The words we heard from the Gospel today are some of the most beautiful words recorded in the Gospels.The Evangelist summarizes the entire mission of Jesus by summing it up in those few words where he describes that it was God's love for mankind that made him send his son into the world and permitted his death. Those few words tell us the whole story of our faith.The love of God for mankind is without any limits.The love was so immense that He was willing to sacrifice his son for mankind so that all could be saved.
How consoling and comforting it is to hear that His love has no limits and that we are forever floating in His love.May the Lord give us strength to continue to experience that love so that in our times of brokenness and failures we know that God will not abandon us.
Lord, thank you for the blessings you have given me in my life.You have blessed me in many ways that I am not aware of.Be with me ,Lord.Be my strength.Let not anything or anyone distract me from my attachment to you.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sunday, March 18, 2012
St.Joseph's Feast,March 19,12,Mt.1:18-25
March 19,St.Joseph's Feast,Mt.1:18-25
Today we celebrate the feast of St.Joseph.All across the the State, in many churches, free meals are given to the people in honor of St.Joseph.
The reading from the Gospel, speaking about Joseph, refers to him as being righteous, just, dikaios.Dikaios is one who conforms hmself to the rules set by God.It means that Joseph was living a life according to his faith in the Lord. He always walked in the path of his faith, never ever moving away from a way of life in conformity with the teachings of his faith.There is faithfulness, compassion, mercy and justice in the way he lived his life.Today , we are offered the example of Joseph to model our lives upon.So many are the tempting allurements of our life which distract us from justice, mercy and faith.We have to stand firm and reject such ways of life that make us unfaithful and unrighteous.
Lord, help me to stand by my faith.Let me overcome the power of tempations which lures me away from you and leads me to ways of the world.
St.Joseph, dear father, please keep me in your protection and intercede for me so that I may lead a life worthy of my faith.
Today we celebrate the feast of St.Joseph.All across the the State, in many churches, free meals are given to the people in honor of St.Joseph.
The reading from the Gospel, speaking about Joseph, refers to him as being righteous, just, dikaios.Dikaios is one who conforms hmself to the rules set by God.It means that Joseph was living a life according to his faith in the Lord. He always walked in the path of his faith, never ever moving away from a way of life in conformity with the teachings of his faith.There is faithfulness, compassion, mercy and justice in the way he lived his life.Today , we are offered the example of Joseph to model our lives upon.So many are the tempting allurements of our life which distract us from justice, mercy and faith.We have to stand firm and reject such ways of life that make us unfaithful and unrighteous.
Lord, help me to stand by my faith.Let me overcome the power of tempations which lures me away from you and leads me to ways of the world.
St.Joseph, dear father, please keep me in your protection and intercede for me so that I may lead a life worthy of my faith.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Lenten Reflections,Jn.5:19-23,March 13,12
Jesus speaks about the identity between himself and the Father and asserts that he who receives him receives the Father.Those who don't honor the Son will not be honorng the Father.These words were addressed to the Jews who refused to commit themselves to Jesus.
We often blame the Jews for not accepting Christ. But what about us?We have accepted Jesus as our Savior but very often in our lives , in our day to day activities, we refuse to lead a life according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. We act as if we never heard of Jesus.We remain stuck in our old habits---arrogant, selfish, hateful, depressed, angry , lustful etc.There is no change happening in our lives because of our faith in Jesus.That means our commtiment is very shallow and peripheral.
Today God has given another opportunity to deepen our comitment to Him and make changes in the way we think and live.
Lord, make me a new person.By my efforts, I cannot make changes in my life. I am a fallible, frail human being, always failing from being faithful to my commitment. I need your grace to support me.Be my rock.Give me the strength to follow you. Don't pay any attention to my failures. I am weak and fragile.Come to my aid.
We often blame the Jews for not accepting Christ. But what about us?We have accepted Jesus as our Savior but very often in our lives , in our day to day activities, we refuse to lead a life according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. We act as if we never heard of Jesus.We remain stuck in our old habits---arrogant, selfish, hateful, depressed, angry , lustful etc.There is no change happening in our lives because of our faith in Jesus.That means our commtiment is very shallow and peripheral.
Today God has given another opportunity to deepen our comitment to Him and make changes in the way we think and live.
Lord, make me a new person.By my efforts, I cannot make changes in my life. I am a fallible, frail human being, always failing from being faithful to my commitment. I need your grace to support me.Be my rock.Give me the strength to follow you. Don't pay any attention to my failures. I am weak and fragile.Come to my aid.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Thank You ,Lord.
Sometimes, it is necessary to sit back and to reflect on our life in the background of the pure graciouness of the Lord. Today is a day like this for me. God has given me a few days to sit back to reflect on my life , its direction, progress and what I propose to do, moment by moment, day by day. I don't have many years before me to put any proposals or ideas into practice on a long term basis. The years , months and days at my disposal are limited. Every day is a bonus from the Lord. I have to be thankful for the gifts I have received. What is required is to make myself more thankful and merciful.
Every day , I have to say say to some one "Thank You" just for the sake of making that person happy and peaceful.God has given me this gift of gratitude.Let me give it freely instead of holding it firmly. Let me release the power and energy of gratitude to those around me. The constant recharging of my heart with thanks is what is needed now.
Eucharist is the greatest act of thanksgiving that we can participate in this life. We join with Jesus in thanking the Lord for the great gift of the Son of the Lord. His sacrifice becomes our scrifice to the Lord.A priest becomes a more active partcipant in this great act of Thanksgiving.Our little acts of gratitude are small steps that lead us to the altar of that great Thanksgiving. Let the world of every day work become the great Cathedral for me to express my words of gratitude
Thank you Lord,for the gift of Life, for the gift of health and for all the blessings you have given me.For the friends, family and for all those who have shown me kindness in one way or another, I thank You. For all those who have created difficulties for me, for all those who have ill-treated me, I thank you, Lord. For, it is through their actions or negative repsonses that I did improve my life.
Every day , I have to say say to some one "Thank You" just for the sake of making that person happy and peaceful.God has given me this gift of gratitude.Let me give it freely instead of holding it firmly. Let me release the power and energy of gratitude to those around me. The constant recharging of my heart with thanks is what is needed now.
Eucharist is the greatest act of thanksgiving that we can participate in this life. We join with Jesus in thanking the Lord for the great gift of the Son of the Lord. His sacrifice becomes our scrifice to the Lord.A priest becomes a more active partcipant in this great act of Thanksgiving.Our little acts of gratitude are small steps that lead us to the altar of that great Thanksgiving. Let the world of every day work become the great Cathedral for me to express my words of gratitude
Thank you Lord,for the gift of Life, for the gift of health and for all the blessings you have given me.For the friends, family and for all those who have shown me kindness in one way or another, I thank You. For all those who have created difficulties for me, for all those who have ill-treated me, I thank you, Lord. For, it is through their actions or negative repsonses that I did improve my life.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Lenten Reflectons,March 8,12,Mt.21:28-32
In today's Gospel, through the parable of the two sons Jesus shows us who is really obeying the will of God.In the parable, the second son who said that he won't go to the field actually did go and thus obeyed his father's commandment.Similarly, the gentiles who were considered sinners because of all kinds of failures on their part accepted Jesus as their Savior while the Israelites who were waiting for the Savior refused to accept him.The people who are really following the will of God are the gentiles.
What is needed is not not just words and platitudes of belief but williness to follow Jesus really in life. This is what Jesus is telling us. It does not matter who we are and how sinful we are. What is important is our turning back on sin and deciding to become a follower of Jesus.
Today is given another fresh opportunity to make the decision to follow Jesus and avoid the paths of sins.
We shall ask the Lord to forgive our sins and to follow him in our life.
Lord, give me the grace to be a faithful follower of yours and to repent of my failures in the past.
What is needed is not not just words and platitudes of belief but williness to follow Jesus really in life. This is what Jesus is telling us. It does not matter who we are and how sinful we are. What is important is our turning back on sin and deciding to become a follower of Jesus.
Today is given another fresh opportunity to make the decision to follow Jesus and avoid the paths of sins.
We shall ask the Lord to forgive our sins and to follow him in our life.
Lord, give me the grace to be a faithful follower of yours and to repent of my failures in the past.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Lenten Reflections,march3,12.Mt.11:17-24
In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks about the need for repentance. He had done many miracles and spoken about God's love.But people remained stubborn and were unwilling to repent of their sins.Many towns that were condemned in the past would have repented if they were witnesses to the miracles he had done for the towns in his time.How terrible it was for these towns and people not to have seen the the warnings sent to them!
These warnings are enough for us to repent of our sins and return to the Lord. None of us is perfect. We are all sinners. We need God's mercy and forgivenss. But God is willing to forgive our sins and give us the grace to be reconciled with him.How consoling it is to know that our Lord is very forgiving and compassionate. There is no need to feel despair in our hearts because of our weaknesses and sins. We can return to the Lord and ask for his mercy and forgiveness.
Lord, be kind t me. I am a sinner. I need your mercy and forgivness. O Lord, be kind to me.Forgive my sins. I need your mercy and forgivness everyday in my life.
These warnings are enough for us to repent of our sins and return to the Lord. None of us is perfect. We are all sinners. We need God's mercy and forgivenss. But God is willing to forgive our sins and give us the grace to be reconciled with him.How consoling it is to know that our Lord is very forgiving and compassionate. There is no need to feel despair in our hearts because of our weaknesses and sins. We can return to the Lord and ask for his mercy and forgiveness.
Lord, be kind t me. I am a sinner. I need your mercy and forgivness. O Lord, be kind to me.Forgive my sins. I need your mercy and forgivness everyday in my life.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Lenten Reflections,March2,12.Mk.11:27-33
In today's Gospel, Jesus was asked by the Pharisees to show proofs for his authority in doing what he is doing--healing people, correcting their mistaken notions of religious life etc. Jesus counters them by asking them to tell him by what authroityy John the Baptist was doing his ministryof preaching.They were trying to trap Jesus and were not interested in undergoing any internal transformation.Their hearts were not open to God.They were interested in continuing their traditions and customs.
But we know who Jesus is. The strangest thing is that we don't follow what Jesus is asking us to follow--to be forgivng and merciful,to reach out and help one another,to ask for repentance.
This season of Lent offers us a new opportunity to become new persons. We know where we are deficient.
We can control our ill-temper, be more helpful and forgiving.These do not need any herculean efforts. These are things that we can accomplish in the inner recsses of our hearts.
Lord, transform me.Change me to be a follower of you.Why should I feel worred? I should feel happy and peaceful.As long as you are with me, why should I be afraid.I should be more kind and lovng.That is all you want from me. No heroic deeds.Lord, help me to follow you in my life. I am not looking back or forward. Today's task is enough for me.
But we know who Jesus is. The strangest thing is that we don't follow what Jesus is asking us to follow--to be forgivng and merciful,to reach out and help one another,to ask for repentance.
This season of Lent offers us a new opportunity to become new persons. We know where we are deficient.
We can control our ill-temper, be more helpful and forgiving.These do not need any herculean efforts. These are things that we can accomplish in the inner recsses of our hearts.
Lord, transform me.Change me to be a follower of you.Why should I feel worred? I should feel happy and peaceful.As long as you are with me, why should I be afraid.I should be more kind and lovng.That is all you want from me. No heroic deeds.Lord, help me to follow you in my life. I am not looking back or forward. Today's task is enough for me.
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