Reflections

  Easter Breakfast   St. John 21: 1-14   During World War II, the Allied armies gathered the Hungary orphans and placed them in camps with all facilities like food and bed to sleep. But despite the excellent care, they slept poorly. Because of the children's nervousness, a psychologist came up with a solution: each child should be given a piece of bread after being put to bed. This piece of bread was not to be eaten but just to be held. And that piece of bread guaranteed the children that they would have food to eat for the next day and they got a sound sleep. This incident shows us the impact of fundamental needs in everyday life.  The resurrection experience was not expected by the disciples who were already feeling the uncertainty of their future.  According to John and Luke, the resurrected Jesus appeared to his followers in Jerusalem (Luke 24, John 20); other gospels indicate that Galilee is the place where they would meet him. In John’s gospel, Jesus appea...

  Dignity of Labour and Divine Commissioning   Acts. 18:1-4  Vv.  1-2a  “ After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.”   Paul had left Athens because there were many issues with him preaching there. Tired of waiting for Athens' ruler to allow him to preach, Paul decided to go to Corinth instead. There he met Aquila and Priscilla, who had to flee from Rome.    The main focus of this passage is in verses 3-4, which states that “And he went to see them,  3  and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.  4  And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and tried to persuade Jews and Greeks”. Paul's relationship with Aquila and Priscilla grew not just from their common trade of being tentmakers but throug...

  Dignity of Labour and Divine Commissioning   2 Thessalonians 3:6-15  “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.  For we hear that some of you are living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work.” Vv. 10-11   It’s easy to think that working is just a simple means to make money and be occupied. But, in the passage of 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15, we can see the Apostle Paul speaking about the role work plays in the Christian life. Throughout this passage, Paul emphasizes the idea that it is important to work to be self-sufficient and not needing to rely on others. We should be self-sufficient so that our dedication to Christ cannot be wavered by others. In verse 6, we can see the word “command” being used to describe the idea that we should keep away from those who are idle. This shows that it is not a mere suggestion from Paul th...

  Dignity of Labour and Divine Commissioning   Judges 6: 11-24 Gideon replied, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me.  v.17 During this time, the Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites. They were told by the Lord not to worship any other gods, but they did not listen.. Gideon, son of Joash, was approached by the angel of the Lord and had a very honest question: why is this happening to us? Why is God allowing this to happen to his own people? So often we find ourselves asking “why?” without understanding the purpose behind God’s greater plan. In John 11, we read about Jesus healing Lazarus from the dead. When Jesus heard word of Lazarus falling ill, he decided to stay put for two more days. Staying put and not taking action does not seem like a solution to someone who needs immediate attention. Yet, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified...

  Dignity of Labour and Divine Commissioning   Genesis  4:16-22 "So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden." v16 Often in life, we start to settle down and form a routine. It gets difficult for us to “own up” to our sins and mistakes in life. So often in relationships, we have difficult times admitting that we blew it. We sometimes tend to ignore the problem and hope that things will eventually get better. We end up trusting in our own abilities rather than seeking God. As parents, we strive to be perfect for our kids. We try our best to teach them to walk the right path and follow God, but unknowingly we lead them farther away from God than we ever dreamed. That is the greatest failure a parent could ever experience. In our passage today the Bible gives us a warning about a lifestyle void of God. At times like Cain we may stumble through life, we may have heavy burdens, we may not be on best-speaking terms with God, and like Cai...

  Dignity of Labour and Divine   1 Kings 17: 17-24 V. 18 "And she said to Elijah, “What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son!" There are many circumstances in our lives where we may feel defeated. Many families go through hardships such as the loss of a loved one, battling cancer, having a child with disabilities, marriage struggles, or financial difficulties. We may ask questions similar to the widow who owned the house where Elijah was staying. Why me? Why is it that I have to go through hardships while I see so many families that do not? Is it because I have sinned and this is my punishment? This theme was also seen when Jesus came upon a man who was born blind. It was assumed that the blind man or his parents had sinned and therefore was punished. In John 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in hi...

  My LORD And My GOD”   Psalm 16 Psalm 16 is a song of David. From the first two verses, it is evident that David composed this Psalm in the midst of hardships, fear, and insecurity. But, later he declares that God turned his insecurity to security, grief to joy, scarcity to an abundance of joy in Christ.  Throughout the Psalm, David looks up to the Lord as his PROTECTOR (V.1-4); his INHERITANCE (v. 5-6), and his HOPE (v. 9,10,11) God, our Protector David finds comfort and safety in God. And that trust comes from his experiences, when God delivered him in his hardships and made a promise that he will be with David wherever he goes. (2 Sam7:5-16) He trusted in God’s unfailing love and his salvation (Ps.13:5). He relied on the people of God, rather than following the false gods. In the present context, all influences that take us away from God are false gods. God’s intervention made him declare that Jesus is his Lord, his Master and apart from Him, there is nothing good. Al...

  My LORD And My GOD”   John 20:19-29 Jesus said to him,  “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” – V. 29 The Passion and suffering of Jesus Christ brings us closer to the cross. A glimpse into His death through the liturgical prayers, we experience what His Heavenly Father desired for the whole Creation. One Ultimate Sacrifice, One Divine Plan, Oneness of heart with the Father’s Will, and death is defeated on Easter Day. Believing in this Divine Will of God the Father, believing in the Lamb of God the Son Jesus Christ, and being led by the Holy Spirit into the Father’s Master Plan for us makes all the difference.   When the mind is enlightened, darkness flees. Jesus just entered and said, “Peace be with you.” (John  20:21a ). Allow the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ the True Light to enter into the dark corners of our life. Experience the Peace that he gifts us through the Holy Spirit each da...

  JESUS – LORD and GOD   1 Thessalonians 4: 13 – 18 “And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words” (V.17b,18) Last Sunday we celebrated Easter – the glorious resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ who overcame death even in His physical being. We celebrated the rising of our Lord, who in spite of being fully human, overcame all the temptations of the world to follow God’s will.   For us Christians, such an endeavor seems impossible, especially with the multitude of responsibilities and roles we play and the kind of people we interact with. We all desire peace of mind and joy in our hearts, but not sure how do we reach there. Hence many of us keep running around in different churches or fellowship groups searching for God. Many of us have become Mall Christians. We feel that God is somewhere outside and we are yet to find Him. It will take a while for us to realize that God is within us, the realization of which we need to unfold....

  JESUS: LORD and GOD “A Dream of God-With-Us in the World of Uncertainty” Genesis 28: 10-22   Salman is a friend of mine who lost both his parents in an accident when he was a child. He ran away from home for not being able to bear the torture by his relatives. He reached Mumbai and slept in the Railway station for some days, however, he joined a mob of thieves who taught him how to survive through robbery. He also got into drugs and drinking at a very early age and was caught by police for a robbery. Surprisingly the police let him go as he was just a child and he came back to the railway station where he was once. Not knowing what to do and where to live or how to live, he spent a few more days in the railway station. For his luck he met nuns of missionaries of charity and was taken to the Catholic orphanage where he was given education and a space to live and dream of a life and today, he works as a community developer in an NGO called “Pukar”. When he ran away from his ho...

  LIVING TO PLEASE GOD (Virtue of Life) Acts 24:10-21   We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus, those who have fallen asleep in Him. Colossians 3: 1-4 says, “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” If we have been raised with Christ, we will also appear with Him in glory. We have our Great Commission. How are we to live a life that is governed by the heavenly triumph that is hidden with CHRIST in GOD? How do we set our minds on things above and not on things on the Earth? Once, we like the disciples, have encountered the risen Lord personally and repented for our unbelief, how does God want us to follow Him? Jesus Christ set forth the pl...

  Jesus: Lord and God   1 Peter 1:1- 9 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (Vs 3-5).  Here the apostle Peter opens his letter with words of praise for God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ, reminding us that salvation is a gift of God's mercy. Peter was writing to Christians who were sojourners in a foreign land, with a heavenly citizenship.  Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”.  Jesus has risen from the dead so that our hope is not a wish. Our hope is not a dead hope or a lost hope. Any hope based on this world is already deteriorating and will soo...

  GOD THE ONLY SAVIOUR   Isaiah 43: 1-12 ““You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no God was formed, nor will there be one after me. (Isaiah 43:10)  Prophet Isaiah is one of the most important prophets in the old and new testaments who predicted the coming of Jesus, the savior who will provide everlasting peace. Isaiah Chapter 61 is one of the first scrolls Jesus read as he entered the synagogue in Nazareth. The New Testament Gospels highlight all that is prophesied in the ‘Book of Isaiah’ which alludes the importance of prophecies and doctrines. The name Isaiah means “God is Salvation,” and this is at the center of his life and beliefs.  He was convinced that no King, political or military alliance, will be able to protect him – but only GOD. Trusting the Lord and not relying on people and power is a “TRUTH” that is unfathomable. Can we reflect on ou...

Cross-Way of Salvation   Matthew 27:1-44 “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?”    Pilate asked.  They all answered, “Crucify Him!” (v. 22)  The gospel writer Matthew has narrated the events in chapter 27, as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered Him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.  But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds, we are healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5).  A modern analogy for this might be a heart transplant:  one person lives because another dies.  This physical analogy pictures the spiritual healing our loving and compassionate God made available to us.  The cross is saying that there is a ‘cruciform’ pattern to reality.  Reality rather is filled with contradictions what Bonaventure and others called “the coincidence of...

  Easter: Celebration of Resurrection  Luke. 24:1-12   Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: vs.. 6-7 Easter or the feast of resurrection is the unparalleled and pivotal event in the historical narrative of the Christian Church. It commemorates and celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The text talks about a few disappointed, frightened and perplexed followers approaching the tomb of Jesus to do one last service of love for their Lord. They came to finish anointing His body for burial as was customary among many people of the ancient near east. They wanted to serve Him one last time and express their devotion. The arrest, trial and the violent death of Jesus on the Cross had effected a terrible blow on the confidence of His followers as manifested in their fearful flight. Fear is natural with human beings; even though, it was never God’s will for us to be...

   Believer’s Resurrection 1 Corinthians 15:42-58 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  15:58 In chapter 15, Paul takes his readers back to some fundamental doctrines of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The text raises the question that the Corinthian Christians must have been thinking of “The resurrected body and how the dead body would look like?” ( 15:35 ). It is quite understandable why Corinthians were thinking this way. They must be experiencing a lot of suffering and persecution by living under the Roman Empire. Also, in an age where no healthcare system existed along with scarcity of food for many, these may have resulted in a “hope” to escape from an unhealthy physical body. To help Corinthian Christians understand what resurrection means, Paul presents two illustrations. First, the seed must sow...

  Passover Thursday, Holy Communion, Banquet of Survival Matthew 26:17-30 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”  Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;  for this is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Vs 26-28 The Passover was considered to be the most sacred feast of the Jewish religious year. It celebrated the deliverance of Israel from bondage. The Last Supper was the last meal Jesus ate with His disciples before His betrayal and arrest. It was more than Jesus’ last meal since it was also a Passover meal. Jesus used the Last Supper to give a new meaning to the Passover — the Lamb of God, sacrificed to set us free from sin.  So, why do we believers observe the Lord’s Supper? This passage gives two simple reasons. First, to remember what the L...