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FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT [Part II]

Pentecost Sunday

THEME: FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT [Part II]
SOLEMN FEAST OF PENTECOST

Last Sunday, we considered what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit in the lives Jesus Christ and other persons in the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.  Today, we shall apply what we have learnt to our personal lives.

TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT:

From the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, we learnt that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, He may enable us to:

  1. Receive divine knowledge or revelation like St. Elizabeth;
  2. Praise God like Zechariah;
  3. Prophesy like Zechariah;
  4. Have victory over evil like Jesus Christ;
  5. Faithfully and successfully execute our mission like Jesus;
  6. Speak in foreign tongues  like the apostles and disciples;
  7. Proclaim boldly like the disciples;
  8. Defend our faith with courage and wisdom like St. Peter and the others;
  9. Be a true witness of Christ like St. Paul;
  10. Endure persecution like St. Paul and the disciples;
  11. Render faithful service to the Church like the first seven deacons;
  12. Receive grace, faith and other gifts like St. Stephen; and
  13. Be holy and have an ecstatic experience like St. Stephen.

In short, then, to be filled with the Spirit is to exhibit some of the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. Generally, one person cannot have all the gifts, but he/she is expected to bear all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned by St. Paul in Gal. 5:22-23.

HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

As a vehicle cannot run without fuel, so the Christian cannot operate without the Holy Spirit. He is the fuel for our Spiritual Life.  We receive our initial fueling by the Holy Spirit at Baptism; and we have a special re-fueling at Confirmation.  But as a vehicle has to be fueled regularly, so the Christian needs the constant re-filling by the Holy Spirit.   The fueling or re-fueling is a free gift from the Spirit of God, but we need to clean our spiritual ‘fuel tanks’ and we need to have a spiritual ‘fuel dispenser’ (or hose) in place.  We clean our ‘fuel tanks’ through repentance and Confession; and the following make up our ‘fuel dispenser’: the sacraments, prayer, fasting, works of charity, worship, devotion, reading and mediating on the Word of God, good moral life, etc….

CONCLUSION

Beloved, let us renew our commitment to clean our spiritual ‘fuel tanks’ and to keep our spiritual ‘fuel dispenser’ running.  With this, may we enjoy the abundant re-fueling by the Holy Spirit this Pentecost and beyond, amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT [Part I]

Filled with the Holy Spirit

THEME: FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT [Part I]
READINGS: Acts 7:55-60/ Rev. 22:12-14, 16-17, 20/ John 17:20-26
7th Sunday of Easter

Last Thursday was the feast of our Lord’s Ascension.  On the day of his Ascension, our Lord asked his disciples to remain in Jerusalem for the reception of the Holy Spirit. They waited in prayer and on the tenth day, the Day of Pentecost, they received the powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  So we are also in a period of prayerful waiting between last Thursday and next Sunday, the feast of Pentecost.  In this period the messages focus on the Holy Spirit.

Looking through the readings of today, I find a message about the Holy Spirit in the very first verse of the first reading. It describes Stephen as ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 7:55).  So for today and next Sunday, we shall consider what it means to be ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, or to be ‘full of the Holy Spirit’.

St. Luke is the author of the Acts of the Apostles, so we intend to look at what he means by being ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ in both his Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles.

In Luke’s Gospel, the expression ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ is used at least thrice and in the Acts of the Apostles, at least nine times.

LUKE’S GOSPEL

  1. 1.      In Luke 1:41-44, Elizabeth, ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’, exclaimed before her visiting young cousin, Mary: ‘Why is it that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?’  Thus, the Holy Spirit enabled Elizabeth to have a revelation: that her young cousin, whose pregnancy she had no previous knowledge of, was carrying the Son of God in her womb.
  2. 2.      Secondly, Zechariah was ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ to praise God and prophesy after his tongue was loosened at the naming of his son (Luke 1:67-79).
  3. Thirdly, St. Luke says, Jesus was ‘filled with the Holy Spirit’ after his baptism; and he was then led by the Spirit to the desert (Luke 4:1).  Thus, anointed with the Holy Spirit Jesus had victory over Satan in his temptations, and he faithfully and successfully accomplished his mission.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

  1. Acts 2:4 = On the day of Pentecost, the apostles and other disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit who enabled them to speak in foreign tongues and to proclaim boldly.
  2. Acts 4:8 = Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, courageously addressed the Sanhedrin, the very ‘Supreme Court’ which tried Jesus. It is also amazing how an illiterate fisherman confounded the ‘Supreme Court’ with divine knowledge and wisdom (cf. Luke 12: 11-12).
  3. Acts 4:31 = when the believers had prayed, they were filled with the Holy Spirit who enabled them to continue to proclaim the Word with boldness.
  4. Acts 9:17 = Ananias told the blind Saul that he was to regain his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit so as to be the witness of Jesus in many towns and nations.
  5. Acts 13:8-9 = St. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, prevailed over the magician, Elymas (at Paphos).
  6. Acts 13:52 = the disciples (including St. Paul) were filled with the Holy Spirit to withstand a persecution in Antioch in Pisidia.

ST. STEPHEN (We single out St. Stephen because of a special mention of him in today’s first reading):

  1. Acts 6:3 = the criteria for choosing Stephen and six others to serve as deacons were ‘respected men, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.’
  2. Acts 6:5-10 = Stephen is singled out as a man ‘full of faith and Holy Spirit’.  Thus, filled with the Holy Spirit, who gave him grace, power, the gifts of miracles and wisdom, St. Stephen easily defeated the men from the Synagogue of Freedom who engaged him in arguments.
  3. Acts 7:55-60 = ‘Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus sitting at God’s right hand.’   Thus, the Holy Spirit graced St. Stephen with ‘beatific’ vision and personal holiness.

Part I – Conclusion

Beloved, as we look forward to considering what it means to be personally filled with the Holy Spirit, we pray that we shall so prepare ourselves (by prayers, meditation on the Word, confession of sins) such that on the feast of Pentecost we shall experience a gentle yet a greater stirring of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and minds.  Amen!

TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT:

From the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, we learn that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, he may enable us to:

  1. Receive divine knowledge or revelation like St. Elizabeth;
  2. Praise God like Zechariah;
  3. Prophesy like Zechariah;
  4. Have victory over evil like Jesus Christ;
  5. Faithfully and successfully execute our mission like Jesus;
  6. Speak in foreign tongues  like the apostles and disciples;
  7. Proclaim boldly like the disciples;
  8. Defend our faith with courage and wisdom like St. Peter and the others;
  9. Be a true witness of Christ like St. Paul;
  10. Endure persecution like St. Paul and the disciples;
  11. Render faithful service to the Church like the first seven deacons;
  12. Receive grace, faith and other gifts like St. Stephen; and
  13. Be holy and have an ecstatic experience like St. Stephen.

In short, then, to be filled with the Spirit is to exhibit some of the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. Generally, one person cannot have all the gifts, but he/she is expected to bear all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned by St. Paul in Gal. 5:22-23.

HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

As a vehicle cannot run without fuel, so the Christian cannot operate without the Holy Spirit. He is the fuel for our Spiritual Life.  We receive our initial fueling by the Holy Spirit at Baptism; and we have a special re-fueling at Confirmation.  But as a vehicle has to be fueled regularly, so the Christian needs the constant re-filling by the Holy Spirit.   The fueling or re-fueling is a free gift from the Spirit of God, but we need to clean our spiritual ‘fuel tanks’ and we need to have a spiritual ‘fuel dispenser’ (or hose) in place.  We clean our ‘fuel tanks’ through repentance and Confession; and the following make up our ‘fuel dispenser’: the sacraments, prayer, fasting, works of charity, worship, devotion, reading and mediating on the Word of God, good moral life, etc….

CONCLUSION

Beloved, let us renew our commitment to clean our spiritual ‘fuel tanks’ and to keep our spiritual ‘fuel dispenser’ running.  With this, may we enjoy the abundant re-fueling by the Holy Spirit this Pentecost and beyond, amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

THE HOLY SPIRIT – PARACLETE AND TEACHER

Holy Spirit

THEME: THE HOLY SPIRIT – PARACLETE AND TEACHER
READINGS: Acts 15: 1– 2, 22 – 29/ Rev. 21:10-14, 22 – 23/ John 14: 23 – 29
6th Sunday of Easter

The solemn feast of Pentecost is just two weeks away and today’s gospel reading affords us the opportunity to meditation on the Holy Spirit.  According to this reading, Jesus told his disciples [at the Last Supper]: ‘I have said these things to you while still with you; but the PARACLETE, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will TEACH you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you’ (John 14:25-26). I have, therefore, entitled today’s message: ‘The Holy Spirit – Paraclete and Teacher.’

PARACLETE:

The name ‘Paraclete’ is a transliteration of the Greek word, ‘parakletos’ which has several meanings: it was used to refer to one’s advocate/lawyer, consoler/comforter or counselor.

ADVOCATE: As our advocate, the Holy Spirit is on our side and speaks on our behalf.  Thus, St. Paul writes: ‘the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groaning which cannot be uttered’ (Rom. 8:27). Secondly as our advocate, the Holy Spirit protects us from evil spirits.  The safety of our souls is absolutely assured in the Holy Spirit, because no spirit can withstand the Spirit of God!

COMFORTER: As a lawyer would do for a discouraged client [accused of serious crime], the Holy Spirit comforts us when we experience the difficulties of life; he encourages us to persevere in our lives.  So let us call upon him in difficult times.

COUNSELOR: As a lawyer may counsel his/her client [regarding what to say at the court hearing], so the Holy Spirit counsels us in many ways:

  • When we have to answer for our Christian faith.  Jesus says: ‘when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, what you should say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say’ (Luke 12:11-12).
  • When we have to discern and make a good decision.  For instance, in today’s first reading on the question of whether gentile male converts should be circumcised or not, the apostles declared that the Holy Spirit inspired their discernment and decision (Acts 15: 28).  Similarly, if through prayer and obedience to the Holy Spirit, we remain in constant touch with him, He will guide us with divine wisdom in the choices or decisions we have to make in our daily lives.

TEACHER:

Jesus, as mentioned already, told his disciples: the Holy Spirit ‘will TEACH you everything and remind you of all that I have said to you.’ Thus, in the first reading, we see the Holy Spirit teaching the apostles about the essential requirements of salvation in Jesus Christ.  Even today the Spirit of God continues to play this teaching role in various ways and through different people:

  • Through the pope and bishops, the successors of St. Peter and the group of apostles, the Holy Spirit continues to teach us.
  • Through the priests, in their teaching and preaching, the Spirit continues to teach us.
  • Through parents, catechists and other Christian religious teachers, the Spirit continues to teach children and students.
  • And in our personal reading and meditation on the Word of God, the Spirit continues to teach us.

CONCLUSION:

Through our participation in the nine days of prayers [Pentecost Novena], may we begin to experience more the Holy Spirit as our Paraclete and Teacher:

  • May we experience more his advocacy in our prayers and in our fight against evil, amen!
  • May we experience more his encouragement and strength in difficult and challenging times, amen!
  • May more of his counsels abound in our lives especially in our important decision making moments, amen!
  • And, may we never depart from the truths of his divine teaching, amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

NEW HEAVEN, NEW EARTH

New Heavens New Earth

THEME: NEW HEAVEN, NEW EARTH
READINGS: Acts 14:21-27/ Rev. 21:1-5/ John 13:31-35
5th Sunday of Easter

The Bible begins with the story of the creation of the heavens and the earth by God (Gen. 1:2) and it ends in the Book of Revelation with the message of the re-creation of heaven and earth by God: John said he ‘saw a new heaven and a new earth’ (Rev. 21:1; second reading).

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth through His Word (Jn. 1:1-3); and at the appointed time, He re-creates heaven and earth through the same Word-made-flesh (Jn. 1:14). By His incarnation, death and resurrection the Word of God, Jesus Christ, recreates heaven and earth: He, who is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, who died but now lives forever, and who holds the keys of death and hell (Rev. 1:8, 17-18) says, ‘behold, I make all things new’ (Rev. 21:5).

By taking on human flesh, Jesus Christ has given a new value to our human nature; by dying He has re-cycled our sin and death (the consequence of sin); and by rising He produced a new product: eternal life – we shall live forever in heaven (death is no longer our end).

NEW HEAVEN

The new heaven does not mean that the nature of heaven has been recreated; rather it means that the composition of the citizenship of heaven has been changed; for now mere mortals (men, women, children) are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20), where only God and His angels used to live: ‘I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”’(Rev. 7:9-10).  Imagine: you and I are being invited to join the great multitude that changes the composition of heaven!  Can you imagine that we are part of the process of making heaven new?

Secondly, we enter heaven not with our mortal bodies, but with a resurrected and glorious body: a new body which the present physical body cannot be compared with in any way (1 Cor. 15:35-44).  Simply put the new product is simply beyond our imagination!

NEW EARTH

The natures of land, mountains, seas, the physical human person, etc. have not changed since the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  So the new earth that John spoke about is not about the recreation of the physical earth and its inhabitants into a more beautiful physical earth.  Rather it is about the recreation of the minds, hearts and souls of people who live on this earth.

Illustration: if physically human beings are largely responsible for changing the surface of the earth through our labour, science and technology (ICT), then spiritually it is God who recreates the earth by changing the minds, hearts and souls of men, women and children.

Thus, since the incarnation-death-resurrection of Jesus Christ, when God looks on this earth He sees a new creation: many more human souls full of faith in God, human hearts full of love for God, human minds seeking greater knowledge of God.  And all this, in the sure hope of enjoying the new product (everlasting life in heaven) and in appreciation of the God who so loved the world the He gave us His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but have eternal life (Jn. 3:16).

CONCLUSION: NEW COMMANDMENT

If God has so much loved us – offering us a new earth and new heaven at the cost of the most precious life of His only Son – then we need to respond with love like His.  In any another way, we could say that the citizens of a new earth and a new heaven operate with a new commandment: ‘Love one another as I have love you’, says the Lord (Jn. 13:34; gospel reading).  Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

The LORD my Shepherd


THEME: THE GOOD SHEPHERD
READINGS: Acts 13:14, 43-52/ Rev. 7:9, 14-17/ John 10:27-30
4th Sunday of Easter

‘I am the Good Shepherd; the Good Shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep’, says Jesus Christ (Jn. 10:11).  To appreciate this statement of our Lord, who laid down His life on the cross for our salvation, let us first consider the use of the image of ‘shepherd’ in the Old Testament.

OLD TESTAMENT:

The Israelites saw their leaders or kings as shepherds (Ezek. 34).  Above all, they saw God himself as their shepherd; hence we have the most popular psalm, which runs: ‘The Lord is my shepherd …’ (Ps. 23).  Furthermore, in Ps. 80, they described the way God brought them safely from Egypt to the Promised Land like a caring shepherd leading his flock safely home. Several other Psalms refer to God as shepherd and his people as sheep or flock.

But what qualities did the Israelites of old see in ordinary shepherds that they referred to their leaders and even God as shepherds.  William Barclay mentions the following as some of the qualities found among responsible shepherds in the earlier nomadic communities of Israel:

  • they exercised constant vigilance over their flocks so that none of the animals went astray nor was attacked,
  •  they exhibited fearless courage in the face of wild beasts [because they were expected to produce evidence if any of the sheep was killed by a beast (Exo. 22:13); the evidence could be 2 legs of the sheep or an ear (Amos 3:12); remember David, before his battle with Goliath, told King Saul how he had rescued his father’s sheep from the mouth of lions and even killed lions and bears (1 Sam. 17:34-36)].
  • some of them sacrificed their lives in the process of protecting the animals from wild beasts and armed robbers,
  • they showed patient love for strayed sheep, and
  • they were caring providers who led their flock to where they could feed.

While sometimes the Israelites were disappointed in their leaders for lacking the above shepherd-qualities (Ezek. 34), they saw all these qualities and more in God.  So, for instance, when they said: ‘the Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want’ [they believed in his constant vigilance and caring provision].

NEW TESTAMENT

In the New Testament, Jesus, the Son of God, truly embodies all the above qualities; so he can rightly be called the GOOD SHEPHERD (John 10: 1-18).

  • Constant Vigilance: Jesus constantly watches over us: ‘All that the Father gives me will come to me, and the one who comes to me I will by no means cast out. … This is the will of the Father who sent me, that I should lose none of those he has given me’ (John 6:37-39).  We would be eternally grateful to him if we could see just one of his countless acts of vigilance over us: his protection against ‘spiritual anopheles mosquitoes’ which fly over us every night while we are asleep!
  • Fearless Courage: Jesus knew what awaited him in Jerusalem, but in order to save us, he fearlessly went there, even in a public manner.  Again, like a courageous shepherd fearlessly embracing the danger awaiting him, he told his disciples at the Last Supper: ‘All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written, “I will strike the SHEPHERD, and the sheep will be scattered.”’ (Mark 14:27).
  • Selfless Sacrifice: Jesus says, ‘I am the GOOD SHEPHERD, I lay down my life for my sheep. … I lay down my life of my own accord’ (John 10:11, 18).  Out of love,he has offered the one perfect sacrifice to save us all.
  • Patient Love: Jesus looks for the one lost sheep among the 100 sheep (Luke 15:1-7).  Consider how many times we sin and yet he constantly looks for us and brings us to the Father.
  • Caring Provider: Jesus said, ‘I am the door; if anyone enters, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find PASTURE. … I have come that you might have life and have it in abundance’ (John 10:9-10).

In the New Testament, the leaders of the church are also referred to us shepherds.  Jesus, after his resurrection, told St. Peter to feed His sheep and lambs (Jn. 21:15-17).  St. Peter took up the responsibility seriously and in his first letter he called upon other leaders of the church to be true shepherds.

Finally, borrowing the words of St. Peter, I pray that priests/pastors will ‘shepherd the flock which God has entrusted to [us], guarding it not out of obligation but willingly for God’s sake; not as [those] looking for profit but with a generous heart; [that we will] not lord it over those in [our] care, rather be an example to [our] flock.  Then when the CHIEF SHEPHERD appears, [we] will be given a crown of unfading glory’ (1 Peter 5:2-4).  Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!

Jesus is risen

THEME: JESUS CHRIST IS RISEN INDEED!
READINGS: Acts 5: 27-32, 40-41/ Rev. 5:11-14/ John 21:1-19
3rd Sunday of Easter

The Gospels narrate several events after the resurrection of Jesus Christ with twin reasons: (a) to affirm that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead indeed; (b) so that we may believe in Him and be saved.  This is very clear in John’s Gospel, which states that these events have been‘recorded so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing this you may have life through His name’ (Jn. 20:30-31).

To affirm that Jesus has risen from the dead,

  • John’s Gospel tells us that Mary Magdalene and co. saw an empty grave (Jn. 20:1-5);
  • If the empty was not a sufficient proof of the Lord’s resurrection for Magdalene, the risen Jesus Christ appeared to her (Jn. 20:11-18);
  • So beloved there is not only an empty grave, Jesus appeared after His resurrection;
  • And He appeared not only to Mary Magdalene (whose testimony some disciples initially doubted), but to the large group of disciples as well;
  • And to clear any doubt that they were day-dreaming, the risen Lord appeared to the group of disciples several times: today’s gospel event is the third time He was appearing to them (Jn. 21:14);
  • To disciples like Thomas and Nathaniel who would not rely on the testimony of even“senior” disciples like Peter and co., Jesus would appear (Jn. 20:26-29 [last Sunday’s gospel]; and Jn. 21:1-5 [today’s gospel]);
  • To those who thought His appearance was that of a ghost Jesus said: ‘touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bone as you can see I have’ (Luke 24:39).
  • Still not convinced that it is the Risen Lord? He ate in their presence (Luke 24:41-43)!
  • If like Thomas, one is still not sure of who appeared to the disciples: thinking that probably it was a stranger or an angel of the Lord who visited them, Jesus proved that He who was crucified was the one who is risen, by showing the disciples the crucifixion marks on His hands, feet and side (Luke 24:39) – as if to say that the ‘surgical marks’ prove that I am the very person who went through the surgery of your salvation!
  • Still not satisfied? After His resurrection, Jesus performed some of the miracles He had performed before His crucifixion.  For instance, in His ministry Jesus performed a miracle of a big catch of fish by Peter and co. (Luke 5:5-11); and after His resurrection, He performed a similar miracle (John 21:1-10 [today’s gospel]); with this miracle, it was no wonder that the beloved disciple recognized the Risen Lord immediately, He said: ‘IT IS THE LORD’ (John 21:7)!

Furthermore, some stories in the Acts of the Apostles give us an ‘icing on the cake’: because Jesus is risen, miracles could be performed in His name.  For instance, Peter and John performed miracles in His name – they told the lame beggar: ‘silver and gold we have none, but in the name of Jesus get up and walk!’ And instantly he was healed (Acts 3:6-8)!  Jesus is risen and alive indeed, alleluia!

Beloved, did Jesus not predict that He would be arrested in Jerusalem and that He would suffer? He did.  And did it not happen? It did happen.  Did He not predict that He would be crucified?  He did.  And did it not happen? It did happen.  And did He not predict His resurrection?  He did.  Why do some people have problem in accepting that He arose, but they do not have problem with His arrest, suffering and death?

Beloved the truth is: JESUS, OUR LORD, IS RISEN INDEED!  ALLELUIA!  May our faith in the risen Lord be deepened and may He secure forever our eternal salvation!  Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

DIVINE MERCY

Jesus Divine Mercy

THEME: DIVINE MERCY
READINGS: Acts 5:12-16/ Rev. 1:9-13, 17-19/ John 20:19-31
2nd Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy)

Last weekend we commemorated the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Why did He undergo that experience for us?  Jesus suffered, died and resurrected so that we might be saved from our sins.  Hence at His very first meeting with His disciples after his resurrection, Jesus forgave them (by saying: ‘Peace be with you’ [Jn. 20:21]) and then empowered them with the ministry of forgiveness: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven’ (Jn. 20:22-23).  This forgiveness flows from God’s great mercy to mankind, which in turn flows from God’s love: ‘God loved us with so much love that he was generous with his mercy’ (Eph. 2:4).

The following story may help to illustrate the great love and mercy of God.  A couple had a son, to whom they gave the best of opportunities, as well as spiritual, moral and financial supports. But to their disappointment he became a failure due to truancy and drug addiction.  As a result, even in their 70s the couple had to take care of their 50-year old son who was jobless, lacked a stable mind, and was often abusive to them.

Similarly, God out of His great love invested generously in us by creating us in His image and likeness and entrusting the whole of creation to us.  Yet (in Adam and Eve) we sinned against him.  Secondly, like the elderly couple who did not abandon their wayward son, God has not abandoned us.  Rather out of His great love for us, He sacrificed His Son so that we might experience how generous is His mercy towards us!  Because of this unique sacrifice, God overlooks the punishment we deserve due to sin.

Beloved it might be frightening to think of the fact that God knows every sin we commit in thought or by word or by deed or by omission.  On the other hand it is more than refreshing to know that, because of divine mercy, God overlooks the punishment due to our many sins.  If God were do deal with us by only His justice, none of us would have probably survived the punishment due to a single slight sin.  There are, at least, two reasons why our so-called ‘slight sin’ against God deserves a great punishment. First, it is due to the fact that God is infinitely superior to us.  For instance, an assault on the president of a nation may carry a severer punishment than an assault on a labourer.  Second, it is because God has endowed us more than the rest of creation [created in His image and likeness as good persons and entrusted with the care of the rest of His good creation]. For instance, an assault on the president by a minister of state may be considered as more serious than an assault by a simple village farmer.

So beloved, if our so-called ‘slight sin’ deserves a severe punishment, and we commit several of them in a day, we can appreciate the mercy of God which overlooks not only our ‘slight sins’ but our ‘serious sins’ as well and allows us to live on for 40, 50, 60 … 100 years, enjoying His rainfall and sunshine for saints and sinners alike(cf. Mt. 5:45).

What is more? God is not only overlooking the punishment we deserve, He is eager to forgive us our sins.  That is, in view of the blood shed on Calvary, God wants to wipe away our sins as if we never sinned.  Beloved let us therefore acknowledge God’s great mercy by:

  • Expressing true contrition for our sins;
  • Confessing our sins;
  • Making use of His graces to overcome further sins in our lives.

Finally, may the divine assistance remain with us, and may the overwhelming divine mercy soften our hearts towards those who trespass against us, amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

THE RESURRECTION – JESUS MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE

The empty tomb of Jesus Christ

THEME: THE RESURRECTION– JESUS MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE
READINGS: Acts 10:34, 37-43/ Ps. 118/ Col. 3:1-4/ John 20:1-9.
Easter Sunday

By his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ has made the impossible possible.  As humans we sometimes encounter problems or difficulties that are simply impossible to resolve on our own.  A relation, for instance, is diagnosed of a terminal cancerous condition, and we realize that all the science, technology, medicine and money of the world cannot help.  Or, a dear one dies and we are grieved by the impossibility of bringing him/her back to life.  But, beloved, Jesus is capable of turning impossibilities into possibilities.

Mary Magdalene and her companions went to the tomb early that faithful resurrection morning worried about the impossibility of removing [by themselves] the huge stone from the entrance of the tomb (Mk. 16:3); but they were soon to realize that the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ had made the impossible possible in a spectacular way: the RESURRECTION power did not merely push the huge stone, it blew it away!

Consequently, they would soon realize that the removal of the stone was, after all, not a great impossibility, for Jesus made possible something far greater impossible: He arose from the dead!  Despite the fact that Mary Magdalene had heard Jesus say ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’ (Jn. 11:25) and she saw Him demonstrate it by raising her brother Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:43-44), the fact that Jesus would rise from the dead was not something she and her companions thought of as they tripped to the tomb; for they were only intent on embalming the dead body of the Lord.  However, in a matters of a few hours, they came to the realization that Jesus did not only say ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life’, that He did only raise some people from the dead, but that He was truly risen from the dead as He had promised (Mt. 16:21)! Praise the Lord!

Subsequently, the resurrection of Jesus would make many of His disciplescome to the realization that He is not merely human; He is not just a great prophet or miracle worker; He is truly Divine!  And this is what St. Thomas, who initially doubted, would affirm: ‘My Lord, and my GOD!’ (Jn. 20:28).  St. Thomas reasoned that only a Divine Person can do the impossible thing of rising from the dead!

Beloved, when Thomas and other disciples came to believe that Jesus is not only human but Divine as well, they came to realize [with hindsight] many other impossibilities that the Lord had made possible.  First of all, if Jesus is God, then the impossibility of the Almighty and All-holy God becoming a human being has been made possible: truly the Word of God, the Son of God, has become flesh and dwells among us (Jn. 1:14).  Secondly, the impossibility of a woman conceiving God had been made possible: Blessed Mary, a human being, conceived the Son of God.  Thirdly, the impossibility of the God being born as a human baby was made possible!  Other impossibilities made possible by our Divine Master include: water was changed into wine; He walked on the sea (lake); He fed over five thousand people with only five small loaves of bread.

Beloved, I can go on tracing many more impossibilities made possible in the earthly life of Jesus Christ, but let me return to the issue of His death and resurrection so that we can see how easily our Lord has handled the greatest human impossibilities. Firstly, even if a terminal cancer case ends in death, Jesus days: ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall he live’ (Jn. 11:25).  Secondly, however the believer dies, death is no longer the end of his/her life; for Jesus has made possible the impossible thing of turning our death into new life.  Lazarus was brought back to this earthly life where there is still sickness, suffering and death; but by His resurrection from the dead, Jesus is offering us something exceedingly greater: a new life in heaven where there is no sickness, sorrow, death or any other form of calamity, but only joy, joy and joy in the everlasting blissful presence of God!

In other words, Jesus has turned our end (death) into a new beginning; He has turned our worst end into the best beginning we can ever think: the end of earthly life has become beginning of ever-joyful life in heaven.  Beloved, Jesus has made possible the impossible thing of making human beings sons and daughters of God: citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20)!

Therefore, beloved, I pray that our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ may sustain us in the face of every problem or challenge, trusting firmly that what God has in store for us in heaven is far greater than we can imagine or think of, amen!

[Dear reader, you may also access the 2012 Easter Message: ‘THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST – KEY TO OUR FAITH’.]

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

THE CRUCIFIXION: SPIRITUAL VACCINATION

Icons of crucifixion of Jesus

THEME:THE CRUCIFIXION: SPIRITUAL VACCINATION
GOOD FRIDAY MEDITATION

In view of the Good Friday-Easter celebrations, a journalist confronted me with the question: ‘What would you say to those who think that the death of Jesus Christ was not necessary?’  Beloved this question is similar to what St. Paul was confronted with about 2000 years ago: the question of the meaninglessness or foolishness of the cross of Jesus Christ.  To this, St. Paul responded: ‘the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. …  We preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called Jews and Greeks [Africans and Europeans, Americans and Asians], Christ [crucified] is the power and wisdom of God’ to save us(1 Cor. 1:18, 23-24).

Beloved I would like to use vaccination to illustrate the meaning of the crucifixion of Christ: the power and wisdom of God to save us. The discovery of the use of vaccines has helped us a lot.  Most of us, since childhood, have been vaccinated several times – e.g. vaccinations against polio, yellow fever, chicken pox, hepatitis.But for such vaccinations many of us would have been very sick, disabled or would have even died already.

Vaccines are made from the virus or germ that causes the disease (e.g. polio).  The virus or germ is taken through a process by which it is weakened or killed, and then used to produce the vaccine, with which one is injected.  One’s body then develops immunity against the disease (e.g. polio).

Sin is the cause of our eternal death, for scripture says, ‘the wages of sin is death’.  So we could see sin as the virus or germ of our suffering and death.  And Jesus, to take away this virus (sin),had to take it upon himself and nail it to the cross of Calvary (cf. Col. 2:14).  In other words, by his death and resurrection Jesus has weakened or destroyed the potency of sin – the virus of suffering and death.  The spiritual vaccine that Jesus has produced,through his crucifixion and resurrection, is the grace of salvation; and it is by faith that we are injected by this vaccine: ‘even when we were dead in sins, God made us alive through Christ ….  For by grace you have been saved through faith’ (Eph. 2: 5-8).

You may, however, ask that if we have been vaccinated against suffering and death, why do we still suffer and die?  In the normal medical vaccination, the body system may take a while to adjust to the vaccine; sometimes some people even have reactions like fever.  Similarly, if we are suffering today, it is just the initial fever, alerting us that our souls are adjusting to the spiritual vaccination.

In other words, Jesus, the Divine Physician, who has vaccinated us through faith, cannot err.  So every bodily sickness or pain or suffering we experience is an assurance that our souls are adjusting well and our spiritual immune system is getting stronger and stronger.

So, I pray that every sickness or suffering you and I experience would make our souls healthier for heaven and that our death will prove that we have been eternally immunized against the fires of hell! Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

WAVE YOUR CHRISTIAN VICTORY FLAG

Palm Sunday

THEME: WAVE YOUR CHRISTIAN VICTORY FLAG
READINGS: Isaiah 50:4-7/ Phil. 2: 6-11/ Luke 22:14-23:56.
Palm Sunday

While we would wave our national flag if our national [football] team wins a championship, the Jews of the bible times would wave palm branches to celebrate their victories.  For example, around 170BC, the Maccabees led some fellow Jews to defeat the Greeks who had earlier on taken over Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple.  On the occasion of the purification of the Temple and the celebration of the victory, the Jews sang songs of praises to God while waving PALM and other branches (cf. 2 Macc. 10:7).

Thus, as Jesus entered Jerusalem on that faithful day – which we now call PALM Sunday – the jubilant crowd was celebrating the victories of the Jesus, their HERO!  They were celebrating the victories of Jesus over evil:

  • His victory over sickness [the many times he healed the sick, lame, blind…],
  • His victory over evil possessions,
  • His victory over hunger [e.g. feeding over 5,000 people with 5 loaves],
  • His victory in raising the dead [the most recent of which was the raising of Lazarus; this made many people want to see who Jesus was].

Beloved, as the crowd celebrated the victories of Jesus, they didn’t, however, know that they were welcoming him to the “stadium” for the greatest of all his victories – his victory over Satan on the latter’s own home ground.

Let me put it in another way.  Jesus had defeated Lucifer [Satan] in heaven; then the latter asked for a rematch on a neutral ground: earth.  Jesus accepted the challenge and for 33 years he defeated Satan [e.g. after his conception by Mary, the evil one suggested to Joseph to divorce Mary but he was defeated; after his birth, Satan wanted to kill the child through Herod, but he was defeated; after his baptism, Satan tempted Jesus as he fasted but he was defeated; in his ministry of teaching, healing and miracles, Satan was defeated numerous times].  Now Satan called for a match on his home ground: hell.  Jesus, confidently accepted the challenge, died and descended into “hell” and there defeated Satan 3 – 0, arising on the third day!

Beloved, Rev. 7:9-12 informs us that as the saints in heaven, with PALM branches in their hands, praised God and Christ, the Lamb of God, the angels responded by prostrating before the heavenly throne and worshipping with the words: ‘AMEN! BLESSING AND GLORY AND WISDOM, THANKSGIVING AND HONOUR AND POWER AND MIGHT, BE TO OUR GOD FOREVER AND EVER, AMEN!’

So we could say that as the crowds waved the PALM branches in Jerusalem, the angels, who had the fore-knowledge that it was the celebration of Jesus’ anticipatedvictory over Satan, were prostrating and worshipping in heaven!

Usually a victorious crowd has its victory song.  The crowd in Jerusalem were shouting: ‘HOSANNA to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’ (Mk. 11:9-10). The ‘Hosanna’ in the victory song means ‘SAVE US!’ or ‘SALVATION’.  The saints in heaven with PALM branches also sang a similar victory song: ‘SALVATION belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’ (Rev. 7:10).Therefore, let us join the saints to sing: ‘HOSANNA to the Son of David! … SALVATION belongs to our God and to the Lamb of God!’

Beloved, since the victory of Jesus for our salvation is an everlasting victory, let us always wave our VICTORY FLAG – let us wave, in the church and outside the church, our PALM branches:

  • P – Prayer
  • A – Adoration [worship God]
  • L – Lifestyle [good lifestyle]
  • M – Mercy [deeds of mercy and forgiveness; for Jesus says, it is mercy that God desires (Mt. 9:13)]

And, anytime we wave our PALM branches of PRAYER, ADORATION, good LIFESTYLE, and deeds of MERCY, may the angels respond with their worship in heaven! Amen!  And may we one day be part of the heavenly saints with PALM branches and witness “LIVE” the angels prostrating before the throne of God and of the Lamb of God! Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis