Life: Sweet & Bitter

Scripture/Bible:   Click on “Passion reading/Palm Sunday” above

Reflection:  It’s a long reading and hence I have not included it here as it will cover up the whole of this page and will dwarf the reflections.  If one wants then one can read it by clicking on the page above.

We are into a celebration of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem; a last piece of glory for him to enjoy from a crowd that receives him with joy.  The celebrations are wonderful as they shout before him welcoming the reign of David, in him.   

The more popular Jesus gets the more the jealousy, and the plan to have him killed gets intensified.

It is like enjoying the sweetness and soon follows the bitter moments of Jesus’ life.  

In fact at this moment we see the extreme in Jesus’ life; we see the ups and lows of life; the sweet and the bitter moments of life.  The sweetness we always like to enjoy but the bitter is what is difficult to swallow. 

When everything is good and we enjoy good relationship with others and receive our daily bread easily and the anxiety of another day is far removed from us then we are happy and want to remain in that state. 

But no one wants to have a friend, only to be betrayed by them or a boss or a parent who is partial or doesn’t seek to understand you and your particular problem or a spouse who cares less for your minimum and basic needs.  In the same way, the anxiety for the daily bread or the fear of losing someone, the guilt of the daily struggle over frail human weakness is too bitter to gulp down. These could be few of the many bitter moments the human being goes through in life.

The worst part is when we have to go through these ordeals all alone not knowing whom to trust in the midst of a series of betrayals.   

Jesus in the midst of us is telling us that if God who has subjected us to such an ordeal on account of our sins then he has also in his loving plan made a way through the passion and death of Jesus to reach out to us in order to console us. Because through his resurrection he lives on to be with us and we are never left alone.  

Prayer:  “Yea, thou dost light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.”  Ps 18:28

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Who is on your Prowl?

Scripture/Bible:  Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him; 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on thus, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation." 49 But one of them, Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all; 50 you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish." 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they took counsel how to put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore no longer went about openly among the Jews, but went from there to the country near the wilderness, to a town called E'phraim; and there he stayed with the disciples. John 11:45-54

Reflection:  Jesus had just performed a marvelous and good deed of raising Lazarus from the dead and now the above text tells us that some of these who were there went and reported the same to the Pharisees. Wherein, they in turn gather up with the council along with the chief priests.

In local language we call them chamchas:  An obsequious person who could be one who goes and tells tales to the authorities and they entertain them because they serve their own insecurities.  These act like spies. 

I don’t see any reason why these men of God need to have such spies to report to them about activities when they themselves are not sound in their thinking and so as not show trust in God but trust in their Chamchas. God help those in authorities if these spies:

1) Are not objective in their reporting

2) if they have their own axe to grind or are beneficiaries, either in cash or kind, of any action taken

3) If the ones in authority has some axe to grind against that someone

4) it could be a combination of point 2 & 3  or

5) it could a combination of all the above points.

This could happen anywhere, not just in civic politics, in work situation in a household or even in the sacred precincts of church politics.

Why does it happen?

Because we have our pet ideologies and programme which are contrary to the truth and we could be convinced, at least initially, that we are right and then subsequently we may have been cautioned by some prophetic voices or the opposing party or an investigative agency.  By this time they may have received so much of accolades, especially from their yes men or coterie that they further promote their agenda through surreptitious deception  and then when confronted with the truth, it becomes now more of a face saving exercise. 

Otherwise, it could happen with a certain amount of legitimacy when enemy is active and you need to pre-empt the enemy.  But in a sacred institution it could be a bad precedent to even think of one more so when the assurance of God’s protection is with us.

Hence these chamchas belonging to one of the above categories could be let loose in order to gain some information or weak points in order to hit out or vanquish the enemy who is nagging them.

But as for us; “What then shall we say to this? If God is for us, who is against us?” Rom 8:31

Prayer:  The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Ps 18:2

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Slanderous Stones

Scripture/Bible:  The Jews took up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?" 33 The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we stone you but for blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God." 34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, you are gods'? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came (and scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." 39 Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands. John 10:31-39

Reflection:  What if words were stones, the word that slanders, and the word that maligns?  Then the effect of what we do would be much more visible and the ones who are involved in such acts would be much more exposed and the people would feel for the victim too since they would be seeing things visibly.

Stoning for certain wrongs was a legitimate exercise in keeping with Jewish laws, and blasphemy was one such act which could justify such an action.    

He who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him; the sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death. Lev 24:16; Dt.13:10

But in our times we could have situations of verbal stoning by way of slander, gossip, maligning and yet legitimize our actions through modern ideological orientations and deceitful cogent arguments.

The actions of the Jews in all respect seems legitimate by the law by which they were governed but a close look at what Jesus communicates to them takes away their legitimacy; "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these do you stone me?" They should have given a close and second look to his justification, which was his many acts of goodness and was fully done, visibly, in their presence.

This in a way is a lesson for our learning so that we may not walk in the ways of fools who act in order to assert their superiority and authority over others.

Prayer:  Lord, deliver my soul from death and my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. (cfr. Ps 56:13)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Live Forever

Scripture/Bible: Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death." 52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; and you say, 'If any one keeps my word, he will never taste death.' 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you claim to be?" 54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is your God. 55 But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see my day; he saw it and was glad." 57 The Jews then said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." 59 So they took up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple. John 8:51-59

Reflection:  Can a physician ever claim that he will give you a medicine and you will never get an attack of cold or a cobbler claim that he will manufacture a sandal for you that will never get worn out?

It can never be, at least for the present, with whatever modern progress modern science has made. 

I am sure if someone makes a tall statement; you will either pooh-pooh the whole thing or may give it a thought.  If the statement has some credibility or has a plausible explanation then you will, all the more, give it some attention.  But happens when a statement is too far-fetched?

The assertion of Jesus sounds exactly like that; “Truly, truly, I say to you, if any one keeps my word, he will never see death." No wonder the Jews react badly to Jesus and question him on a statement which human experience and by any human logic is an improbable bet.   

They reason it out with him; forget ordinary men like us and those ordinary belonging to our ancestry but what about some of our holy and greats like Abraham and the prophets, they were holy men and they all died too.

In reality we see that finally the very one, who makes a proclamation, also died. But by rising from the dead he makes his point clear that there is now no need to fear death because he makes eternity a reality and possibility in himself through faith.  

Martyrdom of the countless witnesses to Christ is the greatest proof of this reality which Jesus proclaimed; they walked through death, fearlessly, as if it did not exist, into eternity!

He was to achieve this for us by pouring out his very life, eternal life into our hearts at the Cross. It is finished was also a cry of finishing this work of becoming the author of life.

Hence Jesus was not making a statement for public consumption so as to sell his wares in deception as many salesmen do, but a rather a significant and relevant statement, which he was to prove in himself: “…that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Prayer: Lord, believing in you may I have the eternal life which you have set before me at the Cross.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Word is not Enough

Scripture/Bible: Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." 33 They answered him, "We are descendants of Abraham, and have never been in bondage to any one. How is it that you say, 'You will be made free'?"

34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father." John 8:31-38

Reflection:  If you thought that the written word of God alone will save you then you are sadly mistaken.  You are like the many fundamentalist who trod a dangerous path. 

It is like sugar, which is sweet tasting and or salt which is nice to taste by itself.  Yet, it is not just the beauty of food that is enhanced by these additions but also the tastes of sweetness or saltiness receives a variation, a combined taste and also health inducing properties on account of it.

Likewise, the Word of God, if read in isolation has its own beauty, yet in crude form it could act like a venom.  Hence Jesus had to reject Satan who came with the word of God. We think we can be led to the truth yet in reality we could be far from the truth. We may have knowledge about the word and yet we may never know the master who gives us his word.

Just as solid food, however healthy it may be, can act like poison to a new born. But a lactating mother can have the solid food and pass the riches and nourishment to her child through her milk.

Similarly the word of God has to be digested, especially the solid elements in it by Holy mother the church before it is given to her children.  The church does it primarily through the dispensation of the sacraments.

If the word of God is all that was required to save us then God had spoken enough and we had the Old Testament or in other words the Law and the prophets. Jesus need not have come to fulfill the law and the prophets. 

Through his constant guidance and the help of the Holy Spirit and the support of the Church and the sacred Sacraments which are his ordinary gifts to us we are constantly nourished by a Word which has been made palatable. But the danger exists when sinful men, trusting themselves, make their own additions without reference to sacred Tradition and Magisterium, to a more perfect recipe given to us through the Church.

Thus it is not just the word but Christ the eternal word made man who saves us and we value the word all the more because we love him who gave himself for us and still speaks to us through his word once spoken.

"If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples (you will be part of his church, a disciple of Jesus can’t be a lone ranger), and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."He, who continues in the word, will also know from the word that Christ established the Church on the foundation of Peter’s confession and faith.

Prayer:  Thank you Lord for the help you give me through the Catholic Church and its Sacrament.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Let me Seek Thee

Scripture/Bible: Again he said to them, "I go away, and you will seek me and die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." 22 Then said the Jews, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" 23 He said to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he." 25 They said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Even what I have told you from the beginning. 26 I have much to say about you and much to judge; but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him." 27 They did not understand that he spoke to them of the Father. 28 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him." 30 As he spoke thus, many believed in him. John 8:21-30

Reflection:  If you thought that if you seek Jesus you will not die in your sin then you have missed the point.  In today’s Gospel Jesus say’s; “you will seek me and die in your sin”

Can it be that there are two types of presence of Jesus in our midst; one is the ordinary presence with everyone because he truly loves his creation and hence he is with all his creatures.  The other is the absolute presence in those who have received him and respect this presence with them.  The second is a more solemn presence; a presence of comfort and protection; a salvific presence. 

The Jews failed to understand that this ordinary presence was an invitation for them to seek that real and actual presence of Jesus, which a personal relationship that is born out of a trust and obedience. But if they rejected the ordinary presence then how will they accept the real presence of Jesus and find meaning and healing for their sin sick souls. 

It is like the government officer in your neighborhood, as long as you did not know his position and power he was an ordinary man, whom you saw day in and day out.  The day you come to know him and become aware that he is the one who can sort out your ordinary day to day problem and his presence is a real presence with all his power and authority, then you will submit your case to him for solutions.  

Much more is Christ in our midst, who is always there with us but the one who recognizes and submits reaps a rich harvest of grace healing and blessings. The real presence is an everlasting presence and is with us to stay and transform us from one degree of glory to another.  It is a relationship in which one begins as mortals and lives on to eternity.

Further, it is a relationship with him who is the savior and hence the Jews are reminded and likewise a reminder to us that the savior needs to be believed or trusted in not once but always and at all times. 

The Jews failed to recognize this presence; for they knew Jesus as Jesus, just an ordinary man. hence they would die in their sin because they failed to recognize his real presence that is authority and power unto eternity.

Some people believe him in only one act and then it is sola scriptura. They like these Jews think that they can reason about Jesus and analyze and that their analysis can never go wrong.  They continue in a sin with an apparent faith in Jesus. 

Similarly the Catholic Church, established by Jesus can be an ordinary presence to be rejected like the Jews of today’s Gospel text and thus one may fail to understand the depth of the mysteries of God. On the other hand those who accept its ordinary presence and its existence as existing from Jesus Christ, with believe in it and reap a harvest of abundance for themselves

Prayer:  “Lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation; for thee I wait all the day long. Ps 25:5

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Hail Mary

Scripture/Bible:  In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" 35 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible." 38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38

Reflection:  Mary is always a topic of ridicule in some circles and the Catholics are often ridiculed and accused of worshiping Mary.  In some religions their book even accuses Christians as worshipping three Gods’ with Mary’s name being referred to as the third person besides the Father and the Son.

The Catholics do not worship Mary nor consider her a goddess to be adored. Its doctrine claims that Mary was a creature like any of us, except for her state of being sinless from conception.  This may sound scandalous to many denominational groups and sects but it is nevertheless the firm belief of the Catholic Church.

Scripture gives us an indication into this truth of Mary and along with the rich tradition passed on from the Apostles we can safely assume what we as Catholics believe about her. 

Who in Biblical history was ever proclaimed the word, that too by an angel, as being ‘highly favored’, except Mary? Some scholars who have dwelt into the original Greek interpret and read it as Mary being graced before and continues to be filled with grace now.  If this is true then this verse itself indicates here Immaculate  conception and her present status:  “..henceforth all generations will call me blessed.” Luke 1:48

The reaction of Mary, who carried great divine wisdom in her simplicity and humility, seems to reveal this aspect of her being almost equated with the divine; “she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.”  Only a self-conceited fool would be pleased to be equated to the divine but Mary was troubled in spirit at the very first instance and then like a true obedient child accepts the favor.

God’s magnanimity chooses to lift his creatures up to his level of divinity. (Jn. 1:12; 10: 34; Ps. 82:6) And in this Mary holds a special place.

This in no way means that Mary is God but rather she is the first and special one among God’s creation to be lifted to the level of divinity; divinized and yet not divine! (Jn. 1:12; 10: 34; Ps. 82:6)

The Church by honoring her is only honoring God’s choice proclaimed through the angel. 

Those who reject God’s good, perfect and pleasing will for the salvation of mankind reject God.

If she is full of grace then she can be instrument of grace to others, just as any ordinary follower of Christ Jesus can be an instrument of God’s grace in the measure in which they carry.

In the feast of the Annunciation the Church recognizes Mary’ special role in the economy of human salvation and history has proved it too. Those who care to know, it reveals too, the role of Mary in our salvation.

Prayer:  Hail Mary, full of grace, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us


For further reading: 2 part article on: http://www.frconradsaldanha.blogspot.in/2011/06/discovering-mary-part-i.html ---Part I
http://www.frconradsaldanha.blogspot.in/2011/07/creator-vs-creature-part-ii.html -- Part II

We wish to see Jesus

Scripture/Bible: Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Beth-sa'ida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him. 27 "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify thy name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." 29 The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 30 Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; 32 and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself." 33 He said this to show by what death he was to die. John 12:20-33

Reflection: Recently there was a news article in one of the web based Catholic news magazine about the importance of having Christian names.  The article complained bitterly about the attitude of giving local and meaningless names to children when baptized.

In the Gospel we have an example of an apostle of Jesus with a Greek name; Philip, which means lover of horses.  This could be the reason why these Greek approach Philip and request him for an audience to see Jesus. Though, ultimately Philip had to approach Andrew in order to do so.

Jesus a Jew may have never insisted on Philip having a Jewish name and the fact that Jesus addressed this issue in Simon and gave him the name Peter, yet he never gave a thought to changing Phillips’s name is a proof of that.

“What’s in a name?” said William Shakespeare.  But surely there is something, we see Philip may have been approached by the Greeks, in order to see Jesus, on account of his Greek name.

Similarly, a name may not mean much but a good, sound name always counts and parents must take great care in choosing the name of their children.  Even seeking God’s wisdom in all prayer and discernment, rather than opting for fanciful names which carry no meaning. One normally chooses a saint or a holy person’s name so that the child grows up by taking the Holy one as role model and may have the intercession and support of the concerned saint.

But of much more significance would be if the parent, whatever name they may give their child, ultimately trains them to be a witness of Christ. So that just as the Greeks approach Philip, likewise as they grow up others too may approach them and ask them; "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

A name may not matter much in comparison to how one responds to God’s call, which is irrespective of our name or background and how one submits to what he has to do with us and our name.   

Similarly, how we take them to Jesus is not the problem, whether through the intercession of St. Andrew or the other saints or Angels or with Mary as our mother or it could be with the help of common friends and dedicated disciples of Jesus; as long as one is an instrument to lead them to see Jesus.

Prayer:  “A good name is better than precious ointment”, Help me to be one by using me as your instrument.  (cfr. Eccl 7:1)

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Are you seeking Peace?

Scripture/Bible:  When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This is really the prophet." 41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee? 42 Has not the scripture said that the Christ is descended from David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?" 43 So there was a division among the people over him. 44 Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. 45 The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?" 46 The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this man!" 47 The Pharisees answered them, "Are you led astray, you also? 48 Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But these crowds, who do not know the law, are accursed." 50 Nicode'mus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" 52 They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee." 53 They went each to his own house John 7:40-53

Reflection:  Peace and unity are great values that the world seeks. There are many in the secular world whom people acclaim as apostles of peace and unity.  There are quite few who have been instrumental in uniting nations, tribes and people as one.

Yet many a time this peace and unity is often built on precarious grounds and seems so fragile almost ready to break or kept in place through either subjugation or strong laws and disciplines.

Besides these elements, one could seek unity for pure unity sake and strive for a peace that is based on the principle of amnesia; forget the past and look to the future and build.

If the heart is not at peace how can there be external peace and unity?  Yet one overlooks this whole point in order to work towards this end and there are many who bite the bait because it is an attractive proposition.  It is attractive because we ourselves are not at peace and we usually think that the other is responsible for our lack of tranquility,

Jesus never came to work for peace and harmony in society, or to unite nations and kingdom.  Hence peace and unity in that sense was never a value of the kingdom Jesus came to establish or the value of the Gospel as some claim.

“Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” Luke 12:51

Then what did he come for and why is he called the Prince of peace? The peace he came to bring about was much more profound and had to do with the internal realm: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.”  John 14:27

Thus in the Gospel Text above, we find that his very presence brings about division and they are troubled. 

When we invite this Jesus and sincerely seek him then his presence with us stirs and troubles and when we submit to him we are lead into that perfect peace which no power on earth can give.  Our unity is in him and only he can unite us in his love with one another that follow him.

Prayer:  Lord I believe that you will speak peace to your people, to your saints, to those who turn to you in their hearts. cfr. Ps 85:8

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us