Tag Archives: Jesus

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

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

GOD FIRST

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness by James Tissot (1836–1902)

THEME: GOD FIRST
READINGS: Deut. 26: 4 – 10/ Rom. 10:8-13/ Luke 4: 1 – 13
1st Sunday of Lent

On this very first Sunday of Lent, the Word of God reminds us that God is first and he must be first in our lives!  So, beloved, if God is not holding the unique first place in our lives, then let us ‘re-position’ him: GOD FIRST!

FIRST READING:

In anticipation of the Israelites entering the Promised Land, Moses instructed them to place GOD FIRST when they entered it and prospered.  He knew his people were capable of abandoning God once they succeeded; he had in mind the precedence of his people worshipping the golden calf and claiming it had delivered them from slavery in Egypt.

Moses instructed that: they were to place God first by offering him the first fruit of the land and confessing the humble beginnings of their ancestors and how God had made them great.  Similarly, beloved, when we succeed or make good progress in life, let us not forget the God of our success or progress.

Some of us, like the Israelites of old, have a problem handling success or progress. For instance, a student passes his/her exams and the first thing he thinks of is, not about thanking and praising God, but going out to ‘chill’. Where is God in this?

Yes God may help us to succeed, but his priority is not success but faithfulness; so let us be faithful to God! He should be first and above our success!

GOSPEL READING:

In the story of the gospel reading, Jesus was tempted three times, but he remained faithful to his Father; he placed the will of his Father above everything else (cf. John 4:34).

THE FIRST TEMPTATION was for Jesus to turn stones into bread after his fast.  This meant that he was tempted to use his power/position for selfish gains, or to ‘bribe’ people to become his followers.  The good news is that Jesus resisted and overcame this temptation by making the WORD of his FATHER FIRST: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God’ (Deut. 8:3; Luke 4:4).

IN THE SECOND TEMPTATION, the devil showed Jesus all the earthly kingdoms and promised to give them to Jesus if he worshipped him.  Thus, Jesus was tempted to worship a ‘god’ other than his Father, or to compromise on his faith and mission, but he did not give in.

ON THE THIRD OCCASION, JESUS WAS TEMPTED to be sensational or to put God to the test by jumping down from the pinnacle of the Temple.  Again, Jesus overcame this temptation by putting GOD FIRST – and not to the TEST.   Students do not examine their teachers, and so we should avoid putting God to the test.  We should, for instance, avoid always looking for signs and wonders before believing in God.

CONCLUSION:

Beloved, let us put GOD ALWAYS FIRST:

  • When we succeed in life, let us remember our humble beginnings and remain faithful to God who blesses us.
  • When we are tempted to misuse or abuse our power or position, let us remember where the power or position has come from and remain selfless and humble, making GOD FIRST.
  • When we are tempted to compromise on our faith/principle or worship another god, let us remember the FIRST commandment, and maintain GOD FIRST.
  • When tempted to be sensational, let us seek to decrease so God will increase as the FIRST, AND SUPREME BEING! Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

CREATED AND REDEEMED TO LOVE

Jesus loves you

THEME: CREATED AND REDEEMED TO LOVE
READINGS: Jeremiah 1: 4-5, 17-19/ 1 Cor. 12: 31-13:13/ Luke 4: 21-30
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The message of the Lord to the prophet Jeremiah is to all of us: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you’ (Jer. 1:4).  Beloved, we have been created not by chance, but out of the will and LOVE of God: He made a free and deliberate choice to create each of us, and acted on it accordingly.  So we have become living beings out of the LOVE of God!  [You may read Psalm 139 to appreciate more how wonderfully God has made us.]

Created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26) who is LOVE (1 Jn. 4:8), we have been ‘designed’ to LOVE.  Indeed, we have not only been created out of God’s LOVE, we have also been redeemed out of His LOVE: ‘For God so LOVED the world that He gave us His only Son that whosoever believes may not perish but have eternal life’ (Jn. 3:16); and ‘greater LOVE has no one than to lay down his/her life for his/her friends’ (Jn. 15:13).

Created and redeemed by divine LOVE, we are to LOVE God in return and to demonstrate our love for Him by loving others, also created in the image and likeness of Divine LOVE (1 Jn. 4:7-16). The word ‘love’, however, can be misused and misinterpreted as it often happens on Valentine Day (soon to be celebrated).  To prevent us from the ‘valentinization’ of love, let us consider St. Paul’s ‘definition’ of LOVE in the second reading.

I would like to illustrate St. Paul’s definition with the human HEART, which often symbolizes LOVE.  Indeed, LOVE is the HEART of life – both spiritual and social life.  As the human heart distributes blood which supplies nutrients (vitamins, proteins) to the various parts of the body, so LOVE supplies nourishment to our spiritual and social life.  St. Paul tells us some of the vitamins and proteins that LOVE supplies to various parts of our social-spiritual life: patience [vitamin A], kindness [vitamin B1], contentment [vitamin B2], humility [vitamin B3], forgiveness [vitamin B4], mercy [vitamin B5], tolerance [vitamin B6], selflessness [vitamin C], truth [vitamin D], politeness [vitamin E], trust [white blood cell], and endurance [red blood cell] (1 Cor. 13:4-7).

Beloved anytime, for instance, we are patient with or kind to someone else, LOVE (the HEART of our life) supplies vitality [vitamins] into the stream of not only our social life but our spiritual life as well; because whatever act of patience or kindness is done to the least of the brethren is done to the Lord as well (Mt. 25:31-40).  Similarly, anytime we don’t keep a record of an offense done against us, but rather forgive, LOVE (the HEART of our life) supplies vitality [vitamins] into the stream of not only our social life but our spiritual life as well; for the Father forgives us our trespasses as we forgive those of others.  And, anytime we are humble, LOVE (the HEART of our life) supplies vitality [vitamin] into the stream of not only our social life but our spiritual life as well; for God exalts the humble.  Etc.

Finally, then, as any shortage of blood supply to any part of the human body can become a problem, so let us persevere in LOVE, constantly supplying our spiritual and social life with good nourishment.  But if we are short of the blood of LOVE, let us pray to the Lord Jesus Christ to infuse into us a new supply of His most precious and redeeming blood shed on the cross of Calvary. Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST

baptism of Jesus

THEME: THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
READINGS: Isaiah 43:1-7/ Acts 8:14-17/ Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

We sometimes wonder why Jesus Christ (divine and sinless) had to go in for the baptism (by John the Baptist) which was meant for repentance.  In fact, John himself initially resisted baptizing Jesus (Matt. 3:14).  With the assistance of some of the [Saints,] St. Ambrose and St. Chrysostom, let us reflect on why our Lord was baptized.

St. Ambrose says, Jesus, being a wise Master does not teach only by words but also by practice:

  • To teach humility and service, he washed the feet of his apostles;
  • To teach the greatest act of love; he died on the cross.
  • And so, to teach his apostles to go out and baptize, he accepted to be baptized.

So, beloved may our actions preach the Gospel louder than our words!

The baptism of Jesus Christ became a moment of revelation.  First and foremost he entered the Jordan to be baptized so as to be revealed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This, the Baptist himself would testify: ‘There is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world…. I myself did not know him, but I came baptizing to prepare for him, so that he might be revealed in Israel…’ (John 1:29-34). May Jesus, the Lamb of God, cleanse us of every sin we confess, amen!

Secondly, then, the baptism of Jesus at the Jordan revealed him as the Messiah of Israel and the Son of God. Messiah (or Christ) means the Anointed One, and Jesus, as St. Peter proclaimed to Cornelius and his household, was Anointed at his baptism with the Holy Spirit and power (cf. Acts 10:37-38).  In addition, Jesus Christ was revealed not as a mere ‘man of God’ (as we may refer to a prophet or saint), but as the Son, the Only Begotten One of God (John 1:18).  This is very clear in the heavenly voice of the Father: ‘This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ (Luke 3:22).  May all baptized persons, through Christ, remain forever cherished children of God, amen!

Thirdly, St. Ambrose says that our Lord was baptized not that he might be cleansed by the waters, but rather to cleanse the waters, so that they might possess the power of baptism. Thus, Christ leaves the waters sanctified for the baptism of those who would come to believe in him. May we, by the power of the Holy Spirit, be sanctified unto salvation, amen!

Fourthly, Christ’s baptism announces the beginning of his public ministry. For about 30 years (Luke 3:23) he was waiting for the right time to begin his ministry in order to bring his mission to its ultimate end; and Jesus saw John’s ministry as an indicator to begin his own ministry.  The Father’s voice gave approval to Christ’s decision and the Spirit strengthened him for the task ahead. May we always seek and receive God’s approval for all our good plans and endeavours, amen!

Finally let us listen to St. Chrysostom: Christ indeed had already manifested himself at his birth by many signs, but because men would not consult them, he who had in the meantime remained secret, again more clearly revealed himself in a second birth (the baptism). For formerly a star in the heavens, but now the Father at the waves of Jordan declared him, as the Holy Spirit descended upon him, pouring forth that voice over the head of him who was baptized.  Christ was revealed first by a star and secondly by a dove; so may the things, persons and events we encounter everyday reveal ever more to us the goodness and saving power of God, amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH – THE FAMILY MODEL

miraculous picture face of Holy Family

READINGS: Sirach 3:3-6, 12-14/ Colossians 3:12-21/ Luke 3:41-52
THEME: JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH – THE FAMILY MODEL
FEAST OF HOLY FAMILY

The wisdom of the church fittingly places the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph within the week of the celebration of the birth of our Saviour.  By so doing we are reminded of the importance of the birth and growth of children in the context of marriage and family: father (man, not woman), mother (woman, not man) and children. [The extended family is not forgotten, but that is not the focus of this homily.]  We are also reminded of the need for each member of the family to fully embrace his/her responsibilities for the mutual benefits of all.  In these and other areas of family life, Jesus, Mother Mary and St. Joseph are presented to us the ultimate model.  I will just highlight a few points in this homily.

Though we do not have detail records of how Jesus, Mother Mary and St. Joseph lived together, there is no doubt that despite the challenges they faced, they experienced the joy and peace which come with living together in selfless love and care for one another.  Could we make it a New Year resolution to show more selfless love and care towards other family members so God may bless our family with joy and peace throughout 2013?

Is it not very comforting and reassuring when one is in some kind of difficulty (e.g. sickness, loss of job) and other members of the family show genuine understanding, concern and support? After careful thought, prayers and aided by a dream, this is exactly what St. Joseph showed St. Mary whose conception he was initially confused about.  Look at all the troubles St. Joseph had to go through for the expectant Mother Mary and the child Jesus, whose conception he was not responsible for!  Joseph is indeed a great model for us to exhibit true understanding and selfless support for members of our families who may be in some kind of difficulty.

Is it not heart-warming when one feels most welcome at home or by the family even when they do not understand or agree with him/her on some issues?  When St. Joseph and Mother Mary found the boy Jesus in the temple, they did not understand his reply to Mary’s question, and yet their response was that of a warm acceptance of him (gospel reading).  This is a challenge to us: to make a child, parent or spouse accepted and cherished even when we do not understand his/her actions nor agree with him/her.

Is it not a joy for parents when their children are obedient?  And Mother Mary and St. Joseph experienced this joy despite the challenges they faced as mere humans handling the Divine Child; for after finding him in the temple, he went with them home in ‘Nazareth and lived under their authority’ (Lk. 2:51). If he who is divine lived under the authority of mere human parents, then whatever higher status [as doctors, MDs, professors, presidents] we achieve in life, obedience to our parents should not disappear from our hearts.  Here I would like each of other us to soberly reflect on the first reading:

The Lord honoured the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons.

Whoever honours his father atones for sins, and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure. Whoever honours his father will be gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will be heard. Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother.

O son [daughter], help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives; even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance, in all your strength do not despise him. For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14).

Are our hearts not full of gratitude for our parents when, in retrospect, see the investments of time, treasure, toil and tears they made into our spiritual, moral, social and professional upbringing?  Today, parents invest a lot towards the future social-professional standings of their children; how the Lord wishes that parents could invest, at least, that much towards the future spiritual-moral standings of their children.  Parents should learn from St. Joseph and Mother Mary who gave the boy Jesus a spiritual upbringing not only by words but also by deeds: ‘every year his parents used to go to [the temple in] Jerusalem for the feast’ (Lk. 2:41).  [They faithfully made the over 200km Nazareth-Jerusalem-Nazareth journey by ancient means of transport.]

Finally, let us consider the fruits that the investments (of parents) and the good efforts of the children may yield.  There is joy in the whole family when children make good progress in life: be it a spiritual, academic or career progress.  The growing Jesus, the gospel reading concluded, ‘increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favourwith God and with people’ (Lk. 2:52).  And this certainly delighted his parents.  Therefore, assisted by divine grace, let us all make good efforts to progress spiritually, socially, academically/professionally to the glory of God and to the joy of our families!

Have a Happy New Year with God’s blessings on your families, yourselves and your endeavours.  Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

CHRISTMAS – THE FEAST OF GIFTS

infant Jesus

READINGS: Isaiah 52:7-10/ Heb. 1:1-6/ John 1:1-18
THEME: CHRISTMAS – THE FEAST OF GIFTS
CHRISTMAS HOMILY

Christmas is a feast of gifts:  God has given us the most precious gift in his only Son, Jesus, born in Bethlehem; and we, in turn, in appreciation to and in emulation of him, give gifts to others.

Beloved, try to recall a great gift you once received.  How did you feel on that day?  Probably you felt you were on top of the world.  Now could you remember a day you felt very disappointed because someone gave you a gift that did not meet your expectation?  Gifts are often given to express love, thoughtfulness and well-wishing.  However, the recipient may or may not be pleased with a gift depending on his/her disposition, expectations and circumstances.

There is a story about a man (Kofi), who every Christmas gave gifts of progressively higher values to his wife (Ama).  For the first year after their holy matrimony, Kofi gave a wrist watch to Ama; she received it with joy.  The following year, Kofi gave Ama an expensive mobile phone; she was likewise pleased with the gift.  On the occasion of their third Christmas, Ama was given an expensive jewelry; and she was very pleased.  For their fourth Christmas, Kofi placed in a big box the key of a new car he had purchased for Ama.  When she received the box, she wondered why it was so light, but when she opened it, she was exceedingly surprised by the car key she saw with the accompanying note: ‘Go to Silver Star Company for your new Benz car.’  Ama’s excitement knew no bounds; you could imagine how she expressed special gratitude to and deeper love for Kofi.

The following Christmas, it took Kofi a great deal of thinking and praying to settle on what greater gift to give to his wife.  He finally thought: ‘I have given her a lot of material gifts, so I have to give her something spiritual this Christmas.’  Hence, he decided to give her what, he believed, is the greatest gift: Jesus Christ.  He took a box, bigger than the previous year’s; and he placed in it a beautiful life-size picture of the infant Jesus, with a note, which read: ‘Ama, behold the greatest gift.  May Christ, whose birthday we celebrate, fill your heart and mine with exceeding joy, and make us united in love and prosperous for the rest of our lives, crowning it all with eternal life!’  The expected ‘Amen’ from Ama never followed.

Meanwhile, Ama, from the first commercial adverts on the season of Christmas, had been wondering about what special gift (greater than the Benz car) Kofi would give her.  Now, when she opened the big box and she saw its contents Ama was terribly disappointed.  Spontaneously throwing the picture at Kofi, she said: ‘What do you mean? Are you serious? Did I marry Jesus or you?’  Thus, the good intention of Kofi and the unmet ‘higher’ expectation of Ama began the woes in their marriage.

Like Kofi, God gave mankind gifts of progressively higher values, culminating in the gift of Jesus Christ (cf. Heb.1:1-6, our second reading).  What God has given us is his greatest gift, because Jesus Christ is the only Son of God (John 3:16) and Jesus himself is truly God (John 1:1, 14, the gospel reading).  Secondly, it was out of love that God gave us the gift of his only Son (John 3:16).  Unfortunately, many of us, like Ama, do not appreciate this most precious gift of God, nor do we appreciate the depth of the love God has shown us through this gift. Today’s gospel reading expresses an aspect of mankind’s ingratitude for God’s gift as follows: Jesus ‘was already in the world and through him the world was made, the very world that did not know him.  He came to his own, yet his own people did not receive him’ (John1:10-11).

Beloved, unlike Ama who threw away the picture of Jesus, let us not throw away Jesus from our lives.  Rather, like Kofi, let us whole-heartedly accept God’s greatest gift, Jesus, THE VERY REASON FOR THIS SEASON.   Secondly, let us constantly show our gratitude to God by these and other ways:

  • A prayerful life of constant gratitude to God for the most lovely gift of his Son;
  • Joining the faithful of God in regular worship [this is a reminder to those who are Christmas-Easter church-goers];
  • Being ourselves GIFTS to others and the larger societies; and
  • Giving generously to friends and the needy in this season of Christmas and beyond.

I wish you all, A MERRY CHRISTMAS and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis

BETHLEHEM

Christ is born

READINGS: Micah 5:1-4/ Ps. 80/ Heb. 10:5-10/ Luke 1:39-45
THEME: BETHLEHEM
4th SUNDAY OF ADVENT

None of us determined where he/she was born, but some parents may plan and determine the exact places of birth of their children. Some young women of developing countries even travel abroad to give birth, so that their children could become citizens of developed countries.  While the fortunes of some persons may be enhanced by their places of births (e.g. an African born in the USA), Jesus has rather placed the insignificant town of Bethlehem (cf. Matt. 2:6) in the ‘hall of fame’ of human history.  As Christmas approaches, therefore, it will be good to reflect on the significance of the birth-place of our Saviour.

Bethlehem was quite a little town (cf. Micah 5:1-2, the first reading), situated about 9.5km to the south of Jerusalem.   In the olden days it had been called Ephrata (cf. first reading).  It was in Bethlehem, that Ruth and Boaz, the great-grandparents of King David married (Ruth 1:22) – hence, it became the hometown of the king.  According to St. Luke when the Roman Emperor decreed that everyone should go to his/ her hometown for the census, Joseph, being a descendant of David, went to Judea to David’s town of Bethlehem to be registered with Mary who was with child (Luke 2:1-5).

The name Bethlehem, according to William Barclay, means ‘House of Bread’. He explains that this was because Bethlehem stood in a fertile countryside in contrast to the general rough land of Judah.

SOME LESSONS

From the above I would like us to take the following brief lessons:

  • When Ruth had lost her husband she travelled to Bethlehem and it was there that she found Boaz to marry her. Her desire was fulfilled there. When God promised to send mankind a Saviour, His promise was fulfilled in Bethlehem. Thus, figuratively Bethlehem is a ‘place’ where God’s promises are fulfilled. God meets us in our own little ‘Bethlehems’ when His promises are fulfilled in our lives, or our dreams are realized.
  • Bethlehem was a little, humble town, but God did the greatest miracle there. When we humble ourselves, He will lift us up.
  • Related to the preceding point, we could say that God sees more potentials in us than we can see and believe about ourselves. Let us, therefore, not despair easily; He has not finished with us; He will never give up on us, so we should never give up.
  • When we bear fruit in our Christian lives, we could see ourselves as being good branches on Jesus, the True Vine (John 15:1-5) on the fertile land of Bethlehem.
  • Furthermore, Bethlehem meaning ‘House of Bread’ should remind us that God provides us with our daily bread [He provides for the poor and needy through us].
  • Finally, Jesus, the Bread of Heaven, was born in the ‘House of Bread’ to be received as the Bread of Life for all mankind. Let us, therefore, receive him by faith and reverence, in Holy Communion, so that He may always live in us unto eternal life.  Amen!

By Very Rev. Fr. John Louis