My dear brothers and sisters, why do we begin everything in the NAME of the Father, in the NAME of the Son and in the NAME of the Holy Spirit?
By doing so, we begin each and everything by taking the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in our minds, in our hearts, on our left and on our right. We bless ourselves by enveloping ourselves with the Trinity. In today’s message, with the help of the Word of God, I am going to make my humble effort to tell you one of the many blessings the Trinity gives us.
Today’s first reading, which is taken from the book of Proverbs 8:22-31, tells us: “Thus says the Wisdom of God."
Who is this Wisdom, and what is this Wisdom? It is Jesus personified. The further explanation in this reading will tell us how "the Lord" (The Father) used this Wisdom in the Spirit. The Trinity is at work to give us that Wisdom.
In the second reading, from the letter to Romans 5:1-5, St. Paul tells us how the Father, through His Son, in the Spirit--the Trinity--is at work to give us Peace (The Prince of Peace= Jesus): “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God (the Father) through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace (the Holy Spirit) in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God."
The Holy Gospel according to St. John 16:12-15 once again has a one word message, TRUTH (Jesus), as the work of the Trinity. “Everything that the Father has is mine (Jesus); for this reason I told you that he (the Holy Spirit) will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”
Let us enhance the work of the Trinity. Pass on that Wisdom by giving the Prince of Peace in Truth and Love.
Message For Pentecost
My dear friends, my theme for the solemnity of the Pentecost is one word COME. COME, HOLY SPIRIT.
How important it is to say to the Holy Spirit: COME. Holy Spirit is the most gentle person of the Trinity. Even if the door is open, He will not come in till we say with all politeness and love: COME!
It is also important to know the mind of the Father and the Son. How much they are interested in giving the Holy Spirit! Luke 11:13 says, "How much more will your heavenly Father give the Good Spirit to those who ask him!” Does this not go to say that the Father is interested in giving us the Holy Spirit? This also goes to say that the Father, through His Son, has paid a very high cost to give us the Holy Spirit.
Prayer is one of the most important practices in our lives. We find St. Paul telling us in Romans 8:26: “But in like manner the Spirit also helps our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings.”
If we believe this and if we are interested in praying well, today--Pentecost Sunday--is the best time to begin.
How important it is to say to the Holy Spirit: COME. Holy Spirit is the most gentle person of the Trinity. Even if the door is open, He will not come in till we say with all politeness and love: COME!
It is also important to know the mind of the Father and the Son. How much they are interested in giving the Holy Spirit! Luke 11:13 says, "How much more will your heavenly Father give the Good Spirit to those who ask him!” Does this not go to say that the Father is interested in giving us the Holy Spirit? This also goes to say that the Father, through His Son, has paid a very high cost to give us the Holy Spirit.
Prayer is one of the most important practices in our lives. We find St. Paul telling us in Romans 8:26: “But in like manner the Spirit also helps our weakness. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself pleads for us with unutterable groanings.”
If we believe this and if we are interested in praying well, today--Pentecost Sunday--is the best time to begin.
Ascension: The Need Of Transformation
The following is a special message from my guest, Father Sanjay Brahmne, who is visiting Nashville from my home diocese in India.
God has a special plan for every individual. Through this plan, the Glory of God is revealed to the whole world. But because of lack of sufficient knowledge, we fail to recognize His plans. Our knowledge gets multiplied by remaining with Him through the scripture. It develops our faith, and thus we remain in his love and prayer. If we lack the love of God, our life becomes sad and unhappy.
When you love God, the Holy Spirit transforms you. You remain no longer in darkness, but race light sparks from you. Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles brought new courage and knowledge. Apostles were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, they preached the word of God more vigorously and fearlessly.
Now it is our need to be transformed from our sinful status to a holy life. Let the Holy Spirit descend upon us on the feast of Ascension and bring us complete transformation which will glorify our heavenly Father and the Savior Jesus Christ. It will give us peace and happiness in the present life.
God has a special plan for every individual. Through this plan, the Glory of God is revealed to the whole world. But because of lack of sufficient knowledge, we fail to recognize His plans. Our knowledge gets multiplied by remaining with Him through the scripture. It develops our faith, and thus we remain in his love and prayer. If we lack the love of God, our life becomes sad and unhappy.
When you love God, the Holy Spirit transforms you. You remain no longer in darkness, but race light sparks from you. Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles brought new courage and knowledge. Apostles were transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thereafter, they preached the word of God more vigorously and fearlessly.
Now it is our need to be transformed from our sinful status to a holy life. Let the Holy Spirit descend upon us on the feast of Ascension and bring us complete transformation which will glorify our heavenly Father and the Savior Jesus Christ. It will give us peace and happiness in the present life.
Solemnity of the Ascension of Our Lord
Forty is a Biblical figure. The Lord Jesus after His Resurrection was taken up to heaven and took His place at the right hand of the Father. This is Ascension. What does it mean to us ?
The first reading from the Acts of the 1:1-11, St. Luke, first and foremost, tells us how orderly an account he gives us. In his Gospel, he gives us the account before the birth, during the birth, after the birth, hidden life, public life, passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension. The same author, who continues in his book, The Acts of Apostles, connects again with Ascension and continues the orderly account of what the Apostles, disciples and missionaries did with the help of the Holy Spirit. In this reading, at the very beginning he reminds us of the promise of the Father through His son, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This is the promise of the Ascension. We need to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. This is the outcome of the Ascension, and it is a greater necessity today than ever before.
In the second reading, St. Paul to the Ephesians 4:1-13 strongly advises us how to be His witnesses. Be a prisoner for the Lord. A prisoner can not do what he/she wants to do, but what the jailor commands and demands. Similarly, we need to be like St. Paul--prisoners for the Lord, doing exactly what the Lord wants us to do. His witnesses! I have seen and experienced the Risen Lord and I want to tell you about Him: “…until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.” This again is the fruit and the purpose of being taken for us and taking His seat at the right hand of the Father.
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 16:15-20 is the same command of the Lord Jesus, just before He was ascended into heaven: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” If we realize that we will be doing no favor to Jesus, but it will be a great privilege to us if we bring everyone to believe, be baptized and be saved, and if we will do at the cost of our lives as the Apostles, disciples and even till today the missionaries do, we will be great heroes in the kingdom of heaven.
As we wish one another "Happy Feast of the Ascension," shall we take up this sweet task most willingly and fulfill the command even if we must die as the Lord did for us?
The first reading from the Acts of the 1:1-11, St. Luke, first and foremost, tells us how orderly an account he gives us. In his Gospel, he gives us the account before the birth, during the birth, after the birth, hidden life, public life, passion, death, Resurrection and Ascension. The same author, who continues in his book, The Acts of Apostles, connects again with Ascension and continues the orderly account of what the Apostles, disciples and missionaries did with the help of the Holy Spirit. In this reading, at the very beginning he reminds us of the promise of the Father through His son, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
This is the promise of the Ascension. We need to be His witnesses to the ends of the earth. This is the outcome of the Ascension, and it is a greater necessity today than ever before.
In the second reading, St. Paul to the Ephesians 4:1-13 strongly advises us how to be His witnesses. Be a prisoner for the Lord. A prisoner can not do what he/she wants to do, but what the jailor commands and demands. Similarly, we need to be like St. Paul--prisoners for the Lord, doing exactly what the Lord wants us to do. His witnesses! I have seen and experienced the Risen Lord and I want to tell you about Him: “…until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature to manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.” This again is the fruit and the purpose of being taken for us and taking His seat at the right hand of the Father.
The Holy Gospel according to St. Mark 16:15-20 is the same command of the Lord Jesus, just before He was ascended into heaven: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” If we realize that we will be doing no favor to Jesus, but it will be a great privilege to us if we bring everyone to believe, be baptized and be saved, and if we will do at the cost of our lives as the Apostles, disciples and even till today the missionaries do, we will be great heroes in the kingdom of heaven.
As we wish one another "Happy Feast of the Ascension," shall we take up this sweet task most willingly and fulfill the command even if we must die as the Lord did for us?
Message for the Sixth Sunday of Easter
Dear Friends,
The sixth Sunday of the most joyful season of Easter brings us very powerful message. DWELLING is our theme for meditation. This is not an ordinary dwelling. It is most extraordinary dwelling of the Father, with the Son, in the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises us this dwelling. Jesus will make this dwelling possible to the one who loves Him and keeps His word. This is our heaven.
Shall we work on it? The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles 15:1-2; 22-29 tells us about the dissension and debate about the Mosaic practice. This is what the message sent: "It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage.”’
Let us only focus on one point from this decision of the Holy Spirit, namely ‘unlawful marriage’. If we want to show our love, and if we are interested in keeping his word, one of the most important practices is the "lawful marriage." If we take Genesis 1:28, we will be able to know that God, after creating man according to His own image and likeness, male and female He created them, He Himself blessed their marriage. How very important it is that we know the value of the sacrament of marriage. It is the climax of the Sacramental Life, and it will lead us to heaven if we love Jesus and keep His word.
The second reading is from the Book of Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 where an angel takes John and shows him the Holy City of Jerusalem. John says, “I saw no temple in the city for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.” This description of the heavenly Jerusalem tells us about the glory of God. This is the place we are going if we love Jesus and keep His word.
In the Holy Gospel according to John 14:23-29, Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” Here Jesus is extending the promise of His dwelling with us with the Father, in the Spirit, with the gift of Peace. This peace will make us rejoice.
Let us promise Jesus that we will love Him and will keep His word.
The sixth Sunday of the most joyful season of Easter brings us very powerful message. DWELLING is our theme for meditation. This is not an ordinary dwelling. It is most extraordinary dwelling of the Father, with the Son, in the Holy Spirit. Jesus promises us this dwelling. Jesus will make this dwelling possible to the one who loves Him and keeps His word. This is our heaven.
Shall we work on it? The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles 15:1-2; 22-29 tells us about the dissension and debate about the Mosaic practice. This is what the message sent: "It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage.”’
Let us only focus on one point from this decision of the Holy Spirit, namely ‘unlawful marriage’. If we want to show our love, and if we are interested in keeping his word, one of the most important practices is the "lawful marriage." If we take Genesis 1:28, we will be able to know that God, after creating man according to His own image and likeness, male and female He created them, He Himself blessed their marriage. How very important it is that we know the value of the sacrament of marriage. It is the climax of the Sacramental Life, and it will lead us to heaven if we love Jesus and keep His word.
The second reading is from the Book of Revelation 21:10-14, 22-23 where an angel takes John and shows him the Holy City of Jerusalem. John says, “I saw no temple in the city for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.” This description of the heavenly Jerusalem tells us about the glory of God. This is the place we are going if we love Jesus and keep His word.
In the Holy Gospel according to John 14:23-29, Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.” Here Jesus is extending the promise of His dwelling with us with the Father, in the Spirit, with the gift of Peace. This peace will make us rejoice.
Let us promise Jesus that we will love Him and will keep His word.
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