4th Sunday Easter Jesus is My Shepherd

Jesus is the good Shepherd who takes care of his flock
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
In the Old Testament, the image of the Shepherd is often applied to God as well as to the leaders of the people. The book of Exodus represents Yahweh several times as a shepherd. The prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel compare Yahweh’s care and protection of His people to that of a shepherd. “He is like a shepherd feeding his flock, gathering lambs in his arms, holding them against His breast and leading the mother ewes to their rest” (Is. 40:11). Ezekiel represents God as a loving shepherd who searches diligently for the lost sheep. Psalm 23 is David’s famous picture of God as The Good Shepherd: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me.”
Jesus makes three claims in today’s gospel. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd and calls us his sheep, his flock, and says that we hear his voice, he knows us, we follow him, he gives us eternal life, and we will never perish.
1. He knows his sheep and his sheep hear his voice: Just as the Palestinian shepherds knew each sheep of their flock by name, and the sheep knew their shepherd and his voice, even so Jesus knows each one of us, our needs, our merits and our faults. He loves us as we are, with all our limitations, and he expects us to return his love by keeping his words. He speaks to us at every Mass, through the Bible, through our pastors, through our parents, through our friends and through the events of our lives. C.S. Lewis wrote "God whispers to us in our pleasures, he speaks to us in our consciences, and he shouts to us in our pain!"
Jesus is our Shepherd and we are his followers, his flock. We listen to his voice, we hear his voice, we go where he leads us into greener pastures and we know that as long as we follow Jesus, we are safe. But, if we are going to be members of Jesus’ flock, we can’t belong to any other flocks. If we are going to let Jesus be our Good Shepherd, we can’t have any other shepherds. You can only follow one shepherd, and there is only one Good Shepherd. You can’t be members of several flocks at the same time.
2) He gives eternal life to us, his sheep, by receiving us into his sheepfold by Baptism, and by strengthening our faith, giving us his Holy Spirit in Confirmation. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep. I myself will look after and tend my sheep. (Ezek 34:8-9, 11)
God says in Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Let me figure out a judgment: After my death I was taken to the court for the final judgment. The prosecutor rose and said, “My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this man belongs in Hell.” He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole and in the past when I cheated others etc. etc. Satan told of other horrible perversions that were once in my life and more he spoke, the further down in my seat I sank. I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own lawyer, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about. Satan finished with a fury and said “This man belongs in Hell, he is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person who can prove otherwise”
Then my lawyer got up and said “Satan was correct in saying that this man had sinned, I won’t deny any of these allegations. And yes, the wage of sins is death and this man deserves to be punished.” Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, “However, I died on the cross so that this person might have eternal life and he has accepted me as his savior, so he is mine”
My Lord continued with “His name is written in the book of life and no one can snatch him from me. Satan still does not understand yet, this man is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.” As Jesus sat down, he quietly paused, looked at his Father and replied, “There is nothing else that needs to be done, I’ve done it all,”
God the Father lifted his mighty hand and slammed the gavel down and said, “This man is free- the penalty for him has already been paid in full, case is dismisses.”
Yes dear brothers and sisters Jesus paid in Full for each one of us to save us.
3) He protects his sheep by placing them in the loving hands of his Almighty Father. Without him to guide us and protect us, we are easy prey for the spiritual wolves of this world: that include the chief wolf, Satan, as well as seven other wolves: pride, greed, envy, gluttony, anger, lust and sloth.
Jesus says that no one can take us out of his hand, that no one can take us out of God’s hand that our lives are in good hands because we are in the hands of God. We are held in the palm of God.
We are in the “hand of God,” a beautiful expression of loving care. I have always resonated with the notion of being in the hand of God. I well remember how safe and secure I felt as a young child when my hand was held by the huge hand of my father as we walked down the street. I didn’t have to worry about anything. I have always felt that if God’s hand is anything like that big hand, we are safe indeed.
On the evening when Pope John XXIII announced the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council -- the first one since 1870 -- he couldn't sleep. Finally, he called himself to order: "Angelo Roncalli( that was his name), why aren't you sleeping? Who's running the church, you or the Holy Spirit? So sleep." And he did.
During her visit to the United Nations several years ago, Mother Theresa was approached by a diplomat who said, “I am not a Catholic, Mother. But I want to know: how should I pray.” The frail little nun took his burly hands in hers and spread out five of his fingers on one hand. “When you pray,” she said, “Think about the many blessings you have received; then, at the end of the day, count out on each finger the words spoken to you by Jesus: You.. did.. this.. for.. me. The diplomat left holding up his hand as though it were a trophy and saying: “You did this for me.” The love and peace of the Good Shepherd is present to us in the many moments of compassion that bless our lives. In kind words, in the listening ear, in the generous actions of others for us, there is Jesus, doing this for me. He is also present in the blessings we extend to others.
In the first part of chapter ten of John’s Gospel, Jesus adds two more roles to those of the good shepherd. He goes in search of stray lambs and heals the sick ones.
“God is my Shepherd; there is nothing I shall want” As we pray today for an increase in vocations let us also pray for a better understanding and appreciation of the life and work of ordained ministers so that more and more people avail themselves of the grace which God makes available through them.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

no revenge then sure Blessing

“Lord, do not hold this sin against them”
Are we all free my dear brothers and sisters? Most of our problems start when we keep the revenge and anger towards others in our hearts and are not ready to let go. Leviticus 19:18 - Thou shall not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. I am the Lord.
Rom 12:17 - Do not repay evil with evil... Do not avenge yourselves, but rather control your anger, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. So if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him drink, for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Exodus 34:6-7 - The LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, is slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished.
Forgiveness is a gift from God. And a gift is not a gift unless it is accepted. Forgiveness begins with our being forgiven first, and our accepting God’s forgiveness.
If we are full of hared, God cannot fill us, because even God cannot fill which is already full. That is why we need to repent: to allow God to empty us of hatred. Then he can fill us with Himself, with His Love and forgiveness to enable us to forgive others.
And who knows; leaving it in God’s hands just may work a miracle. When St. Stephen, the first martyr, was being stoned to death, Paul stood by, and heard Stephen say, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60) Paul became one of the greatest saints in the Bible. If Stephen’s last words had been a cry for vengeance or a torrent of abuse at Paul, would Paul ever have been converted to Christianity?
So remember: we should never seek revenge for anything, not because vengeance is evil, but because our God is a God who demands justice and vengeance is his. When you are ready to forgive others, then you will see the glory of God and the heaven is opened and the triune God showering his graces upon you…

Feast of St George

St. George (martyred, 304 AD.)
Today is the feast of St George. There is every reason to believe that St. George was a real martyr who suffered at Diospolis ( i.e. Lydda) in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. George was a soldier in the army of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and was a Christian. Diocletian was a pagan and an enemy of the Christians. It is said that George tore down posted edicts that ordered persecution of Christians and left the Roman army. For this, George was tortured and beheaded.
St. George was a Christian knight and that he was born in Cappadocia. It chanced, however, that he was riding one day in the province of Lybia, and there he came upon a city called Sylene, near which was a marshy swamp. In this lived a dragon " which envenomed all the country". The people had mustered together to attack and kill it, but its breath was so terrible that all had fled. To prevent its coming nearer they supplied it every day with two sheep, but when the sheep grew scarce, a human victim had to be substituted. This victim was selected by lot, and the lot just then had fallen on the king's own daughter. No one was willing to take her place and the maiden had gone forth dressed as a bride to meet her doom. Then St. George, coming upon the scene, attacked the dragon and transfixed it with his lance. Further , he borrowed the maiden's girdle, fastened it round the dragon's neck, and with this aid she led the monster captive into the city. "It followed her as if it had been a meek beast and debonair." The people in mortal terror were about to take to flight, but St. George told them to have no fear. If only they would believe and be baptized, he would slay the dragon. The king and all his subjects gladly assented. The dragon was killed and four ox-carts were needed to carry the carcass to a safe distance. "Then there well XV thousand men baptized without women and children." Before taking his leave the good knight left behind four behests: that the king should maintain churches, that he should honour priests, that he should himself diligently attend religious services, and that he should show compassion to the poor.
Have you read the Earthsea trilogy? It has something to say about violence, about monsters, and about humanity.
Young Arren said after a little while, “I see why you say that only humans do evil, I think. Even sharks are innocent; they kill because they must.”Ged, the Mage, replied, “That is why nothing else can resist us. Only one thing in the world can resist an evil-hearted man. And that is another man. In our shame is our glory. Only our spirit, which is capable of evil, is capable of overcoming it.”“But the dragons,” said Arren. “Do they not do great evil? Are they innocent?”“The dragons! The dragons are avaricious, insatiable, treacherous; without pity, without remorse. But are they evil? Who am I, to judge the acts of dragons? … They are wiser than we are. It is with them as with dreams, Arren. We dream dreams, we work magic, we do good, we do evil. The dragons do not dream. They are dreams. They do not work magic: it is their substance, their being. They do not do; they are.”
George crossed himself, rode to battle against the dragon, and killed it with one blow. The dragon stands for wickedness and our own personal demons. The maiden stands for God's holy truth. Saint George understood how much courage is needed to deal with evil in life. Let us ask today from him to help us to love God and to find the courage to conquer the dragons in our life and to be a soldier for Christ. The message is clear—if you want victory against monsters and need that little edge in your tactical use of violence—call on George, slayer of dragons.
In the nameof the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

3rd Sunday Easter

Third Sunday of Easter
There is always a caring and loving God waiting for us.

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,

A new beginning is possible every day of your life. That is the promise Jesus makes at that breakfast. A new beginning is always possible. In order for a new beginning to take place in our lives, we have to do what Peter did; JUMP IN. In the eyes of the world, Peter was one big old failure. He left his job to follow this guy named Jesus who gets himself killed. Big waste of time, during which Peter acted like a coward and winds up back at his old job. He went back to his old habit. He went back to the place that he had left behind. To the same seashore and to the same boat. It could happen to any one of us. God called us to a higher destiny but after sometimes when everything seems to be out of control we go back to the same situations where we came from. Seven expert fishermen worked the whole night in a small lake where there are lots of fish but they got nothing. When they failed there comes the merciful loving and caring Jesus for their help. Notice what Peter did. He doesn’t analyze; doesn’t think boy Jesus must be mad at me. He jumps in. You do not have to be trapped by your own sin, your disappointment, your fear of what will Jesus think. A new beginning will happen if you jump in.
When you feel everything is a failure. When no one really understand you. When you really started thinking that your life itself is a failure and useless and you started leaving everything behind, there comes a loving and caring God at your sea shore as a rising sun. We all face different situations of Peter and the Apostles. This is the beauty of the Gospel. It is alive and it is speaking about us now. We would be making a terrible mistake if we listened to tonight’s Gospel, believing it was only intended for Peter. Its message is for us.
When we prayed and prayed for years and nothing happened we are fed up. When you wait and wait for a job opening and all the doors are closed to you, when some one whom you loved just dumped you and get married to some one whom you hate…after you wipe the tears of many and when there is no one to see your tears… Then there is one who is at your shore asking “my children have you got anything… and he will say Cast your net over the right side…What is this right side… this right side is the side of your goodness, the right side of your faith, your compassion, your love …forget about the past sinful life and cast your net to your right side…to the side of Jesus Christ.
Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future. Many of the greatest saints of the Catholic Church were at one time great sinners. Simply consider the sins of David, Paul, and Augustine. Nevertheless, they, like many others, were able to turn their lives around and love even more.
In the second letter to Timothy we read, “We may be unfaithful, but he is always faithful, for he cannot deny his own self” (2 Tim 2:13). Jesus does not lock us in by mistakes of the past or present. We are given room to outgrow the mistakes of the past. Paul wrote, “for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here.” We are unique creation my dear brothers and sisters and we are worthy as the precious blood of Jesus.
A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill.In the room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?Hands started going up.He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.”He proceeded to crumple the dollar bill up.He then asked, “Who still wants it?”Still the hands were up in the air.“Well,” he replied, “What if I do this?”And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now all crumpled and dirty.Now who still wants it?”
“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. Because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way like St Peter and the fearful apostles. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God’s eyes. To Him, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him.
Did you ever feel like you needed a second chance? Another chance to prove yourself, to put behind you what was in order to embrace what is and what will be? For us as Christians, as believers, our whole faith is based upon a belief in the second chance. Isn’t that why he died on the cross, a horrible suffering and death, to redeem us sinners and give us a second chance
When Jesus asks, “do you love me,” he is asking the question knowing our history, our weaknesses, our failures, our sins. And when he says “feed my lambs, feed my sheep,” he is giving us a second chance, a responsibility to do something for him, despite those same failures. Remember his words, “whatever you do for the least of my brothers and sisters, you do for me.” It’s a second chance.

We spend our whole lives wondering, “Does God love me?” But we’ve got it all wrong. Yes, God loves each one of us. God just wants to be with us, to make breakfast for us, to enjoy us. But God is the one with a question. The gentle, risen, vulnerable Jesus asks us, “Do you love me? Do you truly love me?” That is the question we need to hear. He wants to know if we love him. So how are we going to answer him? We can say quickly, “Yes, Jesus I love you,” but St. Ignatius advises that love is shown in deeds, not in words, so we have to show Jesus that we love him by doing what he says, by putting love into practice, and as Dorothy Day liked to say, “Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing.”
When they came to the seashore Jesus is waiting there for them to give them a good breakfast…with the love of a mother. When in your life if you think there is no one there waiting for you? Believe me there is some one always waiting for you with the prepared breakfast. That is the Risen Christ.
There must be a reason why Jesus chose Peter to be the head of His Apostles. He trusted Peter and knew that he would return loving even more. Perfect people do not exist. We are all sinners. God always chooses the weak in order to bring about great tasks. People who recognize their weaknesses, sinfulness and limitations are humble. Humility allows them to rely on God’s grace and not on their own capabilities. The arrogant do not allow God to work in their lives, or through them, in the lives of others.
Jesus asked the difficult question today to Peter and each one of us “Do you love me?’ This is not a test from Jesus, which Peter has to worry about getting the right answer. It is a way of Jesus telling Peter, and us, that being his disciple is not simply about what you know, but how you live. A new beginning can take place when we realize a life of faith is not only learned, but also lived. After each time when Jesus forgives us our sins and he ask us do you love me. What answer we will give to Him???

Let it bloom

Let it Bloom

Divine Mercy Sunday and Confession

Divine Mercy and Sacrament of Confession
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Today’s Feast of Divine Mercy recalls the apparition of Jesus to St. Faustina. He was clothed in a white garment. His right hand was raised in blessing while His left hand was touching His garment at the breast, where two large rays came forth, one red, the other pale. Jesus told St. Faustina: "Paint an image according to the pattern you see with the inscription: Jesus, I trust in you."
What is this Divine Mercy? Divine Mercy is simply God’s love for us in the face of our weaknesses, God’s love as it comes into impact with our sins, God’s love as it reaches down and touches our needs. That is what mercy is. Love on the part of God, plus need on our part, plus sinfulness on our part, equals Divine Mercy. Today we celebrate Divine Mercy.
In his book Suicide, published in 1988, Earl A. Grollman says "Almost everybody at one time or another contemplates suicide" (Second Edition, Beacon Press, p. 2). Studies say that 30,000 Americans commit suicide annually; an additional 500,000 Americans attempt suicide annually. One of the most recognized symptoms of depression is a profound feeling of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness. You may be surprised to learn that people with depression often experience physical symptoms too.According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 10 American adults—or approximately 21 million people suffer from a depressive illness each year. We don’t know whom to trust and where to keep our burdens. There comes the beauty of the Divine Mercy. Then the Risen Lord tells you "Peace be with you!" The peace brought by Jesus is the fullness of the Easter gift.
He comes into the room, with the doors locked. The Risen Lord comes into their midst. Not only are they filled with fear, but meeting Jesus for the first time after their very poor record, they are filled with shame and guilt. Because they recognize their sin and are now in the presence of Jesus Christ, the Risen One, they are overcome with shame and fear and guilt.
Jesus takes this opportunity not to scold them. Jesus takes this opportunity to give them His first message after His Resurrection from the dead. And that first message is: “Peace be with you.” In His Risen body He brings them peace, not a scolding, not a condemnation—only peace. And then He shows them His hands and His side and once again He repeats the words: “Peace be with you.” This is the mercy of the Risen Jesus. This is the moment when the Apostles are supremely conscious of their sins, when they are supremely conscious of their weakness, when they are filled with shame and guilt—this is the moment that Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord, the Son of God chooses in order to communicate to these weak men the great power of forgiving sins.
As people of this restless time of ours, wavering between the emptiness of self-exaltation and the humiliation of despair, we have a greater need than ever for a regenerating experience of mercy. We should learn to say repeatedly to God with the faith and simplicity of children: "Great is our sin, but even greater is your love!"
There is a fountain of Mercy flowing from the Sacrament of Confession. But we are not ready to go and quench our thrust… Jesus knows that throughout the ages you and I will need His mercy and His forgiveness and His pardon. That is why He invests His Apostles with this power, not because of them, but because He is merciful and powerful.
Most of us have a doubt in confession. “Yes I am a sinner and I confess to God. Why should tell my sins to a priest whom I know when I can go directly to God?” My First answer to this question is this wonderful sacrament of Penance is instituted by Christ.
Secondly, we are human beings we need “someone with Skin.” There was a boy who was afraid of thunder and lightning. One night, as he was sleeping, a violent storm blistered the skies. He awoke, terrified, and ran into his parents’ bedroom crying. His mother tried to calm him. “Sweaty, honey, I told you God Loves you and is with you. Don’t ever be afraid. You are not alone.” But the little boy replied. “I know mummy that God loves me and listens to my prayers. But sometimes I need someone with skin!”
We all need “someone with skin.” When we have sinned- offending God and his people, the church- we need to open our hearts to another person…”Someone with skin.” For Catholics, that “someone with skin” is the priest, ordained by the church to represent Jesus and the Church herself. “Someone with skin” from whom we can ask God’s forgiveness. And hear that your sins are forgiven…go in peace.
Some of us are so afraid that God will not forgive our sins. My dear brothers and sisters, God is love and He showed his mercy. If the Lord has already taken every single sin that we could commit, that we have committed, or that we will commit, why are we afraid that our sins are not forgiven? What is the worst thing anybody could ever do? Saint Therese of Lisieux tell us that, it is like one little drop of water in the ocean of God’s mercy. The worst thing, the biggest thing that we could ever commit is like one little drops of water in the ocean because God’s mercy is infinite. His love for you and me is infinite; it is beyond anything we could ever grasp or imagine. He nailed that sin to the Cross already. It is over with, it is done. If you have confessed it, it’s gone. That is the mercy of God.
If Jesus has done all this, if He has died on the Cross to forgive our sins, if he has established this great gift of His mercy within the Church, in the Sacrament of Penance, then, yes, we must trust.
He died for us so that we could have His life. He took on our sins so that we could be sinless. He accepted our death so that we could have His life. He went into hell so that we could go to Heaven. That is the mercy of God.
If we have received mercy, then we must show mercy. If we have been forgiven, we must forgive. If we have been shown compassion, we must show compassion.
When we can be at peace, when we are filled with trust, when we are no longer afraid, then it can be said of each one of us what was said of Thomas when he made that profession "My Lord and my God" : He doubted no longer, but believed. When the priests lift the body and blood of Jesus we recite in our heart and with our lips this prayer “My Lord and my God.” Because we Jesus face to face and we believe in Him. If you have never tried it start today.
Now the question each one of us needs to ask, and needs to ask very, very seriously of our own selves is - Do we trust Him? Do we take Him at His word? It is Jesus Himself who said, "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven." Do we believe Him? Psalm 118 echoed several times” His mercy endures forever!"
Are we ready to sing from the depth of our heart:-

Let go and let God have His wonderful way,
Let go and let God have His way,
Your sorrows will vanish; Your Nights turn to Days
Let go and Let God have His Way.

Alleluia: He is risen and He is Alive

Most Rev. William J. McCormack,D.D. Who resides in the rectory celebrated the Easter Vigil.

Alleluia! He is indeed risen! And He is Alive.

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Happy Easter to you all.
I am sure we have visited many pilgrim centers and many tombs of the saints, we venerated many saintly relics. If you ever been in India you will make sure to visit a wonder of the world tomb called “Taj Mahal”, if you have visited Rome I am sure you will go down to the basilica to view the tombs of the saintly popes. In all these tombs it is inscribed that here lies so and so. But if you go to Jerusalem there is a tomb in it is written “he is not here, He is risen.” Alleluia. Yes dear brothers and sisters that is the basics of our faith.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the first article of the Christian faith and the demonstration of all the rest. The last act of Jesus was the starting point of the preaching. Jesus is someone who I know to be good and trustworthy. He would not deceive or pick disciples who deliberately mislead others. I believe their testimony to be true. For sure they testify to something that is mind boggling, but I do not think they could have any other motive than that it actually happened.
When Jesus died, faith in his message died as well and his movement, which had began with such promise, collapsed. If the figure on the cross had been the last sight of Him, we would not have heard anything more of Him and there would have been no Church. Well did one writer say: “The evidence for the resurrection is existence of the Church in that spiritual vitality which confronts us in the New Testament?” This is so my dear brother sand sisters. If you were to take a pencil and cross out every verse in the New Testament which refers to the resurrection or to the idea that Jesus Christ is alive, you would not have much of the New Testament left. It throbs with the conviction that Jesus was raised by God and is alive for evermore. Lose the Resurrection hope, though, and we lose our way. Even this beautiful great St Stephen’s Church will become a museum the day we lose our confidence in the resurrection.
If Christ has not risen from the grave of our lives, from our doubts, fears, from our personal deaths, then so called evidences of the resurrection are of no consequence except as props. Jesus Christ’s resurrection has to become our resurrection if it is to mean anything to all. We need to be resurrected people. We need to get up from our dead life. Are we alive in our faith my dear brothers and sisters? Where is our faith which handed over to us by our fathers our ancestors? Are they all watered down?
Take the challenge of the resurrection. It calls us to identify with a Christ who through the horror of the crucifixion leads us, his people, to new life and hope.
What matters is to take a step. In any great venture it is the first step that matters most. I remember a few years back when I first saw someone operating a computer. He could do such amazing things he seemed like a god to me. I didn't ask him to teach me all that he knew. What I asked him was, "Can you show me how to switch that thing on?" So it is in our faith. If we just take that first step, we will begin to make progress. There will be good days and bad days, set backs as well as advances. But the first step is the most important one. On Easter we take a small step together. It is the renewal of our baptism. We each know those things that are holding us down, maybe fear itself. We ask the Lord to set us free so we can discover his plan, the profession of faith.
Paul understood the reality quite well. In his letter to the Romans, he says "Christ as we know, having been raised from the dead will never die again. Death has no power over Him any more." What is the worse thing that can happen to us? Death. Death is swallowed up in victory. "Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?" (1Cor 15:55).
The Resurrection of Jesus is experienced when people receive hope, when drugs are given up, when relationships are reconciled.
But, since it is true that Jesus has truly risen, where is He? Our faith affirms the certainty that Jesus can be found in four places. The risen Jesus is in heaven. The risen Jesus lives in His Church. Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Finally, the risen Jesus is alive in each of us.
Jesus is in heaven because He ascended to the Father 40 days after His resurrection. Jesus lives in His Church because He said that He would be with us until the end of time. Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist because His love is so great for humanity that He could not leave us alone. Jesus is present in each of us in such a way that whatever we do to any of our brothers and sisters, we do to Him. If Jesus is with us and is if we believe that why we worry. What are we worried about. If Jesus conquered even death don’t you think that he can not conquer the situations you are facing now and get you out of this? He is alive. He is risen. Alleluia

At the beginning of every day, Jesus gives us a blank piece of paper to write out the history of another day. Nevertheless, we must always keep in mind that this life was never meant to be easy. Jesus gives meaning to our suffering and gives us the ability to carry our difficulties with patience, love, and joy. When we think that Jesus is far from us, it is then that He is always the closest. Every time we suffer, He is able to understand our suffering and console us with His loving presence. Because he is risen. He is alive in us.
On October 29, 1941, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill visited Harrow School to speak to the students. The war with Germany was going badly, the German Luftwaffe was engaged in its blitz of London, and England was preparing for a Nazi invasion of the British Isles. Churchill’s speech there at Harrow was one of his more famous ones. In it he said:
Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
Giving up can be the work of the devil. Giving up was found in each one of the three temptations Satan presented to Christ when He was out in the desert preparing to embark upon his public ministry. Giving up was the last temptation Satan hurled at Jesus as He hung dying on His cross. Don’t give up our faith. Don’t give up the resurrected life. Hang on. Hang on to Jesus. Even when everybody seems to give up on it. Do not give up on Truth.
God, however, never ever gives up on us… even when we’ve turned our backs on Him or betrayed Him.
Death is not the end of the story. There is one more chapter. This is the most important chapter because, as the saying goes, they who laugh last laugh best. And in the last chapter of the story of Jesus we see him rise from the dead in all glory and majesty. He is vindicated.
The Gospel account today shows us Mary Magdalene, who knew that something really important had happened but was not yet sure what had happened. It shows us Saint Peter, also recognizing that something important had happened, but not sure yet what had happened. And finally the “other disciple” sees and believes.
We can identify with all three of these believers. We can see ourselves as Mary, recognizing that something important has happened and that the leader of our faith should come and see what has happened. We can identify with Saint Peter, who seems always slow to believe but steadfast once he believes. Or we can identify with the more mysterious and mystical “other disciple” who sees and believes. We can be all three of these people at once. Yes, the joy and hope experienced by the disciples on that first Easter day are now enveloping each of us on this Easter day. This is why we echo the words of St. Augustine: "We are Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!"
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Happy Easter

Happy Easterhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxdRQpuR1fwMay The Risen Lord Fill you with his Joy and Mercy.Alleluiah.

The cross is the sign of God's Love: Good Friday

Jesus showed His great Love on the Cross

My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
After one noonday Mass in this holy week, one sister came to me and introduced herself to me and expresses her wonder for the beauty of the church and while we were talking she raised a question; Father, I still don’t understand Why Jesus Died on the cross? I just paused for a moment and asked her does she has any kid. She said she has a daughter. Then I asked her does she love her daughter! She said yes indeed. Then I asked will you sacrifice your life in case of danger to save your daughter. Yes of course. No doubt at all. Then I told her I do not have any better answer for your question. This is the same thing Jesus did for us by dying on the cross. Because he loves his children and he died to save you and me.
There is no meaning of cross if there is no love in it. The cross is the sign of God’s Love for us. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish.” He died for you and me so that we will live for ever in Eternity.
God showed His love on the cross and that love overflows from the Cross. One boy was carrying another boy on his shoulder but crippled and heavier than him. Some one felt sorry and asked him; “child don’t you feel heavy and burdened to carry him”? He replied “No Sir, He is not at all heavy for me, he is my brother”. Yes dear brothers and sisters wherever there is love you won’t feel the burden and heaviness of the cross you carry. Jesus did not feel the heaviness of the Heavy cross because He was carrying for us, for you and me, for our Salvation. His love for us made him to get up and walk even after the three falls.
Psalms, 102:6 says ‘I am like pelican of the wilderness”. The pelican is a bird of Egypt, living in the wilderness of the River Nile, from which it gets its name. It is devoted to its young. When it gives birth and the young begin to grow, they strike their parents in the face. But their parents, striking back, kill them. On the third day, however, the mother-bird, with a blow to her flank, opens up her side and lies on her young and lets her blood pour over the bodies of the dead, and so raises them from the dead. Could please show me any better sign for love than this cross???
The beatification ceremony of Maximilian Kolbe was presided by Pope Paul VI. Near the pope was seated a dignified looking man in his mid-fifties, wearing a plain business suit. Everyone was asking who he was and why he was sitting there so close to the Holy Father.
During the homily Pope Paul VI described the life of Maximilian Kolbe. He was a Polish Franciscan priest who was arrested by Nazis in February of 1941 for publishing unapproved literature. They sentenced him to hard labor at the Auschwitz concentration camp. In August of that same year a prisoner escaped. When he was not recaptured the Nazis took a reprisal. They lined up the other prisoners and picked out ten to die in the starvation bunker. One of the men selected was a farmer named Franciszek Gajowniczek. He was in Auschwitz only because he was Jew. When Franciszek was selected, he cried out, "My wife, my children!"
Hearing that cry Fr. Kolbe stepped forward. He said to the guard, "I am a Catholic priest. I have no family like this man. Allow me to take his place." The guard hesitated, but after a while agreed. Maximilian Kolbe, along with the nine others, was placed in the starvation bunker for a slow and agonizing death. After fourteen days, four were still alive and only one was fully conscious--Fr. Kolbe himself. The Nazis needed the starvation bunker for other prisoners so they injected Fr. Kolbe and the three others with carbolic acid.
The man seated next to Pope Paul VI was none other than Franciszek Gajowniczek. What Maximilian Kolbe did for that Jewish prisoner, Jesus has done for each one of us. He died in our place.
Mother Teresa asked her sisters before she died: "how can we last one day without hearing Jesus say "I love you." and she answered that question by saying, "it's impossible." In the Letter to the Hebrews, the author says, "We have not a God that is incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us, but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are." (Heb 4:14-16) For us who believe, the Crucified Christ is not a sign of shame, of defeat, or hopelessness, but "is the wisdom and the power of God" (1Cor 2:24). Bring all you are suffering to his feet. Ours is the God of Calvary. Ours is the God of the emergency room, the AIDS hospice, the broken family; the God of failed relationships, fragile bodies, and shattered hearts. This is why Friday is "Good." God has been and remains in our darkest places, even in the places where we are sure God is absent. Can anyone match the simple but profound final words of Betsie Ten Boom, who was beaten to death by a guard in the Ravensbruck concentration camp? "We must tell the people," she whispered, "what we have learned here. We must tell them that there is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still."
When you study the literature you may come across the Greek Mythology of Prometheus. Zeus in his wrath denied men the secret of fire. Prometheus felt sorry for his creations, and watched as they shivered in the cold and winter's nights. He took fire from the heaven of the gods by stealing and brought it to men. He brought down the fire coal and gave it to man. He then showed them how to cook and stay warm. Zeus could not just take fire back, because a god or goddess could not take away what the other had given. Zeus punished Prometheus. He was carried to Mount Caucasus, where an eagle by the name of Ethon would eat his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again. This punishment was to last 30,000 years. About 12 generations later, Hercules passing by on his way to find the apples freed Prometheus. Prometheus suffered for his love for his creation in Greek Mythology. Each day Our Lord is breaking his body when we come for the Eucharist. There is no greater love than dying for your friends.
Jesus extended his hands on the Cross to embrace each and every one of us. In Rev. 3:20 says “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me. Yes dear brothers and sisters, Are we ready to open our hearts today for Jesus…
Pray often if you can The Serenity Prayer of Reinhold Niebuhr:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

God's Love: Thanks for the Priesthood

Holy Thursday: Priesthood , Eucharist and washing of the Feet

Holy Thursday:- Priesthood and Eucharist and washing of the Feet
My dear fathers, brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Today is the day that our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist and the Holy Orders. Both the Eucharist and the priesthood “were born” during the Last Supper and the two sacraments; the Eucharist and Holy Orders are so closely linked as Pope John Paul said;
“We were born from the Eucharist. There can be no Eucharist without the priesthood, just as there can be no priesthood without the Eucharist.”
Pope John Paul II has called the Holy Mass “Heaven on earth” explaining that “the liturgy we celebrate on earth is a mysterious participation in the heavenly liturgy. That means we do go to heaven when we go to the holy Mass. As Bishop Fulton J. Sheen used to say: “The greatest love affair the world has ever known is contained in a tiny wafer of bread.”
As a priest when I celebrate the mass I am a “stand-in” for the High Priest, to use the words of the church teaching, I am there functioning in Persona Christi- in the person of Christ, the High Priest of the Epistles to the Hebrews. You do not come to Mass to receive my body and blood, and I can’t give it to you, if you do. You come for communion with Christ, to receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Blessed Theresa of Calcutta use to say to the Priests. Priest of God Celebrate this Mass as if it were your first Mass; Your Last Mass; Your Only Mass.
I acknowledge that I am not worthy of this precious gift of Priesthood. St. Paul says in Second Corinthians, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels (clay pots), to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us." I am painfully aware of this fundamental truth that we are all fragile, breakable and, indeed, worthless in ourselves. It is the treasure we hold that matters. We are precious, not for what we are in ourselves, but for what we contain, the indescribable gift each one of us carries: God's grace, God's beauty, God's love, God's very life. We are nothing without Christ in Us. Value of a priest is the value of Jesus Christ. A priest without Jesus and the Eucharist is equal to nothing. That is why we are asking you to pray everyday for the priests. Priests are just Copies of Christ. When we make copies we copy from the original. Yes duplicate from the Original. Do not follow any priest, but Follow our Lord Jesus Christ who asks us all to follow Him.
The life of a Christian in the world is a pilgrimage, a long, hard journey. Along the way we get tired and worn out and we are tempted to give up and turn back. But Jesus has provided us with the Eucharist as a place where we can go in to bathe our aching feet and to be refreshed in body and soul for the journey that is still ahead.
Jesus said in our gospel today in John 13:15 “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you”. What is the example he showed us to follow. In verse 4 and 5 we read “He got up from the meal, took off His outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel.”
We could pick up 6 main points that He did in those two sentences.

1. He rose…
To do anything serious in our lives we need to get up from were we are comfortable with. The prodigal son got up from the pit … We need to get up from our sinful nature… Our sinful habits…We need to rise from Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and Pride.
2. Took of His outer Garments…
We need to take off all the Outer Masks that we are wearing. As Jesus said stop living like the white washed tombs. Take off the outer garments of pride and be thankful to God all what we are and what we have because it is all His Mercy. Our Lives are symbols of God’s Mercy and Generosity.
3. Took a towel and tied it around His waist…
Linen Cloth, a towel is a symbol of poverty, simple life. When Baby Jesus was born Mother Mary wrapped Him with a Towel, when Jesus died they wrapped him with a towel and when Jesus rose from the dead they saw a towel folded and kept aside.
Tying the towel is a symbol of readiness to serve and Being Keen. Jesus is asking us to be available and being accessible to God and for His people. Be ready to serve.
4. Poured Water into a basin…
Water is a symbol of Holy Spirit. In John 2: Jesus changed water into wine and in Last Supper this wine Jesus is changing into His Blood. Jesus is prepared for his Mission. He wishes to give us His spirit.
You can almost hear the sound of the water as it fills the basin. When you listen to the life of Jesus, you hear that sound constantly. Jesus saw how people fill their lives with things, with attitudes, with stuff that did not give life. He came to fill people’s lives with God’s grace, God’s love, and God’s care. Jesus says this grace and love and care will overflow, if you make room for it. Each time we come to this table we are challenged to ask: where am I empty, and will I let Jesus fill that space?

5. Wash the disciples’ Feet… I wish to emphasis this point.
Jesus Christ, the King of the Universe and the Lord of all, gets down on his knees and in an act of love bathes the feet of his disciples. Kneeling down before anyone is a dying to oneself. Jesus is showing us the servant Mentality for us to follow. He is washing all our sins.
Our God in His humility gives to us an example in the washing of the feet of what it means to be a servant, what it means to love, what it means to be humble.
At the time of Jesus, there were no shoes or socks; maybe something resembling a sandal. For the most part it was bare feet. And they were dirty; not just from the day, but from weeks and months and years. It was probably a lot of work to get them clean. Throughout his life, Jesus went to people whose lives were dirty and messy; people others had dismissed as sinners or as too much work. The story of Passover is about God’s care for people who are not always that loveable or perfect or good. And that is the meaning of these feet being washed. It is the meaning of our coming to this table each week. Jesus is not interested in only the good parts of your life; he is interested in the places where you are rough, messed up, unpleasant. He wants to wash your life with his love. To be a Christian is to be prepared to kneel down and perform the lowliest of tasks for another. It is to be a servant for the sake of Jesus.
Judas was one of those twelve. Judas had his feet washed by Jesus. I wonder what went on in the hearts and minds of Judas and Jesus at that moment. It required utter and total humility for Jesus to wash the feet of the one He knew was to betray Him. My sisters and brothers, how many of us would wash the feet of the person who we may find most difficult in life? Of a person who we might totally dislike? Of a person who has harmed us, hurt us, wounded us? Yet Jesus, in His radical humility, reminds us that we are to do the same that we are to imitate Him.
It serves as an excellent meditation for all of us of what we are called to do and how we are called to serve.

6. He dries them with the Towel…

There is something very touching about drying feet; it takes some time, it requires a kind of tenderness and caring. Coming to this table is not about devotion and piety. There is a demand attached to your coming: that you have to be more tender, more caring, more loving. You do not leave here and change the world. You leave, with a towel around your waist, ready to simply be gentler, more peaceful, and attentive to others’ needs.

1 John 1:7 says “the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
In Ephesians 5: 26,27 we read “ Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.”

The other side of the coin, which is equally important, is that after our feet have been washed by the Lord, we must go and wash the feet of others. Let us allow Jesus, through this Eucharist, to wash our feet, and as we enter into communion with His Blood, let us pray that we may receive that love and live it out each day until that day when we enter into the fullness of love itself.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Tenebrae Homily on Suffering

Tenebrae – This too will Pass away, have faith in Jesus

Mk. 4:35-41" After have spoken in parables to his disciples, Jesus said to them, «Let us go across to the other side.» And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.

" And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, «Teacher, do you not care if we perish?» And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, «Peace! Be still!» And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, «Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?» And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, «Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?» "
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah, ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, "Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkoth which gives you six months to find it." "It has magic powers, "If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy." Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility. Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a Goldsmith who had begun to set out the day's wares on a shabby carpet. "Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?" asked Benaiah. He took a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it and gave to him. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile. … King Solomon read the inscription. The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: _gimel, zayin, yud_, which began the words “This too shall pass." At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.
Yes dear brothers and sisters all what we are facing now ‘This too shall pass away”.
Our Loving God who suffered for us and who is always with us in our suffering, calling us today to go to the other side of the lake. When we start going with him there will be always storm and wind across; don’t think because we are believers there won’t be any storm in my life, there will be temptation in our daily lives like St Peter to jump into the water when he saw Jesus walking on the water and then looked back or look down and go down to the water, Jesus is asking us to go to the other side of the lake; there our happiness joy and eternal life waiting for us. And surely the disciples must have been secure and confident in the fact that the Son of God was with them in their boat as they embarked. But the Lord's closest followers must have been not a little surprised and even confused when the waves rose and began to threaten. When we are ready to face all these storms and winds with Jesus and when we reach there at the other side of the Lake there we will enjoy the eternal life. Our Lord calls us to cross with Him over to the other side. While the Gospel speaks of the other side of the Sea of Galilee, we should always keep in mind our ultimate destination, which is none other than everlasting life. As Mark shows us, things can go wrong even when Jesus is in the boat. And when things go wrong, even terribly wrong, and the storms around us begin to rage, it may seem to us, or at least to others, that Jesus is fast asleep.
Crossing over to the other side- in the here and now- means moving from doubt to faith, from fear to calm, from 'brokenness' to wholeness, from mortality to immortality. And if the journey seems difficult, Jesus reminds us again and again throughout the Gospels that the reward is so great.
Most of us when we suffer wonder, why me. Why do I have to suffer? The meaning of life will be become clearer to us when we realize that we will find purpose in life when our search leads us from why to whom. Suffering does have a human face to it. We have only to look at our Lord Jesus crucified on the Cross and there we will find the meaning of our existence and the answer to our searching and longing. A widow was so upset with God for taking her son’s life away from her. She always complained to God where were you when my son died? One day God appeared to her in dreams and told her “He was in the same place wither son, as when His son Jesus was on the cross. He was right there, as He always is with all His children.
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”. The cross, our personal cross or crosses which cannot be transferred to anyone else is an essential aspect to our walk with the Lord Jesus.
Too many of our contemporaries seek an easy life without suffering, without sacrifice, without renunciation, without mortification. Many people including me would like to stand under the cross of Jesus and cry out as did the jeering crowd on the first Good Friday, “Come down from the cross”. Save yourself and save me”. However, there is only one Jesus, and he is the crucified Jesus who rose from the dead. Christianity without the cross is not Christianity; only through the cross of Jesus have we gained salvation.
So, when we suffer, we should not consider our suffering a burden; rather we must look upon the cross we bear as an immense gift from God. Mother Theresa once said: “Suffering is a sign that we have come so close to Jesus on the cross that he can kiss us and that he can show that he is in love with us by giving us an opportunity to share in his passion”.
When we ask the question why, we need to look upon the crucifix. It is only there that we will find the meaning of suffering and the exact reason why we must carry our own cross.
One day one lady seeing a young man who lost his right leg and hand felt so sorry and expressed her deep sympathy saying “My goodness what a brave young man you are. I feel so sorry for your situation” To this he replied, “Lady; everybody has a cross to bear. You can just see mine.”
We all like to wear pearl Jewels if we get it .Most jewelry is fashioned out of precious metals and jewels that are found buried in the Earth, but pearls are found inside a living creature, an oyster. Pearls are the result of a biological process -- the oyster's way of protecting itself from foreign substances.
The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritates the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The mantle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.
Yes dear brothers and sisters try to convert our little suffering to a higher means to others to find the joy. Try to suffer our small pains with dignity and joy, which will allow many, even without notice, to come closer to God. Make our discomfort to a very costly pearl in our life. When we are in pain we search God thinking he is away from us, but the poet C.S. Eliot wrote, "And at the end of our exploring, we will return to the place where we began and we will know it for the first time." We will come full circle and know that this is what we are about.
Christ holds up for us the cross with this under-standing: If we embrace it with love, as he did, the cross can be redemptive. Into every life comes a cross. There’s no way to avoid the cross that each of us must carry. Some are simply “more visible” than others. Sometimes the cross comes in the form of aging, physical suffering, disease, disability. Other times it presents itself as a betrayal of a friendship, an abuse of a relationship. Our cross might simply be the struggle to live out the wondrous yet demanding promises to love, honor and support one another “all the days of our lives.” Whatever the cross, remember this too will pass away.
Let me end with the poem This too shall Pass away by Lanta Wilson Smith
When some great sorrow, like a mighty river,Flows through your life with peace-destroying powerAnd dearest things are swept from sight forever,Say to your heart each trying hour:"This, too, shall pass away."When ceaseless toil has hushed your song of gladness,And you have grown almost too tired to pray,Let this truth banish from your heat its sadness,And ease the burdens of each day:"This, too, shall pass away."When fortune smiles, and, full of mirth and pleasure,The days are flitting by without a care,Lest you should rest with only earthly treasure,Let these few words their fullest import bear:"This, too, shall pass away."When earnest labor brings you fame and glory,And all earth's noblest ones upon you smile,Remember that life's longest, grandest storyFills but a moment in earth's little while:"This, too, shall pass away."-Lanta Wilson Smith