Canticle of the Sun

Most high, all powerful, all good Lord!
All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing.

To You, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your name.

Be praised, my Lord, through all Your creatures,
especially through my lord Brother Sun,
who brings the day; and You give light through him.
And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor!
Of You, Most High, he bears the likeness.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars;
in the heavens You have made them bright, precious and beautiful.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
and clouds and storms, and all the weather,
through which You give Your creatures sustenance.

Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Water;
she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
through whom You brighten the night.
He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth,
who feeds us and rules us,
and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of You;
through those who endure sickness and trial.

Happy those who endure in peace,
for by You, Most High, they will be crowned.

Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Bodily Death,
from whose embrace no living person can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing Your most holy will.
The second death can do no harm to them.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks,
and serve Him with great humility.

Composed by St Francis of Assisi

The Empty Tomb

Mary Magdalene and the other holy women rushed to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his adorable body. The holy women discovered to their greatest surprise, that the stone had been rolled away. They saw two angels in dazzling clothes who asked them an important question: why are you seeking the living among the dead?  And the angels continued: He is not here! He is risen! He is alive. He is Life. He is God of the living and not the God of the dead. You are looking for Jesus in the wrong place! (Lk 24:1-7)

Mary Magdalene and the other women had a good intention, they had a genuine concern but their good intention was not enough. The women made huge effort, they trekked some distance, they struggled to get to the tomb, but their effort was not enough. They took risks. They went to the tomb when it was still dark and dangerous, but their risk taking was not enough. The women saw an empty tomb.

The world is full of people looking for the right thing in the wrong place. Many people are looking for Jesus in wrong places – in the empty tomb. Many people are looking for light in darkness: seeking truth in falsehood; looking for wealth in fraud; looking for happiness in ephemeral things; looking for God in water, trees, mountains, and material things. Many people are looking for God in wrong places. Like people looking for water from broken cisterns that cannot hold water (Jer 2:13).

Mary Magdalene and the holy women were not being irrational or foolish by going to the tomb. They actually did the most reasonable thing by going to the tomb where he was buried. However, Jesus was not in the tomb.  The tomb was empty. Rationality alone, human reason alone cannot guarantee the experience of God. To see God, human reason must be purified and enlightened by faith.  Human reason without faith is sterile and prone to error. The Christian walks by faith and not by sight (1Cor 5:7).

Our search for happiness, love, peace and fulfillment in life is not foolish or unreasonable. But has our search yielded any results? Have we found the happiness, love, peace and fulfillment we are looking for? Are we looking for the right thing in the wrong place?  When we do not find the right thing in the wrong place we become angry, frustrated and depressed. The world is full of unhappy people who are looking for the right thing in the wrong place.

Only in the risen Lord can we find what our hearts are searching for. Are you searching for fullness of life? Jesus says: I am the life, I am the Resurrection (Jn 11:25). Are you searching for love? Jesus says: greater love than this no one has, for a man to lay down his life for his friends (Jn 15:13).  Are you searching for peace? Jesus says: peace I give you, my peace I give you, not the kind of peace the world gives (Jn 14:27). Are you looking for well being and wealth? Jesus says: ask you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will open to you (Matt 7:7-8)

Mary Magdalene and the other women had to move away from the empty tomb before they found Jesus. We too have to move away from the emptiness of sin; we have to move away from empty promises of the world and the evil one. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we look for Jesus where He can be found.  And we look for happiness, peace, well being, indeed, everything in God alone. We have to look for the right thing in the right place.

Good Friday 2016

Good Friday is a day of sober reflection. Our Lord Jesus Christ is led like a lamb to the slaughter (Is 53:7). He is nailed to the cross. He is hanging on a tree. Yet ours were the sufferings he was bearing, ours the sorrows he was carrying, while we thought of him as someone being punished and struck with affliction by God (Is 53:4). The good Shepherd willingly lays down his life for his sheep (Jn 10:11).  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again (Jn 10:18).

Today Jesus Christ is betrayed by one of his closest friends- Judas. He is vehemently denied by Peter three times. He is abandoned by the rest of the fearful disciples. He is unjustly tried and condemned. He is violently slapped on the Cheek.  He is severely scourged by the pillar and his body covered with lacerating wounds. He is crowned with thorns and his adorable face covered with blood. He is nailed to the cross. He is insulted by the soldiers and heartless mob. Finally he screamed: “it is finished”. He gave up his spirit.  He is pierced through with a lance, blood and water flowed from his side.

Only sacrificial love can explain the meaning and purpose of the Crucifixion and death of Jesus. Only an infinite, boundless love can explain the fact that God came to this sinful world to die for our sins.  Greater love than this no one has, for a man to lay down his life for his friends (Jn 15:13). St Paul tells us: it is very difficult for a man to die for his friend. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). “It is love to the end that confers on Christ’s sacrifice its value as redemption and reparation, as atonement and satisfaction. He knew and loved us all when he offered his life" (The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 616). St Paul of Cross says “the passion of Christ is the greatest and most stupendous work of Divine love. The greatest and most overwhelming work of God’s love.”

We see Jesus hanging on the cross, in agonizing and excruciating pain, his whole body covered with blood.  Jesus does not need our pity or sympathy.  What Jesus wants is our conversion, a change of heart, a contrite spirit. Let us remember that it is our sins that nailed him to the cross. We will be the most ungrateful people, if we see Jesus bleeding and dying on the cross and we ignore his suffering and death, and continue living in sin. True reverence for the Lord’s suffering and death means conversion. The commitment to new life in Christ is the best way we can show gratitude to Jesus for the hefty price he paid for our sins.

Betrayal of Jesus

Betrayal is one of the most devastating experiences in life. Jesus Christ was betrayed by one of his most trusted friends. Judas intoxicated with greed, for love of lucre was willing to betray his Lord and Master. He betrayed Jesus with one of the most intimate expressions of affection- kiss. Jesus so trusted Judas that he entrusted to him the common purse. Judas often reclines next to Jesus at the table. Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me (Ps 41:9)  Judas had the singular privilege of having personal and intimate relationship with Jesus. But he was willing to throw all away for thirty silver pieces.


Betrayal is an ‘inside job’

Betrayal often occurs in a loving and intimate relationship. We experience betrayal when we dare to love and trust. Love and trust can make us vulnerable. Every betrayal begins with a trust. The traitor knows us all too well; knows our secrets. It is difficult for an outsider or a stranger to betray us. It has been said that “the saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies.”  The Psalmist says: “if this had been done by an enemy I could bear his taunts. If a rival had risen against me I could hide from him. But it is you my own companion, my intimate friend. How close was the friendship between us?” (Ps 55: 12-14).

To Love or Not to Love?

A sage once prayed: “Lord guard me against my close friends, protect me from my friends, but do not worry about my enemies, I can take care of them.”   A close friend can become an inveterate enemy. This is the reason some cynics proffer that it is better not to love, not to trust at all. The risk, they believe, outweighs the benefits. Some cynics have suggested that "distrust is the only defense against betrayal." Not to love or not to trust is not a Christian option. The Bible encourages us to love everybody as the Father loves us. It is also suggested that we love our enemies or betrayer. Vulnerability may not be a sufficient reason for not loving others. Jesus foreknew that Judas would betray him. He loved him and chose him anyway. Love will always remain a risk in this fallen world.


Penalty of Betrayal

Judas paid a hefty price for treachery. Though our God is rich in mercy and does not take pleasure in the death of the sinner, Judas despaired of God’s mercy. He hanged himself with the proceeds of his betrayal scattered about him (Matt 27:5, Acts 1:18-19). Jesus says “the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born” (Matt 26:24). Betrayal is ultimately self defeating. The betrayer betrays himself before he betrays his victim. The betrayer suffers far more than the betrayed. A betrayer may be forgiven but never trusted again.

Freedom From Sin

If the Son sets you free, you are free indeed (Jn 8:36). The Lord has set us free from sin, evil and death (Rom 6:18). By his death on the wood of the cross, He has rescued us from slavery into sin. He has set us free. Freedom in this context means freedom from sin.

False Freedom

Freedom can be naively conceived as ‘doing what I like.’ I am free when I can do what I like, when I like, how I like and where I like. It is often asked; Am I not free to do what I like? Am I not free to live my life the way I like? Am I not free to use my body the way I like? The fundamental questions that concerns freedom is: does 'what I like' increase my freedom or enslaves me? Pope John Paul II says "freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought."

Slippery Slope

The problem is ‘what I like’ may contravene the commandments of God or contradicts the will of God. The fallen human nature does not always desire what is good or noble.  So, in exercising ‘freedom’, the person may sell himself into slavery to sin. Sin begins with simple desire or suggestion that flouts God’s laws.  Suggestion becomes venial sin by consent; venial sin becomes mortal sin, mortal sin becomes a vice; a vice becomes an addiction. Eventually the sinner realizes that far from enjoying freedom, he is now chained into slavery.

Slavery to Sin

Far from doing what he likes, the sinner realizes that he is enslaved by what he likes. He is no longer free. He is now in bondage of sin.  There is no exercise of true freedom in the state of mortal sin. Sin enslaves. The state of sin is the state of slavery . The sinner is also a slave. I tell you most solemnly everyone who commits sin is a slave (Jn 8: 34). The  false ‘freedom’ exercised in sin ultimately turns into slavery. A sinner “uses external freedom only to more severely burden himself with inner slavery” ( St Philaret of Moscow). St Justin Popovich says “in truth there is only one freedom- the holy freedom of Christ, whereby He freed us from sin, from evil, from the devil. It binds us to God. All other freedoms are illusory, false, that is to say, they are all, in fact, slavery."

True Freedom

St Augustine says “love and do what you like.” Only those who have been reborn in baptism; washed in the blood of the lamb; sanctified by the Holy Spirit; whose heart has been purified; whose will conformed to the will of God can do ‘what they like’. Because what they like will coincide with what God wants. Since they desire to do the will of God and not their own will, what they desire will conform to what God desires. St Philaret of Moscow says “true freedom is the active ability of a man who is not enslaved to sin, who is not pricked by a condemning conscience, to choose the better in the light of God’s truth, and to bring it into actuality with the help of the gracious power of God.”

Christian Freedom is Not License

Freedom from sin is a gift of God. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord, there is freedom (2Cor 3:17).  It is also a fruit of conversion.   Christian freedom does not exonerate from duties, responsibilities and moral values. Christian freedom is not an invitation to license and immorality. For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (Gal 5:1). Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God (1Pet 2:16). For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another  (Gal 5:13).

Why Self Discipline is Essential to Christian Life

Self discipline is an essential requirement of Christian life. It is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22). Christian life will be unthinkable, almost impossible without self discipline. A man without self discipline is like a city broken into and left without walls (Prov 25:28). The ‘self’ that requires discipline is not one’s spiritual substance as a human being. The self that requires discipline is the false self, the ego, the old Adam, the ‘flesh’.


NECESSITY OF SELF DISCIPLINE

There is a primordial bifurcation that exists in every human person (Cf. Cor 5:17). There is a division between the true self and the false self; the old Adam and the new Adam; the flesh and the spirit. The tension between the true self and the false self necessitates self discipline. Self discipline helps the Christian to renounce the false self and nourish the true self. The ultimate goal of self discipline is wholeness and holiness. These are some of the reasons self discipline is absolutely indispensable in Christian life.


OVERCOMING SINS

It is virtually impossible to overcome a bad habit or sin without self discipline. The Christian has huge propensity to commit sin. He does want he does not want to do, and does not do what he wants to do. There is a ‘law of sin’ active in every human being (Cf. Rom 7:15-25). Self discipline assists the human will shackled to sin.  It can also be a ‘proactive’ measure to avoid sin and the numerous occasions of sin. Noble desire without self discipline is not sufficient to overcome sin.


 ACQUIRING VIRTUES

Self discipline is indispensable in acquiring a new habit or virtue. Virtue is the habit of doing good. To acquire, develop and persevere in a new virtue requires an enormous dose of self discipline. For example, it takes an incredible dose of discipline to pray constantly in the face of so many distractions from within and without. Self discipline is the foundation of virtues. Life of virtues will only be a mirage for the Christian that lacks self discipline.


OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS

It is difficult to navigate the flow and flux of life without encountering some temptations. Temptations are part of human existence. And confronting and overcoming unavoidable temptations is one the crucial struggles of Christian life. Without self discipline confronting temptations will be an exercise in futility. I discipline my body and keep it under control (1Cor 9:27). Lack of self discipline renders the Christian vulnerable and defenseless- an easy target to vicious temptations of life.


FULFILLING  ONE’S VOCATION IN LIFE

Self discipline prepares and positions the Christian for higher calling or responsibility.  Joseph became the prime minister of ancient Egypt through his dedication to personal discipline. Daniel and his friends attained spiritual and moral maturity through self discipline. Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah because she kept herself unsullied (Lk 2:26-38). Divine providence visits the disciplined Christian with stupendous opportunities. The whole universe conspires to assist those who enjoy self discipline.

Bearing Fruits in Holiness

The bible makes it abundantly clear that Christians must bear fruits in holiness. The bible often describes God as the farmer and Children of God as the vine. God plants, cultivates, tends and protects the vine. And he expects to find bountiful fruits at the harvest time (Cf. Lk 13:6-9). The spiritual fruits are obvious- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  (Cf. Gal 5:22-23)

God created and redeemed us. He gave us everything we need to bear fruits in holiness- gifts, talents, commandments and sacraments. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.    As he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him in love (Eph 1:3-4).

God gave us his only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus gave up his life for us on the cross. He gave up his life as the expiating sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus also gave us his body and blood in the Blessed Sacrament. He has given us everything we need to bear fruits in holiness. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2Pet 1:3).

Yet the Scripture is replete with examples of individuals or groups of people who utterly failed to bear fruits in holiness. The Pharisees easily come to mind. They observed the laws, ordinances, precepts in the Old Testament.  They participated in all the rituals in the temple and often went to the synagogue to listen to the Word of God. They always attended the prayers in the synagogue. Yet all these religious activities bore no fruits in holiness. Jesus often accused them of hypocrisy. Jesus compared them to white washed sepulcher- beautiful outside but full of dead bones inside (Matt 23:27-28)

St Paul was a very zealous Pharisee. He dedicated himself to the study and observance of the laws. Circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrew parentage, in observance of the law a Pharisee, in zeal he persecuted the church, in righteousness based on the law he was blameless (Cf. Phil 3:4-6). Yet Paul was not producing fruits in holiness until his conversion on the way to Damascus.

Every Christian is expected to bear abundant fruits in holiness. Fruit-bearing is the hallmark of Christian life. It defines the Christian. It gives him identity and confirmation as a child of God. The presence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit gives Christian life validity. Every good tree bears good fruit (Matt 7:17). Christian life that abounds in the fruits of the Holy Spirit is rich, meaningful and fulfilling.  Fruit- bearing is the best form of bearing witness to the Gospel, best method of evangelization. Our eternal reward will ultimately depend on how spiritually productive we are as Christians.

A ‘fruitless’ Christian life is not worth living.  The vine that fails to produce fruits will be cut down and burnt. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Matt 3:10, Is 27:4)). Who can blame the farmer for cutting down an unfruitful vine?  The unfruitful Christian life is a worthless life.

Six Degrees of Love of God

The ultimate goal of Christian life is union with God.  This intimate union is attained through perfection of our love for God. The more we love God the closer we are united with Him. There are varied degrees of love of God. St Bonaventure (the Seraphic doctor), in one of his spiritual classics (The Triple Way) enumerates the six degrees of love of God. According to him, Christians proceed in a gradual and orderly fashion by six degrees until they reach perfection. We do not attain perfection of love of God in a day. For many us, it is a very slow and painful process.


DELIGHTFUL LOVE

In this first stage, the Christian tastes and sees that the Lord is good (Cf. Ps 34:8). He experiences the love of God in a personal and intimate way. He becomes aware of the enormity, abundance and gratuitousness of love of God.  Enjoying the sweetness of the Lord, he is absolutely delighted. He is overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. This experience occurs during quiet prayer or meditation. Meditation on the love of God provides valuable insights to the mind and sweetness to the heart.


AVID LOVE

At this stage, the Christian becomes dissatisfied with his present level of loving intimacy with God. He desires more intimate, closer union with God. He experiences a deep hunger, deep yearning for God. And he is painfully aware that nothing in this world, nothing equal to him or below him can satisfy this spiritual hunger. Like a deer that yearns for running water, his soul yearns for the living God (Cf. Ps 42:1). This insatiable hunger testifies to the transcendental nature of human beings. Human beings are created to reach out to something higher than themselves.


SATISFYING LOVE

The Christian is so filled with God that nothing below God can satisfy him. He does not derive any pleasure in the things of this world. Having been completely satisfied in God, nothing again can satisfy him. Because the soul has tasted the sweetness of God’s love, everything becomes distasteful to him. He perceives the material things of this world as ‘worthless so that he may gain Christ.’ (Cf. Phil 3:8). Nothing temporal or ephemeral can console the soul deeply satisfied with the love of God.


INTOXICATING LOVE

The Christian is drunken with love of God. He is totally inebriated. At this stage, the Christian is neither afraid nor ashamed of the cross. He embraces the cross, whatever it is. For the sake of love of God he accepts pain, discomforts, abuse, persecution and challenges of life. He is willing to make up for whatever is lacking in the suffering of Christ (Cf. Col 1:24). He cheerfully drinks the cup of suffering to the dregs out of the profound love he has for God. He lovingly carries his cross everyday and follows Christ.


REASSURING LOVE

The Christians feels so secured in the love of God that he is strongly convinced that nothing can separate him from God. What can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness…  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present… will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord (Cf. Rom 8:35-39). He believes that God’s faithful love will never fail. So the Christian lives in conscious reassurance of God’s love.


RESTFUL LOVE

At this stage the Christian attains the ultimate perfection of love of God. Here the Christian finally rest in the love of God. He is quiet and totally at peace with God. Even in the midst of the cacophony and turbulence of this world, he enjoys profound serenity.  In God alone is his soul at absolute rest (Cf. Ps 62:5). Relaxing in the tranquil love of God, nothing can disturb or perturb him. Freed from ‘the goad of craving and the sting of fear’ he is at peace in the love of Christ.