Fifth Sunday of Easter

Also Read: Mass Readings for 28 April 2024 Mass Reading Reflection for 28 April 2024

Gospel: John 15: 1-8

“Without me, you can do nothing.” It is a huge statement made in a few words. Many seemingly overlook this powerful statement.

We are living in a world that tries to get rid of Jesus. Over the last couple of centuries, the West tried to get away from Jesus as much as possible. We can count many attempts from Humanism to Wokeism.

The common factor among these various philosophies is that they all propose to build a better world without Jesus Christ. For them, Christ is inconvenient, or part of the problem. Hence, they argue to get Jesus out of the picture and out of our culture. We have to admit that they have partially succeeded in creating a world without Jesus Christ.

Are they getting a better world? Looking at Europe today, what can you say? 

Let us see what Richard Dawkins, arguably the most prominent atheist living today, has to say. According to a recent interview published, he calls himself a ‘cultural Christian’, and prefers to live in a Christian country. He likes the carols and the Cathedrals but is happy to see Christians leaving their faith. It’s like you work towards farmers leaving their farms, yet you want fresh food on your table.

The worst scenario today is that many Christians prefer to remain ‘cultural Christians’ or Christians without Christ. Believe Jesus, “Without Jesus, you can do nothing.” We cannot remain unconcerned about the attempts to get Jesus out of the picture in recent centuries.

When you turn a blind eye to His commandments and look forward to making a better world through shortcuts, you are trying to do it without Jesus.

Jesus commanded, “Do not kill.” But we renamed it abortion.  

According to a study (by the Guttmacher Institute, published in 2022) 73 million abortions are performed per year. For comparison, the second world war killed approximately 75 million people (in six years). More than 70 million innocent unborn are brutally killed annually, and we are expecting peace! It is not Jesus’ way of making a peaceful world.

A snap from Great Britain caught the attention the other day. A group of Muslims raise their butts against what used to be an altar in a huge British Church. They were worshipping their pagan god turning to their shrine elsewhere. All because the natural heirs of those beautiful churches and cathedrals were butchered while they were in wombs.

The atheists, the Muslims, the Hindus, and almost everyone want to live in a developed country. Most of the developed countries are or used to be Christian-majority countries. Sadly though, many of them are trying to kick Jesus out of their lives and societies. Many European countries have started to taste the fruits of trying to build without Jesus.

Jesus did not say in vain that you can do nothing without him.

Take it as a warning: if you do not build with Jesus, you are destroying it. It applies to persons, families, societies, nations, and the world.

Don’t forget His words, “Without me, you can do nothing.”

Amen.

Fourth Sunday of Easter

Also Read: Mass Readings for 21 April 2024 Mass Reading Reflection for 21 April 2024

Gospel: John 10: 11-18

How did Jesus want to be known? In the gospel passage we just read he defined himself twice, ‘I am the good shepherd.’ Greetings on the Sunday of the Good Shepherd!

Thank Jesus, you belong to His flock. Well, do you really belong to His flock? If you belong to His flock, you should know Him well. Because Jesus says that his sheep know Him. How do you know Jesus?

Do you know Jesus because you were born to Christian parents who baptized and took you catechism? Or you may know Him because you attend the Church regularly, receive the sacraments and listen to the sermons. If you do, you are indeed blessed, but it is only the beginning.

Do you know that Jesus as your shepherd? King David foresaw that the Lord is the Shepherd.

David knew that the Lord was his shepherd. It made him fearless. He wasn’t afraid to walk through the darkest valley. He wasn’t afraid of evil because he was sure that God was always with him. (Ps 23)

He wasn’t afraid that he was too small and too young to fight; he fought Goliath and killed him to save his country and fellow citizens (I Samuel 17: 12-51).

When he was hungry, he remembered that the Lord was his shepherd. So, he took the liberty to enter the house of God and ate the bread that was reserved exclusively for the priests. (Mat 12: 3-8).

He wasn’t afraid to spare the life of Saul who sought to kill him; because he knew well that the Lord, who anointed him, was there to protect him. (I Samuel 24: 1-22).

Although a king, he wasn’t ashamed to sing and dance, like a common man, in front of the Ark of the Lord. Because he was dancing in front of the Lord, his beloved shepherd. (2 Samuel 6:14-22).

He wasn’t afraid to forgive Shimei, the one who insulted him.  (II Samuel 16: 5-13). Because he knew that his Shepherd was forgiving, and he had to follow the steps of his Shepherd.

He wasn’t afraid of his own failures.  He humbly sought the forgiveness of the Lord, when he realized that he had committed a series of crimes. He did not try to escape from the vicinity of the Lord, instead went back to him with a broken heart. He knew that his Shepherd could forgive and heal. (II Samuel 11, 12).

Now the question is repeated, do you know Jesus, your shepherd? If you believe that Jesus is your shepherd, follow Him; follow Him always. Follow Him with your crosses, with your struggles, with your failures, with your anxieties. Follow him with the Bible in your hands, and prayers in your heart.

Always follow Jesus with love.

Amen.

Third Sunday of Easter

Also Read: Mass Readings for 14 April 2024 Mass Reading Reflection for 14 April 2024

Gospel: Luke 24: 35-48

The two disciples who met Jesus on the way to Emmaus returned to Jerusalem immediately. They were explaining their experience with the eleven apostles and other disciples; then Jesus appeared and had the events as we heard from the final reading today.

A lot can happen when Christians get together. Because, when Christians are together, Jesus is among them. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them” (Mt 18: 20). Jesus does not make false promises.

We are called to come together regularly. That is why the Church calls every Christian to come together on Sundays to worship God, to listen to His Words broken and distributed from the pulpit, and to break the bread at the altar and share the body of Christ with due preparation.

Sunday is a blessing!

Sunday is not only a day of worship. It is a blessing in itself.

Look at the elderly couple participating in the Sunday mass and receiving the blessed sacrament. The husband is blind and lovingly led by his wife. It is the only day they come out of their tiny house in the entire week. Apart from the spiritual benefits they get social and emotional benefits. Before and after the holy mass they are greeted and acknowledged by their old and young friends. Even the perks themselves are so attractive. The radiance on their faces betrays that they are eagerly waiting for the Sundays to come.

Socialization with people of different age groups and ethnicities makes us more open and vibrant.  A Christian Sunday helps us to network with people from different walks of life. It gently prompts us to organize to help and support those in need.  It helps us have some lighter moments with old and new friends.

Many propagate that Christianity is concerned about our eternity alone. False! Christianity is about bringing heaven to earth before we reach heaven. Jesus came to bring heaven to earth. He taught us to love one another as in heaven. Heaven is not about revenge, hatred, lust, or jealousy. It’s about love, caring, sharing, forgiving and so on. Staying away from negative tendencies is important to qualify us for heaven here on earth and in the life after. If we don’t participate in creating heaven on earth, we don’t merit to participate in heaven in the afterlife. We are animated to congregate to create earthly editions of heaven.

It is time to reinvent our Sundays.  It’s about regrouping around Christ once again just as the disciples did on that beautiful day described in the Gospel. They had different experiences during those days, they shared them, and suddenly they found Jesus among them. Let us also gather in our churches, meet one another, share our Christ experiences, and meet Christ among us, as per His promise.

Let us thank the Lord for the Sundays and make the best of them. Make them holy days once again.

Amen.

Second Sunday of Easter, Sunday of Divine Mercy

Also Read: Mass Readings for 7 April 2024 Mass Reading Reflection for 7 April 2024

Gospel: John 20: 19-31

Jesus Christ is Divine Mercy incarnate. Today’s Gospel is giving us too many reasons to conclude so. Look at the final remarks of Jesus’s introductory discussion with his disciples. He gives them the authority to forgive sins. Only God can forgive sins. Jesus is showing utmost mercy to share his divine power of forgiveness with the disciples. Forgiveness is the zenith of mercy. Jesus empowered his apostles to forgive sin and thus instituted the sacrament of confession. “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Confession thus, is the sacrament of mercy.

Quiet often, we hear the question, “Why should I confess to a priest, Can’t God who knows everything not forgive my sins directly?” Of course, God can! But God could also create you without bothering your parents! He created everything from nothingness. The God of the Bible, who gave Salamon his wisdom, could make you educated and wise without bothering you by attending long years in schools and universities! Indeed, God could heal you without the aid of medical professionals. Do you think they all do what God cannot do?

The parents, the teachers, and the medical professionals have a role in our existence because God designed it so. The same way Jesus authorized his apostles to distribute Divine mercy. The apostles handed over the authority to the Church, and the Church exercised the authority through consecrated priests. Now it is up to us to avail the Divine Mercy.

When Naaman approached Prophet Elisha to cure his leprosy, he asked him to take seven dips in the river Jordan. Naaman felt it ridiculous. But a trusted servant intervened with these words, “If the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” (2 Kings 5: 13). Naaman obliged and he got cured so much so “his flesh was restored and became clean like that of an infant” (2 Kings 5: 14).

When you confess, you are spiritually restored as pure as an infant. Many things God could do directly are being done through human beings. God in His mercy, has empowered us to participate in His authority. Forgiveness of sins through the sacrament of confession is one among them. If you are skipping it, you are skipping Divine Mercy.

Rather than skipping it, let us celebrate the sacrament of confession, albeit the sacrament of Divine Mercy, as often as possible.

Amen.