Come Out From Our Tomb!

Lent is nearing its end. Jesus’ command to Lazarus to “come out” is a command to all of us (Jn 11:1-45). We are already too long in the grave of sin. God calls us again to come out from our tomb. If we still find ourselves in the tomb of selfishness, we should come out of it. Our selfishness makes us hard and stiff towards others and community. Look at a man at his birth; he is so fragile and tender. But at death, he is hard and stiff. We need conversion, a constant conversion from the sinfulness to a new life. Of course, any change for the better would cause us pain and suffering right?

Lent is not about suffering and sacrifice. It’s a corridor to new life. Lent is all about reaching the resurrection: renewing our faith, entering a new life free of old sins, reconciling damaged relationships, and living in the Spirit of God more than we ever did before.

God is willing to help us with His power today. Lazarus came out to life not by his own power but by the power of God. It is power of God that enables us to break all the chains, all fears and to give new life.

Therefore we need to bring all our fears and weaknesses to God in prayer. Martha brought her sadness to the Lord and her sadness was transformed into a faith-experience to her. God’s power combined with our own Lenten sacrifice – prayer, penance and act of charity can transform our fears, sadness, bitterness, sinfulness into a new life as well sharing in His resurrection.

Lord, That I May See!

The gospel account for the 4th Sunday of Lent (Jn 9:1-41) is about physical blindness – the giving of sight to a man born blind. It is all about light and darkness, knowledge and ignorance, faith and unbelief. 

Christ is asking us to look at our blind spots because coming out from darkness into light is not an easy journey. Jesus knows our weaknesses and is willing to help us, provided we come to Him for healing.

In this Lent, what Jesus is asking us whether we are in the light or still in the dark. He is offering us a chance to take another look at ourselves. Having been called to walk as children of the light we must keep praying, “Lord, that I may see, that I may choose again to be with you, to obey you and to look to you for help and direction.”

Whenever our eyes are opened to acknowledge others, we grow in the light of faith and knowledge of God. We pray for greater insight into the will of the Lord and for the ability to see more clearly the needs of other people in our lives.

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).