2nd Sunday of Lent (C) – Transfiguration (Lk 9:228-36)

Have the goal in your mind

Introduction

-          Once I went with some of the senior members for a pilgrimage, to a mountain. When we reached the destination, I thought that some of them would not make it since they were old. But to my surprise they were telling each other by looking at the statue of Jesus that was at the top of the mountain, ‘let us go and touch the statue’. The vision of the statue that was at the top of the mountain motivated them to climb the mountain.

-          In the book, the seven habits of highly effective people, Stephen covey says, ‘Begin with the end in mind’.

-          In the event of transfiguration Jesus shows the disciples the end of his journey so that they will understand and be motivated to go though the difficult way, way of suffering and cross. 

Content

-          We have different goals in our life

o   For a student the goal is graduation day. The path to achieve is study and hard work.

o   For the couple the goal is a beautiful family life with peace and love. The path is sacrifice and forgiveness.

o   For us Christians, the goal is to be a saint, to attain heaven. The path is - follow the footsteps of Jesus by obeying the will of God always in our lives.

-          Some time we face temptations that hinder our growth towards the end. And the biggest temptation is taking away the goal from one’s mind.

o   The student may think, ‘I have to enjoy life and it is the time for that. So I have to go wherever there are fun and party’. If he/she forget his aim and begin to enjoy the life at that moment, he/she will not reach the aim successfully.

o   The husband or wife may think, ‘why should I sacrifice for my family everything that I have. I have to enjoy with my friends. If I do not get love at present, I have to try to get it from somebody else’. These thoughts may destroy the aim – “a good family”.

o   For Christians the temptations may come in their life, thinking that, ‘why should I sacrifice my enjoyments for the sake of heaven that I have not yet seen. Therefore, enjoy life now by any means. Forget about the future’.

-          The way that Jesus teaches us to achieve the aim is,

o   Go to the mountain with Jesus

o   Remain with Jesus

o   Comedown with Jesus

Conclusion

-          The problems that we may face in climbing the mountain can be;

o   Lazy in climbing the mountain

§  Not ready to take the sacrifice for a cause

o   Climbing without Jesus

§  Taking the cross by cursing and unwillingly

o   Not ready to climb down the mountain

§  Not accepting the reality of suffering and cross. It leads to disappointed.

§  Ignoring the way to transfiguration.

-          Let us climb the mountain with Jesus, be there on the top with Jesus, and come down from the mountain with Jesus.

1st Sunday of Lent – Temptation of Jesus (Lk 4:1-13)

Needs and Its Fulfillment

Introduction

-          Lent is the time of prayer, fasting and arms giving. We are in our Lenten observance – that lasts for 40 days.

-          Fasting is not new with Jesus. Long fasting is mentioned in the life of Moses and of Prophet Elijah. What makes Jesus’ fasting unique is the event that took place at the end of fasting – the temptation. 

Content

-          Temptations begin with a need. Satan brings to the awareness of Jesus, a need, in each temptation.

o   In the first temptation, it was the awareness of ‘hunger’.

§  Jesus was hungry after 40 days of fasting.

o   In the second temptation, it was the hunger of Jesus to ‘establish the Kingdom of God’.

§  Jesus’ aim was to establish the Kingdom of God on each. That was there in the inner mind of Jesus always. That was the reason why Jesus came to this world.

o   In the third temptation, it is the need of ‘recognition as messiah and savior’.

§  Jesus asked his disciples, ‘who do you say that I am?’. It was need for him to be recognized by the people, the real nature of Jesus – Messiah.

-          [At this present time there are many people who create needs in us. They are mainly and advertizing companies. But they are not Satan. They just do their business.

o   For example - the shampoo advertisement convince you that you have a bad hair and you should strive for a smooth hair.]

-          Satan not only makes Jesus aware of the needs, but also gives Jesus solutions to fulfill the needs.

o   The solutions were;

§  In the first temptation – ‘change these stones to bread’.

§  In the second temptation – ‘you adore me’.

§  In the third temptation – ‘you jump from the top of the temple’.

o   But Jesus never accepted the solutions put forth by Satan.

§  Adam and Eve were given the solution by Satan and they accepted the solution and ate the fruit forbidden by God. Thus they sinned again God.

o   Jesus had his own unique ways to satisfy his needs.

§  Satisfy the Hunger – by doing the will of God

§  Establish the Kingdom of God – by loving and forgiving

§  Getting acceptance as Messiah – by his suffering and cross.  

Conclusion

-          In this Lenten season, let us think about

o   Our needs of life.

§  Some of our needs are

·         money

·         Love

·         Recognition in the society.

o   Our ways to satisfy those needs.

§  If you go for plunder, bribery and exploitation to make money, we follow the path shown by Satan.

§  If you go for somebody else apart from your life partner and family to get the love and pleasures, you are following the way shown by Satan.

§  If you try to get recognition by compelling or threatening others by using your power, then that is not the way of God.

-          Let us always follow the path of God that is shown by Jesus – the way of suffering and cross to reach the glory or resurrection.

Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time (C) – The Rejection at Nazareth (Lk 4:21-30)

God, whom we like…

Introduction

-          A program in the computer that is meant to draw your face – not from your picture, but by understanding your from the answers that you give to the questions asked by computer – at the end of the game you will get the message – ‘the computer is processing your face’ – the picture of a monkey appears. It is programmed in the computer the picture of a monkey, a program for fun. The picture of monkey is pre-fixed in the program.

-          The pre-fixed images in our minds can cause a lot of troubles. For example, the children have an image in their mind about their parents, usually a perfect father or mother. When it is broken in real life, they feel bad and begin to move away their parents.

-          We also may have a pre-fixed image about god in our mind, and if God does not act according to our expectation, we move away from God. The example is today’s gospel.

-          The Israelites rejected Jesus because Jesus did not fulfill their expectation of God.

Content

-          Israelites’ concept of God was:

o   An exclusive God

o   A strict God

o   One who saves them and destroys all their enemies.

-          But Jesus showed them the real nature of God – loving father and inclusive God who is the creator of all.

-          Jesus corrects their misunderstanding of God by two examples:

o   Elijah and widow in Zarephath, in the land of Sidon - receive the mercy of God during the famine.

o   Elisha and the leper Naaman, the Syrian who received the cure from God.

o   Jesus shows that God takes care of everyone and He is the father of all.

-          Some time we too create God of our own convenience.

o   Story - One of the first indigenous bishops in Nigeria returned to his native town for a reception soon after he was made bishop - most of whom had only a faint idea of what the Christian faith - In the welcome speech, the people expressed how happy they were - promised him they would all embrace Christianity if he, as bishop, would use the power of his office to suppress one of the Ten Commandments for them - the young bishop shocked them by telling them that the Ten Commandments are of divine and not human making, and so are unchangeable – people were disappointment and the bishop had to make a hasty departure from his own people.

Conclusion

-          What is the image of God within us?

o   Is it a God of convenience?

§  “If at all I sin, God can understand me”.

§  “I have just to do my Sunday obligation to please God”.

§  “I need God whenever I have a problem or difficulty”.

o   Is it a God who exclusively for us?

§  “Destroy all my enemies”.

§  “God should not bless those whom I do not like”.

o   Is it a God who is so strict?

§  “He is looking at my sins to punish me. Therefore I obey the commandments to escape the punishments”.

§  “I come to the church for God”.

o   Is it a God who is far away?

§  “If I do not pray loud, God will not hear me”.

§  “God is in heaven that is far away from me”.

-          Let us understand and experience God who is revealed in Jesus – A God who is a loving father of all and who is living within us. It is our duty as His children to obey his commandments and walk in his ways.

-          Let us participate His mission of love.

Third Sunday of Ordinary Time – The beginning of Galilean ministry (Lk 4:14-21)

Enjoying and Partaking in the Liberation of the Spirit

Introduction

-          What is the purpose of your life? There can be different answers. Some of them would be:

o   I have never thought of the purpose

o   To make my children a good citizens of tomorrow.

o   To make my country a better place

-          For Jesus the purpose was so clear. He declares it in today’s gospel.

o   It is the message of liberation. 

Content

-          Christ’s mission was to liberate humanity from the bondages, such as

o   From the bondage of physical and mental sickness

§  Healing various people such as blind and leper

o   From the bondages of social evils

§  Injustices (Sabbath), poverty (multiplication)

o   From the bondages of evil spirits

§  Exorcism done by Jesus

o   From the bondages of sins

§  ‘her sins are forgiven’  (Luke 7)

-          Do you need liberation?

o   Our answer may be, ‘yes Lord, but not now’.

§  E.g.: there are patients who do not want to be healed, thinking that they may lose the attention of others.

o   We sometimes find pleasure in the bondages. 

Conclusion

-          Our mission is to

o   Enjoy the freedom of the Spirit, and

§  Closeness to Jesus enables us to enjoy his liberation in our life.

§  Sacraments, prayers and meditation on the word make us closer to God.

o   Help others to enter into the liberation experience.

§  There are people around us suffering from bondages.

·         Deprived of food, money, material things, care, love, etc.

·         Through sharing our having and being, let us partake in the liberation mission of Jesus.

·         Mt 25:35 – ‘When I was hungry, thirsty, a stranger, sick, prisoner, … you took care of me’.