First Sunday of Advent – Darkness and the Light

First Sunday of Advent – Darkness and the Light

Introduction

- Tension between North and South Korea is mounting. We pray for a peaceful solution in that archipelago. The tensions related to Magiuindanao massacre and its painful memories are not yet healed. The terror attack threats and its impacts on tourism in Philippines still holds the front pages of the Philippine news papers. The power of darkness shows its presence in different ways in today’s world.

- In this context where we see the darkness everywhere and in all realms we wait with hope in this advent season and pray to the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. We wait for His second coming.

Body

- Jesus has already come before 2000 years and showed us a spark of light. He told the disciples to spread the light all over the world. We are partaking in that mission, the mission of light that dispels the darkness.

- Jesus will come once again with the complete light. We are waiting for that coming of our King. Then there will be no more darkness in the world. It is the perfect establishing of the kingdom of God.

- Where is the darkness? Is it in North Korea? Is it in the Middle East? First of all the darkness is in the human heart. From there it spreads to others, the communities and the nations.

- Advent wreath symbolizes the self. We light the candle in each week of the advent in each corner as a preparation for Christmas. Our preparation must remove our darkness from us.

- The darkness can be of hatred, anger, frustration, unforgiveness, jealous etc.

- As St. Paul says in today’s second reading, let us put on Jesus, the light. Let us become the children of light.

- I have heard the story of a wise old Rabbi who instructed his students by asking questions. He asked, "How can a person tell when the darkness ends and the day begins?" After thinking for a moment, one student replied, "It is when there is enough light to see an animal in the distance and be able to tell if it is a sheep or a goat." Another student ventured, "It is when there is enough light to see a tree, and tell if it is a fig or an oak tree."The old Rabbi gently said, "No. It is when you can look into a man's face and recognize him as your brother. For if you cannot recognize in another's face the face of your brother, the darkness has not yet begun to lift, and the light has not yet come."

Conclusion

- If we have light in us we have no more enemies, we do not feel jealous over others growth, we do not hate each other, we are able to forgive.

- Let us pray that Light may come in to our self and make us shine.

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Lk 19: 1-10)

Desire and decision

What made Zacchaeus experience Jesus? It is his desire and decision. He had deep desire to see Jesus. He might have heard about Jesus who was considered as a miracle worker and a healer, going around his place. He listened to his heart’s desire to see Jesus.

The desire led him to a strong decision to act in that particular situation, to run and to climb upon a tree, so that he would never miss Jesus. His decision was the result of his desire. He took the right decision at the right time. The result was he could see Jesus from the top, from the branch of the tree. The rest of the actions are initiated by Jesus and as a result Zacchaeus received salvation of God.

We desire to see and experience Jesus. But we feel the lack of strong decision in our life, to pray, to good things and to obey the commandments of the Lord. We often postpone good things. Let us remember that Jesus is passing through our life. Those how does what is right at the right time will receive the reward.

The Healing of the Beggar (Lk 18:35-43)

What is happening?

The basic element that leads to the healing and experience of Jesus was the question of the Blind Beggar, “What is happening?” It is a reflection on oneself and the surroundings.

Once I met a diabetic patient who was suffering from high fluctuation of sugar level in his blood. He was always carrying sugar with him to consume when his blood sugar goes low than the normal. I asked him once, “How do you know that your sugar level is going down?” He answered, “I can feel the tiredness in my body. By observing the symptoms I could realize the measure of the sugar in my blood”. Observation is the key word here.

The experience of Jesus was the result of the observation of the Blind Beggar. He observed something is happening around him. This led him in the question of “what is happening?”

We meet Jesus who is passing through right observation. It includes the observation of oneself (the things that is happening in his/her life) and of the surroundings (especially in others). If we do not observe regularly we may go astray from the Lord. We may lose the habit of praying and end up in spiritual dangers.

The blind man observed but needed someone else’s help to know what was happening since he was blind. It is also applicable in our lives. We may have the blindness that covers our sight to the realities. Spiritual direction and confessions could help us to understand what is happening in our life better with the help of others.

Let us observe and get the blessings from God who is passing through our life.

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time – The Signs of the End (Lk 21: 5-19)

The Signs of the End (Lk 21: 5-19)

Introduction

- End of the world is a fascinating topic for centuries.

- We have literatures and movies on that topic. We use this in our daily conversation.

- I was talking with a friend about the fight of Manny with Margarito. And we asked the question what if Manny fails (we are sure that it will not happen). The friend told “that is not the end of the world. He has to go on”.

Content

- Jesus mentions four things in the gospel

1. The day of the Lord.

o Jews divided the time into two, the present and the future. Suffering and tribulations are the common experience of the Jews during present. In the future God would establish His Kingdom “the Heavenly Jerusalem”. Jesus also agreed to this idea but brought the concept of “last judgment” before the heavenly bliss.

2. Prophecy on the destruction of the temple

o The pride of Jews was the Jerusalem Temple. The presence of God was filled in the Temple.

o In AD 70 the Romans destroyed the temple.

o Jesus teaches us that he is the new temple that cannot be destroyed by any enemy. We are brought together because of the body and blood that unites us always and no enemy could destroy it till now. The prophecy of Jesus is perfectly right.

3. Second coming of Jesus Christ

o The second coming has two dimensions. The first is that which happens at the end of the world. The time of the occurrence is not even known to Jesus as per his words. The second dimension is personal, that is going to happen in my life, may be in 50 years.

o Preparedness is the key world when we think of the second coming of Jesus. We should always be prepared to meet him at moment of life.

4. Idea of persecution

o Jesus is honest to his disciples and offers persecution to his disciples. It is unlike those pragmatic politicians and other world leaders.

o Jesus also assured us the assistance of the Spirit. “You will not be left alone”.

o As St. Paul says, ‘if God is with me why should I fear’.

o The history of martyrs and saints reveals the assistance of Spirit all the time with us.

Conclusion

- Let us gather in the new temple “the body and blood of Christ”

- Let us see the things (past, present and future) through the eyes of God who prophesized the destruction of the Temple.

- Let us expect the sufferings in our life and take it for the Kingdom of God.

- Let us see the presence of Spirit in our lives always.

The Coming of the Kingdom of God (Lk 17:20-25)

Jesus came to the world to inaugurate the Kingdom of God. All his deeds and words were oriented towards the kingdom. We are living in the era of the Kingdom that Jesus has begun. We believe that Jesus will come again to establish the kingdom fully and to reap the harvest.

What Jesus did 2000 years ago was planting the “seed” of the Kingdom. He entrusted the duty to make it grow to the apostles and then to the Church. We participate in the progress of the Kingdom through our life. Here the question is how to participate in the Kingdom mission.

The best model of participation is seen at the story of multiplication of bread by Jesus. Jesus multiplied the bread and gave to the disciples to distribute. They did not hold it to themselves but were ready to distribute according to the will of Jesus. This is how everybody received the blessings of God. Since they were ready to do the will of Jesus they received 12 full baskets of bread for themselves.

Jesus has given the material things and blessings to share with others. Our talents and abilities are the gifts of God to share. If we are ready to share our gifts with others they will know Jesus. That is our Kingdom mission. If we are faithful to our mission Jesus would bless us with more (as those 12 baskets that were collected by the apostles). Let us be faithful workers of the Kingdom of God.

Cleansing of the Temple (Jn 2:13-22)

We greet each other on the anniversary of the birthday, marriage, ordination and so on. I know a friend who greets a student on the anniversary of his baptism because my friend godparent at the baptism of the student. The explanation given by the friend was “I want to remind him about the date when he become the temple of the Holy Spirit”.

We are proud to say that we are the temples of the Holy Spirit through our baptism. If we are the temples of the Holy Spirit, the center place should be given always to Him and nothing that destroys the sanctity of this temple should be there in us.

Our temples are on constant construction. We collect the materials from different sources, such as from our friends, family, relatives, teachers, parish church and even from our enemies. Everybody contribute something or other for building up of this temple. What should be the most important thing in this construction is the selection of materials. Some of these materials are good where some others are poisonous. It may be contributed by our best friends or relatives. We should always analyze others contributions for building up of the temple (that is ourselves) whether it is suitable for Holy Spirit.

32nd Sunday of Ordinary Time – The question about the resurrection (Lk 20: 27-38)

Introduction

- We are nearing the end of liturgical year. The end of this month is the beginning of the advent and the preparation for the birth of Jesus (Christmas). Therefore we are given the passage to reflect about the last things such as death, judgment, reward and punishment.

- First reading is about the martyrdom and the hope of resurrection. The psalm is about enduring in the persecution. The second reading is about the original teaching about the second coming of Jesus, and the gospel also speaks about resurrection.

- Let us reflect on the last things and the content of today’s discussion, the marriage.

Content

- Why there is no marriage in heaven? To answer this question we should go to purpose of marriage. The two purpose of marriage are conjugal love and procreation as the result of the love.

o People need love and care especially from the partner unless they are called with special vocation. The human being always long for something on this earth. A part of that longing is fulfilled with the love from the partner. But it does not mean that the longing is fully satisfied with that love. It is fully satisfied when we meet our creator, God. So when we reach in heaven there is no more longing for anything. We will be fully satisfied and it pacifies the need for a marriage.

o In heaven there is no death any more. So there is no need of any procreation that is meant to substitute and keep up the life. Therefore there is no need for any marriage in heaven.

o It is also a call to reflect the marriage life. Does the couple give enough love to each other? Are they faithful enough to their partners? Whether the marital relation is open to procreation? and how we train the new generation?

- What are the realities that are waiting for us after our life? They are judgment, reward, and punishment. (heaven, purgatory and hell).

o Each one of us has to face these realities.

o The basis for judgment is our works of charity. “I was sick, you visited me; I was hungry, you gave me food; I was thirsty, you gave me drink; I was in prison, you visited me……..”

o A call to help the poor and needy.

Conclusion

- Reflect about the family life.

- Reflect about the “population explosion” which is the creation of the west.

- Reflect on our actions by looking forwards to attain the kingdom of God.

31st Sunday of Ordinary Time – Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Lk 19: 1-10)

Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Lk 19: 1-10)

Introduction

- The story that happened in the annual celebration of a Catechism class. A team prepared to stage a drama based on the story of Zacchaeus. On the day of the presentation they put up a small tree on the stage and asked Zacchaeus to go up on the tree. But the small boy who was to act as Zacchaeus told that he was afraid to appear in front of the public. “They are going to see me sitting on the tree when the curtain is opened. I am scared”. Though everyone pressed him to act he did not. At the end they changed him from the role of Zacchaeus at the last moment.

- Zacchaeus, though a rich man, never felt ashamed of running in front of the crowd and climbing on a tree.

- He received the result for his effort – the experience of Jesus.

Content

- This story can be summarized into four words (DADA) – desire & aware, decision & action.

- Desire

o To see Jesus.

o He must have heard of Jesus’ miracles, healings and other works.

- Aware

o When he had the desire to see Jesus he became aware of himself

o Awareness – He was a wealthy man, He was considered as a sinner by the Jewish community, He was short in stature, The crowd with toll people was a obstacle of his view of Jesus

- Decision

o At any cost I will see Jesus

o To be a decision it should be timely and according to the need of the situation.

o He was timely enough to take decision. He did not postpone his decision to see Jesus.

o At that hour he took the apt decision though it asks of humility.

- Action

o It can be divided into – actions before meeting Jesus and actions after meeting Jesus.

o Actions before meeting Jesus was – running in front of the crowd, climbing the tree and wait. The initiation is from the part of Zacchaeus. He was motivated by his own decision.

o Action after meeting Jesus was – distributing the wealth to the poor and other – the work of the Spirit of God. Here Zacchaeus allowed the spirit to work in him.

Conclusion

- The nature of Jesus is, “He passes through the way”. He is a passing God.

- He passes through our life in different situations (blessings, suffering, friends, homily, sacraments etc.) We should take initial effort to meet him.

- When we are ready to walk to Jesus one step He walks to us 10 steps.

We come to the Eucharist with “desire”. At the penitential rite we become “aware” of our weakness and His blessings. Let us also take decision to “meet Jesus at any cost” and do “action” accordingly. The rest Jesus will do.