Acknowledging the Wounded!

“Touching the Wounds of Christ” during the season of Lent.

Many people are wounded not physically but emotionally. The wounds may have been caused by our own behaviour and by our own words and deeds which have deeply hurt others. We ourselves cause wounds. Wounding others (our parents, spouses, children, siblings, loved ones, etc) have become a cycle which has to be broken especially in this season of Lent.

We have already journeyed half way through this season of Lent. Have we made ourselves available to touch the wounded with our words and deeds? Closing our eyes to the wounded person is also closing our hearts to God. When we open our eyes and acknowledge the wounded, our lives will change. When we touch them with a gesture of Christ’s love and compassion, it will bring healing and blessing to one another. God loves the wounded and those who cause the wounds.

Here, I am Lord!

Today we celebrate the beginning of our salvation in the Annunciation of the Lord. 

The story of the Annunciation in today's Gospel reading (Lk 1:26-39) reminds us that God’s plan for the salvation of the human race is His own initiative. He sends His Son into the world at a precise time and in a precise place. He prepares Mary beforehand with everything to fulfill Her mission as Mother of the Redeemer – a mission that she accepts in freedom and through faith. 

One of the constant refrains of the Gospel is: “Do not be afraid.” When the Lord draws near, our natural tendency is to be afraid. We can be afraid of His presence. We can be afraid of what He might ask of us. We can be afraid of our own limitations in the face of the call to true conversion and holiness of life. We can be afraid of the apparent obstacles along the path of Christian discipleship. 

Like Mary, we need to overcome our fear by embracing 

God’s will with faith, freedom and love. As our confidence and trust in God increases, our fear decreases. As our love increases, our fear disappears. 

Of what am I afraid in my relationship with the Lord? 

Am I surrendering my fear by giving myself in faith?

"Here, I am Lord, I come to do Your will."

Jesus Quenches Our Thirst

The gospel of 3rd Sunday of Lent is about the encounter of two persons: Jesus and a woman from Samaria. At the well, Jesus simply tells the woman that she will remain dry unless she confronts her past and changes her life.  She submits to the Love of God.  From the moment she submits to God's love, she is forgiven and transformed. Her thirst is quenched.

We must capture that type of spiritual thirst! We must thirst and long for God and for spiritual living! To often, we try to quench our thirst in all the wrong places. We drink from the worldly well instead from the well of life, which is found in Christ.

A Woman at a well is thirsty.  A thirsty Jesus joins her.  A thirsty people, you and I, are also present at that well. Jesus provides the living water, the water of his Word and Eucharist that alone will ultimately quench our thirst. 

Lenten prayers, fasting and almsgiving offer us a precious opportunity to drink this life-giving water to share it with others as well. We pray that this year Lent season will bring us closer to the fountain of living water, the new promised life in Jesus.

Psalmist expressed it this way, "As a deer yearns for running streams, so I yearn for you, my God. I thirst for God, for the living God." (Ps 42:1-2).

Fresh Soil of the Earth!

Yesterday and today we were blest with good rainfall. It has been more than two months that we have been going through a tough time with the heat, haze and water cut. We were only able to sense a burnt smell from the face of the earth. After the heavy down pour these two days we are now able to smell the fresh soil of the earth. Soon we will be seeing the greenish fields, clean air, solution to the water ration and reduce of dust.

"Lord, send for your Spirit and renew the face of the earth," (Psalm 103:30)

The MYSTERY of MH370

Do continuously light a candle at your home altar, grotto and in your office for the MISSING FLIGHT MH370

We pray for the missing passengers and crews that the Lord will keep them safe wherever they may be.

We pray for their families, that the Lord will grant them comfort and consolation.

We pray for the "RESCUE TEAMS" that the Lord will grant them strength so that they may not lose hope in searching for our missing brothers and sisters.

As one nation, let us be united in prayers!