14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)

 

Fourteenth Sunday of Ordinary  Time (C) [Lk 10:1-12.17-20]

03.07.2022

The Mission of the Seventy

Readings: (1) Is 66:10-14 (2) Gal 6:14-18

1.    Theme in brief

      Universality of Christ’s mission and our response to it

2.    Focus Statement

The Lord of the harvest continually sends each of us into his plentiful harvest to be messengers of peace, healing and liberation; we should respond to his mission with urgency, a spirit of detachment, and willingness to face even hostility or opposition.

3.    Explanation of the text

Among the evangelists Luke is the only one who writes about the appointment and sending (or the mission) of the seventy other disciples (or seventy-two in some other  manuscripts, 10:1) after writing about the mission of the Twelve apostles previously (in 9:1-6). The number seventy (or seventy-two) represents all the nations of the world as per Jewish tradition and naturally it refers to the early Church’s Gentile mission. Obviously, the number twelve represents the chosen people of Israel. It is clear that the mission of Christ is universal and not restricted to Israel alone.

The disciples are sent ahead of Jesus to represent him and prepare the way for him just like John the Baptist did (10:1). They are not to announce themselves or their own message but Jesus and his message. They are sent two by two because according to Deuteronomy 19:15, the testimony of two witnesses is required for establishing a truth. Hence, the work of God’s Kingdom also must be testified by another witness.

Jesus tells the seventy missionaries: Though the harvest of responsive people to his message is plentiful, there are few labourers willing to offer their services to gather it in order to build up a community of love (10:2). The initiative for the mission comes from the Lord of the harvest who sends labourers in response to the Church’s constant prayer that he may inspire many more men and women to labour in his field (10:2). The figure of ‘harvest’ normally refers to God’s final judgement on the nations in Jewish understanding. But in Luke’s view it may refer to the appropriate time or season (or the harvest time) for preaching the message of the Kingdom, or the great number of Gentiles willing to accept this message (that is, a plentiful harvest). Because of the ripening of the harvest, there is urgency to reach out to those who long for the message; therefore, the labourers (that is, missionaries) are not supposed to waste too much time or deviate from the singleness of purpose in elaborate greetings or salutations and other unnecessary formalities (10:4). They are not to bother about incurring ritual impurity like the Pharisees and eat whatever food is provided (10:8). 

Jesus warns the seventy to expect resistance and rejection. They will be like vulnerable and defenseless lambs among powerful opponents and persecutors whom he compares to wolves (10:3). They are asked to rely on the hospitality of the people and carry with them no possessions or treasures except the treasure of peace (10:5). Their hallmark as missionaries should be detachment from material possessions such as purse and bags (10:4). Thus, they are to oppose the mentality of accumulating things only for themselves or excluding some people from their concern. They are to promote more the value of sharing (10:7) and trust in God to provide for their needs. When they go as labourers in the mission field their first priority is not supposed to be eating and drinking, but the message that God’s own rule of boundless love has come near to them through Jesus Christ (10:9).

What is the mission for which the seventy are sent? They are sent as messengers of peace (10:5-6), healing (10:9) and to establish God’s rule over human hearts by liberating them from all sorts of bondages (10:9, 11). Jesus makes it clear that that they must be willing to work as vulnerable and defenceless lambs in the midst of opposition and resistance from the ‘wolves’ (that is, forces hostile to the Kingdom, 10:3). Their message of peace is a gift that blesses those who receive it with salvation and wellbeing and returns to the giver if rejected (10:6).

When they return from their mission journey, they are told to rejoice not because of their power over evil spirits but because of the certainty of being personally known and loved by the Heavenly Father. 

4.    Application to life 

As we saw, Luke is the only evangelist who mentions about the mission of both the twelve apostles (in chapter 9:1-6) and the seventy other disciples in today’s gospel (10:1). Originally, the former referred to their mission towards Israel or Jewish community, and the latter to their mission towards the Gentiles. But today we can compare the mission of the Twelve apostles with the mission entrusted to the clergy and the Religious in the Church, and the mission of the Seventy with the universal mission of the people of God.

The mission of Jesus is not a monopoly of the select few clergy and the Religious. As members of the Church, each one of us should feel that Jesus is sending us into his plentiful harvest. Today for us the plentiful harvest might represent so many needs of the poor, the necessity of peacekeeping and peacemaking in our society and world, of healing and comforting the sick and the suffering, of liberation from evil and all sorts of bondages, etc. Today when Jesus says that the harvest is plenty, he must be pointing to plenty of human needs for peace, healing and liberation in our world, but the availability or willingness of very few people who want to address these needs.

According to today’s gospel, the main theme of the mission of the seventy is to proclaim that the Kingdom of God has come near. To proclaim the nearness of God’s Kingdom does not mean to teach catechism or religious doctrines, but to build up communities where God’s values of love, peace and justice come nearer to the people, or where sharing, care for the afflicted (ministering to the sick and the suffering), peace and justice become the rule. Therefore, our deeds of mercy and service should accompany our words of proclaiming the Good News.

Is it not a fact that human needs and problems are innumerable, but those who want to be involved in meeting these needs and tackling these problems are so few? Therefore, as Jesus asks us in today’s gospel, we need to constantly pray for a greater and better leadership in our society and the Church. We have to pray for more dedicated and service-minded people who will generously work for the mission entrusted to the Church. Our constant prayers for this intention may influence not only others but ourselves to become labourers for this harvest or sacrifice our time for the mission of Christ. This type of regular prayer will help us to overcome quite many excuses we make to avoid community services. In another sense, our constant prayer to the Lord that he may inspire dedicated leaders, especially from among the laity,  to work for his project is an expression of our concern for and collaboration in the mission of Christ. All are co-responsible for the mission of Christ. Therefore we are to show this responsibility first by praying for the mission of Christ and asking the Father to send labourers, and then by making sacrifices of our time and resources.

The world is so much in need of peace, reconciliation, liberation and a healing touch. So many people are waiting to be loved, cared for and consoled. We need to examine ourselves whether we feel the urgency and seriousness of spreading peace in a world torn apart by wars, terrorism, religious hatred, communal disharmony, caste conflicts, linguistic bigotry, corruption, poverty etc. Peace-building should be shown in action without wasting time only on rhetoric. If so many problems and miseries of people do not move us in any way, we turn out to be disciples in name only but without a mission. When it comes to participate in novenas and devotions we see plenty of devotees, but when it comes to render service to the poor, the marginalized and the suffering or work for peace we get so few of them. Today, in those regions of the world where people still attend Sunday church in good numbers, probably the Lord would say: "Church-goers and novena-goers are plenty, but labourers who are ready to do some community service are so few.” Or he might probably say to those who regularly take part in devotions and other religious practices: “Religiosity and piety is plenty among you, but practice of gospel-values is very little. So pray that you may practise spiritual values of the gospel by rendering concrete deeds of service to the needy.”

We might observe that only a few persons among the Faithful contribute to the mission of Christ in terms of time and energy or involvement in community services and activities. Usually, the same few people who are involved are involved. Others are happy if they get Sunday Mass and other sacraments and certificates from the Parish Office.  Therefore, we need to fervently pray for the inactive ones to be more active in Jesus’ mission. As St. Teresa of Avila said, today “Christ has no body on earth but yours; no hands but yours; no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ looks out to the world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless others now.”

Those who work for the Lord’s harvest, sometimes may have to work as vulnerable lambs among ‘wolves’ (hostile forces working against God’s Kingdom). When they try to build up of communities of more loving relationships, more sharing, peace and justice, they may feel like lambs among the wolves in a society organized on selfishness, divide-and-rule policy and unjust structures. The ‘wolves’ want to safeguard their vested interests and political clout, maintain the status quo by all means and protect their fiefdom. They will try their best to work against our efforts to change the status quo. Since the message of Christ calls for a radical change from loveless and self-centred ways, and does not conform to the standards of the world, both the message and the messengers are bound to be opposed. That is why in some parts of the world, missionaries are attacked, threatened, intimidated and even killed. They are defenceless (since they cannot take up arms) among the powerful (‘wolves’). In some other parts of the world, in highly secularized societies, they may not attack the messengers of Christ with arms, but might show total indifference and rejection by saying, “Who is interested in your ‘religious stuff?’”

As Jesus instructed his disciples, when we do God’s work, we need to fix our priorities not on eating, drinking, honour, salutations and exact protocol. While doing God’s mission there are temptations to pay more attention to better food and comfortable lodging than to Christ and his mission. Today Jesus reminds us to forego that kind of self-serving behaviour and to focus on the purpose for which we are appointed and sent by him. We need to trust in God’s providence rather than worldly possessions or human means. This spirit of detachment not only promotes God’s Kingdom but also earns for us moral authority over human society. Whose words and guidance are respected and accepted more in human society? Of course, of those who exhibit a spirit of detachment, and not of those whose main aim is to eat, drink and collect money for themselves.

5.    Response to God's Word

Do we feel the urgency and seriousness of spreading peace in a world torn apart? Can we light a small lamp in our own way where there is darkness, instead of cursing it? Can we join some peace-making or peacekeeping groups? In our own villages and neighbourhood, do we join hands with peacemakers or peace-breakers? How often do we comfort the broken-hearted, the sick, the lonely and the bereaved? Inspired by the example of some of our Christian brothers and sisters who commit themselves to social service under the influence of the gospel, are we moved to be involved in the mission of Christ in our own surroundings? Or do we soon give up our social or community service because of some criticism or opposition, most often by our own community members?

6.    A Prayer

O Lord of the Harvest, today you point out to us so many human needs for peace, healing and liberation. You express your sadness over the fact that very few of your followers want to address these needs. We humbly pray that you may send out more and more dedicated and visionary leaders into your harvest. May our constant prayer motivate us also to volunteer for community services by overcoming quite many excuses and reservations we make. When we have to work as defenceless lambs among hostile forces, grant that we may find strength of your Spirit. While working for your mission, grant that we may cultivate a spirit of detachment and trust in your providence rather than worldly possessions or human means. Amen.

 

 

 

Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (C)

 Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (C) [Lk 9:51-62]

26.06.2022

A Samaritan Village’s Rejection of Jesus and the Cost of Following Him

Readings: (1) 1 Kings 19:16.19-21 (2) Gal 5:1.13-18

1.  Theme in brief

      To count the cost of discipleship

2.  Focus Statement

Christian discipleship involves the hardest choices: willingness to show mercy on those who reject us; readiness to sacrifice our securities and family affections; working for God’s Kingdom with a sense of urgency; and firmly deciding to follow Jesus without turning back.

3.  Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel begins with Jesus’ firm resolve to go to Jerusalem in spite of knowing about the danger to his life. When he realized that the time was drawing near for him “to be taken up” (i.e. his exaltation at Ascension), he “set his face to go to Jerusalem” (9:51). The phrase "set his face" in Luke’s gospel indicates Jesus' single-minded resolve to fulfil his Father’s will at any cost, though he knew that this decision was going to be suicidal for him.

On his way to Jerusalem he wanted to halt in Samaria; hence he sent some messengers to find a place for him. (9:52). When the Samaritans refused to give place for him (9:53), his disciples (James and John) wanted to act impulsively and revengefully by commanding fire to come down from heaven and destroy them (9:54). When they expressed this retributive action to Jesus, he rebuked them (9:55) because they represented a punishing, cursing and revengeful God, whereas he represented an infinitely merciful and forgiving God. He wanted them to practise his teaching of non-retaliation against those who reject, instead of wishing a divine curse on them.

As they walked along, Jesus met three potential disciples who gave variety of reasons and excuses not to follow him. He used this occasion to speak about the cost or implications of discipleship in an exaggerated and seemingly harsh language – just to emphasize his demands from those who decided to follow him. Luke cites the following three cases of his would-be followers on whom he places these demands.

In the first case, a disciple willingly assured Jesus on his own that he would follow him wherever he would go (9:57). But most probably he was very calculative and looked for certainties and guarantees before taking up any task of God’s Kingdom. Jesus told him sternly that foxes and birds were better off because they had at least some security of their holes and nests; but he had no place where he could lay his head (9:58). From this answer it is clear that he wanted his followers to be prepared to face greater insecurity and uncertainty than foxes and birds (9:58). He wanted them to be totally dependent on God and absolutely available for his work. He also might have meant that discipleship involved a total trust in God when faced with rejection, as the Samaritans did to him according to this text.

In the second case, it was Jesus who took the initiative to call a person to follow him (9:59). The follower, instead of responding to the call when the opportunity came or when the need of following Jesus was very urgent, wanted to perform his filial duty to bury his father first. It is not clear whether his father had just expired and he wanted to conduct an honourable funeral for him before joining Jesus’ project, or it was a figurative way of speaking with this meaning:”Let my father die first; after his death, let me complete my filial obligation to bury him; then I shall be fully free to follow you” (9:59). If this is true, it could take indefinite number of years before he could make a final commitment.

Naturally, this symbolized an indefinite postponement. When a decision had to be made right at that particular time with all firmness and resoluteness, he wanted to postpone his decision. For him family came before Jesus and his values; but for Jesus just the opposite was the right course. He insisted on a sense of urgency, resoluteness and undivided loyalty to work for the Kingdom and not dilly-dallying. By saying, “let the dead bury their own dead” (9:60), Jesus might have alluded to his would-be followers who made such excuses as spiritually dead, becaue they make their duty to bury the physically dead an excuse to postpone indefinitely their decision to follow him. Once this filial duty to bury their parents is over they would find some other excuse for not committing their life to his cause, as it happens in many a case.

In the third case, the would-be disciple wanted to dodge an immediate decision to follow Jesus by making an excuse of his obligation to bid farewell to his family members (9:61). Jesus insisted that the urgency of the call of God’s Kingdom superseded to all other tasks and family obligations. Jesus opposed his tendency to postpone decisions by comparing his attitude with a farmer who always looked (turned) back while ploughing (thus making the furrows terribly crooked, 9:62). In all the three cases Jesus insisted that the demand of the Kingdom was so absolute that any follower had to give a higher priority to it over everything else. According to him no other distractions and worldly concerns should stand on the way of following him.

4.  Application to life 

Today’s gospel message calls for a renewal of our personal loyalty to Jesus and our commitment to his call to work for God’s Kingdom. Unlike the commercial advertisements, which promote their products and hide their defects, Jesus does not hide the hardest choices involved in discipleship. Humanly speaking, the absolute demands placed by him before those who want to follow him sound very unreasonable, such as not spending time in conducting a funeral for one’s own parent; not going to say goodbye to one’s family members before joining his project; and not looking back once a person begins to plough the field. They are not to be taken literally but with a sense of urgency and firmness. He is forthright about the cost and conditions of discipleship, namely – readiness to forgive those who oppose or reject us (as the Samaritans did to him) instead of punishing or condemning them; willingness to give up our security and to be freely and totally available for service of others; to consider the urgency of the call to work for God’s Kingdom without making excuses and postponements; and to sacrifice even family affections with resoluteness and single-minded dedication or devotion.

First of all, Jesus teaches that citizenship in God’s Kingdom does not mean greater power and higher position. It often brings rejection, sometimes by one’s own family, friends and neighbours, as the Samaritans did to him. By rebuking James and John for expressing their desire for revenge against or destruction of the Samaritans who rejected him, Jesus teaches an important lesson on tolerance. Modern world is heading towards more and more intolerance because of terrorist activities (sometimes wrongly linked to a particular religion), religious fundamentalism and fanaticism, large-scale immigration and the insecurity feelings generated by these factors. These factors create a fear complex leading to intolerant behaviour and action towards those who are unlike us in religion, race, ideology….. Jesus teaches us to accept and respect people who follow another religion, hold a different opinion from ours, belong to another race/ culture/  language/  caste/  tribe, not because we have no other choice, but because he wants his followers to love others with an inclusive heart.

In modern times our feelings of insecurity become more and more intensive day by day. There are so many who face insecurity in job places, or due to old age, poverty, war or threat to their lives. Surely Jesus does not wish we should suffer this sort of insecurity problem. What Jesus wants from his followers is that they should refrain from becoming too calculative and overcautious so as to look for absolute certainties and guarantees before taking up any work of justice and peace-building, social service or community task or leadership roles in the Church. Though we need to make very good plans in any field including service in the Church, there is still uncertainty whether our plans will materialize. Over-anxiety about the unknown future of our mission/ social involvement/ leadership roles/ service may take away from us all creativity and initiatives. One of the implications of the vow of obedience taken by the religious is their willingness to face the uncertainties involved in going to any new place to do God’s mission. In spite of specific terms in some of the appointments, there will be a lot of uncertainties.

Next, today’s message tells us not to postpone an important decision which has to be made right now with all firmness and resoluteness by saying: “Let me see”. The second potential follower of Jesus in today’s gospel wants to take care of his ageing father till his burial and later on follow him. He represents those who bury the burning issues which require immediate attention, decision and action, under the carpet or inside the files. Sometimes we need to take a radical step drastically. If we postpone, that opportunity may not come later. Sometimes we make so many excuses to take up any community service. We like to dodge our social and ecclesial obligations by making excuses and postponing decisions indefinitely due to fear of being disliked or criticized. We avoid firm decisions to escape from community obligations. In certain cases, we may just keep mum when we are supposed to speak for God and his values. We avoid taking any side by cultivating a culture of silence. We think that it is easier and safer not to make any firm commitment. Then we become like the man who made an understandable excuse to bury his father when he died. But after burying him, he must have got new and better excuses to avoid any commitment to God’s work.

There are people who deeply regret later the decision they made for life. For example, decision to marry so and so, to become a priest or join religious life, to take up a particular job or assume a particular leadership role and so on. They feel tempted to give up the fight and turn back. We observe the initial enthusiasm and zeal of those who are newly married, newly ordained as priests, newly professed as religious, or those who have newly joined an institution or an organization. As days and years pass by, their initial enthusiasm and motivation weakens. They are tempted to turn back after putting their hands on the plough when difficulties arise, when their expectations are not met, when the storms of modern secular values blow strongly, and weaknesses of those with whom they live and work with surface one by one. If we succumb to these temptations it is clear that our spiritual foundation is very weak or shaky. It shows that we do not take enough care to keep our original sense of commitment burning. Once we have decided to follow Jesus, we are to stand firm on certain principles without turning back even when there are a lot of social pressures. We may have to stick to these principles even at the cost of incurring displeasure of our own family members.

The same thing may happen in our struggle with habitual sins and bad habits. There is always a temptation to look back and feel regretful for the lost pleasures and selfish gains after giving them up once. Jesus invites all of us, once we have decided to follow him and have committed ourselves to a worthwhile cause, not to look back, come what may. Just as Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem when his time had come to do his Father’s will, so also he calls us today to set our mind and heart on our commitment to God’s Kingdom in whatever state of life we are in. Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem, not because it was convenient or compelling, but because he believed it was God's will for his life.  And, once determined to follow this course, he would allow nothing to stand in his way.

5.  Response to God's Word

To what extent we make excuses to escape any service in society or in the Church? Like the first follower mentioned in today’s gospel, do we become too calculative and overcautious so as to look for certainties and guarantees before taking up any common task or community service or leadership roles in the Church? Are we willing to run the risk of facing insecurities, uncertainties and rejection? Do we postpone an important decision when it has to be made right now with all firmness and resoluteness by saying, “Let me see.” As parents, do we avoid or indefinitely postpone correcting our children’s unacceptable behaviour to please them or by buckling under their pressure? What are we doing to recapture the original enthusiasm in married life/ religious life/ priesthood?

6.  A Prayer

Jesus our Master, today once again you remind us that as your followers we must be willing to give up our over-concern for security and be freely and totally available for service of others. You want us to consider the urgency of your call without making excuses and postponements, when a firm decision has to be made. You want us to sacrifice even family affections with resoluteness when it is needed for a greater cause. We regret for the times we became too calculative and overcautious and looked for absolute certainties and guarantees before taking up any task of for your Kingdom. We ask your grace and strength to remain your faithful disciples by following your demands of discipleship. Amen.  

Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ (C)

 The Body and Blood of Christ [Lk 9:11-17]

19.06.2022

Multiplication of the Loaves (Feeding the Five Thousand)

Readings: (1) Gen 14:18-20 (2) 1 Cor 11:23-26

1.  Theme in brief

Breaking our bodies and shedding our blood for others

2.  Focus Statement

The Holy Eucharist, which is Christ’s Body broken for us and his Blood shed for our salvation, motivates us to share our resources in sacrificial service to others.

3.   Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel begins in the context of Jesus taking the apostles to a secluded place at Bethsaida after their return from mission journey, to have some private time with them (9:10). The crowds that were so much desiring to listen to his words and get healed of their illnesses came to know about it and followed him; thus, encroaching even his private space (9:11). In spite of that he did not consider them a nuisance but gave up his desire for privacy for their sake and once again began his twofold mission: (1) to proclaim the Kingdom of God and instruct people about its nature; and (2) to heal the sick (9:11).

As the sun was about to set, the apostles sensed a critical situation. As they were in a “deserted place” (9:12), where would the crowds get food to eat?  They proposed an immediate solution to Jesus: to send them away before it would be fully dark so that they could go to villages and countryside to find their own food and lodging (9:12). They thought dismissing the crowd to manage their physical needs on their own was the best solution instead of going through the enormous problems involved in buying and transporting provisions, cooking and distributing food for five thousand men excluding women and children (9:13)!

Instead of escaping from the problem, Jesus asked the disciples to face the problem with these emphatic words: "You give them something to eat" (9:13). They responded by pointing to the meagreness of their resources: “We have no more than five loaves and two fish" (9:13). Here we notice their tendency to focus on what they hadn’t got instead of what they had. Their focus was only on the enormous problem and not on any other possibility. Even after observing so many miracles of Jesus in their presence, they could not imagine the possibility of Jesus handling the hunger of the crowd with his power. They doubted about his ability to take care of this situation.

Jesus did more than just feeling pity for the misery of the crowd; he took action as soon as he heard from them that they had five loaves and two fish with them. He took the five loaves and two fish, blessed God, broke them and gave them to his disciples who distributed them to the people (9:16). The four words used here (taking, blessing, breaking, and giving) are similar to those used during the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper (cf Lk 22:19) and those used at Emmaus when Jesus sat for supper with two of his disciples (Lk 24:30). According to the Emmaus Story, Cleopas and the other disciple recognized Jesus precisely when Jesus was at table with them he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him (Lk 24:30-31). Some scholars say that Jesus’ request to his disciples before using these Eucharistic gestures to organize the crowd into groups of fifty each is a pointer to the Eucharist which was considered as the source of unity of Christian community (9:14-15).

4.  Application to life

In today’s feast of the Body and Blood of Christ we thank and praise God for the incomparable gift Jesus made of himself to us in the Holy Eucharist. In this feast we celebrate the abiding presence of Christ in our midst under the signs of bread and wine. On this day we collectively give thanks to him for his mysterious yet tangible presence with us in the Eucharist. Through this wonderful sacrament, Jesus who came into this world as our Emmanuel – God with us – continues to stay with us and draw us towards his love so that we can love one another with this spiritual nourishment. In addition, by celebrating this feast we express our faith in the “Real Presence” of the Risen Christ in the Eucharist. Who is really present in the Eucharist? The answer is: The one who gives himself as our spiritual nourishment; the one who shares his life fully with us; and the one who offers himself fully for us. Jesus was a man for others. And in the Eucharist he gives us a spiritual nourishment to be men and women for others by leading a life of caring, sharing and sacrificial service. When we receive the Eucharist since Christ dwells in us we become Christ-bearers to the world. This privilege places upon us the duty and responsibility of giving or communicating Christ to others at home, in society and in our workplaces – his love, mercy, forgiveness and sacrificial service.

What Luke narrates in today’s gospel, in fact happens in every Eucharistic celebration, especially when we gather for it on the Day of the Lord (Sunday). Christ invites and gathers us around the Eucharistic Table for threefold purposes for which he sacrificed even his desire to have private time with the apostles according to today’s gospel:  (1) to instruct us about the Kingdom of God and its meaning or implication for us today as we listen to the Word of God and reflect over it; (2) to heal us from our sins which are our spiritual sicknesses; and (3) to feed us with his Body and Blood so that with the strength of this spiritual nourishment we may go out to feed those who are physically and spiritually hungry.

As we have already pointed out, today’s gospel text of multiplication of loaves is prescribed for this feast precisely because it has a lot of Eucharistic connotation. This is clear from the fact that Luke uses the same four words in this miracle used by Jesus at the institution of the Eucharist: Jesus took bread, blessed God (gave him thanks), broke it and gave to his disciples (compare Lk 9:16 with 22:19). Some experts say that taking the loaves of bread, breaking and giving them to his disciples symbolize the “taking” of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane for crucifixion, the “breaking” of his body during his passion and on the cross and his “giving” of himself as a sacrificial offering for the remission of our sins. Like Jesus we too are called to take and recognize God’s blessings and gifts in our lives; to bless and thank him for all our gifts – our health, time, talents, abilities, job, friends, family and faith. We must also break these gifts and blessings by sharing, spending, distributing and sacrificing them for the good of others. This is the way we are called to give ourselves for the salvation of the world.

Just as Jesus broke the bread and gave to his disciples, so also Eucharistic Bread is the memorial of Jesus’ body broken for us and his blood shed for us on the cross, for our salvation. By using Eucharistic words for the multiplication of loaves, Luke probably wanted to tell his readers in his days and also tells us today that the celebration of the Eucharist must lead us to a spirit of greater sharing within Christian community that may result in the multiplication of the little resources we have. Sharing our resources  and energies is a service that demands sacrifices.  Every Eucharist reminds us of our obligation to make sacrifices for the service of others.

As Jesus makes himself fully available to us in the Eucharist, we also are strengthened by the Eucharist to make ourselves available for the service of others. As Jesus is generous to feed us and stay with us through Eucharistic presence, we also get strength to feed others (both physically and spiritually) and stay with those who are in need of our help. Every time we receive Jesus in the Eucharist, he tells us as he told his disciples in today’s gospel, “You give them something to eat” (9:13). Only when we are willing to take out the little we have Jesus blesses it to satisfy the hunger of people around us.

Jesus’ reply to the request of disciples to dismiss the crowd to get their provisions with these words implies that it is their duty and responsibility to feed those who hunger for material as well as spiritual bread (the Word and the Eucharist). As we approach the Eucharist, Jesus seems to tell us: “As I give myself fully or share my whole being (Body and Blood) in the Eucharist, take this and receive the spiritual energy to give yourself or share your energies, talents and time with others. You give something of what you have to feed (both physically and spiritually) those who do not have it.” In the Eucharist, Christ makes himself totally available for us and shares his life with us, so that we too may do the same for others. The Eucharist is a spiritual meal of our community which commits and strengthens us to a life of service. By receiving the Bread of God, we become strengthened to take care of the bread for which so many people hunger.

We hear in the media that in our world millions go hungry, lose their homes in war and natural calamities. We think we are helpless to do anything for them except offering some prayers for them and a little contribution of money in the collection box. If we cannot do more than this for those people far away, what is our attitude towards the poor and the needy at our doorsteps? Like the disciples of Jesus, when we see poor people we also say: Let them go and find some work and take care of their needs. Though human mercy comes up and tells us that we could share with them something of what we have, we suppress or silence this feeling by making excuses of the type the disciples of Jesus made: (1) five loaves and two fish are like peanuts when we have five thousand mouths to feed (that also excluding women and children); and (2) we don not have the means to buy food and feed such a crowd. When we meet problems often we think of solutions from outside. According to today’s text Jesus challenges us to find solutions to our problems from within us and generously bring out the resources at our disposal, however little they may be. When all of us share even a little there will be sufficient for all and ‘twelve baskets’ of leftovers. The miracle that is waiting to take place in our hearts is: our conversion from selfish persons into generous sharers. As Michael de Verteuil says in his book ‘Lectio Divina with the Sunday Gospels’: “If we complain about the little we have, we never have enough; but if we take what we have, raise our eyes to heaven and say the blessing over it, we have as much as we want, and even twelve baskets of scraps left over.” Like the disciples had thought, if we send the people to villages to find their own food without sharing something of what we have, we fail to be Christ’s disciples.

Next, let us consider the spiritual significance of this miracle. Miracles in the gospels are like sacraments – external and visible signs of internal and invisible spiritual meaning or significance (grace). Similarly, physical healings are external signs of inner healing. In the same way, satisfaction of physical hunger of the crowds in today’s gospel is an external sign of Jesus’ role as the One who satisfies our spiritual hunger. It is a fact that human hunger goes beyond physical hunger. Human beings do not live by material bread alone (Mt 4:4). They are hungry for justice especially when they live in a unjust social structure or political system. They are hungry for peace when they live in a world torn apart by wars, riots, conflicts, violence and crimes. Then there is the deepest hunger for love and care, especially when people feel unloved and uncared. Quite often people feel totally helpless and powerless to satisfy their spiritual hunger. Jesus has given us the most wonderful sacrament to tackle our spiritual under-nourishment, that is, the Holy Eucharist. We become what we eat. By taking Jesus into us through Holy Communion in faith and with proper disposition we become more and more like him  - more loving, service-minded and self-sacrificing persons. But if we eat only the junk food provided by the mass media and the evil company of the world without having close communion with Jesus, we take into us a lot of ‘poison’ (evil).

As mentioned in the explanation of today’s gospel text, the disciples are given the task of organizing the crowd and distributing the bread. This shows that we are called to share what we have with others, just as Christ shares his life with us. Just as the disciples are told to organize a scattered crowd of people into groups of fifty each, we are called to gather people into the unity of God’s Kingdom. We are also called to bring about a ‘miracle’ of unity in our divided world or community.

5.  Response to God's Word

Does Eucharist inspire and strengthen us to share even our meagre resources with the have-nots? Do we realize that we are fed with divine life, so that we may feed others with the same? Does our participation in the Holy Mass motivate us to render a service to the poor, the suffering and the needy, or just to fulfil a ritual or gain respectability and acceptability in our society? What is our attitude towards the poor and the needy?

6.  A Prayer

Lord Jesus, today we express our faith in your real presence in the Eucharist. As you give yourself fully as our spiritual nourishment and share your life fully with us give us the strength to be men and women for others. As we take and receive you in faith, may we become more and more loving, service-minded and self-sacrificing persons like you. As you are generous to feed us and remain with us, give us the strength to feed others, both physically and spiritually. By receiving the Bread of God, may we become strengthened to feed the spiritually and materially hungry. In a divided world, may our continual gathering around the Eucharistic table bring about unity among the scattered children of God. Amen.

Holy Trinity Sunday (C)

 Most Holy Trinity Year C [Jn 16:12-15]

12.06.2022

Revelation of the Father by the Son and the Holy Spirit

Readings: (1) Prov 8:22-31 (2) Rom 5:1-5

1.  Theme in brief

Our continual discovery of God’s love

2.  Focus Statement

Jesus reveals to us who the Father really is (that is, Father’s truth), and sends the Holy Spirit to guide us in our discovery of God’s love in day-to-day life and to know the inner mystery of the Triune God.

3.  Explanation of the text

In today’s gospel, Jesus confides to his disciples about many more things he still has to tell them but if he will tell them all those things they will not be able to bear them now (16:12). Since nobody is sure about the exact meaning of these words, some experts say that it refers to the mystery of God and his love which nobody can fully grasp. They say that it implies that the revelation of the mystery of God takes place progressively, stage by stage through the help and guidance of the Spirit (16:13).

Some other experts say that it may refer to his passion, crucifixion, resurrection, descent of the Holy Spirit, future persecution of the Church and the gathering of the Gentiles into the fold of the Church. All these future events are totally contrary to their expectations from the Messiah. These matters are not only beyond their grasp at present but also shocking and scandalizing. Therefore, before his departure from this world, he promises them to send the Holy Spirit with whose guidance and enlightenment they will be able to grasp the meaning of these events. That will give them the courage and strength to bear future shocks (16:13). One thing is clear: Jesus makes known his wish to continue his close communication with them after his Ascension through the guiding work of the Holy Spirit (16:12).  

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “the Spirit of truth” whose role is to guide them into all the truth (16:13).  In John’s gospel, the words ‘God’s truth’ refer to the revelation brought by Jesus about God’s true nature, about who God really is, in what way and to what extent he loves human beings. Jesus has already revealed to them ‘God’s truth’ – who the Father actually is. Now the role of the Holy Spirit is to help the disciples further discover ‘God’s truth’ or God’s boundless and unconditional love in day-to-day life so that they may grow stage by stage in their knowledge of the inner mystery of God. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth precisely because of his role of guiding the disciples into all the truth (revelation) about the mystery of God. Thus, revelation of God’s love, his mystery and his holy will continues till today and will continue for ever – all because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the world.

The guidance given by the Holy Spirit is not going to be his own or coming from his own authority, but only what he hears from Jesus (16:13). Thus he does not add anything new to the once-for-all revelation of God through Christ. He constantly keeps on updating our understanding of Christ’s revelation. Further, the Holy Spirit does not do anything for his own glory or to attract people to himself. By his work of guidance in the path of truth, he draws people to Jesus and thus glorifies Jesus and not himself (16:14).

Jesus further tells his disciples that whatever the Father has, belongs to him (16:15). Earlier also he had mentioned: “I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father” (Jn 15:15). Now he tells his disciples whatever he has, the Holy Spirit declares or makes it known to them (16:14-15). The word ‘declaring’ means giving right interpretation or explaining the significance of what Jesus has revealed about the Father. Thus, the Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus by interpreting (‘declaring’) the meaning of the words he has heard from Jesus (16:13), just as Jesus has revealed whatever he has heard from the Father. He takes what the Father has given to Jesus and prompts its implications to the disciples. By explaining to us Jesus’ teaching, the Holy Spirit indirectly reveals the Father’s mind just as Jesus does. Thus, there is a perfect link from the Father to the Son and from the Son to the Holy Spirit and from the Holy Spirit to the disciples. From this we get some glimpses of the oneness of purpose, total transparency, sharing and intimate communication that exist among the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

4.  Application to life

Our faith tells us that our God, though one, does not exist alone or in isolation. He is neither a loner nor unrelated or disconnected. He is a community of three persons – a Divine Community of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Actually speaking, the Holy Trinity is nothing but another expression of the briefest definition of God given by John in his First Letter, "God is love" (1 Jn 4:8). If God is love, he needs others to give and receive love. Among the three Divine Persons of the Trinity, love is shared through a closer interaction or communion, total sharing and the deepest level of communication. If God were not love, he need not have been a Trinitarian God. He could very well be a solitary God.

What are the implications of our faith in the Holy Trinity for our Christian life? We are all baptized in the Trinitarian formula: in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Hence by baptism itself we are inserted into the Divine Community or Family. Hence, by baptism itself we are called to imitate the traits of the Trinity – sharing, understanding, communication, transparency. Besides, we are called to practice something of the unity in diversity that we find in the Holy Trinity. In spite of their diversity in functions (the Father being Creator, the Son being Redeemer and the Holy Spirit being Sanctifier), all the three work for one goal or purpose – the salvation of all humankind. We should not forget that our baptismal vocation involves a responsibility to work out unity within our families, communities and society in spite of differences of opinions, viewpoints, gender, nationality, race, caste, tribe, ethnicity, religion or faith traditions. We are called to build up oneness of purpose by respecting our differences and accepting/ appreciating what is good in others and emphasizing what is common to all of us, instead of exaggerating our differences and making an issue out of them.

Love is basically other-oriented, both at the human and divine levels. In every love-relationship we discover each other’s love day by day as it takes newer and newer forms. As we come to know each other, more and more, deeper and deeper we discover their love in a deeper level. This is made possible by imitating the qualities of transparency, sharing and communication which exist in the Holy Trinity. From today’s gospel-message we come to know that Jesus shares with his disciples all that he hears from his Father on equal footing and in total transparency and promises them to send the Holy Spirit to continue this sharing – though in a little different way. All the three Divine Persons share among them whatever they hear from one another. None of the three keep anything exclusively as one’s own. All the three take from the other and share it among themselves. They have nothing to hold back or hide from each other and from us; no hidden agenda, no secrecy. Therefore, Jesus says in today’s gospel that all that the Father has is his, and the Holy Spirit ‘declares’ (that is, interprets for us or discloses to us) what is revealed by him about his Father.

Faith in the Holy Trinity means faith in a God who goes out of himself in self-communication and self-disclosure. First he did it through his Son Jesus and now continues to do it through the Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus says that he has many more things to tell us about the mystery of God and his love. Not only that, we too have many more things to learn. We are learning it through the enlightenment and guidance of the Holy Spirit. He helps us to personalize and interiorize the words of Jesus. Thus, we are perpetual learners. We need constant updating not only in the secular field due to the fast changing world, but also in religious and spiritual sphere. There is always something to learn, share and teach. We need to discover and learn daily newer and newer signs of God’s love for us and the significance of various events (sweet and sour) in our lives. We also have to discover daily the meaning of various signs of love in human relationships with the guidance and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. We have to discover and learn from what is happening in our world today – what God wants to tell us concerning certain shocking and unexplainable events such as terrorist attacks, global warming, ethnic cleansing, communal riots, growing corruption in public life and so on.

Jesus reveals to us who God is (the truth about God); he sends the Holy Spirit to guide us in our discovery of God’s love in daily life. Thus, divine revelation is a continual and progressive disclosure of God’s mystery. Hence, our faith is not static thing, a deposit we received from our parents which needs to be kept in a ‘safe-deposit vault.’ It is a dynamic and progressive process. Faith is like a tool which we have to apply to discover new truths and new mystery about God. Jesus tells us that the Holy Spirit does not add anything new to what Jesus has already revealed. He only guides us and interprets (‘declares’) to us the meaning and significance of Jesus’ words for present situation. How can the Holy Spirit do it unless he is in constant dialogue with the Father and the Son? Similarly, how can we know what is going on in the minds and hearts of others with whom we live unless we enter into a deeper communication or dialogue?

Our families and communities are called to reflect the transparent relationship and deeper level of communication. Quite often we engage only in social and superficial communication, and share only general information within our families and religious communities. Communication is an act of self-disclosure of what is going on inside us – a deeper sharing of our joyful and hurtful feelings, likes and dislikes, plans, aspirations, hopes, fears and faith in God on a regular basis. Nobody will know what is going on inside us (what troubles and worries us) unless we choose to disclose it to those who are close to us. It is through this kind of depth-level communication we discover each other’s love, grow deeper into it and understand each other. We grow in love and understanding and improve the quality of relationships only when we make known to the other what is going on inside us, what struggles are going on inside us.  By this we discover who the other person is; then we discover his/her love. By discovering genuinely human love we discover God’s own love. When our level of communication improves, the quality of our life improves.

These thoughts motivate us to examine whether our communication is deeper, or superficial – limited only to news, jokes, weather report, work and about neighbours. Let us also examine whether most of our talk is limited to only criticizing/ judging/ condemning somebody, grumbling, complaining and gossiping against somebody, or whether it is supportive, appreciative, encouraging and is concerned about showing compassion towards those with whom we daily interact.

5.  Response to God's Word

Do we discover each other’s love and grow deeper into it through a deeper level of communication? Is our faith static or dynamic? In other words, do we aim at growing in our faith and becoming more mature Christians? Do we share our joys and sorrows, hopes and aspirations, problems and fears, doubts and faith, plans and projects on a regular basis? Ask yourself: Am I a good communicator or bad? Is my communication on a deeper level or superficial? Do I have a lot of things to hide from others? Are my dealings, speech, work, accounts and financial handling transparent?

6.  A Prayer

Most Holy Trinity, you are a model for transparency, sharing and communication which should characterize our families and communities. Today we realize how far away we are from this ideal. Quite often we engage only in social and superficial communication, and share only general information in our families and communities. We repent for the times we failed to cultivate a deeper level of communication or sharing of our likes and dislikes, hope and aspirations, emotions and pain, fears and doubts and above all our faith in you on a regular basis. May we discover daily your love for us and the meaning of various signs of love in human relationships with the guidance of your Spirit. Amen.