REFLECTION CAPSULE – December 13, 2021: Monday

“Rooting out all pessimistic mind-sets, and focussing instead on growth in holiness and humility!”

(Based on Num 24:2-7, 15-17 and Mt 21:23-27 – Monday of the 3rd Week in Advent)

Once, a preacher was speaking the Word of God to a great crowd.

As was his practice, he was concentrating more on the content of his message and of its effect upon the hearts of people, for transformation…
… rather than the precise literary form of it.

Among his audience, was seated a certain fussy gentleman.

He had been known for making extremely critical remarks and comments.

At the end of the prayer service, this person went up to the preacher and said:
“By the way, I noticed that you made eleven mistakes of grammar in your sermon.”

“Very likely,” replied the preacher, very coolly, “I don’t doubt it for a minute.
My early education was faulty. I often wished that I had received more schooling.

But I am using all the grammar I know in the service of Christ.

How is it with you?”

Well, we don’t know how the fussy gentleman reacted to this bold and true reply of the preacher.
(Hopefully, he went home and read a chapter of the Bible and prayed for a humbler heart…
… rather than just revising his skills of grammar!)

When the heart is closed to God’s spirit, the focus dwells only external and peripheral factors…

The heart gets closed to spiritual appreciation…
The mind remains curious only for rhetorical arguments!

The Gospel of the Day presents such a critically harsh and uncharitably closed attitude of the chief priests and scribes and elders towards the person and ministry of Jesus.

This is expressed in their volatile question to Jesus:
“By what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?” (Mt 21: 23)

The context of today’s Gospel is the presence of Jesus in the city of Jerusalem.

Chapter 21 of St Mathew’s Gospel has a progressive sequence…

The entry into Jerusalem (Mt 21: 1-11)
The ‘re-storation’ in the Temple at Jerusalem and indignant behaviour of authorities(Mt 21:12-16)
The entry to Bethany and cursing of the fig tree (Mt 21: 17-22)
The ‘re-entry’ to the Temple at Jerusalem and questioning of Jesus by the authorities (Mt 21: 23-27)

The popularity of Jesus was on the rise…
… He had a rousing welcome to the city of Jerusalem

The impact of Jesus was also on the rise…
… He had performed a daring cleansing of the Jerusalem Temple

These factors had greatly disturbed the religious leaders.

In Jesus, they perceived a threat.
… a threat to their attitude of subjugating people to their yoke than to service of God

In Jesus, they sensed a danger.
… a danger to their personal wishes and agenda of having a monopoly over religion

In Jesus, they identified a menace.
… a menace to their comfort-rendering style of spirituality and way of life.

And so, they – the chief priests and scribes and the elders – sought to put Jesus to the task and questioned His authority on doing such deeds and performing such actions.

Their eyes were closed to see the goodness of the Lord
Their hearts had become clogged to examine their own maligned conscience
Their lives were rendered blocked to be willing to make necessary changes for the good.

Instead…
… they only found fault with the Lord
… they only become critical of the ways of the Lord

When the heart is closed to God’s spirit, the focus dwells only external and peripheral factors…

The heart gets closed to spiritual appreciation…
The mind remains curious only for rhetorical arguments!

Is such an attitude prevalent among us also?

A mentality of harshly criticising…
A tendency to inhumanly condemn…
… without any consideration to humanness or acceptance or self-examination etc.

Let us root out all such pessimistic mind-sets and focus instead on growth in holiness and humility!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE EPISCOPAL COLLEGE AND ITS HEAD, THE POPE

When Christ instituted the Twelve, “he constituted [them] in the form of a college or permanent assembly, at the head of which he placed Peter, chosen from among them.”
Just as “by the Lord’s institution, St. Peter and the rest of the apostles constitute a single apostolic college, so in like fashion the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, and the bishops, the successors of the apostles, are related with and united to one another.”
The Lord made Simon alone, whom he named Peter, the “rock” of his Church. He gave him the keys of his Church and instituted him shepherd of the whole flock.
“The office of binding and loosing which was given to Peter was also assigned to the college of apostles united to its head.”
This pastoral office of Peter and the other apostles belongs to the Church’s very foundation and is continued by the bishops under the primacy of the Pope.
The Pope, Bishop of Rome and Peter’s successor, “is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful.”
“For the Roman Pontiff, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ, and as pastor of the entire Church has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”
“The college or body of bishops has no authority unless united with the Roman Pontiff, Peter’s successor, as its head.” As such, this college has “supreme and full authority over the universal Church; but this power cannot be exercised without the agreement of the Roman Pontiff.”
“The college of bishops exercises power over the universal Church in a solemn manner in an ecumenical council.”
But “there never is an ecumenical council which is not confirmed or at least recognized as such by Peter’s successor.”

“This college, in so far as it is composed of many members, is the expression of the variety and universality of the People of God; and of the unity of the flock of Christ, in so far as it is assembled under one head.” (CCC # 880-885)

REFLECTION CAPSULE FOR THE DAY – December 12, 2021: Sunday

“Standing up, with joy, for Jesus amid every difficulty, and cleansing our hearts so that our Blessed Lord can be born in us!”

(Based on Zeph 3:14-18 a, Phil 4:4-7 and Lk 3:10-18 – 3rd Sunday in Advent, Year C)

Here is a lovely story of a humble little monk named Telemachus living out in the farming regions of Asia. Telemachus had no great ambitions in life.

He loved his little garden and tilled it through the changing seasons.

But one day in the year 391, he felt a sense of urgency, a call of God’s direction in his life – to Rome.

Rome was the heart and soul of the mighty empire.

The feelings of such a call frightened him, but he went, praying along the way for God’s direction.

When he finally got to the city it was in an uproar! The armies of Rome had just come home from the battlefield in victory, and the crowds were turning out for a great celebration.
They flowed through the streets like a tidal wave, and Telemachus was caught in their frenzy and carried into the Colosseum.

He had never seen a gladiator contest before, but now his heart sickened.
Down in the arena men hacked at each other with swords and clubs.

The crowds roared at the sight of blood, and urged their favourites on to the death.

Telemachus couldn’t stand it.
He knew this wasn’t the way God wanted people to live or to die.

So little Telemachus worked his way through the crowds to the wall down by the arena. “In the name of Christ, forbear!” he shouted.

Nobody heard him, so he crawled onto the wall and shouted again: “In the name of Christ, forbear!”

This time the few who heard him only laughed. But Telemachus was not to be ignored.

He jumped into the arena and ran through toward the gladiators. “In the name of Christ, forbear!”

The crowds laughed at the silly little man and threw stones at him.
Telemachus, however, was on a mission.

He threw himself between the gladiators to stop their fighting.
“In the name of Christ, forbear!” he cried.

They hacked him apart!

They cut his body from shoulder to stomach, and he fell onto the sand with the blood running out of his life. The gladiators were stunned and stopped to watch him die.
Then the crowds fell back in silence, and, for a moment, no one in the Colosseum moved.

The site of the dead man, and the reaction of the crowd, led the emperor and his guests to silently stand, turn and leave the Colosseum.

After a few minutes, the Gladiators put their swords down and they too left.
All that remained in that giant stadium was the scrawny lifeless body of the young man.

History claims that this was the very last gladiator game at the Colosseum.

The memory of that man screaming to the crowd, and the image of the bloodthirsty lust of the crowd had changed the hearts and the minds of the Romans in that instant.

Within an hour, the emperor issued an edict forbidding any future games of war within the Roman Empire.

There was no more killing in the Colosseum.

There were no more gladiator matches in Rome.
All because one man, stood up, and said: “In the Name of Jesus, forbear!!”

Today, as Christians, we are challenged and demanded by our Blessed Lord:
“Are you willing to stand up for me?”

But we often find ourselves lost, and ask the Lord, “What shall we do?”

The Gospel of the Day throws light on this aspect – “What shall we do?”

We are on the third Sunday of the Season of Advent.

This is called the Gaudete Sunday – the Sunday of Joy.

We are more than halfway through the season in preparation for Christ.

Sometimes, like runners, in a marathon…
… we may feel tired of this preparation
… or we may think, when is the destination going to reach?

And so we may get wearied… tired… or feel exhausted.

But the Church, our caring Mother, knows Her children, and tells us…
“Just a few more days… and it will be Christmas!
Do not give up hope… Instead, continue to prepare…
In joy… in happiness… in expectancy…”
Thus, this Third Sunday of Advent, we celebrate as Gaudete (= Joyful, in Greek) Sunday.

On this Joyful Sunday, “What shall we do?” is the constant refrain that we encounter in the Gospel.

The crowds asked John the Baptist, “What then shall we do?” (Lk 3:10)
The tax-collectors asked John the Baptist, “Teacher, what shall we do?” (Lk 3:12)
The soldiers asked John the Baptist, “And we, what shall we do?” (Lk 3:14)

This then is what we also ask our Blessed Lord, as we come before Him, this 3rd Sunday of Advent – “What shall we do?”

And both – John the Baptist, the fore-runner and Jesus, the Messiah – are telling us:
“Repent of your sins”
… especially those to whom you have been clinging on for a long time

“Depend more on God’s Power”
… especially to many of us, who rely more on our own power and strength

“Take the Word of God more seriously
… especially by picking up the Bible more often, reading, meditating and living more in It

“Be more faithful to the Church”
… especially in times when there is a lot of criticism of the Church and there is a demand for loyalty and passion from the members themselves.

“Receive the Sacraments more frequently”
… especially to grow deeper in the love of God and become a God’s mighty witnesses in a world that often challenges the faith and dilutes the Gospel values

Let us give heed to the call of St John the Baptist and the love of Jesus, so that our preparation for Christmas, may truly become more meaningful and more worthy!

Thus, we can “stand up for Jesus” amid any difficulties and worries of life!
Yes, let us keep on cleansing our hearts so that our Blessed Lord can be born in us!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
THE HIERARCHICAL CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCH

It belongs to the sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry that it have a personal character. Although Christ’s ministers act in communion with one another, they also always act in a personal way.
Each one is called personally: “You, follow me” in order to be a personal witness within the common mission, to bear personal responsibility before him who gives the mission, acting “in his person” and for other persons: “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …”; “I absolve you….”
Sacramental ministry in the Church, then, is at once a collegial and a personal service, exercised in the name of Christ.

This is evidenced by the bonds between the episcopal college and its head, the successor of St. Peter, and in the relationship between the bishop’s pastoral responsibility for his particular church and the common solicitude of the episcopal college for the universal Church. (CCC # 878-879)

THIS CHRISTMAS, LET’S CELEBRATE CHRIST, THE WORD WHO BECAME FLESH! – Day 11

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 11: GIVING GOD’S PRESENCE TO OTHERS!

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:41) “When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth [was] filled with the Holy Spirit…”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Carrying the Fullness of Grace in Her Womb, Mother Mary reaches out in humble service to Elizabeth, who, on hearing the voice of her Blessed Cousin…
… is filled with the Joyful Presence of the Holy Spirit
… and experiences her child – John, who is to be the Baptist – leaping for delight, just as the Ark of the Covenant made King David to leap for joy (Cf. 2 Sam 6:14-22)

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

1. Be an instrument of the Holy Spirit, so that your presence brings joy and hope to the people around you
2. Mother Mary is the New Ark of the Covenant – having Jesus the Word, Jesus the Manna (Bread) and Jesus, the Priest in her womb

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

Pray daily to the Holy Spirit, and say: “Holy Spirit, fill my heart with your love and joy!”
Learn by heart, any 3 verses of the Bible

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, fill my heart with the joy of Your Holy Spirit, and may I radiate joy and hope to everyone in my life, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

REFLECTION CAPSULE – December 11, 2021: Saturday

“Preparing our hearts to receive His Word as He wishes, in our life and seek to live, in total accord with Him!”

(Based on Sir 48: 1-4, 9-11 and Mt 17:9a, 10-13 – Saturday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

It was December in the year 1903.

After several attempts, the Wright brothers – achieved success in getting their “flying machine” off the land.

They were very much thrilled!

They telegraphed this message Katherine, their sister, informing her of the great invention:
“We have actually flown 120 feet! Will be home for Christmas”

The sister was also super-excited.

She rushed to the editor of the local newspaper, to share the great news and showed him the telegraph message.

The editor glanced at the message and said:
“How nice! So the boys will be home for Christmas!”

Oh! The Editor had completely missed the big news – that man had flown for the first time in history!!

How often is this our experience too in life – Missing the Important Points and settling for lower ones!

We fail to give attention to the most important things of life?

Instead, we get carried away by some other less priorities of life!

This is so true, especially with respect to the Word of God?

The Lord promises so many wonderful things in His Holy Word..
… but often, we miss the point.

Something similar had happened to the people of Israel as well…

God had promised them of the coming of the Messiah…
… but they missed the point..
… and thus, failed to recognise the Saviour He came!

God had promised that Prophet Elijah of old would return…
… but they missed the point…
… and thus, failed to recognize the Prophet when he came!

This is what Jesus points out to His disciples in today’s Gospel, when He says: “I tell you, Elijah has already come and they did not recognise him; but did to him, whatever they pleased” (Mt 17: 12)

John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, had come, preaching the message of repentance and conversion of heart (Mt 3:1)

The Gospel says that John the Baptist…
… wore a clothing made of camel’s hair
… had a leather belt around his waist
… had food of locusts and wild honey (Mt 4: 4)

This appearance was very similar to that of Elijah, the Prophet (2 Kings 1:8)

But in their encounter with John the Baptist, the people failed to recognise him as the “Elijah who was to come”

And thus John the Baptist came to be…
… rejected
… derided
… finally killed!

Many times in our life, we too “miss the point” in our encounter with the Lord…

He gives His Beautiful Word to us…
… but we fail to be encouraged by It and live by It

He makes many wonderful promises of assurance and guidance…
… but we fail to live a life of trust and confidence

He offers Himself wonderfully in the Sacraments, especially Confession and Holy Eucharist…
… but we fail to derive the necessary fruits from Them

Today, the Gospel invites us, to look at God’s Promises, God’s Word’s and God’s Will…
… and discover the true purpose of it in our lives.

This is truer as we prepare for Christmas…
Jesus is the BIG POINT of the Christmas

Let us dare not “miss Him”!

May we prepare our hearts to receive His Word as He wishes, in our life…
… and seek to live, in total accord with Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism

Intrinsically linked to the sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry is its character as service.
Entirely dependent on Christ who gives mission and authority, ministers are truly “slaves of Christ,” in the image of him who freely took “the form of a slave” for us.
Because the word and grace of which they are ministers are not their own, but are given to them by Christ for the sake of others, they must freely become the slaves of all.
Likewise, it belongs to the sacramental nature of ecclesial ministry that it have a collegial character. >> In fact, from the beginning of his ministry, the Lord Jesus instituted the Twelve as “the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy.”
Chosen together, they were also sent out together, and their fraternal unity would be at the service of the fraternal communion of all the faithful: they would reflect and witness to the communion of the divine persons.
For this reason every bishop exercises his ministry from within the episcopal college, in communion with the bishop of Rome, the successor of St. Peter and head of the college.
So also priests exercise their ministry from within the Presbyterium of the diocese, under the direction of their bishop. (CCC # 876-877)

THIS CHRISTMAS, LET’S CELEBRATE CHRIST, THE WORD WHO BECAME FLESH! – Day 10

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 10: SEEKING GOD’S WILL ALWAYS & LIVING IN HUMILITY

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:38) “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to Your Word!”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Receiving the Word of God, Mamma Mary bows Her head in humble submission to the Will of God, as She teaches all humanity…
… to give highest priority in doing the Will of God
… to clothe oneself with the virtue of humility to allow God to work wonders in life

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

1. Seek the Will of God in everything that you do in life
2. Be daring to practise the virtue of humility, as St Augustine reminds us: “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

Before entering into any venture/work, make it a habit to ask: “What is God’s Will for me?”
Practise 3 simple acts of humility today

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, thank you for the gift of Mamma Mary, who is an example to always seek Your Will in our lives, and is an inspiration to live in humility, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

THIS CHRISTMAS, LET’S CELEBRATE CHRIST, THE WORD WHO BECAME FLESH! – Day 09

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 09: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:36) “This is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. Nothing will be impossible with God.”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Angel Gabriel highlights the omnipotence of God, to Mother Mary as she is gloriously announced that…
… with God, everything is possible and we need to grow in our trust in the Lord!
… when things are entrusted to God, He turns out everything for our greater good!

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

1. Trust in the Authority of the Lord – the great I AM – Who declares that “With the Lord, every Impossible is I’M possible!”
2. Recognise the need to entrust ourselves to the Power of Goodness, and to hold on to Him in faith and hope!

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

Is there anything you feel impossible in your life at this moment? Offer to the Power of the Lord!
Think of any event/incident that doesn’t seem so nice. Believe and know, that God will turn it for the good!

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, increase my faith to know that You are in perfect control of my life, and that you turn everything – all our struggles and strife – to good, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

REFLECTION CAPSULE – December 09, 2021: Thursday

“Energetically preparing for His coming into our lives!”

(Based on Isa 41:13-20 and Mt 11:11-15 – Thursday of the 2nd Week in Advent)

There is an interesting legend of how a mother was cleaning the house in preparation for Christmas.
Not a speck of dust was left and even all the spiders were banished from their cozy homes in the ceiling.

It was Christmas eve and the Christmas Tree and the Crib was also decorated.

But, at the farthest end of the attic, the spiders, after having been chased away and taken refuge in that corner, were feeling miserable.

They too wished to see the Christmas Tree and especially have an encounter with Baby Jesus.
But they were afraid, since the mother of the house would chase them away.

The oldest spider among them, however came up with a proposal, that they could perhaps peep across the side door and have a glimpse of Baby Jesus.

So, the spiders, silently crept out of the attic, down the stairs, across the floor and waited in the crack in the side door.

But suddenly the door opened was opened by someone, and the spiders, in fear, ran to the room.

But all them still desired to see the Christmas Tree from close.

So they decided to make a bold attempt…
… They quietly crept over the whole Christmas tree… over every branch and twig, till their desire to see its beauty was fulfilled.

But to their dismay, each of them had left their webs behind.

When Child Jesus saw the Christmas Tree marred by the spider webs, He was in a dilemma.

On one side, he was impressed by the simple desire of the spiders…
… on the other side, he did not want the mother of the house to be offended.
So He touched the spider webs, and they all turned to sparkling and shimmering, silver and gold!

(This is probably the origin of hanging colourful tinsels on our Christmas Trees, and sometimes even including a spider!)

One of the important dimension seen in this legendary story is the intense desire of the spiders and their willingness to take the chance…
… to be bold in their attempts and even be ready to risk their lives to have their Divine longing fulfilled.

Such is to be the readiness of every Christian…
Having an intense desire
Being willing to take chances
Being bold
Ready to even risk their lives
… in defence of faith and in growing to be a Disciple – in the likeness of Christ.

This is reflected in the words that Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “The Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent are taking it by force” (Mt 11: 12)

This verse is one of the most mysterious and thought-provoking in the entire Bible

What was this violence that Jesus was referring to?

The Greek word for the word “violence” is “biazo”.

This word “biazo” is described as “using power to forcibly seize” i.e. “laying hold of something with a POSITIVE aggressiveness”.

In the context of the Kingdom of God, it refers to the fact that “the share in the heavenly Kingdom is to be sought for, with the most ardent zeal and the most intent exertion”.

Historically, the “violence” refers to the manner in which the Kingdom was rejected by the Jews – the chosen race, and the Gentiles gained access.

In our own times, the “violence” refers to the manner in which the entry to the Kingdom causes the people to suffer, undergo hardships and even bear hostility.

That’s why Jesus would say in the Sermon of the Mount, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs” (Mt 5: 10)

St Ambrose beautifully describes the meaning of this violence:
“We do violence to the Lord…
not by compelling Him but by weeping before Him
not by provoking by injuries, but by entreating with tears
not by blaspheming through pride, but by sorrowing through humility.

We attack him, not with swords, nor staves, nor stones…
… but with meekness, good works, chastity.

These are the weapons of our faith, by which we strive in our contest.

But in order that we may be able to make use of these arms in doing violence…
… let us first use a certain violence to our own bodies
… let us carry by storm the vices of our members
… that we may obtain the rewards of valour.
For to seize the Saviour’s Kingdom we must first reign in ourselves!”

St Francis de Sales speaks of a similar “violence” when, filled with a deep zeal to conquer back Geneva from the clutches of Protestantism, he says:
“We will breach the walls of Geneva with our ardent prayers and storm the city with mutual charity”

This then is the zeal and the passion – the fire – that we need to carry in our hearts…

A powerful zeal that makes no compromise in the values of the Kingdom…
… and makes it willing to suffer any hardship or difficulty for the sake of the Lord!

An aggressive passion that is willing to let go of any attachment or sinful desire…
… that comes in the way of being worthy of the Kingdom!

A blazing fire that rages across every wicked and evil action..
… and seeks to restore holiness and sanctity of life!

Yes, Christian Life is a warfare…
… against the forces of evil
… against our own worldly desires!

That is why the Church on earth who are living – who struggle against sin and devil and “the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph 6:12) is called as the “Church Militant” (“Ecclesia Militans”)

The Lord will surely bless our every attempt and every desire to seek Him

This will cause us to leave behind…
… our webs of vain desires
… our webs of sinful pleasures
… our webs of undue attachments
But our Master will touch all those webs and turn them to sparkling and shimmering blessings and graces!

May our Blessed Lord ignite our “often tired, dreary and weary” lives with a blazing passion and a fiery enthusiasm…
… so that we may energetically prepare for His coming into our lives!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CHRIST’S FAITHFUL – HIERARCHY, LAITY, CONSECRATED LIFE

The very differences which the Lord has willed to put between the members of his body serve its unity and mission.
For in the Church, there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission.
To the apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and by his power.
But the laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the Church and in the world, their own assignment in the mission of the whole People of God.

Finally, “from both groups [hierarchy and laity] there exist Christian faithful who are consecrated to God in their own special manner and serve the salvific mission of the Church through the profession of the evangelical counsels (CCC # 864-865)

THIS CHRISTMAS, LET’S CELEBRATE CHRIST, THE WORD WHO BECAME FLESH! – Day 8

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 08: REACH OUT GOD’S PRESENCE IN HUMBLE SERVICE!

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:39) “Mary set out and went with haste!”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
Having humbly received the Glorious Announcement of Angel Gabriel, and after having given Her consent to be the Mother of the Saviour, Mother Mary sets out ‘in haste’…
… in haste: to serve others
… in haste: to follow perfectly the Will of God
… in haste: to ensure Jesus to be the centre of Her life

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

1. Seek to always say Yes to God’s Will and Christ to be the centre of your life
2. Reach out – in enthusiasm and love – to serve and help the ones in need

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

Spend 10 minutes in the presence of the Lord – and renew your commitment by praying, “Lord, thank You for loving me as I am, and I accept Your Will in all the situations of my life!”
Identify a person who needs to a spark of inspiration in life, and reach out God’s care to the person

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, may the experience of Your Grace and Blessing, help me to give highest priority to you in my life, and may I reach out Your Love and Care to all those in need, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

REFLECTION CAPSULE – December 08, 2021: Wednesday

“Giving heed to the loving call of our Blessed Mother and being fervent and zealous to lead a holier and immaculate life, pleasing to God!”

(Based on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother)

The Immaculate Conception, by Guido Reni, 1627, The Metropolitan Museum, New York City

A priest went to visit a violent criminal who was condemned to death…
… hoping to prepare his soul to die well.

But the man wouldn’t even talk to him.

The priest pleaded and begged him to get reconciled with God…
… but the man’s heart was highly closed!

Finally, as a last resort, the priest entrusted himself to the Blessed Virgin Mary and then said to the criminal, “Before I leave, will you grant me one little favor?”

The man, with an intention to get rid of the bothersome priest, said he would.
“Let us then,” the priest responded, “Say one Hail Mary.”

So, together they began to pray that simple prayer…
… “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with You…”

They hadn’t even got through the first sentence when the criminal turned pale…
… and his voice started to shake.

The priest to continued the Hail Mary…
… and as he finished tears started to flow from the man’s face, and he fell on his knees at the priest’s feet.

As soon as the prayer was done, the man asked to make confession.

He then confessed his sins with a great sense of repentance!

The words, “Hail Mary, full of Grace, the Lord is with you…”
… had ignited the spark of repentance in him!

Yes, that’s the power of the intercession of Mother Mary!

She is the refuge of sinners

Her life of Faithfulness to God’s Grace, is an inspiration to all of us…
… to live an Immaculate and Holy Life!

Today, we celebrate the Solemn Feast of the beginning of the faithful life of the Most Beautiful and Loved Creation of God: The Feast of the Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother.

Sin is part of every human life.

St Paul testifies to this fact when he says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23)

By themselves, human beings are incapable of freeing themselves from sin.
Therefore…
… Everyone needs a Saviour
… Everyone needs a Redeemer

But God, in His infinite wisdom had thought of the most excellent way of redeeming humanity.

Salvation was to be accomplished not through any magical power
Salvation was to be brought about not through some superhuman force

Rather, the salvation of humanity was to be won by a Human Himself – the most perfect Human.

This perfect Human deserved and required the most sinless of all wombs for being born
This perfect Human demanded and necessitated the most immaculate of all lives to be nurtured

Thus, God in His perfect wisdom, applied the Grace of Redemption and Salvation to the One He had chosen – Mary of Nazareth.

Therefore…

Mary is the first recipient of the Redemption of Christ!
Mary is the first fruit of the Salvation, won by Christ!

This is the story of the Immaculate Conception of Mother Mary.

The Holy Scripture testifies to this Immaculate nature of our Blessed Mother through the words of Angel Gabriel to Her, “Hail, FULL of Grace!” (Lk 1:28)

The Immaculate Conception of our Blessed Mother points to Her sinlessness, Her being full of Grace, Her perfection in holiness and Her absolute adherence to the Will of God.

“Yes, Lord… Thy Will be done” (Lk 1:38) was a chorus that She sang in all the moments of life!

Today, on this Feast day, this our Blessed Mother invites and exhorts us, also…
… to make a choice for God, always, and lead a sinless life
… to always opt for God alone, at all times, and being immaculate in life
… to unswervingly be faithful to God’s Will, and thus seek to be perfect in life

The challenge is great… the efforts required are radical.

But we are not left alone in this “pursuit of holiness” (1 Cor 9:24)

Our Blessed Mamma – the Beautiful Lady in blue and white – grace in holiness and immaculate in love – holds our hands and tells us:
“My Little Child, I am with you!
I love you, and together, we shall walk in this exciting path of Holiness…
… towards My Son and Your Brother…
… towards Our Saviour Jesus!”

Yes, let us give heed to the loving call of our Blessed Mother

And be fervent and zealous to lead a holier and immaculate life, pleasing to God…
… as we pray, “Hail Mary, Full of Grace, the Lord is with You…!”

Today, December 08, 2021, we also conclude the Year of St Joseph.

Through this year, we have been very much reminded of the Patronage of this Great “silent worker” in the awesome work of Salvation

St Joseph, was honoured to be sharing the most intimate physical presence with the two Holiest Persons of this world – Jesus, the Son of God and Mary, the Immaculate Mother.

Let us continue to seek his intercession, be inspired by his holiness and learn from him especially…
… the love for Jesus and Mary
… the virtue of humility and chastity

Happy Feast of our Immaculate Mamma!
Greetings of the conclusion of the Year of St Joseph!
ALL GLORY AND HONOUR TO THEIR ETERNAL SON AND OUR SAVIOUR, JESUS!

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
CHRIST’S FAITHFUL – HIERARCHY, LAITY, CONSECRATED LIFE

“The Christian faithful are those who, inasmuch as they have been incorporated in Christ through Baptism, have been constituted as the people of God…
… for this reason, since they have become sharers in Christ’s priestly, prophetic, and royal office in their own manner, they are called to exercise the mission which God has entrusted to the Church to fulfill in the world, in accord with the condition proper to each one.”

“In virtue of their rebirth in Christ there exists among all the Christian faithful a true equality with regard to dignity and the activity whereby all cooperate in the building up of the Body of Christ in accord with each one’s own condition and function (CCC # 871-872)

THIS CHRISTMAS, LET’S CELEBRATE CHRIST, THE WORD WHO BECAME FLESH! – Day 7

(A journey through Verses from the Bible – with practical applications – to Love Jesus & Live Jesus!)

DAY 07: BE A LIGHT TO OTHERS!

BIBLE VERSE
(Lk 1:79) “To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

CONTEXT OF THE BIBLE VERSE
At the Birth of John (the Baptist), Zechariah exclaims the song of joy – BENEDICTUS – praising God for His Marvellous Mercy, prophetically revealing the Mind of God about the child, and calling all people…
… to become a Light that shines brightly in situations of darkness
… to experience the Peace of the Lord, and become a messenger of Peace to the world around

WHAT IS CHRIST SPEAKING TO ME, THROUGH THIS BIBLE VERSE?

1. Share the Light of the Gospel – with virtues of Faith, Hope and Love – to everyone
2. Allow the Peace of Christ to flood your heart, even if externally situations are discouraging; and with this experience, to become a Messenger of Peace in the world

HOW CAN I CELEBRATE CHRIST, THIS CHRISTMAS?

Light a Candle of Hope today, in the life of any one person, today, who is drowning in the darkness of disappointment
Make efforts to repair a broken relationship, by starting to pray for the Peace of Christ for that person

LET’S PRAY
Lord Jesus, may the Light of Your Gospel shine brightly in my life, so that experience the Peace that flows from Your Heart, I may become a messenger of Peace, Amen!

Let us celebrate Christ, this Christmas, and live like Him!

God Bless! Live Jesus!