We have reached the third Sunday of Easter Tide in our journeying with the Lord.

We see in the Gospel narration by St.Luke (24.13-35), the Risen Lord joining the company of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus who were walking in unbelief and despair. But they experienced something beautiful when the Risen Lord entered into their life: First as a stranger joining with them in their conversation and ‘breaking the Word of God’ to remove their doubts and despair; then He stayed with them, and after giving them the bread which was ‘blessed and broken’, He entered into their very being. (Lk 24.13-31).

Being set free from their doubt and despair, and illumined by the light, the Risen Lord shed into their heart, they were now able to see everything that happened in the past with a new meaning. The darkness of sorrow and despair gave way to joy and hope. This is true Inner Healing.

Only the Risen Jesus makes sense of everything that happened in the past. In His Word and in the breaking of the bread, the past is interpreted in the light of the great truth that Jesus is risen and He is the Lord Immanuel.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “The Resurrection of Jesus is the crowning truth of our faith in Christ, a faith believed and lived as the central truth by the first Christian community; handed on as fundamental by the Tradition; established by the documents of the New Testament; and preached as an essential part of the Paschal mystery along with the cross: Christ is risen from the dead!” (638).

As St.Paul says: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor 15. 17). It is the Risen Lord who gives meaning to our life; sets us free from all sins, bondages and curses; heals us of all our brokenness. The more we experience the power of the Risen Lord, the deeper we experience the newness of life.

For example, a believer who suffers from fear from a past incident ( because that person did not experience the presence of the Lord, like the disciples on the way to Emmaus encountering the Risen Lord), when begins to imagine in faith, the Risen Lord present in His life, and surrenders his fear to him, renounces that fear and commands it in the name of Jesus ,to go away from his life, he experiences the love and power of the Lord. Then he can also walk with Jesus in faith imagining those situations again, and can realise that there is no more fear but courage to face any situation together with and in the presence of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, my Risen Saviour, I praise you and thank you for your presence in my life. ‘You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore’ (Ps 16.11)

Mary Pereira

“A large crowd kept following Him, because they saw the signs that He was doing for the sick” (Jn 6.2)

Do I seek the Lord because of His mighty works? Or do I seek Him for who He is to me? Have I acknowledged Him as the Lord and Master of my life? Christianity is a loving and living relationship with a God who reigns, who is my Saviour, my Good Shepherd, my Strength and Comfort, in whom I take delight. But often we seek God for our physical needs and its fulfilment. We are earthbound in our thinking. In the Gospel narrative of Feeding the Five Thousand (Jn 6. 1-15), we see our nature reflected in the attitude of the crowd. They were so satisfied with Jesus doing many miracles: healing the sick, casting out demons, multiplying the bread etc and they even wanted to make Him king. They wished to use Him for their purpose. We too are eager to seek Jesus, proclaim Him and love Him all the more, when He does wonders. Jesus told the disciples: “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves” (Jn 6.26). They failed to see the signs behind the multiplication of bread. So too, we seek the Lord for miracles like healing, settlement of a problem and are quite happy when the Lord does intervene in our lives with His might, love and mercy; but we turn to be blind towards the ‘signs of God’ behind these works of God. The Lord calls us for a deeper experience of who He is in our lives; He wants us to enthrone Him as the King of our heart, to surrender our lives to Him and to establish a loving relationship with Him.

Let us seek the Lord with our whole heart. “When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart” (Jer 29.13). We need to ‘take delight in the Lord’ (Ps. 37.4), not in the blessings and favours we receive from Him. So Jesus told us “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Mt.6 33). But are we not often ‘tying the cart before the horse’?

Lord Jesus, forgive me for being selfish in seeking you. Help me to seek you, not for the wonders of you; but may I seek you, the Lord of the wonders. When I give you the first place in my life as my Lord and God, your blessings will follow in my life. Lord Holy Spirit, with your Wisdom and Guidance, may I seek the Lord of my life and surrender my life totally to Him.

Mary Pereira

Jesus, once while talking to His disciples, said: “Let any one with ears to hear, listen!” (Mk 4.23); then He makes it little more clear: “Pay attention to what you hear” (24). Because we fail to pay attention to what we hear, the Word of God we hear remains often in the head level and not come to heart level. Only when the seed of the Word of God falls in the fertile soil of a believing heart, can it become enfleshed in our attitudes, convictions and actions.

Being with Jesus

The Holy Spirit used the human instruments- Mathew, Mark, Luke and John to write the life and the teachings of Jesus Christ. In their unique human way they gave the narrations and hence their writings are not identical, though the underlying truth remains the same. St.Luke and St.John give long stories of the post resurrection appearances of Jesus whereas St.Mark gives a very brief account of the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, to the two disciples going to Emmaus and to the eleven in the closed room (Mk 16.9-15).

The unbelief of the disciples was shown clearly by all the four Gospel writers. They were neither able to witness to Christ nor proclaim Him because of this lack of conviction. It is in order to remove this doubt and to make them experience Him truly, that the Lord appeared to them and befriended them in different circumstances.

Unless we personally experience Jesus we cannot be His disciples and continue His mission. The foundation of evangelization is a personal encounter with Jesus. As Pope Benedict XVI has said: “The disciples were not just heralds of an idea, but witnesses of a person”.

St. Mark writes: Jesus “appointed the twelve to be with Him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons” (3.14,15). Seeing the boldness of Peter and John, the high Priests and the Sanhedrin realised that ‘they were with Jesus’(Acts 4.13). It is only by spending time with Jesus – in our personal prayer, Eucharistic Adoration, meditation of His Word, active participation in the Holy Eucharist….that we can come to experience Him more. The success, joy and fruitfulness of Christian life is in the living relationship with the living God.

Holy Spirit of God, help me to relish my times of prayer and deepen my relationship with my Lord. May I taste and see how good the Lord is and then help others to come to this experience.

Mary Pereira

The Emmaus story in my life

The disciples were returning to their village, being disappointed for what had happened to their Master because “as yet they did not understand the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead” (Jn 20.9.).Then Jesus joined with them on their journey and explained the Scriptures in answer to their problems of unbelief, disappointment and frustration; but still their minds were veiled (cfr.2 Cor 4.4).God has His unique ways of teaching us, either by Himself, through His Word or by sending some people across our lives path. (cfr.Ananias to Paul- Acts 9.10-19; Philip to the Ethiopian Eunuch – Acts 8.26-35). Am I open to His words of wisdom?

At the breaking of the bread, the disciples’ ‘eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus” (Lk 24.31). Jesus, the Word became flesh, is fully present in the Sacred Host and when we receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, it becomes easy for us to understand the Holy Scripture. Quoting Vatican II, Pope Benedict XVI says: “Word and Eucharist are so deeply bound together that we cannot understand one without the other. The Eucharist opens us up to the understanding of the Scripture, just as Scripture for its part illumines and explains the mystery of the Eucharist”. (Verbum Domini 55)

How privileged are we that we have the Table of the Word and the Table of the Body and Blood of Jesus in every Catholic Church. First we hear the Divine Word during the Liturgy of the Word and the Lord whom we receive in the Eucharist helps us to reflect on the deeper meaning of it and strengthens us to make it enfleshed in our lives. Let us treasure the riches of our Church and be nourished and strengthened day by day by approaching the Banqueting Table. Let us also grow in our gratitude to the Lord for instituting the Sacrament of Priesthood; it is His Priests who minister this Life-giving Sacrament to us.

The ‘Emmaus story’, in short :

• The disciples were in disbelief and despair
• Jesus enters into the situation to increase their faith through His Word
• The disciples invite Him into their house
• Jesus enters into them through the blessed Host
• The disciples experienced Jesus

This in fact, is what happens at every celebration of the Holy Eucharist. As Vatian II puts it: “Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life”. Our Pope Benedict XVI has exhorted the faithful during His homily at his Installation: “Let us start each new day with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist”.

Mary Pereira

Easter Tide

As we are in the Easter Tide, a period of fifty days which begins at Easter and ends on Pentecost, the readings of the Liturgy refreshes us with the joy of the resurrection of the Lord. What joy  Mary Magdalene and the other Mary must have felt as they met the Risen Saviour saying `Greetings` to them! Their joy was truly proportionate to  the deep love they had for Jesus, whom they were painfully missing, and whose body they went to see in the tomb.

Yes, when I love Jesus, confronting Him within the cave of my heart in prayer, meditating the Scripture, participating in the Sacraments will be a great joy for me.

The disciples had denied and deserted Jesus at the time of His Passion. And yet for the Beloved Lord, they were still His brothers! „go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.“ (Mt 28.10). What is my attitude towards those who deny and desert me?

Every believer in Jesus is His brother and sister. „My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it“ (Lk 8.21). May the Spirit of Truth give us the Wisdom to reject the false teaching that Mother Mary had other children, because Jesus mentions “brothers” in His conversation!

„These things happened….and they were written down to instruct us (1 Cor 10.11), so that by steadfastness and by encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope“ (Rom 15.4)

Holy Spirit, enlighten and inspire me as I read the Holy Scripture, so that what I read may be translated into a reality in my life.

Mary Pereira

Easter Prayer

God our Father, by raising Christ your Son you conquered the power of death and opened for us the way to eternal life. Let our celebration today raise us up and renew our lives by the Spirit that is within us. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,  for ever and ever.  Amen

Searching in the empty tomb?

In the Gospel narrative during the Easter Vigil we heard Mary Magdalene and Mary went to see the Lord´s body in the tomb. But they could not find His body. It was an empty tomb.

Where do I seek the Lord? Do I find Him when I seek Him?

Prophet Elijah did not experience God in the great wind, earthquake or fire, but in the sheer silence „ (1 Kg 19.11,12). When we have the serenity of our heart, love, joy and peace, it is easier for us to experience Him.

Through Prophet Jeremiah the Lord says: „When you search for me you will find me, when you search for me with your whole heart“ (29.13). Yes, the Lord is faithful to His promise; when we seek Him with our whole heart we will find Him. The Risen Lord  is spirit and is dwelling within us. I only need to turn to Him in the silence of my heart. When we love Jesus and keep His Word, Jesus and Father make their home in us (Jn 14.23). And we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3.16). The Triune God is dwelling within us. So Jesus said: When you pray, go to your room and pray to the Father who is dwelling there in secret“ (Mt 6.6).

Through Prophet Isaiah the Lord says: „Come my people, enter your chambers, and shut the door behind you“ (26.20)

„In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength“ (30.15)

Amidst the busy schedule of our lives, let us strive to  experience the Living Lord within us.

The loving God has created the beautiful world for us and in the whole creation we can experience Him. But when we confront and befriend Him within the cave of our heart, we realise that the world within is much more beautiful than the world outside. Then we can truly sing: „Heaven is in my heart“.

Mary Pereira

The significance of Easter : I rise with Christ into eternal life

Traditionally the Mother Church keeps up the Liturgy during midnight 3 times a year. On Christmas eve, On New Year eve and on the Easter eve. Easter Vigil is the greatest celebration of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus. To begin with, we all stand outside the church putting off all the lights. In the darkness outside, the vigil starts with the main Celebrant praying over the Paschal Candle engraving on it …”Jesus Christ- Alpha and Omega; Beginning and the End….”Yes, we begin our life in Him and end our life in Him to be united with Him forever!

Then the Paschal Candle is lighted signifying that the New Light – ‘the light that shines in darkness’ (Jn 1.5) has come into the world. We, the faithful, light our candles from this New Light of Jesus and we enter into the church in procession. The procession reminds us of the Israelites desert journey of 40 years into the Promised Land. And it is a culmination of our Lenten journey of 40 days of fast, penance and alms giving,  at the climax of which we journey with the Lord in His Passion during the Holy Week. It is also a reminder of our journey from earth to heaven . As we move in procession into the church with the lighted candles in our hand, we are reminded to fix our eyes on Jesus  in our journey in this pilgrim land. As we read in the book of Hebrews:

“Let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us, while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith” ( 12.1,2)

Easter vigil is a celebration of Jesus’ victory over death and sin. And it is our own victory over eternal death. When we are united with Jesus we are a new creation (2 Cor 5.17). We are called to live this newness of life after our dying with Christ and rising with Christ (Rom 6.3-5). This Risen Lord tells us today:

“I am the Resurrection and Life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies ( physically  or through sin, and repents( 1 Jn 1.9-2.2), he will live; and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”( in spirit) (Jn. 11.25-27).

Let us nourish this new life of Christ which we have already received in Baptism and which we renew on every Easter Vigil.

Lord Holy Spirit, help us to be reminded of the truth that through Repentance and Baptism our sins are forgiven (sins of later life through Confession); we are given the Holy spirit; (Acts.: 2.38-39); we become the children of God and heirs of  the Kingdom of God and members of the Church. May we live in this world as His Light  till our end of this life in order to enter with Christ into our Eternal life.

THE SACRED TRIDUUM 

The three days of the Easter Triduum are most important for Christian life.

Holy Thursday is significant because on this day Jesus fulfilled his promise to be with us till the end of time by instituting the Holy Eucharist and the Ministerial Priesthood. The historical Jesus is really living with us today in the Holy Eucharist through the Ministerial Priesthood which He instituted this day. Jesus said “this is my body broken for you”;when we look at the Crucified Lord, we know that He has broken Himself . He is continually breaking Himself and giving us in the Holy Eucharist and that requires of us also to break (our selfishness) and give ourselves to others in love and humble service heeding to what Jesus said while washing the feet

In the Good Friday Liturgy, we experience the suffering and death of the Lord through the Word of God, secondly through the unveiling of the Crucifix and then we receive the broken body of Jesus for our life. Jesus who died on the Cross and resurrected is living in us today. So we have to continue the work of the Lord till the end of our lives.

On Holy Saturday is a commemoration that the Lord who physically died lay in his tomb. What is important is that we keep this day holy, and let our “sense” of the mystery of death shape our reflection, and our longing to celebrate the Easter gift of Jesus alive, for us and with us.

The  fragrance  of  spiritual love

On the Monday of this Holy Week, the Liturgy brought to our reflection the Gospel narrative of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus (Jn 12 1-11). Experiencing the forgiving love of the Lord, ‘the woman caught in adultery’ (Jn 8.1-11), whose love and gratitude now  doubled as He raised her dead brother to life (Jn 11. 38-44), she knew no bounds how to respond to the love of Jesus whom she accepted now as the Lord and Master of her life. As an expression of her deep, and as an act of adoration and worship she anoints the feet of the Lord with the costly oil.

“The house was filled with the fragrance of love.” (Jn 12.3) In a way, this is symbolic of what St.Paul tells in 2 Cor 2.14,15. “Thanks be to God, who in Christ,…and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him. For we are the aroma of Christ…” We claim to ‘know Christ’; but do we in turn, like Mary become the aroma of Christ spreading the fragrance of love, holiness, adoration and worship?

How often we have experienced this love, mercy and forgiveness of the Lord in our lives? Do we have the response of deep love and gratitude which Mary had? She was ready to use her beautiful hair to wipe the feet of Jesus, because for her, now the Lord is much more precious for her. The Lord was for her, now costlier than the perfume. Do I have this ‘paradigm shift’ of priorities of my life after my confession where I experience the merciful, forgiving love of the Lord?

Am I ready to give up things that hinder my coming closer to the Lord? My undue attachments…. spending more time with TV, Internet…indulging in sinful pleasures…

Am I ready to ‘get rid of my anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language’? (Col 3.8)

In another occasion Jesus tells: “Many things are forgiven her because she has loved much”. Isn’t it a soothing statement? No matter how grave sins we have committed in the past, all that He looks at is our present day. Today, if I love Him much, many of my past sins will be forgiven, and forgotten by the Lord (Heb 8.12). Let us be reminded of what Jesus has said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14.15).

Lord Jesus, I thank you for your death on the Cross and for enabling me to experience your forgiveness and Sacramental Grace by which I can appropriate what you have accomplished for me on the Cross.  Now on, I want to sing your praises and proclaim your mighty acts, for you have lifted me up from darkness and placed me in your kingdom of light. May I cooperate with your grace so that I may continue to live in this light forever.”

‘Return to the Lord, your God’ Joel (2.12)

We are celebrating  the Holy Week of Lent.  Lenten Season is a season of Grace indeed, for our Mother Church exhorts us to repent for our sins and be converted to the Lord, to do reparation for our sins through fasting, prayer and almsgiving in order to rededicate our lives to our God living His Word. St.Bernard used to say each morning: “This day I will begin to serve my God anew”.

Yes, each day is gift from the Lord; it is a sign of His merciful love for each of us. St.Luke’s gospel, in a way points out the importance of ‘today’.

“Today in David’s town your Saviour is born- Christ the Lord” (2.11). Am I ready to give place for Him in my heart today?

“I must stay in your house today” (19.5). Will He ‘feel at home’ when He comes into my heart? Is my house put in order?

“Salvation has come to this house today” (19.9). Do I realise the need of this salvation wrought for me by the Lord through the death of Jesus on the cross?

“Today you will be in Paradise with me” (23.43). What is blocking me today from the experience of Paradise?

Let us heed to what St.Paul tells: “Listen! This is the hour to receive God’s favour; today is the day to be saved” (2 Cor 6.2b)

None of is sure of getting one more chance to be faithful to the Lenten observances to unite ourselves with the Paschal mystery of Jesus, our Saviour amd to relive our Baptismal promises.

As we commemorate the Holy week of Lent, let us be reminded of what our Venerable Pope John Paul II has said: “to be converted means to enter into deep intimacy with God. Conversion involves a new discovery of God. In conversion one experiences that in Him resides the fullness of good…Let us open our souls to God’s grace and live intensely the journey of conversion towards Easter” (Homily on Ash Wednesday, Feb 12, 1997