EASTER SUNDAY – 21 APRIL 2019-04-16

Easter also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday is the solemn commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead which occurred according to the Gospel writers on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus, preceded by forty days of Lent.

The resurrection of Jesus is not a fabricated fiction rather a historical reality. Risen Jesus was seen, heard, touched and experienced by both men and women. He appeared to his disciples and greeted them; “Greetings” (Mt 28:9); “Peace be with you” (Jn 20:19). This greeting was very much needed for they were completely frightened.  Meeting the risen Jesus brought different feelings and blessings to different persons. To the disciples going to Emmaus who were discouraged and disillusioned it was a “Hearts burning experience” (Lk 24:32). Risen Christ invited his disciples to touch his body, and ate food in their presence (Luke 24:39).  He opened their eyes, and they “recognized him” and he opened their minds to understand the scriptures (Lk 24:45). 

The risen Lord also commissioned to those whom he appeared to be the witnesses of his resurrection. Thus, he said to Mary Magdalene: “Go to my brothers and say to them” (Jn 20:17) and to his disciples he said: “Go to the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15)

Mary Magdalene bore witness to the risen Lord saying: “I have seen the Lord” (Jn 20:18).The Emmaus disciples testified saying: “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon” (Lk 24:34). Bearing witness to the risen Lord was a hard mission but the experience of the risen Lord made profound impact in the lives of the disciples they courageously bore witness amidst of several life threatening obstacles from the men in power not wanting to acknowledge their share in condemning and crucifying him. John and Peter spoke boldly witnessing the resurrection of Jesus ignoring the order of the Council saying: “We cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

Paul personally encountered the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-9).  This encounter of the Lord totally transformed the life of Paul and became a new creation in Jesus.  He preached the resurrection of Jesus forcefully and courageously amidst several adverse and dangerous situations. He preferred to face sufferings rather than remaining silent about his experience of the risen Lord Jesus Christ. He preached that the resurrection of Jesus is fundamental to our faith. Writing to the Church in Corinth Paul says: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith also is in vain“ (I Cor. 15: 14). This is a point that today we need to hear desperately. If Christ was not raised from the dead, the Christian faith is based on a lie. If Christ was not raised from the dead, all our liturgical celebrations, the preaching and missionary service through the centuries has been for nothing and they are only rituals and activities of a social club. If Christ was not raised from the dead, we have no hope of life beyond the grave.

The risen Lord today greets each and every one of us with the gift of “peace’.  He is ready to open our hearts, eyes and minds to have his experience and thus to believe in him that our lives shall be transformed thus become a people of new and hope filled life freed from our hopelessness, fears, discouragements, and disillusions. Blessings of the Risen Lord be with you all!

By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF

arulcmf@gmail.com

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PALM SUNDAY (14th April 2019)

 1^st Reading – Is. 50:4-7

Psalm – 21:8-9,17-18a, 19-20,23,24.

2^nd Reading – Phil. 2: 6-11

Gospel – Lk 22:14-23,56 (or 23:1-49)

“They brought the donkey and colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.  A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David, Blessed is he who come in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest”

On our Lenten pilgrimage we are at the final Sunday, known as the Palm Sunday and also Passion Sunday.  Holy Week begins with the Palm or Passion Sunday. Palm branches are widely recognized as symbol of peace and victory. On this Sunday liturgy palm is blessed at the beginning of the Holy Mass and the faithful holding the blessed palm take the presiding priest celebrant in procession singing hymns recalling the solemn entry of Jesus in Jerusalem riding on a donkey before his passion and death on the cross. The use of a donkey instead of a horse is highly symbolic, it represents the humble arrival of some in peace. According to the Jewish tradition during the feast of the “Pass Over,” nearly 25,000 lambs were sacrificed but the lamb which was sacrificed by the High Priest was taken to the Temple in a procession four days before the main feast day.  Symbolically it signified that on Palm Sunday, Jesus, the true Paschal Lamb, was also taken to the Temple in a large procession.

This Sunday serves as a preparation of our hearts for the agony of the passion and the joy of the resurrection of Jesus.  Listening to the Gospel reading of today taken from the Gospel of Luke there come across different people who shared their part in causing Jesus to suffer.  Peter denied Jesus even though he made a solemn promise to Jesus that he wouldn’t do that, Judas betrayed Jesus, Pilate acted against his conscience and condemned Jesus, Herod ridiculed Jesus, and the leaders of the people preserved their position by getting rid of Jesus. Failure to understand Jesus, love for money, pride, fear, jealousy etc., were the reasons that led Jesus to the cross.  When I point my fingers to the above said people let us ask ourselves in what way I share my part causing to suffering of Jesus?  We all have a share in the passion and death of Jesus by our sins. It is not enough today to sing and satisfied holding the palm on the hand like the crowd of Jerusalem, rather, let us know that the merciful and loving Lord wants us to repent and return to him so that we can participate in the joy of His resurrection.                                                            

By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF

arulcmf@gmail.com

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5th SUNDAY OF LENT ( 07 April 2019)

1^st Reading - Isaiah 43:16-21

Psalm - 126:1-2,2-3,4-5,6

2^nd Reading - Philippians 3:8-14

Gospel - John 8:1-11

The gospel reading of the fifth Sunday of Lent taken from John 11^th chapter presents Jesus encountering a woman brought to him by a group of scribes and the Pharisees with the accusation of adultery. They brought her to Jesus with the malicious intention of testing him and thus get some charge to bring against him. Placing the woman before Jesus the men said, “the law of Moses commanded us to stone such. What do you say about her?” If Jesus approved the law of Moses and thus allowed her to be stoned then his claim that Son of God came to call sinners will be questioned.  If he contradicted then he would be interpreted  disrespecting the law of Moses which was punishable. Knowing the conspiracy of the men brought the women Jesus did not respond to them instantly in haste, rather took time and meditated over the matter and certainly sought the guidance of his heavenly Father as it had been his normal practice before taking any important decision.

Jesus used the occasion to stir the conscience of those men who always thought to be right and law abiding with a challenging invitation, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”  Such an unexpected personalized invitation from the part of Jesus whom they wanted to trap shocked them and pricked their conscience and hearts.  They realized their sinful situation and must have been ashamed of their act of hypocrisy and thus, left the place in silence leaving the woman with Jesus without getting an answer from him. 

In 2016 Pope Francis on the occasion of the Jubilee of Priests in Rome, meditating on this particular gospel episode said that Jesus was in fact opening a space of "non-condemnation". He freed her from the judgement of others and neither had he judged her: “Nor do I condemn you”. The command of Jesus, "Go and sin no more", had to do with the future, to help her to make a new start and to "walk in love", the Pope said. "Such is the sensitivity of mercy: it looks with compassion on the past and offers encouragement for the future." 

The season of Lent is a season of special grace to experience the compassionate and merciful love of God. He doesn’t condemn us rather calls us to begin a new life.  He offers repeated opportunities to come out of our sinful life related to both chastity and charity like that of judging others and wanting to see and enjoy others being punished, being self-righteous like the Scribes and Pharisees looking at the dust in others eyes while ignoring the blocks in our own eyes. The liturgical readings of today give us the happy hope that our God does not condemn us rather wants us to repent and return to him for which he offers additional time and opportunity: “Nor do I condemn you,” “go and sin no more.” With a sense of gratitude to God for this act of merciful love for us sinful people let us make a new start and walk in His love.

By - Rev. Fr. Maria Arul CMF

arulcmf@gmail.com

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