“Pillars of the Church” Acts 12:1-112 Tim 4:6-8,17-18; Mt 16:13-19 (13/ C)

“Pillars of the Church”

Acts 12:1-112 Tim 4:6-8,17-18; Mt 16:13-19 (13/ C)

“Although they suffered on different days, they were as one. Peter went first, Paul followed” (St Augustine)

Today we celebrate the solemnity of St. Peter and St. Paul, who were foundational to the early Church and our Christian faith. The Apostles lived through the initial moments of the Church’s expansion and sealed their loyalty to Jesus with their blood. When we consider Sts. Peter and  Paul, we are often drawn into a reflection of their lives before they became committed apostles. We remember Simon, who tried to walk on water towards the Lord and then sank when he questioned his faith, or his denial of the Lord three times.  Or we remember Saul of Tarsus, who persecuted Christians and brought them to trial before the Jewish authorities. 

Yet each was committed to bringing the Gospel of the Lord to the center of the world, the very capital of the Roman Empire. It is shocking that St. Peter, a simple fisherman from Galilee, would travel to Rome. It was the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, who sent him there. He was the head of the other apostles, the Rock on which Jesus built his Church. He embraced death in Rome, nourishing the soil of the Church with his blood. St. Paul was a scholar and a determined missionary. He sought out places to proclaim the Gospel or to sustain the proclamation made by others. He suffered continual tortures and brushes with death for the sake of the Gospel (2 Cor 11:22-29).  He was eventually killed as a Roman citizen, beheaded, nourishing the Church in Rome.

What do we learn from these “pillars of the Church? The faith and strength for martyrdom do not come from human capacity. It was indeed God’s grace that revealed the revelation of his Father in heaven (cf. Mt 16:17) and made Saul recognize Jesus, the Lord, “as the one he was persecuting”. In both cases, human freedom, necessary for the act of faith, leans on the Holy Spirit's action. Celebrating these two leading apostles in a single feast is a vibrant reminder that the church needs both the formal, enduring, petrine, papal, and canonical leadership and the more charismatic, personal, and inspirational leadership provided by characters like Paul. Such leadership is ever ready to question old ways and seek newer forms of bringing Christ into people’s lives today.

In one of his first interventions addressing the Cardinals, Pope Francis told them that we must 'walk, build and confess'. That is, we must move forward in our way of life by building up our Church and by giving testimony of the Lord. But the Pope warned: “We can walk as much as we want, we can build many things, but if we do not profess Jesus Christ, things go wrong. We may become a charitable NGO, but not the Church, the Bride of the Lord.” We should also know how to be reliable witnesses of the love of God in the venomous situations. The best way to honor their memory is to treasure the faith that they taught and pass it on to others as best we can.

“Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven them; whose sins you retain, they will be retained.”

 

Becoming man, He makes men gods Gen 14:18-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Lk 9:11-17 (12 /C)

 

Becoming man, He makes men gods

 

Gen 14:18-20; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Lk 9:11-17 (12 /C)

“Our Lord instituted this sacrament at the Last Supper” (St Thomas Aquinas)

 

Today is the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. At one time, this day was called Corpus Christi. It is a Latin expression meaning “the Body of Christ.” The Feast owes its existence to Blessed Juliana of Liege, Belgium, who began devotion to the Blessed Sacrament around 1230. Largely through her insistence, Pope Urban 1V commanded its observance by the universal Church in 1264. The Feast encapsulates three crucial confessions about our Faith. _First, God became physically present in the person of Christ, who is both true God and true Man (1 Cor 11:27). Secondly, God continues to be present in his people as part of the mystical body of Christ in his Church until the end of time. And thirdly, the presence of God under the form of bread and wine is made available to us on the altar at Mass and preserved there for our nourishment and worship.

 

During his ministry on earth, Jesus said, “I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever, and the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world” (Jn 6:51). The bread into the flesh and the wine into the blood of Jesus in every celebration of the Eucharist. This is known by a theological and Doctrinal term called Transubstantiation. The substance of the species transforms while its components remain the same, as we see color, measure, and taste by the invocation of the Holy Spirit by an ordained priest. It is a mystery of faith. It happens in many places and has been proven by the Vatican. In every Eucharist celebrated by the Community, Jesus offers himself to the Father as a special offering for the reconciliation of the world. From the time of the miracle at Lantiano, Italy (730-750) to the miracle at Kerala, India (2013), the Eucharistic Savior meets his devotees every day.

 

At every Mass, immediately before we receive communion, the celebrant holds up the consecrated host and calls us to make a profession of faith that this is Jesus, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God!  Behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb” (Jn 1:29).  And we say, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed” (Mt 8:8). The celebrant does not say that this is a symbol of the Lamb of God.  He says that this is the Lamb of God. This lamb of God bears our burdens and sufferings, being immanent in each of us.

 

After his dramatic confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, Elijah is exhausted—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He flees into the wilderness, overwhelmed by fear and despair. In this vulnerable state, God does not scold Elijah, nor does he demand immediate action. Instead, he feeds him twice with heavenly bread and water, and then gently tells him, “The journey is too much for you, unless you eat” (1 Kgs 19:7). Are you tired, like Elijah? Do you feel the road ahead is too long? Then pause, and listen to God saying: “Eat. Drink. Rest. I will sustain you.”

 

“No other sacrament has greater healing power” (St Thomas Aquinas)

Love the Beauty Beyond the Beauty Prov 8:22-31; Rom 5:1-5; Jn 16:12-15 (Ordinary 11/ C)

 

Love the Beauty Beyond the Beauty

 

Prov 8:22-31; Rom 5:1-5; Jn 16:12-15 (Ordinary 11/ C)

“Father makes all things through the Word and in the Holy Spirit” St Athanasius

 

Today we celebrate the Most Holy Trinity, the revelation of the mystery of God’s inner life. The Holy Scripture assures us that not only is our God a personal God, but God exists as three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, while remaining one God. Although we cannot provide a logical explanation for this, our faith enables us, in some small measure, to experience the presence of God. Benedict XVI says, “The liturgy invites us to praise God not merely for the wonders that he has worked, but for who he is; for the beauty and goodness of his being.” St. Augustine, in his book “Confessions,” explains this mystery by questioning, “What do I love when I love my God? Not material beauty or beauty of a temporal order; not the brilliance of earthly light; not the sweet melody of harmony and song; not the fragrance of flowers, perfumes, and spices; not manna or honey; not limbs such as the body delights to embrace. It is not these that I love when I love my God. And yet, when I love him, it is true that I love the light of beautiful love in my inner self”.

 

The Holy Trinity, whose feast we celebrate today, is beyond the reach of time and the grasp of human reasoning. It is a mystery of our faith. We can only fumble in the dark in search of glimmers of light. “Two is company, three is a crowd” is a popular expression. Figurative language three in the Gospels symbolizes completeness and perfect symmetry. The life of Christ itself constantly reflected the nature of the Trinity. Three figures at the nativity scene in Bethlehem — the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The three wise men at the manger. The three temptations of Jesus by the devil. The three Characters in the parable of the Prodigal Son. The parable speaks of the behavior of three passers-by in the parable of the Good Samaritan. The three different types of terrain yield three different levels of harvest in the parables of the Sower.  Peter’s denial of Jesus three times. Jesus falls three times on the way to Calvary. The crucifixion scene features three figures: Christ between two thieves. The number three often connotes the Divine fullness, Covenantal confirmation, Spiritual transformation, Resurrection, and redemption.

 

Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD) wrote: “What an astonishing mystery! There is one Father of the universe, one Logos of the universe, and one Holy Spirit, everywhere the same. There is also one virgin who becomes mother, and I should like to call her 'Church'. Together, they represent the fullness of love”. The Holy Spirit sent by the Father proceeds from the Son is their love for each other for their believers. So, “God is love”. We are made in the image of the triune God. God the Father created us, his only begotten Son saved us, and the Holy Spirit continues to guide us. Our lives reflect the Trinity in our witness in this world. We should always be creative like the Father, compassionate like his Son, and dispose of our talents in the service of others like the Holy Spirit. Leo the Great wrote that to keep God’s mystery within us and celebrate here on Earth our own Heavenly “citizenship” (Phil 3:20), we need to abide in the Holy Trinity’s bosom.

 

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit

 

Come. O! Holy Spirit Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3b-7,12-13; Jn 20:19-23 (8 Easter/ C)

 

Come. O! Holy Spirit

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3b-7,12-13; Jn 20:19-23 (8 Easter/ C)

The apostles spoke in different tongues and proclaimed the wonderful deeds of God. Alleluia.

The season of Easter concludes with today’s celebration, the feast of Pentecost. The word Pentecost originates from the Greek word “pentēkostē”, meaning “fiftieth”. Likewise, “penta” means “five”. The word “Pentecost” reflects the harvest festival “Shavuot” in Judaism. Following the Jewish culture of worship, Christianity marks the celebration of the “fiftieth” day of Easter. The Mother Church celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles gathered in the upper room in Jerusalem. She celebrates the harvest of Christ’s values produced by his Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Many things in our universe are real, even though invisible to our naked eye. What we see with our eyes is only a fraction of our physical world. The Holy Spirit belongs to the spiritual world, and it cannot be seen with our physical eyes.

The fruit of the Holy Spirit created a new human condition in the disciples and fostered unity. When arrogance led people to challenge God by building the Tower of Babel, God confused their languages so that they could not understand each other (Gen 11:1-9). But at Pentecost, he made all people of diverse origins and languages understand the language of the Apostles.  When the Apostles were gathered with the Virgin Mary in the upper room, “…suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them” (Acts 2:2-3). This explains the word “Ruah” in the Hebrew language.

All the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to preach boldly. Those men, once fearful, were transformed into courageous preachers who never feared imprisonment, torture, or martyrdom. The Holy Spirit helped build the community of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal 5:22). Spirit helps us in our weakness (Rom 8:26) and enables us to grow in spiritual freedom from doubt, fear, and slavery to our unruly desires (2 Cor 3:17; Rom 8:21). The Spirit instructs us in living according to God’s will and consecrates us in the truth (Jn 17:17), transforming us internally.

Basil the Great (329-379 AD), an early church father, explains the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives: “The Spirit restores paradise to us and the way to heaven and adoption as children of God. He instills confidence that we may call God truly Father and grants us the grace of Christ to be children of the light and to enjoy eternal glory. In a word, he bestows the fullness of blessings in this world and the next”. The Holy Spirit is the soul of our soul, the life of our life, the being of our being. He is our sanctifier, the guest of our innermost self. To mature in the life of faith, our relationship with him must become increasingly conscious and personal. On this Pentecost celebration, let us throw open the doors of our inner being.

“Send forth your spirit and new life will begin; you will renew the face of the earth”. Alleluia.

 

He Ascends to be in me Permanently Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Lk 24:46-53 ( 6/ C )

 

He Ascends to be in me Permanently

Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Lk 24:46-53 ( 6/ C )

"I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God". Alleluia.

Today, our Liturgy celebrates the Ascension of the Lord into heaven, 40 days after Easter. The Ascension of Jesus tells us that the Lord has completed his earthly work of our redemption. Through his numerous appearances to hundreds of people between the day of his Resurrection and the day of his Ascension, Jesus proved two things: first, that he was the promised Messiah who had come to redeem them. Secondly, he proved that those who persevere in their living faith shall also overcome death and inherit the Kingdom of God. They are assured that the Lord was with them and helped them in their work.

Jesus is totally and forever reunited with the Father. The actual words of Acts of the Apostles are that “a cloud took him from their sight” (Acts 1:9). A cloud in the Scripture is the symbol for God, just like the other symbols, like the thunder, lightning, mountain, wind, fire, tent, and so on. So, the expression that a cloud took him away means that God the Father took his incarnate Son back to himself. And that is also the meaning of Mark’s Gospel that the “Lord Jesus…was taken up into heaven”. His going away was forever, and they would not now find Jesus in the sky, up there in “heaven”. They are now called upon to “lower their eyes” and look down to the earth.

Today, on the feast of the Ascension, we remember the “exaltation” of Jesus, as he is raised to share equal glory with his Father. Jesus, before he leaves his disciples, gives them their mission.  They will be able to do what Jesus himself could not do: “He who believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these will he do because I go to the Father” (Jn 14:12-13). They will be able to preach the Gospel to the whole world. This mission involves the call to evangelize and continue the healing work of Jesus. They will receive the power from the Holy Spirit, and finally, they will never be alone.

Our Lord had instructed them to wait at Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:4-5). At Jerusalem, they waited in expectation of the promised blessing. Has he not given us the same “exceeding great and precious promises” that we can desire for body and soul for eternity? Let us then wait for their accomplishment for our souls. In due time, “Jesus will come again from heaven in like manner as he went to heaven” (Acts 1:11) and then will that last promise be fulfilled, “I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also (Jn 14:3).” In the mean time, he may find us with “our loins girt, and our lamps trimmed,” and ourselves as those who “wait for the coming of their Lord!”

 

“Today our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven; let our hearts ascend with him.”

The Peace different from the World: Acts 15:1-2,22-29; Rev 21:10-14,22-23; Jn 14:23-29 (Easter 6/ C)

 

The Peace different from the World

The Lord remembered his holy word, and he brought out his people with joy. Alleluia.

Acts 15:1-2,22-29;  Rev 21:10-14,22-23; Jn 14:23-29 (Easter 6/ C)

One day, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus was offered various gifts to choose from, and she, with great determination, despite her young age, said: "I choose all." As an adult, she understood that this choice had to be realized in wanting to be loved in the Church, for a body without love would be meaningless. God is love, and it is the highest message from God through the incarnation of his only Son. From his all-encompassing love, "peace” is born: “My peace I give to you; my peace I leave with you”.  We want peace, and we see alarms and acts of violence all around. When we turn to him, we will only achieve peace, the fruit of his total love. He does not give it to us as the world does (cf. Jn 14:27), for the peace of Jesus is not stillness and carefreeness, but quite the opposite. It is solidarity that becomes brotherhood, the ability to look at ourselves and others with new eyes. From this is born a great serenity that allows us to see things as they are, and not as they appear.

Today, we reflect upon Jesus’ gift of peace through his Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Hebrew Shekinah hints at a maternal aspect in God, as the word is feminine and was used in Hebrew folk religion as the name of Yahweh’s consort. The evangelist John hardly thought of this in the Old Testament. However, the word for peace is shalom. Shalom never means simply the absence of trouble but ranks above the peace of the world. The world’s gifts concern the body and time. Christ's gifts enrich the soul for eternity. The world gives lying vanities, and that which will cheat us. Christ gives substantial blessings, which will never fail us. The world gives and takes. Christ gives a good part that shall never be taken away.  The world’s peace begins in ignorance, consisting of sin, and ends in endless troubles. Christ's peace begins in grace, consisting of no allowed sin, and ends at length in everlasting peace. As is the difference between a killing lethargy and a reviving refreshing sleep, such is the difference between Christ's peace and the world.

How can we attain the peace that the Lord Jesus offers us, his followers? Through the gift and work of his Spirit, the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, the Lord Jesus shows us how to yield our passions of anger, fear, and pride to him so we can receive his gift of peace. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and strengthens us, enabling us to live as wisely as Christ. Caesarius of Arles (470-542 AD), an early church bishop in Gaul, linked peace with the character of Christ to grow in Christ. He says, "Peace, indeed, is serenity of mind, tranquility of soul, simplicity of heart, the bond of love, the fellowship of charity. It removes hatred, settles wars, restrains wrath, tramples on pride, loves the humble, pacifies the discordant, and makes enemies agree. It does not seek what belongs to another”. When a Christian exercises the peace of Christ, it is brought to perfection by Christ. We can only achieve it by detaching from things and persons. We can achieve detachment when we do not have any expectations from anything or anyone, even from our acts of charity.

The Holy Spirit will keep us right in matters of conduct when we are tempted, at times, to do something wrong and are on the very brink of doing it contrary to the peace of Christ.  Even in the moment of danger, a saying from the Bible flashes into our minds (Ps 32:8 ). May the Holy Spirit lead us to the Union with the Triune God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Mt 5:9).

“God will perceive your intentions,” St Augustine

 

“By this all shall know you are Mine” Acts 14:21-27; Rev 21:1-5a; Jn 13:31-33a,34-35 (Easter 5/ C)

 

“By this all shall know you are Mine”

Acts 14:21-27; Rev 21:1-5a; Jn 13:31-33a,34-35 (Easter 5/ C)

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never been able to overpower it”

After watching Mother Teresa care for a man with gangrene, an American journalist remarked, “I wouldn’t do that for a million dollars.” Mother Teresa replied, “Neither would I… but I do it for the love of God.” Selfishness, at times, keeps us shut in human relations with others. Caring for others and being good neighbors to them frees us from the works of the flesh.

Upon our Savior's departure from the world, he made provision for the perpetuity of his work upon earth and among men. He did this by constituting a community of his spirit-filled people. They are united by the bond of his new reformative strength. The bond which the Lord intended to knit his people together was three, and “a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” Faith in Christ (1), love for one another (2), and benevolent effort for the world's salvation (3). This is the threefold cord of Christian discipleship by which the Church is to be cemented into a true unity. The Savior, in today’s Gospel passage, lays stress upon the second, that is, “love for one another”.

Paul the Apostle tells us, “Love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, which has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). The distinctive mark of every disciple and follower of Jesus Christ is love. This love is ready to forgive and forget past injuries, to heal and restore rather than inflict revenge and injury. The cross of Jesus is the only way to pardon, peace, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Every other way will fail or fall short of the glory and victory that Jesus Christ has won for us through his death and resurrection. He loved his disciples selflessly. He loved them sacrificially. He loved them understandingly.  He loved them forgivingly. It is an outward sign of Christian discipleship. That’s why he clearly said, “By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another” (Jn 13:35). If we embrace his love, truth, and allow his Spirit, his Spirit will purify and transform our hearts and minds. It will enable us to find the inner freedom, joy, and strength we need to love without measure, boundaries, or gradation, or even without bridges to forgive without limit, and to serve without reward. It reflects upon social justice and righteousness.

The 19th-century Encyclical “Rerum Novarum” brings the meaning of “love of neighbor”. It emphasizes the dignity of the human person, the common good, and the importance of solidarity in the context of the relationship between capital and labor. The encyclical advocates for a society built on mutual respect, fair policies, and a shared commitment to the well-being of all (Pope Leo XIII). Another aspect of practicing love has the power to heal ourselves and others. To love is to heal, both those who receive and those who give it. To decide to love is to be fully open to life. It is a choice and not just a feeling. When we choose to be loving, caring, healing, helping, and forgiving persons, we grow towards what our life is meant to be. There’s no other way. So, Jesus insists strongly, ‘Love one another, as I have loved you.

 

“I give you a new commandment: love one another just as I have loved you”

“I know them and they follow Me” Acts 13:14,43-52; Rev 7:9,14b-17; Jn 10:27-30 (Easter 4/ C)

 

“I know them and they follow Me”

Acts 13:14,43-52; Rev 7:9,14b-17; Jn 10:27-30 (Easter 4/ C)

“the elect look upon the face of God” (Divine Office)

 

The fourth Sunday of Easter is also called Good Shepherd Sunday. Jesus challenges his authority by calling himself the Good Shepherd (Jn 10:11). Most vocations to a life of service are nurtured from a family to the Universal Church, from a Daddy in a family to the pope in the universal Church. The French Jesuit, scientist, and philosopher, Teilhard de Chardin, once said, “It was in my family that I became who I am. Most of my opinions, of my likes and dislikes, of my values and judgments, were molded by the family I came from.” Parents remain the most important shepherds of the faith. In fulfilling this role, parents or shepherds should sow the seeds of Jesus’ call that will serve the spiritual needs of the generations.  

God uses the image of a shepherd to describe his covenant relationship and care for his chosen people (Ps 80:1 and 100:3). God called David, who shepherded his father's flock in his youth, to be the anointed king shepherding his people Israel (Ezk 37:24). Jesus, God’s anointed King, from the tribe of David, called himself the Good Shepherd of all the people entrusted to his care (Jn 10:29). Peter the Apostle tells us that the Lord Jesus is the Good Shepherd and Guardian of our souls (1 Pt 2:25). He keeps a close and personal watch over every one of his sheep entrusted to him. He calls each of us personally by name to follow him, protecting us from the snares of our enemy, Satan (Jn 8:44). The Lord leads us to good pastures, the Holy Spirit (Jn 4:14; 7:38-39). If we feed on his word and drink from the living water of the Holy Spirit, we will find the nourishment and strength we need to live each day for his glory and honor.

Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD) says that the word hear implies obedience to what Jesus says. People who hear him belong to him. No one is entirely unknown to Jesus, but to be known is to become part of his family. Therefore, when Jesus says, “I know mine” (Jn 10:27), he means he will receive us and give us a permanent mystical relationship with himself. Since he became like one of us, he has made all human beings his relatives, sharing the same human nature. The concept of a unified human race in Christ emphasizes the inherent dignity of all human beings and the importance of social justice (Rerum Novarum - Pope Leo XIII), too. We are all united to Christ in a mystical relationship because of his incarnation. Yet those who do not preserve the likeness of his holiness are alienated from him... “My sheep follow me,” says Christ. By the grace of God, we are no longer subject to the shadows of the devil but “children of God” (Mt 5:9).

Saint Augustine says, “God will not leave you if you do not leave him”. He will not abandon us if we do not abandon him. Let us not blame God, nor the Church, nor others, because the problem of our fidelity is ours. God does not deny his grace to anyone. This is our strength to hold fast to God’s grace. It is not a merit of ours. We have simply been “graced.”  Those who are consciously in communion with Jesus will have the lasting joy of belonging to Jesus. May the infallible teaching of Pope Leo XIV be our strength. 

“Let us stir up our hearts, rekindle our faith,..” (Divine Office)

 

“Do you love me?” Acts 5:27-32,40b-41; Rev 5:11-14; Jn 21:1-19 (3 Easter/ C)

 

“Do you love me?”

Acts 5:27-32,40b-41; Rev 5:11-14; Jn 21:1-19 (3 Easter/ C)

 “We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week” (St Justin, Martyr)

Most scholars believe today’s Gospel passage to have been an addition to John’s original text. Because of the significant differences between this report and the other described appearances in the Gospel, it is quite likely that this story is from a different source. The meeting with Jesus on the lakeshore can be seen as the story of Peter’s repentance and declaration of faith. His repeated “Yes, Lord!” declares love and loyalty. It has corresponded to Peter’s threefold denial of Jesus. Jesus questioned three times, and there was a reason for that. It was three times that Peter denied his Lord, and it was three times that his Lord gave him the chance to affirm his love (Jn 21:15-17). Jesus, in his gracious forgiveness, gave Peter the chance to wipe out the memory of the threefold denial by a threefold declaration of love.

The word “love” is an interesting usage here in this context. When Jesus asked, “Do you love me?” and Peter answered, “Yes, I love you”. It makes good sense. But in the Greek New Testament, what Peter replies does not respond exactly to the question Jesus asked. Greek has several words to express various levels of affection. In his book “The Four Loves”, C.S. Lewis describes them as follows: There is “storgé” (affection), the quiet liking one might feel for a cheerful neighbor. Secondly, “eros”, a sensual or erotic love, the love that unites a couple and often leads to marriage. Thirdly, “philia”, or friendship, trusting companionship with people with whom we share some real interest. Finally, “agape” is a generous, self-giving love, which we value even when there is nothing tangible to be gained.

What love brought Peter? (a) It brought him a task. “If you love me,” Jesus said, “then give your life to shepherding the sheep and the lambs of my flock”.  We can prove that we love Jesus only by loving others. Love is the greatest privilege in the world, but it brings the greatest responsibility. (b) It brought Peter a cross. Jesus said to him: “When you are young you can choose where you will go; but the day will come when they stretch out your hands on a cross, and you will be taken on a way you did not choose” (Jn 21:18). The day came when, in Rome, Peter died for his Lord. He, too, went to the Cross, and he asked to be nailed to it head downwards, for he said that he was not worthy to die as his Lord had died. Love always involves responsibility and sacrifice. We do not love Christ unless we are prepared to face his task and take up his Cross.

In that meeting at the lake, Peter was not the boastful one who thought he was better than the other disciples, but a wiser, humbler heart that would not claim more than he could deliver. Peter’s confession is like that of the father of the possessed boy who said to Jesus, “I believe, help my unbelief!” (Mk 9:24) Peter said, “I love you, Lord, help my lack of love.” Peter’s meeting with the risen Christ reminds us that professions of love tell only one side of the truth. In reality, our love is unconditional, and we often back away when faced with danger. Like Peter, we need to bring our failures to God for healing. We can join Peter today when he declares, “I love you, Lord, help my lack of love.” To follow in the steps of Peter we don’t have to be Peter’s successors, but each of us can guard someone from going astray. Each of us can feed the lambs of Christ with the food of the word of God. Let us pray to the Holy Spirit for the College of Cardinals to elect the new Pope to lead the Church.

“The whole creation will be freed and will enjoy the glory and freedom” (Divine Office)

“My Lord and my God!” Acts 5:12-16; Rev 1:9-11a,12-13,17-19; Jn 20:19-31 (2 / Easter/ C) Divine Mercy)

 

“My Lord and my God!”

Acts 5:12-16; Rev 1:9-11a,12-13,17-19; Jn 20:19-31 (2 / Easter/ C) Divine Mercy)

I lay down to rest and I slept; but I rose again, for the Lord upheld me. Alleluia.

 

The Apostle Thomas had two great virtues. They are that he refused to say that he understood what he did not understand, first, and second, that he believed what he did not believe. There is an uncompromising honesty about him. He would never still his doubts by pretending that they did not exist. He was not the kind of man who would rattle off a creed without understanding what it was all about. We do not know for sure what happened to Thomas in the after days, but there is an apocryphal book called “The Acts of Thomas” which purports to give his history. It is, of course, only a legend, but there may well be some history beneath the legend, and certainly in it Thomas is true to character. Here is part of the story that it tells.

After the death of Jesus, the disciples divided up the world among them, so that each might go to some country to preach the gospel. India fell a lot to Thomas. (The Thomist Church in South India does trace its origin to him) At first, he refused to go, saying that he was not strong enough for the long journey. He said: “I am a Hebrew man; how can I go amongst the Indians and preach the truth?” Jesus appeared to him by night and said: “Fear not, Thomas, go thou unto India and preach the word there, for my grace is with thee.” But Thomas still stubbornly refused. “Where you would send me, send me,” he said, “but elsewhere, for unto the Indians I will not go.”

It so happened that there had come a certain merchant from India to Jerusalem called Abbanes. He had been sent by King Gundaphorus to find a skilled carpenter and to bring him back to India, and Thomas was a carpenter. Jesus came up to Abbanes in the marketplace and said to him: “Would you buy a carpenter?” Abbanes said: “Yes.” Jesus said, “I have a slave that is a carpenter, and I desire to sell him,” and he pointed at Thomas in the distance. So, they agreed on a price and Thomas was sold, and the agreement ran: “I, Jesus, the son of Joseph the carpenter, acknowledge that I have sold my slave, Thomas by name, unto thee Abbanes, a merchant of Gundaphorus, king of the Indians.” When the deed was drawn up, Jesus found Thomas and took him to Abbanes.  Abbanes said: “Is this your master?” Thomas said: “Indeed, he is.” Abbanes said, “I have bought you from him.” And Thomas said nothing. But in the morning, he rose early and prayed, and after his prayer, he said to Jesus: “I will go wherever you send, Lord Jesus, your will be done.” It is the same old Thomas, slow to be sure, slow to surrender; but once his surrender is made, it is complete.

The story goes on to tell how Gundaphorus commanded Thomas to build a palace, and Thomas said that he was well able to do so. The king gave him plenty of money to buy materials and hire workmen, but Thomas gave it all away to the poor. He always told the king that the palace was rising steadily. The king was suspicious. In the end, he sent for Thomas: “Have you built me the palace?” he demanded. Thomas answered: “Yes.” “When shall we go and see it?” asked the king. Thomas answered: “You can not see it now, but when you depart this life, then you shall see it.” At first, the king was very angry and Thomas was in danger of his life; but in the end, the king too was won for Christ, and so Thomas brought Christianity to India.

There is something very lovable and very admirable about Thomas. Faith was never an easy thing for him. Obedience never came readily to him. He was the man who had to be sure. He was the man who had to count the cost. But once he was sure, and once he had counted the cost, he was the man who went to the ultimate limit of faith and obedience. A faith like Thomas' is better than any glib profession.  And obedience like his is better than an easy acquiescence which agrees to do a thing without counting the cost and then goes back upon its word.

“Your real life is Christ”

Rising with him to a new life

 

Rising with him to a new life

Jewish tradition tells of a rabbi who gathered his students together very early in the morning while it was still dark, and asked them this question: ‘How can you tell when the night has ended, and the day has begun?’ One student answered: ‘Maybe it’s when you see an animal and you can distinguish if it’s a sheep or a dog.’ ‘No,’ the rabbi said. A second student answered: ‘Maybe it’s when you are looking at a tree in the distance and you can tell whether it’s a fig tree or a peach tree.’ ‘No,’ said the rabbi. After a few more guesses, the students demanded the answer. The rabbi replied: ‘It’s when you look on the face of any woman or man and see that she is your sister, and he is your brother. If you cannot do this, it is still night, no matter what time it is.

In St John’s account, the Easter story begins very early in the morning of the first day of the week while it is ‘still dark’. In one of his letters, the same writer insists that ‘the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. But this is strictly on one condition, which he spells out clearly: ‘Whoever loves his brothers and sisters, John says, ‘lives in the light.’ On the other hand, whoever prefers to hate . . . is in the darkness.’ (1 Jn 2:8-11). Just two days ago, as we remembered the sufferings and death of the most marvelous human being the world has ever known, we came face to face with the dark side of human nature. This darkness led the enemies of Jesus to torture, humiliate, and finally murder him on a cross. On that black day in Jerusalem, the capacity of human beings to hate, hurt, and harm one another went completely out of control. It’s no wonder, then, that ‘darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon that ‘the sun’s light failed', and that ‘the curtain of the temple was torn in two‘ (Lk 23:24).

Between light and darkness, between good and evil, one mighty struggle is still going on. It’s going on in the physical cosmos, in human societies, and within our personalities. Although darkness often appears to be stronger than light, it has not yet triumphed. The light is remarkably resilient. Often in danger of being extinguished, it manages to survive, and even to win many victories. The words of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of modern India, still ring as true as when he said to Annie Besant years ago: ‘When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but, in the end, they always fall.’ The words of the Easter Vigil liturgy express the same truth in an equally appealing way: The power of this holy [Easter] night,’ it proclaims, dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy. It casts out hatred, brings us peace, and humbles earthly pride.’ Our celebration of Easter reminds us that the darkness of evil and hatred will never have the last say. The resurrection of Jesus proclaims the ultimate triumph of light over darkness and goodness over evil, both in us and in our world.

Jesus was buried at sunset, as darkness was once again creeping over the earth, to all appearances a victim and a failure. But on the third day afterwards, the sun came up on him victorious and triumphant, alive, powerful, and influential. Once again, ‘the true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (Jn 1:9). So, we celebrate his resurrection today by rising from darkness and death ourselves. The Risen Lord himself, represented here by this beautiful Easter candle burning in our midst, is asking us to leave behind the works of darkness, to renounce and reject anything and everything in our lives which is dark, sinister and evil, and as persons connected to him by baptism, to ‘walk always as children of the light‘, following in his footsteps. 

 

GOOD FRIDAY God’s Suffering - Man’s Liberation

  

GOOD FRIDAY 

God’s Suffering - Man’s Liberation

God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all. 

Suffering and liberation are both central to the Exodus story, which tells of the (re)birth of the Israelites and their freedom from slavery. While suffering may not be the first thing to the notions of freedom, expansiveness, and liberation, the Exodus event teaches us that these experiences are often intertwined. The Zohar is a Jewish mystical text, a central work of Kabbalah commenting on the Torah, delves into its mystical and symbolic meanings. Egypt (mitzrayim) and the word for “narrow straits” (m’tzarim) are metaphors for any personal or collective experience of suffering, constriction whether physical, emotional, or spiritual slavery. The Israelites were brought out of Miztrayim (“the narrow straits”) and into a new existence through the waters of the Sea of Reeds. In this sense, Egypt becomes a metaphorical womb or birth canal out of which the Israelites are “birthed,” and God becomes the midwife!

A mother who gives birth to her baby undergoes the pain and suffering just before the baby’s delivery, and that is the moment she feels too hard to handle. Similarly, the moments just before the liberation of Israel were the most terrifying and plunge into the darkest despair. It was only after the plague of darkness and after losing his beloved firstborn son that Pharaoh finally let the Israelites free, though he later changed his mind and went after them. The Israelites found themselves trapped between the sea and the pursuing Egyptian army, death and drowning. Wondering at the Red Sea, no Israelite was willing to step into the waters of the sea.  In this moment of despair, Nahshon, son of Amminadab, a figure in the Midrashic writings, stepped into the waters first, refusing to lose hope. Yet, we could imagine suffering in his faith. His prayer, at that time, must had been, “Save me, God; for the waters are come in even unto the soul. I am sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing…let not the water flood overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up” (Ps 69:2–3, 16). 

At that time, Moses was prolonging his prayer. And El Shaddai said to him, “My beloved ones are drowning in the sea, and you prolong your prayer to me? Moses answered, “Master of the Universe, but what can I do? Elohim said to him, “Speak to the children of Israel that they go forward. And you, lift up your rod and stretch out your hand” (Ex 14:15–16; Sotah 37a). This midrash has a powerful story about how to deal with the fear that arises when we believe all hope is lost. There is a well-known song inspired by the words Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, which says, “The whole world is a very narrow bridge, and the most important thing is not to be afraid.” Nahshon did not freeze out of fear in the narrow place; he stepped forward in faith and called out in prayer. This opened a new path forward and made the way for liberation and life. Nahshon’s actions teach us the power of both faith and action in times of our drowning in the sea of suffering. Liberation requires prayer and action when all seem to be impossible.

The Exodus also reminds us that liberation should not be achieved at the expense of ignoring the suffering of others. The story of the Exodus does not exist in a vacuum. The pain of one cannot be divorced from the suffering of another. The Egyptian oppressors also experienced agony. The very force that brings freedom to one people results in the pain of another. Just as God mourns and suffers with all those who suffer, so we too are invited to look back on our suffering to acknowledge the pain of others. The God of Israel fully experiences human suffering. God saw the suffering of the Israelites, heard it, and knew it in an embodied sense. God’s empathy is not restricted to the Israelites alone but extends to all God’s creatures, human and non-human (Ex 3:7). The Talmud says that God rebuked the angels when they began to sing in joy at the drowning of the Egyptians, saying, “How dare you sing for joy when the work of my hands is drowning in the sea?” (Sanhedrin 39b). This chastisement reminds us to remember the suffering of others, even in moments of our suffering and liberation.

The embodied acknowledgment of the suffering of others is also built into the Passover of Christ. The Exodus event invites us to reflect on the cost of freedom, not just for ourselves but for all who suffer for liberation. May we learn to pray for liberation not only for those we love but for those who stand opposed to us as Christ did on Calvary. In the end, only shared humanity can bring true liberation to the whole groaning universe.

 

Jesus Christ showed his love for us and freed us from our sins with his life’s blood.