Message for the Second Sunday of Easter

                     It will be almost impossible to think of Divine Mercy Sunday without Pope John Paul II. If you ask me to describe Pope John Paul II in one sentence, I would be forced to say, “A man who has generously distributed the Diving Mercy by being in touch with God’s people through his hundreds of visits throughout the world.”  How could he do it ?

                       

                    The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47 explains it by saying , “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life to the breading of bread and to prayers.”  This is the powerful tool Blessed John Paul II, the great used. Be together with the people through communal life through prayer. 

                       The second reading from the first letter of St. Peter 1:3-9 has the best development in the generous distribution of the Divine Mercy when he says, “Blessed be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His Great Mercy gave us a new  birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ………..”  Hence the only  and  most powerful  source of Diving Mercy  is, THE RESURRECTION OF  JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD.” 

                     The most important work of the Risen Lord is to pass on that authority of generously distributing the Divine Mercy. In the Gospel of St. John 20:19-31  Jesus says, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”  What greater fruit of  Divine Mercy one can have than have ‘Peace of Christ’ after being forgiven of sins.

                    I myself experienced  on February 9^th 1986 in Mumbai when Pope John Paul II came from Rome to touch me and give me the share of that Divine Mercy. There were hundreds of priests vested  to concelebrate with the Pope. As he came in and ascended the altar. First he went to his left side and touched and blessed many priests. I was at the left side. As he came to the centre of the stage, we could read the sign language of  Simon Cardinal Pimenta pointing  his right hand to the altar suggesting to begin the mass. Pope in turn pointed his left hand towards us priests at his left saying, ‘I want to touch these priests too’. He did come, and I who  took my place in the front row was able to touch his both hands and kiss his ring.  I said to myself “He came all the way from Rome to Bombay  to  touch me, distribute ‘Divine Mercy’ to me. He has strengthened us. We too can distribute that Divine Mercy to every one around us.   

Message for Easter Sunday

Do I dare say, ‘Happy Easter’???

Dear friends in the Risen Lord, 

                                  

                                                  Let us  meditate today on ‘What we should  mean when  we wish HAPPY EASTER  to each other. We Christians believe that Jesus suffered, died and on the third day rose from His grave. This belief in the first place leads to accept that Jesus is God and with His Divine Power He has Risen. He is alive. This belief also connects us with the Hope of rising from our sinful state to the state of  pure life in Christ. So when  we wish, ‘HAPPY EASTER,’ we should mean that life of hope in the Risen Lord, the life of  Eternity, to ourselves and to each other.  

                                                  The readings of the Holy Mass of the Vigil of Easter , so beautifully explain  by telling us about the CREATION, REDEMPTION  and SANCTIFICATION. Genesis Chapter One, verse one onwards we have the account of  creation.  But from verse 26^th onwards we have the account of creation of man, male and female, according to God’s own image and likeness and this is the only creation to whom God gives commands and pronounced His blessing. This goes to say man is somebody compared to all other creation. Only man has eternal soul and it has to go back to God who is in heaven. The rest of the readings from the Book of Exodus, prophet Isaiah, prophet Baruch,  prophet Ezekiel describe the Salvation History.

                                               It is Holy Saturday morning when I am typing this message. This makes me think of the ‘First Holy Saturday’ when the body of Jesus was in the grave. One thing was sure  to those people that no body has come back to life once it is placed in the sepulchre. Everybody must have been in great anxiety.  Satan must be extremely busy telling  ‘He is not going to rise’. The Apostles, disciples, the authorities of the Jews and everyone who might have read or heard that, He said, he would rise, must have been confused. One can understand to some extent the anxiety of those people on that ‘First Holy Saturday’. How about us ? When Jesus has proved as Risen, Living and Loving Lord for two thousand and eleven years, shall we still leave in that anxiety?

                                             If I wish one ‘HAPPY EASTER’ and doubt about at the next moment the words of Jesus, “I am the Resurrection and the Life”. What best wish that could be?

In that case,  ‘Do I dare say, Happy Easter???’                                                 

Message for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

Dear friends in Christ,

     We have been preparing, by works of charity and self-sacrifice, for the celebration of Our Lord’s paschal mystery. On Palm Sunday we come together to begin this solemn celebration in union with the whole Church throughout the world. As we are united in heart and mind in union with God and one another, we are well prepared to enter into this paschal mystery which leads us to the most joyous feast of the resurrection.
  

     As we bless the palms we read the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 21:1-11, which describes the solemn entry of Jesus into Jerusalem saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’ hosanna in the highest.”  This entry is to celebrate the paschal mystery. This entry is to suffer, die and rise. This entry is to perform the act of salvation and freed us from the bondage of sin.

   
     The first reading  of  the Holy Mass on ‘Passion Sunday’ is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 50:4-7 which describes and prefigures for us the act of salvation. Though the Lord was treated so badly, still he says, “The Lord God is my help. Therefore I am not disgraced;  I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.”  With these words the Lord of life even encourages us when we walk the countless stations of life.

     One of the most beautiful passages which explains the beauty and sublimity of the act of  Jesus while he brought about Salvation is  from the letter of St. Paul to Philippians 2:6-11. This lovely little passage brings us to the knowledge that,  

“Because of this, God greatly exalted  him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

                  
     Finally the Holy Gospel, the Passion of Our Lord Jesus according to St. Matthew 26:14-27:66 is the actual description of  Our Lord has done for us. Let us do it in His memory.

Wishing you a very fruitful Holy Week.

Message for the Fifth Sunday in Lent

My dear friends,

                          Last Sunday four of our candidates from the Church of the Assumption and six of our candidates from  St. Pius X Church received their Sacrament of Confirmation. Saturday April 9, 2011 at 5.30p.m. Mass  nine and on Sunday May 8^th  at 8.30a.m. Mass  eight of our lovely little children will   make their First Holy Communion. As these children grow in our company we must also see to it that  their  sacramental life flourishes. That is what Jesus is telling us today, “I am the Resurrection, I am the life.”  Let us try to meditate on how to achieve it.

                  Today’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel 37;12-14 is promising us that,  “I will put my Spirit in you that you may live.”  And he continues that promise, “ Thus you shall know that I am the Lord. I have promised, and I will do it says the Lord.”  In this promise of Our good and faithful Father, we must believe and that faith  will be the beginning of receiving the life from Him.

                    St. Paul to the Romans 8:8-11 confirms that promise when he says,

“ …The one who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through his Spirit dwelling in you.” Let us claim  this promise in faith and love.

                 The story of raising of Lazarus in the Gospel of St. John 11:1-45 is a powerful example of what Jesus can do those whom he loves. What else do we need than the life in Christ?  Shall we say with Martha, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world”?  This kind of faith will give us the experience of the kind Martha had. She could see her brother coming out of his grave after being there for four days. Lazarus receives back his life and  Martha, who believed Jesus as Resurrection and life,  sees it instantly.

                What is life? Who is life? Jesus is our life. Let us learn to live in perfect communion with  Jesus and enjoy life.

Message for the Fourth Sunday in Lent

Welcome to the Laetare (“Rejoice”) Sunday. The fourth Sunday of Lent is traditionally known as ‘Laetare Sunday, so-called from the first word of the antiphon at the Introit. Laetare, taken from the Latin translation of "REJOICE with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her; Exult, exult with her all you who were mourning over her!" Is. 66:10-11, sets the tone of joyful anticipation of the Easter mystery, as does the permitted us of rose-colored vestment. Likewise, musical instruments may also be played at Mass, and the altar may be decorated with flowers. All this goes to say that our three weeks observance of prayers, fast and almsgiving has brought us the joy of Easter. Hence we must BELIEVE AND WORSHIP Our Lord Jesus Christ to possess this joy.

The first reading from the first Book of Samuel 16:1,5-7,10-13 says, “ Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” If we want to believe and worship, we should be able to show our hearts as pleasing to God.

The Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 5:8-14 describes Jesus as Light. “ ……….. for everything that becomes visible is light. Therefore, it says: ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” If we want to see Jesus the Light, we need to come close to Him.

The Holy Gospel according to John 9:1-41 describes the long story of the blind man. There were many objections to the act of Jesus on the Sabbath day. They tried to prove whether it is the same man. The man who came in contact with Jesus, the man who saw Jesus as prophet, Messiah and Light was able to see Jesus as He should be seen. He had courage to admit that Jesus is the one who gave me sight. “I do believe Lord,” and he worshiped him.

He came among us to lead us from darkness into the light of faith. Only Christ can give us His light and enable us to see and REJOICE.