Message for the Third Sunday in Lent

Today’s readings talk about the LIVING WATER. All of us know the great use of water. It is a commodity which God has made available in abundance for our use. In this meditation we will focus on the spiritual side of its usefulness.

In the first reading the Book of Exodus 17:3-7 is telling us of the thirst for water and how God through the great leader made it available. Let us make it as our constant effort to call on to God who listens and provides. We should never complain or accuse but trust and enjoy his blessings of Him who stands besides us. “I will be standing there in front of you on the rock in Horeb”. This is the promise of love. Hence we will not limit it to our physical need but ask for the living water which can refresh our spiritual life.

St. Paul to the Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 is telling us of the ‘Apostolic Virtues of Faith, Hope and Love’. He says, “Since we have been justified by faith, ……… And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” This is the core of the message as we expect God to provide the Living Water’. The faith in God will take us to the hope for everlasting life and it is made available by loving God and others.

The conversation of Jesus with the Samaritan woman in John 4:5-42 is the best example of how the Living Water can spiritually nourish us and bring us into the company of the best believers. Jesus is not only the source and giver of the Living Water but He is the Way, the Truth and the life. He is the living water.

1) The Samaritan woman came as a sinner who avoids human company. She was only thinking of the water which will quench her physical thirst. If somebody gives her water which can quench her thirst once and for all and she does not have to come to the well again, she would be happy , this was her attitude.

2) The meeting with the Lord who is the giver of life who reveals to her all that she did and all that she is, totally changes her outlook towards life. She becomes the missionary of that Living Water.

3) People from the village come in contact with the giver of Living Water and come to a conclusion, “We no longer believe because of your word; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the savior of the world.”

Shall we draw from Jesus that ‘ Living Water’ for our spiritual nourishment ?

Message for the Second Sunday of Lent

Dear friends,

As in this holy and grace filled season, we go deeper and deeper in the mystery of love of the Father through the Son in the Spirit, we are told today that Jesus is THE BELOVED SON, IN WHOM GOD IS WELL PLEASED, WE MUST LISTEN TO HIM. Let us take the help of today’s readings to find out how we too would become God’s beloved sons/daughters, in whom He is well pleased.

The first reading from the book of Genesis 12:1-4 God tells Abram, “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.” And, “Abram went as the Lord directed him.” This is the most basic thing we need to do so that we go where God tells us to. Thus we become the beloved of the Father, in whom He is well pleased. Yes, Abraham did become His beloved and God was well pleased with him. He even obeyed God when he was told to sacrifice his only son.

St. Paul takes us still deeper and more in communion with the life of Jesus when he says in Timothy 1: 8-10, “Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.” Why does he say to us ‘your share’? Yes, it is a matter we need to take seriously. If Jesus is the head of the body and if we are the parts of that body, it goes without saying that we need to ‘bear our share.’ Let us willingly and joyfully suffer with Jesus. That can certainly make us beloved of the Father.

The Holy Gospel of Matthew 17:1-9 gives us the description of the TRANSFIGURATION. Why did Peter feel and express that, “Lord it is good to be here”?  Because it was good to be there. Why ? Because the Transfigured beauty of Jesus, reveals the heavenly glory . To feel it is good to be there is to feel it is good to be in heaven. This privilege is given to those who are, “ beloved to the Father, in whom He is well pleased."

What a powerful and yet sublime path to become the beloved sons and daughters of the Father and confirm our seat in heaven!

Message for the Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear friends,

Thanks to your prayers and best wishes. I had very refreshing vacation. After a word of welcome, almost each one of you asked me about my vacation. In the course of time I will surely share with you the good things I experienced during my vacation.

Today I wish to tell you just one thing and that is, ‘I prayer for you.’ What is a great thing about it. I prayed for you at the shrine and tomb of St. Alphonsa, the Second saint from India. St. Gonsalo Garcia is the first. As per God’s love and the faith of the simple, humble people, Christians and non-Christians, lot of miracles are taking place at this shrine. I spent 45 minutes in prayer uninterrupted. What I asked for you through her intercession of St. Alphonsa is that all of us may ‘DO THE WILL OF GOD’ and become ‘GODLY MEN’. This is what the holy Gospel tells us today. Do the will of God and all of us will enter the kingdom of to heaven. This is the promise of love from Jesus. This is our theme today and we will meditate on it.
The first reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 11: 18,26-28, in the first place asking us, Take these words of mine into your heart and soul.” In other words Moses is asking the chosen people of God to take the word of God seriously. Secondly it says, “Be careful to observe all the statues and decrees that I set before you today.” This will be the best way of ‘Doing the Will of God.’

The second reading Rom. 3 : 21-25, 28 further enables us to do the will of God by asking us to do everything for the ‘Glory of God’. This is done, ‘through faith in Jesus Christ’. This will all the more take us closer to do the will of God.
Finally we see St. Matthew 7:21-27 . from the sermon of Jesus on the mount. Jesus is not only showing us the best way to do the will of God. During the great flood in Nashville in May 2010 we have closely watched the houses moving and falling down and has caused too much of loss of property. A powerful suggestion Jesus makes today is to ‘BUILT OUR SPIRITUAL HOUSE ON ROCK’.

Shall we take seriously these words of Jesus?