Let us make Crosses!

There are crosses made in God, silver, platinum, diamonds and other metals. God chose us to make this cross by using ourselves personally. I hope you all know where these ashes come from! The journey of the ashes is so fascinating in many ways: it was part of a tree so green and fresh coming into this world; had to be cut off from all that these palms were used to doing and was chosen in the ministry of worship; the first call was so painful that leaving a particular way of life to a life so different and full of surprises; the second call is even more crucial that it goes through a radical transformation experiencing the life of nothingness but now part of the tree of life: The Cross.

Every Christian is on the journey towards the Father. Our Church is a journeying Church. Children are not aware of the spectacular vocation that we receive at the sacrament of Baptism. Jesus tells us ‘I chose you’, thus every call is a choice of God. This awareness leads us to great heights in our spiritual formation that every time we come in contact with sacraments like Eucharist and Reconciliation and Anointing of the sick, we are filled with a numbing effect and chilled skin. We feel great, elated, blessed, honored, comforted, consoled, respected, loved, cared, forgiven, and owned by God.

Though these expressions could reveal the elevation of the palms metaphorically in the triumphant entry of Jesus to JRS, the joy is short-lived. That makes the 2^nd call so special to each one of us that we will be tested like Gold. This fire that burns the palms into ashes is the same fire that decorates the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This flame of love is the reason behind our repentance. We are ready to give up all that make us so powerful, arrogant, proud, important like the fresh palm into people of God’s Power, proud of our weaknesses, humble and loving as symbolized by the ashes.

These 40 days of lent are going to be very crucial to all of us as the readings today are reminding us to put more emphasis on our spiritual life, prayer life and social life filled with acts of charity and kindness. The journey cannot be backwards where we deny these ashes and prefer to stay on as fresh palms – being happy with temporary happiness or even deny the sacraments and say that we don’t need God anymore! – back to the palm tree! We have wandered far enough. Let us group together now to stand together as people of the Tree of Life. Let us make Crosses!

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Broadening the limits of love

‘Image’ and ‘likeness’ are the two words that signify the imprints of God on human beings. Though our body was created from the earth, our humanness was shaped by the divine power. The 'image' and 'likeness' of human beings is certainly different from the 'image' and 'likeness' of God. In us they are in constant need to reach perfection whereas in God they form a perfect order. Human beings are destined to reveal the image and likeness of God through our constant efforts to reach perfection.

Perfection in a skill is achieved through repeated practice; perfection in Christ is achieved through repeated efforts to love not just seven times, but seven times seventy times. Perfection is the unconditional love that does not expect anything in return; it is being generous with our love to all especially those who do not deserve our love. Today’s gospel teaches us that this love could at times be ‘unusual’ – out of the ordinary or strange or weird.

Relating to enemies is an art these days: Some cases take revenge; majority would show anger in different forms and ground the person by humiliating or disrespecting; most of us would live in that anger for a long time. We tend to live longer with our enmity than our enemies. Jesus’ lesson on ‘loving our enemies’ broadens the limits of love. Love is not the monopoly of good people: the perfection in love is the ascent of our hearts to God.

Though the enemies hurt Jesus on the way to Calvary, Jesus continued to love the enemies. God gives us strength in loving our enemies in the person of Veronica, Our Blessed Mother, Mary Magdalene and the Beloved disciple. The scars are nothing compared to the cooling towel of Veronica; the thorns are nothing compared to the embrace of the mother. Amen

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Delay in offering our sacrifices

Many say that it is good to shout and get out of our system when we are angry. Research in recent times show that letting it rip with anger actually escalates anger and aggression. Many psychologists promote relaxation, positive communication and change of environment and using humor are some of the ways of controlling anger.

Christianity brings out the importance of reconciliation in our anger management. Jesus is convinced that anger blinds truth and prevents us to take part in the work of God. It comes from Jesus’ personal experience on the anger of the Pharisees and the Scribes. They are blinded by their own anger so they are not able to see the person of Jesus. Their anger makes them to see false images of Jesus: a glutton, a drunkard and a friend of sinners.

Offering sacrifices to God is a prime worship in Judaism. It is one thing to be pure before we worship – God does not need sacrifice but our hearts; it is another to give God our due in due time. The reason for the delay in offering the sacrifice is our anger. If we do not have the intimacy with God, this delay is going to expand and our worship time will be filled with reconciliation rather than offering ourselves as true sacrifices.

Let us pray that God guides us in those challenging moments when we get angry and lose our balance, thus we may always see and experience the truth – the truth that will set us free. Amen.

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Ask me God! I will give!

We are aware of the fact that God is omniscient – one who knows everything. God knows exactly when we are going to ask what we are going to ask and how much we are going to ask. Asking God for needs is so innate and common in human beings. By asking God, we show our strong faith in God and also our humble submission before God that we depend on God. God after all does not need the list of things that we need!

There are two different ways of looking at our needs. Asking for wrong things and asking for the wrong things to wrong people. The best example here would be Adam. He wanted to become God – a strong urge in him through evil spirit and evil intention. He did not ask God for his needs rather, he asked the Devil for his needs: that lead him to his fate.

There is another way of looking at our needs: Asking for the right things to the right person. The best example here would be Solomon. He asked for wisdom. He asked God for it. Our needs necessarily bring out the element of the community and the good of the society.

As we reflect on asking God our needs, we need to remember that there is another angle where God asking us. God asked Mary to be the mother of His Son. There are many way God asks us to take part in the plan of salvation. How ready are we to respond to God by saying: ‘Ask and you will receive’. Let us imitate the generosity of God to give to God what belongs to God and give to others what belongs to others. Amen.

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The Sign of Jonah

The word ‘sign’ has many meanings. Ordinarily it could mean a symbol. In the Johannine tradition the word ‘sign’ means a miracle or a revelation of God through Jesus. In today’s Gospel we hear Jesus talks about ‘the sign of Jonah’. What does ‘the sign of Jonah’ mean? Does it refer to the life of Jonah, his vocation, his journey to Nineveh and his three days in the belly of the whale or his preaching in Nineveh? ‘The sign of Jonah’ is much deeper than Jonah and his life.

The point of reference for Jesus is the evil generation – a generation filled with sin and shame. ‘This generation is asking for a sign’: it is a struggle against faith - one of the most common problems of human beings in the modern world. It is a problem for God to solve.

Jesus when giving us the sign of Jonah tells us that God changed His mind over people’s repentance. If this evil generation has to get back the faith and turn to God, they are demanded to see the compassion, mercy and unconditional love of God. They have to see the clear sign that this evil generation has been forgiven and thus protected. That is the sign of Jonah.

We are able to see the compassion of God only in and through the person of Jesus. Jesus reveals that Heart of God thus stands as the only and the greatest source of God’s love for us.

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Fasting reminds us of our missionary spirit!

Most religions stress the personal effects of fasting: Hinduism talks about fasting as a form of meditation or manifestation of yogic power purifies mind, body and soul. It helps a person personally to be in tune with God. In Islam, fasting is seen as a way to learn the principle of sincere love towards God. One fasts for God and God alone. The enlightenment of Buddha in Buddhism is directly involved in fasting. Once again we see the personal effects of fasting here.

Only in Judaism and Christianity and particularly in today’s readings we see the social implications of fasting. Fasting is done in the presence of God; it motivates us to be influenced by the Spirit of God to do good. The moment one undertakes fasting, he or she is make a commitment to love God and neighbours in an unconditional way. The first reading is very strong on that: your fast ends in quarrelling and fighting. The essence of our fast is in being good at heart and doing good around.

Fasting limits our intake for the principle reason of unlimiting our love for God and others. It also reminds us our missionary spirit that we are called by God to be with Him and be sent out – thus it is related to bringing good news to the poor and needy.

When Jesus’ earthly ministry is over, we need to continue the spirit of Jesus in our fasting rooted in love for God and others. Let us pray that we continue to appreciate the value in Christian fasting as a surer way to accept God’s will. Amen.

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The Profit

Life is a gift freely given to us by God. God did not ask us as to whether we take up life or no – rather he just gave it to us. That is not a choice. We must take it: the choice is how we take life. The choices that we make in life show our character and personality. The house we build, the life partner we choose, the dress that wear – everything reflects our personal self such as children reflect the shade or imprints of the parents.

The readings today talk about life in God. Our life and death depend on our love for God and our adherence t the commands of God. Even if we have the whole world – if we are not in the love of God – we will be considered dead. Pessimistic people are people who choose both the choices – the choice of life and the choices of death. We are given a greater optimism by God to choose life. Now it is easy for us to answer the question: What profit is there for one to gain himself or herself and lose the whole world? We get everything.

This profit depends heavily on the grace and generosity of God. One gains himself or herself in and through the act of God. I lose myself because my choice is around the world. I gain myself because my choice is in and around God. Let us pray that our choices reflect our readiness to embrace God so that we may life and that life in fullness. Amen.

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