

>> It was pure blasphemy for any mortal to use it for oneself.
>> It was sheer heretical for any human to apply it to oneself.

I AM – the Name..
… demanded fear as to none other
… commanded respect as to no one
… contained awesomeness as in nothing else

And therefore, the Lord had to face the consequences of this “blasphemous” act:
“So they picked up stones to throw at Him” (Jn 8:59)

And so the life of the Lord expounds an important truth:
>> Where there is the mention of Divinity…
… there are forces of the evil seeking to cast it away.

>> Where there is the presence of the Divine…
… there are powers seeking to destroy the sacredness.

Jesus, the One hated the most, was the Most Divine.
>> Jesus, the One who was always contrary to the moods of the world, was the Most Divine

Fulton Sheen picks up this beautiful aspect, to present a secular, rational and a logical reasoning to see the Truth in the Holy Catholic Church.

We quote him here….

“If I were not a Catholic, and were looking for the true Church in the world today, I would look for the one Church which did not get along well with the world;
in other words, I would look for the Church which the world hated.
My reason for doing this would be, that if Christ is in any one of the churches of the world today, He must still be hated as He was when He was on earth in the flesh.

If you would find Christ today, then find the Church that does not get along with the world!

>> Look for the Church…
…  that is hated by the world as Christ was hated by the world!
…  that is accused of being behind the times, as our Lord was accused of being ignorant and never having learned.
… which men sneer at as socially inferior, as they sneered at Our Lord because He came from Nazareth.
… which is accused of having a devil, as Our Lord was accused of being possessed by Beelzebub, the Prince of Devils.
… which, in seasons of bigotry, men say must be destroyed in the name of God as men crucified Christ and thought they had done a service to God.
… which the world rejects because it claims it is infallible, as Pilate rejected Christ because He called Himself the Truth.
… which is rejected by the world as Our Lord was rejected by men.
… which amid the confusions of conflicting opinions, its members love as they love Christ, and respect its Voice as the very voice of its Founder, and the suspicion will grow, that if the Church is unpopular with the spirit of the world, then it is unworldly, and if it is unworldly it is other worldly. since it is other-worldly, it is infinitely loved and infinitely hated as was Christ Himself.

But only that which is Divine can be infinitely hated and infinitely loved.
>> Therefore the Church is Divine.”

>> Our own lives sometimes becomes an object of hate when we stand for Christ, the Truth

> The more we tend towards being Divine…
… the greater is the opposition we face.

> The more we tend towards being Spiritual…
… the higher is the shame we encounter.

Jesus, is the same, yesterday today and forever

As His true followers, we too will have to undergo agony, pain, humiliation and even suffering….
>> Let us be firm in His grace and stand bold, facing the challenges to our faith
>> Let us grow in our love and commitment to the Holy Church and share in Her suffering.

God Bless! Live Jesus!

There is a simple fable, perhaps known to many of us… of a swan….

The swan – white, beautiful and spotless – was pitying a poor pig, who was in its muddy environment.

It began to describe to the pig, that further up the river, there was a beautiful country – with green banks and rising slopes.

The swan invited the pig to join the happy company of the white swans that lived in that “pleasant country”.

The pig was pretty fascinated and was willing to go.
>> But it asked a question: ” Is there any marshy swamp in that pleasant country?”

“Oh no!” replied the swan, “the land is free from all mud and mire”

“Ah Hmm…” said the pig with face cast-down, “In that case, I am sorry, I cannot accompany you!
I must stay here in the swamp!”

An invitation to move from the dirty swamp to a pleasant country was extended…
… but the offer was refused and rejected!

So true is this fable, with respect to  our own experience in spiritual life.

>> We are constantly exhorted, to advance to  live in holiness and purity…
… but we stubbornly choose to inhabit in sin, shame and ignorance!

>> We are often invited, to move  into a life of spotlessness and sanctity..
… but we remain satisfied to dwell with the unclean and dirty things of life!

The Gospel of the Day is a continuation of the Jews  getting into arguments with Jesus on the question of His Divinity.

>> The Lord invites them open their eyes to see and experience the Truth…
… but they close their minds, and choose to remain stubborn, in their own understanding

>> The Lord exposes before them the futility of being ignorant and the advantage of knowing the Truth…
… but they wilfully choose to remain stuck in their past knowledge and be unwilling to open their hearts to possibilities of change.

Jesus, the Truth-Incarnate, declares:
” You will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free” (Jn 8: 31)

But the people retorted and answered: “… we have never been enslaved…” (Jn 8: 33)

They considered slavery from only a physical perspective!
>> They were extremely offended when Jesus considered them to be slaves!

But Jesus ( as he does always!) brings the focus into right perspective, and speaks of a deadlier form of slavery and a higher form of freedom…

>> A slavery to Sin…
… that causes one to be away from God and His people

>> A slavery to ignorance and error…
… that causes one to be closed to God’s Word and prevent His transformation to take place within

He invites to receive a Freedom in Him…
… that enjoins with knowing and doing the Father’s Will
… that liberates  one from the bondages of death, and leads into peace and joy!

The danger to remain stagnant in sinful or ignorant ways constantly lurks in our life:
>> The Truth of the Bible is often presented to us in appealing and interesting formats…
… but we often seek to remain ignorant or don’t show any interest to read and understand God’s Word

>> The beauty of the Sacramental Life and the Teachings of the Church is laid before our eyes…
… but we time and again, tend to be lethargic, casual and sometimes even, hostile to them

>> Our eyes often come into contact with the suffering lot of people, in and around us…
… but many times, we turn a blind eye to them and remain indifferent in our cosy lifestyle

Each of us needs a purification…
>> Each of us needs a movement…

A purification from our stubborn ways to a life of obedience and docility to God’s Word
>> A movement from a sluggish life of faith to being a fervent and committed Christian

Yes, Jesus is constantly extending His Nail-Scarred Hands to lead us to the “pleasant country” of holiness and sanctity.
>> Let us not deny his invitation and say:
“Ah Hmm…! I am sorry, I cannot accompany You!
I must stay here in the swamp!”

Instead,  let us make a self-examination of our state of life…
… realise the need to have a purification and a movement…
… and embrace and live with Jesus, the Truth, “Who sets us free”!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death.

Though it has many and wide range of reasons and factors, the cause is frequently attributed to mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, alcoholism, or drug abuse.
>> Stress factors such as financial difficulties or troubles with interpersonal relationships also often play a key role.

In this fast-paced world, where indifference has grown in a humongous manner, suicide is certainly one great tendency and trend.

This suicide is, mainly, of the physical order.

However…
There is also a “suicide” of the spiritual order!

>> How many of us have,  thought of the threat of suicide occurring, even with respect to our spiritual life?
>> How many of us, have considered, that there is a danger of suicide happening, even with respect to our life of faith?

The Gospel of the Day is a warning to be aware of the danger of “suicide” from a spiritual angle, that can occur in the soul of each person.

Jesus continues His revelation to the people, of He, being the ambassador of God, His Father.

He tells the people that “I am going away and you will look for me, but you will die in your sin” (Jn 8: 21)

The Lord refers to “dying in one’s sin”
 

This aspect of “dying in one’s sin”, which would be equivalent to a person committing suicide in the spiritual sense, could consist of various ways:

1. A person endangers oneself to “suicide” in the spiritual sense, when “one is too self-righteous” – an attitude of “I know everything – even more than God!”

When Jesus told that He is going away, the Jews said, “He is not going to kill Himself, is He, because He said, “Where I am going, you cannot come?” (Jn 8:22)

>> The Jews failed to understand the words of the Lord, because they were filled with pride of their knowledge, and considered themselves to know everything.

They were filled with a certain obstinacy in being open to the words of the Lord, and failed to see that there could be also other possibilities of looking at the words of Jesus.

2. A person risks the danger of “suicide” with respect to one’s faith, when “one fails to set one’s eyes heavenward, and instead gets fixated with earthly things”.

Jesus said to the Jews, ” You belong to what is below. I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world” (Jn 8: 23)

The Jews had their thoughts and deeds centred only on the things of this world and failed to transcend their minds heavenward.
>> They were filled with a certain worldliness that made their concerns to be limited.

They were unable to understand the heavenly realities that the Lord presented before them, and…
…  even shut their eyes to make an attempt to understand them

3. A person exposes oneself to the perils of “suicide” from the spiritual point of view, when “one is wilfully ignorant of the Truth”.

Though Jesus had spoken much, performed much, the Jews still ask Him,” Who are you?”.
Jesus then said to them, “What I told you from the beginning” (Jn 8: 25)

>> The Jews had great many opportunities to discover faith in the Lord, as He had exposed them to many great wonders, taught several teachings and performed many deeds to show His divinity.

Though, they were learned in their scripture and laws, they failed to recognise the Source of the Scripture and the Giver of the Law.
>> Their minds were adamantly closed to the Reality.
>> Their hearts were purposely shut to the Truth.

The Lord moaned that these Jews were risking the danger of “committing suicide”,  spiritually… of “dying in one’s sins”.

This warning is addressed to us also….
>> Am I exposing myself to the risk of “losing my life, in sin”?
>> Am I endangering myself to the peril of “forfeiting my soul, in sin?”

Let us be wary of these menaces…
… to be adamantly self-righteous and being proud with our own knowledge and failing to trust in the mighty wisdom and power of the Lord.
… to be engrossed only in the affairs of this world and failing to raise our hearts to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”.
… to be obstinately closed in spirit, to the promptings of the Lord through various inspirations and failing to see the hand of God in the wonders that occur in our lives.

Let us seek to live a life of self-emptying and self-giving, seeking the intercession of St Louis de Marillac, whose feast we celebrate today.

Let us give heed to her words – this Patron Saint of Social Workers:
“Be diligent in serving the poor.
Love the poor, honour them as you would Christ himself.”

God Bless! Live Jesus!

St. Augustine speaks of a conversation, he had, with an unbeliever.

The other man showed him his idol gods and said, “Here is my god; Where is thine?”
> He again pointed to the skies and said, “Lo, Here is my god; Where is thine?”
>>He further showed some of the land creatures and said, “behold, here is my god; Where is thine?”

“But” St Augustine says, ” I showed him not my God;
Not because I had not one to show him, but because he had not eyes to see Him”

Unless one open’s one’s eyes to the Divine realities…
… one cannot see the Divine!

If one chooses to remain closed to the light of Divinity…
… then one continues to remain in the darkness of life!

The Gospel of the Day is the account of Jesus presenting Himself as the Light of the World and his continued debate with the Pharisees, who chose to remain in the darkness of error and ignorance.

Jesus is at the Feast of the Tabernacles (Jn 7: 10)
>> It is a kind of a harvest festival.

It’s a festival of going up to Jerusalem and join in the festivities with many of the other farmers and vineyard-keepers…
… being grateful and expressing one’s thankfulness to God Yahweh, who has blessed with a good harvest.

In the evening of the Feastday, everyone gets together in the Court of the Women at the Temple to dance and praise God for his goodness.

There is an elaborate ceremony involving the pouring out of water from great pitchers and then the lamps are lit.
>> Four huge oil lamps are positioned around the courtyard and the priests’ assistants pour great quantities of oil into the bases of them.
>> Massive wicks are created from the worn-out clothing of the priests and stuffed into the necks.
>> Darkness falls quickly with very little twilight between the strong sunlight and the rising of the moon, which follows very rapidly at this time of year.

Suddenly the lamps are lit and the whole courtyard is bathed in their light.
>>  A cheer goes up from the revellers and from around the city, as the light can be seen from every part of Jerusalem.

Using the contrast between…
… the glowing exuberance of the brightly lit courtyard
… and the growing darkness in the atmosphere

>> Jesus makes a loud and bold proclamation:
“I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (Jn 8: 12)

But the Pharisees objected and spoke in retort:
“You testify on your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified” (Jn 8: 13)

There was a contrast-play, on here….
>> The Temple was lit brightly
…. Jesus declared Himself as the Light of the World

>> The evening had set and the surroundings were growing darker
… The Pharisees, by rejecting the person of Jesus, chose to remain in darkness!

Jesus was constantly giving witness to the fact that He was the “light of the world”
>> He brought the light…
… of healing –  to those sick and in distress
… of salvation –  to those in sin and guilt
… of power and grace –  by His words and teachings

But the Pharisees and many of the “creamy class” of the Jewish society, chose to dwell in “darkness”
>> They remained in the darkness…
… of ignorance – by not being open to the teachings and works of Jesus
… of death – by continuing a  life of sin and error and refusing the offer of grace from Jesus

Jesus wishes to be the “light of our life”!

Do we open our hearts to allow His light to shine through us?
>> Or do we get stagnant in darkness, and choose to reject His teaching in our life…?

Do we seek the Lord in honesty seeking, to cause His light to shine in our minds?
>> Or do we remain indifferent in darkness, and get stuck to our pride mentality and lifestyle…?

One of the most tragic statements in the Bible reads thus:
” He came to His own, and His own rejected Him” (Jn 1: 11)

The Lord comes to us, today…
.. proclaiming Himself as the “light of the world”

Shall we not open our hearts, in repentance and contrition…
… and allow Him to reveal “the light” of His love and grace in our hearts?

God Bless! Live Jesus!