EASTER VIGIL (C)

 

EEEAS

EASTER SEASON YEAR C

Easter Vigil [Lk 24:1-12]

19.04.2025

The Resurrection of Jesus

Readings: OT (1) Gen 1:1-2:2  (2) Gen 22:1-18  (3) Ex 14:15-15:1  (4) Is 54:5-14  (5) Is 55:1-11  (6) Bar 3;9-15.32-4:4  (7) Ez 36:16-28; NT (8) Rom 6:3-11

1.    Theme in brief:

To meet the living Lord in all situations

2.    Focus Statement:

As Jesus is risen, now he is not found among the dead, but among the living; hence, we have to look for him beyond the tomb, and meet him in faith in all situations and among all people.

3.    Explanation of the text

Today’s gospel tells us that Mary Magdalene and other women disciples of Jesus had gone to the tomb with the spices they had prepared, understandably to anoint Jesus’ body as a sign of love, devotion, and respect (24:1). When he died, they could not pay their tribute to the body of the Person whom they loved ardently by performing the last rites of anointing the body with spices as per Jewish custom. Since the Jewish Sabbath had already begun soon after Jesus’ burial, the regulations of the Sabbath forbade such work. This gospel text shows how the fervent and faithful love of the holy women even after his death  was rewarded with the joyful news given by “two men in dazzling clothes” (presumably angels, 24:4) that he has risen (24:5). Luke says that they had gone to the tomb on “the first day of the week” (that is, Sunday as per Jewish calendar) at early dawn (24:1). [Hence Sunday became the Day of the (Risen) Lord and Sabbath day for the Christian community, whereas for the Jews the Sabbath was the last day of the week or the seventh day (Saturday).]

When the holy women reached the tomb of Jesus they were perplexed to find the stone rolled away from the tomb and the body of Jesus missing (24:2-3). The rolling away of the stone symbolizes the victory of Jesus over the forces of death. By his resurrection, Jesus has overcome death and has opened up an eternal destiny beyond their physical death for those who believe in him. The angel of the Lord said to the women: “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (24:5). "He" – that is, Jesus who lived in Nazareth, walked in a limited region of Palestine, taught the new Law, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died a shameful death on a cross and buried in this tomb is not "here." Because he is risen from the dead, now he is no more limited or confined to the place where they laid him, that is, to the place of his burial or to the space of his earthly life. Now he can break all barriers, walls, limitations and boundaries established by human beings and continue to save anyone who believes in his name.

Hence, the women were told by the angels that they were searching for him in the wrong place, among the dead, as if he was still dead; or in a limited space, as if he was confined only to the place where they buried him (24:5). Since he is risen, now he is a living reality, and they can meet him anywhere and in any situation through faith. The fact that Jesus is not here in the tomb (24:5) can be physically verified by the women because it is empty, but the fact that he has risen can be believed only in faith. Their bowing down of heads may symbolize their attempt to fix their minds only on physical vision.

The women become the first witnesses and proclaimers of faith in the resurrection of Christ (24:9). In the beginning the eleven apostles find the news about Jesus’ resurrection incredible and dismiss it as an “idle tale” (24:11) or as they say in modern English ‘the old wives’ tale’. As Mary said in her Magnificat, truly the powerful apostles are brought down from their thrones and the lowly women are lifted up (Lk 1:52).

4.    Application to life

Tonight we have gathered here to proclaim that Jesus is truly risen; hence he truly lives. Our Christian life or discipleship is a constant search for the Risen Lord. Tonight’s gospel text cautions us not to look or search for him among the dead or not to consider him as though he were a corpse still to be found in the tomb. After his resurrection, Jesus is not among the dead, but he is among the living. Hence, in order to find him, just as the women were told by the angels, we should not limit our search to the tomb or only to one place or situation. Nor should we limit our search for him and the need to find him only to this or any other place of worship (church), prayer, liturgy, or the limited space of our selfish desires. The gospel text invites us to look for or seek the Risen Lord away from the tomb in all situations of our life – in our joys and sorrows, daily problems and struggles, crises, calamities, trials, risks, disappointments and frustrations. We have to seek him in faith and discover him in the midst of our lives. We have to recognise him as he speaks to us in the Scriptures and comes to us as our spiritual food in the Eucharist.

If we believe that Jesus is alive, for us he is not just a hero or a great historical figure, but a living presence. His presence cannot be reduced merely to the pages of the Bible or any religious book, or a statue in a church, or to a tabernacle. He is no more in the tomb; he is a living reality. Now we are not following just an idea or ideology, a dream or an imagination, but a Living Person. It is not just enough to study him or know him theoretically, but because he lives, we can meet him in faith in all situations. Yes, if we really believe this, we shall feel his presence as he walks with us on our mountains of joy and in our valleys of tears, in our hardships, in our doubts and in all that happens to us.

Because Jesus lives, and if we firmly believe in his living presence, we can experience his peace in the midst of our disturbed and anxious minds, his providence in our deprivation, his support in our weakness and his outstretched arms in our fall and failures. Because he lives, we merely do not teach lessons from the life of a Great Teacher; we proclaim and testify to the world what we have ‘seen’ or experienced when we are touched by his powerful presence in the midst of our life-situations (cf. 1 Jn 1:1-2). He is in our Bethlehems; he is in our Gethsemanes; he is in our Golgothas; he is on our Mount Tabors; and he is in our Galilees. Because he lives, we can see something good in everything, however painful and disgusting an experience may be. Yes, because he lives, we believe that he is with us in all the ups and downs of life and will be with us for ever.

From the testimony of the resurrection given by the devout women, we come to know that those who ‘seek’ Jesus with love, devotion and faith, encounter him in impossible situations, even in death. The faithful love of the women disciples is a great inspiration to all of us not to give up our good initiatives/ welfare activities/ service when we meet hurdles/ opposition/ discouragement. These women prove the old traditional saying: “Two men looked through the prison bars; one saw mud, the other stars.” When the rest of them gave up, the women remained faithful, hoping something good against all hopes. When others saw mud, they looked beyond it by remaining faithful to their Master.

As the women initially responded to the sight of empty tomb by bowing their faces to the ground, if our gaze is fixed only on the tomb, that is exclusively on material things and worldly concerns, and if we fail to see him beyond the ‘tomb’ built by our selfishness and attachment to these things, then he is no more living for us. If we live exclusively for money, higher and higher status, more and more prestige, greater and greater income, and fail to see anything beyond this ‘tomb,’ then we are dead, that is, just existing rather than truly living. If we have no aim or cause to live and die for, then we die several times before we really die. Yes, the tomb is empty; we will not find him there. We will not find him where forces of death are at work; where a culture of death, violence and ‘might-is-right’ policy rules. We will not find him where greed, corruption and dishonesty rule. Nor will we find him only in ‘Jerusalem’ – the centre of Jewish worship or the places of our present worship. He is not confined to only church, prayer and this solemn and elaborate liturgy of Easter Vigil.

Today’s gospel invites us to look for the presence of the Risen Lord speciality among the marginalized people in our globalized and pluralistic world. We have to ‘seek’ him in a more committed manner among the poor, the sick, the underprivileged, the deprived, the suffering and the downtrodden and make the Risen Lord’s face of mercy shine on them by doing works of mercy for such people. He wants that we show a preferential love for the poor and the marginalized by our service to them. We make his presence active and striking when we continue his mission to bring life to those who are in death-like situations. By doing works of mercy for the underprivileged and the downtrodden we bring them the joy of the resurrection. Then “the tender mercy of our God” will break upon those who “sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Lk 1:78-79).

The message of Easter is the message of God’s mercy winning a victory over the forces of hatred, intolerance and violence. There forces are the forces of darkness and death. The question is whether we are and shall remain faithful to his mission of doing works of mercy in the midst of darkness and shadows of death. It is through our deeds of mercy done to the least ones, the dawn of the resurrection will break upon them (Lk 1:78).

Those who think that it is pointless to live and pointless to die with hope are already dead. For them the stone blocking the tomb is not yet rolled away. Besides, our lack of faith, sin or hardheartedness and self-centredness could be considered as the stones that block our vision of the Risen Lord. Today’s gospel invites us to roll away these obstructing stones. If we believe that Jesus is really living, others can notice it in our lives. After all, the fact of the resurrection was established by the effect it had on the lives of the apostles. They were totally transformed from cowardice to courageous witnesses. Do people notice the traces of Christ’s living presence in our conduct?-

5.    Response to God's Word

Do we seek the Risen Lord in all situations? Do we have faith enough to recognize the presence of the Risen Lord? Do we feel that Jesus is risen in us and in the world we live? What are the effects of Jesus’ living presence on our life and behaviour? By what signs we can know that Jesus is really living and active in our homes, neighbourhood and the Church? Have we locked up Jesus in our narrow and selfish world? Do we ‘see’ Jesus among the poor and the marginalized? Do we allow the Easter Light to dispel the darkness of sin, and baptismal water to cleanse us from evil? What are forces of death that rule our life, over which we need to win a victory with the power of the Risen Lord?

6.    A prayer

Risen Lord, open the eyes of our faith that we may seek you and discover your presence in the midst of our lives – its problems, trials, struggles, joys and sorrows. Roll away the obstructing stones which block our vision beyond the limited space of our selfish desires. Grant that we may recognise you as you speak to us in the Scriptures and come to us as our spiritual food in the Eucharist. Walk with us Lord, in our valley of tears, in our hardships, in our doubts and in all that happens to us. May we experience your support in our weaknesses and your outstretched arms in our fall and failures. Amen.

 

Maundy Thursday (C)

 

Maundy Thursday (C) [Jn 13:1-15]

17.04.2025

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

Readings: (1) Ex 12:1-8.11-14 (2) 1 Cor 11:23-26

1.    Theme in brief:

The Eucharist energizes us for a humble and sacrificial service

2.    Focus Statement

The Eucharist gives us spiritual energy to give ourselves totally in humble and sacrificial service of the needy that we may become worthy to have a share with Jesus and be his faithful disciples.

3.    Explanation of the text

By washing the feet of his disciples in the context of the Passover Meal – which is his Last Supper with his disciples – Jesus takes upon himself the role of a servant, since it is the duty of servants (literally, slaves) to wash the feet of their masters and guests. Here he presents the image of lowliest of servants as he stoops down to wash the feet of his disciples with a basin in hand and a towel around his waist (13:5). It is a sort of acted role-play to demonstrate his intention to render humble service to humanity unto death and thus accomplish his mission. The disciples are stunned at this act of humility and the reversal of roles with them. This humility of assuming a servant’s role symbolizes his ultimate act of humility and sacrificial love to be demonstrated on the cross. He wants to teach that the same love that he demonstrates by laying down his life on the cross should also be demonstrated by his disciples by laying down their lives in humble and sacrificial service.

Traditionally, the symbolic meaning of foot-washing done by Jesus is explained as an act of humility from his part. True. But in addition, it refers to his role of servanthood. A servant’s duty was, as per Jewish custom, to wash the feet of guests as they arrive for feasts and gatherings. Here Jesus stoops down like a servant to render a humble service as if they were his masters. This is clear from his explanation to Peter’s objection: “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand” (13:7). If it is a mere physical washing of feet, what is there to understand later on? Or if this action is meant only to teach a lesson in humility and service of a slave, even then what is there to understand later on? Anybody can understand a slave’s service on the spot. Experts tell us that the word “later” in this context refers to his sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus, in fact, says that only when he lays down his life on the cross, the disciples will understand how and to what extent they should serve out of love for one another. Thus Jesus gives the connotation of “service” to his entire ministry, including his passion and death.

When Peter objects, Jesus explains that washing his feet is a condition to have a share or part with him (13:8). To have a share (literally, inheritance) with Jesus is to have fellowship with him or to participate fully in his life, and to be his faithful disciples. For that the disciples themselves must be interiorly washed first with the water of baptism (13:8) and be willing to “wash one another’s feet” as their Lord and Teacher has done (13:14-15). Foot-washing is not to be taken literally, but to mean giving (or spending) one’s life totally in service. Through foot-washing he wants to demonstrate that service-mindedness is a requirement for discipleship. As Jesus’ body is given up (broken or sacrificed) for the service of humankind, the disciples also need to sacrifice their bodily energies for others’ service, making it a sacrificial service.

4.    Application to life

John’s gospel has no narrative of the institution of the Eucharist. Instead, we have the episode of washing of disciples’ feet by Jesus during his Last Supper with his disciples. Why did Jesus wash the feet of his disciples? The traditional answer is to humble himself. Though this answer is true, there is a further or deeper meaning in this symbolic act. In it we get the image of a servant stooping down to wash the feet of his disciples. A servant symbolizes not only humility but also service rendered to the master. Since Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper and the first three gospels tell us that he instituted the Eucharist during it, we can find a close relationship between the Eucharist and foot-washing. From what is explained above, it is clear that foot-washing symbolizes Jesus’ supreme act of service rendered to humanity by his sacrificial death on the cross. The Eucharist is a memorial of the total self-gift of Jesus given to us as a result of his humble service that reaches its climax at his sacrificial death on the cross. As he told his disciples he tells us: If you want to have a share with me, or if you want to be my faithful disciple, you too should also stoop down to “wash one another’s feet” (that is, humbly serve one another).

Not only John, but also the synoptic gospels take Jesus’ sacrificial death as his greatest act of service rendered to humanity. Take for example, in Mk 10:45 Jesus says: “The Son of Man came not be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many” (or to redeem many people). Giving one’s life refers to death. In Lk 22:19, Jesus says at the Last Supper, “This is my body, which is given for you’’, and “Do this in remembrance of me”. In other words, “This is my body which is given for your service”. Jesus was a man for others. During the Last Supper he gives us a spiritual nourishment (namely, the Holy Eucharist) to be men and women not for ourselves but for others. By washing the feet of his disciples in the context of the institution of the Eucharist, he wants to tell us that his body is broken and blood is shed for our service. Hence, we too must ‘break our bodies’ and ‘shed our blood’ (that is, spend ourselves) for the service of others. The Eucharist, if taken in this spirit, gives us spiritual energy to ‘break our bodies’ and ‘shed our blood’ to serve others with commitment and devotion.

What is service then? It mainly implies self-giving or giving one’s life for the welfare of others which includes a sharing of time, talents, goods, resources, knowledge, speech, and energies for the good or welfare of others. Service and sacrifice are interrelated; no service, no sacrifice and vice versa. “Do this in my memory” is the same as do this in memory of my sacrificial service. Hence, whenever we hear these words during Holy Mass, we are reminded that our bodies (i.e., energies, talents, time, activities, etc.) need to be given or sacrificed for the service of others. Today we need to ask ourselves whether we receive the Eucharist as a spiritual energy to give ourselves in service, or just as a routine, or just for our psychological satisfaction.

The word Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin word ‘mandatum’ (= commandment). It refers to the commandment given by Jesus at the Last Supper to love one another as he has loved us (Jn 13:34 and 15:12). It is also a command to serve others like a humble servant by sacrificing one’s own life for others. Jesus’ admonition to his disciples “You also must wash one another’s feet” (Jn 13:14) is the same as, “love one another as I have loved you” (15:12),  or serve one another as I have served you to the point of laying down my life on the cross.

There are two types of services which we render: (1) those which we have to render out of compulsion, like our daily work/job/duty and household chores; and (2) those which we willingly and voluntarily take up out of love for the good of those who are in need of our love. Do we involve ourselves in the latter type of services? Like Jesus, are we willing to stoop down to heal, care, serve, reconcile, forgive and comfort those who are in need of this sort of services? Do we actively look for opportunities for this sort of service in our own little ways? Even a word of comfort/ consolation/ assurance in favour of the needy and the suffering is a matter of service. The Lord whom we encounter in the Eucharist is encountered among such people. It is by “washing the feet” of such people (that is, by serving them) that we live our Eucharistic experience in the sacrament.

Today, let us examine and see whether we, who receive the Eucharist regularly, are affected or influenced by Christ’s way of thinking about rendering service in our society and the Church, or by world’s way of thinking:

Ø  Though jobs are called “service’’ in the secular world, many people consider their jobs as a means only for earning money, not for the service of humanity or society or for nation building. What about you?

Ø  People are respected and their services are valued highly if they bring plenty of money. For example, in many third world countries, the service rendered by working women as nurses and teachers is valued higher than that of so many mothers at home who teach and nurse their children day and night, only because they are not paid for it. How about you?

Ø  There is a tendency in quite a number of people to escape from occasions to render service including leadership roles in the society and the Church, if there is no monitory or prestige reward. Is it true about you?

Ø  We observe many people wanting to escape from common work and meetings and refusing to share their time, talents, knowledge and energies within their own community. Do you do so?

Ø  We also see people wasting a lot of time in gossiping, loitering around, playing cards, fiddling with mobile phones and watching TV for hours after hours, instead of using some of that time for social or community service. Do you sacrifice your time for common service?

There is a tendency in many of us to receive the Eucharist for personal and private spiritual benefits only and dissociate it from concrete deeds of service. Normally, after receiving the Holy Communion during the Mass, we are accustomed to thank the Lord privately who comes into our hearts in the form of Sacred Bread and pray to him for a while. Many of us may be praying only for personal favours from the Lord or for our own spiritual advancement. Besides these, today’s gospel-message reminds us to pray to the Eucharistic Lord to energize us to do works of mercy or concrete deeds of service as he demonstrated by washing of the feet of his disciples.

We can choose any one or two of the following works of mercy: to share our food and drink with the hungry; to volunteer for serving drinking water in public places/ functions/ gatherings/ celebrations; to give away our clothes/ utensils/ furniture/ equipments/ gadgets to the poor or the needy; to share our space/ place/ facilities with the poor for resting in between their work or for conducting classes/ coaching/ meetings/ gathering of the poor; to visit the sick in houses/ hospitals; to visit the elderly senior citizens at their homes or in the Homes for the Aged; to comfort and pray for the sick; to take proper care of the sick; to donate blood to the poor patients; to visit the houses of persons arrested by the police or put in prison; to spend time in praying for a departed person and to console the bereaved family; to visit such bereaved families some time after the funeral to console them and to pray with them. Only when we connect the Eucharist with works of mercy and service, it becomes the Bread that gives life and love to the world (not only to us).

5.    Response to God's Word

Do we involve in any voluntary service? Like Jesus, are we willing to stoop down to serve the needy without any appointment or compulsion? Do we join any social service group or association, or totally keep ourselves confined only to our homes? At home also, do we expect others to serve us at our beck and call, or equally contribute to the total welfare of the family? What type of service do we routinely render to family and society, and what we do not, though they need it very much? Is reception of the Eucharist only a custom to be followed routinely, or a reminder (memorial) of Christ’s service rendered to humanity which culminated in his sacrificial death on the cross? Do we take it as spiritual nourishment given by Jesus to serve like him? Does Eucharist energize and send us to spend our energies, talents, time and resources for the service of others?

6.    A prayer

Lord Jesus, for our sake, you became a humble servant to the extent of sacrificing your life on the cross. You were a man for others. Thank you for giving us such wonderful spiritual nourishment in the Eucharist to be men and women for others. Thank you for giving us spiritual energy through the Eucharist to serve others. Grant that with this energy we may ‘break our bodies’ and ‘shed our blood’ by sharing our time, talents, goods, knowledge, speech and energies with the needy, not out of compulsion, but out of love. As we meet you as our Lord and Master in the Eucharist, grant that we may meet you also among the poor and the needy through our service to them.  Amen.

 

PALM/PASSION SUNDAY (C)

 

Palm/Passion Sunday (C)

[(1) Lk 19:28-40 (2) Lk 22:14 – 23:56]

13.04.2025

Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem and His Passion and Death

Readings: (1) Is 50:4-7 (2) Phil 2:6-11

1.    Theme in brief

Compassion of Jesus in the midst of his Passion

2.    Focus Statement

We who acclaim Jesus with palm branches today are invited to imitate his healing, reconciling, comforting, forgiving and compassionate ministry towards sinners, women, Gentiles, enemies and outcasts even in the midst of his Passion.

3.    Explanation of the text

Luke’s account of Christ’s Passion is actually an account of his compassion towards women, sinners, Gentiles, enemies and outcasts even in the midst of his own mental agony and physical torture. We can notice the following special features found only in Luke’s Passion Narrative and not in any other evangelists’. He wants to highlight the fact that Jesus continues his deeds of mercy towards sinners and the marginalized people even when he undergoes unbearable agony during his passion, at the cost of his own personal suffering:

(1)  In Gethsemane, Jesus undergoes an intense mental agony as he contemplates on the ordeal he is about to go through in Jerusalem, that is, his passion and crucifixion. Luke portrays him as the one who is mentally broken at the thought of such a horrible suffering and his sweat becomes “like great drops of blood” (22:44). While he undergoes his worst nightmare, his disciples are found sleeping (22:45-46) and only an angel of the Lord gives him strength and consolation (22:43).

(2)  In spite of having heard Jesus’ prediction about his threefold denial and his assurance even to die for Jesus (22:31-34), Peter miserably fails under vulnerable situation. Before the cock crows, he denies Jesus three times (22:54-60). At that very moment, the Lord turns and looks at Peter (22:61). This heart-piercing but compassionate look makes him remember Jesus’ previous word of warning: “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times” (22:61). Christ's penetrating and compassionate gaze into his eyes brings about a change of heart in Peter!

(3)  During his way of the cross, the women of Jerusalem are found weeping and wailing for Jesus, naturally at the horrible sight of his torture (23:27). Again, unmindful of his own suffering, he appeals them not to weep for him but for themselves and their children (23:28). Again, Jesus is portrayed here as the one who shows concern and compassion for the women and their future even as he suffers intensely.

(4)  As Jesus is crucified in the middle of two hardened criminals who were also sentenced to death along with him (23:32), he gives the most touching example of praying for one’s worst enemies as he had taught earlier (Lk 6:28). Out of compassion for his crucifiers, he prays to the Father to forgive them because “they do not know what they are doing” (23:34). Actually speaking, they know what they are doing – that they are crucifying an innocent man (see explanation below); yet he makes an excuse for them, out of his boundless mercy.

(5)  Among the two condemned criminals crucified along with him, the unrepentant criminal derides (mocks) Jesus challenging him to save himself and both of them (23:39). But the repentant criminal declares Jesus’ innocence while pleading himself and his companion guilty and deserving such a capital punishment (23:39-41). Then the latter pleads with Jesus in faith to remember him when he comes in his messianic kingdom (23:42). At this point, Jesus does his next compassionate act by offering the gift of salvation to the hardened but penitent criminal (23:43).

(6)  Further, Jesus’ suffering leads to another compassionate work of mercy – reconciliation and friendship between two bitter enemies, namely Herod and Pilate (23:6-12). This happens when Pilate sends Jesus to Herod after coming to know that he is a Galilean – a territory under Herod. Though Herod sends him back to Pilate as he finds no crime committed by him, the very fact that Pilate recognizes Herod’s jurisdiction over Jesus, brings about a rapprochement between the two.

(7)  Jesus dies as an innocent martyr. Luke emphasizes his total innocence and undeserving nature of capital punishment given to him by reporting such a declaration thrice by Pilate (in 23:4, 14, 22), and by Herod (23:15), the repentant criminal (23:41) and the centurion standing guard at the foot of the cross (23:47).

4.    Application to life

The Church celebrates today a two-in-one liturgy, calling it both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. The two gospel readings according to Luke proclaimed in today’s liturgy – the first one about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem in the first part (19:28-40) and the second one about his agonizing passion in the second part of the liturgy (22:14 – 23:56) – represent two contradictory aspects of our lives: joys and triumph, sorrows and pain. We have our own ‘Palm Sundays’ of triumph and victory as Jesus had his during his triumphal victory procession on the way to Jerusalem, and our own ‘Passion Sundays’ of mental/ physical suffering or agony as Jesus had his during his trial, way of the cross, crucifixion and agonizing death. There are times when people acclaim, applaud, support and praise us for our “deeds of power” as they did to Jesus (19:37). Then there is the other side of the coin – our moments of mental or physical agony and passion when we go through what Jesus went through – betrayal, denial, indifference, mockery, loneliness, rejection, false accusation, unjust treatment, insults, shameful humiliation, carrying of cross, mental agony, physical torture and  sometimes even ‘crucifixion’. During Jesus’ solemn entry to Jerusalem, we observe people shouting, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (19:38), but during his passion we observe how they shout slogans like “Crucify him, crucify him” (23:21).

In today’s Passion Narrative, Luke portrays a Compassionate Saviour who does not focus on himself even at his trial, suffering and crucifixion. Instead, he is found to be highly concerned about others’ problems, about saving them at their moment of trial. First of all, in his mental agony in the garden of Gethsemane, he identifies himself with those who undergo mental agony and traumatic experience in their life such as mental torture inflicted by one’s own dear ones in families; intimidation by one’s enemies or tormentors; mental pressure exercised by the authorities in workplaces; ragging practiced in some institutions by the seniors on their juniors; tension created by incompatibility/disharmony between the spouses; the trauma caused to parents by their wayward or crime-prone children; and the trauma of child abuses or rape. We need to firmly believe that in our nightmare generated by these circumstances, Jesus walks with us comforting and strengthening us to face our ordeal.  

Like Peter, even though we deny Jesus again and again by going against his gospel-values and by blindly copying the standards of the world, he always turns towards and looks at us with his compassionate gaze. It is this heart-piercing glance of boundless mercy that can melt the hardness of our hearts and reconsider the wrong choices we make in our daily life. We deny Christ not only by committing sins against love, justice and fraternity but also by omitting to do, as Christ’s disciples, the deeds of mercy which he did even in the midst of his agony such as caring for and showing compassion for the neglected, the downtrodden, the less fortunate, sinners and enemies.

Jesus’ appeal to the women of Jerusalem not to weep for him is also an appeal to us not to become too sentimental and emotional by focussing on his physical suffering (especially during the Way of the Cross or Passion Plays) without doing anything at all to reform our and others’ lives. It is pointless to weep for Jesus since, as the resurrected Lord, he cannot suffer any more. Actually we should weep for the times we allowed evil to rule over our lives or colluded with it and did nothing to prevent its spread; weep for the disoriented lives of our children; and weep for all the injustice, corruption, hate campaign, child sexual abuses, torturing of innocent people, crimes against humanity, etc., in our world today. We need to weep for the situation where children in families are considered to be burdensome, inconvenient and expensive against the desire for more comforts and personal freedom. We must weep also for the ‘culture of death’ and the ‘culture of violence and crime’ that is channelled through sections of irresponsible mass media spoiling the tender minds of children; etc.

No doubt, Jesus’ moving act of forgiveness of his crucifiers/ enemies from the cross has motivated so many of our Christian brothers and sisters to offer an unconditional pardon to their enemies throughout the ages. In recent years, in India we have shining examples of two women who have given a striking witness to forgiveness of one’s worst enemies. Mrs. Gladys Stains, publicly forgave the killers of her missionary husband and two sons in the State of Odisha as she stood in front of three coffins; and the younger sister of Sr. Rani Maria publicly demonstrated the compassionate act of mercy towards the murderer of her elder sister in the State of Madhya Pradesh by tying a Rakhi on his hand. [Rakhi is an armband tied to the hand of brothers by their sisters as a sign of special affection and mutual protection on a feast day of the same name.] If these two women could bear such a powerful witness in the midst of such a great tragedy for them, why should we still hold to smaller hurts caused by our family members/ neighbours/ opponents/ critics? Is it possible to show compassion towards our enemies by making excuse for their misdeeds/crimes by saying that they did not know what they were doing? Is it possible to pray for such people admitting our ignorance of the real motives/ background/ circumstances of their crimes or misbehaviour? Humanly speaking it is not possible but with God everything is possible. Our regular and repeated prayer for them will surely reduce the intensity of our anger/ hatred/ revenge towards them day by day.

Even in the midst of excruciating suffering, Jesus continued his ministry of seeking out the lost and saving them. From the cross he reached out to a repentant criminal (sinner) with his gifts of pardon and salvation (= paradise, 23:43). Thus, he gives us a moving example of winning over the hardness of the hearts of hardest sinners with our mercy and pardon. The repentant criminal becomes the model of those who accept the offer of pardon and salvation which Christ offers, and the hardened criminal represents people who reject his offer of salvation till the end of their lives. With a simple faith, acknowledging our sinfulness we must cry out to the Lord: “What about me, Lord? Please remember me also when you come into your Kingdom!” The infinite compassion of Christ flowing from the cross can melt the hearts of even hardened sinners leading them to repentance.

When we think of the innocence of Jesus as asserted by Pilate thrice, by Herod, by the repentant criminal and the centurion, a question arises in our minds, “Why should an innocent and holy person die in this manner? Did he deserve this type of torture and humiliation?” The same question arises when we see so many innocent people brutally murdered, bombed, kidnapped and tortured all over the world. When we look at the live T.V. footage of police and military excesses, fake encounters, shooting of unarmed demonstrators fighting for their rights, etc., we ask, “Do they deserve this?” We see the face of the crucified Lord there. This also makes us examine our conscience and see whether we cause suffering to any innocent/ powerless/ voiceless person.

We, who acclaim Christ as our King during the procession with palm branches, are challenged whether we are willing to live by his compassionate love, forgiveness and reconciliation even at the cost of personal inconveniences and sacrifices.

Response to God's Word

Are we directly or indirectly responsible to the disoriented lives of our children and for the injustice, corruption, hate campaign, crimes against humanity, etc., in our world today? If Jesus and some exemplary Christians among us could forgive the worst of their enemies, why should we hold on to old grudges against the lesser offenses committed by our neighbours? Have we caused any pain and suffering to the innocent people? When we hear reports about a high rate of child abuse cases even within the confines of families, do we see there the face of innocent Jesus unjustly crucified? What is our reaction when we see people who are made to suffer unjustly and inhumanly? Does Christ dying on the cross as an innocent martyr say anything to us?

5.    A Prayer

O Crucified Lord, today we repent for the times we allowed evil to rule over our lives or colluded with it and did nothing to prevent its spread.  We weep for the disoriented lives of our children; and for all the injustice, corruption, hate campaign, crimes against humanity around us, and ask the courage of your Spirit to prevent its spread. Give us a spirit of reconciliation so that we do not hold on to old grudges against our neighbours. Grant that we may never cause suffering to the innocent. May we be inspired by your example of compassion towards sinners, enemies and the underprivileged even at the cost of personal inconveniences and sacrifices. Amen.

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent (C)

 

Fifth Sunday of Lent (C) [Jn 8: 1-11]

06.04.2025

The Woman Caught in Adultery

Readings: (1) Is 43:16-21 (2) Phil 3:8-14

1. Theme in brief:

      Universality of sinfulness and need for mercy

2. Focus Statement:

Since the existence of sin is universal in all human beings, instead of only condemning other sinners, all of us are called to accept our own sinfulness and need for repentance and forgiveness from merciful God.

3. Explanation of the text

The episode of the woman caught in adultery in today’s gospel puts into practice the message of the parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32). In this incident, the younger son of that parable is the woman caught in “the very act of committing adultery” (8:4) standing before Jesus and her accusers (namely, the scribes and Pharisees) with all her brokenness, guilt, shame and fear. This text draws a sharp contrast between the ruthless treatment of the scribes and Pharisees towards her and the overflowing compassion of Jesus. Their hidden agenda is to use her and her weakness as a tool to accuse and condemn Jesus to death. Their intention is not to reform her (sinner) but to use her for their purpose. Naturally, they represent the elder son in Prodigal Son’s parable. It is clear that the one who is really on trial in this episode is not the woman, but Jesus.   Finally, the compassionate father portrayed in the Prodigal Son’s story is none other than Jesus himself, who extends his arms of compassion and forgiveness towards a broken woman.

What we observe in today’s text is a well-planned trap laid by the scribes and Pharisees to catch Jesus. While he is teaching in the Temple (8:1), they bring before him a woman who they claim to have caught red-handed (?) while committing adultery (8:4). According to the Jewish law, adultery is a serious crime that is punishable with death. Though the Law of Moses prescribes death penalty to both the man and the woman in case of adultery and not just the woman (cf. Deut 22:22; Lev 20:10), the accusers make use of the woman, her weakness and the prescriptions of the Law as means to “test” Jesus so that they may “have some charge to bring against him” (8:6). Most probably, they have let the man go free. They bring only the woman before Jesus to ask him whether he supports or opposes the prescription of the Mosaic Law that says such culprits are to be stoned to death (cf. Deut 22:23-24). If Jesus would tell them to let the woman go free, they would accuse him of breaking the Mosaic Law, for which he could be punished with death as per their Scripture. It would amount to teaching others also to break the Law and encourage adulterous relationships. If he would tell them to stone her, he would forfeit his claim to be a friend of sinners and common people would no longer follow him as their greatest sympathizer. Moreover, he could also be accused of breaking the Roman law, for the Jews had no power to pass death sentence on any offenders.

Instead of pronouncing judgement on the woman, Jesus pronounces such a judgement on the judges themselves! He responds by challenging his challengers to examine whether anyone of them never had, if not a desire to do the same thing (that is, to commit adultery) themselves, any other sinful desire at all. He asks such a person to be the first to throw a stone at her (8:7). He says in effect: “All right. You may stone her, provided you never had any sinful desire!” Jesus does not condone sins (i.e. does not say that what she did was alright) but forgives a sinner and gives her another chance. By saying “from now on do not sin again” (8:11), he implies that sin is sin.  But by saying “neither do I condemn you” (8:11), he offers God’s forgiveness to the sinner. He does not approve sin but forgives the sinner out of his infinite mercy. By his compassion towards her, he wants to touch her (also our) heart so that this undeserving gesture of mercy may lead to a change of heart. He not only restores her broken relationship with God by forgiving her, but also restores her to the fellowship of her community by telling her not to sin again.

4. Application to life

Today’s gospel gives a vivid illustration of God’s boundless mercy or compassion offered in and through Jesus to a broken-hearted sinner. There are three characters in today’s gospel: the sinful woman, the scribes and Pharisees and Jesus. We cannot but admit that each one of us has something of the first two types. But the third character, namely of Jesus, may not come in us automatically. We always stand in need of conversion to be merciful like Jesus towards sinners and offenders. Let us take all the three characters one by one.

First of all, it is clear that the sinful woman represents those who do something terribly wrong under vulnerable circumstances and stand in need of mercy rather than condemnation. Jesus gives all those who have messed up their life further chances to make amendments by applying the balm of compassion on their emotional wounds and guilty conscience. He offers the worst of sinners not condemnation but forgiveness and salvation.

Secondly, the scribes and Pharisees represent those who accuse and condemn other wrongdoers with the false assumption that they are the most righteous or virtuous. They use the woman as a tool to trap, catch and condemn Jesus. Totally disregarding her feelings of shame, humiliation and fear, they use her weakness to cook up a charge against Jesus so that they will be able to eliminate him. Their attitude towards authority is very much alive even today in our society. For them authority is meant for catching, censoring and condemning the offenders. It never occurs to them that it should be used to correct, reform and bring such persons to the right path. They never use their authority for curing or healing, but only for catching any violators of the laws and punishing them.

Thirdly, Jesus represents the face of the Heavenly Father’s mercy. Jesus’ attitude towards a sinner becomes further clear from this episode. Instead of judging the woman, Jesus passed a judgment on the judges themselves. At the end, the accusers themselves turned out to be the accused. Jesus had already taught earlier: “Do not judge, so that you may not be judged” (Mt 7:1). He said that those who judge others severely are like those who notice the speck in their neighbour’s eye and fail to notice a log in their own eyes (Mt 7:3-5). By regularly judging others harshly, are we not continually ‘casting stones’ at our opponents/ adversaries? Many of us have a common weakness to demand strict standards from others that we ourselves do not observe; or to judge and condemn others for faults we ourselves commit. Since all those who are in authority, including priests who sit in the confessional to forgive sins of others, are not perfect. Today Jesus invites all of them to admit that they are ‘wounded healers.’ If we were caught for any crime, naturally we would have expected sympathetic and understanding approach from others, and surely not severe condemnation or harsh treatment. Our natural emotion towards criminals and sinners is anger and aversion. We need God’s strength, which comes from praying for such people repeatedly, to overcome such negative emotions and substitute them with compassion or pity. Without supernatural grace, it is really hard for us as human beings to move from, “Let him/her go to hell; I have nothing to do with him/her,” to “how to bring back that person to the right path.”

Like Pharisees we too are interested only in condemning sinners and do not like to forgive them or try to reform them. We have a tendency to exaggerate the sins of others while overlooking evil and sinfulness in ourselves. Whenever we judge others, we need to recognize the Pharisee lurking in us who thinks and says: “The way he treats his wife, I never do;” “the way she dresses up, I feel shameful;” ‘the way their children behave, we can never imagine our children behaving like that;” and “look at the way they show off their wealth”……How will I feel, if I will suddenly receive an anonymous letter one day which will say: “You are a hypocrite and a double-bluff.” God alone can judge sinners; we have no right to condemn them. Our genuine repentance has the power to cause every scribe and Pharisee in us to walk away by casting aside the stones we hold to cast at others. When we realize that we sometimes condemn others of what we are guilty of ourselves, ‘the stones’ in our hands begin to shake and gradually fall down. Of course this does not mean that we should never point out any of people’s faults or disapprove what is wrong. We must learn to do it without condemning the wrongdoers and do it out of concern for their and society’s good, even though they may not like it.

We observe in traditional societies and among religious fundamentalists even today people who act as ‘moral police force’ or ‘watch-dogs’ with the belief that it is justified to punish/ thrash/ threaten those who do not fit into their ‘moral standards.’ Quite often such strict standards are conceived for gaining power or control over people. Often we are unaware of the circumstance, background and inescapable traps that drive sinners to commit sins. Who knows, if we were in their place we too would have fallen like them or not! Jesus asks not only those scribes and Pharisees but also all of us to look into our own consciences and see whether we are fully clean before we accuse others. All of us are sinners and are in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Today’s gospel-message makes each one of us aware of this grim truth: “If not for God’s grace, today I too would have been one of the worst criminals or sinners.”

Though punishment or penal action has its function in human society to prevent crimes, it is a limited function. It may create some fear in the offenders not to commit such crimes any more. But it does not lead to a change of heart in sinners. On the contrary, punishment may create further resentment/ bitterness/ revenge in the hearts of such offenders.  As Christ’s disciples we need not use any authority given to us only for punishing the wrongdoers, but pro-actively look for opportunities to go beyond punishment. According to world’s way of thinking an offender deserves punishment, but according to Jesus such a person also deserves our mercy. When a sinner experiences undeserved forgiveness, there is a greater possibility that it would motivate him/her to live give up sinful ways. Of course, these principles are not meant for applying in institutions. As administrators/ managers of institutions we need to follow the world’s rules of punishment/ fine/ demotion/ suspension/ dismissal. Otherwise we will not be able to run our institutions. But as a disciple of Christ, later on if we happen to meet the person, against whom we took action, we can tell him or her: “You must be very angry with me. I am sorry that I had to do it for the sake of management. But I have nothing against you. May God bless you.” It does not matter whether that person accepts this or not; some will, some may not. To the tribal chieftains who have to impose fines for moral or social offences in their tribal community, probably Jesus would say: “As tribal chiefs you may have to take fines from social offenders. But as my disciples, at the end, can you say that you forgive them as God has forgiven you, and welcome them back into the fellowship of your community?”

Every act of unfaithfulness to God and failure to love him wholeheartedly is a kind of “adultery” according to biblical symbolism. However, God through Jesus comes in search of us, “his unfaithful and adulterous wife,” to forgive and save us. Today, once again, in this Lenten Season, our merciful God, through his Son Jesus, invites us to repent and receive his forgiving love as the adulterous woman did. How are we responding to this ‘mad’ love as we prepare ourselves to celebrate Easter? Jesus wants to teach us that there should be moments in our life when mercy would go beyond strict justice. Justice says: a sin is a sin and is wrong. But mercy says: “Who am I to condemn you?” Though forgiveness is free, it is not cheap. A serious responsibility is laid upon a forgiven sinner to go and “from now on do not sin again” (8:11). When God forgives us unconditionally, he expects us that we begin to live a new life afterwards. How do we respond to his will in this holy Season?

5. Response to God's Word

Is God’s infinite mercy a motivating force for us to repentance and change our heart? Who do we identify with in this story: the woman, the accusers or Jesus? If we are the woman, what are we being accused of? Who is accusing us? If we are the accusers, whom are we accusing? For what offence?  Where am I in this drama: on the side of the woman or of the crowd? Do I show mercy towards those who commit social offences and live a scandalous life, or do I judge them harshly and condemn them outright? Do I follow a double standard in applying rules and laws: one for men, another for women; one for the rich, another for the poor; one for my kinship circle, another for outsiders?

6. A Prayer

Merciful Lord, we acknowledge the fact that all of us are sinners before you and are in need of repentance and forgiveness. Through your Son Jesus, you show your boundless mercy on sinners like us and offer forgiveness to us in spite of our unfaithfulness. Grant that we may repent for our evil ways and receive your forgiving love as the adulterous woman did. Having received forgiveness from you, grant that we too may become ambassadors of forgiveness and reconciliation, and not harsh judges who only condemn others. Amen.